บท 445: Chapter 445: The Finals, Game 3
After Anthony left the game, the Heat's strength significantly decreased.
The score at the end of the third quarter was 93-81! The Heat trailed by 12 points.
In this game, the Suns' defense was ferocious, especially the trio of Green, Tucker, and Whiteside.
As long as they didn't step on anyone's feet or make any dangerous moves, these three players went all out on defense.
"Fuck!" ❁
After the third quarter, Spoelstra suddenly realized what was going on and cursed to himself, "That old Gentry is a real pain!"
The Suns players' aggressive defense wasn't just to stop the Heat from scoring; it also had a more important purpose—to provoke the Heat players and disrupt their rhythm.
Anthony fell into this trap and fouled out in the third quarter.
With one of the Heat's Big Five out, the team was in trouble. There was only one way to get out of this predicament.
The Heat players sat on the bench to rest, and Spoelstra asked James, "Are you feeling okay physically?"
"I'm fine!" James replied.
He wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and took a small sip of the drink passed to him by a teammate.
"In the fourth quarter, give the ball to James!" Spoelstra instructed.
...
Spoelstra's guess was right.
Gentry hadn't been idle during the day they were stuck in the hotel due to heavy rain. He spent the entire day talking to Green, Tucker, and Whiteside, encouraging them to be more aggressive on defense and, if possible, to provoke the Heat players.
After three quarters, the Heat trailed by over ten points, and Anthony was struggling with foul trouble, proving that Gentry's plan was working.
"Everyone is doing a great job!" Gentry praised his players. "There are only twelve minutes left in the game. Focus on defense, and leave the offense to Dong and Curry."
In the league, Wade Dong was known as the 'Fourth Quarter King'.
Once the game reached the fourth quarter, Wade Dong transformed into an invincible warrior. In the league's nearly hundred-year history, there had never been a player like Wade Dong, whose energy levels in the first and fourth quarters were the same.
Perhaps only Chamberlain could have done this, as he once averaged 48.5 minutes per game for an entire season.
The Suns' biggest confidence boost was that since Wade Dong joined the team, they had never lost a game when leading at the start of the fourth quarter. This was an incredibly intimidating record, and no team had been able to break it yet.
...
The fourth quarter began.
The Heat attacked, and James received a pass from Paul for a mid-range shot. He backed down McGrady for a single, then spun and scored a layup.
The score was now 93-83.
James' single on McGrady couldn't save the Heat. Wade Dong dribbled to the frontcourt and passed to Curry, then cut to the basket. Curry threw the ball into the air.
"Bang!"
Wade Dong jumped, caught the ball in the air, and dunked over Bosh.
The score became 95-83.
James tried another single, but Wade Dong's defense forced him to miss the mid-range shot. McGrady grabbed the defensive rebound and passed to Curry, who dribbled to the three-point line and pulled up for a jump shot.
"Swoosh!"
The ball swished through the net.
The score was now 98-83.
The Heat turned the ball over again, and Wade Dong passed to Curry after stealing the ball. Curry took a step back from the three-point line and shot another three-pointer.
"Swoosh!"
The ball swished through the net again.
Paul made a mid-range shot, and the Suns inbounded the ball from the baseline. Wade Dong drew the defense and passed to Curry.
"Swoosh!"
Curry made his third three-pointer.
The score was now 104-85.
"Oh yeah!"
Curry's three consecutive three-pointers sent the Suns' bench into a frenzy, and even Durant jumped up and waved his towel vigorously.
Less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Suns had extended their lead to 19 points. Some of the Heat's loyal fans couldn't bear to watch and left the arena.
Spoelstra had no choice but to put Anthony, who had five fouls, back into the game to try and salvage the situation.
Unfortunately, the Suns had already taken complete control of the game's rhythm.
James, Paul, and Wade each made a three-pointer in the remaining five minutes of the fourth quarter, reducing the deficit to within 15 points.
Then, Wade Dong dribbled outside the three-point line, took one step to get past Wade, and jumped from just inside the free-throw line. James, Bosh, Paul, and Anthony all retreated to the basket to defend, but they could only watch as Wade Dong soared higher and higher, like a helicopter taking off.
"Bang!"
Wade Dong dunked over four Heat players!
The score became 117-100.
"Oh yeah!"
"Wade Dong! Wade Dong! Wade Dong!"
This dunk once again earned him a standing ovation.
The game's outcome was no longer in doubt, and the Suns had completely seized the momentum.
...
"Beep!"
The final whistle blew, and the game was over.
The Suns won by a score of 125-109, a 16-point victory on the road.
The series score was now 3-1, and the Heat's chances of winning the championship were becoming increasingly slim.
Game statistics:
Wade Dong: 41 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, 3 blocks.
Curry: 31 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks.
Durant:
James: 35 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks.
Paul: 19 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
Anthony: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.
Bosh: 11 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks.
...
The Heat fans looked at Wade Dong with resentment.
In this game, Wade Dong had showcased his skills with flashy moves, powerful dunks, chase-down blocks, and clutch three-pointers. The Heat fans had enjoyed the show, but the result was disappointing. They wished the Heat had won.
They chanted 'MVP' while also complaining about Wade Dong, their idol, for not understanding their feelings.
The Miami fans' thoughts at this moment were similar to those of fans in other cities: feed, need, Wade Dong.
...
In Phoenix, a large crowd of fans gathered outside the Western Arena.
"We won!"
"The Suns are invincible!"
The moment the game ended, cheers erupted in the square.
This game was held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, and to fulfill the fans' wishes, the Western Arena also broadcast the game live on the big screen in the square, attracting a large crowd.
It's easy to imagine that the bars in Phoenix would be packed again tonight.
With a 3-1 series lead, the Heat's chances of a comeback were extremely slim.
Moreover, after this game, Gentry announced that Durant would return for the home game, and the Suns were on the verge of winning their third consecutive championship.
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