Chapter 102
After the start of the third quarter, the Pistons’ outside shooting suddenly cooled down. Only Zhou Yi managed to score a shot in the early stages of the quarter, while the other players’ several attempts at outside shots seemed to miss the basket, with one even resulting in a complete failure. Lacking their powerful outside shooting as a key offensive weapon, the Pistons didn’t panic and instead focused on driving to the basket. After McGrady and Andre Iguodala scored successively, the Pistons took a 15-point lead at 86:71 with 8 minutes and 21 seconds left in the game. After Steve Nash was taken out of the game, the Suns clearly suffered from offensive paralysis. Several key players performed well defensively but struggled offensively, wasting many scoring opportunities due to poor timing. If not for Channing Frye’s consecutive baskets and one three-point shot, the score gap might have widened to over 20 points. After Suns head coach Ervin Johnson called a timeout, John Kuester was highly dissatisfied with the team’s offensive performance. Their offense had been poor over those few minutes, unable to break through defensively, and the two quick attacks inside had raised the Suns’ defensive awareness, making it harder for them to score further. Zhou Yi felt frustrated but couldn’t express it. He had always thought Goran Dragic was good offensively but poor defensively. Yet just now, Dragic posed a significant threat to him with his constant tricks, which angered him greatly. Fortunately, he was still able to control his own rhythm. Under the Suns’ relentless defensive pressure, the Pistons’ offense became more hasty. Zhou Yi’s passing remained sharp, but it didn’t help his teammates much. Several rushed attempts ended with the ball bouncing off the rim, while Marcin Gortat did a great job controlling the rebounds. As the Pistons’ offense kept failing, the Suns played more steadily. Goran Dragic maintained control of the game’s pace. It didn’t matter if a fast break failed—they would switch to half-court play. Even if a pass was inaccurate, the ball would go back outside. As the ball kept moving, the Suns carefully looked for scoring opportunities. This kind of movement-based play was originally the Pistons’ strength, but now with their offense in disarray, the Suns played methodically. After Samuel Dalembert grabbed a rebound, John Kuester promptly called a timeout.
In the little over four minutes after the timeout, the Pistons managed just three shots, scoring 8 points from both field goals and free throws. Although the Suns didn’t score heavily, they still added 11 points, bringing the score to 94–82 in favor of the Suns, with a 12-point deficit. Without Steve Nash on the court, the gap further narrowed.
“Under the intense defense of the Suns’ players, the Pistons’ offense lost its rhythm during those over four minutes. As the score narrowed, John Kuester finally called a timeout, hoping to maintain a solid advantage before Steve Nash returned. To be honest, given Nash’s current physical condition, Kuester’s concerns might be unnecessary. But the Suns are now eager for Nash to come in. Judging from both teams’ performances so far, the deadlock will soon be broken. The Suns’ players can hold on for at least three more minutes. Once Nash enters the game, it may not significantly improve their defense, but it will certainly act as a deterrent to the Pistons,” Yu Jia’s analysis was incisive, accurately reflecting the current situation of both teams.
Elvin Gentry wasn’t overly optimistic about their recent performance. With a large lead, the Pistons’ mindset began to change subtly, giving the Suns an opportunity. Kuester’s timeout was very timely. With a 12-point advantage, the Pistons had a clear edge against the exhausted Suns as long as they managed their strategy well.
Although Steve Nash’s facial expression couldn’t be seen, his chest heaving gradually subsided, suggesting he had calmed down. But it wasn’t wise to bring him in now.
The team’s defense wasn’t an issue, but their offensive tactics were quite monotonous. Of their 11 points scored earlier, 7 came from Robin Lopez’s strong interior play. The best defense is offense, and beyond Lopez, the Suns urgently needed a second scoring option.
However, the situation on the court changed rapidly. The favorable outcome Elvin Gentry hoped for didn’t materialize. After the short timeout, the Pistons seemed to regain their rhythm—Zhou Yi forced his way to the basket for a score, followed by McGrady making one of two free throws, giving the Pistons a 15-point lead.
The home crowd couldn’t sit still and started celebrating the Pistons’ victory in advance.
However, the Pistons’ advantage didn’t last long. After Vince Carter hit a turnaround jump shot and drew a defensive foul from McGrady, Ervin Johnson called a timeout. At that point, everyone’s attention turned to the Suns’ bench—Steve Nash, who had been sitting quietly on his seat, was now stretching by the side of the court.