After being pulled back by the Nuggets, the Warriors returned home with a 3-1 lead, and as Klay Thompson said, it would be nice to be able to complete the promotion at home. The Warriors certainly don't want the suspense of the series to continue, the Nuggets are a team that loves to create reversals, and if the series continues, it will affect the physical condition of the players.
In the G5 battle of the series, Stephen Kerr made adjustments to the starting lineup and directly placed a small lineup, and Curry finally returned to the starting lineup. Stephen Curry has played four consecutive games off the bench since his return from the playoffs, and starting Jordan Poole has also performed well, giving the Warriors an absolute advantage in the series.
With the opening of the five-point final lineup, can the Warriors really win with surprise?
After the game, the Warriors were able to gain the upper hand slightly, but the Nuggets also showed their tough attitude, especially Aaron Gordon played very tough. There were some surprises in the first quarter, with Aaron Gordon being whistled for a technical foul while Austin Rivers returned to the dressing room with an injury during defence, feeling depressed.
Rivers Jr. was an important defensive player for the Nuggets and contributed a key steal in the last game.
The Nuggets still did well in the second quarter, and Cousins was efficient after coming off the bench, so he continued to cling to the score. In the second half of the quarter, the Warriors suddenly became confused on the offensive end, and only Cuminga could score for the Warriors. Will Barton hit a three-pointer and the Nuggets overtook the score. The half-time ended with a draw.
In the second half, the Warriors were passive, and the Nuggets' lead score reached double digits. At the crucial moment, Stephen Curry hit three three-pointers to help the team stabilize the situation. But Cousins scored seven straight points to end the third quarter of the game, and the Nuggets took the lead into the final quarter.
In the final game of the final quarter, the Nuggets encountered difficulties, especially Jokic's back 5 fouls and injuries, the Nuggets finally unable to turn the tables. Curry showed leadership in the final moments of the game, he took over the game to help the Warriors win the series, and the Warriors finally appeared in the Western Conference final four again.
Judging from the strength of the series and the progress of the game, it is not surprising that the Warriors beat the Nuggets to advance, the Nuggets lack Jamal Murray and Michael Potter Jr., and Jokic's helpers are quite limited. The Warriors are obviously more capable, so the whole series wasn't a tough one, even though the Nuggets also created some problems.
The key to the Warriors winning the series lies in the strength of the team's offensive end, and the finishing ability of the new version of the five small lineups is relatively good. Although Kerr's "new invention" is not as balanced as the previous version, the smoothness of the offense makes it difficult for opponents to defend, and the Nuggets are extremely jealous of this lineup, which is also a deadly weapon for the Warriors to defeat their opponents in the series.
But there are some problems with this lineup right now.
The Warriors use this lineup because all other players except Drummond Green have projection capabilities, and Jordan Poole has made significant progress this season, bringing improvements to the Warriors' offensive end. However, Poole's two games are like "hitting the wall", and the offensive efficiency is significantly lower than before.
In the first three games, Jordan Poole scored a total of 86 points, while the last two games combined have only scored 19 points.
The Warriors' opponent in the next round is likely to be the Grizzlies, which will undoubtedly be a big test for the Warriors. While the Grizzlies' lack of experience compared to the Warriors would be the Grizzlies' weakness, this group of youngsters clearly wanted to do something, and their strong fighting spirit and physical talent would make them fearless.
(Text/Yan Wujun)