The next morning, reports about Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals were already everywhere.
"In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the Mavericks produced one 'X-factor' after another and even managed to take the lead. But in the end, 'Monster Rookie' Blake turned the tide and rescued the Suns.
"Even with those 'X-factors,' the Mavericks were still no match for the Suns.
"Phoenix now leads the series 2-0 and has complete control."
From Fox Sports.
"The Western Conference Finals between the Suns and Mavericks initially looked completely one-sided in Phoenix's favor. However, the emergence of several 'X-factors' kept the outcome in doubt until the very end.
"Had Blake not taken over in the fourth quarter, the Mavericks might have won.
"It once again reminds us that on the playoff stage, where every player is fighting for victory and a championship, anyone can suddenly become an 'X-factor' and unleash unimaginable energy."
From The Sacramento Bee.
"Even with the Mavericks producing multiple 'X-factors,' 'Monster Rookie' Blake led the Suns to a comeback by making six threes in one quarter and posting a 40-point near triple-double.
"Phoenix now has more than an 80 percent chance of winning the series. Dallas' remaining 20 percent depends on more 'X-factors' emerging.
"Otherwise, they have no chance."
From The Houston Chronicle.
"Breaking news! Two more wins, and the Phoenix Suns will return to the Finals for the first time in 18 years.
"Let's look forward to that day!"
From The Phoenix Sun.
It was still early in the morning, yet newspapers across the city were already filled with reports about the previous night's Game 2 between the Suns and Mavericks.
News outlets had also prepared their stories in advance and posted them online, allowing countless fans to follow every development.
"Five threes in one quarter? Barea really is a 'Wonder Kid.' That kind of explosion was incredibly important for the Mavericks.
"And then there was Stevenson. He shut down all five Suns starters in turn yesterday. He even stopped Blake on one possession.
"That's ridiculous."
"Absolutely."
"The Mavericks only managed to survive until the fourth quarter because 'Wonder Kid' Barea and Stevenson both emerged as 'X-factors.'"
"True. But they still lost, and you can't count on an 'X-factor' appearing every game.
"Without another surprise performance in the next game, the Mavericks will get crushed. Once Phoenix goes up 3-0, Dallas can start packing for a fishing trip."
"Man, Nowitzki is incredibly good, but he's also unbelievably unlucky. He just happened to run into Blake, who surpasses him in everything from athletic talent to shooting."
"Exactly. Blake is known as an 'upgraded version' of Nowitzki, and he has the 'German Wunderkind' completely locked down.
"Why did Blake have to come along when Nowitzki was already here?!"
After Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, public opinion shifted even further toward the Suns winning the series. Almost no one still viewed the matchup as a fifty-fifty contest.
...
At 10:00 a.m., Blake woke up at his villa.
As soon as he came downstairs, he saw Mia Quinn busy in the kitchen.
"Blake, you're awake. Go wash up. I made you a nutritious breakfast."
"Okay."
Still groggy from sleep, Blake headed straight to the bathroom. After washing up, he came back out looking refreshed and fully awake.
"Quinnie made me a nutritious breakfast? Then I'd better give it a proper taste."
Blake sat down at the dining table. Mia Quinn carried over another plate, sat across from him, and smiled.
"Look. There's a sandwich with vegetables, egg, and ham, some pancakes, carrot-and-corn breakfast patties, milk, and soy milk.
"Go ahead and eat."
As she spoke, she pushed the plates closer to Blake.
"Then I'm digging in."
Blake picked up a sandwich and took a large bite.
Across from him, Mia Quinn watched with wide eyes, eagerly waiting for his reaction.
"Wow."
"Quinnie, this is really good. The sandwich is delicious!"
Blake nodded repeatedly and gave her a thumbs-up.
"Hehe."
Mia Quinn grinned, delighted by the compliment.
Blake took another large bite and looked at her in surprise.
"Quinnie, I never knew you could make breakfast this well."
"Hmph."
Mia Quinn gave a proud little snort.
"People improve, you know. I learned from an older woman while I was filming.
"She specializes in preparing nutritious meals for big-name stars. She's amazing."
"Oh, I see."
Blake nodded, then raised his thumb again.
"Not bad at all. Seriously good!"
"Hehe. Then eat plenty, Blake."
"Gladly."
...
At 9:00 p.m., Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and Heat tipped off.
Inside the villa, Mia Quinn lounged on the couch playing video games as usual. She had little interest in the game, while Blake sat beside her and watched it alone.
Of course, during loading screens or whenever her character died, she would still make a few comments about the basketball game to remind Blake she was there.
On the court, the Bulls were back at home after staging a comeback and winning Game 1 by a wide margin.
They were brimming with confidence.
Experts gave Chicago a 60 percent chance of winning tonight, meaning the Heat faced a real risk of dropping another game.
But once again, the game unfolded differently from what everyone expected.
From the opening tip, the Heat assigned "Flash" Wade to Rose.
Wade sacrificed his own offense and focused almost entirely on defense.
The objective was simple. Contain Rose.
Even if Wade and Rose effectively canceled each other out, Miami was perfectly willing to accept that trade.
The result was exactly what the Heat's coaching staff had hoped for.
Wade's offensive efficiency declined, but his intense defensive focus also dragged down Rose's efficiency.
With Rose unable to get going, Luol Deng, Boozer, and the others needed to step up.
But without Rose providing that explosive spark, Chicago's offense became hesitant and timid.
On the Heat's side, Wade was not contributing much offensively, but LeBron had taken charge of the attack from the start.
The longer the game went on, the more aggressive he became, and the better he played.
At the same time, "CB4" Bosh contributed high-post jumpers and post-up scoring.
With both superstars firing, the Bulls simply could not stop them.
At the end of the first quarter, the Heat led by six.
By halftime, the lead had grown to eleven.
After three quarters, Miami was ahead by fifteen.
The steadily widening gap was slowly eating away at the Bulls' confidence.
...
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