When the Thunder were in first place in the Western Conference, opposing teams would study their technical characteristics, tactical play, and look for weaknesses in their lineup.
Coach George Karl and his coaching staff of the Denver Nuggets, after careful study, discovered the key to the Thunder's success: transition offense.
The Thunder's perimeter players possessed excellent athleticism. As long as they could execute consecutive transition plays, the Thunder would enter their offensive rhythm, leading to a scoring run that would decide the game.
Therefore, right from the start of the first quarter, the Nuggets intensified their efforts on offensive rebounds. Nene, Martin, and Anthony constantly crashed the boards in the Thunder's paint.
In those days, three-pointers were less common, and long rebounds were rare. This meant that every time the Thunder wanted to secure a defensive rebound, they first had to engage in a physical battle, and Anthony's powerful backside gave Durant a lot of trouble.
More than five minutes into the first quarter, the Thunder hadn't managed a single transition offense; all their plays were in the half-court.
The game tempo was very slow, with the Nuggets leading 12-10. Coach Brooks called a timeout.
"Good job, guys, our rebounding has been great, but we need to speed up the pace. Kevin, dribble less and play smarter. Russell, bring out your mid-range game!"
"We need to change their defensive stance. We need to hit shots from the perimeter. Kayce, keep up your aggressiveness."
After the opening, Durant's shot was off, going 0-for-3, and Russell was hesitant with his mid-range shots, causing the Nuggets' defense to shrink further and further.
However, thanks to Kayce's 4-for-4 start, the Thunder managed to keep the score close. Coach Brooks knew that if their perimeter shots continued to miss, this game would be very difficult.
"Kevin, increase your off-ball movement. Don't worry about Anthony's entanglement; he's just trying to disrupt your rhythm with physical contact."
Kayce knew that Durant was somewhat getting into a rivalry with Anthony in the opening stages. After Anthony scored on him twice in the low post, Durant was clearly getting frustrated.
"It's my fault. The referees aren't calling any of these physical contacts. Shit! This is basketball!"
Durant had a tough time against James in the previous game, and now he was facing Anthony. Coach Brooks had originally wanted Jeff Green to guard him, but the competitive Durant flat-out refused.
"As the team leader, I must be strong on both offense and defense!"
The two young leaders in the Thunder's locker room were in a silent competition. Durant certainly couldn't back down first, especially since Kayce's defense wasn't bad either; he didn't want to concede defeat on defense.
After the timeout, the Thunder attacked. Kayce received the ball with his back to the basket, defended by Arron Afflalo. This time, Durant, using a screen from Jeff Green, broke free from Anthony's entanglement.
As soon as he reached the top of the arc, he immediately received a pass from Kayce. After catching the ball, Durant faced the switching Kenyon Martin and burst past him with a quick step.
Just past the free-throw line, while on the move, he suddenly executed a behind-the-back dribble with his right hand, changing rhythm, and released a fadeaway.
"Swish!" The mid-range shot found the net cleanly.
After the basket, Durant let out a long breath. Finishing plays after shaking off defenders was what he was best at right now. He knew he wasn't as good as Kayce in low-post back-to-the-basket moves.
"Durant has finally found his shooting touch. He was playing very awkwardly at the start, unable to score against Anthony in the low post. This direct finishing after receiving the ball is what he should be doing!"
After this basket, Yang Jian praised Durant's shot selection.
For the remainder of the first quarter, the two teams traded blows, with the lead changing hands. The Thunder had to constantly battle under the basket to secure defensive rebounds.
By the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 22. Few possessions and low shooting percentage—this was completely out of the Thunder's offensive rhythm.
After helping the team get through the opening phase, Kayce had been trying to get his teammates' offense going, but Kostić failed to finish twice under the basket, and Jeff Green was also cold from the perimeter, which left Kayce scratching his head.
During the break between quarters, in the CCTV studio, Yang Jian and guest Xu Jicheng were also summarizing the two teams' performance in the first quarter.
"This is completely different from the Thunder games we've seen before. This is NBA basketball; your opponents will always study you, and clearly, Coach George Karl's tactics are very successful."
"On offense, they rely on Anthony as a strong point, and on defense, their interior help defense is quick, plus they constantly crash the offensive boards. The Thunder had no transition offense in the first quarter, which is very rare."
Xu Jicheng, however, enjoyed watching this old-school style of basketball—half-court offense, physical collisions, and rebounding battles, as if he had returned to the 90s NBA.
"Anthony is indeed very strong, 13 points in a single quarter, 4-for-6, very efficient. But Kayce and Durant also played very well. However, to win, Westbrook also needs to perform; he's been limited by Billups."
"For the Thunder to win, the Big Three must step up. Let's look forward to the rest of the game and hope the Thunder's back-to-back schedule doesn't cause too many physical issues."
Yang Jian still hoped the Thunder would win. If they lost this game, the Los Angeles Lakers would catch up.
In the second quarter, both teams made simple personnel adjustments, but both teams still used short rotations.
The Thunder only used Thabo Sefolosha and Ibaka, while the Nuggets only increased the playing time of JR Smith and Chris Andersen.
The game's tempo remained firmly controlled by the Nuggets. They continued their tactical strategy from the first quarter, with Chris Andersen full of energy, always at the forefront of every rebound battle.
The Thunder finally got two opportunities for transition offense, but they were immediately stopped by intentional fouls.
"Fuck!! Coach George Karl, that old geezer, is truly cunning!"
As the second quarter was about to end, Kayce, standing at the free-throw line, cursed inwardly. The Nuggets, to disrupt the Thunder's offensive rhythm, even committed fouls repeatedly, just to prevent them from comfortably executing transition plays.
By halftime, the score was tied at 55. In this slow-paced, physical battle, the Nuggets were thriving.
During halftime, Coach Brooks began to calm his players:
"Patience, we need a little more patience. Our rebounding and defense in the first half were excellent. On offense, we need to increase ball movement. Kayce, your offensive organization is very good, maintain this offensive rhythm."
"Russell, don't hesitate. Take your mid-range shots after the pick-and-roll boldly. Guys, if an opportunity arises beyond the three-point line, don't hesitate. We need to open up the offensive space on the court."
In the first half, the Thunder attempted 8 three-pointers in total, but only Kayce made a desperation shot. Jeff Green and Durant were both cold.
The Nuggets also attempted 8 shots, but they made 3 of them, with Anthony and Billups supporting the Nuggets' perimeter firepower.
When the third quarter began, Kayce noticed that the Nuggets had subbed out Arron Afflalo and brought in JR Smith. Arron Afflalo had been defended by Kayce to a 1-for-5 shooting performance in the first half, so Coach George Karl made the first adjustment.
JR Smith had always played the role of a super sixth man for the Nuggets, with explosive athleticism and a flashy style of play, deeply loved by the Denver local fans.
As a famous 'microwave' player, Kayce became extremely cautious and paid full attention when he saw him enter the game. He didn't want to see JR Smith suddenly go crazy on offense.
But on the basketball court, sometimes bad things happen. After the start of the third quarter, under Kayce's tight defense, JR Smith, shooting over the defense, made three consecutive three-pointers. He was simply unreasonably accurate.
It was the Nuggets' offensive possession again. JR Smith directly called for the ball on the perimeter. Facing Kayce's defense, he dribbled between his legs repeatedly, and from about a step beyond the three-point line, he pulled up and shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim.
After the basket, JR Smith knelt on one knee, looked up, and pointed to the sky with both hands.
"Ah! Roar!"
This exaggerated basket completely ignited the emotions of the crowd at the Pepsi Center. Everyone cheered excitedly, and the 'maniac' JR Smith felt like he was on top of the world, becoming even more focused on defense afterward.
"Another deep three-pointer! JR Smith has made 4 consecutive three-pointers to start the third quarter. When his shot is on, it's unreasonable; Kayce was even in position to defend him!"
Yang Jian was also stunned; each of these three-pointers was more difficult than the last.
By the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets led 80-74. Fortunately, Russell's mid-range game revived in the third quarter; otherwise, relying solely on Kayce and Durant, the offense would have struggled to keep up.
Coach George Karl began to double-team Kayce and Durant in some possessions during the third quarter, especially putting a lot of effort into double-teaming Durant, who had 3 turnovers in the third quarter.
Durant, who had been tanking and bricking shots in the previous two years, had never encountered such a situation. In the game against the Boston Celtics, Durant was baffled by the double-teams for a while, and Coach George Karl, that old geezer, naturally used this tactic as well.
During the break between quarters, Durant was breathing heavily. The Thunder's short rotation, in a back-to-back game, finally showed problems. Durant's stamina was depleted.
"Kevin, I'll take over guarding Anthony in the final quarter. Try to conserve some energy; we need your offense!"
Kayce felt that the team leader needed to step up and take responsibility at this point. Durant's stamina was clearly not keeping up. To catch up in the fourth quarter, they first had to play defense.
"No problem, I want to rest for two minutes. Fuck, this game's officiating has been garbage!"
With a clear way out, Durant readily agreed. He truly couldn't keep going; Anthony was constantly bumping and pulling him, and the referees weren't calling those kinds of physical contacts.
Coach Brooks also started to pump up his players at this time:
"Hang in there, boys! Maintain your defense. Get two or three stops, and we'll have enough time to turn the game around!"
The fourth quarter began with the Nuggets on offense. After Billups brought the ball past half-court, he immediately initiated a pick-and-roll with Kenyon Martin. Since Durant was temporarily resting, Kayce moved to the small forward position, and Thabo Sefolosha played shooting guard.
When Anthony called for the ball, Kayce secretly made a small move, clamping his arm as he backed down for position, while pushing his opponent out.
After all, Kayce's weight was not light, and with the help of his subtle moves and strong physical confrontation, he successfully pushed Anthony out. Seeing that the referee didn't blow the whistle, Anthony was quite annoyed.
He turned around to face Kayce directly, quickly put the ball down after a triple threat, and drove along the baseline with the ball in his left hand. After using his body to push Kayce away, he attempted a layup under the basket, but was interfered with by Kostić, who had come over to help on defense, and the ball bounced off the rim.
Jeff Green also went all out at this point. After a scramble in the paint, he desperately boxed out Nene behind him and vigorously secured the defensive rebound.
As Russell dribbled past half-court, Kayce whispered to Anthony, who was running back on defense:
"Hey, Bro, when you guys are leading, the referees won't call those physical confrontations!"
Anthony smiled when he heard this: "Buddy, I don't need a whistle to make shots against your defense!"
Thunder attacked. After Kayce set a screen, he received the ball at the top of the arc. Facing Anthony's defense, he held the ball in his right hand, dribbled with a crossover, pulled back, changed direction with a behind-the-back dribble with his left hand, and faked a drive.
At this moment, Anthony's defense had already closed in. Feeling the contact on his side, Kayce dribbled the ball once in place, changed his rhythm, and quickly shot a step-back three-pointer.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
"Kayce shook off Anthony and hit a three-pointer! Extreme individual ability, this is an unreasonable shot!"
Yang Jian excitedly announced loudly.
"Boo!!!"
The Pepsi Center immediately booed Kayce loudly because Kayce, being flashy, used a three-finger-to-the-head celebration and bounced back on defense.
Anthony felt a bit embarrassed. On offense, he wanted the ball back immediately, but Billups signaled a tactical play and indicated for Anthony to run to his spot.
The Nuggets patiently began to organize their offense again. After several passes, Billups signaled Nene to come up for a pick-and-roll. Russell was slightly hindered by Nene's subtle hip-check when trying to get through the screen, slowing him down by half a beat.
Billups seized this opportunity and shot a three-pointer after the pick-and-roll.
"Swish!" It went in cleanly and steadily.
"F*ck! Their screen was a foul!"
After Russell cursed under his breath, he still wanted to complain to the referee, but Kayce stopped him and simultaneously gave Coach Brooks a signal.
"It's okay, Russell, don't complain to the referee, that's Coach Brooks's job!"
Russell saw Coach Brooks yelling at the sideline referee and immediately calmed down. He already had 4 fouls and needed to control his foul count.
"These veteran point guards are indeed rich in game experience. Billups actually refused Anthony's request for the ball!"
Kayce secretly sighed with regret. If an over-excited Anthony had taken that possession, perhaps the Thunder could have defended it.
In the next 3 minutes, both teams started to miss shots frequently. With the full defensive sequence of hand-checking, pushing the waist, and arm-barring, Kayce also missed two shots in a row.
Seeing the physical confrontation on the court become more and more intense, the fans present cheered wildly with excitement.
When the Thunder attacked, the audience in the Pepsi Center also began to cheer for the Nuggets' defense:
"Defense! Defense! Defense!!!"
Kayce and Russell made continuous drives and passes, and Jeff Green got an open look on the perimeter. However, his previous 1-for-5 shooting made Jeff Green hesitate for a moment, and the Nuggets' defense immediately rotated into position.
With only 6 seconds left on the shot clock, Kayce quickly came over to take the difficult shot. From one step beyond the three-point line, he immediately jumped and shot after receiving the pass.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in.
"Oh!!! Ah!!!"
The live audience collectively let out a huge gasp of surprise after seeing Kayce hit that super-long three-pointer.
The 'Catch and Shoot' badge effect was good, which was also why Kayce wasn't afraid to take tough shots. Jeff Green excitedly high-fived Kayce in celebration, never expecting that a potential turnover had turned into an assist.
"It still goes in! Kayce's three-pointer was too strong! A super-long three! The difference is still three points!"
Yang Jian was already hyped, with both sides continuously responding, the game was too exciting.
The Nuggets' offense this time directly put the ball into Anthony's hands. Facing Kayce's defense beyond the three-point line, after continuous in-and-out dribbles, he held the ball in his right hand, suddenly raised his center of gravity, and then shot a pull-up jump shot.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in.
After scoring, Anthony, with a slight smile, used his signature celebration, raising three fingers and repeatedly tapping his head. The made response shot made him incredibly excited.
"F*ck! How did that even go in!"
His defense wasn't out of position at all, yet the opponent still managed to score, which made Kayce curse under his breath.
At 7:58, Coach Brooks called a timeout. He was going to put Durant and Ibaka in, as Kostić's stamina was also giving out.
In the next 5 minutes of the game, both teams played inefficiently, but whenever the Thunder scored, the Nuggets would immediately respond. As their mentality became anxious, the Thunder's defense also started to get sloppy.
Ibaka paid the price, fouling out with 6 fouls. Coach Brooks reluctantly put in Nick Collison.
Anthony stood at the free-throw line smiling, making both free throws. The crowd immediately erupted in huge cheers. The difference was still 6 points, but only two minutes remained.
Thunder attacked. As soon as Kayce received the ball at the three-point line, he was immediately double-teamed. Russell came over to help, took the ball, and drove straight to the basket.
However, Nene's defense was very good. Seeing no good shooting opportunity, he dribbled out and passed to Durant on the three-point line.
The lenient officiating made Russell somewhat hesitant and he didn't choose to attack the rim.
After receiving the ball, Durant, after a triple threat, put the ball down with his right hand, made one crossover dribble, suddenly gathered the ball, and shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line.
"Swish!" It went in cleanly, a three-pointer secured.
After scoring, Durant passionately roared at the courtside audience, who responded with a chorus of boos.
"Durant hits another three-pointer! A 3-point difference, this is pure talent, it's just unreasonable!"
Xu Jicheng was also marveling at the Thunder's tenacity, as they had been biting at the score throughout the fourth quarter.
With 1 minute and 40 seconds left, Billups still unhurriedly dribbled past half-court. After several perimeter passes, he again put the ball into Anthony's hands in the low post. Kayce's defense was very tight, not giving Anthony a chance for a pull-up jump shot.
After two continuous jab steps, Anthony, with the ball in his right hand, suddenly accelerated, leaning on Kayce's defense, took two large dribbles, and then executed a wide spin move for a left-handed scoop layup.
"Bang!" It bounced off the rim.
Kayce was about to grab the rebound, but Anthony, with a second jump, tipped the ball away in mid-air. Several players near the basket scrambled for it, and finally, Nene forcefully threw the ball to Billups on the perimeter.
The latter, after receiving the ball, first lightly faked, sending Russell flying, then strode towards the basket, and, against Durant's block, switched hands in mid-air for a layup.
"Swish!" "Squeak!"
The shot went in as the whistle blew. The referee called a foul on Durant for hitting the hand, which made Durant angrily punch the basketball hoop several times.
All the Nuggets players rushed forward to help Billups up. If he made the free throw, victory was within reach.
Billups looked calm. He stood at the free-throw line, took a deep breath, and steadily sank the free throw.
Coach Brooks immediately called a timeout. The next shot had to go in. With a 6-point difference and 58 seconds left, time was already running short.
"Oh! Wow!!!"
The Pepsi Center completely erupted. This game had been so tough, and now it was finally time to reap the rewards. Victory was already beckoning to them.
"Guys, if there's no opportunity for a three-pointer, we need a quick two points, and don't foul, protect the rebound!"
After a brief instruction, Coach Brooks took out his tactics board and drew up a play.
Coach George Karl naturally wouldn't give the Thunder an open three-point opportunity, playing 'defend the three, give up the two'. Without a three-point shot, Russell received the ball and made a cross-body dribble.
After linearly accelerating past Billups, he faced Nene's block, dodged in the air, and made a left-handed scoop layup.
"Swish!" The ball spun around the rim once before brushing out.
"Westbrook drives, but it doesn't go in! That shot actually rimmed out! Then the Thunder don't have many chances left in this game, time is already running out!"
Yang Jian expressed great regret. The rebound in the previous possession, the layup in this possession, just one or two possessions short, and the Thunder could have turned the game around, but unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize on any of them.
Coach George Karl also called a timeout. The Nuggets had essentially sealed the victory.
Russell sat on the bench, angrily hitting himself a few times. It was a very good opportunity, but his missed layup had cost them the game.
"Cheer up, guys, there's still time in the game. We need to play well for the remaining 44 seconds, not think about winning or losing, and maintain our defense!"
Coach Brooks was already very satisfied that the Thunder, who were still tanking two seasons ago, could play against the Nuggets, who made it to the Western Conference Finals last season, to this extent.
In the remainder of the game, both teams started a free-throw battle. When time finally expired, the Nuggets defeated the Thunder 106-100 at home, completing a two-game home winning streak.
After the game, players from both teams briefly greeted each other. Anthony, with a smile, found Kayce:
"Excellent performance, Li. Next time you come to Denver, remember to call me in advance. Don't worry, buddy, at my place, 19-year-olds can drink freely!"
"Your performance was even better, Bro! I'm already looking forward to our next matchup. I learned a lot of moves from you tonight!"
Superficial Brothers Alliance member +1, Kayce activated his commercial mutual flattery mode again. The two chatted happily, praising each other profusely.
However, after Kayce walked into the player tunnel, a feeling of regret surged in his heart. The loss was largely related to his missed rebound. Helplessly, at this moment, he could only secretly vow:
"Once I build up my strength and get my badges leveled up, you definitely won't have it easy next time!"