Curry lived up to expectations

"Breaking records? What record did Carlos break again?!"

Some were puzzled...

Another comment came: "In NBA history, the record for the most consecutive Player of the Week awards is three times, set by LeBron James in March of the 05/06 season. And that was only in LeBron's third year in the league. However, Carlos, winning Player of the Week four times in a row, has broken this record, becoming the player with the most consecutive Player of the Week awards in NBA history. The key is... Carlos broke this record as a rookie, and the streak is not over. Carlos is likely to continue breaking his own record. This is amazing!"

"Wow!"

This statement caused another uproar among the fans.

"Carlos broke the record held by the 'record man' LeBron?!"

"So awesome!"

"Tsk tsk... truly a 'monster rookie,' unbelievably strong!"

"Haha... the stronger Carlos gets, the more I like him, and the more I look forward to Carlos leading the Suns in a fierce battle against the defending champion Lakers led by Kobe! Needless to say, it will be extremely exciting."

"Agree!"

"Well said, you know your stuff!"

"Alright, I wholeheartedly agree!"

"Uh..." Even though the internet was buzzing with excitement, there was still a game against the Raptors before the highly anticipated matchup with the Lakers.

The next day...

The Suns team, flying on a chartered plane from Cleveland, arrived at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and checked into a nearby hotel.

After a short break.

The Suns team entered the arena early, warming up. This was the last game of the three-game road trip, and they had to secure a win against the relatively weaker Raptors.

Soon...

At 9:30 PM, the game officially began.

Toronto Raptors starting lineup: 6'3" point guard Jose Calderon, 6'7" shooting guard Demar DeRozan, 6'8" small forward Linas Kleiza, 6'9" power forward Amir Johnson, and 7'0" center Andrea Bargnani.

Phoenix Suns starting lineup: 6'3" point guard Steve Nash, 6'3" shooting guard Stephen Curry, 6'6" shooting guard Vince Carter, 6'11" power forward Channing Frye, and 7'0" center Carlos.

"Jump ball!"

Carlos and Bargnani fought for the ball, despite Bargnani being the number one overall pick in 2006. However, compared to previous top picks like Iverson, LeBron, Howard, Rose, and others, the difference was significant. This gap was not just in popularity but also in corresponding strength.

"Bang!"

As usual, Carlos flicked the ball away.

"Bang!"

Nash caught the ball, initiated the first Suns' offense, dribbled to the top of the arc, faced Calderon, suddenly passed the ball to the left high post to Carlos, and then swung it to the left corner to Curry.

"Wow!"

Curry released a smooth three-pointer.

"Swoosh!"

Clean shot...

During the transition, DeRozan challenged Curry, constantly changing direction in advance, then accelerated to the right wing, abruptly stopped, and jumped for a mid-range shot.

"Swoosh!"

He made it too...

Not to be outdone, Curry, not only proficient in three-pointers but also with strong driving ability, continuously dribbled behind his back, creating a half-body distance from DeRozan, and accelerated into the paint.

Three steps to the basket, a high scoop shot off the backboard.

"Swoosh!"

He made it as well...

"Wow!"

In the commentary booth, Mark Jackson opened his mouth in amazement and said, "What's going on? Is Curry going head-to-head with DeRozan tonight?!"

"Hehe!"

Jon Barry chuckled, "Curry was the 7th pick last year, DeRozan was the 10th pick, with this momentum... they're definitely going to fight for a win or loss tonight. Hey, Mark, who do you think will score more tonight between the two of them?"

"I guess DeRozan. After 'CB4' Bosh left, he has become the core of the team with more ball possession, so naturally, he'll score more," Mark Jackson analyzed.

"No, no, no!"

Jon Barry shook his head and said, "I bet on Curry. His three-point shooting is more accurate than DeRozan's mid-range shots. This is hard to judge."

"Well, I bet my entire fortune on it. By the way... did you win the last bet?"

Mark glanced at him, and Jon Barry, with a smile on his face, said, "Of course, I won. Carlos not only made it into the top five highlights yesterday, but both of his steals, the 'No-Look' and 'King Kong' styles, also made the list."

"Oh..."

Mark didn't bother looking at him and turned his gaze back to the game.

On the court...

As the commentators expected, the first quarter turned into a showcase of individual performances between Curry and DeRozan, with Carlos and Nash feeding them the ball.

Curry was hitting.

And DeRozan's shooting touch was good, displaying efficient scoring with mid-range shots and drives.

At the end of the first quarter...

Raptors (24): (30) Suns.

Curry scored 11 points in the quarter, making 2 three-pointers, and DeRozan also had 9 points. Both had similar stats, but the teams' scores differed by a significant 6 points.

After all...

This "monster rookie" Carlos, even without going all out in the offense, still scored 7 points, and Nash added 5 points.

In contrast, except for Bargnani's 7 points, no other Raptors player made a significant contribution.

Second quarter...

Although George didn't perform well on the offensive end, his excellent defense didn't let the team fall behind.

After the timeout...

In the latter half of the second quarter, it turned into another personal showdown between Curry and DeRozan. As a result, Curry made 2 three-pointers, scoring 9 points, while DeRozan, shooting 3 for 5, only had 6 points.

Not long in the second quarter...

After halftime...

With both players showing similar efficiency, Curry scored 5 more points than DeRozan. The lead increased from 6 points to a substantial 14 points.

...

Coming back in the second half...

DeRozan's shooting touch dropped, and his efficiency in strong individual drives also decreased. Meanwhile, Curry continued to score easily with the help of Nash and Carlos.

In the middle of the quarter, another counterattack killed the game, and the Raptors, without "CB4" Bosh, were defeated by the Suns with ease, like a flock of sheep without a shepherd.

At the end of the third quarter...

The Suns were already leading by more than 24 points.

In the final quarter, neither team's starters came on the court, and the game became garbage time. However, George, who was on the court, played with effort and seriousness.

Gentry saw it and kept it in mind.

In the commentary booth...

"Hehehe!"

Jon Barry looked at Mark Jackson triumphantly and said, "The Suns were fantastic tonight. The whole team helped Curry create offensive opportunities, and Curry lived up to expectations. He hit 7 three-pointers in a single game, scoring 21 points. Nash got a smooth double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, and Carlos also effortlessly scored a near triple-double with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists."

As for the Raptors... DeRozan scored the team's highest with 25 points, showing remarkable efficiency. However, just as Jon Barry expected, he didn't score more than Curry, so Jon Barry won his bet.

Mark sarcastically said, "Congratulations on protecting your fortune once again. But... let me remind you, 'Touch pitch, and you will be defiled.'"

"Humph, I always win when I bet."

Jon Barry raised an eyebrow and then said, "Mark, do you know why I thought Curry would win?!"