Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Suns vs. Heat
After returning to the locker room, the Suns players began to celebrate wildly.
Since Nash joined the Suns, the team had come close to the Finals many times.
But it seemed that the goddess of luck had never favored this team.
Players came and went, and apart from the team's leader Nash, the roster changed every year. This year, they finally made it to the Finals.
So, the players were all celebrating wildly.
Even when Dudley poured a bucket of champagne over Iverson's head, Iverson just laughed and joked with Dudley.
If this had happened in the past, very few people would have dared to joke with Iverson like that.
Brown, Wade Dong, Nash, and Iverson let the bench players have fun. Winning the Western Conference championship was truly something to celebrate.
Moreover, the players' nerves had been tight since the start of the playoffs. Appropriate relaxation would help them adjust their state to face the Finals.
The Western Conference champion had been decided.
In the East, the Heat and the Bulls were tied 2-2, and they still had at least two more games to play.
So, the Finals would start a week later.
Gentry walked over to Wade Dong and said, "If we face the Heat in the Finals, you can return to your familiar shooting guard position."
The Heat's Big Three: James, Wade, and Bosh.
The Heat's strength was also in their perimeter game. James and Wade's impact was too strong. At this time, Wade Dong returning to the shooting guard position and matching up against Wade would be a good choice.
"I think we are already the strongest as we are now."
Wade Dong glanced at Iverson, "I have confidence in AI. He won't be intimidated by Wade's challenge."
"You're right, I think the same way."
Gentry nodded. He agreed with Wade Dong's view because he couldn't question Wade Dong. Wade Dong would always make the right choices for him.
"Sigh..."
Wade Dong also looked at Gentry and sighed internally.
This coach really made him worry. Fortunately, he now had plenty of talent points, so he exchanged for two more skill packages: the Red Auerbach coaching skill package and the Phil Jackson coaching skill package.
From now on, he would also have to take on the responsibility of coaching on the court...
...
That night, the Suns players stayed in Los Angeles.
They returned to the hotel around 10 pm. On the team bus, Gentry said, "Tonight, I'll take everyone out to relax. The bill is on me, Coach Gentry. What do you guys want to do?"
"Nightclub! Nightclub! Nightclub!"
Dudley shouted first.
Wallace also chimed in, "Horse racing! Horse racing! Horse racing!"
Wade Dong didn't say anything. Gentry looked at Wade Dong, "You're the team leader. Why don't you decide?"
"You might not like my decision."
Wade Dong smiled and shook his head, "You guys decide for yourselves."
Nash said, "No, we'll like whatever you decide!"
Wade Dong said, "Then how about we find a Chinese restaurant, have some Chinese food, and drink some baijiu?"
"I think that's a good idea!"
"I think that's a good idea!"
"I think that's a good idea!"
Hill, Nash, and Gentry immediately nodded in agreement.
The last time they had Chinese food with Wade Dong, they had Sichuan cuisine and drank some Moutai. They had been craving it ever since, and since there was still a week before the Finals, Nash thought they could indulge a bit more tonight and have an extra drink.
Since Nash and Gentry agreed, the other players had no objections.
Wade Dong added, "But Chinese food isn't like fried chicken and burgers. You have to learn to use chopsticks. You can't just grab it with your hands!"
"I don't believe it. What kind of food can't be eaten with your hands?"
Dudley scoffed, "I can even eat pasta with my hands."
Wade Dong looked at Dudley with disdain, "You're a savage, eating everything with your hands?"
"Even if we don't use our hands, we still have knives and forks!"
Dudley retorted.
Wade Dong ignored Dudley. The team bus drove to the Chinese neighborhood and spent over an hour finding a restaurant that Wade Dong liked.
"Sichuan Hot Pot?"
Dudley saw the four characters and was a bit confused.
The steaming hot pot was served...
Wade Dong looked at Dudley and joked, "Do you want to try eating it with your hands?"
"I'd better not."
Dudley shook his head with a bitter face, "The soup is boiling. If I use my hands, I'll burn them. I still have to play in the Finals."
"Hahaha..."
The teammates all laughed.
They enjoyed the hot pot, and everyone was very satisfied. After the meal, they returned to the hotel, tipsy and ready to relax their nerves, which had been tense since the start of the playoffs. They were ready to adjust their state the next day to face the challenge of the Finals.
...
A week later, the Eastern Conference playoffs finally came to an end.
The Heat defeated the Bulls 4-3 and advanced to the Finals again.
Since forming the Big Three, the Heat had always been the favorites to win the championship.
Especially in the year they formed the Big Three, James, Wade, and Bosh were all top-ten stars in the league. This move was heavily criticized at the time, but the Big Three proved themselves.
In the year they formed the Big Three, they made it to the Finals, although they ultimately lost to the Mavericks. However, making it to the Finals was enough to prove the strength of the Big Three. Not everyone can easily reach the Finals.
This year, the Big Three were back and stronger than ever, determined to win the championship!
After the Heat defeated the Bulls, James said to Wade, "When Wade Dong first entered the league, I even called him to try to recruit him."
"I never heard about that."
Wade was puzzled, "If you recruited him, why didn't he come?"
James said, "At that time, Wade Dong didn't answer my call. Maybe it was because of the unfamiliar number."
"Or maybe his phone was out of service."
Wade pondered.
Bosh sighed, "If you had recruited Wade Dong, this year's championship would have been a sure thing."
Wade also felt regretful, "Indeed... Wade Dong is very strong. But if he came to the Heat, we could have formed a Big Four. Wouldn't that be great?"
"Blame it on old James."
Bosh stroked his chin, "He only made one call. If he had made a few more calls and Wade Dong had answered, he definitely wouldn't have refused to join us and form the Big Four."
"Don't think about that now."
James dismissed the idea, "We need to focus all our efforts on the Finals. Last year, we lost to the Mavericks. If we lose in the Finals again this year, the Big Three will become a joke."
"Yeah."
Wade and Bosh also became serious.
They formed the Big Three under tremendous public pressure, so they couldn't afford to lose in the Finals again.
Not only that, they needed to win three consecutive championships to prove the strength of the Big Three. If it weren't for the championship, why would the three of them have come together?
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