"Three-pointers, drives, rebounds, assists, steals. This rookie, Blake Su, can do everything."
In the stands, Pippen clicked his tongue in amazement as he came to the same realization.
Jordan nodded slightly. "Just like the fans online are saying, Blake Su is so versatile he doesn't even look like a center.
Or rather.
He's a generation-defining center."
"Yeah, he's completely overturned my understanding of traditional centers. To be honest, I didn't like his perimeter-oriented style at first.
But now.
It actually looks pretty good. At least, Blake Su is doing it exceptionally well."
Pippen praised him again.
"Against the Celtics' All-Star starting five, Blake Su, a rookie, is single-handedly holding the team together and keeping the score close. I have to say, this rookie is tough."
Jordan watched Blake Su's back as he headed toward the locker room, his eyes filled with clear approval.
For a player to earn the recognition of "The God of Basketball," Michael Jordan, in his rookie season was more than enough to show just how extraordinary Blake Su's talent and ability were.
...
A five-point gap. The outcome was still uncertain, and the winner remained undecided.
Records were never easy to break. If the Suns wanted this win, they would have to give everything they had tonight.
Soon, halftime ended.
The second half began.
They switched sides and resumed play.
The Celtics had possession.
Pierce attacked right away with a strong drive but missed at the rim. Garnett secured the rebound and kicked it out to Rondo on the perimeter, who floated one up.
"Swish!"
It dropped.
Nash brought the ball up, setting up the familiar pick-and-roll between Curry and Blake Su. Curry got a clean look from three.
"Clang!"
Missed.
O'Neal grabbed the rebound, but Frye knocked the ball loose in the scramble. Carter picked it up at the left elbow, drove into the paint, and tried a hanging layup through traffic.
"Clang!"
Still no good.
Pierce secured the rebound and pushed it to Rondo. Rondo glanced upcourt and fired a bullet pass straight ahead into Ray Allen's hands.
"Boom!"
On the fast break, Ray Allen threw down a one-handed dunk.
"Boom!"
The arena erupted.
When "Ray the Gentleman" first entered the league, he carried the reputation of a high-flying dunker. He later shifted his focus to three-point shooting, but that didn't mean he had lost that ability.
Blake Su brought the ball across half court, facing Garnett one-on-one. He lowered his stance, drove from the left wing, used a sharp early crossover to shake Garnett, then cut into the paint from the right side.
"Step!"
Pierce and O'Neal collapsed instantly.
"Whoosh!"
Blake Su swung the ball to the opposite side. Nash cut in for what was practically an open layup, yet he still missed.
Fortunately, Blake Su grabbed the rebound himself, turned, and went right back up.
"Swish!"
Off the glass and in.
"What's going on?"
In the broadcast booth, Hubie Brown blinked in surprise. "Aside from Blake Su, the rest of the Suns seem completely out of rhythm.
Nash missing a wide-open layup is hard to believe.
With the team trailing, this is not a good sign."
"Yes."
Dave Pasch nodded. "This actually started in the latter half of the second quarter. It just wasn't very obvious then, but now it's much clearer.
Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and the others are not only strong offensively but also solid defensively.
Right now, apart from Blake Su, the Suns' other players aren't performing well at all.
In the second half of the second quarter, Blake Su was already carrying the team on his own. Now it looks like that's even more necessary. Breaking through the Celtics' home court is no easy task."
As the commentators spoke, the game continued.
On the court.
Blake Su faced Pierce, accelerated into the right low post, stopped on a dime, and pulled up. Pierce contested, but Blake Su jumped higher and released faster.
"Swish!"
The mid-range shot dropped cleanly.
"Blake Su is still automatic from that spot. Rondo pushes it up and lobs it to Garnett in the post. Garnett backs down Frye, spins through contact, and hooks it in.
Good.
Curry brings it up and finds Blake Su. Blake Su uses a hesitation move, then explodes forward. His speed is incredible. Pierce is nearly blown by in a single step.
But Garnett and Ray Allen collapse quickly on help defense.
Still, Blake Su weaves through them with ease, slicing through both defenders and going up for the layup.
He hangs in the air and banks it in."
"Ray Allen cuts along the baseline, curls off a screen, catches at the top of the arc, and fires again.
Blake Su sprints out and flies at him.
Wow.
He gets up so high, like he has springs in his legs, and blocks Ray Allen head-on. Curry immediately races out, secures the ball, and finishes an easy fast-break layup."
"Rondo makes a no-look pass to Garnett in the post. He's wide open. This play.
Oh.
Blake Su appears out of nowhere like a ghost.
He shuts down Garnett's powerful dunk attempt with a huge block.
Another block, and Blake Su secures the rebound as well. He throws a long pass to Nash at midcourt, who quickly moves it ahead to Carter.
Carter goes coast to coast and finishes with a soaring dunk, showing the fire of a veteran.
This is the Suns' run-and-gun offense. Beautiful and completely unexpected."
"Pierce drives into the paint, finds space in traffic, and scores off the glass.
Blake Su takes the ball himself and pushes the break, sprinting all the way to the top of the arc.
Facing Garnett, he doesn't slow down. He accelerates as if to drive past him.
No.
He steps back instead and launches a three-pointer, leaving Garnett's contest ineffective.
That shot.
In. In. In.
Blake Su's three-pointer burns like a raging bolt of lightning, unstoppable.
With that shot, and 1 minute 3 seconds left in the third quarter, the Suns tie the game and take a one-point lead.
This is incredible."
Dave Pasch's voice rose rapidly, filled with intensity and emotion.
On the court.
Final minute.
Blake Su first stops Pierce's drive, then in transition attacks, draws the defense, and kicks it out to Curry waiting in the corner.
Curry fires from three.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
Right after that, another defensive stop as Blake Su shuts down Garnett's post-up.
Final possession of the third quarter. 9.8 seconds left.
Blake Su brings the ball up and settles at the top of the arc.
A full meter beyond the three-point line.
With Pierce fully aware, he rises right in his face and launches a three.
"Swish!"
A sharp, piercing sound as the ball cuts clean through.
Nothing but net.
An unreasonable three from Blake Su.
The Celtics have 2.2 seconds left. Ray Allen heaves a deep shot from beyond half court, but it misses.
End of the third quarter.
In the studio, Hubie Brown lowered his mic, visibly shaken.
"If it wasn't obvious in the latter half of the second quarter, then this entire third quarter made it clear.
With his teammates struggling, it became Blake Su alone against the Celtics' All-Star starting five at full strength.
In the final minute, through his individual impact on both ends, he led a 6 to 0 run, turning a nine-point deficit into a seven-point lead.
Blake Su truly took on and overwhelmed five All-Stars by himself."
...
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