[Ding! Random Quest Triggered: Record a "near-quadruple-double" (30+ points) in a single game and win the match. Reward: Michael Jordan's post-up ability.
Note: A "near-quadruple-double" means reaching 8 or more in any four of the five categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.]
Jordan?
Post-up moves?!
The sudden appearance of the random quest made Blake Su's tense expression ease slightly. The moment he caught those two keywords, a surge of excitement rose in his chest.
He already had speed, height, and a solid shot, but his post-up game was practically nonexistent. If he could gain [Jordan's Post-Up Ability], his overall strength would take another leap forward.
However.
After reading the mission requirements, his face fell again.
"30+ near-quadruple-double? This isn't easier than the previous 40+ triple-double. It's actually much harder, and by a lot."
That was the truth.
A "30+ near-quadruple-double" was on an entirely different level.
Looking across NBA history, players had created and broken all kinds of high-difficulty triple-double records. But when it came to quadruple-doubles, let alone records, they were rarely even mentioned.
By the same logic, a near-quadruple-double was extremely difficult, especially one with 30+ points. Even if scoring was set aside, the challenge was still enormous.
Because for elite guards, steals and assists were strengths, while rebounds and blocks were weaknesses. For elite forwards, rebounds and blocks were strengths, while steals and assists lagged behind.
As a result, most players could only excel in three categories at once, which made a near-quadruple-double incredibly hard to achieve.
"..."
Blake Su listened to the System task, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"The team has already fallen into the abyss tonight. Winning is basically hell-level difficulty. So... they want me to get a 30+ near-quadruple-double and lead a miracle comeback?"
The thought had just formed when he shook his head.
Given his current condition, pulling off a 30+ near-quadruple-double tonight was unrealistic.
He also realized that random tasks appeared randomly. There was no cause-and-effect relationship. Whether the team won or lost had nothing to do with completing the System task.
Still.
After thinking it through, Blake Su pushed the task to the back of his mind. The frustration he had been feeling began to fade, and he refused to give up on the game.
He did not want to give up.
A 20-game winning streak ending here was not something he was willing to accept.
"Hey!"
Looking at his dispirited teammates, Blake Su spoke seriously.
"Don't give up. We still have a chance. Let's try again. Even if it doesn't work out, at least we can say we gave it everything and have no regrets."
"Exactly."
Steve Nash nodded in agreement.
"The Jazz's 'Devil's Home Arena' is tough, but it's not unbeatable. There's always a chance to win. What matters is sticking with it and not giving up."
With encouragement from Blake Su and Steve Nash, the two leaders of the team, the Suns players slowly regained their energy. They still did not believe a comeback was guaranteed.
But at least.
They were willing to try.
Curry was still down. Blake Su sat beside him and smiled.
"Hey, Steph, pull yourself together. I'm the injured one tonight. We're counting on you to carry us."
Curry lifted his head slightly. Seeing Blake Su's warm smile, he froze for a moment before nodding firmly.
"Sorry. That was on me. Blake Su, I'll give it everything I've got."
"Oh!"
"Smack!"
They slapped hands as they looked at each other.
At that moment, every Suns player was fired up again.
Second quarter.
The bench units rotated in first. Curry led the offense and managed to score, but his touch still had not returned, and his efficiency remained low.
This time, though, he did not lose confidence.
At the 4:09 mark of the rotation, the Suns barely cut the deficit by 3 points, but they were still down by a massive 18.
"Beep beep!"
The Jazz called a timeout.
Both teams brought their starters back, and Curry stayed on the floor.
"Thud, thud, thud!"
Deron controlled the ball at the top of the key. Facing Steve Nash, he executed a double crossover in front, creating half a step of separation before accelerating toward the basket.
Steve Nash tried to apply pressure but was simply knocked aside.
"Whoosh!"
Deron charged into the paint, gathered the ball, and went up for a layup. Midair, he switched hands to avoid Frye's block and finished with a left-handed scoop.
"It's in!"
Al was certain.
But almost at the same instant, Blake Su appeared from the side, rising into the air. His long arm stretched straight out, and at the very limit of his reach, his fingertips met the ball.
"Bang!"
The shot was pinned against the backboard and sent flying.
"Snap!"
Steve Nash grabbed the rebound and immediately pushed the ball upcourt. He found Curry on the opposite side, who caught it and launched a fast-break three.
Was it in?
"Clang!"
Still no.
"A wide-open fast-break three. That was a perfect chance to build momentum and cut the deficit, but Curry just doesn't have his touch tonight. Another wasted opportunity..."
Wow!
Where did Blake Su come from? He snatched the rebound right over Jefferson, then kicked it out to Curry on the perimeter. Curry set his feet and fired again.
Bang!
This time, it finally dropped.
Wow!
Blake Su was clearly dealing with a headache. He was clearly not at his best. The team was clearly deep in a hole. And yet he kept blocking shots and grabbing rebounds, fighting with everything he had.
He was leading the team to slowly chip away at the deficit.
Blake Su...
Van Gundy could not help but marvel.
On the court, Blake Su suddenly burst out of the paint, cutting off Deron's pass to the corner. He swatted the ball away and dove to the floor.
He secured the loose ball.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Deron and Millsap rushed in to contest it.
A loose ball scramble.
In the chaos, Blake Su found a window and tossed the ball out. Steve Nash, waiting nearby, caught it and immediately pushed the fast break, looking toward Curry on the other side.
No.
This time, Steve Nash drove himself. Kirilenko was already back on defense, having retreated while the others were fighting for the loose ball, and now locked onto Nash.
"Whoosh!"
Without even looking at him, Steve Nash drove deep into the lane, then suddenly passed the ball behind his back as if he had eyes in the back of his head, hitting Blake Su, who had sprinted up the floor.
"Step!"
Blake Su gathered the ball and went straight into a three-step takeoff, finishing with a powerful, axe-like dunk.
"Boom!"
The sheer force of the dunk made the rim tremble.
From blocking Deron, to ripping a rebound over Jefferson, to assisting Curry's three, to intercepting Deron's pass and diving for the loose ball, and finally to throwing down a thunderous fast-break dunk.
From defense to offense, Blake Su did it all himself.
At the most critical moment of the comeback, he led the team on a 5-0 run.
In the Jazz stands, a curly-haired middle-aged man holding a bucket of popcorn froze mid-motion, staring in disbelief.
"Block, steal, and dunk? What is going on?!
Blake Su is dealing with altitude sickness, has a headache, and isn't even in good condition. How is he still dominating on both ends like this?!"