"So... so fierce!"
"Blake Su is a monster!!!"
In the stands, especially among the Grizzlies fans in the front rows near the basket, watching Blake Su open the game by posterizing Randolph left their scalps tingling.
Fear crept into their hearts.
Against Blake Su, against this "super rookie" whose offense seemed impossible to stop, they really were starting to feel afraid.
If they could, they would have wished Blake Su got ruled out on the spot.
Grizzlies (0): (2) Suns.
Playing on the road, the Suns stole the spotlight with Blake Su's violent attack on the rim and dunk over Randolph, taking the momentum back right from the start.
After that, for half a quarter, Blake Su kept attacking fiercely against high-intensity defense. He drove at the basket, launched ultra-deep threes from the perimeter, drew fouls, and kept pressuring them in every possible way.
In short, Blake Su played with force and aggression. Even if his efficiency was not especially high, it did not matter.
Because under the pressure of Blake Su's relentless attacks, his teammates' offense gradually opened up too.
Tonight... before Curry found his rhythm, George was the first to get going. With Blake Su drawing the defense and Nash pulling the defense apart with brilliant passes, George repeatedly got chances to attack the rim.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
He did not waste them.
Tonight, George finished every attack he took.
"Swish!"
He also hit a three after curling out.
Half a quarter in, Blake Su was 4-for-7 from the field, 1-for-3 from three, and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line, putting up 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. George also had 7 points.
Behind their combined offense, the Suns led by 6.
"Beep, beep!"
Hollins called a timeout.
But after the timeout, just as Suns fans were hoping to keep watching Blake Su's fierce attacks, he picked up two quick fouls over the next two possessions, one offensive foul on a screen and one defensive foul for hitting the shooter's arm.
Blake Su had two fouls in a row.
"Beep, beep!"
Gentry immediately called a timeout and subbed out Blake Su early, letting him rest after falling into foul trouble.
"Wow~"
At the commentary desk, Jon Barry widened his eyes and clicked his tongue. "Blake Su getting into foul trouble this early is something no one expected.
"Maybe this will become a turning point in the game."
"Exactly."
Mark Jackson nodded. "The Grizzlies absolutely have to make good use of this half-quarter with Blake Su off the floor and mount a comeback."
That was right.
Just as the two commentators analyzed, when Coach Hollins saw Blake Su pick up two fouls, he immediately told his players to strengthen their offense, focus, and make proper use of this stretch.
Of course, even if Blake Su had not left the court, Hollins had a plan. They would keep attacking Blake Su directly and try to draw fouls on him.
Either Blake Su would pick up more fouls and face the pressure of possibly fouling out, or he would protect himself and lower his defensive intensity. Either way, the Grizzlies' offense would become easier.
"This is a great chance. We have to seize it."
After the timeout, Hollins prayed silently on the sideline.
Unfortunately... the script did not unfold the way he imagined. Blake Su really did stay off the floor, but the Grizzlies still could not close the gap.
Because on the Suns' side, besides George already catching fire, Curry also came back from the timeout in good form.
And as long as his teammates were playing well, "Passing Master" Nash always had a way to create excellent scoring chances for them.
For a while, even without Blake Su, the Suns' offense was still strong.
The first quarter ended.
Grizzlies (25): (33) Suns.
The 6-point lead the Suns held before Blake Su went out had not shrunk. Instead, it had grown to 8.
"How can this happen?!"
"They can still hold us off even without Blake Su. How are we supposed to play? How are we supposed to win?!"
The Grizzlies fans stared wide-eyed, panic stirring in their hearts.
And Hollins was just as shaken. Blake Su going to the bench had been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Forget wiping out the deficit or overtaking them.
At the very least... they should have cut into the lead.
Instead, it had grown.
"It's over!"
For the first time in the series, Hollins, as the head coach, actually felt the urge to give up. Of course, it only lasted for an instant.
At this point, all he could do was trust his players. He had to believe they could hit rock bottom tonight and rise back up to reverse the game.
Soon, the second quarter began.
"Step!"
Blake Su came onto the court. After resting for a full half-quarter, he did not rest any longer. Instead, he led four substitutes against the Grizzlies' rotation lineup.
"Step!"
Arthur defended Blake Su.
"Whoosh!"
But Blake Su did not even look at him. From the middle at the top of the arc, one step beyond the three-point line, he raised his hand and fired a long three right over Arthur's defense.
The shot went up cleanly.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
On the other end.
"Clang!"
Sam Young missed a three, and the ball bounced out into Blake Su's hands. He grabbed it and immediately accelerated forward with the ball. Arthur's expression tightened as he hurried back on defense.
His eyes stayed locked on Blake Su.
"Screech!"
But Blake Su rushed toward the left side of the arc, stopped abruptly a meter beyond the three-point line, drew the bow, and fired another sudden cold arrow.
Another ultra-long three.
Would it go?
Bull's-eye!
"Swish!"
The arrow struck home.
Good again!
"Oh my god!"
"Blake Su is too accurate!"
"Is this really a center on offense? This is just madness!"
The Grizzlies fans clutched their heads, their composure on the verge of collapsing. The Suns fans, meanwhile, were beside themselves with joy, jumping up and pumping their fists in celebration.
"Beep, beep!"
Hollins shook his head and called another timeout.
He could not let a group of backups defend Blake Su, this "Monster Rookie," so he urgently called Gay and Marc Gasol back onto the floor.
But it still did not help.
On another possession, Blake Su, who had rested for half a quarter but still had a scorching hot hand, accelerated from the right wing past Gay. He charged toward the right side of the arc and ran into a double team from Marc Gasol.
He had no intention of passing.
"Screech!"
He stopped suddenly, gathered the ball, and rose straight up from a meter beyond the three-point line. Leaning back slightly, he fired another three over both defenders.
This shot... was extremely difficult.
"That's too hard!"
"Swish!"
At the commentary desk, Jon Barry had barely finished speaking when that crisp sound rang out again. Blake Su's cold-blooded arrow hit once more.
"Amazing!!!"
Jon Barry was stunned. In his heart, he thought, I was careless. I underestimated Blake Su.
They could not stop him.
Even with Gay and Marc Gasol back on the floor, it still did not work. Barely three minutes into the second quarter, the Grizzlies were forced to bring all their starters back early.
On the Suns' side, Gentry also brought all his starters back early. Not to add more energy, but to create more scoring chances for Blake Su.
As long as he got a chance, even an extremely difficult ultra-long three could be turned into points by Blake Su.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
In the latter half of the second quarter, Blake Su hit three more threes. For the entire second quarter, he took nine shots, all of them threes. He went 6-for-9 from beyond the arc, hitting six threes in a single quarter.
He carved out 18 points.
With 29 points at halftime, plus Curry and George both clicking, the Suns led the Grizzlies by a full 23 points.
Before the game, the Grizzlies had been at home, full of momentum, fierce and imposing, thinking they would finish the series tonight.
They wanted to complete the No. 8 seed upset over the Suns.
But in the end... led by "Monster Rookie" Blake Su, the Suns stole the spotlight and blew out the arrogant Grizzlies by halftime!!!