Chương 317: Chapter 317: Irving's Ankle Injury
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair.
Perhaps it was the approaching Christmas, but the people of M Country seemed to be in a state of heightened excitement.
With six minutes left in the first quarter, the Cavaliers still held the lead.
Alvin Gentry called a timeout.
He subbed in Marcin Gortat for Draymond Green, Tracy McGrady for Vince Carter, and P.J. Tucker for Klay Thompson.
Only Wade Dong and Klay Thompson remained from the starting lineup.
Wade Dong had the ball and passed to Tracy McGrady beyond the three-point line, but McGrady's mid-range shot was off.
Anderson Varejao fought for the rebound and passed to Kyrie Irving.
Irving dribbled to the frontcourt, now defended by Wade Dong. Irving used fancy dribbles, including a crossover and a behind-the-back move, to create space. He paused for a moment, shook the ball in his right hand, and then brought it to his left.
Irving took a step forward with his left foot, a probing step, and then stepped back behind the three-point line...
This flashy move was incredibly effective, creating the space he needed for a shot.
SWISH!
From beyond the arc, Irving's three-pointer swished through the net.
"Wow~"
Alvin Gentry turned to Stephen Curry and said, "That move will be something Irving can brag about for the rest of his life."
It was like Allen Iverson crossing over Michael Jordan.
Irving's flashy moves against Wade Dong, followed by a three-pointer in his face, would surely be one of Irving's top plays of the season.
"You're too good~"
Wade Dong blinked in amazement.
He then dribbled to the frontcourt, crossed over Irving, and with Varejao and Giannis Antetokounmpo still out of position, Wade Dong soared for a dunk, his body forming an arc in the air.
CLANG!
A powerful one-handed slam!
23-21!
The Suns still trailed the Cavaliers by 2 points.
Wade Dong could also perform Irving's flashy dribble moves, but Irving couldn't replicate Wade Dong's powerful dunk.
...
The close score continued into the second quarter, with just one minute left.
Irving had already made 11 of his 17 shots in the first half, scoring 27 points! This was undoubtedly one of Irving's best games of the season.
Coach Brown stood on the sidelines, excited. If the Cavaliers could beat the Suns, it would be a huge boost to their morale, and they might even make a push for the playoffs.
...
The Cavaliers had the last possession of the half.
Irving dribbled and faced Wade Dong's defense, but his mid-range shot was off!
However, Irving was determined to win, and as soon as he released the shot, he rushed to the basket.
At that moment, two players were under the basket: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Hasheem Thabeet. Antetokounmpo, eager to prove himself, took an extra step to get into position.
"Crack!"
This sound was one of the worst on the basketball court.
Wade Dong was momentarily stunned and turned to look...
After grabbing the rebound, Irving stepped on Antetokounmpo's foot and fell to the ground in pain, clutching his ankle.
Antetokounmpo froze, standing there in a daze!
"What the..."
Wade Dong was shocked, his mouth agape, "Who do I talk to about this?"
If you watched the replay in slow motion, Antetokounmpo's foot shouldn't have been in that position, but it was... And to make matters worse, the person he stepped on was a teammate, the Cavaliers' star player, who had already scored 27 points in the first half and was determined to lead the Cavaliers to victory over the Suns.
The game was temporarily halted as the team doctor came to check on Irving's injury.
Regardless of the severity, Irving wouldn't be able to continue playing in this game.
Irving was helped off the court by the team doctor.
The Cavaliers still had eleven seconds on the shot clock, but they had lost their will to attack, and the Suns didn't bother defending.
The eleven seconds ticked by.
The first half ended.
The Cavaliers led the Suns by 1 point.
53-52!
...
In the Suns' locker room.
Discussing the final play of the first half, Kevin Durant said, "I don't think Antetokounmpo did it on purpose; he's just a bit clumsy."
"Of course, it wasn't intentional," Alvin Gentry added, "Who would intentionally step on their teammate's foot?"
The Suns players were silent, especially Vince Carter, who despised such dirty plays. If he hadn't been injured by a similar play, his prime might have lasted a few more years.
The person who stepped on Antetokounmpo's foot was Kyrie Irving.
If it had been Wade Dong, Carter would have been the first to rush over and beat up Antetokounmpo!
"I'll go check on him."
Wade Dong stood up, as it was the Suns' home court, and Irving was a young man with dreams and ambition.
It was only right for Wade Dong to show some concern.
Wade Dong went with the Suns' team doctor to see Irving, who was lying on a mobile bed while the team doctor examined his injury.
Giannis Antetokounmpo stood nearby, looking helpless.
"It's okay..."
Wade Dong patted Antetokounmpo on the shoulder to comfort him.
Among the rookies this year, Antetokounmpo's performance hadn't been impressive, and he was close to being labeled a 'bust'. Now, with this incident, he had become a true 'pig teammate', so it was understandable that Antetokounmpo was nervous.
"Brother Dong..."
When Irving saw Wade Dong, he sat up.
Wade Dong looked at Irving's ankle and asked, "How does it feel?"
Irving replied, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Dong. It's not too serious; I just twisted it a bit. I can rest for a while and continue playing in the second half."
"Don't be stubborn. Let's get an MRI first."
Wade Dong patted Irving on the shoulder and said, "I wasn't even playing seriously in the first half. Whether you play or not in the second half, you guys won't win this game. Don't push yourself."
Irving: (;′⌒`)
Irving looked unhappy, "Brother Dong, did you come to comfort me or to discourage me?"
"I came to check on you."
Wade Dong smiled, "Let's wait for the test results to confirm the severity. The season is long, and with some effort, you guys can make the playoffs. Don't leave any lingering injuries."
"Okay..."
Irving nodded, looking a bit sullen.
In reality, his ankle was only slightly sprained, and Irving felt he could play with a wrap in the second half.
...
In the Huaxia live broadcast room.
Coach Zhang, "Antetokounmpo's foot injury has cost the Cavaliers the game."
Yu Jia, "That was very unfortunate. A professional player shouldn't have his foot in that position when fighting for a rebound."
Coach Zhang, "Exactly. He injured his teammate."
Yu Jia, "Regardless of the severity, Irving will have a hard time continuing to play in the second half."
...
The second half began, and as expected, Irving didn't return to the court.
Without their offensive leader, the Cavaliers quickly fell behind the Suns.
By the end of the third quarter, the game was all but over.
With five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Coach Brown called a timeout and subbed out his starters, conceding the game.
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