Chapter 157: In the last minute
"Threes, drives, boards, passes, steals—this rookie Carlos seems to be doing it all."
In the stands...
Pippen, realizing this as well, clicks his tongue in admiration.
Jordan nods slightly in agreement and says, "Just like the fans online say, this rookie Carlos doesn't play like a traditional center. Or rather... he's a revolutionary center!"
"Yeah, Carlos is flipping my understanding of a traditional center on its head. At first, I wasn't convinced by Carlos's perimeter-oriented style of play. But now... I'm feeling it might not be too bad, at least Carlos is doing it very well."
Pippen praises again.
"Facing the Celtics' All-Star five, Carlos, a rookie, is single-handedly keeping the team in the game. It has to be said, this rookie is kind of fierce."
Jordan, watching Carlos's figure returning to the locker room, shows a look of admiration and affirmation.
For a player to receive the 'Basketball God' Jordan's approval in his rookie season speaks volumes to Carlos's immense skill and talent.
...
A 5-point game, the suspense is still there, the outcome is uncertain!
Records are not easily broken, and the Suns will need to bring their A-game tonight, giving it their all.
Quickly...
The halftime break ends.
The second half...
The teams switch sides and continue the battle...
Celtics have possession...
Pierce starts the first attack with a strong drive, but the shot doesn't go through, however, Garnett grabs the board and kicks out to Rondo for a floater.
"Swoosh!"
It's good...
Nash brings the ball up, executing a familiar pick-and-roll with Curry, who gets a three-point opportunity.
"Clang!"
No good...
O'Neal secures the rebound, but Frye, contesting on the side, tips the ball out to Carter at the left high post, who drives to the rim, hanging in the air for a scoop shot.
"Clang!"
Again, no good...
Pierce grabs the rebound, hands it off to Rondo to push forward, who immediately throws a bullet pass, lightning-quick, to Ray Allen's hands.
"Boom!"
In a fast-break counterattack, Ray Allen unleashes a one-handed tomahawk dunk.
"Boom!"
The arena erupts with exclamations of awe.
'Jesus Shuttlesworth,' when he first entered the league, had the moniker of a 'dunker,' which, despite later transitioning to focus more on threes, doesn't mean he couldn't do it.
Carlos takes the ball upcourt, one-on-one against Garnett, lowers his center of gravity, drives from the left wing with an early, exaggerated crossover, shaking off Garnett, and bursts into the paint from the right wing.
"Stomp!"
Pierce and O'Neal's defense collapses on him in a flash.
"Whoosh!"
Carlos smoothly dishes to the other side, and Nash cuts to the basket for what is almost an open layup... but the shot from Nash is off.
Fortunately, Carlos grabs the offensive board himself, turns, and jumps for a second attempt.
"Swoosh!"
The putback off the backboard is good!
"What's going on?"
Inside the studio of the Mexican National Sports Television, Miguel blinks in surprise, "Aside from Carlos, the rest of the Suns players seem to be off. Nash missing an open layup, I can't believe it. It's troubling for the Suns if they play like this while behind."
"Yes..."
José nods affirmatively and adds, "This trend started in the latter half of the second quarter, though it wasn't very obvious, and now it's become more apparent.
Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and others.
They're not only good on the offense, but their defense is also solid. Right now, aside from Carlos, the teammates' performance isn't ideal.
In the latter half of the second quarter, it was all Carlos carrying the team. It seems even more the case now, breaking through on the Celtics' home court is really not easy."
The commentators continue discussing.
On the court...
Carlos speeds past Pierce to the right block, pulls up abruptly for a mid-range jumper, with Pierce closing in. But Carlos, jumping higher, releasing quicker.
"Swish!"
Nails the mid-range shot with confidence.
"Carlos is still the reliable option. Rondo advances, lobbing the ball to Garnett in the paint, who posts up Frye, half-turns for a hook shot amidst the contest.
It's good...
Curry pushes up, looking for Carlos, who hesitates with his dribble, then suddenly bursts forward with incredible speed, nearly leaving Pierce in the dust.
But...
Garnett and Ray Allen collapse quickly for help defense, yet Carlos, navigating through traffic, takes what he wants, slicing through their defense, and takes flight for the layup. Off the glass while in mid-air, and it drops."
"Ray Allen sneaks along the baseline, comes around a screen to the top of the key, catches the ball, and launches a quick trey. Carlos rushes out, flying towards him.
Wow—
Carlos leaps incredibly high, like he's got springs in his feet, and meets Ray Allen face to face with a block. Curry instantly breaks out, snatching the ball, completing an easy fast-break layup."
"Rondo passes without looking to Garnett in the low post, wide open. This shot? Wow... Again it's Carlos, emerging like a phantom.
He delivers a resounding block on Garnett, who was going for a power dunk.
Another block, and Carlos grabs the rebound, long pass to Nash at mid-court, who feeds a further advanced Carter, a coast-to-coast surge, capped by a soaring dunk, showcasing the veteran's spirit.
That's the Suns' run-and-gun, a breathtaking display catching everyone by surprise."
"Pierce drives to the basket, finding an opening among the crowd, scores off the glass. Carlos himself pushes the fast break, sprinting to the top of the key.
Facing Garnett, he doesn't slow down, accelerates to pass. No... he steps back for a three, rendering Garnett's block attempt futile.
This shot?!
It's in!
Carlos's three-pointer, like a blazing thunderbolt, unstoppable! And with this trey at 1 minute and 3 seconds left in the third, he ties the game, and the Suns take the lead by one. This... this is incredible!"
José's pace is astounding as he narrates with passion.
On the court...
The final minute.
Carlos blocks Pierce's drive, attracts the defense in transition, then dishes to Curry in the corner, who lets a three fly.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net...
Another successful defense follows, stopping Garnett's post-up move. The last possession of the quarter, 9.8 seconds, Carlos brings the ball up, settling at the top of the arc.
A meter beyond the three-point line.
Aware of Pierce's defense, he still pulls up for a three against him.
"Swish!"
With an exquisitely crisp sound, it's a dagger...
Carlos hits the three irrationally.
Leaving the Celtics with 2.2 seconds, Ray Allen's half-court heave for three doesn't hit, and the third quarter ends.
Inside the studio of the Mexican National Sports Television.
Miguel presses down on his mic, astounded, "If the latter half of the second quarter wasn't obvious enough, the entire third quarter, with the teammates' shoddy performance,
Basically, it was Carlos single-handedly taking on the Celtics' All-Star five!
In the last minute, with a personal 6:0 run under Carlos's offense and defense, the team went from trailing by as much as 9 points to leading by 7! Carlos truly exploded against the Celtics' All-Star five by himself!"
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