(EXTRA CHAPTER)
...
"A record? What record did Blake Su break this time?!"
Someone asked in confusion.
Another commenter replied: "In NBA history, the record for most consecutive Player of the Week awards was three, set by LeBron James in March of the 2005–06 season.
That was only 'King James'' third year in the league.
But Blake Su has now won Player of the Week four straight times, breaking that record and becoming the player with the most consecutive weekly awards in NBA history.
More importantly, he did it as a rookie—and the streak isn't even over yet. He still has a chance to extend his own record.
That's incredible!"
"Whoa!"
The moment that comment appeared, fans erupted again.
"Blake Su even broke LeBron's record? The guy who lives for breaking records?!"
"That's insane!"
"Tsk… no wonder they call him the 'monster rookie.' That's just ridiculous."
"The stronger Blake Su gets, the more I love it. I can't wait to see him lead the Suns into a war against Kobe and the defending champion Lakers!
No doubt about it.
It's going to be epic."
"Agreed!"
"Well said. You know your stuff!"
"Count me in—both hands up!"
"…"
As heated as the online buzz was, before the Suns could face the Lakers, they still had to get past the Raptors.
The next day.
The Suns boarded a charter flight from Cleveland straight to Toronto. After arriving at the Air Canada Centre, they checked into a nearby hotel.
Following some rest.
The team headed to the arena early for warm-ups. This was the final game of their three-game road trip—and against a relatively weak Raptors squad, it was a must-win.
Soon enough.
At 9:30 p.m., tip-off began.
Toronto Raptors Starting Five: 6'3" (191 cm) point guard Jose Calderon, 6'7" (201 cm) shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, 6'8" (203 cm) small forward Linas Kleiza, 6'9" (206 cm) power forward Amir Johnson, and 7'0" (213 cm) center Andrea Bargnani.
Phoenix Suns Starting Five: 6'3" (191 cm) point guard Steve Nash, 6'3" (188 cm) shooting guard Stephen Curry, 6'6" (198 cm) shooting guard Vince Carter, 6'11" (211 cm) power forward Channing Frye, and 7'1" (215 cm) center Blake Su.
"Jump ball!"
Blake Su went up against Bargnani for the tip. Though Bargnani was the No. 1 pick in 2006, compared to top selections like Iverson, LeBron, Howard, and Rose…
The gap was obvious.
Not just in popularity, but in the level of talent that popularity reflected.
"Tap!"
As always, Blake Su flicked the ball to his side.
"Tap!"
Nash secured it and initiated the Suns' first possession. Dribbling to the top of the arc against Calderon, he drove left toward Blake Su at the high post, then swung the ball to Curry in the left corner.
Curry rose for three.
Swish.
On the other end, DeRozan went straight at Curry. He shifted gears with early changes of direction, then exploded down the right wing before pulling up for a mid-range jumper.
Swish.
Curry answered immediately.
Beyond his three-point shooting, his drives were just as sharp. After backing down and creating half a step of separation, he burst into the lane and lofted a high-arcing bank shot.
Swish.
"Wow~"
At the commentary table, Mark Jackson blinked in surprise. "What's going on? Are Curry and DeRozan about to trade buckets all night?"
"Heh."
Jon Barry chuckled. "Curry was the No. 7 pick last year. DeRozan was No. 10. The way this is starting… they're clearly trying to settle something tonight.
Hey, Mark—who do you think scores more?"
"I'm going with DeRozan. With 'CB4' Bosh gone, he's stepped up as the team's second option. More touches, more shots—naturally more points."
"No, no, no."
Jon Barry shook his head. "I'm taking Curry. His three-point shooting is better. DeRozan relies mostly on mid-range. He won't outscore Curry."
"That's hard to say."
"No. I'll bet everything I own—Curry scores more tonight."
"Betting again? By the way… did you win your last bet?"
Mark shot him a sideways glance.
Jon Barry lifted his chin slightly. "I did. Blake Su made yesterday's Top 5 Plays. Both his 'look-back steal' and 'snatching food from the tiger's mouth' made the cut."
"Oh~"
Mark ignored him and turned his attention back to the court.
As predicted, the first quarter turned into a head-to-head scoring duel between Curry and DeRozan.
Basically… whenever Blake Su or Nash found Curry, he delivered.
DeRozan was just as sharp, knocking down mid-range shots and finishing drives at an impressive clip.
End of the first quarter:
Raptors 24, Suns 30.
Curry had 11 points, including two threes. DeRozan had 9. Their numbers were close—but the scoreboard showed a six-point gap.
After all.
Blake Su, the so-called "monster rookie," even without forcing offense, still had 7 points. Nash added 5.
On the Raptors' side, aside from Bargnani's 7, no one else made much of an impact.
Second quarter.
George wasn't effective offensively, but his defense kept the Raptors from making a run.
After a timeout.
The latter half of the quarter once again became Curry and DeRozan going at each other. Curry drained two more threes for 9 points, while DeRozan went 3-of-5 for 6.
By halftime.
With similar efficiency between the two, Curry had scored five more points than DeRozan, and the lead had grown from six to fourteen.
...
In the second half.
DeRozan's touch cooled, and his forced attempts became less efficient. Meanwhile, Curry continued to feast on assists from Nash and Blake Su, piling up points with ease.
Midway through the third quarter, another surge blew the game wide open.
Without 'CB4' Bosh, Jurassic Park had lost its roar. The Suns marched in and took it without resistance.
By the end of the third.
The Suns led by 24.
In the fourth quarter, both teams rested their starters, and the game drifted into garbage time.
Still, George played hard, giving full effort on every possession. Gentry noticed—and remembered.
At the commentary table.
"Heh heh."
Jon Barry glanced smugly at Mark Jackson. "The Suns were terrific tonight. The whole team worked to create shots for Curry.
And he delivered.
Seven threes, 21 points. Nash casually posted 10 points and 10 assists for a double-double. Blake Su added 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists—a near triple-double.
As for the Raptors, DeRozan led with 25 points on solid efficiency. But just like I said—he didn't outscore Curry. I won the bet."
Mark forced a smile. "Well, congratulations on protecting your fortune again. But remember—if you walk by the river long enough, sooner or later your shoes will get wet."
"Hmph. I never lose a bet."
Jon Barry raised his eyebrows slightly, then added, "Mark, do you know why I was so sure Curry would win?!"