During the break between quarters, George stared at the seven-point deficit, his head buzzing.
"What the hell? We're actually down seven?!"
"Man..."
Curry sighed.
"The Mavericks were never a bad team to begin with. Now Barea has caught fire from three, and Stevenson is playing like he's been injected with adrenaline.
"His defense has been incredibly aggressive.
"With both of them suddenly exploding like this, they caught us completely off guard."
Nash was equally surprised and frustrated by Barea and Stevenson's performances.
"Looks like Lady Luck is on the Mavericks' side tonight.
"But even with these 'X-factors,' all they've done is delay the blowout. As for actually winning? It's still far too early."
"Exactly."
Carter nodded.
"Let's give them no chances in the fourth quarter. One decisive run, and we finish this game."
"Yeah!"
Everyone agreed.
Blake nodded as well.
So what if the Mavericks had found a pair of "X-factors"? At most, they would only delay the inevitable.
They were still going to lose.
Before long, the fourth quarter began.
In just two minutes, Barea on offense and Stevenson on defense stretched the Mavericks' lead from seven points to eleven.
"Beep! Beep!"
Gentry called a timeout.
The Suns brought their starters back early. For the Mavericks, Nowitzki and Marion remained on the bench while Barea and Stevenson stayed on the floor against Phoenix's starters.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Blake controlled the ball at the top of the arc against Stevenson.
Stevenson had been playing out of his mind defensively tonight, but Blake paid him no mind.
He feinted a drive with one step.
"Whoosh!"
Then he rose and fired from three without hesitation.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
On the next possession, Barea, now overflowing with confidence, faced Blake and suddenly pulled up from three.
He wanted another one.
But...
"Smack!"
Blake blocked the shot cleanly from the front, charged ahead to collect the ball, then pulled up in transition for an extended three.
"Swish!"
It ripped through the net again.
Two threes and one block.
Blake personally sparked a 6-0 run, cutting the original eleven-point deficit to only five.
At the same time...
"Beep! Beep!"
Carlisle called a timeout and sent his starters back in.
But Blake had already decided to close out the game.
He had no intention of giving the Mavericks another chance.
7:13 remaining.
Blake stopped at the top of the arc, nearly a meter behind the three-point line, and immediately launched a towering three.
The next instant...
"Swish!"
It pierced the net.
5:07 remaining.
Once again, Blake stood at the top of the arc, nearly a meter beyond the three-point line.
With the shot clock about to expire, Nowitzki crowded him so closely that he was practically in his face.
"Whoosh!"
Blake still launched the deep three.
The result?
"Swish!"
Another make.
"How did that go in?!"
On the bench, Stevenson's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Blake has already made four threes in this quarter, and he continues to occupy Nowitzki's attention on defense.
"The eleven-point deficit has been completely erased. He's taking over this game."
Jon Barry stared at Blake, his eyes shining as he called the action at full speed.
"Nash circles around but can't find an opening, so he goes back to Blake on the perimeter. Nowitzki and Marion step up together to pressure him.
"Is Blake going to shoot again?
"No.
"He uses George's screen and accelerates toward the left wing. Is he driving?
"No! He suddenly steps back.
"He's taking another three from the left wing, well beyond the arc.
"Will it fall?!
"Bang!
"Another one! That's his fifth three of the quarter!
"Blake spent the first three quarters setting up his teammates, and he did it extremely well.
"But after the Mavericks' 'X-factors' emerged one after another and helped them take the lead, he switched into scoring mode.
"If no one on Dallas can step up now, Blake is going to finish this game by himself."
"Nowitzki has Blake one-on-one. Is he going to attack?
"No. He uses a screen to get George instead, then backs him down through contact.
"Here comes another One-Legged Fadeaway from mid-range.
"Will it fall?
"No!
"Frye secures the rebound and sends it out to Blake, who pushes the ball himself.
"He reaches the left wing. Is he going to fire another three?
"Marion and Nowitzki close in early.
"Blake... wow! He fakes the shot and drives instead, squeezing straight between them and charging into the paint.
"Chandler steps up, but Blake tosses the ball into the air.
"On the other side... George!
"BOOM!
"An alley-oop slam!
"Blake's individual threat draws three defenders, leading to another spectacular connection between Blake and George.
"With that dunk, the Suns now lead by eight, and the Mavericks have only 3:15 remaining.
"They desperately need a basket."
"Kidd drives from the right wing and enters the paint.
"It looks like he's going to pass back out to Dirk, but instead he whips it across to Terry in the left corner.
"Curry closes out.
"A crucial three.
"Will it fall?!
"No! Curry's contest forces the miss.
"The Suns are running again. Nash races into the frontcourt and sends the ball across to Blake without slowing down.
"Is Blake going to attack Marion off the dribble?
"No!
"He stops suddenly on the right wing, nearly a meter behind the three-point line.
"Holy crap!
"Another ultra-deep three!
"Marion is completely stunned. He rushes up to contest, but he's too late.
"This is Blake's sixth three of the quarter. Can he stay hot and finish the game right here?!
"Bang!
"It's good! It's good! It's good!
"He simply cannot be stopped!
"Blake has once again made six threes in a single quarter, tying the playoff record for three-pointers in one quarter and stretching the lead to eleven.
"And at the same time...
"He has ended this game."
Yes.
With Jon Barry roaring through the call, Blake's sixth three gave the Suns an eleven-point lead with only 1:22 remaining.
The Mavericks had no way back.
In the end, the Suns defeated the Mavericks by seven points, won Game 2, protected both home games, and took a 2-0 lead in the series.
After the game, Jon Barry smiled.
"Even with Barea and Stevenson emerging as two 'X-factors,' the Mavericks still couldn't withstand Blake's effort to turn the game around.
"Congratulations to the Suns on another home victory. They now control the series."
"Absolutely."
Mark Jackson nodded repeatedly.
"Through the first three quarters tonight, Blake had 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
"Then, in the fourth quarter, he buried six threes, several of them from far beyond the arc.
"He tied the playoff record for three-pointers in a quarter, scored 18 points in the period, and closed out the game.
"He finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks.
"No matter how many 'X-factors' the Mavericks produced, Blake still turned the tide by himself, powered the Suns to victory, and gave them a commanding 2-0 series lead!"