On the Suns' side.
Curry's threes, George's defense, Nash's playmaking, Frye's rim protection, and the occasional flash of a three-pointer.
Of course, there was also Blake, their leader, controlling everything with his all-around game.
On the Lakers' side.
Fisher's defense and spot-up threes, Artest's vicious, enforcer-like defense, and Pau Gasol's passing and low-post offense.
Bynum's rim protection and power attacks in the paint.
Of course, there was also "Black Mamba" Kobe's endlessly varied offense. He was unquestionably the Lakers' first and strongest finishing option.
For both teams, Game 4 was a must-win.
Everyone played his role, turning this matchup into a brilliant, all-out, tightly contested battle. That tension lasted all the way into the final quarter.
All the way... to the final five minutes.
"Beep, beep!"
Alvin Gentry called a timeout.
At the commentary table, Jeff Van Gundy said, "Over the last two minutes, neither team has made a single shot. Both sides have fallen into a scoring drought.
They definitely needed a timeout to settle things down."
"Yes."
Mike Breen nodded. "The game has been too tight, and the defensive intensity has been so high that the physical toll has been enormous.
Because of that, once you reach the fourth quarter, especially these final few minutes, the players' bodies start to give out. Their strength and condition drop, and that's when the offense starts to stall.
But that's playoff intensity.
And if you can still score when you're almost out of gas and under that kind of pressure, then you're the winner."
"Exactly."
Van Gundy agreed, then continued, "During this timeout, before the final five-minute battle begins, let's take a look at both teams' numbers.
For the Lakers, Bynum and Pau Gasol both have 14 points, while Kobe has 22.
For the Suns, Curry has 16, Nash has 8, and Blake has 27.
Neither team has put up big scoring numbers, and the efficiency has been fairly ordinary. Even though Blake has outscored Kobe individually, in terms of overall offense and combined strength, the two sides are still even.
Right now, the Suns are holding on to a slim 3-point lead. It's still hard to say who will win this brutal battle.
It depends on what happens after the timeout.
Which team can break the scoring drought first and open the gap, even just a little?"
"Exactly right."
The two commentators continued their analysis.
On the court.
"Let's go, Lakers!"
"Push!"
"Come on, Kobe!"
"'Bloodthirsty Mamba,' hunt down the Suns!"
"..."
The cheers from the Lakers' home crowd were roaring. With that support behind them, the Lakers' morale surged.
They were full of confidence that they could take this game.
Soon, the timeout ended.
The final showdown had finally begun.
Both teams were fighting hard. Both teams wanted to win. But... the game did not unfold the way everyone expected.
"Clang!"
Curry missed a three. Fortunately, Frye grabbed the rebound and kicked it back out to the perimeter, where Blake had a decent look at another three.
"Clang!"
Still no good.
The ball changed hands.
Under the basket, Bynum shoved Frye aside and tried to lay it in, only to get blocked by the rim. Pau Gasol grabbed the rebound and went back up for the putback.
"Clang!"
Still off.
But then... Odom, one of the Lakers' three bigs, grabbed yet another rebound and passed it out through the crowd to Kobe.
"Whip!"
Kobe released a fadeaway jumper.
"Clang!"
Another miss.
Both teams were stuck in a scoring drought. Even after the timeout, their offensive efficiency was still low. They still could not score, and neither side could break the deadlock.
This situation continued for another three minutes.
In other words, over a full five-minute stretch, neither team had scored a single point. For a moment, the game was completely stuck.
Of course, if things stayed that way, the Suns, who still held a 3-point lead, would have the advantage.
So the Lakers would not accept it.
Especially not Kobe.
With only two minutes left in the fourth quarter, "Black Mamba" Kobe had to step up and score. He had to help the Lakers win this game.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
He held the ball at the top of the arc, looked at George in front of him, then glanced at Blake and Frye behind him, both ready to help at any moment.
Go.
"Whoosh!"
Kobe's eyes sharpened. He gave a shot fake, then exploded down the right wing, blowing past George, whose inexperience made his center of gravity rise too high.
But waiting for Kobe were Blake and Frye, an even tighter double team.
Kobe did not care. He could not afford to care. He forced his way between them and went up for the layup.
In the air.
Facing four large hands coming to block him, he hung, switched hands, and tried a left-handed reverse off the glass.
"Smack!"
Blake swatted it down with one hand.
"Beep, beep!"
The whistle sounded at the same time.
Blake's block was called a shooting foul for contact on the arm.
"Step!"
Kobe went to the free-throw line.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
He made both.
"Wow. Neither team had scored for a full five minutes, and Kobe is the one who finally breaks the drought. At the most critical moment, it still comes down to Kobe."
A one-point game.
1:45 left on the clock.
Suns ball.
Nash brought it up and handed it off to Blake. At the most critical moment, the Suns still had to rely on Blake's offense.
"Step!"
Artest pressed up again, but Blake did not even look at him. He accelerated down the right wing, overpowering him with speed and footwork.
"Whoosh!"
One step to shake him off, two steps to get past him. With his jumper not falling, Blake made the same choice as Kobe and drove hard to the rim.
But.
"Step!"
"Step!"
Pau Gasol and Odom had been waiting, and with Bynum inside, the Lakers' three bigs formed a tight wall around Blake.
The look was not good.
Facing the Lakers' three bigs, even Blake had to think twice.
He forced his way in, drew the defense, then kicked it back out to Curry on the perimeter.
"Whip!"
Kobe launched himself from the wing, diving out for the steal. He had read the play, but he was just a little short, and the pass still got through.
"Whip!"
On the left side above the arc, Curry caught the ball and immediately raised up for a three.
"Blake's assist, Curry's open three. If this goes in, a 4-point lead would just about seal the game.
Oh no.
Curry couldn't take advantage. In this critical moment, he still looks nervous.
Wow.
But Blake grabs the long rebound. Blake... catches it, takes one dribble, and attacks the basket again.
Facing Pau Gasol, Odom, and Bynum, facing the Lakers' three bigs, he hangs in the air, avoids the block, and goes to the left hand off the glass?
Bang!
It's good, good, good!
That shot was incredibly difficult for Blake, but he still made it!
Amazing!
Blake grabbed his own board and went right back up. Against the Lakers' three bigs, against six huge hands, he somehow squeezed through with an extreme double-clutch and banked it in. That is a big-time shot!
The lead is back to 3.
1:24 left. The Lakers are under serious pressure now.
Kobe brings the ball up. He calls for a screen, a double screen from Odom and Pau Gasol, and Kobe gets the mismatch against Frye, who has been pulled out.
Can he look for Bynum under the basket?
No. Kobe backs into Frye, bumps him once, gives a half-turn gather fake, then spins into a fadeaway and shoots it right away.
This shot?!
Frye reads it and gets a hand right in Kobe's face, but...
Bang!
Kobe still hits it.
Suns ball. Nash takes the ball and fires a long pass ahead to Curry in the frontcourt. Oh my god, Pau Gasol bursts out like a guard, dives forward, and cuts off the pass.
Kobe, who had not yet gotten back on defense, grabs the ball. From the left side above the arc, he pulls up in transition and fires a cold-blooded three.
Bang!
Good again.
In just 20 seconds, Kobe scores 5 straight points and puts the Lakers ahead by 2. In the clutch, Kobe's big-shot ability is just unreal.
He's too strong!"