Little Cutie was Artest's nickname for Anthony after the first two games.

And sweep usually refers to a team being mercilessly defeated 4-0 in the NBA playoffs.

On the 27th.

The third game between the Warriors and Nuggets moved to the Denver Pepsi Center.

Once George Karl goes crazy, he only gets crazier, still implementing his game strategy from the second match.

However, unlike the second game...

In the first quarter, the Nuggets' outside shooters capitalized on most opportunities.

Although in the second quarter, the Nuggets players, including Anthony, inevitably experienced a slump, that was when Billups stood up.

On the court, by facilitating traffic and creating wide spaces for Anthony's one-on-one plays, Billups soon let Artest feel just how damn troublesome this Little Cutie Anthony was.

This on-the-spot tactical adjustment by the Nuggets wasn't George Karl's idea.

But in response to Karl's skepticism, former Finals MVP Billups insisted, "To stop us from shooting threes, the Warriors have been forced to extend their defense. If we want to win, you damn old fool better listen to me!"

At that moment, the usually irritable Karl was dumbfounded.

But immediately, awakened by Billups' words, Karl cast an appreciative glance at him.

This is what makes George Karl different.

He doesn't hold grudges against you for going against him...

Instead, the more you act like a puppet under his control, the more he despises you.

It proved that Billups' in-game adjustment successfully allowed the Nuggets to enter the second half with a 17-point lead.

And after halftime...

Warriors fans, who expected the team to ignite their usual "big fire restraining juice" mode, only saw Qin Yue fighting alone on the court.

Denver's high-altitude home court indeed affected the Warriors' shooting touch.

But overconfident before the game, they clearly underestimated the Nuggets' offensive power when they get hot.

In the regular season, Al Harrington's three-point percentage was as high as 43%, averaging 2 threes per game.

Billups' regular-season three-point percentage was relatively average, only 36%.

However, entering the playoffs, the clutch Billups raised his three-point percentage and output to 40% with an average of 4 threes per game.

And when Anthony and J.R. Smith get into a shooting frenzy, not to mention the previously underestimated Krejza...

Final score, 106 to 117.

After being defeated by large margins in the first two games, the Nuggets avenged themselves in the third and kept their hope of winning this series alive.

Throughout the game, Anthony, back to being "Sweet Melon" in Denver, scored 38 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, provided 1 assist, and made 1 steal.

Post-game, Qin Yue, who scored 40 points with 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks for the Warriors, stated in an interview, "We can't get complacent because of our previous victory, the West is filled with no weak teams this year."

Even before the Warriors departed for Denver, Qin Yue noticed the growing complacency within the Warriors' squad.

He specially reminded every teammate about it.

But in competitive sports, so-called underestimation...

Doesn't mean that just because you take something seriously, you won't underestimate it.

Historically, countless defeats due to complacency have fully proven that humanity never learns from past mistakes.

One day later.

The fourth game between the two teams continued at Pepsi Center.

From the opening, the Warriors displayed a completely different game attitude.

But compared to the third game...

This match's insane shooting frenzy by the Nuggets made Qin Yue and his teammates feel...

As if the Nuggets were all turned on and cheating.

Perhaps playing this Nuggets a hundred times, the Warriors could win eighty of them.

But just like in basketball, when you can explode, so can they.

Facing the Warriors' ever-increasing defensive intensity, the Nuggets still managed to make those illogical threes...

George Karl's initially absurd experiment turned into a victory the Nuggets gambled for and won.

In this game, the Nuggets, attempting 41 threes, made 20 of them.

Under Karl's crazy experiment, they set the current era's NBA playoff team single-game three-point record.

Post-game.

Regarding the match, George Karl showcased another prominent trait of his personality, saying triumphantly, "When we were down 0-2, you all said we were done! But now? We not only tied the series 2-2, but I think we've proven that we're fully capable of eliminating the defending champions!"

Ending up 2-2 with the Nuggets was definitely not the result the Warriors wanted before heading to Denver.

But instead, after these two games, Qin Yue felt a change in the Warriors' spirit and morale.

As defending champions, within the Warriors, it's not just Qin Yue who desires to defend the title.

Winning the first two games and then losing two straight...

Whether it's the two unpleasant defeats or Karl's ugly face, they greatly stimulated the Warriors' team pride.

According to the schedule, the upcoming "Celestial King Mountain" game between the Nuggets and Warriors will return to Oracle Arena.

However, Warriors players didn't treat it as a game deciding their fate against the Nuggets.

Deciding fate?

When the defending champions are awakened by two unexpected losses, the entire Warriors team now only wants to tell the world with a hearty victory:

After they've had enough fun, bored with this series, they will end it with an offensive wave as unstoppable as a tsunami.

May 1st.

Oakland.

Before the game, still smug about those crazy three-point attempts, George Karl was forced to call the Nuggets' first timeout just 3 minutes into Game Five.

The scoreboard showed, 2 to 14.

The adjustments the Warriors made on offense and defense in Game Five caught Karl and the Nuggets by surprise.

And as the former Finals MVP, Billups felt for the first time Qin Yue's historically dominant presence in this series.

"We need to figure out how to speed up the game pace."

"Are you crazy? Speed up? That's the Warriors' preferred pace!"

"It's our only way; otherwise... no one can deal with that monster!"

Nuggets bench.

Looking at Billups' furrowed brow at that moment, Karl couldn't help but feel...

As if he was back in the era dominated by the Chicago Bulls.

...

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