In the end, Jackson believed his coaching abilities surpassed Gentry's.
The Suns' current success was largely due to Wade Dong.
However, he seemed to have forgotten something. Why hadn't he stopped the general manager from trading Curry and Thompson?
...
With Bynum's improved attitude, the Warriors began to close the gap.
End of the third quarter.
Score: 87-71!!!
The Warriors reduced the deficit to just 16 points.
During the timeout, Jackson strategized and sneaked a glance at the Suns' bench, wondering if Gentry would bring in his starters.
On the Suns' bench, Gentry was still discussing tactics with Green and Warrick.
As for the Suns' starters, not only was Wade Dong sitting on the bench, but Gortat and Tucker were also there, laughing and chatting without any intention of entering the game.
"Looking down on the Warriors?" Jackson thought bitterly. The Suns would pay for this.
Just before taking the court.
Wade Dong said to Whiteside, "Controlling the rebounds is key to controlling the game. You need to showcase your strengths."
"I understand, Dong Ge," Whiteside replied, nodding vigorously. When he wasn't getting playing time, the Suns offered him a seven-year contract, a gesture of gratitude.
His only way to repay them was to play his best and make his value exceed the contract.
Start of the fourth quarter.
The Suns' lineup remained Green, Middleton, Warrick, Whiteside, and Frye. Among them, only Middleton had some scoring ability, and while Frye was a decent three-point shooter, he was easily contained.
Start of the quarter.
Huang Yu received an assist from Dragic and made a mid-range shot.
Score: 87-73!!!
The Suns' lead was almost gone, but Gentry remained calm, sitting on the bench and chatting with Wade Dong.
Jackson kept a close eye on the Suns' bench.
He sighed again. Any coach would feel anxious if they had healthy players like Wade Dong, Curry, Nash, McGrady, and Thompson on the bench, even with a trailing score.
Why did they trade Curry for Bynum in the first place?
Jackson regretted this decision, not anticipating Bynum's temperamental issues. Even after joining the Warriors, Bynum remained obedient to Wade Dong, so his improved performance this season was attributed to playing alongside Wade Dong. Had he been on another team, his true colors would have been exposed.
Meanwhile, Curry's performance alongside Wade Dong was also improving!
With the deficit reduced to 14 points, the Suns remained composed. Warrick dribbled to the frontcourt and passed to Middleton.
Middleton missed the mid-range shot!
At this moment, Whiteside felt Wade Dong's sharp gaze on him, and his heart tightened.
The ball bounced off the rim.
Whiteside jumped with all his might, using his long arms to snatch the rebound from Bynum and Landry.
After securing the rebound, Whiteside passed the ball to Frye beyond the three-point line.
Frye received the pass, adjusted his posture, and took a three-pointer!
Clang!!!
"I'll jump again!!!"
Whiteside jumped again and grabbed the rebound from Bynum.
"Warrick!!!"
Whiteside shouted and passed the ball to Warrick.
Warrick took a three-pointer!
Clang!!!
The ball bounced off the rim for the third time.
"Damn it!"
Whiteside almost lost it. Why were his teammates' shooting percentages so low when he was on the court? He had no choice but to jump again and grab the rebound.
"Green!!!"
This time, Whiteside passed the ball to Green.
Green had an open shot and adjusted his posture, pushing the ball from his chest.
Swish!!!
Although his form wasn't elegant, the shot went in.
"Well done, Whiteside," Wade Dong said, smiling from the bench. "You'll get an extra chicken leg tonight!"
Whiteside's performance, especially with three consecutive offensive rebounds, impressed the Suns' coaching staff.
Gentry smiled at Kerr, saying, "If this isn't a flash in the pan, Dong Ge has discovered another talented player."
"Dong Ge's foresight is incredible," Kerr agreed, also impressed. "He always seems to uncover players' potential."
The Suns' depth was thanks to players like Green, Middleton, and Tucker, who had flourished since joining the team. Before that, no one had paid much attention to them.
Whiteside's three rebounds also asserted his dominance in the paint.
However, the Warriors' overall strength still surpassed this Suns lineup, and there was only 1:30 left in the fourth quarter.
Clang!!!
Huang Yu drove to the basket and dunked.
Score: 97-98!!!
The Warriors took the lead by one point.
"Well done, Huang Yu!"
Jackson excitedly punched the air on the sidelines.
After trailing for most of the game, the Warriors finally saw a glimmer of hope.
"Timeout!"
Gentry blew on his hair and called the game's first timeout.
Jackson watched helplessly as Warrick, Whiteside, Frye, Middleton, and Green left the court, while Wade Dong, Curry, Thompson, Gortat, and Tucker returned to the game.
"What the hell!"
Jackson was on the verge of a breakdown. The Suns were determined not to give the Warriors any hope. How could they play like this?
"Good job. It's our turn now," Wade Dong said, patting Whiteside's shoulder as he entered the game.
With 1:32 left in the game, the Suns trailed by one point.
As soon as Wade Dong came in, he made a sharp crossover to shake off his defender, drove to the basket, and made a behind-the-back pass to Curry at the baseline.
Swish!!!
Curry released a three-pointer, then brought his thumb and index finger together, forming a '3' with his fingers, earning cheers of 'MVP' from the crowd.
Score: 100-98!!!
The Suns regained the lead by two points.
The Warriors attacked, but Dragic's pass was intercepted by Wade Dong, who dribbled to the frontcourt. Facing an empty basket, Wade Dong stepped back behind the three-point line and released another three-pointer.
Swish!!!
An uncontested three-pointer demonstrated his confidence.
Score: 103-98!!!
The Warriors' hopes of a comeback were dashed.
...
Beep!!!
The final whistle blew, and the game ended.
Final score: 109-101!!!
The Suns defeated the Warriors on the road, securing their 69th win of the season, just three wins shy of the Bulls' record.
Game Stats:
Wade Dong: 27 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks.
Curry: 31 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, 1 block.
Huang Yu: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
Huang Yu achieved his season-high in points since joining the NBA. Besides Wade Dong and Curry, another Suns player had an impressive performance: Whiteside, who played 13 minutes and contributed 6 points and 13 rebounds, along with 3 blocks.