Steve Kerr called a timeout, the first time the Golden State Warriors had actively called one in this game!
From the TNT commentary booth on the sidelines, Smith's voice rose sharply. "Since the rise of the Splash Brothers, we rarely see Coach Steve Kerr call timeouts."
The Golden State Warriors often commit low-level turnovers and take ill-advised shots during games.
Head Coach Steve Kerr usually tolerates those mistakes from his players.
After all, by the third quarter, they always unleash a hurricane-like offensive surge that crushes their opponents in an instant!
But at this moment, after deploying his proud Death Lineup in the second quarter, Kerr took the initiative to stop the game.
This was a very clear signal!
Even a coach as steady as Kerr was now rattled by the Clippers' system.
"This timeout had to be called!"
O'Neal, seated beside him, agreed. "Since the Clippers also went small, they've hit the Warriors with an 8-0 run!"
More importantly, the Clippers produced that surge directly against the Warriors' Death Lineup!
An 8-0 run on the Death Lineup!
In today's league, perhaps only the Houston Rockets led by Harden and Chris Paul could do that.
But this Clippers lineup just did it!
After the timeout, Kerr subbed out Livingston for Draymond Green.
With Draymond Green on the floor, the Warriors' true Death Lineup officially arrived!
Now it was time for their madness.
Play resumed. Warriors possession!
After Curry crossed half court, he quickly swung the ball to Draymond Green at the top of the arc.
The moment Draymond caught it, the other four Warriors began slicing and cross-cutting at full speed.
After several sharp cuts, Curry popped out to the forty-five-degree angle beyond the arc. Lou Williams was caught behind a screen.
In that fleeting window, Curry caught and fired without hesitation.
"Swish!"
Three-pointer, good!!!
"The Warriors adjusted immediately. Their first possession after the timeout is a success!"
"But their real problem should still be on the defensive end..."
As soon as the commentators finished speaking, Kai drove on the other end and kicked it out, assisting Lou Williams for a mid-range jumper. Two more points!
The Warriors didn't waver because of that defensive lapse.
Coming back down the floor.
They unveiled their ultimate weapon, the "Durant-Curry pick-and-roll!"
After the screen, Curry slipped a behind-the-back pass to Durant, stationed outside the left three-point line.
Durant caught it and rose for a pull-up three over Jeff Green's outstretched arm!!
"Swish!"
The ball sliced through the air like a drawn blade, delivering a lethal strike!!!
64-62!
Out of the timeout, Curry and Durant each knocked down a three, and the Warriors reclaimed the lead!
In other words, maybe this Warriors team truly couldn't contain the Clippers' small lineup defensively.
But did they really need defense?
With Curry, Thompson, and Durant, clearly not!
Just outscore them!
Riding the offensive explosion of the Splash Brothers, the Warriors seized control before halftime.
At the break, the Clippers trailed 70-68 on the road at Oracle Arena!
The Splash Brothers combined for 50 points in the first half!
On the Clippers' side, Kai Chen, who poured in 24 points in the first quarter, cooled slightly in the second.
He took four shots in the second quarter, hitting three, including 1-for-1 from deep, scoring 7 points without a single free throw.
With 31 first-half points, Kai Chen also handed out 5 assists in the second quarter alone!
"This Clippers-Warriors showdown absolutely lives up to the hype!"
At halftime, Smith flipped open the box score. "Kai remains unstoppable with 31 points in the first half!"
"On the Warriors' side, Curry has 18, Klay 14, and Durant 18. The scoring is beautifully balanced."
"You could say this game, whether it's the superstar duels or the tactical chess match between the two head coaches, has reached its peak!!"
Kerr and Doc Rivers countered each other move for move.
Kai Chen and the Splash Brothers traded explosions on the court, neither side holding back.
It truly felt like an epic clash!
Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, inside the Clippers' executive office.
Team Chief Consultant Jerry West didn't need to say much.
General Manager Griffin was already on the phone with other executives, inquiring about potential trades.
After seeing the small lineup the Clippers rolled out, owner Ballmer gave a direct order.
Build a roster around Kai at all costs!
Ballmer even authorized Griffin to put every available future draft pick on the table!
Draft picks represent a franchise's future.
But Kai Chen had already proven he was both the present and the future!
The broadcast returned to Oracle Arena.
After halftime, both teams' starters took the floor.
The Clippers did not continue with their small lineup to open the third quarter.
Grayson Allen, Simmons, and Lou Williams had played the entire second quarter, and the physical toll was obvious.
Doc Rivers had little choice. Not everyone possesses the freakish stamina of Kai Chen!
Abandoning the small lineup was undoubtedly good news for the Warriors.
"Warrior Three-Crazy" arrived right on schedule!
The Splash Brothers attacked relentlessly, treating Lopez like target practice. Defensive rebounds turned into fast breaks in waves.
Even though Kai Chen remained unstoppable offensively, the barrage of three-pointers from the Splash Brothers stabbed into the Clippers' heart again and again!
A 40-22 third quarter shoved the Clippers into desperation!
"110-90, the Warriors have stretched the lead to 20 at the end of the third quarter!!"
"The Warriors have once again shown the world their overwhelming dominance!"
From the booth, O'Neal couldn't help but praise them. "Don't forget, they still have DeMarcus Cousins, a center who averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists last season, sitting on the bench!"
"I honestly can't think of who can beat this Warriors team!!"
"Clippers, maybe it's time to make a move!"
Smith followed with a sigh. "Late in the second quarter, the Clippers briefly gave us a glimpse of their small lineup, but it didn't last."
"We can't deny the Clippers have produced incredible results this season."
"But against truly elite teams, there are still clear weaknesses."
"Even with Kai Chen scoring 48 points through three quarters, they're still down 20!"
Smith's breakdown was blunt.
Despite owning the league's best record, the Clippers' current roster simply wasn't enough against a five-superstar Warriors squad.
Even if Kai remains unsolvable, he's still alone.
In the West, the Houston Rockets can push teams to seven games in the playoffs.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have already blown them out once in the regular season.
The San Antonio Spurs treat the regular season like practice and only get serious in the playoffs.
If the Clippers want to go deeper, changes are unavoidable!
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