Chapter 183: Lineup Change

"Beep!!!"

The referee blew the whistle, and the game began.

Chandler won the jump ball.

Felton slowly dribbled the ball to the front court, and Anthony asked for the ball. Felton passed it to Anthony.

Anthony, facing Wade Dong's defense, first made a triple-threat move. Wade Dong's eyes were fixed on Anthony's wrist, unfazed by his triple-threat.

"Not falling for the fake?"

Anthony frowned. This was his second encounter with Wade Dong.

Wade Dong, like in the previous game, was indifferent to Anthony's fake moves. Anthony, known for his versatile offense, found that only Wade Dong in the league could see through his attacks so thoroughly.

With the triple-threat not working, Anthony took a step and then half-turned, using his large backside to push against Wade Dong.

Then, he spun around and made a fadeaway jumper!

This was one of Anthony's signature moves, and he scored.

That's how strong offense works; even the toughest defense can't stop every shot, especially against a versatile scorer like Anthony.

"I don't want to guard Wade Dong..."

Although he scored, Anthony felt a reluctance to guard Wade Dong.

Having experienced the 2012 Olympics, the U.S. players had a lingering shadow—Wade Dong single-handedly dominated the U.S. men's basketball team.

Last summer, during a gathering of Anthony, James, and Wade, James said that the player he least wanted to guard was Wade Dong. Now, Anthony shared that sentiment.

Just on the defensive end, Wade Dong put immense pressure on him.

After Anthony scored, Tucker passed the ball from the baseline to Nash. Nash dribbled to the front court and handed the ball to Wade Dong.

"Let Wade Dong go one-on-one!"

This was the tactic Coach Kidd had set before the game.

The previous two games were terrible, and Coach Kidd couldn't accept a third consecutive loss. So, for this game, his strategy was simple: let Nash and Curry draw the defense, giving Wade Dong unlimited shooting opportunities.

Moreover, Anthony had just scored on Wade Dong, so according to Wade Dong's temperament, he would naturally want the ball.

Wade Dong received the ball, and Anthony immediately defended him, taunting, "Don't think you're the only one who sees through my offense. I've figured out your moves too."

"Is that so?"

Wade Dong chuckled and executed an extreme crossover!

The ball bounced off the ground, and Wade Dong's right hand stayed on the ball as if he were going to pick it up, his eyes fixed on the basket. Only when his left hand touched the ball did Anthony jump.

But Wade Dong dribbled the ball again with his left hand, easily spinning past Anthony and making a casual jump shot.

"Swish!!!"

The ball went through the net cleanly!

"He traveled! He traveled!"

Anthony raised both hands, making a rolling motion in front of his chest, signaling to the referee that Wade Dong had traveled.

However, the referee blew the whistle hesitantly but did not call a travel. The referee saw clearly that Wade Dong's right hand never touched the ball, so the basket was valid.

"Great shot!!!"

The Suns' bench players jumped up, waving their towels. Wade Dong's extreme crossover was incredibly stylish.

The Knicks attacked.

Since Anthony was guarded by Wade Dong, he was no longer the best offensive option for the Knicks. Felton passed the ball to an open Smith.

Smith pulled up for a three-pointer.

"Swish!!!"

The ball went straight through the net.

But as soon as Smith finished his celebration, the Suns had already inbounded the ball, and Wade Dong responded with a chase-down three-pointer.

Both teams traded baskets!

Seven minutes into the first quarter, Coach Kidd called a timeout.

At that point, the score was 19:16, with the Suns leading the Knicks by 3 points. Wade Dong had scored 15 of those 19 points.

"Green, you'll go in and let Wade Dong rest for a bit."

"Middleton, you'll replace Nash."

Coach Kidd made substitutions, and Wade Dong frowned, puzzled. All the Suns players were confused by this substitution strategy. In the first seven minutes of the first quarter, only Nash and Wade Dong had scored for the Suns. Now, Coach Kidd was taking both of them out. What was the logic behind this?

The timeout ended.

Green and Middleton entered the game.

...

In the Chinese live broadcast room.

Yu Jia, "I don't understand Coach Kidd's substitution."

Coach Zhang, "I've played and watched basketball for many years, and at this moment, I'm also confused."

Yu Jia, "With Wade Dong's stamina, he could easily play the entire first quarter. Why take him out so early?"

Coach Zhang, "I don't know."

...

Even Wade Dong didn't understand Coach Kidd's move.

But Coach Kidd usually consulted Wade Dong on his lineup decisions, and this time he didn't ask, indicating that Coach Kidd had his own plan.

So, Wade Dong suppressed his doubts and sat on the bench.

At that moment, the Suns had a small-ball lineup on the court: Green, Tucker, Curry, Thompson, and Middleton.

Anthony was also puzzled to see Wade Dong being substituted out. He successfully scored on Green and then looked towards the Suns' bench, shrugging at Wade Dong with a questioning gaze.

This was the first basket.

After Anthony's second successful score, he shouted at Wade Dong on the bench, "Besides you, no one on the Suns can guard me! How can you just sit there?"

Sometimes people are strange. When guarding Wade Dong, Anthony's mind was filled with not wanting to guard him. But when Green couldn't stop Anthony, he started to miss Wade Dong.

"Good luck, idol~"

Wade Dong smiled and replied to Anthony, then remained silent.

However, the Suns' small-ball lineup wasn't all bad; it released Curry's scoring ability.

After Wade Dong left the court, Curry and Thompson finally took over the offensive lead, scoring frequently and gradually finding their rhythm.

Until the end of the first quarter.

29:29!!!

The Knicks and the Suns were tied.

The fans started to understand Coach Kidd's tactical arrangement. Taking Wade Dong and Nash out was to release Curry and Thompson's offensive abilities.

This was the first time in the last three games that the Suns hadn't trailed after the first quarter.

But those who understood basketball started to worry. Did this mean that Wade Dong, Nash, Curry, and Thompson were incompatible?

If these four were incompatible, why did the Suns trade for Curry and Thompson? Did they think this season was going too smoothly and wanted to create some challenges for themselves?

...

The second quarter began.

All five players from the first quarter were substituted out.

The Suns' lineup for the second quarter was Wade Dong, Nash, McGrady, Gortat, and Frye.

The Knicks started the second quarter with their bench players.

As soon as the game started, Nash assisted Gortat with an alley-oop dunk.

Then, Wade Dong stole the ball from Chandler and passed it to McGrady. McGrady, on a fast break, completed a give-and-go with Wade Dong, this time with McGrady assisting Wade Dong for the score.

Next, Wade Dong hit two consecutive chase-down three-pointers.

McGrady followed with a pull-up jumper. The Knicks called a timeout.

In less than two minutes of the second quarter, the Suns had gone on a 12:0 run against the Knicks!