CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62, THE SPLASH BROTHERS INTERVIEW!

"The University of Kentucky’s opponent for the Final Four has been announced. They will face the University of Wisconsin in the semifinals."

"This is a conversation between two top seeds. The University of Kentucky is the overall number one seed in this NCAA tournament, and with the games of March Madness, they remain undefeated with a record of 38-0. Meanwhile, the University of Wisconsin is the number one seed in the West and has shown a strong championship quality with a balanced offense and defense this season."

"Frank Kaminsky, in an interview, did not hide his disdain for Kentucky: ’They’re just a team of superstars banding together. When they choose to huddle for warmth, it means some of them fear challenges. I don’t like this opponent, and I don’t even want to hear their name.’"

The commentators on the field were discussing Kentucky’s next opponent, Wisconsin.

In the locker room, Calipari and the players were also watching the TV report.

Although the coaching staff would provide a scouting report on the opponent, those scouting report details wouldn’t cover all the information.

’Snap!’

Calipari turned off the TV and looked at the players, seeing how they would respond.

"Hmph, this guy says he doesn’t like us, as if we ever cared about him," Towns said disdainfully.

"No need for him to like us; just beat him so he’ll remember this game," Zeng Xingyang said calmly.

"I’ll destroy them, send them home," Booker said aggressively.

Since breaking up with Jenner and focusing on basketball, Booker has become more domineering.

What women, emotions, none of it is as solid as playing well.

The three statements reflect Kentucky’s attitude. At this stage of the competition, any off-court tactics have little effect.

Whoever advances depends on who is stronger on the court.

Having come this far, everyone quickly united together.

The University of Wisconsin is different from Ohio State University and the University of Notre Dame teams Kentucky previously encountered, whose offense was perimeter-driven; their starting point is inside.

Frank Kaminsky.

This player, who doesn’t stand out in the NBA, is a standout superstar in the NCAA.

On November 20, 2013, in a game against North Dakota State University, Kaminsky shot 19 of 16 from the field, including 6 of 6 from three-point range, scoring 43 points, breaking Wisconsin’s single-game individual scoring record.

This season, Kaminsky averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, leading Wisconsin to the NCAA Final Four. During the tournament, Kaminsky’s averages were 22.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks, which is very impressive.

Kaminsky is also the frontrunner for the Naismith Award and the John Wooden Award.

In addition to Kaminsky, a potential NBA lottery pick, Wisconsin also has Sam Dekker, a potential NBA rookie.

In terms of star power, they still can’t compare to Kentucky, but in terms of overall roster depth, they’re not much behind Kentucky, and their immediate combat strength is very strong.

Zeng Xingyang remembers, in a past life, Kentucky was eliminated by this very University of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s playing style is very tough and filled with resilience. In two of their knockout games, they were trailing by double digits for a long time, yet they managed to pull off comebacks.

Facing an opponent like this, one absolutely cannot be negligent.

.....

The Golden State Warriors will soon be visiting the Indiana Pacers, and the media reported that Curry, Green, and Thompson will be watching the game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis the night before the game.

Unlike the past few seasons, the Warriors are now a hot team, and no one dares overlook them anymore.

The NBA regular season has reached its end, and the Warriors have played 79 games, securing a record of 64 wins and 15 losses, having early locked in the number one spot in the league.

Curry is averaging 24.8 points and 7.7 assists per game this season, with a three-point shooting percentage as high as 44.5%.

Thompson is averaging 21.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game this season, with a three-point shooting percentage as high as 43.9%.

Curry and Thompson are becoming the fearsome Splash Brothers of the whole league.

After the team’s daily training session, Curry, Thompson, and Green were invited for an interview by ESPN.

"Draymond, how do you evaluate KD? In the last Thunder vs. Rockets game, he exploded for 42 points and 11 rebounds to help the Thunder win."

Green grinned, "KD is a great player, but before he beat Houston, we had already beat them four times."

This season, the Warriors swept the Rockets in the regular season, and Demon Howard, in Green’s view, is no more than a plaything.

James Harden is also unreliable, always hitting the clubs; Green feels no pressure at all.

Green’s blunt words made Curry and Thompson frown a little; being too arrogant after the game is not a good habit.

The host laughed, saying, "The NCAA semifinals are about to start. What do you think about the Wisconsin vs. Kentucky match?"

The host didn’t continue with NBA questions but instead asked about the currently hot NCAA games.

Lately, the NCAA’s buzz is much higher than the winding-down NBA; almost every fan in America is discussing it.

Green, Curry, and Thompson naturally know these things; they also experienced such madness back in the day.

The three of them all know Wisconsin has Kaminsky, Kentucky has Towns, Booker, and that excellent 3&D player Zeng Xingyang.

Of course, this is all just knowledge; it doesn’t mean they know them well.

The Warriors’ attention is more focused on the regular season and the upcoming playoffs as they push for the championship.

Green said, "I think Wisconsin can win. The University of Kentucky indeed has a lot of talent, but I never thought talent alone could determine the outcome. Our talent in the NBA isn’t the best either, yet we can secure the regular season’s first place early...."

"Wisconsin won’t just win; they’ll win by a large margin."

Green’s big mouth was at it again.

A lot of you are supporting Kentucky, right? Then I’ll praise Wisconsin.

Green is skilled at using such contrarian answers to attract attention.

Curry said, "I think the game will be very exciting. The two teams are very close in strength, and I’ll be at the scene to watch this intense game tomorrow night."

Curry exhibited his high emotional intelligence, not clearly supporting any side, offending no one.

Thompson wasn’t interested in such topics and didn’t respond.

The reporter then asked, "Klay, do you know Zeng? A lot of scouts think you’re his draft model."

Thompson shrugged, "I know."

Thompson’s words didn’t carry much emotion and were straightforward.

Green chimed in with his big mouth, "I’ve watched that Zeng’s game; his dribbling skills are terrible. He only has one move, shooting threes. If I were to guard him, he wouldn’t score a single point."

Thompson glanced at Green without saying anything.

Is he implying me?

Curry and Thompson’s words didn’t draw much attention, but Green’s did spark quite a bit of discussion.

Towns quickly learned about Green’s remarks and said quite annoyedly to reporters, "His mouth is really foul. Here’s a piece of advice for him: shut up and watch us win the game from the sideline."

He didn’t believe that Wisconsin could beat them by a large margin.

Zeng Xingyang also said, "Just a clown seeking attention. Without Stephen, he’s nothing. In his NBA career, he better hold onto his thigh tightly."

Zeng Xingyang surely wouldn’t show a friendly face to someone attacking him.

Having played here for a long time, he knows very well that here, they only respect those with ability!