Chapter 507: Injuries and a Winning Streak in Jeopardy

Alvin Gentry opened a window to the world for Andrew Wiggins, who fell into philosophical contemplation.

After the third quarter, Wade Dong returned to the locker room without even taking a shower, as he hadn't sweated much anyway. He figured he could just as well shower back at the hotel, so he changed his clothes and left the arena.

The Suns would be staying at a hotel in New York after tonight's game.

Wade Dong left in a car provided by a manager of the Wade Dong Group's New York market. Wade Dong had arranged all of this before boarding the plane in Beijing, and when he leaves New York tomorrow, the manager will come to the hotel to pick up the car.

The Wade Dong Group has been developing at an astonishing pace over the past two years.

At first, some of the group's senior executives were not convinced by Wade Dong, wondering how a basketball player could also be good at business.

However, Wade Dong's business acumen eventually forced them to acknowledge his abilities, especially in terms of his forward-thinking suggestions for shoe and apparel designs.

This has been one of the most successful investments made by Zhang Yang and Guo Zifeng in recent years.

Moreover, Wade Dong has been steadfast in his commitment to two principles that no one can change: the company will not go public, and long-staple cotton and other raw materials must be sourced from Huaxia, regardless of the lower prices offered by other countries and regions.

The brand appeal of Wade Dong is gradually surpassing that of the two companies in M Country.

With this development momentum, Wade Dong's small goal of 500 billion is getting closer and closer.

...

At the beginning of the season, starting with the first game against the Spurs...

After defeating the Knicks, the Suns went on to win six consecutive games, bringing their winning streak to 26 games since the start of the season. However, the Suns now faced their biggest challenge of the season.

Hassan Whiteside, Kevin Durant, Yi Nan, and Thompson were all absent!

Losing three big men and a key scorer like Thompson at once put Alvin Gentry in a difficult position when it came to lineup decisions.

In the last game before the Christmas showdown, the Suns faced the Rockets, who were ranked second in the Western Conference.

"This is killing me~"

Before the game, Alvin Gentry was scratching his head, wondering how they were going to play this game.

Every game after a winning streak is a tough one, and no team in the league wants to make it easy for a team that has already won 26 consecutive games. Every opponent will do their best to take down the Suns!

Defeating the Suns would make a team the hero of the entire league.

The recent injuries to Suns players, including Durant, Whiteside, Yi Nan, and Thompson, were a concern. Additionally, veteran Carter felt tightness in his leg muscles before the game, making it unlikely that he would play tonight.

"Just play as you usually do!"

In the locker room, Wade Dong was stretching his wrists, saying, "Another day without slacking off."

This season, Wade Dong's slacking off had become the norm... On the road to a fourth consecutive championship, Wade Dong no longer cared about personal honors. He was only leading the league in steals and blocks, and he had also accidentally won the Western Conference Player of the Month award last month.

"You're working hard, Dong Ge."

Alvin Gentry said, "Our goal is to win 80 games this season, and it will only get tougher as the season progresses. Everyone must grit their teeth and try to win every game. "

...

With the addition of James Harden and Chris Paul, the Rockets' overall strength had increased by several levels.

Moreover, some of the team's young players, like Clint Capela and Brewer, had improved rapidly under the guidance of Mike D'Antoni.

The fully healthy Rockets carried the hopes of the entire league in stopping the Suns' winning streak.

Before the game, Mike D'Antoni also reminded his players, "It's hard to beat a fully healthy Suns team, so this is our best chance. We should treat this game like the Western Conference Finals."

The Suns had announced before the game that four players would be unable to play due to injuries, including two starters, Durant and Thompson, as well as the powerful bench center, Whiteside.

This season, Whiteside had been playing as a backup.

Despite averaging only 22.1 minutes per game, he was still able to put up comprehensive stats of 10.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.1 blocks. If he were on another team with more playing time, Whiteside might have seen a significant increase in his numbers.

Unfortunately... Whiteside had initially signed a seven-year contract.

With such high value for the money, as long as Whiteside didn't cause any trouble, he was unlikely to be traded by the team.

Ariza asked, "What lineup do you guys think the Suns will put out tonight?"

"Curry, Wade Dong, and Draymond Green are definitely going to start."

Chris Paul thought for a moment and said, "If I were Alvin Gentry, I would choose P.J. Tucker and McCollum as the other two starters."

Beverly said, "The Suns only have seven or eight players available tonight, and it doesn't matter who starts or comes off the bench; they're still going to lose."

"Don't be careless!"

Paul glared angrily at Beverly, saying, "You don't know how terrifying Wade Dong is."

Paul had suffered at the hands of Wade Dong for years. When he was with the Clippers, they were swept by Wade Dong, and even after joining the Heat to form the Big Five, they still couldn't get past Wade Dong. Although Paul had made it to the NBA Finals, he had never even reached the Western Conference Finals.

...

The Suns were also making last-minute preparations for the game.

"Brother, how are you feeling?"

"My muscles are a bit tight, but it's not a big deal!"

"I don't think Carter should play!"

The team doctor shook his head, "In his condition, it's best for him to rest for another week, then get an MRI to make sure everything's okay before returning to the court."

"Then we'll follow the doctor's advice."

Wade Dong nodded and didn't say anything else.

Alvin Gentry asked, "Dong Ge, how long has it been since you last played the 5 position?"

This question hinted at Alvin Gentry's tactical plan for tonight's game.

"Hmm..."

Wade Dong tilted his head slightly and said, "Okay, I'll play the 5 position tonight."

...

Starting Lineups:

Suns: Wade Dong, Curry, Draymond Green, McCollum, P.J. Tucker

Rockets: Chris Paul, James Harden, Ariza, Brewer, Clint Capela

Just as Chris Paul had predicted, Alvin Gentry indeed started P.J. Tucker and McCollum, with Varejao and Dinwiddie on the bench. It was unlikely that the other players would get any playing time tonight.

"Beep!!!"

The game began with the sound of the referee's whistle.

Clint Capela stood in the center circle, ready to jump the ball. Despite the fact that the man in front of him was only 1.98 meters tall, Capela felt a sudden tension as they faced off.

"Don't be nervous, young man!"

Wade Dong reassured Capela, then passed the ball to Curry.

Curry dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, and the Suns players quickly got into position. Seeing Wade Dong's position, Mike D'Antoni furrowed his brows, "Is Wade Dong going to play the 5 position again?"

This was a scary thought. If Wade Dong continued to play the 2 position, the Suns' interior defense would be their weakest link, giving Mike D'Antoni more flexibility in his tactical arrangements.

Draymond Green set a screen for Curry, who dribbled past Chris Paul and passed the ball to Wade Dong.

Dream Shake!

"Swish!!!"

Wade Dong easily scored against Clint Capela, putting the ball into the basket.

2:0!!!

The Suns scored the first points of the game.