After the timeout.
The Heat's defensive strategy in the first quarter was a combination of man-to-man and zone defense, with James guarding Wade Dong while the other four players formed a 2-2 zone.
After Nash and the others came off the bench, the Suns adjusted their defense to a 2-1-2 zone, with Nash and McDyess moving up and Wade Dong and Gortat dropping down to the baseline. Tucker primarily focused on defending James.
The Suns' offense:
Nash dribbled and signaled Gortat for a pick-and-roll. After evading Kidd, Bosh also came over to help defend.
Wade Dong seized the opportunity and drove to the basket, with Nash delivering a no-look pass from behind, which Wade Dong caught and finished with a gliding dunk. ❁
15-21!!!
The Suns' offense became much more efficient after the lineup change.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The US Airways Center finally erupted with cheers, as this was Wade Dong's first score of the game.
Up until this point, Wade Dong had recorded 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, but no points.
Kerr sat on the bench and spoke to Curry, Thompson, and Green, "You three have unlimited potential, but what you lack is Finals experience. Sit and observe for now. Whether we win the championship this year depends on you three!"
"Yes, Coach!"
Curry, Thompson, and Green nodded vigorously, feeling inspired.
The Heat's offense: James drove to the basket, and Wade Dong came over to help defend. James passed the ball to Ray Allen, who was beyond the three-point line.
However, as soon as Ray Allen caught the ball, McDyess rushed over to contest the shot.
Ray Allen faked a shot, causing McDyess to jump, and then he pulled up for a three-pointer.
"Swoosh!!!"
The ball swished through the net.
15-24!!!
The Heat extended their lead once again.
Over the next six minutes, both teams scored, but the Heat's offense was clearly more efficient.
Even with James being contained, Wade stepped up. When Wade was defended, Ray Allen's three-pointers were deadly, and Bosh was also causing trouble in the Suns' paint.
The end of the first quarter:
23-34!!!
The Suns trailed the Heat by 11 points.
...
During the timeout, Kerr rarely kept Wade Dong on the bench at the start of the second quarter.
The Heat was putting real pressure on the Suns, and the team couldn't rely solely on Wade Dong.
Before the start of the second quarter, Curry, Thompson, Green, Middleton, and Frye took the court.
Not only Wade Dong, but Nash and McDyess were also rested by Kerr. Wade Dong understood that it wasn't an issue of stamina, but he couldn't question the coach at this moment.
Unity was the key to victory.
The second quarter began, and the Suns had the ball.
Curry held the ball at the corner, with Thompson near the free-throw line. Middleton, with Chalmers, circled around Thompson, effectively blocking Battier, who was defending Thompson.
Thompson moved to the three-point line, and Curry passed the ball to him.
"Swoosh!!!"
Thompson hit a three-pointer, and it went in smoothly.
26-34!!!
"Nice shot!"
Wade Dong, sitting on the bench, exclaimed, "That's the Snake Eating tactic!"
Kerr: "???"
Weren't they supposed to call it the 'Greedy Snake Tactic'? Why did it become the Snake Eating tactic now?
James and Wade, sitting on the bench, were also puzzled by this tactic, which they hadn't seen before.
After seeing this tactic, Spoelstra couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that Kerr did have some tricks up his sleeve and wasn't just a coach who sat on the bench drinking wolfberry juice.
...
Next, Battier positioned himself at the corner for a three-point attempt, but it missed.
Green grabbed the rebound and immediately passed to Curry, who dribbled up the court. Seeing Battier chasing him, Curry passed the ball to Frye, who was at the three-point line.
"Swoosh!!!"
Frye hit another three-pointer.
29-34!!!
The Suns narrowed the gap to just 5 points.
The Heat's lead was gone, and Spoelstra immediately substituted his starters, bringing James and Wade back in.
Kerr looked at Wade Dong, "Dong..."
"I understand, Coach."
Wade Dong simply nodded without saying anything.
Kerr's intention was that many Suns players needed more training, as basketball was a team sport. Relying solely on Wade Dong might win them a game or two, but it would be challenging to win the championship.
After the Olympics, Kerr had also discussed this with Wade Dong.
Wade Dong told him that a performance like the fourth quarter of the Olympic final was something he might only experience a few times in his life, unless he played in the Olympics again for his country, which had the support of national fortune.
After James and Wade returned to the court, the Heat's lead increased again.
It was difficult for Curry, Green, and Thompson to stop the Heat's Big Three from scoring.
Seven minutes into the second quarter, Kerr finally sent Wade Dong back in, and the Suns were already trailing by 13 points.
After returning to the court, Wade Dong signaled his teammates to spread out, as he was about to go one-on-one.
James defended Wade Dong!
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The US Airways Center erupted as the matchup between Wade Dong and James was a battle for the title of the league's best player.
The Suns vs. Heat was the most anticipated Finals matchup this season, second only to Lakers vs. Heat, with Kobe vs. James.
At first glance, James didn't seem to have any particularly iconic offensive moves, but that was what made him so terrifying.
It seemed like James had only played in the league for ten years, but Wade Dong knew that even after another decade, James would still be able to maintain his current level of play. His durability was what made James so impressive.
Aside from that...
James' post-up game, driving ability, ball-handling, shooting, offensive versatility, and finishing skills were all historically top-tier.
His simple yet effective moves, when executed by James, became extraordinary. This was similar to Wade Dong, but James was slightly less dominant.
"James' Offensive Skill Package!"
"James' Defensive Skill Package!"
Since he had some spare talent points, Wade Dong decided to exchange them for James' offensive and defensive skill packages.
After exchanging the skill packages:
Wade Dong crossed over James and drove to the basket with his signature Eurostep, then finished with a layup over James and Bosh.
"Oh yeahhh~~~"
This play instantly got the fans fired up.
It was the familiar Dong, who liked to use other players' moves against them, and his versions were even more powerful.
"Amazing!"
Even though he had just been scored on, James had to admit that Wade Dong executed the move better than he did.
The Heat's offense:
Wade missed a shot, and Gortat grabbed the rebound, passing it to Wade Dong.
Wade Dong dribbled up the court, stepped back behind the three-point line, and hit a three-pointer.
"Swoosh!!!"
The ball swished through the net.
47-55!!!
The Suns trailed the Heat by 8 points.
The game entered the third quarter.
Kerr's worst fear came true.
The Suns, aside from Wade Dong, were collectively struggling. Nash and McDyess, being veterans, were far less effective than in their prime due to age and fatigue.
Additionally, the Heat was very familiar with Nash and McDyess, having played against them for over a decade. Their strengths and weaknesses were well-known.
In the latter half of the third quarter, the Heat started double-teaming Wade Dong.
67-79!!!
The Suns trailed by 12 points. ❈
From the time Wade Dong checked into the game until the last four minutes of the third quarter, the Suns had only scored 20 points, with 15 of them coming from Wade Dong.
Kerr kept a straight face and didn't make any lineup changes, allowing the players to adjust on the court.
The Suns' offense:
Curry dribbled the ball across half-court and passed it to Wade Dong.
The Suns' players on the court were Wade Dong, Curry, McDyess, Green, and Gortat.
Ray Allen and Chalmers double-teamed Wade Dong, while James defended McDyess, Wade defended Curry, and Green was left open.
Up to this point, Green had played for 21 minutes and was 0-5 from the field. His shooting percentage was so low that the Heat felt comfortable leaving him open.
James, seeing Wade Dong with the ball, shouted, "Wade Dong is going one-on-one!"
"Clap!"
"Clap!"
"Clap!"
Wade Dong crossed over, then dribbled behind his back with his left hand.
"Clap!"
The ball went behind his back and through his legs, a signature move of Wade's. Wade Dong weaved through Ray Allen and Chalmers.
Wade came over to help defend, but Wade Dong blew past him too!
"Swoosh!!!"
Wade Dong drove to the basket, drew a foul from James and Bosh, and made the layup.
"Beep!!!"
The referee's whistle blew, indicating a foul on Bosh.
...
In the Huaxia live broadcast room.
Yu Jia: "One against five! No one on the Heat can stop Wade Dong."
Zhang Zhi: "But this won't work. The Suns need other players to step up."
Yu Jia: "The Suns have been trailing the entire game."
...
"Swoosh!!!"
After Wade Dong made the free throw, the Suns were down by 9 points.
However, James quickly scored on a layup, drawing a foul from Green for a 2+1 opportunity. He made the free throw, keeping the lead above 10 points.
The fans at US Airways Center were tense.
It was rare for the Suns to be dominated for three quarters like this.
But the Heat was just too strong, especially with Wade and James, who were determined to get a win against the Suns.
Since Wade Dong joined the Suns, the Heat had lost all six games against them. They were eager for a victory.
The end of the third quarter:
75-91!!!
The Suns trailed the Heat by 16 points.
The Suns' players were dispirited. Curry and Thompson couldn't get their three-pointers to fall, McDyess was shut down by James, and the rest of the team seemed to be sleepwalking.
Only Wade Dong was holding the team together.
Kerr held up the tactical board and said, "Nash, Thompson, Middleton, Tucker, and Whiteside, you five will start the fourth quarter."
He kept Wade Dong on the bench.
Wade Dong didn't say anything. The Finals were a series, not decided by one or two games.
James and Wade had both gone off, and the most reliable way to win the fourth quarter would be for Wade Dong to use the 'Lucky Potion.' However, he couldn't rely on it for an entire series.
...
In the fourth quarter, Spoelstra kept James on the court.
Wade Dong didn't care if he played or not, but Spoelstra wouldn't feel secure until the lead was extended to 25 points or more.
"G~~~"
At the start of the fourth quarter, Middleton missed a mid-range shot.
Bosh grabbed the rebound and passed it ahead to James, who quickly drove to the basket for a dunk.
75-93!!!
The Suns trailed by 18 points.
Then, Thompson missed another three-pointer.
Bosh grabbed another rebound and passed it ahead to James, who finished with another fast-break dunk!
"Whiteside, how are you protecting the rebounds?!"
Wade Dong couldn't sit still anymore. He threw off his towel and yelled at Whiteside.
He didn't mind Middleton and Thompson missing shots, but he was annoyed that Bosh was grabbing rebounds so easily.
"Dong..."
Wade Dong's shout startled Whiteside.
"I want to play!"
Wade Dong didn't wait for Kerr's instructions and headed to the technical table. He substituted Middleton out before the Suns inbounded the ball.
With only 1 minute and 29 seconds gone in the fourth quarter, Wade Dong checked into the game. He received a pass from Nash beyond the three-point line, backed down James, and hit a turnaround jumper.
77-95!!!
Trailing by 18 points, the Suns needed to score consistently and stop the Heat from scoring to have a chance at a comeback.
The Heat's offense:
James started with a dribble through his legs, then stepped back beyond the three-point line and took a shot.
"Clap!!!"
Wade Dong swatted James' shot away.
The ball flew into the frontcourt, and James turned and chased after it, with Wade Dong right behind him. But Wade Dong was clearly faster.
Wade Dong grabbed the ball and dribbled up the court.
James followed closely behind, ready to block the shot.
Wade Dong saw James coming but wasn't concerned. Blocking his shot was impossible.
At the free-throw line, Wade Dong jumped high, and James jumped from behind him. However, instead of going for the layup, Wade Dong went for a powerful dunk!
"Bang!!!"
Wade Dong slammed the ball through the hoop, and James avoided a blind foul by jumping out of the way.
This was the Suns' highlight of the game!
But then... the Heat's offense continued to trouble the Suns, and with one minute left in the game, the Suns still trailed by 9 points.
Kerr called for a foul strategy, but it was a desperate move.
"Beep!!!"
The referee's whistle blew, signaling the end of the game.
109-115!!!
The Suns lost by 6 points at home, suffering their first playoff defeat.
The Suns' fans left the arena in disappointment...
Game stats:
Wade Dong: 47 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 5 blocks.
Curry: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks.
McDyess: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.
James: 43 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
Wade: 32 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
Bosh: 21 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks.
The Heat's Big Three combined for 96 points, leaving Wade Dong as the lone hero.
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