Chapter 392: The In-House Competition

The second half of the game commenced with the Suns leading by a mere two points, but the team felt more confident compared to their previous game against the Pacers.

With Whiteside, Thompson, and Carter well-rested, the Suns were in a good position to secure the win as long as they avoided any major mistakes.

The Jazz were on the attack. Burke set a screen for Hayward beyond the three-point line, freeing him from Wade Dong's defense. Hayward received the pass from Favors and took the three-point shot.

Swish!

The ball went straight through the net.

Jazz 54, Suns 55!

For the first time, the Jazz took the lead.

However, Wade Dong quickly responded with an assist to Carter for an easy layup.

The teams traded baskets, neither willing to give an inch.

With 79-76 on the scoreboard, the third quarter came to a close, leaving the Suns with a slim 3-point advantage.

As the game clock ticked down to under three minutes, the Suns maintained their narrow lead. Gentry, however, remained calm, confident in his team's performance. The players on the court were tenacious on defense, effectively limiting the Jazz's offensive options.

Although the score remained close, the Suns were in control.

Most importantly, even as the game entered its final stages, none of the players showed any signs of fatigue.

With 1 minute and 27 seconds left in the game, Varejao found himself wide open beyond the three-point line. The ball naturally found its way into his hands.

Swish!

Varejao launched a three-pointer, and the ball swished through the net.

Suns 101, Jazz 95!

The Suns extended their lead to 6 points.

After scoring, Varejao taunted the Jazz players, shouting, "You let me shoot? You should know that even a dog can make a three-pointer in the US Airways Center!"

Wade Dong, "???"

Thompson, "???"

Carter, "???"

Jazz players, "???"

Gentry, sitting on the sidelines, was furious. "Varejao, if you can't talk trash, then shut your mouth!"

The final buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game.

Suns 105, Jazz 103!

The Suns narrowly defeated the Jazz at home by 2 points, achieving their 25th consecutive win of the season, the longest winning streak in franchise history.

Game Stats:

Wade Dong: 47 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks

Others: ...

Two days later, the Suns faced the Nuggets on the road, with Durant and Curry returning from their suspensions.

With Durant and Curry back, along with the return of Whiteside and McGrady from injury, Yao, Nash, and Iverson had successfully completed their mission. They did not play in the game against the Nuggets.

Suns 117, Nuggets 83!

Curry and Durant, back from their suspensions, combined for 73 points, leading the Suns to a 34-point blowout victory over the Nuggets on the road. It was the team's 26th consecutive win, the longest in franchise history.

Yao and his teammates' ten-day contracts had come to an end.

Their brief stint with the Suns was a paid sponsorship, and they had no intention of continuing their NBA careers. Even if they did, the Suns already had a full 15-man rotation, and signing any of the three players would require releasing or assigning another player to the developmental league.

Before leaving Phoenix, the Suns organized a special farewell ceremony for Yao, Nash, and Iverson.

They decided to hold an in-house competition!

To participate in this special event, the Suns flew back to Phoenix immediately after their game against the Nuggets.

The next morning, all the players, including Green, who was still serving his suspension, arrived early at the US Airways Center.

Once everyone was present, Gentry brought out a cardboard box and said, "I've placed 15 billiard balls in this box, each marked with the letters A, B, or C. Everyone will draw a ball, and those with the same letter will form a group."

"We'll divide into three groups and play a 21-point game. The first group to reach 21 points will stay, and the third group will take their place. The group that wins two consecutive games will be declared the winner."

"To make this competition more exciting, I'll personally offer a $10,000 reward to the winning group."

The $10,000 prize, divided among the players, would only amount to $2,000 each, which wasn't much for these players. However, the prospect of a cash prize heightened everyone's enthusiasm.

Wade Dong was the first to draw, and he picked a ball with the letter C.

Upon seeing this, Green and a few others immediately started praying, "Please, God, let me draw a C as well."

Durant was next, and after rummaging through the box for a while, he pulled out a ping-pong ball and showed it to the others.

"Damn! Durant also got a C!"

A chorus of groans filled the room. How could they compete with Durant and Wade Dong on the same team?

"Let me try!"

Curry stepped forward, drew a ball, and after examining it, his handsome face lit up with a childlike smile. "Sorry, guys, I also got a C."

Yao asked Gentry, "Are all the balls marked with C?"

"Impossible!" Gentry replied.

Gentry himself was perplexed. "I put fifteen billiard balls in the box, and I marked each one with either A, B, or C. There's no way I made a mistake."

Yao said, "I don't believe you. Let me draw one to check."

He walked over to the box, drew a ball, examined it, and showed it to the others. "There are indeed other letters. I drew an A."

The rest of the players proceeded with the regular draw, and when the results were in, Yao spoke up again.

"The number of balls is correct, but I suspect Coach Gentry has tampered with the balls."

Yao made this accusation because the other two players who drew balls marked with the letter 'C' were Green and Thompson.

This meant that the Suns' starting lineup was now grouped together.

While Green and Thompson couldn't be considered the Suns' strongest players outside of Wade Dong's trio, the team still had veteran players like McGrady, Carter, and the rapidly improving Whiteside, who were equally capable. However, having the starting lineup in one group seemed a bit suspicious.

Iverson laughed, "Coach Gentry must be reluctant to part with the $10,000 prize, so he put Wade Dong and his teammates in the same group. After they win the prize, he'll take a cut."

"Makes sense~"

Yao nodded in agreement.

Gentry was at a loss for words. He brought the box over and said, "Let's disregard this round. Everyone, put the balls back, and we'll draw again!"

"Hahaha..."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Yao and Iverson were just teasing Gentry. They knew that the starting lineup being grouped together was purely coincidental, and Gentry wouldn't stoop to cheating in a friendly game like this.