Chương 214: Chapter 214: Is Number 30 Going to Dunk?
Curry made the three-pointer, and it was the Clippers' turn to attack.
For this game, the Suns employed a 3-2 zone defense tactic.
Green, Curry, and McGrady were on the perimeter, while Wade Dong and Tucker were inside to protect the paint and limit the Clippers' outside scoring.
This tactic was also designed for when Griffin was not on the court, as the Clippers' interior offense was weaker without him. After all, they only had the technically inferior Jordan, who couldn't match Griffin's scoring ability in the post.
As Paul dribbled to the frontcourt, the Suns players were already in position.
Paul found Odom, who faced Wade Dong's defense and smoothly executed a flashy spin move.
It was clean, efficient, and stylish!
Odom had gotten past Wade Dong, but when he attempted to pass the ball, he suddenly realized it was gone.
"Don't try to show off in front of me," Wade Dong muttered, tossing the ball to Curry.
When Odom spun, Wade Dong had effortlessly stripped the ball from behind him.
Griffin, dressed in a suit and sitting on the sidelines, saw this and shouted to Odom, "You can't play like that against Wade Dong."
Griffin had plenty of experience playing against Wade Dong.
In last year's playoffs, when Wade Dong played the 4 position, Griffin was dominated by him. Although Odom's dribbling was decent for a big man, it wasn't as good as Wade Dong's.
Playing like that against Wade Dong would only result in a turnover.
As Curry dribbled, Paul quickly caught up, but Curry had no intention of going one-on-one with Paul. He passed the ball behind his back to McGrady.
McGrady dribbled a couple of steps, jumped, and drove past Butler for a layup.
Swish!!!
The ball dropped into the basket.
Score: 5-0!!!
Within the first minute of the game, the Suns had scored five unanswered points against the Clippers.
The point differential wasn't significant, and Paul patiently organized the offense. Seeing Jordan rushing to the basket, Curry threw the ball towards the hoop.
Alley-oop!
This was a common play for the Clippers.
Wade Dong could have easily grabbed the ball before Jordan, but he couldn't do that. If he touched the ball while it was descending, it would be considered goaltending.
So, as Jordan grabbed the ball with both hands, preparing to finish the play with a powerful dunk, Wade Dong also slapped the ball.
Clang!!!
Wade Dong swatted the ball away.
Wade Dong landed steadily, while Jordan fell to the ground.
Beep!!!
The referee blew the whistle, signaling a goaltending violation by Wade Dong.
Wade Dong didn't argue with the referee, even though he felt it was a clean block. Jordan's fall seemed exaggerated, but referees could make mistakes too.
Jordan was awarded two free throws.
Clang!!!
The first shot bounced off the rim.
Jordan took a breath, bounced the ball a couple of times, and then threw it again.
Clang!!!
The second free throw also missed.
Wade Dong grabbed the rebound, and all the players ran to the frontcourt. Wade Dong slowly dribbled to the frontcourt to organize the offense.
Knowing that Curry was a reliable three-point shooter, Paul was aware that Crawford alone couldn't defend Wade Dong. So, he instructed Butler to help defend, while he continued to guard Curry.
Crawford and Butler stood side by side, forming an inverted V-shape to defend Wade Dong.
Wade Dong faked a move, followed by two quick crossovers, causing Crawford to shift his weight. Then, Wade Dong gracefully spun and weaved through the defense of Crawford and Butler.
Odom had used a similar move earlier, but Wade Dong's move was far more aesthetically pleasing and practical.
Wade Dong dribbled between Crawford and Butler, broke through to the basket, and casually made a layup.
Swish!!!
Score: 7-0!!!
This was actually Parker's skill, but Wade Dong, with his abundance of talent points, was just having some fun. Nonetheless, the effect was impressive.
Trailing by 7 points at the start, Griffin could only watch helplessly from the sidelines.
Paul organized the offense, and as soon as he crossed half-court, Wade Dong signaled Curry to switch positions with him, moving up to defend Paul.
Wade Dong guessed that Paul would take the shot himself.
As expected, Paul reached the frontcourt with no intention of passing. Even with Wade Dong defending him, Paul continued to use fakes and crossovers, trying to shake him off.
However, Wade Dong remained unmoved, and Paul's feints couldn't fool him.
With no other options, Paul executed a sharp crossover and took the shot.
Signature mid-range jumper!
But Wade Dong's jump was too high, and as Paul released the ball, Wade Dong leaped, snatching the ball with one hand and landing gracefully.
"Oh my goodness!"
The Suns' bench erupted in excitement.
The arena DJ's voice echoed with surprise, "Wade Dong, are you playing with us??"
A one-handed block was a move previously only accomplished by Jordan!
The impact on the fans was immense.
After landing, Wade Dong casually held the ball and swung it a couple of times before initiating a fast break.
Curry quickly ran to the frontcourt.
Wade Dong passed the ball to Curry, who sprinted towards the basket.
The arena DJ's voice boomed again, "Is number 30 going to dunk?!"
But... this time, Curry chose a safe layup instead.
"Oh, he's not going to!"
The arena DJ's voice echoed with a hint of disappointment.
"Hahaha..."
The US Airways Center erupted in laughter.
Even Wade Dong and his teammates couldn't help but chuckle, and Curry covered his face as he ran back to defend.
The Clippers missed another shot, and Wade Dong passed the ball to McGrady. McGrady drove past Butler, saw Green wide open beyond the three-point line, and passed the ball to him.
Green caught the pass and paused for a moment.
However, none of the Clippers players came to defend Green, as they were still guarding Wade Dong and Curry beyond the three-point line. They would rather leave Green open than let Wade Dong or Curry receive the ball.
"My presence is so low..."
Green muttered, then took the three-pointer. As the ball dropped into the basket, Green strode towards the Clippers players and shouted, "Everyone on the Suns can shoot threes!"
Score: 12-0!!!
Tyronn Lue had no choice but to call a timeout.
As the Clippers players returned to the bench, Griffin stood up to comfort his teammates, "It's just the beginning of the game. Take it slow."
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực