Chương 263: Chapter 263: Basketball is a Team Sport
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.
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