Sabik na sabik na umano ang Toronto Raptors para sa nalalabing bahagi ng makapigil-hininga nilang serye ng Golden State Warriors sa NBA Finals.
Katunayan, sinabi ni Raptors coach Nick Nurse, pinaplantsa na raw nila ang kanilang diskarte para makontrol ang Splash Brothers duo nina Stephen Curry at Klay Thompson sa Game Six bukas.
Matatandaang krusyal ang papel nina Curry at Thompson sa Golden State na itinaguyod ang team sa kabila ng pagkawala ng ilan sa kanilang mga stars gaya ni Kevin Durant na dumaranas ng Achilles injury.
Ayon kay Nurse, kinakailangan nilang magdoble kayod upang mapigilan ang dalawa sa paglikha ng puntos para sa Warriors.
“We’ve got to figure out a way to control those two,” wika ni Nurse. “They’re excellent at pushing off to create space. Their screens are long, wide and moving. So you got to work doubly, triply hard sometimes. You got to absorb contact.”
Batid din aniya nila na ang two-time defending champions ang kanilang kaharap at hindi nito basta-basta isusuko ang korona nito sa kanila.
Paliwanag naman ni Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, dapat nilang malimitahan ang “Splash Brothers” kung hindi nila kayang pahintuin ang mga ito.
“They’re going to make shots. But you got to make them a little bit tougher sometimes,” ani Lowry. “You’re not going to stop them from shooting threes but you can make them a little bit tougher and try to contest them better.
“When they’re on the floor, you’ve got to be aware of them at all times.”
