Chapter 254: Second Win Against Thunder

The Thunder were facing a lot of criticism from the outside world.

Brooks and Harden were the ones receiving the most blame. In the first game, if not for Harden's subpar performance, the Thunder could have won.

As for Brooks, when your team has a strong lineup on paper but still loses, it's natural for the head coach to take the blame. Fans don't care if the Thunder's lineup is imbalanced; they see three players who made the All-NBA teams: Durant in the First Team, Westbrook in the Second Team, and Harden in the Third Team.

The Suns, on the other hand, only had one player in the All-NBA First Team, Wade Dong.

...

Two days later.

The Suns hosted the second game of the Western Conference Finals.

Brooks made some tactical adjustments, and fans were also offering their suggestions. The general idea was to let Harden perform, and the Thunder would have a chance to beat the Suns.

Otherwise...

With a weaker bench and Durant outplayed by Wade Dong, how could the Thunder win?

Everything should be viewed dialectically, and fans had different opinions and suggestions.

At 7:00 PM, the arena in Phoenix was packed.

The Thunder's starting lineup remained unchanged, but the Suns made an adjustment, bringing in Tucker for Green and putting him in the starting lineup. In the previous game, Tucker had been very effective in defending Harden.

Gortat and Ibaka stood on either side of the center circle, ready to jump for the tip-off.

The second game of the Western Conference Finals officially began!

"Clap!"

Gortat tapped the ball to Curry, who passed it to Wade Dong.

The Thunder players quickly got into position, with Durant defending Wade Dong. Wade Dong waved Tucker over to set a screen for him at the three-point line.

"What a trashy tactic!"

Seeing this, Brooks snorted but didn't yell from the sidelines.

At this point, the players needed to adjust on their own. Tucker set the screen for Wade Dong, so Wade Dong easily got past Durant and had an open shot opportunity at the three-point line.

Harden came over to help defend...

At that moment, McGrady found himself open, and Wade Dong flicked his wrist, sending the ball to McGrady.

"Swish!"

McGrady received the pass and pulled up for a jump shot, which went through the net.

Suns led 2-0!

The Thunder attacked, but Durant's shot was contested by Wade Dong, bouncing off the rim. Ibaka grabbed the rebound and then jumped up for a dunk to finish the play.

However...

Wade Dong, who had been defending Durant just a moment ago, suddenly appeared in the paint and swatted the ball away with his big hand.

"This is why I can win the DPOY award," Wade Dong said expressionlessly before strolling towards the frontcourt.

After that block, McGrady grabbed the ball and went for a fast break, finishing with a dunk.

Suns led 4-0!

In the first minute of the game, Wade Dong showcased his MVP-level dominance on both ends of the court.

Brooks had a grim expression. If he could swap Harden for Wade Dong, he would have no worries about winning the championship. But he couldn't...

Westbrook dribbled up the court and stopped just a step away from the three-point line. He paused for a moment before suddenly accelerating, splitting the defense between McGrady and Curry. Then, he took off for a jump shot, holding the ball up with one hand and arching his body backward.

The defender in the paint was Wade Dong, and Westbrook saw him. Westbrook's style was all about power and explosiveness, often driving to the basket with his incredible athleticism and finishing with a powerful dunk.

However, just the night before, Wade Dong had emphatically blocked his dunk attempt.

This time, Westbrook wanted to prove himself!

"Clap!"

But... Wade Dong's hand came down again, swatting the ball away!

Westbrook was stunned. He didn't argue with the referee for a foul call but was shocked inside, wondering how there could be a player like Wade Dong.

How could a player known for his playmaking and three-point shooting have such strength and explosiveness?

The ball landed in Harden's hands, and after receiving it, Harden faked a shot, shaking off Tucker, then turned and made a little jump shot.

"Clap!"

Wade Dong swatted the ball away again.

"Nice one, Brother Dong!"

Gentry, sitting on the bench, exclaimed, "This is Phoenix! Our paint is untouchable!"

With two minutes left in the first quarter, the Thunder hadn't scored a single point, and Wade Dong had already recorded three blocks.

This reminded fans of the regular-season game against the Thunder, where Wade Dong had blocked every player who had entered the game.

In the first two minutes of the game, Wade Dong disrupted the Thunder's offensive rhythm with his defense.

Moreover, it wasn't just Harden who was struggling; Westbrook was also having a subpar game... After being blocked by Wade Dong, his offense became more rushed.

On the other hand, the Suns...

Maintained their composure and executed their plays smoothly. McGrady and Curry were both shooting well.

The first quarter ended.

Suns led 27-16!

The Thunder were held to just 16 points in the first quarter, with Durant scoring 11 of those points.

In the second quarter, with Wade Dong and Durant resting on the bench, Nash led the bench players, and they quickly extended the lead to 20 points.

Then, Durant and Wade Dong returned to the court.

These tactical arrangements had been discussed by Wade Dong and Gentry before the game.

Against the Thunder, Wade Dong's primary focus would be on defense, while the Suns' offense was already potent enough. When it mattered, they had plenty of players who could step up.

This game was quickly decided.

With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Suns substituted their starters, bringing in Varick, Whiteside, Green, Tucker, and Middleton.

These five players included two rookies, Varick, who was a permanent fixture on the bench, Tucker, who had only played five to six minutes per game before joining the Suns, and Whiteside, who barely got any playing time!

Yet, even with this lineup, the Thunder's bench couldn't keep up!

"Beep!"

As the head referee blew the whistle, the game ended.

Suns won 107-76!

The Suns defeated the Thunder by 31 points at home, taking the first game of the Western Conference Finals.

Game Stats:

Wade Dong: 26 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, 6 blocks.

Curry: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks.

McGrady: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks.

Durant: 33 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.

Westbrook: ...

Harden: ...

Ibaka: ...

Three of the Thunder's 'Big Four,' excluding Durant, had rather dismal stats.

The Suns won the second game with their defense.

Up to this point in the playoffs, the Suns ranked first in the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

"This is why Wade Dong can win the DPOY award!"

After the game, this headline appeared on the front page of many sports websites.