During the transition from offense to defense, Curry advanced with the ball, executing quick, sharp direction changes that left the rookie LaVine scrambling to keep up. This was the clear difference between a seasoned veteran and a rookie. LaVine, just fresh in the league, couldn't adjust to the rapid shifts in Curry's movement and was blown by in an instant. Curry made his move to the right. Ben rushed over to cover, but Curry, with his impeccable vision, made a no-look pass straight to Klay Thompson on the perimeter.
"Swish!" The ball sailed through the hoop, and Thompson turned back on defense with his usual calm, expressionless demeanor after sinking the three-pointer.
"Damn it! Don't fall for his fakes!" Mike Malone yelled from the sideline, frustrated with LaVine. The rookie's face reddened, but he quickly refocused and got back into attack mode.
Meanwhile, Jokic was dominating in the paint, and Malone was more than satisfied with his performance. The young center's polished footwork in the post was too much for Bogut, and he even had a respectable three-point shot. Malone couldn't help but glance over at Cousins, who was sitting on the bench looking somewhat disinterested. A strange thought crossed Malone's mind: Did Jake bring in Jokic to replace Cousins, that hot-headed player?
Could it be that all of Popovich's protégés have this level of insight? Jokic, despite being a second-round pick, was performing at the level of lottery picks, maybe even better. Are these high-ranked guys just overhyped?
As the game continued, Steve Kerr's frustration grew. Their goal this season was a championship, but here they were, struggling against a low-ranked team in the very first game. Unable to shake the Kings, Kerr called another timeout. The scoreboard read 90 to 80, with the Kings leading by ten points.
"We're winning the championship this year, but if the Kings keep playing like this, they might become a serious threat in the playoffs," Kerr admitted to his team. "Let's use that play next."
Kerr was clearly feeling the pressure. Who would've thought the Kings would be this tough after just one offseason? Well, it's time to remind them what a real championship team looks like.
After the timeout, Curry passed to Thompson, but something felt off to Mike Malone. Curry suddenly started moving off the ball. "Why is Curry moving without the ball? Thompson's the spot-up shooter here!" Malone muttered to himself, growing suspicious.
Just as Ben McLemore was closing in on Curry, Livingston and Iguodala set a perfect double screen, blocking McLemore from getting through. The screen was so well-timed that Ben got sandwiched between them with no escape. Curry received the ball from Thompson, wide open behind the three-point line, and let it fly.
"Swish!" The ball sank through the hoop again, and the crowd roared.
"Hey! That's a moving pick-and-roll! That's illegal!" Malone shouted furiously from the sidelines, demanding a call from the referee. The official hesitated, looking toward the sideline referee for a second opinion.
Technically, it was a moving screen, but it was such a subtle shift in position that calling it would disrupt the entire flow of the game. The officials, knowing the importance of keeping the game entertaining, decided to let it slide.
Meanwhile, Jake, who had been sitting on the sidelines chatting with a fan, suddenly jumped up in shock when he saw what had just happened. The fan looked startled, but Jake wasn't paying attention. He stared at the court in disbelief.
"Elevator doors?" Jake mumbled to himself, recognizing the play the Warriors had just executed. "That's not supposed to come out until next season when the Death Lineup is in full swing! Damn it, Kerr's already figured it out!"
"Timeout! Timeout!" Mike Malone shouted, his frustration boiling over as the Kings' lead shrank. The arena buzzed with excitement. Just moments ago, the Kings had forced the Warriors to call a timeout, and now the tables had turned, with Malone himself demanding a break.
In the broadcast booth, the tension was palpable. O'Neal finally broke the silence. "That tactic the Warriors just ran... that's scary."
Kenny Smith shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Yeah, no kidding. That play sacrificed everyone else's shot opportunities to create a perfect opening for Curry. As long as either Curry or Thompson stays hot, they can easily shoot the Kings out of the game from the perimeter."
Both O'Neal and Kenny knew the Kings were in a tough spot. Despite still leading 90 to 83, Curry was on fire, having made six out of eight three-point attempts so far. With the Warriors' new tactic, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before the Warriors would take the lead.
On the Kings' bench, Mike Malone huddled with his team. "Next possession, you have to focus on defending the perimeter! Cousins, you're going in. If we can't stop Curry from scoring, we at least need to keep pace by putting points on the board ourselves."
The game was far from over, but the Kings knew they were up against a juggernaut in the Warriors. The challenge was clear: to stop Curry's shooting spree or risk losing the game altogether.
After the timeout, Cousins' entrance to the game gave the Kings' fans a renewed sense of hope, and they erupted into cheers. Cousins did not disappoint, muscling past Bogut in the paint and scoring two points in the very first possession. However, the Warriors responded immediately, executing the "elevator door" play once more, leading to another Curry three-pointer. The score changed to 92:86. By the end of the third quarter, the Kings were holding onto a slim lead, 94 to 92. The large lead they had built in the first half had evaporated in the blink of an eye.
"Is there really no way to counter that tactic?" Mike Malone muttered, rubbing his forehead as he mentally reviewed every defensive strategy he could recall. Unfortunately, none of them seemed capable of fully neutralizing the threat posed by the Warriors' "elevator door" play.
"Mike." Jake's voice broke through Malone's thoughts. "Fight fire with fire. They have three-pointers, but so do we. And we've got a paint advantage they can't match. Stick to our game plan and don't let them disrupt our flow."
Malone absorbed Jake's words and made up his mind. "Alright. When you get back on the court, run play No. 1 whenever possible to create space for our shooters. CJ and Ben, no matter what, the moment you see them run that elevator door, collapse on it immediately. Casspi and Gay, don't let Curry or Thompson out of your sight. Even if they think about passing the ball, I want you there to disrupt it!"
"Got it!" The players nodded seriously, the intensity rising as they prepared to return to the court.
Jake watched the team walk back onto the court and sighed internally. It was time. His three-point boost card, activated! An invisible energy emanated from Jake, flowing into the bodies of the five players on the floor. A progress bar appeared before Jake: Boost time remaining: 14 minutes and 59 seconds.
You've got an elevator door play? Sorry, I've got a boost card. Senior Kerr, I'm really sorry, but I'm about to cheat!
Back on the court, CJ dribbled the ball across half-court, surveying the positioning. He quickly fed the ball into Cousins in the post. This time, it was Warriors' backup, Speights, tasked with guarding Cousins. The mismatch was immediately apparent as the larger and stronger Cousins backed Speights down with ease, making his way into the paint. Cousins lined up his hook shot, but just as the ball left his hands, a big hand appeared out of nowhere—slap!—the ball was swatted away cleanly. Bogut had swooped in to provide help defense, blocking Cousins' shot and sending the ball flying out of bounds.
"Dammit!" Cousins growled, frustrated that his chance to shine had been shut down so swiftly. Determined, he called for the ball again. This time, Bogut was ready, disrupting Cousins' shot again as it clanked off the rim. Bogut secured the rebound and, in one swift motion, launched the ball down the court with a powerful pass.
Two blue jerseys streaked toward the Kings' basket—Curry and small forward Barnes, racing in transition. Curry received the pass and charged toward the hoop. Only Ben was back on defense, standing firm under the basket, eyes locked on Curry. But as Ben prepared to contest the shot, Curry flicked a no-look pass around Ben's fingertips, sending the ball directly into Barnes' hands. Barnes, with a head of steam, took off and hammered down a thunderous dunk.
A collective gasp went up from the crowd. The scoreboard now read 94 to 95, marking the first time the Kings had trailed all night—and it was happening in the critical fourth quarter.
On the sidelines, Mike Malone clenched his fists. Is all our hard work about to be undone?
"No!" Malone's voice cut through the tension, his command echoing across the court. "Run play No. 1! Cousins, just screen, no more hero ball!"
Cousins, who had missed two key opportunities and allowed the Warriors to take the lead, looked humbled. He set his jaw and nodded, ready to redeem himself. This time, his role was clear—set the screen for his teammates.
CJ, dribbling at the top of the arc, noticed something—the Warriors were so focused on the other players' movements, trying to predict the off-ball action, that they seemed to be ignoring him as the ball-handler. An idea sparked in CJ's mind. Just then, Cousins came up to set a pick-and-roll. Bogut, recognizing Cousins' unreliable three-point shooting, hesitated to follow closely.
CJ seized the moment, dribbled around the screen, and saw a small opening. Curry, caught on Cousins' screen, couldn't keep up. Without a second thought, CJ rose for the jumper.
"Swish!" The ball arced through the air and straight into the net.