"Nice shot!"
In the stands, Allen Iverson couldn't help but clap.
"Wow~"
"That was incredible!"
Mai Kuraki, one of Japan's top three divas, shot to her feet, applauding excitedly. She had come to watch Kobe Bryant play, but after seeing Blake Su—good-looking, fearless, trading blows with Kobe and displaying astonishing skill—she was completely won over.
The 21-year-old singer Taylor Swift was won over as well. She had originally come for Kobe's showdown too, but at this moment, she was cheering for Blake Su's buzzer-beating three.
"That fadeaway, that buzzer-beater—Blake Su's three was pure swagger!"
Even Roger Federer couldn't help but praise him. Blake Su's barrage of threes tonight had his blood pumping, almost giving him the urge to hit a basketball court himself.
"Whoa…"
"He's taken the three-pointer to a whole new level for a center!"
Messi smiled and applauded. Though a football superstar, he knew enough about basketball to understand just how incredible it was for a center to shoot threes with that kind of accuracy.
"Boom!"
As Blake Su's fadeaway buzzer-beater dropped, the entire arena exploded with deafening cheers.
Meanwhile.
Inside the broadcast studio.
Jeff Van Gundy clapped in admiration. "Great shot~ A buzzer-beating three, and a fadeaway over Kobe's defense at that. That play… was tough."
"Exactly."
Mike Breen smiled. "Normally, a fadeaway three like that would be Kobe's highlight, with some center reduced to a background prop.
But tonight.
Blake Su, playing as a center, turned Kobe into the backdrop and drilled that fadeaway three. That's something most people wouldn't even dare imagine.
Blake Su is incredible!"
"Right."
Jeff Van Gundy continued, glancing at the stats sheet. "With that buzzer-beater, Blake Su has already knocked down seven threes through three quarters. He's got 43 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks!
The Suns trail by just four. Blake Su is practically carrying this team on his back. The game is still wide open—plenty of suspense left!
The fourth quarter is going to be a war!
Will the Suns keep rolling and extend their streak to 17 wins, tying the franchise record? Or will the defending champions prove superior and snap the Suns' 16-game run?
After the break, we'll find out."
...
As the commentators continued chatting, the fourth quarter soon began.
First came the battle of the benches. Odom, though thoroughly schooled by rookie Blake Su earlier, was still a major weapon off the bench.
Alongside Brown and Barnes, the Lakers' reserves clearly outmatched the Suns'.
In just four minutes, the four-point gap stretched back to eight. At this rate, once the well-rested Lakers starters returned and cranked up the defensive intensity, the Suns would be in serious trouble.
"Beep—beep!"
Fully aware of the situation, Alvin Gentry called another timeout.
"Blake Su's going back in!"
Yes.
Blake Su checked in early again. After all, he wasn't just the Suns' top scorer—he was also their most durable player. Curry needed more time to rest and store up energy for the final stretch.
On the Lakers' side, having learned from the second quarter, Phil Jackson also sent Kobe back in early to match up with Blake Su and balance things out.
Play resumed.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
At the top of the arc, Blake Su faced Kobe. With the game entering its decisive phase, Blake Su's expression hardened—no more trash talk.
Kobe was just as locked in.
After a flurry of between-the-legs dribbles, Blake Su exploded forward with the ball in his right hand. Kobe slid with him, and the two charged into the paint together.
Step!
Step!
Odom and Barnes collapsed from both wings, forming a three-man trap. Even so, Blake Su squeezed through a sliver of space, adjusted midair, and kissed it off the glass.
Swish!
It dropped.
Switching to offense, Kobe refused to back down. He drove hard into Suns territory from the right wing, elevating gracefully, twisting in midair, and banking in a tough, drifting layup.
Swish!
Count it.
Dragić pushed the pace. Blake Su caught the ball and sprinted full speed into the frontcourt. He stopped on a dime… and, with Odom closing out, rose up for a transition three.
Up it went.
Swish!
Right through the heart.
"Wow! That's Blake Su's eighth three of the night! He's now just two away from his single-game season record of ten. Can he tie it—or even break it—tonight?!"
Kobe brought the ball up, isolating against Blake Su. A series of crossovers, lowering his center of gravity, hesitating—drive or pull?
No.
Kobe rose up.
A fadeaway three over Blake Su's defense.
But Blake Su read it. He sprang forward—got a piece of it!
Block!
He immediately chased it down and secured the rebound.
Fast break. One-on-zero.
At the left wing beyond the arc, Blake Su could've taken the easy layup—but instead, he set his feet, drew back like a bow, and fired a transition three.
Splash.
Nothing but net.
What confidence!
"Ninth three!"
Blocked, and now the deficit is down to just two.
Kobe's face went cold. He demanded the ball at the right elbow and went into the post against Blake Su.
A flurry of footwork. Half a step of separation.
His signature, picture-perfect fadeaway jumper went up—
But Blake Su, with his overwhelming height and wingspan, leaped with full force to contest.
Clank.
Kobe misses.
George secured the rebound and pushed it ahead to Dragić. How would they play it?
Sure enough—back to Blake Su at the top of the arc.
Kobe in front of him.
Blake Su jab-stepped, selling the drive.
After hitting two straight threes, he showed no mercy—rising immediately for another.
Kobe reacted and lunged to contest.
But Blake Su's release was lightning-quick, and with the height advantage, the shot was clean.
The ball arced toward the rim—
Bank.
In.
Good lord!
Another barrage from Blake Su—three straight threes! A personal 11–2 run. An eight-point deficit erased, and now the Suns lead by one!
Finally.
With 6:34 remaining in the fourth, the Suns take their first lead of the game—up by one.
Inside the broadcast studio, Mike Breen was nearly shouting himself hoarse, face flushed with excitement. Blake Su's go-ahead three over Kobe had him so fired up his voice trembled.
"Beep! Beep!"
Phil Jackson hurriedly called timeout.
Jeff Van Gundy, comparatively calm, said, "Blake Su just unleashed an offensive explosion. After this timeout, I expect both teams' starters to be back out there.
The final battle is about to ignite."
"Exactly."
Mike Breen steadied himself and continued, "Tonight… Blake Su has already hit 10 three-pointers and scored 54 points.
As Jeff said, after this break, it's the final showdown.
Beyond the outcome, I'm also curious—how many threes will Blake Su finish with? Ten? Eleven? Or…?
And with 54 already on the board—
Can Blake Su break into the 60-point club tonight?!"