"Any issues can wait until after the game! Right now, let's just win this one!"
Curry's words finally pulled Green back from the edge of fury.
After shooting the Kings a fierce glare, Green steadied himself and refocused on the game.
But with five fouls already, he played tentatively, unwilling to risk any big moves.
"Should we keep going at him?"
CJ whispered to Butler as he was helped to his feet.
"That's enough."
Butler shook his head.
Pushing the issue with Green now would only backfire.
After two straight fouls, the referees were bound to show some discretion. To keep the game competitive, they'd inevitably protect Green to a degree, turning a blind eye on close calls.
It was an open secret around the league.
For the Kings, a cautious Green with five fouls was a far better matchup than having the aggressive Bogut back on the floor.
Sure enough, after that play, the Warriors' interior defense weakened noticeably.
Seeing Green hesitate, Butler and Gay exchanged a quick look and immediately began isolating against the Warriors inside.
"This… this…"
Kerr lost his usual calm, rising to his feet in disbelief. "This is ridiculous."
But there was no time for him to dwell on it.
The clock ticked away as the Warriors sank into a predicament they hadn't anticipated.
"Fk!"
Curry fought for a sliver of shooting space, but when his shot clanged off the rim, frustration boiled over into a curse.
Watching his teammates struggle only worsened his own frustration.
"Timeout!"
With the deficit stretching into double digits and little margin for error left, Kerr was forced to burn his final timeout.
"Guys!"
His face composed, Kerr addressed his players. "We're backed against the wall now. Here's what we'll do."
He grabbed a marker and sketched the plan at lightning speed.
"The Kings probably won't risk the 3-2 zone again. They'll go man-to-man. Klay, you stay on the weak side at the 45. As soon as Steph drives, you cut to the corner."
It was one of the Warriors' go-to plays: Curry and Thompson working in tandem, always keeping an easy passing angle alive.
That way, Curry could either finish himself or kick it out to Thompson for a clean shot.
"Barnes, you'll be the secondary ball-handler on the strong side, also at the 45. If Steph's drive stalls, be ready for the pass!"
"Iguodala, Green—keep setting screens for Steph!"
This was Kerr's all-or-nothing gamble, designed to maximize Curry's impact.
At this point, Curry was the only one who could keep the team afloat and try to turn the tide.
"Play free out there," Kerr said, his eyes locked on Curry. "The team's in your hands."
"Got it."
Curry had regained his composure, but those who knew him understood—behind that calm gaze burned a fire, fierce and unyielding.
...
As expected, the Kings came out of the timeout in man-to-man defense. At this stage of a game, it was a stage for superstars. Even a bold coach like Malone wouldn't risk a zone now. He assigned Butler to guard Curry one-on-one—a sign of respect.
Curry held the ball on the perimeter, glanced at the defensive setup, and instantly mapped his plan.
Using Green's screen, he accelerated inside.
Butler, hyper-alert, slipped around Green like an eel, but he was still a half-step late. Curry broke free, reaching the free-throw line.
As he looked to push deeper, Gay slid over from the weak side to cut off the space.
But the moment Gay shifted, Curry fired the pass.
The ball zipped straight to the far corner. Thompson, already set, caught and launched without hesitation—swish.
"That's the Warriors for you, still firing like this under pressure."
Chen Yilun stuffed popcorn into his mouth from the half-empty bucket on his lap.
"So what now?"
Peja eyed Chen Yilun, briefly tempted to grab another bucket himself, before resisting.
"Run the clock down."
Chen Yilun swallowed before continuing.
"Time's what the Warriors lack most. If I were Malone, I'd let Steph keep driving. If he really has it in him to beat us all by himself, fine—we'll accept that.
"But no way do we let him pass. We cut every line between him and his teammates.
"As long as we keep scoring, if Curry wants to go full superstar mode, let him. He can't close the gap alone."
Almost on cue, Coach Malone signaled toward the floor.
The Kings' offense turned brutally simple.
They ran their sets to clear the paint, then dumped it to Jokić to isolate against Green.
The natural height mismatch gave Jokić a clear edge. And with his finesse-heavy, low-contact style, he exploited Green's biggest weakness.
After all, Green's biggest weapons were his toughness and elite help defense. For two years, he had anchored the Warriors' interior while also organizing large chunks of the offense.
But after the Kings scored, their defensive scheme shifted immediately.
Gay, who had been lurking at the weak-side midrange for help defense, moved out to the three-point line. The Kings deliberately left the paint open.
In exchange, their perimeter defense tightened to a suffocating degree.
Forcing me to play isolation?
Curry immediately read Malone's intent.
But with time running out, he couldn't afford to slowly dismantle the defense.
He had to attack the defender in front of him, over and over.
Just as Chen Yilun predicted, Curry alone couldn't take down the entire Kings squad.
When the buzzer blared to end the possession, Curry collapsed to the floor, utterly spent.
And victory, as it turned out, didn't belong to the Warriors.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals—shockingly, the Warriors dropped it on their home court!