"That's true."
Mark Jackson smiled and said, "Although Carter's injury weakened the Suns' offensive firepower a little, once George stepped into the lineup...
"Not only did their defense improve, but their speed also picked up, making the Suns' run-and-gun even stronger. It feels like it has evolved."
"Exactly."
Jon Barry nodded in agreement.
On the court.
After three quarters, with George's defense on Gay starting to take effect, the Suns used their evolved run-and-gun strategy to outscore the Grizzlies by a full 19 points in the quarter. By the end of the third, the Suns were up by 17.
The game was almost blown open.
However...
In the fourth quarter, during the bench rotation, Grizzlies reserves Mayo and Sam Young combined for a quick 7-2 run, cutting the deficit to 12 points.
That gave the Grizzlies some hope of catching up.
On top of that, once the starters returned, the Suns tried to keep their evolved run-and-gun going, but several passing mistakes gave the Grizzlies chances to strike back in transition.
With 5:12 left in the game.
"Swish!"
Conley knocked down a mid-range jumper.
The Grizzlies cut the deficit to just 7 points, bringing suspense back into the game.
But... over the next two minutes.
"Swish!"
Blake Su first posted up Arthur and hit a turnaround jumper. Then, out on the perimeter, he used a one-step fake drive against Gay, pulled up, and fired another sudden shot.
"Swish!"
Another unreasonable make.
"Smack!"
On the change of possession, Conley tore through Curry's defense and drove inside for a scoop layup. Blake Su chased him down from behind and pinned the shot against the backboard with a huge block.
George secured the rebound and pushed it ahead to Nash. Nash threw a high lob to Blake Su, who caught it at the right high post against Marc Gasol, who had stepped out to guard him.
"Whoosh!"
An Allen Iverson signature crossover. One change of direction shook Marc Gasol clean off.
"Whoosh!"
Blake Su drove straight into the paint, planted, and exploded upward. Under the basket, Arthur sprang up from a standstill.
"Boom!"
Blake Su raised the ball high and dunked directly over him, smashing it into the rim.
In barely two minutes, Blake Su dominated both ends by himself, producing a personal 7-0 counterattack and stretching the lead back to 14 points.
However, only a little over three minutes remained.
The more anxious the Grizzlies became, the more they lost their rhythm on the Suns' home floor. In the end, they failed to complete the comeback and lost to the Suns by 11 points.
After the game.
At the commentary desk.
Jon Barry glanced at the stats and said, "39 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Blake Su was as steady as ever tonight.
"At the same time, George, whom everyone was paying attention to before the game, played 31.4 minutes tonight, threw down two dunks, and finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. His shooting percentage was a little low, but he performed very well on defense.
"Rookie George's first start of the season... met expectations."
"Yes."
Mark Jackson picked up the conversation and asked, "Jon, can you break down tonight's matchup between the Suns and the Grizzlies?"
"Hmm..."
Jon Barry thought for a moment and said, "Based on the pregame predictions, the Suns playing at home against a Grizzlies team without Randolph should have had a relatively easy time.
"But in the end, even though they won by 11 points, the process wasn't easy.
"As for why, I think there are a few reasons.
"First, Gay really was terrific tonight. His efficiency was impressive. At the same time... Marc Gasol and Conley were also steady. When all of them are playing well, combined with the Grizzlies' defense, that team still has plenty of fight.
"Second, with Carter injured and George moving into the starting lineup, the Suns' defense improved, their speed became sharper, and they produced an evolved run-and-gun with even fiercer firepower. That's good news.
"But there's no denying that they also made quite a few turnovers, which gave the Grizzlies some chances.
"George's chemistry with his teammates still isn't good enough, but that's part of the adjustment process. It's also the price the Suns' starting lineup has to pay after Carter's injury.
"Third, it still comes down to the individual ability of the 'Monster Rookie' Blake Su being too strong. If we say Gay, when he's in form, has an 'Unblockable Shot'...
"Then Blake Su's shot is the upgraded version of the 'Unblockable Shot.' Not only is it harder to block than Gay's, it's also more efficient.
"All of those factors combined led to tonight's result. The Suns won, but it was not as comfortable as expected."
"Yes."
Mark Jackson nodded in agreement and said, "That analysis makes a lot of sense. No matter how the opponent changes, and no matter how the Suns' new lineup needs to adjust...
"Blake Su... will always be the most important piece. His performance will always be the key factor that decides whether they win or lose.
"Tonight, the Suns beat the Grizzlies and gladly picked up their sixth straight win. Tomorrow night, the Suns will play the second night of a back-to-back on the road against the Grizzlies again. Will the Grizzlies get revenge at home, or will they suffer another loss?
"Let's look forward to it!"
With Mark Jackson's closing remarks, tonight's matchup between the Suns and the Grizzlies came to an end.
At this point, George's popularity was still fairly ordinary. His first start of the season did not attract much attention, but... the back-to-back rematch against the Grizzlies tomorrow did have fans of both teams looking forward to it.
In addition, after watching tonight's game, Coach Gentry had both things he liked and things he disliked. In fact, his view was not much different from the commentators' analysis.
He was satisfied with George's defense and the way he helped the team's run-and-gun strategy evolve.
What he was dissatisfied with was the team's chemistry, which still was not good enough, the increased passing mistakes, and the fact that some of Carter's usual threes were now being missed by George.
Still, overall, it was acceptable.
Before the end of the regular season, the Suns' remaining schedule would also serve as a process for building chemistry and testing the lineup. ... The next day.
9:00 p.m.
FedEx Forum.
On the Grizzlies' home court, another back-to-back matchup between the Grizzlies and the Suns began.
After battling the Suns deep into the fourth quarter last night, the Grizzlies had gained a fair amount of confidence. Tonight, at home and on the second night of a back-to-back, they were determined to hit back.
Take one back!
...
...
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