"Mia Quinn?
That stunning actress from American dramas, a superstar who's won multiple consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actress… Mia Quinn?!
She's actually my cousin?!"
Blake Su was stunned, struggling to believe it. He lightly slapped his cheeks to steady himself. After thinking it through, he pushed the idea aside for now.
"It could just be someone with the same name. No need to jump to conclusions before I meet her. I should focus on the game—and the System task."
He shook his head, clearing away the distracting thoughts and regaining his composure.
...
Soon enough, it was 9:30 p.m.
Prudential Center.
The Nets and Suns tipped off as both starting lineups took the floor.
New Jersey Nets starting five: 191cm point guard Devin Harris, 198cm shooting guard Anthony Morrow, 206cm small forward Travis Outlaw, 206cm power forward Kris Humphries, and 213cm center Brook Lopez.
Phoenix Suns starting lineup: 191cm point guard Steve Nash, 188cm shooting guard Stephen Curry, 198cm shooting guard Vince Carter, 211cm power forward Channing Frye, and 215cm center Blake Su.
"Jump ball!"
Brook Lopez versus Blake Su at center court.
"Mark, I'll bet my entire fortune that Blake Su wins this tip!"
From the broadcast booth, Jon Barry grinned confidently.
Mark Jackson narrowed his eyes. "Jon, you serious about that?!"
"Absolutely."
The moment Jon Barry finished speaking, Mark Jackson leaned forward and shouted toward the court:
"Blake Su, if you lose this jump ball, I'll give you—"
Before he could finish, Jon Barry clamped a hand over his mouth.
Smack!
At the same time, on the court, Blake Su easily won the tip against Lopez.
"Hey, Mark, you bastard! That's cheating!"
Jon Barry glared at him.
Mark Jackson burst into laughter. "Ha! You never said I couldn't! Weren't you confident just now? Don't stop me!"
"You shameless scoundrel!"
Jon Barry huffed.
If Blake Su jumped normally, there was no way he'd lose—Jon Barry could've bet a lifetime's fortune and still won. Seeing Jon Barry flustered only made Mark grin wider.
While the two continued bickering, Nash brought the ball up. Just as he reached the top of the arc, he spotted Blake Su posting up at the right high wing and immediately floated a pass over.
Blake Su secured it.
Facing Humphries, he lowered his stance, paused for a split second, then exploded forward. The burst was so sudden that Humphries had no chance to react.
Whoosh!
One step and he was past him, driving straight into the paint. Lopez rotated over to contest.
Mid-air, Blake Su switched hands and kissed the ball off the glass.
Swish!
"Nice shot!"
Nash clapped in approval.
"Mid-air switch?!"
Lopez was stunned. He had been certain he'd block that shot. Who would've thought a center could switch hands in mid-air to evade him?
The layup dropped.
Unbelievable.
Even though Lopez knew Blake Su was an unconventional offensive center, facing him in person was still shocking.
Nets (0): (2) Suns.
Possession switched.
Harris brought the ball across half court and set up at the top of the key. Curry stepped up to defend—but Blake Su suddenly slid out and took the matchup himself.
"Oh?"
Curry blinked, then immediately shifted to cover someone else.
"Hm?"
Seeing a center in front of him, Harris didn't hesitate. He strung together a series of between-the-legs crossovers, then burst toward the left wing as Blake Su's balance seemed to shift.
He pulled up for a mid-range jumper.
What he didn't realize… it was intentional.
The instant Harris released the shot, Blake Su regained his balance, bent his knees, and exploded upward. His long arms shot up, nearly swallowing the ball in midair.
"What?!"
Startled, Harris adjusted the arc of his shot to avoid the block—but that adjustment ruined his accuracy.
Clang!
The ball bounced off the rim.
Rebound!
Frye and Lopez were battling hard for position under the basket, both leaping for the loose ball—
But just before their fingertips could reach it—
Smack!
A pair of massive hands grabbed it first.
Who else?
Blake Su.
"Wow! One second he's contesting Harris on the perimeter, and the next he's flying into the paint to snatch a rebound over two big men!
What speed. What explosiveness. Blake Su's physical tools are outrageous!"
Jon Barry exclaimed.
Blake Su immediately lifted his head and fired a long, cross-court pass the length of the floor—right into Curry's hands as he streaked ahead.
Swish!
Curry finished the layup with ease.
On the very next possession, Blake Su once again hunted down Harris. With suffocating defense, he forced Harris's layup attempt into nothing.
He leapt again—beating Lopez to the rebound.
Without hesitation, he pushed the break himself.
At the free-throw line, two Nets defenders converged on him. Instead of slowing down, he accelerated, barreling into the lane and drawing both defenders.
Then—
With a sudden whip pass behind him, he kicked it out to Curry, who had trailed perfectly in sync.
Curry caught it and rose for three.
Release.
Swish!
Nothing but net.
Nets ball.
Harris brought it up more deliberately this time, then lobbed it inside to Lopez, who had sealed Frye deep in the paint. Lopez backed him down forcefully, pounding him out of position.
He rose straight up for a dunk.
But—
Blake Su suddenly flashed over and soared for the block.
Lopez, sensing danger, forced himself to hang in the air and twisted mid-flight, tossing the ball toward the rim.
It hit the backboard and bounced away.
Blake Su dove forward, sprang back up, and secured yet another rebound.
He pushed the fast break again. Curry was already sprinting up the floor.
A perfectly timed bounce pass split the defense.
Curry caught it, rose—
Another three.
Swish!
A 10–0 run.
A flawless start.
The Suns' blistering pace left the Nets stunned, forcing head coach Avery Johnson to call an immediate timeout.
"The Suns… the Suns are on fire!"
A square-faced middle-aged man in the stands stared in disbelief.
Back at the commentary booth—
"Incredible!"
"That offensive sequence—that's what you expect from a true contender. They lost Stoudemire this year, but somehow they look even stronger than last season."
Jon Barry chuckled.
Mark Jackson nodded.
"That run was vicious. But Jon… did you notice? Blake Su's offensive drive tonight is on another level."
...
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