Meu cinco inicial dos sonhos — basketball_team 🇧🇷

Jornada 1 — vs Detroit Engine-Roar

86-131 (D)

Kyle Korver times the leap perfectly, taps it back to the wing, and the first possession of the night belongs to us.

Oscar Schmidt reads it two passes early, steps into the gap and takes away the entire lane before anybody gets there.

Stephen Curry comes off the screen and the big man drops WAY back. Jaren Jackson Jr. just fades to the arc for the cleanest look of the night. Down, up, and gone for Jaren Jackson Jr.. The rim is just toying with him now.

More second chance points for Detroit Engine-Roar, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

A timeout is coming, it has to be, but Gui Santos has already turned this into a personal shooting drill with an audience. From WAY downtown! Gui Santos launched that one from the parking lot!

End of the second quarter. Kyle Korver is breathing so loud you can hear it from here. Anecdote: Kyle Korver lost a bet and had to wear the center's shoes during warm-ups. Size 16. And now, our halftime TV game show Family Feud But Nobody Is Related! To win a gently used trampoline with no springs and one very stern warning label, text HOOPS to 555-0231 and answer this question: 'How long does it take a hot dog to cool down in the upper deck in February?' Both teams return. You can tell the coach gave them an earful.

Cold blooded from Detroit Engine-Roar, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Bodies everywhere in the paint and it does not matter one bit to Gui Santos, one spin and the ball never leaves the string. Twenty-four seconds of standing around, and Gui Santos has to eat the last two of them. Possession wasted long before the shot went up.

Dagger from Detroit Engine-Roar. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

This is the counter: Stephen Curry punished a defense that kept going under, and now they have to rip up the game plan. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Two points in every gym in America except this one, and Kyle Korver is walking back with both hands on his head.

Detroit Engine-Roar again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

OHHHH he went BACKDOOR! Jaren Jackson Jr. never broke stride and he has the ball UNDER THE RIM! Rim out for Jaren Jackson Jr., the crowd came up and sat right back down, and you can hear the groan from every corner of the arena.

SKIP PASS! Gui Santos fires it cross court to Stephen Curry and the defense is dead in the water! Watch Jaren Jackson Jr. plant his feet, absorb the hit, and spring Stephen Curry out of that corner in a blink. Getting to his spot and elevating, Stephen Curry puts it on the back iron, up over the front, and out. Half a rotation from two points.

Turnover, layup, Detroit Engine-Roar straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

This is the stretch of the night where you just feed him and get out of the way. Jaren Jackson Jr. has found that place where the rim looks the size of a hula hoop. Isolation on the wing, shot clock draining, and Jaren Jackson Jr. rocks the defender to sleep before dropping it through.

Whistles. Monitor. And Kyle Korver standing frozen at midcourt. OHHHH the cruelty! Two tenths, and Kyle Korver gets absolutely nothing.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Stands alone at center court as the lights go dim. Gui Santos comes back to get him. And here is the answer to our game show Family Feud But Nobody Is Related! Delbert Cranfill of Bitter Creek Junction, Wyoming, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How long does it take a hot dog to cool down in the upper deck in February?' The answer was of course eleven minutes, unless somebody nearby is breathing on it. Delbert therefore wins a gently used trampoline with no springs and one very stern warning label! Your favorite commentator survived. It's not much, but it's honest work. Thanks! And now, 'Neighbors from Hell: The Community Compost Bin Saga.' Episode 1 of 74.

Jornada 2 — vs Miami Heart-Attack

122-96 (V)

Kyle Korver controls the tip, and the offense gets to run its first set on schedule. Little edges like that stack up over forty-eight minutes.

Ohhh no. Corner three, Miami Heart-Attack in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Textbook two three with Gui Santos manning the back line, and they have not seen a clean look in three trips. Winning basketball right there: Gui Santos knocks the swing pass off course and that offense has to run it back from the top.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and Stephen Curry just did it by hitting Kyle Korver on the back side with acres of room. That is vision. Kyle Korver sees the pocket open for a tenth of a second and puts the ball in it. Runner in the lane by Gui Santos, high off the fingertips, straight down through the net. Splash!

Right hand to the mouthguard, out, pointed at the rafters, back in. Gui Santos does not break stride once. Two rows of fans are hugging total strangers. Complete loss of composure in the entire lower bowl, and the game is nowhere near over.

Fingertips! Stephen Curry gets just enough on it and the ball squirts loose. OUTLET! Oscar Schmidt rips the board and fires it ahead to Jaren Jackson Jr. before anybody gets back! The help defender had position, leverage, everything but a chance. Jaren Jackson Jr. rose straight over the top of him, and one.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Deadpans directly into the broadcast camera: nod, wink, gone. Total elapsed time, one and a half seconds. The commentators lose it completely. Gui Santos arrives too late and mugs at an empty lens for nobody at all.

Halftime. Oscar Schmidt is holding his ribs walking toward the tunnel. Did you know? Oscar Schmidt launched a basketball podcast. Two episodes. Zero listeners. Still going. And now, our halftime TV game show Foul Line Confessions! To win a hood ornament from a truck that was never built, text HOOPS to 555-1098 and answer this question: 'Why does every gym in the country smell exactly the same?' Back on the court. The coach changed the starting five, that'll be a surprise.

Here comes Kyle Korver sprinting off the elbow. Stephen Curry slides it into his pocket and that chase defender is buried. Kyle Korver probes to the right, pulls the string, and rises over a helpless closeout from twenty six feet. Splash.

Flexing under the basket, mouth wide open, Kyle Korver roars at nobody in particular. The sound carries over the crowd noise, which should be physically impossible. The referee waits with folded arms, like a substitute teacher who has seen considerably worse.

Jaren Jackson Jr. drives, draws two bodies, and swings it one more time to the corner. That is the pass nobody is required to make. Catching it right at the cup with nobody within eight feet, Oscar Schmidt goes up too strong and the ball rides high off the backboard.

The offense stalls, Gui Santos gets stuck on the wing with no exit and nobody flashing open, and the shot clock eats him alive.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Miami Heart-Attack, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Stephen Curry guesses left, the ball handler goes right, and suddenly this is a two-on-one before anybody can rotate.

Jaren Jackson Jr. gets it on the reversal and now this defense is rotating, scrambling and losing ground, all because Gui Santos saw it a beat early. The defender crowded the middle, and Jaren Jackson Jr. punished him along the baseline like it was drawn up in the huddle. Nobody moved, nobody cut, nobody set a screen, so Jaren Jackson Jr. launches a contested jumper with the horn already going. Ugly offense.

From WAY downtown off the pop! Stephen Curry with the extra pass and CASH. Heat check for Kyle Korver and it is GOOD. He is COOKING, and this building knows exactly what it is watching.

Flexing under the basket, mouth wide open, Kyle Korver roars at nobody in particular. The sound carries over the crowd noise, which should be physically impossible. The referee waits with folded arms, like a substitute teacher who has seen considerably worse.

Kyle Korver and Jaren Jackson Jr. Slap each other's butts. Oscar Schmidt declines the invitation. And here is the answer to our game show Foul Line Confessions! Wendell Crabtree of Lost Mitten, Colorado, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'Why does every gym in the country smell exactly the same?' The answer was of course floor wax, popcorn, and forty years of accumulated nervousness. Wendell therefore wins a hood ornament from a truck that was never built! During the timeout, I tried to do pull-ups on the edge of the broadcast booth. Zero. Thanks for watching. Coming up: '48 Hours: The Secret Life of Roundabouts.' Essential viewing.

Jornada 3 — vs Orlando Magic-Beans

133-88 (V)

Small thing, a jump ball, but Oscar Schmidt winning that tip means we set the tone. Coaches script that first play for a reason.

Clean feed from Jaren Jackson Jr., nothing forced, just the offense breathing. Watch the sell from Oscar Schmidt here, he leans in, he gets the defender leaning with him, and then he backs away into all that space. No good. Oscar Schmidt rushed that one.

Ball into Jaren Jackson Jr. at the elbow, Gui Santos plants his foot and goes backdoor, and the pass meets him in the air. Filthy. That is another catch and shoot triple for Gui Santos, and you can see the closeouts getting more desperate every single trip.

Gui Santos rocks an imaginary baby down the sideline, cradling nothing at all and completely serious about it. Kyle Korver plays along, tiptoeing beside him and shushing the front row. Half the arena is doing it too. The other half is filming the half that is doing it.

Bucket for Orlando Magic-Beans. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Hand check on Stephen Curry. That is a foul in this league every single time.

Halftime! Gui Santos checks his stats on the board and winces. Rumor has it Gui Santos tried to recruit the pizza delivery guy for the team. The guy was 6'9". And now, our halftime TV game show High Rollers Low Ceilings! To win a beach towel printed with a map of a landlocked county, text HOOPS to 555-1024 and answer this question: 'How many timeouts can a coach call before the crowd revolts?' On to the next chapter. The court is just waiting for the ball.

Baseline wide open. Gui Santos said thank you. Baby hook by Gui Santos, right over that outstretched hand, high off the board, count it.

Backing all the way to half court with three fingers held over each eye, Gui Santos keeps the goggles on for the entire trip. The bench mob copies it in unison. The broadcast cuts to twelve grown men wearing invisible glasses. Peak television, honestly.

Set called, Gui Santos waved out to the corner, and Stephen Curry watches the spacing open up like a front door. That is a self-created look of the highest order, and there might be five guys in this league who get to it on demand the way Gui Santos does. Soft touch from Gui Santos, the floater drops right over the big man. Cash.

Jaren Jackson Jr. launches it weak side, one pass, and the whole shell has to sprint. Good luck with that. Screened, toasted, done. Stephen Curry is loose and the defense is scrambling to find him. OHHHH what a FINISH from Stephen Curry! Hanging, hanging, and laying it high off the glass on the way down!

Stephen Curry points at Kyle Korver first, then at the pass that made it possible, then at Kyle Korver again, making sure the building knows who did the real work. Kyle Korver waves it off, embarrassed. The chant that starts up is not for the scorer.

Kyle Korver flies at a jump shooter thirty feet from the rim and lands on his hip. Three shots coming. Brutal timing on that whistle. This team loses its rim protection the moment Kyle Korver takes a seat, and the paint is wide open now.

BAAAANG! Stephen Curry sets the table and the pick-and-pop three goes down like somebody scripted it. This building is SHAKING. Jaren Jackson Jr. just stepped into a logo three like it was a warmup rep.

Oscar Schmidt just took a shoulder to the chest to buy Gui Santos half a second, and half a second in this league is an eternity. Gui Santos rises up from fifteen feet and OHHHH, that rattled in and OUT!

Oscar Schmidt and Stephen Curry freestyle a victory rap. Gui Santos does the beatbox. It's terrible but magnificent. And here is the answer to our game show High Rollers Low Ceilings! Marlene Trickett of Cornsilk Junction, South Dakota, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How many timeouts can a coach call before the crowd revolts?' The answer was of course three, and the fourth one starts a conversation nobody enjoys. Marlene therefore wins a beach towel printed with a map of a landlocked county! As for me, I powered through three coffees and a gas station sandwich. The glamorous life of sports journalism. Thanks for tonight. And now: '60 Minutes: The Secrets of the Office Coffee Machine.'

Jornada 4 — vs Philadelphia Injury-Report

124-90 (V)

Stephen Curry holds it, waits, waits some more, then lets it go at the last possible instant to Jaren Jackson Jr. flying by. That is a half-second window and he threads it. Textbook footwork, textbook release from Jaren Jackson Jr., cruel result as it spins out and both teams go up for a contested board.

That is the pass nobody puts on a highlight reel, and Stephen Curry makes it every single trip down the floor. Kyle Korver attacks the baseline and the ENTIRE defense has to rotate behind him! Two points left on the floor by Kyle Korver, and those are exactly the ones that come back to bite you in the fourth.

Push the pace! Stephen Curry grabs it and hits Kyle Korver in stride before the defense can even match up. Dribble alive, patient, patient, and then Kyle Korver slips it to Jaren Jackson Jr. right in the pocket. Surgical. Contested, off balance, fading away from the wrong shoulder, that is a shot Jaren Jackson Jr. should never take with three teammates standing wide open.

One little shoulder dip from Gui Santos and the guy guarding him turned into a traffic cone in real time. Gui Santos backs his man down, feels the contact, spins middle and drops it in over both hands. Fundamentals!

Right hand to the mouthguard, out, pointed at the rafters, back in. Gui Santos does not break stride once. Two rows of fans are hugging total strangers. Complete loss of composure in the entire lower bowl, and the game is nowhere near over.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Philadelphia Injury-Report with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Players head to the locker room. Jaren Jackson Jr. Has tape on three fingers. Did you know? Jaren Jackson Jr. Tried to become a rapper before basketball. The world dodged a bullet. And now, our halftime TV game show The Price is Wrong, Bob! To win a velvet painting of a raccoon in a tuxedo, text HOOPS to 555-0187 and answer this question: 'What is the middle name of the man who invented the folding chair?' Come on, second half! The best is yet to come. Or the worst. Who knows.

Stephen Curry stutters at the elbow, the defender bites on it, and now there is nothing but open floor between him and the rim. HAMMER! Stephen Curry goes right through the trees and throws it DOWN with the foul!

Dunk so loud the backboard is still ringing when Stephen Curry lands. He stares down the front row like they owe him money. A man in a five-thousand-dollar seat drops his drink. Jaren Jackson Jr. Drags Stephen Curry away by the jersey before it becomes an incident.

Here is the part that never makes the highlight package: Stephen Curry controlling tempo, burning clock, hunting the mismatch the second one shows up. OHHHH the cut from Oscar Schmidt! Two hard steps, one wide open rim, and the defense is still standing out at the arc. A timeout is coming, because no defense recovers from watching Oscar Schmidt do that to one of their own.

Oscar Schmidt mimes putting a whole section to sleep, hands folded against his cheek, eyes shut. He is facing the Philadelphia Injury-Report fans who paid for the good seats. They boo. He nods along with the boos, which somehow makes the home crowd louder.

Arm across the body, whistle, dead ball. Reach on Stephen Curry.

Jaren Jackson Jr. kicks it over to Oscar Schmidt, no dribble, no drama, and this offense settles into a rhythm. Give and go! Oscar Schmidt gives it up, cuts, and gets it right back with a clear lane to the cup! Deep. Deeper. GONE. Oscar Schmidt drops it in from a spot the scouting report never even listed.

Oscar Schmidt throws both arms up and holds them there, letting the arena pull the sound out of him. Twenty thousand people on their feet at once. Gui Santos grabs his shoulders from behind and shakes him like a snow globe. The floor is genuinely vibrating.

Ball up the floor, change of speed right at the logo, and Stephen Curry already has the defense a full step behind. Oldest play in the book, and Oscar Schmidt runs it in his sleep. That drop coverage never had a prayer. Follow the ball there: four sets of hands, Gui Santos makes the last read, and the defense never gets set. That is training camp offense. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Stephen Curry scooped that in from underneath the rim!

Slow walk, no expression. Stephen Curry backpedals past the Philadelphia Injury-Report huddle close enough to hear what is being said and never turns his head. The crowd noise is a physical object at this point. One of their assistants stands up, and nothing comes of it.

Hold everything, they are going to the replay on Kyle Korver, and this building has stopped breathing. The building went up, the building came right back down, and Kyle Korver is staring at a scoreboard that never moved.

Stephen Curry dumps his Gatorade on Gui Santos who screams because it was cold. Jaren Jackson Jr. Piles on. And here is the answer to our game The Price is Wrong, Bob! Wendell Frobisher of Gravy Fork, West Virginia, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'What is the middle name of the man who invented the folding chair?' The answer was of course Delbert, and the man himself never once sat down. Wendell takes home a velvet painting of a raccoon in a tuxedo! Tonight I had a revelation: Gui Santos runs exactly like my neighbor when he misses the bus. We're done here. Up next: 'Top Chef: Microwave Edition.' Bon appetit.

Jornada 5 — vs Phoenix No-Defense

102-90 (V)

Both guys crouch, both guys go, and it is Kyle Korver who wins the little argument at center court.

The beauty of it is that Stephen Curry never has to set a screen at all, the exchange IS the screen. Nightmare to guard. Gift wrapped by Stephen Curry, and Gui Santos cannot finish the two footer. That one is going to sting. Muscled away at the second jump by Jaren Jackson Jr., and this offense resets with a fresh shot clock. Jaren Jackson Jr. crashes the glass, snatches that miss out of the air and hammers it home. Onions!

Snatched! Gui Santos came out of NOWHERE for that one. Off the glass and out of the gym, Gui Santos launches it and the break is ON! There is no finesse in that, and there does not need to be. Jaren Jackson Jr. simply decided the paint belonged to him.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Phoenix No-Defense with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

That hesitation move is exactly why they keep sending a second body at Gui Santos the moment he crosses half court. Stuck out on the perimeter with no outlet, Gui Santos panics, re-dribbles, and hands the possession over on a silver platter.

The players head in. Jaren Jackson Jr. Slips on the wet tunnel floor. Rumor has it Jaren Jackson Jr. Has been wearing the same lucky underwear for three seasons. The medical staff is concerned. And now, our halftime TV game show The Chase to the Dollar Store! To win a boxed set of instructional VHS tapes about gutter care, text HOOPS to 555-0225 and answer this question: 'How long is a minute on a stopwatch held by somebody in a hurry?' Back on the hardwood. The tension has gone up a notch.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Phoenix No-Defense with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Handoff, turn the corner, BUCKET! Stephen Curry did all the dirty work on that one. That is the kind of finish that changes a defense's body language, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has already done it twice this quarter.

Dribble handoff from Stephen Curry, and the defender gets wiped out on the exchange! Zero hesitation, zero conscience. Kyle Korver made that closeout look completely pointless.

Pointing up at the family section, Kyle Korver taps his chest twice and holds up a fist. A kid in a replica jersey is crying, and so is his mother. A camera crew finds them in nine seconds flat. Sixty seconds of pure decency on national television.

Jaren Jackson Jr. comes flying off that screen and he is WIDE open! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! That was IN for Jaren Jackson Jr.!

Watch the spacing there, Stephen Curry hits Kyle Korver right in the shooting pocket and the possession stays alive. Here comes the slip from Stephen Curry, and Kyle Korver reads it a half second before anybody else in the building. Pull-up from the elbow by Stephen Curry, halfway down, spinning inside the iron, and it pops right back out.

Jaren Jackson Jr. hands it off to Stephen Curry, slices through the seam, and the return pass is sitting there waiting at the rim. REJECTED! Jaren Jackson Jr. takes it in and gets it sent straight back into his own chest.

Filthy. Absolutely filthy from Stephen Curry, and the defender knows exactly what just happened to him. Ohhh no. Stephen Curry just walked. In front of everybody.

Kyle Korver hits a dab in 2026. Oscar Schmidt does an ironic dab. Jaren Jackson Jr. Has no idea what that is. And here is the answer to our game The Chase to the Dollar Store! Lurlene Dobbins of Rusty Spoon, New Mexico, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How long is a minute on a stopwatch held by somebody in a hurry?' The answer was of course fifty-one seconds, give or take a conscience. Lurlene takes home a boxed set of instructional VHS tapes about gutter care! My evening in one word? Epic. In two words? Epic and loud. And now, a brand new episode of 'Desperately Seeking My Cat.' Good night, everyone.

Jornada 6 — vs Los Angeles Nursing-Home

109-86 (V)

The referee tosses it high and Oscar Schmidt rises late, which is exactly how you win one of these. Timing over height, every single time.

Verticality, timing, discipline: Oscar Schmidt never bites on the pump fake and still finds a way to erase the shot.

OHHHH the hesi! Stephen Curry froze him solid and he is already gone! Not close, not warm, not anywhere for Stephen Curry, straight into the hands of a defender who never had to leave his feet.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Los Angeles Nursing-Home with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

The opposing coach is off his seat waving both arms before the ball is even inbounded. Kyle Korver forced that.

Break. Kyle Korver collapses on the locker room floor, arms spread wide. Rumor has it Kyle Korver tried to recruit the pizza delivery guy for the team. The guy was 6'9". And now, our halftime TV game show Supermarket Sweep the Leg! To win a fifty-five gallon drum of ranch dressing, text HOOPS to 555-0088 and answer this question: 'How many stripes are on a basketball if you also count the ones inside?' The players are back on the court. Here we go again!

That is the pass that beats a zone, and Gui Santos threw it before the help even committed. STOP AND GO! Kyle Korver hit the brakes, hit the gas, and the lane opened up like a garage door. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Kyle Korver builds the whole thing from nothing. No screen, no help, three points.

One finger to the sky, held there, eyes closed in the middle of all that noise, and Kyle Korver does not move. The arena figures it out and quiets for a beat. Gui Santos puts a hand on his back and says nothing, then the sound comes back like a wave.

Bucket for Los Angeles Nursing-Home. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

No hero ball here: Stephen Curry takes what the defense gives and moves it along. OHHHH that is filthy! Kyle Korver on the handoff and the man guarding it is still fighting over the top. Nasty finish. Gui Santos hangs, adjusts in midair, and drops it through.

Gui Santos crosses his arms into an X, plants his feet at the top of the key and dares somebody to say something. Nobody does. Jaren Jackson Jr. Mirrors the pose beside him. Two statues, twenty thousand people screaming, and every camera in the gym pointed at them.

Laser from Jaren Jackson Jr., corner to corner, and that closeout gets there about a second and a half too late. OHHHH the separation! Gui Santos just manufactured three feet of daylight out of absolutely nothing. Buzzer on the shot clock, Gui Santos heaves it off one leg, and the ball comes up short of everything.

Eight seconds off the shot clock and Stephen Curry has not wasted one of them, the ball reaching Jaren Jackson Jr. precisely where the play wanted it. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Jaren Jackson Jr. spun out of a double team like it was a revolving door! Oh my. Jaren Jackson Jr. did not even draw iron.

Ball moves. Jaren Jackson Jr. to Kyle Korver, on time and on target. The defender planted his feet, and Kyle Korver said thank you very much and drove straight through his front pocket. Jaren Jackson Jr. whips the extra pass across the arc, Kyle Korver rises without a dribble, and SPLASH.

Wiping imaginary dust off both shoulders, Kyle Korver strolls back on defense at the speed of a man walking his dog. Jaren Jackson Jr. Carries the bit further and mimes brushing off his shoes. The bench is on the floor. The head coach is not laughing, but only barely.

First option: Stephen Curry. Everything else on that clipboard is decoration. Out of the timeout, Oscar Schmidt hits Stephen Curry right on schedule and it drops! Drawn up, run, done.

Kyle Korver and Stephen Curry slap each other's butts. Oscar Schmidt declines the invitation. And here is the answer to our game Supermarket Sweep the Leg! Junior Pennywhistle of Slab Town, Kentucky, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How many stripes are on a basketball if you also count the ones inside?' The answer was of course eight, and the ninth is a private matter. Junior takes home a fifty-five gallon drum of ranch dressing! Tonight my colleague told me I smell like stress. I told him it was my cologne. Thanks for watching. Coming up: '48 Hours: The Secret Life of Roundabouts.' Essential viewing.

Jornada 7 — vs Toronto Border-Patrol

116-85 (V)

Tip is UP and Oscar Schmidt gets there first! We are underway and it is our ball.

Two defenders collide on the handoff and Kyle Korver is gone, so Stephen Curry earned that one even if the box score disagrees. Nobody touched him, nobody trapped him, and Kyle Korver still coughed it up. Easiest whistle these officials will blow all night.

Unselfish basketball. Jaren Jackson Jr. passes up a good shot and hands Stephen Curry a GREAT one. Rip through, one dribble, contact. Stephen Curry plays that little game better than anybody on this floor. Cash. Cash again. Stephen Curry pockets the two and jogs back on defense like nothing happened.

Stone silence for one second, then Stephen Curry lets out something that is not really a word, more a sound from the basement of a human being. Jaren Jackson Jr. Answers with the same noise. The arena joins in. There is no language left in this building.

Nobody dribbled, nobody isolated, Gui Santos and Stephen Curry just played basketball and the defense got shredded. It went halfway down! The ball sat in the cylinder, thought about it, and rolled off the far side on Gui Santos. Cruel.

Turnover, layup, Toronto Border-Patrol straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Break time. Stephen Curry bolts to the locker room without looking at anyone. Intel: Stephen Curry asked Toronto Border-Patrol for their energy drink recipe. They refused. And now, our halftime TV game show Name That Layup! To win a fondue set with three forks and no instructions, text HOOPS to 555-0347 and answer this question: 'How many folding chairs fit inside a regulation basketball hoop?' The players are back. Some look fresh, others... Not so much.

Nobody is getting a hand near that. Stephen Curry has all the room in the world. OHHHH! Stephen Curry went up looking for a poster and came back down as the punchline.

Swing, swing, and Jaren Jackson Jr. finds Oscar Schmidt on the wing before the help can even turn its head. The other bench sent their best perimeter stopper out on Oscar Schmidt, and they are learning in real time that it will not be enough tonight. Drop step, jump hook, bucket! Oscar Schmidt is doing it the old way.

Hands out, palms up, Oscar Schmidt shrugs at the officials like he cannot explain what he just did either. Dry as a bone. Stephen Curry is doubled over at half court and the broadcast crew is howling. It goes viral before the next possession even starts.

Over the top of everybody. Gui Santos to Jaren Jackson Jr. in the corner, wide open, catch and rise. Hard drive, hard stop, and Jaren Jackson Jr. retreats into an ocean of open hardwood. That is the shot Jaren Jackson Jr. wants every trip down the floor, it drops nine nights out of ten, and tonight is the tenth.

Hesitate, GO. Gui Santos is by that hip before the man even blinks. That is body control you simply cannot coach: Gui Santos stays up a full beat longer than everybody else and finishes clean.

Gui Santos sprints to the sideline, hops onto the scorer's table and raises both fists. The stat crew grabs their laptops and security is already moving. A trainer hauls him down by the shorts before anybody gets fined. Worth it, obviously.

Not an inch to spare on the endline, but Jaren Jackson Jr. keeps both feet in bounds and the help gets there a beat too late. The defense keeps turning contested looks by Jaren Jackson Jr. into free points. STOP REACHING. Jaren Jackson Jr. steps up, same routine, same release, splash and splash. Nothing but net twice.

Reverse it, make them slide all over again, that is how Stephen Curry breaks a shell down. Kyle Korver eats the contact so Oscar Schmidt can run free along the baseline, and the catch-and-shoot look is right there. Feet already set, hands already ready. Oscar Schmidt takes the feed from Gui Santos and cashes it.

Oscar Schmidt plants himself in front of the Toronto Border-Patrol bench, hands on hips, and simply stands there until somebody says something. Somebody says something. Officials arrive at a jog. A teammate hauls him backward by the waist while the arena begs for more.

Stephen Curry and Kyle Korver chest bump so hard they each fly back three meters. And here is the answer to our game show Name That Layup! Vernon Dinkins of Cold Supper, Missouri, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How many folding chairs fit inside a regulation basketball hoop?' The answer was of course none, and the fact that somebody tried is the real story here. Vernon therefore wins a fondue set with three forks and no instructions! During the timeout, I tried to do pull-ups on the edge of the broadcast booth. Zero. That was beautiful. And now: 'House Hunters International: 90-Square-Foot Studio, Wall View.' A steal.

Jornada 8 — vs Minnesota Ice-Wall

92-113 (D)

Cold blooded from Minnesota Ice-Wall, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Ten to nothing. Stephen Curry is COOKING and there is not one answer on that other bench.

Clean feed from Jaren Jackson Jr., nothing forced, just the offense breathing. The big rolls, the defense collapses, and Stephen Curry punishes it with a read most guys never even see. Fifth possession this half where Jaren Jackson Jr. has been left to bail everybody out with the clock at zero. He cannot keep doing this alone.

OHHHH the pin-down! Jaren Jackson Jr. pops out clean while the defender is STILL tangled up with Kyle Korver. Brutal. Jaren Jackson Jr. had that one all the way, perfect release, perfect arc, and the rim simply refuses to let it drop.

The extra pass! Gui Santos had the look, gave it up anyway, and Jaren Jackson Jr. buries it. BANG! Watch the feet on Jaren Jackson Jr. there, still drifting sideways at the release, and that is exactly why the floater sails wide left of everything.

Both teams head in. Oscar Schmidt has a red mark on his cheek from an elbow. Staff confession: Oscar Schmidt is afraid of pigeons. Not 7-foot centers, no. Pigeons. And now, our halftime TV game show Three in a Row Probably! To win a crock pot with the lid from a completely different crock pot, text HOOPS to 555-0607 and answer this question: 'What happens to the air inside a basketball left in a truck overnight?' We're back! The coach drew stuff on the whiteboard, let's see if it works.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Minnesota Ice-Wall with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

The ball travels faster than five defenders can, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has known that all night long. A probe, a plant of the outside foot, and Oscar Schmidt pushes off while his man is still fighting to recover his balance. They do not teach that footwork anymore, and yet here is Oscar Schmidt running a full masterclass on the low block.

Wiping imaginary dust off both shoulders, Oscar Schmidt strolls back on defense at the speed of a man walking his dog. Stephen Curry carries the bit further and mimes brushing off his shoes. The bench is on the floor. The head coach is not laughing, but only barely.

Jaren Jackson Jr. gets it on the reversal and now this defense is rotating, scrambling and losing ground, all because Gui Santos saw it a beat early. This is the work that never shows up on a stat sheet, Jaren Jackson Jr. gets the credit and the guy setting the screen gets the bruise. So close. Jaren Jackson Jr. can only stare at the iron.

You can teach the jumper, you cannot teach the willingness, and Jaren Jackson Jr. gives up a decent shot every single time a better one exists. Kyle Korver went for the deep heat check and produced the loudest silence of the night, roar to OHHHH in half a second.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Minnesota Ice-Wall with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Second pass beats the rotation, Stephen Curry to Kyle Korver, and the closeout gets there about half a second too late. That is a shot selection problem, plain and simple. Kyle Korver drove into three bodies and the help defender was waiting the whole way.

Down screen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. curls hard into the middle of the floor with a full step of daylight. Easy read. The crowd has found its chant, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is going to be hearing it all night. OFFENSIVE GLASS! Kyle Korver beats three men to the spot! Up over the box out, and Kyle Korver catches it clean and finishes strong through the contact. Somebody just got posterized.

Flexing under the basket, mouth wide open, Kyle Korver roars at nobody in particular. The sound carries over the crowd noise, which should be physically impossible. The referee waits with folded arms, like a substitute teacher who has seen considerably worse.

Dagger from Minnesota Ice-Wall. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Telegraphed. Gui Santos announced that pass three days in advance and the defense RSVP'd.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Bites the inside of his cheek. Oscar Schmidt pinches the bridge of his nose. And here is the answer to our game show Three in a Row Probably! Colleen Hackenberg of Rusty Nail, Pennsylvania, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'What happens to the air inside a basketball left in a truck overnight?' The answer was of course it becomes a slightly smaller basketball, and everybody in the gym agrees to say nothing about it. Colleen therefore wins a crock pot with the lid from a completely different crock pot! Tonight I yelled so loud the guy in the next booth asked me to keep it down. Mid-game. And now, a brand new episode of 'Desperately Seeking My Cat.' Good night, everyone.

Jornada 9 — vs Houston Blast-Off

104-113 (D)

Ohhh no. Corner three, Houston Blast-Off in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Ball moves. Jaren Jackson Jr. to Gui Santos, on time and on target. Two guys on the exact same page, Gui Santos and Oscar Schmidt, and the defense is left holding a bag of nothing. Shot clock at one, and Gui Santos just has to throw something at the rim. Nothing doing.

Across half court, a quick survey, a point to the weak side, and Stephen Curry drops it off to Gui Santos on time and on target. Pass, cut, catch, wide open. Four things in about a second and a half from Gui Santos. OHHHHH POSTERIZED! Gui Santos just ENDED that defender at the rim!

Gui Santos steps over the defender who ended up on the floor and keeps walking, never looks down. Cold as a meat locker. The building erupts twice, once for the bucket and once for the disrespect. The replay gets its own dedicated camera angle.

Dagger from Houston Blast-Off. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Total control. Stephen Curry has this thing on a string. Jaren Jackson Jr. feels the contact, spins off that shoulder, and the defender is left hugging a whole lot of nothing. That is what heavy minutes do, Jaren Jackson Jr. has run all night and the legs have nothing left to give the jumper.

Rest time. Stephen Curry isolates in a corner of the locker room, headphones on. Quick anecdote about Stephen Curry: apparently he eats pasta with ketchup before every game. To each their own ritual. And now, our halftime TV game show Minute to Win It Back! To win a lawn ornament goose with exactly one seasonal outfit, text HOOPS to 555-0319 and answer this question: 'What is the halftime score of a game that nobody is watching?' Back for seconds. The court is shining, and so are the players.

That is the pass that beats a zone, and Jaren Jackson Jr. threw it before the help even committed. Watch the change of pace from Stephen Curry, half speed into full speed in one step, and that is a blow-by every time. OHHHH the POWER! Stephen Curry took the hit and finished it anyway!

Bow to the crowd, a full waist bend with one arm across the stomach, the whole theatrical thing. Stephen Curry holds it three seconds. Gui Santos applauds behind him like a valet. Somebody in row two throws a bouquet of obviously fake roses onto the floor, and Stephen Curry collects every last one.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Houston Blast-Off with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

One hard step and Gui Santos owns that whole side of the floor, which means the low man has to make a decision he does not want. Wide open at the top of the key and Gui Santos cannot make it count, the defense secures the board and takes off in transition.

Bucket for Houston Blast-Off. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Stephen Curry walks it up, two fingers in the air, and the whole offense shifts on his command. Screened, toasted, done. Kyle Korver is loose and the defense is scrambling to find him. That is the shot Kyle Korver wants every trip down the floor, it drops nine nights out of ten, and tonight is the tenth.

Set called, Oscar Schmidt waved out to the corner, and Stephen Curry watches the spacing open up like a front door. Watch Stephen Curry plant his feet, absorb the hit, and spring Oscar Schmidt out of that corner in a blink. Up goes the shot from Oscar Schmidt and that is nothing but AIR, and every soul in this building saw it happen.

Here is the part that never makes the highlight package: Stephen Curry controlling tempo, burning clock, hunting the mismatch the second one shows up. No roll this time. Oscar Schmidt swings it right back to Jaren Jackson Jr. above the break, and it is PURE. Rises, releases, and Jaren Jackson Jr. sends the ball through the exact patch of sky where the rim is not.

Bench energy is real currency over a long season, and Stephen Curry just handed his teammates a full bank account. NOT A CHANCE! Jaren Jackson Jr. came flying at that pull-up and DELETED it!

Right through the window. Jaren Jackson Jr. to Stephen Curry on the roll, and the help was a half step late. Every highlight show in the country runs that clip tonight, and unfortunately for Stephen Curry he is on the wrong end of it.

Oscar Schmidt turns back to look at the court one last time. Stephen Curry doesn't turn around. And here is the answer to our game Minute to Win It Back! Otis Fenstermacher of Tin Roof, Virginia, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'What is the halftime score of a game that nobody is watching?' The answer was of course still tied, philosophically speaking. Otis takes home a lawn ornament goose with exactly one seasonal outfit! Confession: I bet against my favorite team tonight. Superstition. It works half the time. Good night everyone! Coming up: 'Boot Camp: Supermarket Checkout Line Edition.' Discipline.

Jornada 10 — vs Denver Horse-Track

100-104 (D)

One hard jab step and Stephen Curry is leaning the wrong way, and the drive goes right past his shoulder.

Denver Horse-Track again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

Stephen Curry stutters at the elbow, the defender bites on it, and now there is nothing but open floor between him and the rim. Down, up, and gone for Stephen Curry. The rim is just toying with him now.

No hero ball here: Stephen Curry takes what the defense gives and moves it along. GONE down the baseline! Jaren Jackson Jr. beat him on the first step and the paint is collapsing. Not a hand on him. Jaren Jackson Jr. flat missed the bunny.

Gui Santos launches it weak side, one pass, and the whole shell has to sprint. Good luck with that. Kick out to Oscar Schmidt, one more to Jaren Jackson Jr., splash from the wing and this bench is on its feet. The ball skips around the perimeter, Stephen Curry finds the open man on the weak side, and Jaren Jackson Jr. buries it.

Shimmy from the corner all the way to half court, shoulders loose, chin high. Jaren Jackson Jr. Is in no hurry whatsoever. The home bench tries to copy it and produces something closer to a seizure. The building decides it loves both versions equally.

Halftime! Jaren Jackson Jr. Walks barefoot on the cold tunnel tiles. True story: Jaren Jackson Jr. Walked into the wrong locker room during his first game against Denver Horse-Track. Awkward. And now, our halftime TV game show Match Game Seventy-Eight and a Half! To win a hand-crank ice cream maker missing the crank, text HOOPS to 555-0413 and answer this question: 'What is the average lifespan of an ink pen at a bank?' Resetting the counters for this second half. Well, not really.

You can read it in the body language. Stephen Curry has ice in his veins right now, the shot clock does not scare him, nothing does tonight. Stephen Curry takes two dribbles past halfcourt, rises from thirty five feet, and the net barely moves. Filthy.

Stephen Curry slides on his knees down the free throw lane, arms wide, and ends up flat on his back watching his own replay on the video board. He points at himself on the screen. The officials have stopped pretending to have any control here.

Hesitate, GO. Stephen Curry is by that hip before the man even blinks. You are about to see a coach put his entire face in both hands, and Stephen Curry has earned every second of that reaction.

Horn goes, ball still in the hands of Kyle Korver. Shot clock violation, and that possession never existed.

Bucket for Denver Horse-Track. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

POCKET PASS! Stephen Curry threads it to Gui Santos between two bodies and the rim is wide open! AROUND the cylinder and OUT! Gui Santos cannot believe it, and neither can this building.

Dagger from Denver Horse-Track. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Clean feed from Jaren Jackson Jr., nothing forced, just the offense breathing. A single dribble is all Gui Santos needed to get downhill, and the back side of that defense is in complete disarray. BAAAANG! Gui Santos catches it and lets it FLY, nothing but net from the corner!

Final possession of the night, and it belongs to Gui Santos. Nobody in this building is sitting down. You will not draw up a better look. Gui Santos got his switch, got his feet set, got it clean off. The basketball gods said no.

Kyle Korver's brow is furrowed, lips pressed thin. Oscar Schmidt breathes through his nose, hard, steady, trying to calm down. And here is the answer to our game Match Game Seventy-Eight and a Half! Roscoe Tidwell of Frog Level, Alabama, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'What is the average lifespan of an ink pen at a bank?' The answer was of course nine minutes, after which it goes home with a man named Gary. Roscoe takes home a hand-crank ice cream maker missing the crank! Tonight I nearly had a heart attack at least four times. And I'm just the commentator. That's a wrap! And now, 'The Price Is Right: Why Nobody Answers the Phone Anymore.'

Jornada 11 — vs New York Over-Timers

100-106 (D)

Second rejection of the quarter for Kyle Korver, and you can see the shooters hesitating on that wing already.

Oscar Schmidt sets it and slides out instead of rolling, Stephen Curry finds him late, and the defense pays for cheating under the screen. Textbook footwork, textbook release from Oscar Schmidt, cruel result as it spins out and both teams go up for a contested board.

Kyle Korver got the ball, but he got it on the way down, and they are awarded the two anyway.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. New York Over-Timers with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

Watch the spacing there, Jaren Jackson Jr. hits Oscar Schmidt right in the shooting pocket and the possession stays alive. Kyle Korver just took a shoulder to the chest to buy Oscar Schmidt half a second, and half a second in this league is an eternity. AIRBALL! Oscar Schmidt missed the rim, the backboard and everything in between!

Both teams head in. Jaren Jackson Jr. Has a red mark on his cheek from an elbow. They say Jaren Jackson Jr. Eats honey straight from the jar during timeouts. The bear of the hardwood. And now, our halftime TV game show Foul Line Confessions! To win a hood ornament from a truck that was never built, text HOOPS to 555-1098 and answer this question: 'Why does every gym in the country smell exactly the same?' Let's go. The arena rumbles, the players answer.

Third reach charged to Gui Santos. At some point the officials stop giving you the benefit of the doubt, and that point was two whistles ago. Foul trouble is a chess match and Gui Santos just lost a piece. Three before the break changes how this team defends the pick and roll.

New York Over-Timers again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

SKIP PASS! Jaren Jackson Jr. fires it cross court to Gui Santos and the defense is dead in the water! That hesitation move is exactly why they keep sending a second body at Gui Santos the moment he crosses half court. Stuck holding it as the clock bleeds out, Gui Santos fades away from twenty-six feet, and it is not close.

OHHHH the hesi! Stephen Curry froze him solid and he is already gone! Rising into two defenders, Stephen Curry launches a jumper that finds nothing but backboard and bad decisions.

More second chance points for New York Over-Timers, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

Textbook two-man game: Stephen Curry keeps the dribble alive, forces the big man to commit, and Oscar Schmidt rolls into an open runway. That is a throwback bucket: Oscar Schmidt with his back to the basket, and the defense has absolutely no answer for it.

Oscar Schmidt steps over the defender who ended up on the floor and keeps walking, never looks down. Cold as a meat locker. The building erupts twice, once for the bucket and once for the disrespect. The replay gets its own dedicated camera angle.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for New York Over-Timers with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Wrapped up the arm on the gather, plain as day. Stephen Curry gets two, and the bench is already standing. AIRBALL. On a FREE THROW. Stephen Curry just invented a brand new way to be remembered.

Timeout. Tablet out. And every line the coach draws starts with Kyle Korver. That is the third time out of a timeout tonight that Stephen Curry has gotten a look this clean. The whiteboard is undefeated.

Stephen Curry collapses into the first available chair. Gui Santos stays standing, eyes glazed over. And here is the answer to our game show Foul Line Confessions! Wendell Crabtree of Lost Mitten, Colorado, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'Why does every gym in the country smell exactly the same?' The answer was of course floor wax, popcorn, and forty years of accumulated nervousness. Wendell therefore wins a hood ornament from a truck that was never built! My evening? A microphone, cold coffee, and the greatest show on earth. What more could you ask for. Thanks for watching. Coming up: '48 Hours: The Secret Life of Roundabouts.' Essential viewing.

Jornada 12 — vs Cleveland Twin-Towers

98-112 (D)

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Cleveland Twin-Towers with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Emotions boiled over and Stephen Curry pays for it, because he was the one still swinging when the cameras found the pile.

Swing, swing, and Gui Santos finds Jaren Jackson Jr. on the wing before the help can even turn its head. Jaren Jackson Jr. tries to force it through two bodies and finds nothing but the defender's hands.

Turnover, layup, Cleveland Twin-Towers straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

The bench is up, the defender is begging for help, and Gui Santos keeps walking into the same spot and cashing. OHHHH, no no no! Gui Santos steps into a contested step-back with eighteen on the clock and clangs it. Greedy.

Halftime. Kyle Korver's hair is completely soaked, like climbing out of a pool. Did you know Kyle Korver plays better when it's raining outside? Even indoors. Go figure. And now, our halftime TV game show Name That Smell! To win a barbecue apron that reads KISS THE FORKLIFT OPERATOR, text HOOPS to 555-0357 and answer this question: 'Which is heavier, a pound of orange slices or a pound of team spirit?' The show goes on. Players take position. Silence. Whistle.

Everybody in the arena knew the stepback was coming from Stephen Curry, and not one single soul could do anything about it. OHHHH, that one died in the air! Stephen Curry put nothing into it and the front rim eats the floater. The shot is short, and Oscar Schmidt is the only man moving. He rips it out of the crowd and the possession lives. Miss, tip, bucket. Oscar Schmidt makes his living in the wreckage.

Here is the part that never makes the highlight package: Stephen Curry controlling tempo, burning clock, hunting the mismatch the second one shows up. Oldest play in the book and it still works: Kyle Korver passes, the defender peeks at the ball, and that one beat is the whole possession. The big man never even contested it, and Kyle Korver still could not get the runner to drop. That one is on him.

Cleveland Twin-Towers again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

Jaren Jackson Jr. kicks it over to Kyle Korver, no dribble, no drama, and this offense settles into a rhythm. Lob from Stephen Curry, and Kyle Korver rises above the rim to hammer it through. Filthy.

Shimmy from the corner all the way to half court, shoulders loose, chin high. Kyle Korver is in no hurry whatsoever. The home bench tries to copy it and produces something closer to a seizure. The building decides it loves both versions equally.

Iron AGAIN for Stephen Curry! Somebody put a lid on that rim and every possession has turned into pure suffering. Gui Santos beat the clock by a tenth of a second and missed by about four feet. Technically legal, competitively pointless.

Reverse it, make them slide all over again, that is how Gui Santos breaks a shell down. Oscar Schmidt gives it up to Gui Santos on the move, the built-in screen erases the chase, and there is a clean runway to the rim. Rising up out of the corner, Gui Santos sends it LONG, clanging off the far side and out to the wing.

Bucket for Cleveland Twin-Towers. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Working him at the top of the key, low dribble, low dribble, then Stephen Curry rips it across and his man lunges at a ghost. Stephen Curry catches on the wing, jab step, spin move, and that pivot foot comes clean off the hardwood. Traveling.

Stephen Curry rips it back into the stepback and suddenly there is a country mile between him and that defender. Blocked into the floor. Stephen Curry will be seeing that one in his sleep.

Stephen Curry kicks his towel across the floor. Gui Santos has already left for the locker room, alone. And here is the answer to our game Name That Smell! Odell Trippett of Broke Axle, Alaska, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'Which is heavier, a pound of orange slices or a pound of team spirit?' The answer was of course the orange slices, and it is not close. Odell takes home a barbecue apron that reads KISS THE FORKLIFT OPERATOR! During the game, my colleague ordered sushi. It arrived at the final buzzer. Perfect timing. That's all for today. Up next: 'Dateline: The True Cost of a Cup of Yogurt.' Deep investigation.

Jornada 13 — vs Boston Ring-Chasers

75-120 (D)

Won it clean! Kyle Korver got up and over him with room to spare.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Boston Ring-Chasers, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Set called, Kyle Korver waved out to the corner, and Stephen Curry watches the spacing open up like a front door. Watch the sell from Kyle Korver here, he leans in, he gets the defender leaning with him, and then he backs away into all that space. Third one of these from Kyle Korver this quarter, third time the arc is wrong. The lane is not open real estate anymore.

Ball moves. Jaren Jackson Jr. to Gui Santos, on time and on target. Watch the spacing, Gui Santos drags two bodies toward the ball and Stephen Curry is standing alone behind the line. Geometry, not luck. Nobody bothered to contest it, because nobody believed Stephen Curry would shoot from there. Lesson learned the hard way.

Turnover, layup, Boston Ring-Chasers straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Rest time. Stephen Curry isolates in a corner of the locker room, headphones on. Physio's confession: Stephen Curry purrs when you massage his calves. Like a cat. A big cat. And now, our halftime TV game show Lingo Bingo Combo Hour! To win a patio heater that produces light but no heat whatsoever, text HOOPS to 555-0876 and answer this question: 'How much does a championship banner weigh once the dust settles?' Back for seconds. The court is shining, and so are the players.

Screen, pop, SPLASH! Stephen Curry kicks it out and that thing never touched iron. Soft off the fingertips, the ball takes a full lap of the rim on Gui Santos, and spits straight back out. That is theft.

The ball travels faster than five defenders can, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has known that all night long. Look how low Kyle Korver keeps that shoulder on the drive, that is how you turn a sliver of space into a walk to the rim. Prayer from Kyle Korver. Not answered.

Stephen Curry kicks it over to Jaren Jackson Jr., no dribble, no drama, and this offense settles into a rhythm. OHHHH the pocket pass! Jaren Jackson Jr. splits the coverage and the roll man is loose under the basket! BRICK! Kyle Korver throws up a prayer and the iron sends it straight back out to half court!

Bucket for Boston Ring-Chasers. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Swing, swing, and Gui Santos finds Jaren Jackson Jr. on the wing before the help can even turn its head. That hesitation move is exactly why they keep sending a second body at Jaren Jackson Jr. the moment he crosses half court. Down, up, and gone for Jaren Jackson Jr.. The rim is just toying with him now.

Dagger from Boston Ring-Chasers. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Give and go! Jaren Jackson Jr. gives it up, cuts, and gets it right back with a clear lane to the cup! Jaren Jackson Jr. attacks the baseline, the big man steps up to meet him, and it does not matter one bit. FILTHY.

Cold blooded from Boston Ring-Chasers, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Everybody in the arena knew the stepback was coming from Gui Santos, and not one single soul could do anything about it. That is what heavy minutes do, Gui Santos has run all night and the legs have nothing left to give the jumper.

Take the foul, live with whatever happens at the line. Oscar Schmidt clamps down on the ball handler and the whistle does the rest.

Stephen Curry presses his forehead against the tunnel glass. Gui Santos walks right past without noticing. And here is the answer to our game show Lingo Bingo Combo Hour! Faye Ellen Hocutt of Turnip Hollow, Maryland, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How much does a championship banner weigh once the dust settles?' The answer was of course eleven pounds of fabric and about a hundred pounds of expectation. Faye Ellen therefore wins a patio heater that produces light but no heat whatsoever! On my end, I ate three chocolate bars during the timeouts. Sports make you hungry, even in the booth. Thanks for tonight. Up next: 'American Ninja Warrior: No Elevator Edition.' Sixth floor, no landing.

Jornada 14 — vs San Antonio Skyscrapers

102-112 (D)

Turnover, layup, San Antonio Skyscrapers straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Ball up the floor, change of speed right at the logo, and Stephen Curry already has the defense a full step behind. One hard step and Oscar Schmidt owns that whole side of the floor, which means the low man has to make a decision he does not want. OHHHHH FROM THE LOGO! Oscar Schmidt pulls up from another area code and it is PURE!

Oscar Schmidt slides on his knees down the free throw lane, arms wide, and ends up flat on his back watching his own replay on the video board. He points at himself on the screen. The officials have stopped pretending to have any control here.

Ohhh no. Corner three, San Antonio Skyscrapers in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Gui Santos launches it weak side, one pass, and the whole shell has to sprint. Good luck with that. Screen, roll, DELIVERY from Stephen Curry! Nothing but runway to the rim! Buzzer on the shot clock, Oscar Schmidt heaves it off one leg, and the ball comes up short of everything.

Kyle Korver gets driven under the rim and the offensive board goes the other way. Fresh shot clock for them.

The players file out. Gui Santos exchanges a tense look with the coach. Locker room anecdote: Gui Santos talks to a sock called 'Assistant Coach.' We don't judge. And now, our halftime TV game show Press Your Luck, Buddy! To win a metal detector that only ever finds bottle caps, text HOOPS to 555-0451 and answer this question: 'Who was the first person in recorded history to yell defense at a wedding?' The players are back. Some look fresh, others... Not so much.

Look at the hands from Stephen Curry, active, mirroring every dribble, never reaching. He is a moving cage out there. Tipped away by Kyle Korver! Loose ball, scramble, bodies everywhere, and it ends up in our hands. Touch pass from Jaren Jackson Jr., and Stephen Curry glides in for the finger roll. Filthy.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and Gui Santos just did it by hitting Jaren Jackson Jr. on the back side with acres of room. Watch the sell from Jaren Jackson Jr. here, he leans in, he gets the defender leaning with him, and then he backs away into all that space. Nobody moved, nobody cut, nobody set a screen, so Jaren Jackson Jr. launches a contested jumper with the horn already going. Ugly offense.

Pass, skip, reversal, pass again. Kyle Korver shifts with every single one of them and the possession ends in a contested fadeaway. The entry pass goes in, Oscar Schmidt beats the big man to it, and this building is already standing up.

The basketball simply left Gui Santos. No steal, no pressure, just a quiet parting of ways.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, San Antonio Skyscrapers, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Left, right, gone. Stephen Curry put that defender on skates and never even looked back. That is the shot Stephen Curry wants every trip down the floor, it drops nine nights out of ten, and tonight is the tenth.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for San Antonio Skyscrapers with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Gui Santos rips it back into the stepback and suddenly there is a country mile between him and that defender. Stuck holding it as the clock bleeds out, Gui Santos fades away from twenty-six feet, and it is not close.

The ball travels faster than five defenders can, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has known that all night long. That crossover was not about getting a shot up. Oscar Schmidt pulled it out to tell everybody in the gym whose possession this is. Down, up, and gone for Oscar Schmidt. The rim is just toying with him now.

Oscar Schmidt sits on the bench, staring into nothing. Stephen Curry has his head in his hands. And here is the answer to our game Press Your Luck, Buddy! Vergie Cornsilk of Hominy Bend, Arkansas, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'Who was the first person in recorded history to yell defense at a wedding?' The answer was of course an uncle, and he has not been invited back since. Vergie takes home a metal detector that only ever finds bottle caps! Tonight I chewed through two pens. The office supply budget is going to explode. We're signing off. And now: 'Musical Chairs: Subway Seat Edition.' Winner takes all.

Jornada 15 — vs Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest

95-98 (D)

Set called, Oscar Schmidt waved out to the corner, and Stephen Curry watches the spacing open up like a front door. Watch the sell from Oscar Schmidt here, he leans in, he gets the defender leaning with him, and then he backs away into all that space. No touch. Oscar Schmidt left the soft hands in the locker room tonight.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Eight seconds off the shot clock and Stephen Curry has not wasted one of them, the ball reaching Oscar Schmidt precisely where the play wanted it. Oldest play in the book and it still works: Oscar Schmidt passes, the defender peeks at the ball, and that one beat is the whole possession. Long and gone. Oscar Schmidt floats the teardrop over everything and bangs it off the back iron.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and Jaren Jackson Jr. just did it by hitting Gui Santos on the back side with acres of room. OHHHH, what a read by Gui Santos! He never even glanced at the rim and it is CASH on the other end. Not close, not warm, not anywhere for Stephen Curry, straight into the hands of a defender who never had to leave his feet.

Bucket for Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Off to the locker room. Kyle Korver has already drained two water bottles. Little secret: Kyle Korver has a secret TikTok account with 12 followers. Posts cooking tutorials. And now, our halftime TV game show The Newlywed Regret Game! To win a genuine imitation leather fanny pack, text HOOPS to 555-0155 and answer this question: 'How many potato chips are in a family size bag before the air gets involved?' Here we go again. The players have changed jerseys.

Gui Santos rips it back into the stepback and suddenly there is a country mile between him and that defender. The crowd has found its chant, and Gui Santos is going to be hearing it all night.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

Cheap. Nothing about that shot was going down, and Jaren Jackson Jr. handed over three freebies anyway.

OHHHH the separation! Gui Santos just manufactured three feet of daylight out of absolutely nothing. Stop on a dime, up and over those outstretched arms, and the center can only stand there and watch Gui Santos walk away from it.

Handoff, turn the corner, BUCKET! Stephen Curry did all the dirty work on that one. Count it AND the foul! Jaren Jackson Jr. refused to be denied at the rim.

Not an inch to spare on the endline, but Jaren Jackson Jr. keeps both feet in bounds and the help gets there a beat too late. Kyle Korver threads a BEAUTY to Jaren Jackson Jr. under the rim and... he lays it off the bottom of the iron! Ohhhh, no.

Whirl, and GONE! Gui Santos leaves the defender grabbing at a jersey that stopped being there half a second ago. OHHHH, Gui Santos from WAY downtown off the catch! The defense rotated a half second late and paid full price.

Three fingers up, walking backward the length of the floor, Gui Santos never once looks at the basket he just drained. The bench mob is off the seats, towels overhead, security waving them back down. Nobody sits. Nobody in here is going to sit again tonight.

Rocking it between his legs at the top of the key, Oscar Schmidt has the defender crouched low and the help one pass away, and this whole gym is holding its breath. IN AND... OUT! OHHHHH, Oscar Schmidt cannot believe what he just saw!

Stephen Curry chews his nails on the bench. Oscar Schmidt stares at his shoes like they're the source of the problem. And here is the answer to our game The Newlywed Regret Game! Loretta Bagwell of Turkey Foot, Georgia, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How many potato chips are in a family size bag before the air gets involved?' The answer was of course eleven, and the remainder is atmosphere. Loretta takes home a genuine imitation leather fanny pack! Tonight I learned Stephen Curry used to be a volunteer firefighter before basketball. Found out during a timeout. Threw me off completely. See you soon. And now: '911: My Cat Climbed on Top of the Wardrobe.'