Blake Su was still dominant.
But the Lakers did not call a timeout. Kobe brought the ball up himself, accelerating from the top of the arc past Steve Nash, only to run into a trap from Curry.
He kicked it out to Fisher, who quickly lobbed it back to Kobe at the left high post, where he faced Carter one-on-one.
A pump fake, then he rose straight up.
A contested fadeaway jumper right over Carter.
Swish.
Nothing but net.
Calm as ever, Kobe used his signature fadeaway to finish the possession and respond to the Suns.
Lakers 2, Suns 4.
Nash pushed the ball up the floor, facing Fisher at the perimeter. He changed pace and drove down the left wing, but could not break through the defense.
He pulled it back out.
At the top of the arc, Blake Su caught the ball, facing the defensive specialist Artest. As usual, he strung together a series of crossovers, light and fluid, shaking Artest off balance.
Then he exploded forward and got past him.
But the moment he beat Artest, Kobe rotated over, Pau Gasol closed in from the side, and Artest quickly recovered from behind.
In an instant, three defenders collapsed on him.
Blake Su lowered his center of gravity, pulled the ball back out, then rose for a mid-range jumper. Artest contested hard and got a hand up.
Swish.
It still went in.
"Blake Su made that shot, but it was a tough one. The Lakers defended that perfectly. It just shows how strong his individual ability is."
Mike Breen analyzed.
On the court, Blake Su attacked again. The moment he got past Artest, the double team came once more, with Artest chasing back into the play.
In an instant, three defenders surrounded him again.
Blake Su had no choice but to pull back and reset, which disrupted both his rhythm and the team's offensive flow.
As he stepped back, Artest pressed up again. Blake Su tried to fake a drive and finish with a jumper.
But tonight, Artest's defensive reads were sharp. He did not bite at all.
Clang.
Under heavy pressure, Blake Su's three-point attempt missed.
Bynum secured the rebound and quickly passed it to Kobe to push the fast break. Facing Carter and Curry retreating on defense, it looked like he might attack both of them.
But he did not.
He kicked it back out.
Fisher, trailing the play, stepped into a three-pointer and knocked it down cleanly.
"Wow!"
"Great shot!"
Van Gundy clapped in praise, while Mike Breen added,
"Kobe is no longer just a pure scorer.
He knows how to move the ball and lead his team.
This growth has earned him two championships, back-to-back Finals MVPs, and the title of the best player in the league."
On the court, Kobe assisted Fisher for three, and on the next possession, Blake Su was trapped again and forced to pass.
In the left corner, Curry caught it and shot a three.
Clang.
Missed again.
Bynum grabbed another rebound and quickly pushed it to Kobe, who used a high screen from Pau Gasol to shake Carter.
He pulled up off the dribble.
Swish.
Smooth and steady.
Lakers 7, Suns 6.
The Lakers took the lead.
For the rest of the quarter, Blake Su struggled to find his rhythm. Curry, Nash, and the others also had difficulty scoring under the Lakers' intense defense.
On the other end, the Suns increased their defensive pressure on Kobe, but his post-up fadeaway was incredibly efficient.
Guarding him one-on-one was extremely difficult.
With 45.8 seconds left in the first quarter, Alvin Gentry called a timeout.
Lakers 29, Suns 21.
The Lakers led by eight.
At the commentary table, Van Gundy frowned.
"The Lakers clearly came prepared tonight. Their defense on Blake Su in the first quarter has been very targeted."
Mike Breen nodded.
Van Gundy continued,
"They have figured out his offensive habits. He likes to handle the ball, shake his defender, then shoot.
So they send help immediately. The moment he gets space, a double team arrives.
That has caused him a lot of trouble.
Of course, he can still shoot, and Artest knows that. So his defensive approach is to focus on contesting the shot rather than stopping the drive.
By locking in on the shot, Artest can apply even more pressure. Combined with the help defense, Blake Su has been effectively contained.
That said, they cannot completely shut him down."
Mike Breen added,
"Blake Su is still the Suns' biggest weapon, but the Lakers have forced them into a tough position. Curry is a solid second option, but he is not quite enough tonight.
He has not found his rhythm yet.
If the Lakers keep this level of targeted defense along with their already strong team defense, it will be a major challenge for the Suns."
Van Gundy nodded.
"Also, the Lakers' defense tonight is at a playoff level. They came here fully prepared to win."
During the timeout, the commentators continued their analysis.
On the Lakers' bench, Artest and Kobe slapped hands, clearly satisfied with how well the defensive strategy was working.
On the Suns' bench, everyone knew Blake Su was being targeted, and Blake Su himself was fully aware.
Leaning back in his chair, his expression calm but his thoughts heavy, he reflected,
"So this is targeted defense.
Even a defending champion has to constantly study how to contain a rookie like me. Interesting.
And it is working.
If I had not acquired the [Jordan's Post-Up Ability], I might not even know how to attack without calling for a screen.
Fine.
Since you are targeting me this hard, I will use this chance to test the power of the [Jordan's Post-Up Ability]."
...
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