11-0?
Confused?
That is exactly the point.
Even though the Suns just went through a three-game losing streak, do not forget that they are still the top team in the Western Conference with the best record.
Every game has a winner and a loser, and many factors influence the outcome. In their last meeting, the Suns lost to the Kings by two points. A loss is a loss, there is no need to make excuses or shift blame.
But that does not mean the Suns cannot beat the Kings, nor does it mean the Kings are their kryptonite.
That 11-0 dream start completely stunned the Kings. Even after the timeout, DeMarcus Cousins backed down Frye and took a mid-range shot, only to airball it.
Thud!
Blake Su secured the rebound, and the Suns immediately pushed in transition. Their run-and-gun offense returned in full force, with Blake Su at the center of it, moving the ball fluidly while multiple players were ready to finish.
The Kings, caught in panic, had no idea how to defend.
By the time they reacted.
Boom!
Blake Su cut into the lane, took off from inside the paint, soared high, and hammered down a one-handed dunk.
The rim trembled from the sheer force of the slam.
The home arena erupted in deafening cheers, the energy surging. Riding that momentum, Stephen Curry kept the pressure on and knocked down another three.
Swish!
Nothing but net.
The run extended to 16-0.
In transition, Cousins powered his way into the paint and scored one, finally putting points on the board. But the damage had already been done. That 16-0 run had crushed the Kings' morale.
At the end of the first quarter, backed by roaring home support, the Suns led by 14 points.
In the second quarter, the bench rotation held steady.
Once the starters returned, the lead kept growing. By halftime, the Suns were up by 19 points, with the Kings already teetering on the edge.
Blake Su was in outstanding form tonight. He knocked down five three-pointers in the first half and scored 27 points. Late in the second quarter, he drilled three consecutive threes right over DeMarcus Cousins.
In the rookie matchup, Blake Su completely outplayed DeMarcus Cousins.
Curry was just as efficient, going 7 for 10 from the field and 3 for 4 from beyond the arc, scoring 17 points in the half.
Between the two of them, they tore the Kings apart.
In the second half, after switching sides, the Suns showed no intention of letting up. Their run-and-gun attack continued to expand the lead. By the end of the third quarter, the margin had ballooned to 27 points, even reaching a peak of 31 at one point.
In that third quarter alone, Blake Su added three more three-pointers and scored 14 points. Through three quarters, he had hit eight threes and put up a dominant stat line of 41 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks.
The Kings had completely collapsed.
Paul Westphal decisively gave up on the game, letting the entire fourth quarter turn into garbage time. He could not help but sigh to himself, "Kryptonite? I should never have had such a foolish thought."
Last time, the Kings edged out the Suns by 2 points.
Tonight, the Suns crushed the Kings by 25 points, snapping their three-game losing streak.
...
The following night, the Suns hosted the Warriors.
The last time these two teams met goes back to when Blake Su had just entered the league. At that time, Curry was still with the Warriors, while Richardson and Grant Hill were still with the Suns.
For the Suns, seeing former teammates only led to a few brief conversations before the game. Once the game started, they were simply opponents.
For the Warriors, after Curry's departure, the "combo guard" Monta Ellis continued to thrive, averaging 25.7 points per game and firmly holding his position as the team's leader.
His performance remained steady.
However, for Golden State fans, watching Curry deliver highlight performances again and again made them realize that his potential far exceeded their expectations.
Just as people had once said, it was his positional overlap with Ellis that limited him. Now, the Warriors' front office was beginning to feel a hint of regret about trading Curry.
Of course, that regret was not too obvious yet.
After all, Monta Ellis was in his prime, while Curry was still rising.
Soon, the two teams, having swapped their secondary stars, faced off.
The Warriors' main threat, Monta Ellis, was guarded primarily by Blake Su. With his speed and athleticism, Blake Su could lock down guards with ease.
Even elite guards like Chris Paul or Deron Williams would struggle against him.
Under Blake Su's defense, Ellis had a rough night offensively. On the other end, whether it was Hill or David Lee, who had previously been blown past with ease, neither could stop Blake Su.
He scored 13 points in the first quarter, 24 by halftime, and 38 by the third quarter. More importantly, he also filled the stat sheet with 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks.
He dominated both ends of the floor by himself.
The result was another game decided in three quarters, a complete blowout of the Warriors.
The final quarter turned into garbage time.
At the commentary table, Jon Barry glanced at Blake Su's stats and clicked his tongue in amazement.
"A center averaging around five assists and three steals per game. Honestly, that is outrageous. Even after saying it so many times, I still cannot help but be shocked. Is he really a center?"
"Haha, Blake Su's versatility is nothing new."
Mark Jackson smiled.
"When no one can contain him, his all-around ability shines even more. That is why when he plays weaker teams, he looks especially dominant."
"Exactly."
Jon Barry nodded.
"With his speed, height, explosiveness, and shooting, if a team has no answer for him, there is not much they can do. At the very least, the Warriors did not handle him well tonight.
As for the Suns' next opponent, the Hawks, they may not have superstar names, but all five starters can score and each plays their role well.
On top of that, coming off the bench is last season's Sixth Man of the Year, Jamal Crawford. His role is simple, score and provide offensive firepower.
With both their starters and bench, they are a very solid team and have consistently ranked in the top four in the East over the past few seasons.
Since this is the first meeting between the two teams, the unfamiliar Hawks could pose a serious challenge. They are a tough opponent."
"That is right. And beyond that..."
As they continued talking, the garbage time ticked away.
The Suns completed a home sweep of the Warriors and easily secured their second straight win.
After facing two weaker teams at home in games that lacked suspense, the Suns' two-game winning streak felt completely expected to the fans.
With the win over the Warriors secured, attention quickly shifted to their upcoming matchup against the Hawks.