Chapter 305: Third Quarter, Time to Clock Out

The Clippers had the ball.

Redick dribbled to the frontcourt and passed to Griffin.

Griffin faced Durant's defense, but his turnaround jumper was contested, and the ball bounced off the rim.

Wade Dong easily grabbed the defensive rebound and dribbled to the frontcourt.

Near the free-throw line, Wade Dong bounced a pass to Thompson, who caught it and easily scored a layup.

The Suns led 4:0.

The Suns' pace at the start of the game made the Clippers uncomfortable.

The Clippers attacked again.

Redick wanted to set up an alley-oop with DeAndre Jordan, but his passing ability was no match for Paul's.

This pass resulted in a turnover.

Wade Dong easily grabbed the ball and dribbled to the frontcourt, with Jamison hustling back on defense. But Wade Dong effortlessly spun past him near the three-point line.

Swish!

Facing the challenge of Granger at the rim, Wade Dong pulled off a layup, avoiding Granger's block attempt.

The Suns led 6:0.

This scene played out in front of Carter, but he didn't tease Wade Dong like he did with Curry. This dunk, which was effortless for Wade Dong, was something Carter could only do in his prime.

The Suns' fast pace and high efficiency on offense made the Clippers struggle to keep up.

Coach Rivers finally understood why the Lakers, even with their super-team of four stars, struggled to beat the Suns.

With only three minutes played in the first quarter, Coach Rivers was forced to call a timeout.

The Suns led 13:2.

In just three minutes, the Suns had scored 13 points, and their field goal percentage was 100%.

Curry had 5 points, Thompson 2, Durant 2, Green 2, and Wade Dong 2. All the Suns' starters had scored, and Wade Dong already had 5 assists, turning each pass into points.

Timeout

As soon as the players were off the court, Coach Rivers shouted with the playbook in hand, "I've emphasized this many times. Let Wade Dong score himself; don't let him pass!"

With Wade Dong on the team, the Suns' lineup was unbeatable.

On the Suns' side, Coach Gentry took a sip of tea and said calmly, "You guys need to move more without the ball. When you receive a pass from Big Brother Dong, shoot decisively!"

"Yes, Coach," Curry and the others nodded.

Durant, who had been the leader of the Thunder for several years, had no problem adjusting to his new role as the second option on the Suns. In fact, he felt more comfortable playing this way.

Wade Dong always managed to get him the ball when he was ready to shoot.

Moreover, with Wade Dong on the team, Durant's defensive burden was significantly reduced, as the opposing team's best scorer was often guarded one-on-one by Wade Dong.

After the Timeout

Griffin received the pass at the elbow, and Wade Dong and Durant double-teamed him. Durant even smiled and said, "Griffin, welcome to the Phoenix special treatment. We'll guard you one-on-one!"

"What...?"

Griffin struggled to catch the ball under the double-team, "Are you guys trying to make it impossible for me to play?"

After Paul's departure, Griffin was undoubtedly the leader of the Clippers.

He had to carry the team on his shoulders... but even Griffin didn't believe he could lead the Clippers to a win against the Suns.

Griffin forced up a shot, which missed.

Wade Dong turned around and easily grabbed the defensive rebound, quickly dribbling to the frontcourt.

Jamison and Granger tried to double-team Wade Dong.

Granger taunted, "Why don't you score yourself? Are you scared to shoot, Mr. Scoring Champion?"

"Heh..."

Wade Dong chuckled, faked a spin move, and flicked the ball behind his back.

Then, with a quick crossover, Wade Dong split the double-team of Jamison and Granger.

After breaking through the double-team, Wade Dong tossed the ball into the air and started running back to the bench.

Swish!

Durant, understanding Wade Dong's intention, jumped high and slammed home the dunk.

The Suns led 15:2.

Coach Rivers sat back down on the bench, looking frustrated. How were they supposed to compete?

Although Paul had left, Coach Rivers, in his first season with the Clippers, aimed to lead them to the playoffs and hopefully advance further.

Unfortunately, in their first game of the new season, they faced the super-team of the Heat.

After being blown out by the Heat, the Clippers now had to face the Suns, who seemed unbeatable. If they lost their first two games, Coach Rivers worried that the team's morale would take a hit.

He could only blame the league's scheduling, which was particularly unfriendly to the Clippers.

A brutal start to the season!

No team had a tougher start than the Clippers, facing the Heat and the Suns in their first two games.

First Quarter

The starters on both teams played the entire first quarter, which lasted nine minutes.

The Suns led 31:13, a commanding 18-point lead.

At this point, Coach Gentry made adjustments to his lineup, keeping Curry and Green on the court while substituting Carter, Gortat, and Tucker for Wade Dong, Durant, and Thompson.

Coach Rivers also subbed out Griffin.

The Suns' lineup on the court was still stronger than most teams' starting lineups, and Coach Rivers grumbled, "The league should protest; this lineup leaves no room for other teams to survive!"

Before facing the Suns, teams had an idea of their strength.

But after facing them, they realized just how dominant the Suns were.

Coach Rivers' frustration deepened, as he had just faced the Heat and now had to deal with the Suns.

With less than two and a half minutes left in the first quarter, Carter checked in and missed a three-pointer after receiving a pass from Curry.

"Hahaha..."

This wild three-point attempt immediately drew laughter from the bench.

McGrady teased, "Brother, your three-point shot doesn't fit our team culture..."

"Damn..."

Carter scratched his head in embarrassment.

The Suns then forced a turnover on the Clippers' next possession, and Curry hit a three-pointer in transition.

The Suns led 34:13.

The Suns established a 21-point lead in the first quarter, essentially sealing the game.

By the middle of the third quarter, the Suns' lead had grown to 35 points, and Coach Gentry subbed out his starters.

Whiteside, Noel, Green, Tucker, and Curry remained on the court.

Noel, whose full name was Nerlens Noel, stood at 2.11m tall and played center. He was drafted 11th overall by the Suns this year, indicating his potential. In the first game, he didn't get any playing time due to the Lakers' strong lineup, but this game was different. Coach Gentry wanted to give Noel some experience.