Spurs practice facility.
Parker, Tim Duncan, Ginóbili, George Hill, and the rest of the players were training seriously on the court when Gregg Popovich walked out of the coaching office and onto the floor.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
He clapped his hands, gathering everyone together.
Holding the schedule sheet, Popovich said seriously,
"You all know who our next opponent is, right? The Suns. They've just won 18 straight games. In just over a month, they've climbed from near the bottom of the Western Conference all the way to second place, only one game behind us.
They're strong.
Especially that 'monster rookie' Blake Su. A rookie center with generational-level talent.
He's trouble.
Everyone needs to take this game seriously."
In response—
The "GDP" trio all nodded. Having seen Blake Su play in person, they knew exactly what he was capable of.
"A rookie who beat Derrick Rose—Blake Su is seriously strong."
George Hill agreed.
As a fellow member of the 2008 draft class with Derrick Rose, Hill knew very well how terrifying the "Windy City Rose" was in terms of talent and ability.
And he had followed the Suns vs. Bulls game closely.
That was why he clearly understood just how formidable Blake Su was after outperforming Rose.
Undrafted player Gary Neal, however, curled his lip.
"Blake Su is strong? He's still just a rookie. How strong can he really be? Even if he's good, there's no way he can beat the GDP trio."
"Gary."
Tim Duncan cut him off immediately, frowning.
"You're not allowed to talk like that. Never underestimate Blake Su. Don't look down on him just because he's a rookie."
"Uh… right…"
Seeing Duncan so serious, Gary Neal realized he had spoken out of line and quickly nodded.
"Got it, Tim."
Although the Spurs were powered by the "GDP" trio, everyone knew that the unquestioned leader of the team was "The Big Fundamental," Tim Duncan.
That was beyond dispute.
His authority within the team, to a certain degree, rivaled even Popovich's.
His words carried weight, and his teammates listened with respect.
After Popovich finished giving instructions and left, Duncan added,
"The upcoming game against the Suns will definitely be a tough battle.
Stay focused.
Let's end their 18-game winning streak and take back the pride we lost when they swept us in the semifinals last season."
"Yeah!"
The players shouted in unison.
...
The day after the Wizards vs. Suns game ended, fans were already buzzing about the upcoming Spurs vs. Suns matchup.
First place in the West versus second place in the West.
A direct battle for the top spot.
Reporters, media outlets, and even the NBA itself all began covering the game heavily.
Every outlet that understood how important this matchup was did everything possible to report on it, rapidly pushing the hype higher.
However—
The game wouldn't begin until tomorrow night.
And tonight—
Three other matchups were drawing plenty of attention: 76ers vs. Magic, Jazz vs. Heat, and Bulls vs. Nuggets.
First, the 76ers vs. Magic.
Dwight Howard, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, dominated the paint with overwhelming force.
He finished with 27 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
Total domination inside.
He led the Magic to victory, making fans sigh once again:
"Superman is still Superman."
He remained one of the most dominant centers of this era.
Next—
The Heat vs. Jazz matchup.
The Heat had started the season with a terrifying 10-game winning streak, fully embracing the role of the league's villain and sending shockwaves through the NBA.
However—
After consecutive losses to the Bulls and several other teams, people began to notice something.
Despite having three superstars in their primes, the team didn't seem to mesh as smoothly as expected.
Their chemistry wasn't quite there yet.
Maybe they weren't as unstoppable as people thought.
Of course, that was only relative.
With the second-best record in the East behind the Bulls, the Heat's "Big Three" were still extremely dangerous.
Everyone in the league knew that this team would be a massive obstacle on the Lakers' quest for a three-peat—and for Kobe Bryant's pursuit of a third straight Finals MVP.
And regardless of how the Heat performed—
American Airlines Arena—or rather, any arena hosting a Heat game—would explode with popularity and attention.
Of course.
With "King James" LeBron James, "Flash" Dwyane Wade, and "CB4" Chris Bosh on the court, how could the atmosphere not be electric?
As for the game itself—
The Heat had their Big Three.
The Jazz countered with Deron Williams, Al Jefferson, and Paul Millsap, three tough players.
Especially Deron.
Combining strength and speed with elite passing skills, he ranked among the league's top-tier point guards.
He was the Jazz's biggest weapon.
In theory—
It should have been a fierce battle.
But the Heat had Dwyane Wade, widely regarded as the league's second-best shooting guard.
In terms of speed, strength, and overall ability, Wade could match—or even surpass—Deron.
Tonight, Wade completely suppressed him.
And the Heat still had Chris Bosh.
And an even more dominant presence—
LeBron James.
So—
The Jazz fought hard in the first quarter, fell behind in the second, and after halftime collapsed completely within a single quarter.
They were blown out by the Heat's Big Three.
The Heat showed the entire league that they were aiming straight for the championship this season.
The final game of the night—
Bulls vs. Nuggets.
It turned into a personal scoring duel between Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony.
Rose's unstoppable drives.
Anthony's versatile scoring moves
The two stars traded bucket after bucket in a spectacular offensive showdown.
However—
The Bulls, the No. 1 team in the East, still had the stronger overall roster.
In the end, Rose led the Bulls to victory.
Tonight—
All three games were thrilling, leaving fans thoroughly satisfied.
But ironically, these three exciting matchups only felt like appetizers.
Because tomorrow night—
The Suns vs. Spurs showdown, the battle for first place in the West—
Would be the real main event.
Soon—
That night arrived.