"Uh..."
Mike Breen thought for a moment, catching on to Jeff Van Gundy's point. After a brief pause, he said, "Both were perfect possessions capable of killing the game. The difference is…"
Rose drove in for a layup and got 2 points. Blake Su knocked down a three for 3. Rose delivered a near game-winner, but Blake Su answered with a true game-winner and ultimately took the victory.
"In my view, Blake Su won the game, but that doesn't mean Rose wasn't great. Both clutch shots were outstanding and pushed to the limit. The key difference was that decisive three-pointer.
"It feels like a gradual shift toward the Small-ball era.
"It seems to be signaling that in future games, when it comes to deciding the outcome, the three-pointer might become the more efficient way to win."
With that, Mike Breen looked at Jeff Van Gundy. The latter gave a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "That's right—the Small-ball era is slowly arriving!"
...
The Suns vs. Bulls showdown ultimately ended with Blake Su's ultra-deep game-winning three.
But the buzz surrounding the game was only just beginning.
That very night, Twitter's trending list exploded.
"My God, this rookie center Blake Su is unreal! That was the Bulls—the No. 1 team in the East, the team that beat the Heat's 'Big Three'!
"And a rookie actually took them down? That's insane!"
"I'm still hyped after watching that game. Blake Su is ridiculous—especially that ultra-deep game-winning three. It was absolutely lethal. So cool.
"I'm a guy, and I'm officially hooked.
"From today on, I'm a lifelong die-hard fan of Blake Su!"
"Hahaha, even the guys are falling for him. Looks like loving my Blake God is the right choice. Little Blake, when will you finally notice me?"
"A center pulling up from two meters beyond the three-point line to hit a game-winner? That's just absurd."
"Strong. That's all I can say. Blake Su is strong beyond limits. He's the strongest rookie I've ever seen, no debate. Even guys who peaked at debut like Allen Iverson, Rose, or LeBron.
"Even the 'God of Basketball' Jordan can't compare.
"Blake Su is the greatest rookie ever!"
"Hey, he just beat the 'Windy City Rose.' That's real strength!"
"Huh? Wait, my name's Blake Turner. Did I just hear a girl calling me? C'mon, don't be shy—I'm right here!"
"There's no girl. You're imagining things."
"This is competitive basketball. No girls here."
"Get lost~ She was calling Blake Su, not you!"
"What?! There really was a girl?!"
"Enough, enough—!"
"..."
Fans went wild, flooding the internet with heated discussions about Blake Su and the epic showdown.
At the same time—
After celebrating with his teammates in the locker room, Blake Su returned to his small villa. Exhausted, he dropped onto the couch. Right then, the System notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for defeating the Eastern Conference's No. 1 Bulls. Mission completed. Reward obtained: [Eagle Spear].]
"Nice!"
Even though he was drained, Blake Su couldn't help but smile.
With a thought, he opened the description of [Eagle Spear].
[Eagle Spear]: Enhances the host's steal ability and grants a keen instinct for interceptions, allowing the host to generate steals almost subconsciously—even when facing away from the opponent.
Blake Su then opened his attribute panel.
[Steal]: 93
[Abilities]: [Peak Anthony Jump Shot], [Peak Curry Three-Point Shot], [Eagle Spear]
"My steal rating was 81 before. Now it's 93. That's a huge jump—not just in numbers.
"And this ability comes from fantasy basketball.
"If I use it on an NBA court… I'm guessing it'll produce some unexpected results. A center racking up steals all over the floor?
"This Era-Defining Center System really is something."
He clenched his fist, a faint smile curling at his lips. For the upcoming matchups, he felt a trace of anticipation.
...
The next day.
Early morning.
"Rookie Blake Su drops 46 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks, defeating the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls led by 'Windy City Rose' Derrick Rose in a stunning display of dominance!"
— Fox Sports
"Blake Su erupts for 46 points, buries an ultra-deep game-winning three to defeat the Bulls, extending the team's winning streak to 13."
— Milwaukee Sentinel
"Western Conference No. 2 Mavericks and Eastern Conference No. 1 Bulls both fall to the blazing Suns. Two Bulls surrounded them, yet couldn't extinguish the flames. Suns rout both, claim 13 straight wins."
— The Boston Herald
"Blake Su, a center, unleashes explosive offense from the perimeter, taking down powerhouses like the Celtics, Mavericks, and Bulls. Even centers are attacking from outside now—this trend signals the arrival of the Small-ball era!"
— Associated Press Sports
...
It was still barely dawn, the sky not fully lit, yet reports about last night's game were already everywhere—newspapers working overnight to seize the headlines.
Los Angeles Training Facility.
Today, Kobe arrived at the gym at 4 a.m.—half an hour earlier than usual.
All because he had watched the Suns vs. Bulls game the night before.
Blake Su's performance had moved him.
Yes.
Even Kobe Bryant, widely recognized as the "best player in the league," felt shaken after watching Blake Su's game—especially that ultra-deep game-winning three.
"This center is a problem."
As he trained, Blake Su's offensive plays kept replaying in Kobe's mind.
The way Blake Su outshined Derrick Rose made him uneasy. Not because he had previously challenged Blake Su and feared getting blown out if they faced each other.
Blake Su was still just a rookie. Kobe wasn't afraid.
What unsettled him was Blake Su's terrifying talent. In a very short time, his strength could surge dramatically.
If not in one season, then in two.
Give it a few years, and Kobe was almost certain Blake Su would become a top-three player in the league—perhaps even the best.
That was what truly troubled him.
So before Blake Su fully matured, he had to train even harder and elevate himself further.
One regular-season MVP. Two Finals MVPs. Three All-Star MVPs. Two scoring titles. Five championships.
After Jordan, he had finally become the "best in the league."
Now—
He had no intention of standing beneath anyone.
...
1 p.m.
Blake Su woke up and checked his phone. He saw a missed call from Austin and called back. Before it even connected, someone knocked on the door.
He opened it to find Austin standing there.
It turned out Austin had arrived earlier but didn't want to disturb him, so he'd been waiting in the car until Blake Su returned the call.
"Blake Su, your god-tier performance last night made Adidas raise their offer. And Nike couldn't sit still either—they contacted me last night hoping to speak with you today.
"Can you make it?"
Austin got straight to the point.
"Yeah."
Blake Su nodded.
There was no avoiding this. It was time to lock in the shoe deal.
...
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