As for the offensive end...
The Warriors' motion offense flowed as smoothly as ever, and Kawhi's occasional attacks against mismatches were just as reliable.
In tonight's game, Leonard even shot an astounding 63 percent from the field. Absolutely terrifying!
That barrage of unstoppable moves made life miserable for Jaden McDaniels, who was matched up against him and trying to shut him down.
For a moment, Jaden even felt as though he were facing Chen Xi rather than Kawhi.
And while the Timberwolves failed to contain the Warriors' offense, their own offense ran into considerable trouble too.
Over the years, Edwards had worked hard to refine his offensive skills, gradually transforming from a "slashing specialist" who could only power his way to the rim into an "offensive kaleidoscope" whose scoring range covered almost the entire half court without a blind spot.
But that night, he encountered a new problem.
It was the growing pain he had to endure on the journey from ordinary star to superstar-double-teams.
Against the Warriors' switch-everything defense, Edwards could still manage against everyone other than Kawhi. At one point, he even tried hunting Curry and got some solid results.
But against the defensive wall formed by Green, Klay, and Kawhi, with help defenders swiping at the ball almost everywhere he went inside the three-point line, Edwards finished with a staggering five turnovers...
Making the right decision against intense traps in a split second, delivering the ball to exactly the right spot, or even actively seeking out openings in the opponent's defensive net, exploiting their defensive strategy to pull their formation out of position, then using that momentum to connect with teammates and create easy finishes for role players.
That ability was the foundation that allowed Chen Xi to unleash his offensive firepower to the fullest. It was