After falling into a nightmare 2-10 start, the Lakers answered with an 11-2 run.
And even with The Emperor Blake scoring 28 points in the first half and playing extremely well, Los Angeles still took a 13-point lead into halftime.
Against the defending champions, the Lakers' Twin Stars had been so dominant that fans could not help wondering whether the league was already headed for an early conclusion.
During halftime, discussion filled the stands.
"Kobe is still the best shooting guard in the league. He's still the kind of scorer you simply can't stop when he wants to score."
"And now he has the Point God, Chris Paul, helping him."
"The Black Mamba has turned into the Raging Mamba. Nobody can stop him!"
"Exactly. Kobe has 35 points at halftime. That says everything."
"Kobe has 35, and Paul has 22 points and 8 assists. The Lakers' Twin Stars are way too strong!"
"There's no way around it. Nash and Curry just can't match Paul and Kobe."
"Still, the good news is that a 13-point halftime deficit isn't impossible to overcome."
"And Blake is playing steadily."
"As long as he's out there, if he explodes in the second half, this game is still going to be very interesting."
"That's right."
"Exactly. Just wait and see!"
"..."
The fans kept talking.
At the same time, inside the Suns' locker room, Curry sighed.
"Man, the Lakers really are strong."
Nash nodded.
"With Paul joining them this year, they're even more competitive than last season."
"They have a very real chance to make another run at the championship."
"Yes."
Yao Ming agreed.
"Paul and Kobe already have excellent chemistry. Most teams simply won't be able to stop that combination."
"That's true. Most teams really can't."
George agreed, then looked over at Blake, who was resting in a padded chair.
"Blake, it's pretty clear now."
"Nash and Curry can't win those matchups against Paul and Kobe."
"So you're going to have to step up in the second half."
"Got it."
Blake nodded lightly.
A faint smile appeared on his face, confidence flashing in his eyes.
"Today is the season opener."
"It's also the day I finally got to put on my championship ring."
"I have to finish a day like this with a win, right?"
"Obviously."
George smiled and pumped his fist.
Curry flexed his arm too.
"We can admit Paul and Kobe are ridiculously strong together."
"But we're not handing them the win."
"Hey..."
Klay, who had been listening carefully from the side, blinked in confusion.
"We're down by this much, and Paul and Kobe are both on fire."
"So why does everyone look so relaxed, like we're definitely going to win?"
"Hehehe."
Carter patted Klay on the shoulder and smiled.
"Because we have Blake."
"As long as he's here, we don't have a reason to be afraid of any team."
Klay froze for a moment.
Before long, halftime ended.
The teams returned for the second half.
Lakers ball.
Paul brought the ball up.
This time, Curry was guarding him.
Kobe was no longer being defended by Klay. George had taken that assignment.
Klay matched up with Artest.
Blake remained on Murphy while positioning himself around the free-throw line, ready to rotate over at any moment.
The game had not reached the point where Blake needed to go all out on both ends.
For now, he would conserve as much energy as possible and pour it into offense.
"Whoosh!"
Paul used a right-handed in-and-out dribble, accelerated down the right wing, and gained half a step on Curry.
When Klay came over to help, Paul fired a pass behind him to Kobe cutting from the opposite side.
"Whoosh!"
The timing was perfect.
The instant Kobe caught the ball, George was already behind the play.
Kobe attacked the rim immediately.
But Yao Ming was waiting in the paint.
His long arms stretched upward, creating a suffocating wall of defense.
Kobe had to hang in the air, avoid Yao, then reverse himself for an up-and-under layup.
Would it fall?
"Clang!"
No.
"Smack!"
Blake secured the rebound and started the break himself.
He raced to the right side of the arc.
Murphy stepped up in front of him, but Blake did not slow down.
He accelerated.
"Thud!"
One bump.
One burst.
Murphy was left completely behind.
"Thud!"
One step inside the free-throw line, Blake gathered and took off.
"BOOM!"
He soared through the air and hammered home a gliding tomahawk dunk.
10:52.
"Whoosh!"
On the left side of the arc, Blake caught the ball against Murphy's tight defense.
He moved the ball around in front of him, then suddenly rose straight up.
A pull-up three right over Murphy's head.
The ball traced a beautiful arc.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
10:32.
"Whoosh!"
Blake brought the ball up himself.
Once again, he stopped on the left side of the arc, this time more than a meter beyond the three-point line.
With Murphy directly in front of him, Blake suddenly fired.
"Swish!"
Straight through the net.
10:03.
"Whoosh!"
Still on the left side, now nearly two meters beyond the arc, Blake rose over Murphy again and launched an ultra-deep three.
"Swish!"
Another clean make.
"Wow! Blake has hit three straight threes and scored nine points in barely a minute since halftime."
"That is unbelievable."
"Everyone already knows Blake is an elite shooter."
"But when I see a center shooting these absurd threes with this kind of accuracy, I still can't help being amazed."
"Blake faces Murphy again at the right elbow."
"Murphy's eyes are wide now. He's already starting to look afraid of The Emperor."
"Blake takes one explosive step, goes around Murphy like he's a traffic cone, and finishes easily at the rim."
"Murphy simply cannot guard him."
"Now the Lakers switch defensive specialist Artest onto Blake at the left elbow."
"Blake has a huge height advantage."
"He goes straight into the post."
"One bump. Another bump."
"Wow! Artest is actually being driven backward over and over. He can't withstand Blake's strength at all."
"Blake turns into the jumper."
"Bang!"
"Good."
"Left block now."
"Curry throws a high entry pass to Blake, giving the red-hot Blake another mismatch against Artest."
"Back to the post."
"Contact. More contact."
"What is going on? Artest can't hold his ground. Blake forces him backward and creates the space he wants."
"Another turnaround jumper."
"Artest lunges out, but he can't even affect the shot."
"Does Blake have it?!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"Another smooth make."
"Wow! That gives Blake 17 points in the quarter."
"Twenty!"
"Oh my God! Another three. Blake now has 23 points in the quarter!"
"Final possession of the third."
"Blake controls the ball at the top and slowly dribbles the clock down."
"Nine seconds."
"Seven."
"Five."
"Blake attacks from the right wing and reaches the right low post."
"He stops on a dime and rises."
"Artest stayed with him and gets a hand right in his face."
"This is a very difficult mid-range shot."
"Does he have it?!"
"Bang!"
"Good!"
"And it's a buzzer-beater!"
"Unbelievable! Blake scores 25 points in the third quarter and reaches 53 through three."
"The Emperor has entered full rampage mode!"