Kurt Thomas’s long-distance shot clanked off the rim, and Okafor secured the defensive rebound.
The Suns players were quick to fall back on defense, leaving only Stoudemire to rush for the offensive rebound. His defensive awareness was much worse than Diaw’s, but Gentry still found a way to make him somewhat useful in defending pick-and-rolls. Having an athlete like him crash the boards could certainly impact the Bobcats’ speed in initiating their counterattacks.
However, once the game settled into half-court play, Zhang Yang caught the ball on the run and turned around for a mid-range shot, sinking it over the oncoming Raja Bell!
79-80, the deficit narrowed to just 1 point!
By the end of the last game, he had scored 20+ points in six consecutive games, breaking his personal record of five straight 20+ point games set earlier in the season. He was in a hot shooting streak after having adjusted during the early season, and even though he scored only 8 for 18 against the 76ers, his shooting felt solid. It was only because of Iguodala’s tenacious defense that he finished with a 44% shooting percentage.
Given the Suns’ level of resistance tonight, just throw it up!
During the Suns’ offense, Kurt Thomas missed from mid-range once again, but Stoudemire’s putback was good, helping to stabilize the situation for the Suns.
In the transition to offense, Marion went out to the perimeter to block Zhang Yang from receiving the ball.
The Suns’ strategy was a new tactic not yet officially used, only practiced in training and without any real game experience.
It was planned to be implemented in the preseason, but at that time, Stoudemire was in poor form and still adapting to changes in his playing style. At the start of the regular season, Stoudemire was still looking for his rhythm, and the plan to test this approach in real games was temporarily shelved. After a weak start of 2 wins and 4 losses, the focus was to first improve the record before proceeding.
The Suns’ performance had already improved, climbing to third in the Western Conference, just half a game behind the Spurs and the Mavericks, both with records of 15 wins and 5 losses. During their current 9-game winning streak, facing the first-place team in the East that evening, they couldn’t outscore the Bobcats, and D’Antoni, holding some personal bias, decided to unleash this tactic.
When they correctly anticipated the opponent’s offensive moves, they defended well, but when their predictions were wrong, their lack of experience, poor in-game adaptability, insufficient teamwork, and shaky defensive discipline exposed their flaws.
Felton drove into the paint and passed the ball, not to Zhang Yang, whom he couldn’t see, but to another teammate cutting along the baseline...
Okafor rushed into the paint to receive the ball, slammed it over Stoudemire, and even drew the foul!
Okafor stepped to the free throw line, his touch feeling good, and with the cheers of the home fans, he scored the bonus free throw!
82-82, the Bobcats tied the game!
On the Suns’ possession, the Bobcats left only Kurt Thomas open, and Marion, who had to make a second pass, found him again, but he missed! That’s three consecutive misses!
Kurt Thomas had exerted so much energy on the defensive end during the quarter, grappling with Okafor. Although his defense was fierce and genuinely good, the toll it took on Okafor’s shooting was negligible, while, in turn, it significantly affected his own. After all, there was over ten kilograms’ difference.
This time the Suns weren’t as lucky as the last round, and Stoudemire failed to secure the offensive board!
On the Bobcats’ offense, Marion again went out to block Zhang Yang from receiving the ball and taking the shot, while Kurt Thomas helped defend Felton, and Stoudemire had his attention fixed on Okafor, who was ready to cut from the baseline at any time.
Zhang Yang took this opportunity to cut back, caught Felton’s pass, and scored on a cut to the basket!
Back in the 06-07 season’s playoffs, the Suns had managed to limit the Spurs to an average of 97.2 points over the first five games, gaining the upper hand in the series, largely because they had already trialed the strategy for over half the regular season and had plenty of experience.
The current Suns, showcasing this style-switching tactic without any real battle-testing, shattered completely once it was broken through!
After Zhang Yang’s layup, Stoudemire quickly picked up the ball after Nash’s urging, as Nash wanted to push for a fastbreak.
The Suns’ ability to push the tempo was second to none in the league, but Nash’s fastest teammate, Barbosa, who averaged 18 points and was a top candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, was not on the court. Nash found himself alone and trapped when he reached the frontcourt.
The Bobcats, playing with four smalls and one big, excelled in transition defense, and by the time the rest of the Suns caught up, the Bobcats were already set defensively.
Nash executed a pick-and-roll with Stoudemire but instead of passing to the open Kurt Thomas, he opted for a 4-on-5 situation and actually found an opportunity!
Nash drove to the right elbow, slammed on the brakes, scooped up the ball, stepped back, and leapt against the advancing Okafor... to pass!
Marion had circled from the left side of the paint around the free-throw line to the right sideline. As Nash drove to the elbow and stepped back, Marion cut in from the right sideline, shaking off Matt Carroll, caught the ball at close range, stepped into the paint, and threw up a floater... but Felton had already positioned himself on the right side of the paint, and was knocked down by Marion.
Although Marion’s throw was good, the whistle blew first.
The referee blew a series of sharp whistles and mimed a punching motion.
Marion charged with the ball! Offensive foul and turnover!
The fans in the stands cheered loudly for Felton’s brave stand in the paint!
Felton, initially in pain as though his mask of agony had been applied, heard the cheers, struggled up, and mimicked his younger brother, lifting his head, puffing his chest, and sticking out his behind... the "Pompous King" had arrived!