The entire league was buzzing.
Everyone was talking about "Monster Rookie" Blake, the Heat Big Three, and the Finals between the Suns and Heat.
As for Phoenix, after dropping two straight road games in Miami and falling behind 3-1 in the series, the team returned home in low spirits.
It was obvious.
Everyone understood what a 3-1 deficit meant. Their chances of coming back were almost nonexistent, and the championship seemed all but out of reach.
After they got off the plane, Gentry didn't say much. He simply told the players to go home, take a day to rest, recover physically, and clear their heads.
One by one, they left with their heads lowered, unable to hide their disappointment.
As for Gentry, after watching how the first four games of the Finals had unfolded, he understood the situation perfectly well.
Especially after telling Blake to attack the basket more, only to watch him tear apart Miami's interior defense, score 58 points, and still lose.
At that point, Gentry knew.
They weren't winning the championship this year.
Stephen Curry felt the same way.
He knew how difficult it would be to win from here, and he placed much of the blame on himself, believing he hadn't done enough as the team's second option.
But he never showed that frustration or disappointment.
Instead, he made a decision.
During the offseason, he would train even harder than usual.
Next year, next season, he would become a better player.
For himself, and for Blake.
Paul George felt the same.
He was already thinking about how much he needed to improve during the offseason. Otherwise, he felt he would be letting Blake down after watching him deliver superhuman performances night after night without being rewarded with wins.
The rest of the team was also beginning to think about next season.
Because in their eyes, they had already played about as well as they possibly could.
The problem was simply that the difference in overall strength between them and the Heat Big Three was too great.
So if they couldn't beat them this season, they would spend another year improving.
Next season, they would come back and challenge the Heat Big Three again.
And this time, they would beat them.
...
At Blake's apartment.
3:00 p.m.
Blake had only just woken up.
Mia Quinn was back as well. Yoona hadn't come with her because she still had commitments with her group.
"Blake!"
The moment Mia Quinn saw him awake, she hurried over to comfort him.
"It's okay. This is only your first year. Just treat it as part of growing and getting better.
"Make sure you stay positive, okay?"
She had woken up several hours before him and had already read plenty of reports.
She knew exactly what being down 3-1 meant for Blake and the Suns.
That was why she immediately tried to comfort him.
But Blake simply smiled, ran a hand through his still-messy hair, and said calmly, "Don't worry, Quinn. I'm doing fine.
"Besides...
"I don't think we're going to lose."
That was the truth.
Back in the first round against the Grizzlies, after losing three straight games, Blake had felt that he had already done everything he could and still couldn't lead the team to victory.
That was why he had considered giving up.
But now things were different.
Blake could still feel that he had another level in him.
The Suns hadn't lost any of these games by much. If he could play even better and push everything he had to the absolute limit...
Then a comeback wasn't impossible.
Blake knew this season had been difficult.
George and Curry were still developing. Blake himself still lacked strength, and his passing and several other parts of his game were only average.
He wasn't perfect either.
This might be the hardest season Blake would ever face.
But he couldn't give up.
Not until the very last moment.
Yes.
No team in NBA Finals history had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series.
But that was only true according to what people knew at the time.
In the future, a team would do exactly that.
LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers would come back from 3-1 down to defeat the 73-win Warriors.
If there was no history to follow...
Then make history.
If LeBron could do it, why couldn't Blake?!
"I'm not giving up until the very end!"
Blake's resolve was unshakable.
At this point, he was the only player on the Suns who still genuinely believed they could come back and win the Finals.
"Mm-hmm."
Seeing Blake so confident somehow made Mia Quinn feel both happier and more at ease.
"Come on, Quinn. Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."
"Sure."
...
While Blake and Mia Quinn were out getting food, a new topic suddenly began trending amid all the online discussion surrounding the Finals.
[Blake: Defeat Was Destined, a Reflection of "D-Rose"]
The topic exploded in popularity.
The argument was simple.
The Suns' defeat had been inevitable, and Blake's current situation was almost a reflection of what had happened to D-Rose.
It was practically destined.
At first, many fans were confused by the comparison.
But after looking back at the Bulls' playoff run and comparing it to Phoenix's...
They suddenly understood.
"Damn, that actually makes sense. The Bulls losing to Miami was almost like a preview of what was going to happen to the Suns."
"The Bulls dominated the first two rounds and made everyone feel like D-Rose was unstoppable.
"But once they ran into Miami, everything changed.
"They lost 4-1, and even the one game they won took a difficult comeback.
"That already told us something.
"D-Rose was incredible. He was even the second-biggest MVP favorite this year behind Blake.
"But ultimately, he was still only one player.
"It's incredibly difficult to carry a team by yourself.
"And when that kind of one-star team runs into a genuinely powerful opponent like Miami, a team built around three stars, the difference becomes obvious."
"Exactly. Phoenix is the same.
"They're basically another one-star team built around the 'Monster Rookie.'
"They won both the second round and Western Conference Finals 4-1.
"They even came out and dominated Game 1 of the Finals.
"But in the end, Blake is still only one player.
"And now Phoenix is down 3-1, about to follow the same path as D-Rose and the Bulls."
"The way D-Rose and Blake's playoff runs have unfolded really is similar.
"Blake's situation is almost a reflection of D-Rose's."
"Whoa... I didn't realize that until now. That's actually kind of eerie. I'm getting goosebumps."
"Is this just the inevitable fate of a one-star team?! Are the Suns going to lose 4-1 to Miami too?!"
"That's scary."
"The Suns have barely done anything wrong. They've played about as well as they possibly can.
"But this is simply their ceiling.
"With so many young players on the roster, they really aren't a match for the Heat Big Three."
"Blake won't become the 'superhero' this year!"
"Everything lines up almost too perfectly.
"The Suns will end up like the Bulls.
"Blake will end up like D-Rose.
"And both will lose to Miami and the Heat Big Three."
"Exactly!"
"Can I ask something, though? If the Suns already pulled off [Coming Back from 3-1 to Win Four Straight, an Against-All-Odds Comeback], why can't they come back from 3-1 in the Finals too?"
"Keep dreaming!"
"Get this guy out of here. Next!"
"..."
Meanwhile, Blake and Mia Quinn had found a restaurant.
While they waited for their food, Mia Quinn casually checked the trending topics back home, as she usually did.
She would have been better off not looking.
The moment she saw what people were saying, she immediately became nervous.
She quickly turned to Blake.
"Blake, make sure you stay focused on the next few games, okay? Don't let anything people are saying outside the team get to you!"
...
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