NBA: Warrior godfather.

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"...Dinard missed a three-pointer, and only 30 seconds remained in the game. The Warriors seemed to no longer want to play. Watson dribbled the ball after the halftime break and ran down the clock... Let's congratulate the Warriors on their victory of 114-93 over the Trail Blazers! With this victory, the Warriors' record reached 51 wins and 31 losses, surpassing the Spurs and moving up to sixth place in the Western Conference. Their opponent in the playoffs will be the Phoenix Suns.

As the commentator's voice dropped, the Warriors' 24-second shot clock expired. Watson handed the ball to the referee. The Trail Blazers didn't attack again after the ball was passed in, and the Warriors secured a big win.

This game held no significance for the Trail Blazers. Head coach McMillan rested almost all the starters.

When this lineup faced the Warriors, who wanted to win, they were quickly defeated. The Trail Blazers were down by 16 points in the third quarter, and the Warriors kept up their efforts, extending the lead to 25 points. With this, the game lost all suspense. McMillan wasn't interested in playing, so he brought in the third-string lineup in the final quarter, and the Warriors' starting players could relax for the final three quarters.

After the game, six Warriors players scored in double digits. Curry played 27 minutes and easily posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 assists. Azubuike scored 15 points, Butler had 13 points, Chandler had 12 points and 16 rebounds, blocks, Anthony Tolliver 12 points, Lowry 15 points, and 7 assists, a variety of players contributed.

Liam González was very satisfied with this game. The rested starters completed their warm-up through a preseason-style game. They hadn't expended too much energy and were now ready for the playoffs. The team's ranking also reached sixth place in the Western Conference, fulfilling the goal set at the beginning of the season. This regular season was perfect for the Warriors.

Although they now face a tough opponent like the Suns, Liam González no longer cares about the outcome of the playoffs; as long as he can't win the championship, he believes there's no difference between the first and second rounds. Gaining playoff experience is the most important thing.

But, of course, Liam González won't give up on the game. Even if the chances of winning are slim, he will still try to take a piece of flesh from the Suns. His first playoff journey with the Warriors should not end prematurely.

"Boss, we're sixth in the Western Conference and going to the playoffs!" Just as Liam González was lost in thought, Curry approached him and said with a smile.

Liam González snapped out of it, stood up, and smiled back:

"Yes, we're a playoff team!"

...

While the Warriors celebrated their victory, there were people far away in San Antonio who had been keeping an eye on the game.

"What was the result?" Popovich asked assistant coach Budenholzer beside him.

His eyes were calm with a hint of expectation, as though the Spurs' loss that night had little impact on him.

Budenholzer replied:

"McMillan rested four starters, the Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers by more than 20 points, and now we're seventh in the Western Conference."

Popovich sighed in relief:

"Good. Now I'm just worried about how to beat the Suns. It would be great if the Warriors won. It would be fantastic to win."

Budenholzer nodded and said:

"Compared to the Suns, the Mavericks are easier to beat. Our defense is too difficult to handle the Suns, and the Mavericks' lineup is even older than ours. We still have a chance."

Popovich smiled slightly:

"Liam González is still too young. He has the initiative and can choose his opponent, but he picked the toughest one. In fact, the Warriors are more composed than the Mavericks. Compared to the previous eight blackouts... With more time for Tyson Chandler and Stephen Curry, the chances of a Black Seven are quite high."

"The Warriors have finally made it to the playoffs. He might be reluctant to settle for sixth place in the Western Conference." Budenholzer thought for a moment and replied.

Popovich shook his head:

"No, he shouldn't be able to see it. Even if he can't see it, Old Nelson will remind him of it. He probably doesn't want to extinguish the team's spirit. After all, the Warriors are gaining momentum... All I can say is that everyone has pros and cons, this is a win-win situation. He can train the young players, and we also have the chance to go further. Oh, I forgot, he's young and needs more training."

Budenholzer smiled:

"Let the Suns worry. Our opponent is the Mavericks. Greg, do you have any ideas?"

Popovich squinted his eyes and said:

"Of course, I've prepared a great gift for our old neighbor!"

...

After defeating the Trail Blazers, Liam González took four players, including Curry, Chandler, Azubuike, and Lowry, for interviews with the media.

Since Chandler arrived at the Warriors, he had been interviewed by the media after almost every game. This was a promise Liam González made to him beforehand, and it was the "responsibility" he had to bear as the leader of the locker room.

Of course, with Liam González nearby, Chandler didn't dare shoot off his mouth or talk about what happened in the locker room, but the sense of being respected was unprecedented for him, and it was something he had always longed for.

In Liam González's previous life, after Chandler went to the Knicks, with Anthony and Stoudemire as his partners, he was considered the leader of the locker room. He criticized his teammates everywhere and even complained in front of the media about how things weren't going well. The loser should die.

Although he was a key contributor to the Mavericks' championship, after he arrived in New York, he supported the team's defensive system by himself and won the Defensive Player of the Year award. But after all, he was more of a defensive star. In the end, he could only attack in the paint, leaving no other way to score. So how could his teammates obey him?

In three years, Chandler was sent back to the Mavericks by the Knicks. After returning to the Mavericks, he continued on his own path, which caused friction with Nowitzki, a player with good character, on the court. He didn't play much in his second year and didn't renew his contract.

Now, Liam González had pulled Chandler out of the Hornets' predicament, allowing him to serve as the team's starting center and take on the primary defensive responsibilities. He had also allowed him to be the Warriors' locker room leader. This made Chandler very grateful to Liam González, and the atmosphere within the Warriors was excellent. Chandler really enjoyed being here. He worked hard in training and games and often shared valuable experiences and lessons on the court with the younger players, benefiting players like Curry and other rookies.

This time, Chandler was the first to be interviewed, followed by Azubuike, Lowry, and Curry, with Liam González being interviewed last.

Naturally, what the journalists asked the most was his opinion on the playoffs. Chandler had been in the playoffs several times and knew how difficult it was to deal with the Suns, so he answered cautiously.

But Azubuike was different. As a witness to the Black Eight miracle, he was so confident that he almost said Black Six.

However, his confidence wasn't misplaced. The gap between the teams in the Western Conference this year was extremely small. The Suns, ranked third in the West, were only 3 games ahead of the Warriors, who were sixth. No one could say the Suns would definitely beat the Warriors.

The same went for Lowry and Curry. Although they didn't directly say the Warriors would definitely beat the Suns, their ten-game winning streak at the end of the season had greatly boosted the confidence of the entire Warriors team, and their words clearly implied that the Suns could very well be beaten.

When Liam González arrived at this point, it seemed he shared the same idea. A reporter asked him if he was confident the Warriors could defeat the Suns. Liam González responded confidently:

"Of course, we're in peak form. The Suns are only 3 games ahead, and their lineup is aging. Nash is already 36 years old. The Suns haven't won a series in the last two years. This is no longer the era of the Sons of the Wind. The game has changed."

The reporter asked:

"Are you saying Nash can't perform well in the playoffs? Or are you saying you'll specifically defend him?"

Liam González smiled:

"If I remember correctly, Nash was eliminated after playing just five games in the last playoffs, averaging only 16.2 points per game. What specific measures should I take for his performance? Defense?"

The reporters' eyes lit up. Coach Liam was truly different from the others. Most head coaches treated the opponent like the greatest of all time, taking every opponent seriously as if victory was already secured.

"No problem, let's call it a day." Liam González quickly ended the interview without giving the journalists another opportunity for questions.

After Curry finished his interview, everyone stood by the door waiting for Liam González and listened to his response earlier.

Azubuike smiled and said:

"Boss, have you figured out how to deal with the Suns?"

The other three looked at him expectantly. Liam González's smile from the interview quickly faded. He looked at them with a serious face and said calmly:

"We'll talk about this later."

After speaking, he took the lead and walked out without saying another word.

The four of them looked at each other and could only follow.

That night, the Warriors flew back to Oakland overnight. After the regular season, the league only gave each team two days of rest. On April 17, the playoffs were about to begin. Preparing for the playoffs.

At two in the morning, the Warriors' special plane landed at Oakland Airport. Although it was very late, dozens of fans were still waiting outside the airport. When the Warriors players came out, they rushed to help. The team was going to the playoffs.

Liam González waved his hand, and the players approached and signed autographs for these die-hard fans with sleepy eyes. Fortunately, the Thunder's home game a few days ago had allowed the Warriors to successfully enter the playoffs. That day was very eventful, otherwise, the number of people taking the flight that night would have been ten times or more.

Not only the players, but some people also asked Liam González for autographs and pictures. After Liam González signed the autographs for the fans, he bid them farewell.

"Coach Liam, can we beat the Suns?" a fan shouted.

Liam González paused for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Of course, we're going to win, and making it to the playoffs is just the beginning."

The fans laughed happily after hearing Liam González's answer. They raised their joy cards and waved them vigorously. Dozens of people shouted the "Warrior" slogan in unison, adding a bit of fire to this cold night.

"But not now..."

Liam González added quietly in his heart, finally waving to the fans and leading the team members onto the bus.

For the Warriors, the 2009-2010 regular season had ended, and the playoffs were next. This was a fiercer, more intense, and more exciting showdown than the regular season.

The end of the last day had also decided the rankings of the Eastern and Western Conferences, and all the teams knew who they would face.

The competition in the Eastern Conference was much easier than in the Western Conference, and the playoff spots had been determined earlier. The Cavaliers led the way with a record of 65 wins and 7 losses, ranking first in the Eastern Conference and first in the league. James averaged 27.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during the regular season. With full stats of 8.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks, it could be said that he had already picked up the MVP trophy and the results were about to be announced. Combining the record and the stats, there was no way others could compete with him.

Second in the Eastern Conference were the Magic with 59 wins and 23 losses, just a few games behind the Cavaliers. Howard averaged a double-double of 18.3 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. His rebounding this season supported the Magic's interior defense, and he was highly likely to win the Defensive Player of the Year title.

Third in the Eastern Conference were the Hawks with 53 wins and 29 losses. Although they didn't have any superstars, they had many strong players. Under the leadership of Joe Johnson, they finished among the top three in the Eastern Conference. However, not many people were optimistic about the Hawks' playoff prospects.

The fourth spot in the Eastern Conference went to the Celtics with 50 wins and 32 losses. Although the Celtics only finished fourth and had a shaky regular season, no one dared to underestimate the only team with the Big Three in the league. The Celtics were still the strongest team in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Big Three had accumulated good physical condition over the season and would surely explode with all their energy in the playoffs.

From fifth to eighth in the Eastern Conference were the Heat, Bucks, Bobcats, and Bulls. Their records were under 48 wins, and they wouldn't have made the playoffs in the Western Conference and hadn't drawn much attention.

The theme of this era was that the West was strong and the East was weak. The Celtics, who ranked fourth in the East, could only occupy the sixth spot in the West behind the Warriors. With the same record as the Spurs, they finished fourth in the West with a record of 48 wins and 33 losses. The eighth spot in the West was held by the Trail Blazers.

A bit further ahead, fifth in the Western Conference were the Jazz with 53 wins and 29 losses. Deron Williams averaged a double-double of 18.7 points and 10.5 assists per game, firmly placing himself among the top five point guards in the league.

The Nuggets and Jazz had the same record, but the Nuggets ranked fourth in the Western Conference due to their superior win-loss record. Anthony averaged 28.2 points per game, but he could only score, averaging just 3.2 assists per game, which was a limitation. In the end, if Billups hadn't been in charge of the overall situation, the competition in the Western Conference this year might have been so fierce that the Nuggets wouldn't have even made the playoffs.

Third in the Western Conference were the Suns. This team had gone through many ups and downs in the first two seasons, but finally, Nash averaged 16.5 points and 11 assists per game, though he didn't score much. He was extremely efficient and passed more freely than ever. His ability to boost his teammates was as strong as always.

The Mavericks are in second place in the Western Conference. King Nodius never loses his rhythm during the regular season. As long as he's here, the Mavericks will never have to worry about the postseason.

The Lakers are, naturally, the number one team in the Western Conference. The defending champions are also the league's biggest favorites. Their performance can be summed up in two words: solid!

At this point, the 2009-2010 regular season has come to an end, and the playoffs are about to begin!

End of this chapter

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