บท 217: Chapter 217: Breaking the Point Differential Record (2)
Wade Dong's exit from the game confirmed one thing.
He only scored 20 points in this game, breaking his career low in scoring.
The game had entered garbage time.
A 50-point deficit was too much for the Clippers' role players to overcome, and the Clippers' role players were no match for the Suns' bench.
The Suns still had Whiteside, Tucker, Middleton, and Green on the court.
Green had been a regular starter, and Tucker and Middleton had been alternating as starters.
It wasn't that Gentry didn't want to play a pure bench lineup, but looking at the Suns' bench, there were Wade Dong, Nash, Curry, Thompson, and McGrady, in addition to Gortat and Frye, who were veterans and key contributors to last season's championship.
It wasn't appropriate to put any of them on the court during garbage time, so the only option was to let Green's five stay on the court and run down the clock.
This was Gentry's dilemma.
...
There were nine NBA games today, but this one had the highest level of attention.
This was because the Suns were about to make history.
Especially in Huaxia, as the game was on a Wednesday morning, many fans took time off work to watch, and even more were secretly watching at their offices.
However, no one expected the game to be so one-sided.
"Are the Suns going to break the Grizzlies' 73-point differential record?"
"Why not? Just because the Grizzlies broke the Suns' 69-point differential record, it doesn't mean the Suns can't break it again."
"Too brutal!"
"I wish Dong Ge would stay on the court and keep scoring!"
This was the wish of the fans, who were enjoying the spectacle without thinking about the consequences. However, Wade Dong wouldn't return to the court.
...
As soon as Paul left the court, he headed straight for the players' tunnel, but the game continued.
Middleton came in and immediately stole the ball from Matt, then scored on a fast break.
The point differential widened again.
"Oh my..."
Everyone was a bit stunned.
Shouldn't the players just play casually and let the time run out during garbage time?
Why was Middleton playing so seriously?
A steal and a fast break!
Shouldn't they only play like this when trying to catch up?
Wade Dong encouraged Middleton, "Well done, brother! This is the right attitude towards the game. There's no such thing as garbage time in basketball."
This statement had a significant impact.
It not only encouraged Middleton but also inspired Whiteside, Green, Tucker, and Warrick.
Even... the Clippers' role players were motivated. They were professional players too! They were on the court to score, to win, not just to waste time.
What did it matter if they were trailing by 52 points?
The Suns' bench still had a player who once scored 13 points in 35 seconds. If he played at that pace, he could score 52 points in just 140 seconds, right?
The Clippers fought hard on offense, and the Suns fought hard on defense.
The Suns fought hard on offense, and the Clippers fought hard on defense.
Both teams went back and forth, and apart from the head coaches not calling any timeouts, the style of play was no different from regular time.
However, the Clippers' overall strength was clearly weaker than the Suns, especially with the Suns still having a couple of starters on the court.
With twenty seconds left in the third quarter, Turiaf missed a shot, and Whiteside grabbed the rebound, passing it to Green, who then passed it to Middleton.
Middleton received the pass and, facing Willie's defense, used a fake crossover to throw off Willie's defensive balance. He then drove past Willie and made a layup.
Swish!!!
The ball dropped into the basket.
Score: 126-62!!!
The Suns led the Clippers by 61 points.
Middleton walked off the court, and Wade Dong patted him on the chest without saying a word.
The Clippers players were sitting right next to them, and with Paul already storming off, it wouldn't have been polite to say too much.
Whiteside scored 4 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had 1 block in the third quarter. Although it was garbage time, he was having fun, and he ran to Wade Dong, seeking approval, "Dong Ge, can you give us some tactics for the fourth quarter?"
Gentry, "Huh?"
Kerr, "Huh?"
Wade Dong didn't mind the coaches' reactions and smiled, "In the fourth quarter, play a fast-paced game against the Clippers, continue to increase the point differential!"
"No problem!"
Whiteside and the others nodded vigorously.
...
After the timeout, the same players returned to the court, and Middleton was full of confidence.
Start of the fourth quarter.
Middleton received an assist from Warrick and made a mid-range shot.
Score: 128-62!!!
The point differential continued to widen.
The Clippers' role players wanted to give up, but the Suns were playing so seriously that they had to play hard as well.
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
The fans at the US Airways Center were in a frenzy, as the team had achieved their 72nd win of the season. Even though the players on the court were role players, the fans' cheers didn't diminish.
With eleven minutes left in the fourth quarter, Matt's layup was blocked by Whiteside, and Green ran out to save the ball, passing it to Warrick, who dribbled and initiated a fast break.
Middleton and Tucker also joined the fast break.
The Clippers only had Turiaf defending, so it was a 3-on-1 fast break.
Warrick passed the ball to Middleton, who then passed it to Tucker, who scored a layup.
Score: 147-73!!!
The Suns led the Clippers by 74 points.
Jordan and the others couldn't sit still and asked Tyronn Lue to substitute them back in.
However, Tyronn Lue shook his head, looking grim.
Putting the starters back in at this point wouldn't change anything and would only create a joke.
Although both teams had role players on the court in the second half, they were all playing with great intensity. The Clippers had lost, but they couldn't accept it.
With one minute left in the game, the point differential had reached 74 points, and neither team was playing anymore. As the final seconds ticked away, Matt attempted a very long three-pointer.
This three-pointer was quite unexpected.
Many people were praying... The Clippers were praying that the shot would go in, reducing the point differential to 71 points. The fans at the US Airways Center were praying that it wouldn't go in, as they were about to witness a great victory.
"..."
The shot took a long time to leave Matt's hands.
However, from such a long distance, even Wade Dong or Curry would have had a hard time making it, let alone Turiaf.
Swish~~~
The ball grazed the net but didn't go in.
Beep!!!
The referee blew the whistle, and the game was over.
Score: 147-73!!!
The Suns defeated the Clippers by 74 points at home, breaking the Grizzlies' record that had been set less than a week ago.
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