During the timeout.
Inside the broadcast studio.
Mike Breen looked over the stats and said, "Right now, Blake Su has 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists for the West, along with 4 made threes. For the East, LeBron has 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, and he has also made 4 threes.
Van Gundy.
Do you think the two of them have a chance to hit 6 threes, or maybe even more, and tie or break the All-Star Game record of 6 made threes set by Mark Price in 1993?
Also.
Both of them are close to triple-doubles. With half a quarter left, can they get there?"
"Uh..."
Van Gundy thought for a moment and said, "Blake Su has a chance to tie Price's All-Star three-point record, and LeBron has a chance to get a triple-double.
But.
I think if both of them get enough time with the ball, they might be able to accomplish both."
"Yes."
Mike Breen nodded and said, "They're both outstanding, extremely versatile players, so it really is possible.
Right now.
They're also the best-performing players for the West and East. Basically, whichever side wins should lock up the All-Star MVP trophy. I'm really looking forward to this final stretch."
"Exactly."
The two commentators kept building up the hype for the closing battle.
On the court.
"Beep, beep!"
The timeout ended.
Both starting lineups returned, and the final battle was lit. This last half-quarter would be the time for both teams to truly compete, to fight it out possession by possession for the win.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Paul brought the ball up the court and handed it off to... Blake Su.
That was right.
Paul gave it to Blake Su, not Kobe.
Blake Su held the ball at the top of the arc, facing Stoudemire. He lowered his center of gravity, gave a quick shot fake, then suddenly rose up and fired right over Stoudemire's defense.
"Step!"
Stoudemire jumped to contest, but Blake Su's release with [Peak Curry Three-Pointer] was too fast. He could not get a hand on it, and the ball drew a beautiful arc through the air.
"Swish!"
Clean.
His fifth three-pointer.
Change of possession.
Rose quickly pushed the ball up, passed to Wade on a cut, and Wade moved it back out to LeBron on the perimeter. A three-point chance opened up. Was he going to shoot?
No.
"Whoosh!"
LeBron passed again. Howard caught the ball under the basket, rose up like a spring from the floor, and threw down a two handed slam.
Paul found Blake Su again. LeBron and Stoudemire both closed in, putting pressure on him. In the crowd, Blake Su passed it out.
"Whoosh!"
In the left corner, Kobe caught the ball and raised up for three.
"Swish!"
Good.
Then LeBron assisted Howard under the basket again, giving him another easy finish.
For the first three minutes, both sides were locked in a fierce offensive battle. For the West, Kobe hit a tough three, Durant drove in and pulled up for a midrange jumper, and Blake Su also knocked down a three.
For the East.
With LeBron assisting again and again, Rose had drives, Stoudemire had drives, and Howard had powerful dunks. With that stretch of control, LeBron successfully secured a triple-double.
A 30-point triple-double, no less.
Of course.
At that moment... LeBron did not care about the numbers at all. What he wanted was the win. Only with a win would his triple-double mean anything.
As for Blake Su.
He had originally been just 2 assists and 2 rebounds away from a triple-double, and he completed it as well. His was also a 30-point triple-double.
On top of that.
He hit 2 more threes, tying Price's All-Star Game three-point record.
With 3:01 left.
West 133, East 131.
The West still held a two-point lead.
However... over the next minute and a half, Kobe suddenly went cold, missing 2 straight threes. Durant missed a driving layup as well.
Even Blake Su missed an open three.
The East seized the opportunity and hit the West with an 8-0 counterattack. Not only did they erase the two-point deficit, they took a full six-point lead with only 1:33 remaining.
The West was in danger.
During that stretch, LeBron hit another three as well, bringing him to 6 made threes, just like Blake Su, tying Mark Price's single-game All-Star record.
But.
LeBron did not care about that at all.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Kobe posted up Wade on the left high post but failed to get anything going. When Stoudemire came over to help and double, Kobe jumped and barely managed to pass the ball out. Paul caught it at the top of the arc.
"Whoosh!"
Paul took the three, with LeBron getting a hand up to bother him.
"Clang!"
Miss.
The rebound?
Just when everyone thought Howard would secure it easily, Durant unexpectedly grabbed the board and swung it out before the double-team arrived.
To the perimeter?
Blake Su caught the ball, raised his hands, and fired another decisive three.
"Swish!"
Quick release.
Clean through the net.
"Whoa... Blake Su's seventh three-pointer! He has passed LeBron and Price, setting a new single-game three-point record for the All-Star Game."
Mike Breen shouted excitedly.
"Oh, man!"
Van Gundy was just as fired up as he roared, "Not only does Blake Su have a triple-double, he has also broken the three-point record. That is truly incredible.
Now.
All he needs is a win, and this will be a perfect All-Star journey."
That was true.
But... the West was still trailing by 3 points, with only 1:11 left on the clock, and possession still belonged to the East.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Wade brought the ball up. Kobe, burning with the desire to win, pressured him all the way beyond the three-point line, trying to steal the ball from Wade's hands or force him into a passing mistake.
"Whoosh!"
Wade passed to LeBron at the top of the arc. Durant came up to guard him, and Stoudemire stepped forward to set a screen. LeBron went around the screen, and then... found himself facing Blake Su.
They had matched up before.
But this was the first time they had truly gone head-to-head in a decisive moment, both of them fully serious.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
LeBron did not hesitate at all. He used his body to overpower Blake Su directly. Even though LeBron was a small forward and Blake Su was a center, when it came to strength...
LeBron completely overwhelmed Blake Su.
"Bang!"
Through the contact, LeBron bulldozed his way past Blake Su and into the paint, then rose powerfully toward the rim. Blake Su was forced backward again and again and could not hold him off.
But.
"Step!"
The moment LeBron took off, Blake Su spotted his chance and jumped as well. If his strength was not enough, then he would use his height, wingspan, and leaping ability.
He gave LeBron enough interference.
"Clang!"
Sure enough.
LeBron's layup missed under Blake Su's contest.
"Smack!"
Blake Su grabbed the rebound and immediately launched a one-man fast break. But LeBron and Stoudemire retreated quickly as well, already back and waiting for him.
"Whoosh!"
Blake Su did not slow down. He charged into the heart of the defense and started his three-step layup. LeBron and Stoudemire, two elite forwards, jumped at the same time, four huge hands reaching out to block him.
This shot.
If Blake Su released it normally, it was basically guaranteed to be blocked.
"He's not passing?"
LeBron's eyes widened in midair. Then, in the next instant, his pupils shrank sharply as shock overtook him.
He saw Blake Su, who had gathered the ball and started his layup, lift his arm in an abnormal way. He was not flicking the ball forward in front of him for the layup. Instead... he scooped it out from behind his back.
"A behind-the-back layup?!"
Stoudemire and LeBron, completely caught off guard, had no way to block it. They could only watch helplessly as the ball flew over their fingertips.
Then.
"Swish!"
It pierced through the net.