First Quarter.
Both teams came out fully engaged, scoring from multiple angles in an exciting back-and-forth battle. However, when it comes to offense, the Suns' current firepower is not to be underestimated.
Even against elite offensive teams like the Heat, Celtics, and Thunder, they hold their ground without losing an inch.
The Hawks, lacking a true superstar, rely on players with solid individual abilities. But compared to the Suns, who have Blake Su and Curry, the gap in offensive firepower is still quite noticeable.
In a quarter where neither side applied much defensive pressure, the Suns built a 9-point lead.
This made Hawks head coach Larry Drew realize that while maintaining their offense, they also needed to step up defensively.
Second Quarter.
It began with a clash between the benches.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Jamal Crawford handled the ball at the top of the arc.
This bench player, who averaged 18.4 points per game last season, outperformed Jason Terry, Manu Ginobili, and others with his elite scoring ability to claim the "Sixth Man of the Year" award.
He is the Hawks' most potent offensive weapon off the bench, and he absolutely has starter-level ability.
Tonight, the task of guarding Crawford fell to Paul George.
Matched up against George, Crawford showed no fear. Among bench players, there was no one he considered intimidating. He lowered his stance and began a series of behind-the-back dribbles.
"Whoosh!"
With the ball in his right hand, he suddenly exploded to the right. George's eyes sharpened as he quickly slid over to stay in front.
Just then, Crawford came to a sudden stop, pulled the ball back behind his back, and with a quick rhythm shift, threw off George's balance, creating over a full body length of separation.
"Whoosh!"
He rose for a mid-range jumper.
"Swish!"
The shot dropped cleanly.
On the very next possession, Crawford faced George again. Once more, he used a sequence of behind-the-back dribbles and changes of direction, making the ball nearly impossible to steal while shaking George off.
He created space again and smoothly stepped back into a jumper.
"Swish!"
Another steady make.
"Wow~"
Mike Breen could not help but exclaim, "No wonder he's the 'Sixth Man of the Year' and known as the 'Essence of Human Misfortune.' Crawford's ball-handling is dazzling.
That behind-the-back control is incredibly smooth."
"Exactly," Van Gundy added. "Jamal's dribbling is not only beautiful to watch but also highly deceptive. Combined with his elite mid-range game, he's extremely difficult to defend.
Tonight, George just can't seem to contain him."
As they spoke, Crawford had already begun another offensive possession.
Still facing George at the left high post, he started with a series of behind-the-back dribbles and feints to find his rhythm.
The moment he shifted the ball to his left hand, he burst toward the left side. Just as George stepped up to cut him off, Crawford executed another wide, fluid behind-the-back move.
George immediately halted and adjusted his balance, chasing to the right.
But at that moment, Crawford suddenly gathered the ball while moving, then took a hop step back to the left, completely blowing past George.
"Swish!"
An easy layup off the glass.
"Beautiful!"
On the Hawks' bench, Joe Johnson clapped in appreciation, while Al Horford nodded repeatedly.
"Jamal's dribble attacks are just too strong. That's the level of a 'Sixth Man of the Year.' George, a rookie who can't compare to Blake Su, simply can't stop him."
However, with 3 minutes and 33 seconds left,
Crawford led the Hawks on a 10-3 run, cutting the deficit to just 2 points.
"Beep!"
Alvin Gentry called a timeout, planning to send Curry back in early to boost the offense.
But Blake Su stood up.
"Coach, let me go in first. I've had enough rest."
"Oh?"
Gentry was slightly surprised, then nodded in agreement.
In truth, Blake Su's early return was not just because he was well-rested and in rhythm. It was also because Pachulia was on the floor.
"Beep!"
Back from the timeout.
Suns ball.
Goran Dragić inbounded from the sideline to Blake Su at the top. As the center held the ball near the arc, Pachulia made no move to step up defensively.
Instead, the backup power forward Josh Powell came over to defend.
Blake Su did not even glance at him. Lowering his center of gravity, he exploded down the right wing, blowing past Powell as if he were standing still.
"Swish!"
A clean mid-range jumper.
Only after the ball went through the net did Powell begin to recover from the play. That speed and explosiveness could only truly be understood by someone who had faced it firsthand.
At that moment, Powell's mind was in chaos. One single possession had already filled him with deep fear of Blake Su.
Possession change.
At the top of the arc, Crawford faced Blake Su.
Against a typical center, Crawford would have already broken him down completely. But he knew Blake Su was different.
Despite having the size of a center, he could not be treated like a traditional big man.
Crawford narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious. But seriousness did not mean fear. He was a scoring machine.
His only objective was to score.
No matter who stood in front of him, that never changed.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Facing Blake Su, he used a combination of between-the-legs dribbles and smooth behind-the-back moves, controlling the rhythm like a master and constantly reading the defense.
Seeing Blake Su's center of gravity shift backward, he seized the opening and immediately pulled up for a mid-range jumper over him.
"Got it!"
Under the basket, Pachulia saw Blake Su get slightly shaken and believed the shot was good.
And indeed, Blake Su was briefly fooled.
But with his lightning-fast reaction, he recovered his balance almost instantly and exploded forward.
If you have speed but lack height, you cannot contest Crawford.
If you have height but lack explosiveness and vertical leap, you still cannot contest him.
But Blake Su, enhanced by Iverson's Talent, had it all.
Height, explosiveness, and elite leaping ability.
He pushed off the floor and soared upward, extending his long arms straight out. Even after being momentarily shaken, he recovered mid-air and reached the spot first.
"Smack!"
He sent Crawford's shot flying straight into the stands with a powerful block.
...
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