章 81: Arm Swing
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"I knew you wouldn't dare to shoot a three-pointer."
In his mind, such harmless trash talk wouldn't faze anyone, but since his coach, Liam Gonzales, had instructed him to do it, he had to follow through without compromise.
Westbrook shot him an annoyed look.
"Is that all you've got?"
"You can't shoot threes anyway," Butler added.
Butler kept it simple. He didn't want to escalate things into street-level trash talk, which would likely anger Westbrook and cause another confrontation. He decided it was best to steer clear of Westbrook for the rest of the game.
Westbrook clenched his fists, swallowed his frustration, and quickly retreated on defense.
The Bulldogs were on the attack, and Curry, moving swiftly without the ball, became the focus of Westbrook's attention. Determined, Westbrook navigated through all the screens, staying glued to Curry, denying him any clean looks.
Curry finally received a pass from a teammate, but Westbrook was still on him.
Curry gave a couple of fakes, but when Westbrook didn't bite, he passed the ball again. Westbrook let out a sigh of relief—Curry had almost shaken him off.
Just as Westbrook relaxed, Curry made another move, darting inside. Westbrook followed closely, but Curry stopped after just two steps and sprinted back to the three-point line. Westbrook's momentum carried him forward before he could react, forcing him to turn around and chase Curry.
Curry had already created enough space. Ben Slayton quickly passed him the ball, and Curry launched a three-pointer.
6-4.
"Curry hits his first 6 points for the Bulldogs with a three-pointer off the ball movement! Larry, does Curry remind you of yourself back in the day?" said Jim Nantz.
Larry Bird laughed.
"Not exactly. Back when I played, no one would follow me that closely on the perimeter."
"Are you saying your three-point shot wasn't as good as Curry's?" Jim Nantz teased.
"In the NCAA, I wasn't as good as him. Looking back, I don't think any college player's three-point shooting can match his. I'm excited to see what he does in the NBA," Bird responded.
After watching the Bulldogs' games sporadically throughout the year in Indiana, Bird had grown to admire Curry more and more.
After making the shot, Curry danced in front of Westbrook, nearly sending his mouthguard flying.
Westbrook's gaze grew darker as he looked at Curry.
You're that happy over a couple of shots?
Westbrook, being the primary defender for Curry, had watched a lot of tape in the days leading up to the game, studying his movements and habits to devise a defensive strategy. But when he saw Curry post a triple-double against Virginia Tech, something stirred inside him. That's how a point guard should play. The offensive schemes Liam Gonzales had created for Curry in that game made Westbrook feel a strange sense of loss, as if someone had taken something that should have been his.
One day, I'll have the chance to do that, he thought. A true leader should take on everything—scoring, assists, rebounds... everything.
But right now, I need to teach this baby-faced guy a lesson.
"Is all you can do just catch and shoot? You don't even dare to challenge me, do you?" Westbrook sneered.
Curry shrugged.
"How about next time, you guard me one-on-one?"
"Let's go!" Westbrook said, ready for the challenge. This was exactly what Curry was waiting for. He made an "OK" gesture and retreated to the backcourt for defense.
When Westbrook got the ball on offense, Butler was guarding him, standing back at the free throw line, almost daring him to shoot.
"Do you dare to shoot a three-pointer?" Butler asked flatly.
Are you serious? Westbrook thought.
Westbrook was never known for his patience, especially not on the court. His anger had already been riled up by both Butler and Curry, and he forgot his coach's advice.
Westbrook didn't pass to Kevin Love, nor did he take the three. Instead, he drove towards Butler, hoping to break through his defense. But at this point, Westbrook was just a sophomore, not yet the unstoppable "Brodie" or MVP-level player he'd become. With plenty of room to react, Butler held his ground, and Westbrook struggled to find a clear shot. He was forced to take an awkward, heavily contested fadeaway jumper.
He didn't even have a clear look at the rim, so naturally, the shot missed, and Campbell grabbed the rebound.
As they ran back, Butler added,
"Why don't you try for three points?"
The veins on Westbrook's forehead bulged. He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and slowly calmed himself down.
You've got to be kidding me, he thought.
Back on defense, Westbrook was seething, but with nowhere to channel his frustration.
Curry had the ball, and waved for his teammates to clear out. The message was clear—he wanted to go one-on-one against Westbrook.
"The Bulldogs are giving Curry space, and it looks like he's going to take on Westbrook one-on-one! With all due respect, this might not be the best move. Westbrook is UCLA's defensive expert, and he's the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Curry should stick to his off-ball movement rather than trying to challenge Westbrook head-on," said Jim Nantz.
On the sidelines, Liam Gonzales saw Curry sizing up Westbrook and smiled. The show was about to begin.
Westbrook approached, brimming with confidence. He had studied Curry's game in detail and was sure he could contain him. He extended his arms, long enough to disrupt Curry's sightlines. Though Westbrook wasn't tall, his wingspan made him an imposing defender.
Curry, instead of dribbling to find his rhythm, protected the ball with his left hand, half-turned to shield it.
Westbrook stayed patient, lightly placing a hand on Curry's waist to prevent any sudden movements. But after a while, Curry still hadn't made a move and seemed to be scanning the floor for his teammates' positions.
Westbrook saw an opportunity to steal the ball, using his quick reflexes. He'd pulled off this move many times before.
As he reached out, Curry swiftly spun around, swinging the ball from right to left with both hands, catching Westbrook's arm in the process. The ball popped into the air.
Westbrook was momentarily stunned—what just happened?
Without time to process it, he grabbed the loose ball and sprinted past Curry for a fast break.
"Beep!"
But the whistle blew. Westbrook stopped in surprise, turning to see the referee signaling a defensive foul.
Confused, he ran to the ref, holding the ball and spreading his hands.
"Sir, he hit me. How is that a foul?"
"Your arm broke his cylinder," the referee responded.
"That's ridiculous! He wasn't even shooting!" Westbrook protested.
"Are you questioning my judgment?" The referee's tone turned cold.
Westbrook quickly backed down.
"No, sir. I respect your call."
He could only watch, frustrated, as Curry stepped to the free-throw line and knocked down all three shots.
9-4.
"That's all you're good for, huh?" Westbrook whispered as Curry walked by.
"I can score. Can you?" Curry shot back, cool as ever.
You... just wait, Westbrook fumed internally, unable to retort.
He hadn't scored a single point yet.
End of this chapter
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