"My god!"
On the Suns' bench.
Goran Dragić's eyes were wide as he shouted, "A 215-centimeter center bursting into the paint like lightning, taking on three defenders, hanging in the air for a reverse and banking it in.
My god!
What kind of talent does that take?
Blake Su is unreal!"
"Yeah!"
Carter clicked his tongue in amazement. "I've been in the NBA for so many years, and I've never seen a center break down defenders and finish with a reverse like that.
Blake Su is absurdly strong."
"Wow~~"
From the stands.
The roar of the crowd rolled through the arena. Every fan was stunned, completely won over by the sight of Blake Su's massive frame gliding through the air for that up-and-under layup.
"Beep!"
Head coach Mike D'Antoni called a timeout.
Even though the Knicks weren't down by much, the explosive home-court atmosphere forced their hand. They had no choice but to stop the game.
At the commentary table.
"Amazing!"
Mike Breen's voice boomed. "That up-and-under by Blake Su is jaw-dropping—absolutely unbelievable. He's playing offense that goes beyond what we expect from any center."
"Exactly."
Van Gundy tapped the desk, clearly fired up.
After a brief pause, he took a deep breath and continued, "Drive-and-layups, drive-and-dunks, and now drive-and-reverse finishes. Against Stoudemire, Blake Su isn't just beating his man—he's showing real variety.
I think…
Anyone who said Blake Su only has a mid-range jumper can keep quiet now."
And indeed.
Though the crowd was still buzzing, no one was talking about Blake Su being limited to mid-range shots anymore.
Instead.
"Can drive, can shoot" had become the fans' favorite way to praise him.
Suns bench.
"Blake Su, great job. That up-and-under just now, and the drive-and-dunk earlier—your aggression is outstanding. Especially that reverse layup—seeing a center do that is an insane visual impact.
It's not just your offense. Your talent is historic."
Steve Nash was visibly excited, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his face.
"Blake Su, you really held back for too long."
Goran Dragić gave him a pat on the back and laughed. "With driving ability like that, you barely used it before. Listening to all those rumors online, I was starting to worry about you."
"I'm using it now."
Blake Su smiled lightly, offering no further explanation.
In truth.
It wasn't that he hadn't been able to use it before—there was simply no need.
Earlier on, John Wall had speed but not height. One step and a pull-up jumper was enough—there was no way to guard it. Chris Paul was similar: smaller guard, easy drives into jumpers.
The Warriors' Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry were the same.
As for the Cavaliers, after LeBron left, they didn't even have a respectable option.
Against everyone else—whether wings or centers—their speed just wasn't enough. Blake Su could blow by them with one step and rise for a mid-range shot.
With clean looks and the pinpoint accuracy of [Peak Anthony Jump Shot], he could score effortlessly without driving. If he could get points that easily, why force a drive at all?!
But tonight was different.
Stoudemire was an All-Star Starter–level power forward. In terms of raw physical tools—speed, strength, height, vertical—he could genuinely match Blake Su.
On top of that.
He was convinced Blake Su could only rely on jump shots and defended him accordingly. One moment of carelessness put Blake Su on the back foot, led to two straight missed possessions, and forced him to show a more diverse offensive package.
That was how the previous sequence came to be.
"Beep!"
Play resumed.
Suns ball.
At the left high post, Stoudemire squared up against Blake Su. Blake Su spoke calmly, almost casually. "You said I can only shoot jumpers. How are these drives? Satisfied now?"
Buzz!
Stoudemire's face darkened, burning with humiliation.
He had claimed Blake Su couldn't drive—only to get beaten three times in a row off the dribble. Being answered like this, getting blown up so directly, was unbearable.
"Hmph!"
Stoudemire snorted, but couldn't squeeze out a single retort.
Throughout the entire first quarter, Stoudemire was repeatedly beaten by Blake Su on defense. On offense, things were just as ugly—hemmed in by Blake Su's defense, backed by Iverson's Talent and a 215-centimeter frame.
In the quarter alone, Stoudemire went 2-for-7 for just 4 points. By contrast, Blake Su shot 7-for-10, went 2-for-3 at the line, and piled up 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks.
Side by side, the comparison was brutal.
Suns (26) : (18) Knicks.
After just one quarter, the Suns already held an eight-point lead.
During the break, Van Gundy glanced at the numbers for Blake Su and Stoudemire, tugged at his tie, and said slowly, "A rookie suppressing an All-Star Starter like this… you don't see that often."
"Yeah."
Mike Breen nodded, giving a wry smile. "Stoudemire may have left the Suns, but they've gained an even stronger core. Not only did they not get weaker—they might be better."
Second quarter.
The benches traded blows at first. When Blake Su checked back in, just as the fans expected, he put on a full display of offense—driving and shooting, showing every way a scorer could score.
Stoudemire… couldn't stop him.
Second quarter.
Blake Su added another 8 points, while his defense limited Stoudemire to just 3 in the period. The Suns carried a 13-point lead into the second half.
Third quarter.
The Knicks' role players pushed back, trimming the deficit to 10.
But in the fourth, Blake Su came out blazing. Mixing drives with jumpers, he rattled off 7 straight points, igniting an 11–0 run that blew the lead past 20.
"Beep!"
D'Antoni shook his head and called a timeout, essentially waving the white flag.
Blake Su finished the night with 35 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. By comparison, Amar'e Stoudemire—averaging 27.3 points per game and sitting seventh in the league in scoring—managed just 14.
Rookie Blake Su, even against the Knicks' core star and an All-Star Starter–level power forward, delivered a decisive win across the board.
This center from China is incredible. In just his rookie season, he's already closing in on peak Yao Ming—and maybe even… surpassing him!
Van Gundy couldn't stop praising him.
Mike Breen slammed the table in disbelief. "Rookie Blake Su completely outplayed an All-Star–caliber Stoudemire. This is Player of the Week stuff. This is a super center with achievements that rival Shaq's!"
"Boom!"
Amid the commentators' excited voices, as the final buzzer sounded and the Suns sealed the win, a thunderous cheer erupted, like a massive wave threatening to swallow the US West Arena.
After the game.
Completely stunned by rookie Blake Su, Amar'e Stoudemire stood frozen on the court, muttering to himself, "That drive… that shot fake… that pull-up jumper… that explosive dunk… that up-and-under layup…
It's completely beyond what I thought a center could do.
Blake Su… is this kid really a center?"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser