Chapter 1130: Chapter 360: The Return
Chauncey Billups has been executing mid-range jump shots, and in the past few games, the Warriors have been betting on his mid-range shooting on defense.
But his mid-range shots have never won the game.
Chauncey Billups is not a volume shooter, he’s a player who ensures a lower limit. In the original timeline, during his peak from 2003 to 2009, Chauncey Billups never missed a conference final, keeping his team at that baseline.
Even when the Pistons later fell apart, losing Big Ben as their core. Even when he transferred to the Nuggets, leading a team that had only gone through one round in the previous season, he could still maintain a conference final baseline.
But wanting to win a championship, to break through that ceiling, was beyond Chauncey Billups’ capabilities.
Now, the Warriors are forcing him to do just that.
The Warriors are forcing him to deliver both efficiency and volume in his mid-range shots, to take the Pistons another step forward.
Billups knows this too, so he hopes he can shoulder the responsibility.
Soon, the venue was filled with people. All the fans wore the same color T-shirts, turning the entire Oakland Arena into a sea of blue.
In this atmosphere, Mike Breen quickly got into the zone: "This might be a great night for Oaklanders, or perhaps the continuation of Detroit’s immortal legend! It’s either the setting off of dreams or the end of wishes. This is Game Six of the finals, welcome to ESPN!"
The game started quickly, neither side needing to probe further as tactical strategies had exhausted all options by this point.
The game’s outcome was largely in the players’ hands.
The Pistons won the first offensive possession, and in their first attack, Billups broke past Allan Houston with a screen and shot as he typically does from mid-range.
Everything was no different from the previous three games, except Billups hit his first shot solidly today!
Chauncey Billups’ gaze was as steadfast as a soldier guarding the frontline. He knew retreat meant death, so he might as well die charging forward!
The blue-collar legend never feared talent and authority, they only persisted till the end amidst the sparks of steel and iron!
Billups’ mid-range shot seemed to unlock the safety on the machine guns in the hands of the blue-collar workers, and in the following few rounds, the Pistons’ offensive wave rolled over like breaking waves, like splitting bamboo.
Hamilton, after bypassing seven or eight screens, caught the ball outside the three-point line and hit it steadily.
Rasheed Wallace pulled out to the three-point line and also made a long shot.
Artest forcefully attacked Roger, drawing a foul and making both free throws.
This was possibly the best stretch of offense the Detroit Pistons had in the entire series, with everyone contributing and everyone able to score.
This offensive wave put the Warriors 8 points behind in the opening phase.
But soon, the Pistons’ rhythm started to decline.
Fierce physical defense was draining the Warriors’ players, as well as the Pistons themselves.
By the end of the first quarter, with Stephen Jackson coming on, the Warriors began their offensive push.
Roger dished out two assists, letting Stephen Jackson and Allan Houston respectively hit threes, capitalizing on the Pistons’ strategy of leaving the three-point line open.
A data comparison was also displayed at the bottom of the TV screen: up until this finals, the Warriors had hit 57 threes, while the Pistons had only 16.
Even so, Rick Carlisle and his iron army never hesitated. Even if the Warriors spread the floor to the extreme, the moment Roger caught the ball, the help defense came decisively and swiftly.
Everyone saw what Roger did to the Spurs in the last round after they withdrew their help defense against him to defend Stoudemire.
Under no circumstances could Rick Carlisle allow Roger to explode.
This is a freak who can average 40 points in the finals; only a fool would reduce defense against him!
Ultimately, both sides ended the first quarter tied.
This is the battle between the Warriors and the Pistons; for six consecutive games, the fights have been neck-and-neck.
In the second quarter, the Pistons’ shooting touch still hadn’t returned.
But Chauncey Billups maintained his form.
Time and again, he sank those hard mid-range jumpers defending against the Warriors’ defense, seizing the opportunities they gave him, allowing the two teams to alternate leads.
In the late stage of the second quarter, Tayshaun Prince was subbed out, but when Jason Richardson came on, he realized Richard Hamilton was still playing, seemingly intending to play the entire second quarter!
Rick Carlisle indeed planned this, intending to have Hamilton play 45 minutes today!
Just like in the round against the Lakers, where Spoelstra had Roger defending and attacking, the coach knew it was a severe test of the players’ stamina, but had it come to a life and death moment, was there any reason to hold back?
Now it’s all about fighting for it!
Without Tayshaun Prince’s harassment, Hamilton scored another 6 points in the late second quarter, his stamina perverse, not even sparing a dog, and didn’t waver in accuracy despite playing the entire quarter. His consecutive mid-range jump shots were like products on a production line, without error and without distinction.
By halftime, the Pistons had taken a 7-point lead!
"Roger’s coronation won’t be easy; Detroiters are here to fight today!" Mike Breen couldn’t help but applaud; regardless of win or loss, both teams in this series deserve absolute respect.