Before the game, when the experts made their predictions, many commentators believed that the Suns, playing at home and carrying the momentum from crushing the "Heat Big Three," had a strong chance of blowing out the Grizzlies by halftime.
However, that was not how things played out.
The biggest variable was undoubtedly Carter's injury, which pushed George into the starting lineup and brought him under a little scrutiny.
But that was only speculation from the fans.
Inside the Suns' locker room, not a single player blamed George. In fact, no one thought this was his fault, and no one felt the game had slipped out of their control.
As for George himself, his defense on Gay in the latter half of the second quarter had not been great, but... he was learning from it and gradually adapting to Gay's offense.
Soon, the second half began.
The teams switched sides and resumed play.
Grizzlies ball.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
At the left high post, Gay once again faced George's defense. He leaned forward, kept the ball low, used a jab step to fake a drive, then...
"Whoosh!"
He burst forward for a real drive. Seeing George stay with him, he suddenly stopped, followed with a spin to create half a body length of space, and went up for another jumper.
"Hah!"
George shouted and leaped to contest, but still could not block it.
"Swish!"
The ball fell through the net.
"Wow!"
"Gay's touch hasn't cooled off at all. He hits another jumper over George's defense. He is in incredible form tonight!"
Jon Barry clapped in admiration.
But Gay's pupils widened, and his expression changed.
George's contest had nearly blocked that shot, causing him serious interference.
After all, Gay had already created space before shooting. With his physical gifts, an ordinary player would not have been able to bother him at all. Yet now, a rookie had managed to disrupt him.
"He's adapting to my offense?!"
Gay's gaze sharpened, and a sudden sense of danger rose in his heart.
Then, on the next possession, George defended him tightly again and challenged the shot, bothering Gay once more.
"Clang!"
Gay's mid-range jumper missed.
"Heh."
The corner of George's mouth lifted slightly. He did not talk trash, but his expression was filled with confidence, the confidence that he could defend Gay.
On the very next possession, the confident George once again stopped Gay's "Unblockable Shot."
"Clang!"
Gay's mid-range jumper missed again.
Fortunately, Marc Gasol grabbed the rebound and kicked it back out to Gay. Gay caught the ball, used his body to force his way past George, and attacked the basket.
"Thud!"
He gathered the ball and tried to finish through contact, but... George stayed with him completely. Gay could only force a difficult layup, and in the end, he had no choice but to pass the ball out.
"Whoosh!"
Conley caught it at the opposite high post and pulled up for a mid-range jumper.
"Clang!"
Short.
The rebound?
Blake Su, battling Marc Gasol under the basket, grabbed it and passed to Nash, who pushed quickly into the frontcourt. On one side, Curry sprinted toward the corner to find his spot.
"Whoosh!"
Nash charged toward the rim at full speed, drawing the attention of Tony Allen and Arthur.
"Whoosh!"
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Nash whipped the ball behind him without looking. The pass had plenty of speed on it, too.
"Smack!"
Blake Su, trailing the play, caught it perfectly and immediately rose for a three. Gay rushed back and lunged to contest, but he closed out on nothing.
"Swish!"
The ball pierced the net. Clean make.
"Great shot!"
"That pass from Nash was beautiful. It also shows the chemistry between Nash and Blake Su. Even without looking back, he knew Blake Su would be following the play."
Jon Barry exclaimed.
"Absolutely."
Mark Jackson nodded repeatedly, then added, "George's defense seems to have improved in the second half. He has stopped Gay's offense several times in a row.
"This should be exactly what the Suns' head coach wanted to see."
At the same time, on the Suns' bench, Gentry nodded slightly, satisfaction showing on his face.
George had missed several open threes in the first half, but Gentry did not care at all.
What he wanted... was this defense from George.
On the court.
"Swish!"
Gay drove again and finally managed to knock George back, pulling up from mid-range and hitting the jumper.
But... Curry took the ball and sprinted out at full speed, sending a long pass to Blake Su. Blake Su set up at the right side of the arc and raised the ball as if he were about to shoot a three.
But.
"Whoosh!"
As Arthur and Tony Allen both rushed at him, Blake Su swung a pass across the top. Nash trailed into the middle of the arc, caught the ball, and fired an open three.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
The possession changed hands.
Gay used a screen to shake George and attacked the basket from the right wing, but Frye disrupted him. The ball bounced off the rim again, and George secured the rebound.
"Whoosh!"
He passed to Blake Su at the top of the arc. Blake Su moved it without holding the ball, firing another long pass to Curry, who had sprinted into the frontcourt at the first opportunity. Curry settled at the left side of the arc and immediately launched a pull-up transition three.
Would it go?
"Swish!"
Good.
"Whoa... two straight possessions, and the Suns' counterattack speed is terrifying. This rhythm... the Suns' run-and-gun counterattack is here."
And then.
8:13.
"Swish!"
Marc Gasol used Arthur's screen, faced Frye, and hit a short floater from the low post.
"Whoosh!"
Nash accelerated with the ball and bounced a pass ahead to Curry. Curry raised the ball as if to shoot a three, drawing Conley's closeout and the attention of the Grizzlies defenders.
"Whoosh!"
A high lob.
Blake Su burst out from the right corner and soared into the air.
"Boom!"
Alley-oop dunk.
7:04.
Once again, Nash led the counterattack and set off the fast-paced run-and-gun. This time, he found Curry at the top of the arc, who then swung it to Blake Su on the right side of the arc.
The finisher?!
No!
"Whoosh!"
Blake Su threw another high lob toward the rim. While everyone's attention was on Blake Su and Curry, George cut in from the left corner and slipped under the basket.
"Boom!"
Two-handed alley-oop slam.
"Buzz!"
The powerful dunk left the rim shaking and groaning.
5:27.
At the left high post, Blake Su backed down Gay on a mismatch. He slowly worked into him, gathered the ball, and half-turned as if preparing to shoot. Gay suddenly lunged at him.
At the same time, the Grizzlies players all focused their attention on Blake Su.
"Thud!"
Blake Su used the opening to bounce a pass to Paul George, who was cutting through the free-throw line. George planted one step inside the line, rose into the air, and soared like an eagle.
"Boom!"
A one-handed tomahawk dunk, delivered in his first start of the season.
"Smack!"
As they ran back, George slapped hands with Blake Su. After already throwing down two dunks in the quarter, he looked unusually fired up.
"Boom!"
The home fans were just as fired up.
The Suns' gorgeous run-and-gun kept the atmosphere inside the arena surging, and the crowd was buzzing with excitement.
"Swish!"
On the following possession, Blake Su accelerated with one step, stopped abruptly at the right high post, and shot over Gay's defense, knocking down a tough jumper.
3:14.
Curry used George's screen, drove inside, then sent a behind-the-back pass to Blake Su at the left high post again. But the pass was a little too flashy and had a bit too much force.
Blake Su had to leap high to catch it, which gave Marc Gasol time to recover.
But.
"Thud!"
After catching the ball, Blake Su flowed straight into a step-back, retreating beyond the three-point line. Then... he suddenly pulled the trigger and chose to fire from three.
The ball shot out like an arrow from a bow, flying over Marc Gasol's head.
"Swish!"
It pierced the net.
"Boom!"
Blake Su turned what could have been a turnover into a cold-blooded three, instantly sending deafening cheers roaring through the arena.
At the same time, that three capped a 22-5 scoring storm for the Suns.
"Beep, beep!"
Hollins hurriedly called his second timeout.
His last timeout had done nothing to stop the Suns' terrifying run-and-gun storm.
At the commentary desk.
"Wow..."
Jon Barry opened his mouth and said, "Mark, why do I feel like the Suns' run-and-gun has gotten even stronger? It feels like they've taken it to another level!"