A 90-degree ankle sprain.
Amid Bogut's blood-curdling screams, the full extent of his injury was still unclear. However, with staff helping him off the court, hopping on one foot toward the locker room, it was obvious he would not be returning tonight.
"Tsk, tsk… Last time they faced off, Bogut got faked into a split by Blake Su, had his brow split open by a kick, and ended up with a concussion, carried off on a stretcher.
And tonight.
Blake Su dunked on him seven times in a single quarter, then sent him limping off with a 90-degree ankle sprain, straight back to the locker room.
That's brutal.
Blake Su is seriously ruthless."
"Haha, so what? Bogut brought this on himself."
"Poor Bogut."
"Poor? Let me tell you, people who seem pitiful usually have something about them that makes them hateful. A dirty player like Bogut deserves more than just a 90-degree ankle sprain.
Honestly, I'd love to see Blake Su play him into retirement."
"Exactly!"
"For trash like him, retirement is the best option. He shouldn't even be on an NBA court."
"..."
Even though Bogut left the game injured, the fans showed no sympathy. A player like him simply was not worth it. Feeling sorry for him would only lead to innocent players getting hurt.
...
By halftime, with a 22-point gap, the game had already lost any suspense.
In the second half, after letting his players struggle for a while, Scott Skiles waved the white flag. The latter half of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter turned into garbage time.
Tonight, Blake Su played just over two quarters and finished with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.
For most players, that would be an outstanding stat line. For the "Monster Rookie" Blake Su, it was only average, barely passable.
What truly stood out, however, was dunking on Bogut seven times in a single quarter and leaving him with a 90-degree ankle sprain. That became the talk of the fans and even drew applause.
Beep.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Suns completed a season sweep of the Bucks, maintaining a perfect record against them. With this win, they also pushed their streak back to eight straight victories.
After the game.
Van Gundy smiled and said, "It was a one-sided game, but I still found it incredibly exciting. That stretch between Blake Su and Bogut tonight.
No, actually.
It was a one-sided domination. That was really satisfying to watch."
Mike Breen laughed as well. "Exactly. Seven dunks in a single quarter. Just imagining those seven rim-shattering slams is already impressive.
It was supposed to be an ordinary matchup, but Blake Su turned it into a game worth every penny. The fans definitely got their money's worth."
Van Gundy nodded, flipping through his prepared notes. "With this win over the Bucks, the Suns now have eight straight wins again, tying their season-high streak.
Before this, the Nuggets had five straight, the Lakers had six, and the Heat had five. The Spurs had a seven-game streak, but it was snapped by the Magic last night.
However, the Suns' next opponents are the Nuggets and the Lakers. Two Western Conference powerhouses, both in great form and on winning streaks. Facing them back-to-back will be a real test for the Suns."
Mike Breen tapped the table lightly. "That's true, but if it's the Suns, I think they still have a chance.
As long as Blake Su is on the court, no matter who they face, there's always a possibility of winning."
As the commentators continued their discussion.
At another arena, the Pepsi Center, the Nuggets were battling the Kings. Carmelo Anthony, who had been in excellent form over the past week, second only to Blake Su, was once again on fire tonight.
Through three quarters, he shot 13 for 17 and dropped 33 points with incredible efficiency, leading the team to a 24-point advantage and effectively putting the game away early.
In the end, the Nuggets crushed the Kings by 27 points, securing their seventh consecutive win.
This streak brought the Nuggets level with the Thunder in the standings. However, since the Thunder had beaten them in their previous matchup, the Thunder remained fifth while the Nuggets sat in sixth place.
Over the past two weeks, Anthony's performances had been spectacular, building even more anticipation among fans for the upcoming showdown between the Nuggets and the Suns.
As for the Lakers versus the Suns, the defending champions' rematch had long been marked as a must-watch game by fans.
...
The next day.
As the Suns versus Bucks game and the Nuggets versus Kings game became major talking points, and as Blake Su and Anthony dominated the headlines,
Blake Su had already boarded a flight overnight to Beijing Capital International Airport. At the same time, Mia Quinn was on another flight, arriving around the same time.
There is a time difference of more than ten hours between the United States and the capital. When it is early morning in the U.S., it is around noon in the capital, and the flight itself takes over ten hours.
So by the time Blake Su, who departed in the early morning, arrived, it was already close to midnight in the capital, the early hours of the first day of the month.
After landing first, Blake Su booked a hotel, then returned to the airport to pick up Mia Quinn, who arrived about an hour later.
"Blake!"
As Mia Quinn walked out through the security exit and saw Blake Su, she ran straight toward him and hugged him tightly.
"Blake, you know what? I've had such a hard time lately."
Holding onto him, she pouted with furrowed brows, complaining as if she had suffered a great injustice. Blake Su looked at her with a gentle smile.
"I know. I know everything."
Carrying only a travel bag, Blake Su took her suitcase. With Mia Quinn holding onto his arm, the two walked out of the airport together.
"That director is awful. He…"
Mia Quinn kept talking the whole way.
Blake Su listened quietly. It was only after they entered the hotel and put down their luggage that she finally stopped.
Blake Su smiled.
"That awful director will regret it. Mia, let's not think about him right now. Let's not think about anything unpleasant.
Right now.
We're going home for the New Year."
"Okay."
...
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