Jump shot scores
"Swish!"
Carlos shook off David Lee and nailed a mid-range jumper.
"Why is David Lee just standing there and not defending?"
"Maybe... maybe he's too excited."
"He probably didn't react in time."
The crowd stirred, booing and some passionate fans even raised their middle fingers.
However, the truth was, Carlos' speed was so rapid that David Lee had no reaction time; he stood there like a tree, motionless.
"Fake... it's gotta be fake, right?"
At this moment, David Lee's mind went blank. He could feel the terror of Carlos' speed but couldn't believe it.
"Must have been a lapse in concentration."
He instinctively reassured himself, but in the next play, Carlos, as usual, effortlessly faked out David Lee with a step and cleanly executed another shot.
"Swish!"
The mid-range shot went in again...
With Carlos' speed, enhanced by Iverson's talent, facing a power forward like David Lee, who was slower, that one step was like lightning, too fast to handle.
"So fast!"
David Lee's pupils contracted dramatically, completely startled by Carlos.
Even though he had heard that Carlos was a center with good athletic abilities, the horrifying speed caught him off guard.
In the next possession, just as David Lee was about to go all out on defense, Carlos, like lightning, made another move, shaking off David Lee with ease and sinking another shot.
"Swish!"
Carlos scored again...
"Amazing!"
Nash laughed cheerfully, once again marveling at Carlos' extraordinary athleticism as a center and his shooting accuracy that surpassed even guards.
"Swish!"
Then, Monta Ellis attacked the basket and scored, bringing the team within two points.
"Carlos!"
Nash dribbled the ball, once again finding Carlos on the right high post.
"Smack!"
The moment Carlos received the ball, David Lee couldn't help but tremble. He was anxious, already starting to fear Carlos, but Carlos had no intention of going easy on him.
"Whoosh!"
As Carlos took the shot, David Lee, hesitating between defending the shot or preventing a drive, stood there like a statue, helplessly watching. However, this time, Carlos missed the mid-range shot.
After all...
Even with the boost of "Anthony's mid-range jump shot at its peak," his shooting percentage couldn't be 100%, and missing was normal.
"Buzzer—Buzzer!"
But even though Carlos missed the mid-range shot, Warriors coach Keith Smart called a timeout to slow down Carlos' unstoppable attack.
"Wow, 'Gustavo Ayon II,' Carlos, just like in the previous game, is helping the Suns gain the advantage with his sharp drives and precise jump shots," exclaimed Van Gundy.
"'Gustavo Ayon II'?"
Mike Breen was puzzled, and Van Gundy laughed, saying, "Don't you know? Over in Mexico, everyone is calling Carlos 'Gustavo Ayon II.' Indeed, a center as outstanding as Carlos can be compared to Gustavo Ayon, especially the peak Gustavo Ayon."
"No..."
Mike Breen shook his head, saying, "Carlos is talented, but after observing him in the last two games, I think his offensive style is different from Gustavo Ayon's. Besides height and ethnicity, to be honest, he doesn't resemble Gustavo Ayon at all, so he can't be called 'Gustavo Ayon II.'"
"Uh..."
Van Gundy thought for a moment and nodded, "Seems like that's the case."
Back on the court...
After the timeout, the Warriors assigned small forward Wright to defend Carlos, thinking that his height and decent speed would limit Carlos.
However...
He was sorely mistaken.
Wright's speed, in front of Carlos, was inconsequential.
"Whoosh!"
In addition to speed, height, arm length, explosiveness, and more, Carlos easily outclassed this player drafted 19th in 2004, effortlessly breaking through Wright's defense.
"Swish!"
Effortlessly smooth...
Jump shot scores...
End of the first quarter.
Warriors (25): (31) Suns.
The Suns led by 6 points after the first quarter.
"Carlos scored 14 points in this quarter alone, shooting 7 out of 9, with an astonishing 77.7% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc. For a center, this is simply genius," exclaimed Mike Breen.
"Yeah..."
Van Gundy agreed, "To be honest, the Warriors' starting lineup doesn't have a player who can one-on-one limit Carlos's perimeter attack. The reason they're only trailing by 6 points is because Ellis and Curry, these two offensive threats, have been keeping the score close. So, tonight, if the Warriors want to win, they shouldn't be thinking about how to shut down Carlos; they should focus on offense and keep scoring to have a chance at victory."
"Makes sense, and..."
During the break between quarters...
The two commentators analyzed the game.
At the same time...
In another game, the showdown between the Lakers and the 76ers unfolded at the Staples Center. The arena was packed, buzzing with excitement. This was the popularity and market of a big city.
No...
More accurately, it was the popularity that Kobe and the city of Los Angeles possessed.
Yes...
In the past two years, Kobe, without Shaq O'Neal, led the team to two consecutive championships, lifting the Purple-Golden dynasty after a brief decline. With five championship rings and two Finals MVPs, Kobe finally solidified his title as the "number one in the league."
If LeBron went to Miami and formed the "Big Three" with Wade and Bosh to target the league and championships, then Kobe, with five championship rings, officially challenged the "Basketball God" Jordan, attempting to shake his historical status.
The defending champion Lakers, along with Kobe, were currently the most explosive and popular team in the league.
As the game began...
Kobe on the perimeter hit two wonderful three-pointers in a row.
"Swish!"
The crisp sound of the net being pierced echoed consecutively.
Three-pointers made.
"Boom!"
Kobe's stylish and powerful offense instantly ignited the home atmosphere. Pau Gasol, Bynum, Odom—the main players around Kobe—all showcased their talents.
In less than half a quarter, the Lakers had a 10-point lead, forcing the 76ers to call a timeout.
"Boom!"
The strength of the defending champions, Kobe's dominance, intensified the home atmosphere. Even though the 76ers called a timeout, the Lakers had already completely taken control of the court.
...
Back to the Warriors vs. Suns matchup.
Second quarter...
First, it was the battle between the substitutes.
Shu-How Lin, who joined the Warriors as a free agent this summer and usually averaged only 3.1 points, scored 5 points in a row as soon as he entered the game.
A nearly game-tying burst.
On the Warriors' bench, Coach Smart's eyes lit up at Shu-How Lin's sudden outbreak, showing a hint of approval.
4 minutes and 17 seconds of rotation.
Because of Shu-How Lin's sudden burst, the Warriors' bench leveled the score, bringing both teams back to the starting line.
"Bleep, bleep!"
The Warriors called a brief timeout.
Both starting lineups returned. Curry dribbled to the top of the arc, came to the middle, set up a screen, and rushed to the right arc, mismatched against... Carlos.
"Oh?"
Carlos looked at Curry and snorted, "Curry, are you going to take me one-on-one?"
"Uh-huh!"
Curry focused, earnestly saying, "For the team, I can only do this."