Chapter 493: The Regular Season Ends, and Chinese Fans Rejoice
On the first day of April, the Phoenix Suns stumbled out of the gate.
They lost 107 to 111 at home to the Sacramento Kings, the second worst team in the Western Conference, in a result so shocking that many fans initially assumed it was just an April Fool's joke.
It was not until they got home and watched the highlights on TV that they realized it was all too real.
In that game, 4 Kings players scored more than 20 points, and the team hit 20 of its 29 attempts from beyond the arc, an absolutely terrifying display.
The Suns were just as terrifying, but in the opposite direction.
They launched even more 3 point attempts, 31 in total, but made only 6. At one stretch, they missed 15 straight.
It was rare for the Suns to fall into such a collective slump. The more they missed, the more determined they became to shoot themselves back into rhythm, and that stubbornness gave birth to the upset.
A regular season loss is never truly frightening. Every defeat can also become a chance to grow.
The Suns had often responded well after losses, and 2 days later, in a home game against the Rockets, they crushed Houston in just 3 quarters.
It was the final meeting between the 2 teams that season, and Rockets fans could hardly believe that the previous matchup had been such a close battle, only to turn into a one sided beatdown a few days later.
On April 5, the Suns lost again.
This time they were beaten 105 to 125 by the Charlotte Hornets, led by Nowitzki.
That night, Jason Kidd went wild, scoring 19 points while handing out 20 assists and completely activating the entire team.
The Suns were clearly not at their best during the final stretch of the regular season. Some believed Chen Yan and Nash were simply running out of gas after carrying such heavy burdens all year. Others believed the team was deliberately managing itself for the playoffs.
At that point, the Suns had already lost 12 games, but they still led the second place Lakers by a full 4 games. With only 5 games left in the regular season, the top seed in the West was essentially already locked up.
On April 8, the Suns got revenge and beat the Hornets.
Chen Yan played only 28 minutes in that game, but he was brutally efficient, scoring 25 points with 5 assists while shooting 10 for 14 from the field and at the line. Once the team built a comfortable lead, Chen Yan voluntarily asked to be taken out. He had already secured the scoring title and had no need to chase more numbers.
With Tyson Chandler out injured, Jordan made full use of the opportunity and wreaked havoc in the Hornets' paint, finishing with a huge double double of 14 points and 14 rebounds. Diaw also delivered an all around performance with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Paul played 40 minutes and gave everything he had, posting 30 points, 16 assists, and 7 rebounds.
He truly left it all on the floor, because the Hornets' situation was completely different from Phoenix's.
At the time, Charlotte sat in 8th place in the West, only 1 game ahead of the 9th place Jazz. If they did not fight desperately, they would be heading home instead of to the playoffs.
In the next 3 games, the Suns faced the Grizzlies twice and the Timberwolves once, winning all 3 without much suspense.
Chen Yan did not have any explosive outbursts in April. He deliberately held back, preserving his edge and saving energy for the playoffs.
At that point, the Suns stood at 69 wins and 12 losses, already having locked up the best record in the league.
In the final game against the Warriors, D'Antoni rested Chen Yan.
There is an unwritten rule in the NBA. Once a strong team has secured its place in the standings late in the season, it often slows down on purpose. It is a common way to prepare for the playoffs, and the Spurs have long been masters of it.
Of course, every method has its horror story.
The most famous example remains the 2006 to 2007 Mavericks. That team had already secured the league's best record at 67 wins and 15 losses. In their second to last regular season game against the Warriors, they rested all of their starters. Golden State won 111 to 82, and that single result helped trigger the butterfly effect that led to the Mavericks being infamously upset in the first round.
Taking it easy late in the season is more common among veteran teams. Teams like the Celtics or Bulls tend to keep fighting all the way through, regardless of the calendar.
The Suns were something of an exception.
Especially after Stoudemire's injury in March, Chen Yan had been playing under a massive workload. His minutes, shot attempts, and scoring all rose sharply. D'Antoni saw everything clearly, and as an excellent head coach, he understood how to protect his star player.
Nash also sat out the final regular season game.
Even so, the 2 teams still battled fiercely and did not decide the outcome until the final 2 minutes.
That game also showed off Phoenix's excellent bench depth. Azubuike, Jason Williams, Barea, Grant Hill, Novak, and Barnes all proved their value. At the same time, it exposed one issue as well. Without a true superstar on the floor in crunch time, the Suns suddenly looked unsure of themselves.
In the past, every clutch shot belonged to Chen Yan or Nash.
Now, with both absent, the players seemed to lose their bearings. In the final 2 minutes, the Suns managed only 4 points, all from free throws, and ultimately lost to the Warriors 111 to 116.
With that defeat, Phoenix officially finished the regular season at 69 wins and 13 losses.
April 16.
At long last, the marathon of the regular season came to an end.
The final day was brutal.
The Charlotte Hornets lost 98 to 105 to the Spurs, and the Jazz squeezed into the final playoff spot in the West by just half a game.
Charlotte could only bow out in tears.
And they truly had reason to cry.
This year, missing the playoffs was not really their fault. The Hornets finished 48 and 34, well above .500. A few years earlier, no one would have imagined that a team with that kind of winning percentage could miss the postseason.
Phoenix fans were thrilled that their team had entered the playoffs with the league's best record, but there was also a trace of regret.
With 69 wins, the Suns had come painfully close to the legendary 72 win mark set by the Bulls.
Many fans believed that if Stoudemire had not gone down, this Suns team might really have made history.
The final standings were now official.
The Eastern Conference standings were:
Cleveland Cavaliers, 65 wins, 17 losses
Orlando Magic, 59 wins, 23 losses
Atlanta Hawks, 47 wins, 35 losses
Boston Celtics, 45 wins, 37 losses
Miami Heat, 43 wins, 39 losses
Chicago Bulls, 41 wins, 41 losses
Philadelphia 76ers, 41 wins, 41 losses
Detroit Pistons, 39 wins, 43 losses
The Western Conference standings were:
Phoenix Suns, 69 wins, 13 losses
Los Angeles Lakers, 65 wins, 17 losses
Denver Nuggets, 54 wins, 28 losses
Portland Trail Blazers, 54 wins, 28 losses
Dallas Mavericks, 54 wins, 28 losses
San Antonio Spurs, 53 wins, 29 losses
Houston Rockets, 50 wins, 32 losses
Utah Jazz, 49 wins, 33 losses
From those records alone, the divide between East and West was obvious.
But what stood out even more was the internal split within the West itself.
The Suns and Lakers both reached 65 plus wins, while the teams behind them did not even crack 55.
Once the final standings were announced, Asin fans were the happiest of all.
All 3 teams with Asian players had made the playoffs.
.....
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