[The Suns Advance to the Semifinals!]
[The Suns Come Back from 3-0 and Pull Off an Epic Comeback!]
[Blake Su Hits 10 Threes, Scores 40-Plus, and Nearly Records a Triple-Double!]
[...]
Almost the moment the game ended,
those keywords shot toward the top of the trending charts in no time, becoming topics countless fans could not stop talking about.
Of course.
The Suns and Grizzlies' Game 7, a battle destined to go down in history, and this entire series finally came to an end with the Suns' victory.
The Suns advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals after surviving danger after danger.
Inside the Suns' locker room.
It was already past midnight, but the Suns players, led by Blake Su, Curry, and George, were spraying champagne and cheering without restraint.
Everyone was enjoying the win.
This kind of extreme comeback, a reversal that felt like rain after a long drought, was without a doubt even more satisfying than sweeping an opponent.
"Comeback! Counterattack!"
"Yeah! We're the winners!"
"Phoenix! Our Suns are the best!"
"..."
The locker room was incredibly loud.
[Ding!]
Blake Su was also happily celebrating with everyone, enjoying the joy of the comeback, until... until the System notification sounded.
[In the series between the Suns and the Grizzlies, the Host successively created the records of [youngest player to record a triple-double in his playoff debut], [youngest 40-point scorer in the playoffs], [10 threes in a single playoff game], and [the playoff record of coming back from 3-0].
Congratulations to Blake Su for creating four records in a single series, completing a random task, and receiving the reward: ["The Glove" Gary Payton's defense.]]
"Nice!"
Off to the side.
After hearing the System notification, Blake Su could not help feeling delighted.
Tonight, he had been fully immersed in the game.
He had not paid any attention to breaking records or completing the System's random task, just like in Game 6, when he hit six threes in a single quarter and tied the record rather than breaking it.
After all.
Compared with breaking records and completing a random System task, winning the series was far more important.
And now that he had gotten both, Blake Su, who was already extremely happy, felt even better. Tonight was simply perfect for him.
As the System's voice faded, a warm current flowed from his brain through his entire body. It lasted only an instant before everything returned to normal.
"Phew..."
Blake Su let out a soft breath. He knew... ["The Glove" Gary Payton's defense] had now been applied to him.
"Payton was a ruthless one!"
In Blake Su's impression, Gary Payton, famous for his defense, was the only player in NBA history to win Defensive Player of the Year as a point guard.
That alone showed
just how outstanding Payton's defensive awareness was, despite his relatively ordinary physical tools.
And that awareness was exactly what Blake Su wanted.
"['The Answer' Allen Iverson's Talent for Stealing] + [Eagle Spear] + ["The Glove" Gary Payton's defense].
With all three boosts,
even though I'm still at a bit of a disadvantage in strength when facing super-talented players, my defensive ability has improved a lot again.
In the series against the Grizzlies,
when I faced Marc Gasol and Randolph in the low post, I still struggled a little whenever they used their strength to overpower me, and they managed to score some points on me.
It didn't hurt us too much.
But if I'd had Payton's defensive boost earlier, maybe the series would have been a little easier to win.
Still, getting it now isn't too late. In fact, the timing is perfect. Our next opponent is the Lakers.
Kobe, known as "the best player in the league today," "the league's top shooting guard," "Little Flying Warrior," and "Black Mamba."
If I want to defend him and limit him, I need Payton's defensive boost."
Thinking this, Blake Su felt a little more confident about the next series, which was bound to be even tougher.
"Ding!"
Just then, his phone rang. A text had arrived from Yoona.
[I'm waiting for you in the lobby.]
Seeing the message, Blake Su finally realized he had gotten so caught up in celebrating that he had completely forgotten his earlier promise to meet Yoona in the lobby.
"Uh, I just remembered, I think I left the fridge door open at home. I need to hurry back and close it, or it'll waste too much electricity.
Guys, I'm heading out first."
Blake Su said this to the players.
"Come on, how much money can an open fridge door waste? Tonight..."
Curry waved his hand and was just about to pull Blake Su back to keep celebrating, but what he did not know was that Blake Su had never intended to wait for everyone's approval.
He had already slipped away.
The arena lobby.
Yoona sat on a lounge chair, wearing a brown baseball cap and sunglasses, her head lowered slightly as she played on her phone. Unless someone already knew, no one would have recognized her.
Of course.
Blake Su knew she was in the lobby. As soon as he walked over, he spotted her at a glance.
"Sorry. Did I keep you waiting?"
Blake Su came up to her and smiled.
Yoona looked up and saw Blake Su, then immediately broke into a bright smile. "Congratulations, Blake Su. You came back from 3-0, won four straight, and made history.
Tonight,
you were amazing."
"Of course."
In front of Yoona, Blake Su had no intention of being modest. He smiled and said, "I promised you I'd win, so of course I had to win the game."
"Mm-hmm."
Yoona nodded with a smile and said, "Then let's go. It's already so late."
"Go where?!"
Blake Su froze.
"To your place, of course."
Yoona pressed her lips together and said, "We agreed that if you won, I'd treat you to a meal. So... I might as well stay at your place and save us the trouble of going back and forth."
"Is that really okay?"
Blake Su gave an awkward smile. "You're a girl, and doing this..."
"It's fine."
Yoona shook her head and smiled. "We're friends now, aren't we? What's wrong with staying at a friend's place for one night? Right?
Besides,
I already went there once before.
Blake Su is an upright superstar. Yoona trusts you."
After Yoona finished speaking, Blake Su put on a serious face and said, "No, what I meant was, is it really okay for you to... freeload like this?!"
Ah, this!
Yoona froze on the spot, completely dumbfounded.
Seeing this, Blake Su burst out laughing, patted Yoona's little head, and said with a smile, "Dummy, I was kidding!"
...
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