Back on June 14, 2019, in the third quarter of Game 6 of the Finals, the Warriors were home to Oracle Stadium, and Thompson had scored 28 points.
While the home fans lamented the Buddha's return and regained the hope of stealing the seven, Thompson collapsed on the cold floor after a quick dunk!
When the court fell silent, the commentator choked up, the fans wept secretly, and Curry smashed the ball to the floor, he endured the pain to make two free throws and then threw himself into the game as if nothing had happened, until Cousins used a deliberate foul that Kerr replaced Thompson, who was full of reluctance and unhappiness.
At this moment, he knew that his season was over! Half an hour later, the Warriors' three-game championship dream was shattered. When Leonard lifted the Russell Trophy and the Raptors cheered for their first championship in team history, Thompson could only lie on the bed and secretly saddened!
"Wait for me for two minutes, I'll go back!" Who knew that this difference was 941 days!
This year, Thompson returned to the game, the Warriors were not optimistic, all the way to win the championship, and Thompson also got his fourth championship ring! But Thompson's 42.9 percent shooting percentage and 38.5 percent three-point shooting in the regular season both set career lows! The finals featured 4-of-19 shooting, 1-of-8 three-pointers, 5-of-20 three-pointers, and 2-of-8 three-pointers!
At the end of 11 regular season games this season, his form has reached a freezing point, shooting only 36% from the field and 32.6% from three-point range.
Slow movement, defensive loopholes, unreasonable shots, dragging down Curry's peak, 40 million junk contracts, hurry up to trade, a crusade is endless!
Even Barkley was unashamed: "A few years ago, he was a good defender, but because of injuries and age, his form has begun to decline compared to previous years, and time will not treat him well, I am disappointed. ”
When Booker shouted at Thompson, "You're a defensive waste," Thompson exploded and he held out four fingers in response, I have 4 rings, brother. He chattered and frustrated until he was ejected for the first time in his career for two technical fouls, and Thompson still mumbled.
He knew in his heart that his defense was indeed far from the peak, but he did not want to lower his noble head. He was angry, not at Booker, but because of himself! He hated himself for not throwing those abominable basketballs into the net bag, hating his legs for filling them with lead, and hating himself for not being able to go back to the way they were!
He was unwilling, unconvinced, and even more reluctant! He didn't believe that the cold night was approaching and fell to the bottom! As a result, he increased his possession of the ball, but because he didn't move as fast as before, it was difficult to find good catch and shoot opportunities. Therefore, he threw when he had an opportunity, resisting the defender to throw, switching to a quick attack and throwing, just to light the torch in his heart and let himself chase the shadow he once had!
We like Thompson because of his grit, his decisiveness, and even more so because of his shooting through the field; We like the Splash Brothers because they trust each other and are indispensable; We love warriors because of their selflessness, unity! Therefore, as long as Thompson shoots a three-pointer, Curry will continue to create opportunities for him later, and he believes in the brother who once scored 37 points in a single quarter; Green, Rooney will keep fighting for rebounds to give him the ball to shoot, and they will not forget the teammate who scored 60 points in the third quarter, infinitely close to Kobe's miracle of 81 points; Kerr will set up tactics for him because he is crazy enough to shoot 14 three-pointers, even if he is as strong as Curry, he has never done it; The management gave him 190 million for 5 years, and even if he suffered a big injury, they really liked the G6 soup that repeatedly saved the warriors, and they were eager to see Nirvana reborn!
Poole, Wiseman, Kuminga will not understand Thompson's place on this Warriors team, and his importance in the lineup and tactics; I won't understand that in these more than 900 days, he has watched the ups and downs of the team from crest to trough, and he is extremely eager to return to the field but unable to do anything; You won't understand the energy of Buddha's light and the ability to turn the tide!
The veterans lay dormant for three seasons, carving countless marks on their bodies before bringing the heavy championship trophy back to Golden State.
This includes how many shooting drills Curry has, how many days and nights of recovery training for Thompson, and how many rounds of tactical drills for Wiggins, Green, and Rooney! In Curry, when the Greens wanted to help Thompson regain his form and boost his self-confidence, they let Thompson accompany them on the court to do round-trip running training, let Curry and Wiggins serve as sparring partners for them, and let the castle that the starting five have worked hard to build turn into ashes after they appeared again and again!
Fans are understandably skeptical of Thompson, because they have witnessed Thompson's shining moments too many times, so they are as demanding as the peak! Because of Thompson's contract, I feel that if I delay the team's recruitment, I will point the spearhead at a team's meritorious players!
But the Warriors' unsatisfactory record is not Thompson's fault alone, although he is not as good and his contract is somewhat big.
Every title is hard-won, and defending the title is even more difficult! The so-called easy to fight the rivers and mountains, and the difficulty of guarding the rivers and mountains is also the same truth. The team that wins the championship is naturally the public enemy of the whole league, a thorn in their side, and beating them is the goal of every team, not only as an inspiration, but also as a way to prove yourself!
The collapse of the championship-winning squad is the way for every defending team, with some choosing to retire in a hurry or pursuing a bigger contract. And after the Warriors were unable to renew Payton and Porter, the bench could only rely on the immature rookies!
And after three weeks, the rookies' performance is clearly far from what the team and fans had hoped for!
Even if you want to take a player, it shouldn't be Thompson!
Poole's performance plummeted after signing a big contract, the defense was useless, the offense was hesitant, and it seemed that the 140 million money had been obtained, and he had no pursuit in life. Flipping wrists, dribbling for 20 seconds, careless running, staring at the ball without staring at the defense, you don't know if he doesn't want to play, or if he won't play! The big smart Wiseman has an empty name, always doing unpredictable things, raising his hand to ask for the ball without standing, shaking his head without giving the ball, and I want to turn my back to single, and give me that damn basketball; stationed under the basket but stuck in position, unable to get the rebound, repeatedly staged a good play of overhead boarding; With his eyes fixed on the ball, as long as the ball does not score, he will not hesitate to show his bouncing level, but he always fails to get the ball. There is height, arm span, bounce and talent, but the only thing missing is the brain!
Of course, Thompson's offensive and defensive level has indeed dropped significantly from the peak, which is a fact and there is nothing to avoid it. But why did Curry, Green, Rooney, and later Wiggins choose to trust Thompson and keep passing him?
Because even if his ability declines, his attitude and determination will not change, and the origin of the Warriors' crazy reputation in three quarters over the years has relied on a series of three-point shots by Curry and Thompson, and the opponent has a mental breakdown and a thousand miles!
Curry, Green, and Thompson all day, training together, stepping into the field together, no one knows Thompson better than them! As long as Thompson gradually adapts to the intensity of the game and finds the feel of shooting, Curry will play more easily, even if he is trapped, he will be more comfortable. The regular season has just begun, and with Thompson's spirit and temperament, he will never become that drag oil bottle, and he will not be languishing all the time!
You can question his defensive ability, but trust his defensive awareness; You can question his shooting options, but trust in his ability to recover; You can question his salary contract, but trust his tactical position! Everything will be fine!
How bitter is Mo Dao, Phoenix Nirvana Road. Never underestimate the heart of a champion, let alone the energy of a Buddha!