Without Allen Iverson, the 76ers led by former "Answer" sidekick Andre Iguodala were respectable, but far from a true contender. As for the Cavaliers and the Raptors...
Their leaders, "King James" LeBron and "CB4" Chris Bosh, had taken their talents to Miami to form the "Big Three."
That left both teams as bottom-feeders, even drifting into tank mode.
With our current strength, handling them shouldn't be too difficult. The real issue lies with… the fourth opponent—the Los Angeles Lakers.
That's right.
The defending champion Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, are the biggest challenge ahead!"
Defending champions!
Kobe Bryant!
Hearing those two phrases, Blake Su recalled Kobe's online challenge to him. He narrowed his eyes, and a fierce fighting spirit flared within.
Kobe wanted to see for himself what kind of center Blake Su—this uniquely styled big man—really was.
Little did he know… Blake Su was just as eager to face this man known as the "Black Mamba"—
The same Kobe who had firmly claimed the title of the "League's Premier Player."
Beyond Blake Su, Curry, Steve Nash, and the others all wore fearless expressions. Whether they could beat the defending champions was one thing. Whether they dared to challenge them was another.
The Suns, riding a 13-game winning streak, had no reason to fear anyone.
Alvin Gentry clapped his hands, his voice ringing out:
"Fellas, let's go all in! Beat the Lakers! Take down the defending champs! Let the league know—the Suns are this year's strongest dark horse!"
"Yeah!"
The whole team roared in unison, eyes blazing with determination. The unity was undeniable, the energy explosive. The locker room atmosphere was at an all-time high.
Alvin Gentry smiled and nodded, his gaze settling on Blake Su. All of this had started with him. He had taken a team on the brink of tanking and forged it into a cohesive, formidable force.
Noon.
The Suns boarded their private jet bound for Philadelphia.
The 76ers, Cavaliers, and Raptors—three straight road games. None of them were elite teams, but sweeping a three-game road trip was never easy.
9:00 PM.
Wells Fargo Center.
After warm-ups, both starting lineups took the floor.
Though this was Philadelphia—the 76ers' home court—there were still plenty of fans in the stands wearing Blake Su's No. 0 jersey.
It was no surprise.
The "monster rookie," fresh off signing a sky-high deal with Adidas, had already captured massive popularity through sheer performance.
Philadelphia 76ers Starting Five:
Point Guard Jrue Holiday (6'4"), Shooting Guard Jodie Meeks (6'4"), Small Forward Andre Iguodala (6'6"), Power Forward Elton Brand (6'8"), Center Spencer Hawes (7'1").
Phoenix Suns Starting Five:
Point Guard Steve Nash (6'3"), Shooting Guard Stephen Curry (6'0"), Shooting Guard Vince Carter (6'6"), Power Forward Channing Frye (6'11"), Center Blake Su (7'1").
"Jump ball!"
Blake Su squared off against Spencer Hawes for the tip. The 2007 tenth overall pick had solid hops, and at 7'1", he often secured the first possession for his team.
But tonight—
His opponent was Blake Su.
"Smack!"
With explosive lift that was easily a tier above, Blake Su cleanly tapped the ball away. Steve Nash secured it and smoothly initiated the Suns' first offensive set.
"…Ah."
Hawes froze for a split second before turning back on defense, visibly deflated.
At the left wing, Nash drove toward the middle and handed the ball off to Blake Su.
Hawes stepped up to guard him.
Hawes guarding him?
Yes.
Before growing to 6'11", Hawes had actually played point guard. He disliked physical play in the paint and preferred operating on the perimeter on both ends.
Defensively, he rarely got to choose his matchup.
But tonight, facing Blake Su—a center who didn't rely on bruising post-ups—was exactly what he wanted.
Deep down, he hoped to stop Blake Su, to shut down the recently red-hot "monster rookie," and prove to the coaching staff that he belonged on the perimeter.
"Wow~ Hawes moves pretty well, and he's not giving up any height to Blake Su. Who knows? Maybe he can actually lock him down—or at least disrupt him. That would be enough!"
Facing Hawes, Blake Su held the ball low and bent slightly at the waist. Then—
A sudden burst to the right.
Just one step.
"Swish—"
He stopped on a dime and pulled the ball back between his legs. Hawes, completely unable to control his momentum, staggered sideways and stumbled straight into the paint.
"Whoa!"
A wave of astonishment rippled through the arena.
Blake Su gave Hawes a calm glance, took a small adjustment step, and rose into a practice-range jumper.
Nothing but net.
"I take it back. I take back what I just said."
At the commentary table, Jon Barry shook his head with a smile.
Mark Jackson laughed. "The talent gap isn't even close. The only thing Hawes has over Blake Su is that extra centimeter in height.
I honestly don't know where he got the confidence to guard Blake Su at the top of the key."
"Heh."
Jon Barry chuckled. "Maybe… he forgot Blake Su is technically a center."
"Haha!"
The two exchanged a look and burst into laughter.
On the court, Hawes' face flushed red. The scattered laughter from the crowd only made it worse.
Transition.
Even the ever-reliable Andre Iguodala couldn't ignore it. He lobbed the ball to Hawes at the left high post, giving him a chance to regain some pride.
Hawes jab-stepped into a triple-threat stance. Seeing Blake Su step up, he drove hard. With a nimble spin, he created half a step of separation.
Then he accelerated—
And appeared behind Blake Su.
"Blake Su got blown by?!"
"Wow~ Hawes has some moves!"
A few fans gasped in surprise.
With his back to Blake Su, Hawes prepared to take it all the way for a layup.
But just as he slipped behind him—
Just as he began his final burst—
Just as everyone thought Blake Su had been beaten—
Without even turning around, Blake Su struck. Fast. Precise. Ruthless.
"Swipe!"
Hawes charged toward the rim—
But the ball was gone.
"What?!"
Hawes froze in shock.
"What?!"
Jon Barry's voice rose in disbelief, while Mark Jackson shouted,
"Hawes doesn't have the ball! Blake Su didn't even turn around—and he stripped it! What just happened?!"