Who?!
Who else.
Naturally it was Su Yan; though he was half a step behind Stuckey, he was a bit taller, a bit faster, and a bit more explosive.
Multiple talents stacked together.
Even when Stuckey had beaten him by half a step, he could still catch up and contest the block.
Stuckey was too confident.
Or rather… too desperate to score on Su Yan, so much so that he got careless.
Su Yan chased him down for the rejection.
One steal, one assist, one block.
Su Yan not only pocketed 2,600 dollars, he also flashed eye-opening defense.
A vase?
My bad.
Even if Su Yan were a vase, he wasn't one some small fry like Stuckey could mock and push around at will.
'COOL!'
Jon Barry's eyes lit up. 'Su Yan looks like he can't defend, but these last few possessions he's been terrific.'
'Amazing!'
Mark Jackson was just as surprised: 'Stuckey can play a bit when he gets going.
Su Yan defended him beautifully—that wowed me.
He can defend and knock down threes; he's an Undrafted Player? He looks more like an elite 3&D Player to me!!!'
'Su Yan is so good~ I love him~~~'
In the stands.
That curvy, sexy beauty who wanted to discuss 'basketball' with Su Yan later that night.
She shrieked at the top of her lungs.
She'd fallen for his looks, but now he'd shown power and a very manly side.
That only made her crave him more.
So excited she kept wriggling, her chest bouncing with every sway.
The 'wolves' sitting next to her stared, then… quietly jotted down the hotel and room number on the banner.
On the court.
Su Yan swatted the ball off the glass.
Al Harrington grabbed it, gave Su Yan a big thumbs-up, then pushed it ahead to Douby on the break.
Su Yan spotted up two metres beyond the left-side arc.
When Douby crossed half-court he fired the pass straight to Su Yan and pointed at the rim: 'Yan, another one—reward yourself.'
Well then, don't mind if I do.
Give Su Yan a look? Sorry, he's taking it.
After all… only a shot gives him a shot at 6,000 dollars.
One three, six grand—if the NBA had that kind of bounty.
Within three days the small ball era would hit hyper-speed…
No, it would start right here.
'Whoosh~'
With a flick of the wrist Su Yan launched another quick, confident three—on most teams a shot that would earn a coach's earful.
Right now.
It looked perfectly reasonable.
'Is he nuts? Again? And even deeper?!'
Prince was stunned.
He wasn't slacking—there just wasn't any way to contest from that far.
No chance this one's going in.
Prince glanced back, praying, but this time the prayer carried a hint of doubt.
The spinning ball?!
Perfect arc—another clean rip through the net.
'OH, NO!'
Prince sank into despair.
But the ball rolled around the rim and, almost supernaturally, spun out—the three had gone awry!!!
'Close call, close call!'
Prince exhaled and wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
If an undrafted rookie had drilled three straight threes over him, where would a 'Pistons Bad Boy' find face?
More importantly.
The coach would chew him out after the game.
Even though the shot missed, Su Yan's attempt had scared the Pistons half to death.
'Motherf—!'
Coach John Kuester broke into a cold sweat.
He was now certain: beneath that handsome exterior Su Yan was a cold-blooded sniper.
'Crank up the pressure on Su Yan!'
Kuester barked from the sideline, flashing an 'OK' sign.
The key was the three fingers—Small Forward, number three… Su Yan.
A pre-arranged signal between coach and players.
When the coach flashed it, everyone knew to lock onto Su Yan and ramp up the D.
Signals like this are common.
Taps on the head, tugs on the ear, peace sign to the sky—all mean different sets.
Of course.
Only teammates know the code.
'Got it.'
Prince and the rest nodded, acknowledging the order.
Barely five minutes in, Detroit sent Stuckey and Prince to double Su Yan.
Is this the treatment an Undrafted Player deserves?!
Is this the attention a 'vase' draws?!
Fans could only sigh.
The truth was… once the pressure came, Su Yan's clean looks vanished.
Still.
To the New York Knicks he was 'icing on the cake', a gift from the heavens.
With or without him the base strength stayed the same.
Now that he drew two defenders, the Knicks' offense and defense only got easier.
'When you double-team an Undrafted Player, you've already lost!'
D'Antoni curled a confident smile.
He called time, swapped out the popular but faded McGrady for the tenacious Wilson Chandler.
The incumbent Knicks rolled out offense more efficient than ever.
Had they evolved?
Maybe confidence played a part.
But mostly it was the terror Su Yan inspired while drawing double-teams!!!
End of the first quarter.
The theoretically stronger Pistons trailed by eight.
By halftime they were down eleven.
After three quarters the gap had ballooned to fifteen.
The Knicks, usually the ones getting pummelled, were up fifteen and flirting with a blow-out.
Unthinkable.
What was this… a complete reversal of fate.
'COME ON!'
Jon Barry was pumped. 'The Pistons might not be contenders any more.
But against the Knicks they shouldn't be pushovers either.
Getting handled like this only proves… when a team has a legit 3&D Player, its power skyrockets.'
'Exactly,'
Mark Jackson nodded. 'Four threes in three quarters, plus a fast-break lay-up—14 points.
And with the energy of a madman he added three boards, two dimes, two steals and a block.
He's been brilliant.'
The way he looked at Su Yan was pure fondness.
When someone is drop-dead gorgeous, whatever they do comes with a built-in 30 % bonus.
That's the power of looks.
Su Yan plays well, hustles nonstop, and adds that face—how could anyone not love him!!!