Blake Su found his shooting touch again.
The entire third quarter turned into a "steel-willed jumper" showcase between him and Anthony. They mirrored each other with nearly identical jump shots, efficient and highly entertaining.
The fans were thoroughly treated.
"Boom!"
The atmosphere in the home arena kept surging higher and higher.
"Blake!!! What a shot!!!"
From the moment Blake Su got his rhythm back, Mia Quinn couldn't sit still. Every time he scored, she cheered loudly for him.
Compared to orchestrating the offense, she preferred watching Blake Su score on his own and take over the game.
Seeing Blake Su regain his touch, Jordan shook his head with a smile. "Blake Su is back offensively. The Nuggets are in trouble."
"Mm."
Pippen nodded, then added, "But Anthony is just as unstoppable right now. I think this game will stay close for a while.
Still, that doesn't matter. What matters is that this game is incredibly entertaining."
Inside the broadcast studio.
Mike Breen chuckled. "Wow... once Blake Su found his touch, he turned straight into a scoring machine. One unstoppable 'Iron-Blooded Jump Shot' after another, he dropped 18 points in a single quarter.
He led his team from a 4-point deficit to a 6-point lead.
And Anthony is no joke either.
With nearly identical unstoppable jumpers, he scored 14 points in the quarter. Their duel in the third quarter was simply fantastic."
"Exactly."
Jeff Van Gundy nodded. "This is what it looks like when two teams on eight-game winning streaks go head-to-head offensively. This is elite offense between powerhouse teams.
It's just that good.
You can't help but enjoy it."
Whether commentators or fans, everyone was talking during the break about the incredible back-and-forth between Blake Su and Anthony in the third quarter.
A matchup this exciting had everyone thrilled.
Everyone except one person. Nuggets head coach George Karl.
While others were enjoying the game, he had a pounding headache.
Even a cold Blake Su had been enough to wreak havoc on the Nuggets. Now that he had his touch back and was unstoppable on offense, he was like a monster.
Karl knew that down by six, they had to contain Blake Su to win, but...
"How do you stop Blake Su?"
That question gave him a headache. After thinking it over and finding no solution, he could only place his hopes on the still red-hot Anthony.
Fight fire with fire.
He hoped Anthony could outscore Blake Su and carry the team to victory.
"Boom!"
As the arena atmosphere reached another peak, the fourth quarter began.
The bench rotations came first.
JR Smith, who was in great form tonight, kept delivering. That was one of the reasons the Nuggets could stay close despite Blake Su's all-around offensive performance and Curry playing well.
"Swish!"
His first shot after checking in was a difficult three over George.
And it went in.
On the very next possession, JR Smith drove into the paint and pulled off a flashy mid-air spin, finishing with an alley-oop dunk.
A tough three and a spectacular alley-oop.
JR Smith scored five straight points.
"Boom!"
The arena erupted with cheers for JR Smith. Even Anthony, resting on the bench, nodded slightly in approval.
Inside the broadcast studio, Mike Breen laughed. "JR's performance really proves that saying: if JR weren't so unpredictable, he'd be an All-Star every day."
"Hahaha!"
Jeff Van Gundy laughed as well, fully acknowledging JR's dazzling offense.
On the court.
5 minutes and 13 seconds of rotation time.
JR Smith played like an All-Star and single-handedly erased the six-point deficit.
"Beep beep!"
Alvin Gentry called a timeout.
Both teams' starters returned to the court.
Suns (93) : (93) Nuggets.
With the score tied, the game entered its final showdown.
Suns ball.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Blake Su brought the ball up slowly to the top of the key. This time, the defender in front of him was "Melo" Carmelo Anthony.
Yes.
In the final quarter, at the decisive moment, the two stars finally matched up directly.
Facing Anthony, one of the representatives of the "Platinum Generation," Blake Su, a rookie, showed no fear at all. Instead, his fighting spirit burned brightly.
"Thump!"
Holding the ball in his left hand, he gave a quick jab step.
"Whoosh!"
He rose up instantly, a step beyond the three-point line, pulling up right over Anthony. Anthony leaped to contest with full effort, getting a hand up.
But.
"Swish!"
Clean make.
Blake Su knocked down the three.
"Wow! Blake Su, a rookie, just hit a tough three right over Carmelo, one of the league's top-tier small forwards.
He's incredible!"
"So calm. You can't feel any trace of a rookie in him."
"Just amazing!"
"..."
With the final battle underway, Blake Su opened against a top-tier small forward with a confident three, putting the home team up by three and igniting the crowd.
"Beautiful!"
Blake Su pumped his fist, visibly fired up, just like the fans.
Of course, his excitement was different from theirs.
He wasn't celebrating the tough shot over Anthony.
It was because that basket brought his total to 31 points, officially pushing him past the 30-point mark.
After all, his shooting had been ice-cold in the first half.
At one point, he had even worried about whether he could reach 30 points tonight. That concern disappeared the moment the shot went in.
Now.
With a "30+ near quadruple-double" already secured, there was only one step left to complete the random mission and obtain the [Jordan's Post-Up Ability].
Win the game.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
On the court.
Anthony brought the ball up. After just getting scored on by Blake Su, he stopped on the left wing, more than two meters beyond the three-point line, and launched a deep three.
Carter, trailing him, didn't even react in time and could only watch.
"That shot is way too tough!"
"Swish!"
Someone exclaimed, and the ball sliced through the net.
Nothing but net.
"Whoa!"
Anthony's immediate answer with that deep three boosted the Nuggets' momentum, and for a moment, it even felt like they were overtaking the Suns' energy.
But.
That momentum lasted only a few seconds.
Blake Su dribbled past midcourt and, in front of stunned eyes, pulled up directly from the center court logo.
A perfect strike.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
...
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