Chapter 536: Curry Dunked, He Really Can

Having grown accustomed to Wade Dong taking on a significant role, 

now that he was absent, Gentry finally remembered that he was the head coach of the Suns and that he was also a capable coach who just hadn't had the opportunity to show it.

The Mavericks were on offense.

Rondo drove to the basket, faked a shot with his right hand, then spun around and laid the ball into the hoop.

27:25!!!

The Suns' lead was down to just two points.

Wade cursed, "That idiot Rondo has nearly worn out that move, and he still managed to fool him!"

The defender under the basket was Whiteside. Rondo's fake move left him off balance, which frustrated Wade immensely.

The Suns inbounded the ball.

Curry received it and quickly brought it upcourt, passing to Thompson in motion.

Thompson found himself open in the corner for a three-pointer and shot!

"Swish!!!"

The basketball went cleanly through the net, while Nowitzki also hit a mid-range jumper.

Both teams exchanged baskets; while the Suns clearly had more strength than the Mavericks, Wade's absence meant that this was a rare situation for the Suns, who needed time to adjust.

Previously, Wade had missed games due to suspension after an altercation, and since then he hadn't had any opportunities to participate in on-court fights; his teammates had always been at the forefront.

Wade's absence was unusual, and it took some adjustment for the team.

The Mavericks could have seized this opportunity to catch up; once the Suns adjusted, winning another game would be nearly impossible for them.

However, Middleton had performed poorly in the first half...

.....

57:49!!!

The first half ended with the Suns leading by 8 points.

Li Jiajia suddenly asked, "If the Mavericks want to beat the Suns, what can they do?"

"They need one player to explode!" 

"Who would be the biggest threat to the Suns from this roster?"

"First choice is Nowitzki... but he's really getting old; after winning a championship once, his desire to win again has faded."

Wade thought for a moment before saying, "Middleton is the biggest unknown factor. If the Mavericks want to win even one game in this series, they can only rely on Middleton."

"Can he be relied upon?"

"Not really..."

"Then why mention him?"

"You asked me..."

Wade playfully pinched Li Jiajia's nose and turned off the TV. "I'm not watching anymore; this game has no suspense left."

....

In the Suns' locker room,

the mahjong table was empty; no one had the leisure to play mahjong.

Gentry brewed some tea and took a sip, smacking his lips. "Why does tonight's tea lack its fragrant taste?"

Curry laughed and said, "Coach Gentry, are you missing Dong Ge?"

"How can I not miss him?" 

Gentry mumbled. "I wonder where Dong Ge is now—whether he's in Phoenix or elsewhere... After his confidential treatment, we haven't heard from him."

"I believe Dong Ge is definitely watching this game live; that's why we must win."

"Absolutely!"

Gentry perked up and picked up his tactics board. "Nowitzki and Middleton are key offensive players for Dallas; they are our defensive focus..."

In the Mavericks' locker room:

Carlisle said, "Although it may not be appropriate to say this, Wade Dong not being on court is our best chance to beat the Suns."

"Middleton, your offense must be decisive! Attack whenever you have an opportunity."

Not only did Wade see this potential; Carlisle understood it too—there were too many veterans on Dallas' roster.

Veterans' bursts of energy don't last long. Players like Iverson and McGrady have indeed exploded in playoffs but with Wade's support; not every veteran can perform under pressure.

"Got it."

Middleton's response lacked conviction.

Players coming from the Suns instilled a sense of respect for this team; even without Wade on court, that feeling remained.

Middleton shot poorly in the first half—hitting only 2 of 11 attempts for just 4 points.

.....

As the second half began,

before players took to the court Gentry reminded them: "Everyone stay focused—Dong Ge is watching this game!"

Wade had already turned off his TV and was playing a card game called "Little Cat Fishing" with Li Jiajia.

It's a simple card game where each player takes turns playing cards from their hands; if there are duplicates among played cards or with those in play, all duplicates are collected by that player. Jacks can take all cards. The goal is simply to have more cards than your opponents at the end—it requires no strategy but is full of fun.

"Achoo~~~"

Wade suddenly sneezed and rubbed his nose while mumbling: "Who's messing with me from behind?"

"Wade Dong, are you catching a cold?" 

Hearing him sneeze, Qi Juan rushed out of the kitchen holding a spoon. "If you're sick stay away from Jiajia; don't pass your cold onto her."

"Mom, enough already~"

Wade put on a serious face. "You're the one who brought me back home; now you're telling me to keep my distance from Jiajia?"

Li Jiajia smiled slightly and said: "Mom, Wade isn't sick."

"As long as he's not sick..."

Being about to become a grandmother for the first time made Qi Juan somewhat anxious.

....

Suns' offense resumed.

Durant drove through defenders for an acrobatic layup.

59:49!!!

It felt as though a beam of light was shining on the Suns as their offensive momentum surged.

Rondo brought up court looking to find Middleton for a shot opportunity. Ellis set an off-ball screen for Middleton who ran into space to receive Rondo's pass.

"G~~~"

Middleton's open shot hit nothing but rim again.

Durant secured another defensive rebound and pushed upcourt quickly before passing to Thompson. Green set up down low; after receiving Thompson's pass, Green made a bounce pass into Carter's hands.

"Bang!!!"

Carter drove down and executed a one-handed slam!

61:49!!!

"Wooah~~~"

Carter dunked it! The crowd jumped up in cheers.

Then Middleton received another pass but hesitated before shooting; Thompson closed in defensively so Middleton passed it off to Ellis instead.

"G~~~"

Ellis rushed a three-pointer that missed again while Durant grabbed yet another defensive rebound.

Curry was already starting a fast break as Durant flung an outlet pass across court right into Curry's hands.

"Boom..."

Curry caught it near midcourt and took one step closer before leaping high with one hand barely managing to dunk it through the rim.

"This is how it should be done..."

Gentry was very pleased with Curry's dunk and remarked: "Dunks are one of the best ways to boost team morale—this dunk by Curry looks fantastic."

"Haha!"

After scoring with that dunk, Curry excitedly pounded his chest as if he had accomplished something extraordinary.

63:49!!!

The Mavericks were now trailing by 14 points. Carlisle crossed his arms tightly against his chest with a serious expression on his face.