Chương 349: Chapter 349: Breaking the Single-Game Assist Record (Part 3)
Durant set a screen for Curry, leaving the paint wide open.
With an opportunity like this, how could Wade Dong not pass the ball? He immediately threw the ball toward the basket, but not too high, as Wade Dong was also afraid Curry might not catch it.
Although it wasn't very high...
Curry still couldn't complete the alley-oop, and after catching the ball, he chose to lay it in instead of dunking.
"Swoosh!!!"
The ball swished through the net.
Score: 127-95!!!
The Suns led by 32 points, and Wade Dong had his 28th assist of the game.
Players like Curry and Durant had high basketball IQs and were excellent at adapting to the situation on the court. They weren't just going to stand at the three-point line waiting for Wade Dong's passes.
With 5:39 left in the fourth quarter, Wade Dong grabbed the defensive rebound, while Curry and Durant had already sprinted to the frontcourt.
"Whoosh~~~"
Wade Dong swung his long arm, and the ball traveled across three-quarters of the court into Durant's hands.
"Bang!!!"
Durant caught the ball and slammed it home with a powerful dunk.
Score: 134-98!!!
Wade Dong had his 29th assist of the game.
With 7:12 left in the fourth quarter, Durant received Wade Dong's pass from mid-range and made the mid-range shot.
Score: 138-98!!!
Wade Dong had his 30th assist of the game.
With 8:51 left in the fourth quarter, Wade Dong dribbled into the frontcourt, spun past two defenders, drove to the basket, and made a behind-the-back pass to Durant.
"Clang!!!"
Durant caught the ball and went up for a powerful dunk.
Score: 142-100!!!
Wade Dong had his 31st assist of the game, breaking the single-game assist record.
...
After that play, Wade Dong coldly walked towards the bench.
"Wade Dong, you record-breaker!"
"Wade Dong, you record-breaker!"
"Wade Dong, you record-breaker!"
The home crowd booed again, scolding Wade Dong for being a stat-padder.
This was also the helplessness of the fans. If it were Rondo, even if he padded his stats to get 31 assists, he would still receive applause from the entire crowd.
...
"Beep!!!"
As the referee's whistle sounded, the game ended.
Final score: 151-103!!!
The Suns had a 48-point blowout victory over the Celtics, and Wade Dong also broke the single-game assist record.
Now, Wade Dong held three of the five individual single-game records for points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He shared the single-game steals record of 11 with Kenon and Gill, but the single-game blocks record and single-game assists record belonged solely to Wade Dong.
Only Chamberlain's single-game 100 points and 55 rebounds records were left for Wade Dong to break.
Game Stats:
Wade Dong: 25 points, 7 rebounds, 31 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks.
Durant: 31 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks.
Curry: 21 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks.
Thompson: 27 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks.
Frye: 27 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks.
Celtics: ...
Five Suns players scored over 20 points, and they dominated the Celtics on the road.
...
It's common for All-Star starters to have breakout performances before the All-Star Game, but Wade Dong's annual breakout performances were terrifying. He broke the single-game blocks record last year and the single-game assists record this year.
After defeating the Celtics, the Suns easily defeated the Wizards at home, extending their winning streak to five games.
With only one game left before the All-Star Weekend, the Suns would face the Thunder at home.
The day before the game.
Gortat and Frye, along with their agents, met with Tian Zhen. After chatting for an afternoon, Tian Zhen called for a team dinner.
Frye had been performing well in the past few games, with four 20+ point performances in five games. This was the highlight of Frye's career, and it also caught the attention of other teams.
However, Gentry couldn't give Frye this much playing time every game.
As for Gortat, although he had been demoted from a starter to a bench player this season, most people understood that Gortat had the ability to start. Both players' contracts were expiring this year, and they wanted to seek more satisfying deals.
Frye and Gortat wanted to discuss contracts and extensions with Tian Zhen. Unlike Wade Dong, Durant, and Curry, they didn't have significant income outside of basketball.
Gortat wasn't an M-countryman, but he had some influence back home. As for Frye, his family background was decent, but their primary income still came from their team contracts. The key to whether they would re-sign with the team depended on the contract the Suns could offer.
After all, both players already had two championship rings, and a championship was no longer their primary goal.
Before the All-Star Weekend, the teammates knew that Gortat and Frye had met with Tian Zhen with their agents. When they were suddenly notified of the team dinner, the teammates could guess what was about to happen.
In the evening, at a restaurant frequently visited by the Suns, Sarver, Tian Zhen, Gentry, and Kerr were all present.
Gortat and Frye sat in the main seats.
The food was served, and the drinks were poured, and everyone looked at Wade Dong.
Wade Dong wasn't surprised and said, "Whoever paid for the dinner can say a few words."
Tian Zhen had paid for the dinner, but it wasn't appropriate for him to speak at this moment. If it weren't for Wade Dong, with Tian Zhen's experience, even as the team's general manager, he might not be able to control the employees and players.
Seeing that Tian Zhen didn't speak, Gentry spoke up to ease the situation, "I'll say it. After today's game, the team will look for opportunities to trade Gortat and Frye."
"Why?"
"Are you two leaving us?"
"What about our promise to win a championship together?"
Although they had guessed it, hearing it confirmed by Gentry still made the teammates feel reluctant.
Gortat raised his glass, "The time I spent playing for the Suns is the most precious time in my life, but... but..."
Gortat choked up, unable to say the rest of his words.
Wade Dong continued where Gortat left off, "But you've become marginalized on the team, and you want to trade for some promising players while you're still in your prime, right?"
"Yes!"
Gortat wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and nodded vigorously.
Everyone turned their attention to Frye, who was also emotional. After holding it in for a while, he said, "Me too."
It wasn't appropriate to say more at this occasion. Gortat and Frye were in the final year of their contracts, and they needed to find a team that needed them to get a satisfactory contract during the offseason.
"The mountains remain, the waters flow."
Seeing everyone looking at him, Wade Dong said, "Since we're all in the same league, there's no need for any sadness. Let's just wish these two brothers a bright future."
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