"Exactly!"
Mark Jackson reacted as well, nodding and laughing.
"The Suns' lightning-fast transition just hit the Celtics with a 13–0 run. The Suns' run-and-gun is back.
And with Blake Su replacing Stoudemire, their run-and-gun is even more lethal now!"
"Hey, Blake Su's been great, but Mark, don't go overboard. Tonight seems to be the first time the Suns have truly unleashed their 'run-and-gun' system.
How effective it really is…
I think we still need more time to judge."
"No, no, no. I believe in Blake Su. I believe—without reservation—that he's stronger than Stoudemire."
"Uh… alright then."
Jon Barry stopped arguing. He knew Mark had long since become a Blake Su fan and would back him unconditionally. If he kept this up, though, he might get torn apart by Stoudemire's fans after the game.
At the same time.
In a New York bar, Stoudemire was enjoying drinks and nightlife when he suddenly felt a strange chill at the back of his head. He frowned, completely puzzled.
Inside the arena.
Tweet—tweet!
Coach Rivers called a timeout.
The Suns' 13–0 counterattack storm forced him to stop the game and try to cool off Phoenix's run-and-gun surge.
After the timeout.
With a five-point margin, the game remained tight. The Celtics scored from multiple spots, the Suns kept pushing the pace, and the two sides battled fiercely.
End of the first quarter.
Suns (37) : (33) Celtics.
Seventy combined points in a single quarter. In the 2010–2011 season, when small ball was only just beginning to emerge, that was already an outrageous scoring pace.
But the fans loved it.
Especially the Suns fans—the high-speed run-and-gun had the home crowd surging with excitement, blood pumping.
Second quarter.
After the bench rotation, the rested starters returned. However… a dip in shooting percentages slowed both offenses.
Even so—
The slower tempo felt like the calm before a storm.
At halftime.
The gap was still five points.
Halftime break.
On the broadcast.
"At the half, Blake Su has 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks—and three made threes. He's doing everything."
"Completely versatile," Mark Jackson nodded. "The Suns' 10-game winning streak hinges on Blake Su. He's their top offensive centerpiece.
Of course, Curry's been excellent too—three made threes, 15 points at the half. If he plays his usual game, that's another 20-plus night.
With the Suns, Curry has more offensive freedom. His talent is starting to show. Trading for him was a smart move."
"Right," Jon Barry agreed. "In the Suns' run-and-gun, Blake Su is the primary finisher, but Curry is clearly the second option—an ideal partner alongside him.
That said, the Celtics have been on a strong run lately, and they've held firm tonight.
The second half will be even more exciting. But for either team to pull ahead, I think someone needs to explode.
And someone will.
It's just a matter of when."
"I think—"
As the commentators chatted, the break ended.
Second half.
Teams switch sides.
Celtics ball.
Rondo handled it at the top, drifting left before handing it off to Ray Allen. Allen dribbled right, stopped suddenly at the arc with a half-turn—
Splash!
Three-pointer.
Curry reacted and closed out—but just a split second late. The ball was already in the air and dropped cleanly through the net.
"Ray Allen" opened the half with a three.
Before the crowd even finished celebrating—
Pierce brought it up himself, called for a screen to shake Blake Su, and launched another three.
Swish!
It fell.
Less than a minute in, two threes.
Six straight points.
The Celtics erased the five-point deficit and even took a one-point lead.
"Wow," Mark Jackson raised his eyebrows. "Jon, is this the turning point you were talking about?"
Jon Barry smiled lightly. "If the Celtics keep shooting like this, it might be."
Play continued.
Blake Su brought the ball up, facing Garnett at the top of the key. Left hand dribble, lowered stance, a jab step—
Then a sharp pull-back crossover.
An Allen Iverson–style crossover.
Garnett's balance shifted.
Blake Su slid right, rose—
Three.
Swish!
Clean.
Answering right back.
"He actually hit that?"
Garnett still couldn't believe a center could shoot threes like this. No way he'd stay that hot, he told himself.
And then—
10:01.
Blake Su curled out of the left corner, caught Nash's pass, spun, and fired.
Ray Allen closed hard—but Blake Su's height made it meaningless.
The ball arced beautifully.
Swish!
Another one.
7:14.
Pierce missed on a drive. Carter secured the rebound and kicked it to Nash. Fast break.
Nash attacked the rim, drew the defense, then kicked it to Blake Su in the corner.
Catch.
Shoot.
Swish!
Again.
4:27.
Blake Su faced Pierce on the left wing. One explosive step. Sudden stop. Turn. Acceleration right—
Another abrupt stop.
Rise.
Three.
Pierce lunged desperately, but Blake Su was too tall, too long, too high.
Swish!
Another triple.
1:15.
Blake Su used a screen to shake Pierce. He faked a drive right, drawing both Garnett and Ray Allen into help defense.
Without hesitation—
He pulled.
Three.
"No—" Garnett growled internally.
But basketball doesn't listen to wishes.
Swish!
Five threes in the quarter.
Eight for the game.
"Wow!" Mark Jackson finally burst. "Five threes in a single quarter! Eight tonight! Blake Su is unconscious from deep!"
"Incredible—just incredible!" Jon Barry applauded.
The crowd exploded.
"Five threes in one quarter?! That's insane!"
"Oh my God—is this really a center?!"
"Haha! Blake Su with eight threes—he's turned US Airways Center into a torrential downpour!"