"Heh heh heh!"
On the other side of the stands, Pippen laughed and said, "11 three-pointers, 60 points. Blake Su, this rookie center, really is an incredible, era-defining center.
"Even against the seemingly invincible 'Heat Big Three.'
"He's using his own unique offense to help his team chip away at the lead and fight for the win. He's a born leader."
"Heh."
Jordan also smiled and praised him. "He really is a born leader. And... tonight, he might actually play the role of a superhero.
"Saving the league!"
"Blake Su!!!"
"Come on, Blake Su!"
"Blake Su is the strongest!"
"Ahhhhhh, Blake Su is too good!"
The home atmosphere was boiling over. Blake Su's godlike, frenzied performance had the fans screaming at the top of their lungs, pouring every bit of strength they had into cheering for him.
Even though they were still down by 4 points.
The Suns had seized control of the momentum.
...
On the Heat bench.
"What a monster!"
"CB4" Bosh, who had been torched by Blake Su tonight, watched his insane performance and had nothing left to say. All he could feel was shock.
"He's even stronger than we imagined."
Wade did not try to deny it either.
"Yeah."
LeBron nodded with a focused look, wiping away his sweat as he said seriously, "Blake Su's individual ability is outstanding, but... we still have to stay steady.
"No matter what.
"We can't lose to a rookie. That would be hard to justify."
"Of course."
Wade nodded slightly, his eyes flashing.
"Beep, beep!"
After the timeout.
Both starting lineups returned. The Suns and Heat, in this Finals-preview-like showdown, had finally reached the ultimate battle.
A 4-point gap.
7:13 remaining.
Heat ball.
LeBron held the ball at the top of the arc against George's defense, while... Blake Su watched closely from the wing. LeBron accelerated into his drive, drawing Blake Su's help defense.
"Whoosh!"
He passed to Wade on the wing. Wade sped past Curry, attacked the basket, bumped Curry aside through contact, then turned sideways for a bank attempt, but Frye bothered the shot and it bounced off the rim.
"Smack!"
Blake Su secured the rebound and gave it to Nash to push the ball up. Nash reached the top of the arc, then passed it back to Blake Su as he trailed the play. LeBron flashed out to take the primary assignment on Blake Su.
At the same time.
"Step!"
Bosh slowly closed in from the wing, moving straight into a double-team on Blake Su, while Wade watched from the side. If necessary, the three of them would trap Blake Su together.
"Whoosh!"
Blake Su attacked LeBron hard, drew Bosh into the double-team, then passed back to Nash behind him. Nash used a shot fake to pull Wade over, then moved the ball again.
Curry caught it on the left side of the arc.
"Whoosh!"
He rose for a three. Chalmers switched over and flew in to contest.
"Swish!"
But the shot went in.
After being smothered by Wade for almost three full quarters, Curry seemed to find a little bit of rhythm with that three, along with his defensive effort just now.
Of course.
A big part of it was also because Blake Su had drawn so much defensive attention.
The gap was down to 1 point.
"Whoosh!"
Wade brought the ball up, used Bosh's screen, and from the right wing... accelerated straight toward the rim. George and Nash rotated over to help.
"Whoosh!"
Wade kicked it to Chalmers in the right corner, and Chalmers fired a three.
"Swish!"
Good as well.
Suns ball.
Nash brought it up, broke past Chalmers, then used a series of sudden stops and bursts, changing rhythm to shake him off. But when he went up for the layup, Bosh was there to bother it.
"Clang!"
The layup missed.
LeBron grabbed the rebound and threw a long pass straight ahead to Wade in the frontcourt. At the left side of the arc, Wade faced Curry and used an in-and-out feint.
"Whoosh!"
Then he suddenly pulled the trigger.
"Swish!"
Straight through the heart.
A cold-blooded three.
The gap was back to 7 points.
On the change of possession, Blake Su shook free of the defense, curled out to receive the ball, and took another three. But... it was a little short and did not fall.
The Heat had a chance to stretch the lead further.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
At the right high post, LeBron faced George, gave a shot fake, then immediately exploded forward, powering through George and driving to the basket for a bank attempt through contact.
"Step!"
George threw everything he had into the contest, disrupting the shot.
"Clang!"
The ball missed.
But... Wade grabbed the offensive rebound. He took one quick step along the right wing, stopped suddenly, and launched a fadeaway jumper. Curry's eyes widened as he went all out to contest.
Another disruption.
"Clang!"
Wade missed too.
The rebound?
Blake Su grabbed it.
"Good defense. George and Curry came up big there, stopping two Heat possessions in a row. Now look at the transition. Blake Su is bringing the ball across half court.
"LeBron and Bosh are about to double him again.
"Wow...
"My god, Blake Su is one meter beyond the three-point line at the top of the arc, and he pulls up right away. He doesn't give LeBron and Bosh any chance to trap him. A deep three?!
"Does this go?!
"Bang!
"Quick release, clean make!"
Jeff Van Gundy's words came rapid-fire, his voice surging with excitement, his whole body fired up.
"LeBron on the left low block, driving hard at George, bumping him aside, then taking a hop step into the paint and rising straight up for a bank shot.
"Is it good?!
"Wow...
"Blake Su comes out of nowhere like a divine weapon, slapping the ball against the backboard with one hand and pinning LeBron from behind!
"Nash gets the loose ball and passes ahead to Curry in the frontcourt. He wants the pull-up transition three. This is a crucial shot that could cut the gap to 1 point.
"Wade catches up.
"Curry?... Passes it back to Blake Su. Oh my god! Blake Su catches the ball at least five feet beyond the three-point line, raises his hand, and fires another super deep three.
"Wade is stunned.
"Everyone is stunned!
"Can this shot possibly go in?
"Bang!
"Bang!
"It's good, good, good! Blake Su hits another unreasonable deep three. His 13th three-pointer of the game. This... this is unbelievable!"
Jeff Van Gundy was roaring hysterically, his voice already growing a little hoarse.
"Heh heh heh!"
Mike Breen laughed in shock and said, "That's Blake Su. He's at his best when he steps up at the most critical moment and delivers the final, fatal blow.
"A 1-point gap.
"Blake Su has hit his 13th three of the night and scored 66 points. He's only one made shot away from tying both his career single-game three-point record and his personal scoring record.
"But.
"George's excellent defense just now gave Blake Su enough time to chase LeBron down for that block.
"After Carter's injury, rookie George was thrown into the fire, and he has done his job very well."
"LeBron finds George again and chooses to drive once more. With that overwhelming physical talent, he still bumps George aside and puts up a short floater in the paint.
"Will it go?!
"It's short. George's defense bothered him again. Frye grabs the rebound and gives it to Blake Su to push. Is he going for another three?!
"If this goes in, the Suns will take the lead.
"Everyone knows now that Blake Su, with that burning-hot touch, still wants the three. He still wants to chase the score in the most unreasonable way possible. LeBron and Bosh close in.
"They won't give him the chance?!
"Blake Su accelerates to the right side of the arc, then one step beyond the three-point line, he stops on a dime!
"Wow.
"Blake Su fires another brutal three right over LeBron and Bosh's defense. Everyone knows he wants to shoot, but they still can't stop him?!
"This shot?!
"Bang!!!
"Good, good, good!!!
"Unbelievable! Blake Su has completely lost his mind from three. He hits another one, his 14th three-pointer of the night.
"Not only has he tied the single-game three-point record, he has also tied his personal single-game scoring record. More importantly... that cold-blooded, heart-piercing three.
"Gives the Suns a 2-point lead!"
...
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.