Steal

76ers (20): Suns (33).

End of the first quarter.

The Suns turned the tables, winning by 13 points in just one quarter!

"The Suns' fast-paced and entertaining tactics are not only a visual delight but also incredibly efficient. While fans enjoy the game, the point difference inexplicably widens."

During the break...

Jon Barry couldn't help but comment, "Yes..."

Mark Jackson nodded and added with a smile, "The Suns' fast-paced tactics are their specialty, and players like Carlos, Curry, Nash, Carter, and even Frye all have shooting abilities. Once they find an opportunity, they score without mercy."

"Exactly..."

Jon Barry agreed, "The key is Carlos, the absolute scoring powerhouse. Whenever there's a chance, he scores without hesitation. Tonight, in the first quarter, Carlos, defended by Hawes and Iguodala, made three three-pointers and scored 15 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Powerful! Truly powerful!"

"Hey!"

Mark Jackson chuckled and reminded, "Don't forget the 2 steals, especially that 'no-look' steal at the beginning; it was cool!"

"Haha, you're right."

"At this pace, the Suns might kill the game in three quarters tonight," the commentator remarked.

The brief five-minute halftime break ended.

Second quarter...

First, the matchup between the substitutes.

George, who had a brief outbreak in the last game, came on the court. Despite being defeated in defense against Rose, it was overall more beneficial than detrimental for a rookie.

"Swoosh!"

On his first offensive possession, George faced small forward Thaddeus Young, made a mid-range shot, showing good form and seeming to be in good shape.

But... before he could break out, Louis Williams exploded. He continuously scored against Dragic from the outside.

Then, Thaddeus Young, despite being a substitute, ranked among the top three in the team in average points per game, displaying strong scoring ability.

Louis Williams + Thaddeus Young, a 5-minute and 13-second showdown between substitutes, completely overwhelmed the Suns. The 13-point lead was reduced to 6, with only 7 points left.

"Buzzer!"

Gentry called a timeout.

Both starting lineups returned. Thaddeus Young continued to play instead of Hawes, while George, who was facing him, could only sit on the bench.

"Cut—"

George snorted softly, feeling a bit unhappy inside.

It wasn't because the coach didn't let him play, but because he didn't score much and felt not strong enough!

On the court...

The game continued...

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Carlos brought the ball himself, facing Thaddeus Young at the top of the arc, 1 meter beyond the three-point line. Without any fancy moves, he lifted his hand for a three-pointer.

Facing Thaddeus Young's defense for a long-range shot.

"So arrogant?"

Thaddeus Young was first stunned, his face darkened, then he jumped to block Carlos's shot. However, the basketball flew over his fingertips at a height he couldn't reach, drawing a beautiful arc in the air.

"Swoosh!"

The basketball pierced the net.

Three-point shot made.

"Immediate impact."

"Carlos scores as soon as he comes on; that's the demeanor of a team leader!"

Transitioning from offense to defense...

Iguodala used his physical talent to overpower Nash, charged into the paint, carried Frye, twisted his body for a layup, which was somewhat challenging, missed the shot, and...

Scoring wasn't Iguodala's specialty either.

"Smack!"

Carlos, following behind, protected the rebound, was about to push forward, his gaze suddenly focused, then he forcefully passed the ball, the basketball crossing the entire court, finding Curry at the top of the arc in the frontcourt.

"Whoosh!"

Curry caught the ball and hit a three-pointer on the fast break.

"Swoosh!"

A shot straight to the heart...

With one attack and one assist led by Carlos, the score instantly returned to a 13-point lead. The pressure was immense on the 76ers, and they urgently needed someone to step up and score or defend against Carlos.

"Swoosh!"

Holiday pushed forward, surveyed the entire court, moved his steps to the right, seemingly preparing for a right-side drive. However, he executed a bounce pass to the left, reaching Brand under the left basket.

"Smack!"

Brand, the team's top-scoring power forward, a strong and robust player, backed down against Frye, forcefully driving to the basket, exerting power from his lower back to further challenge Frye.

"Whoosh!"

A sudden turn, shaking off Frye.

But just as Brand turned around to prepare for a powerful dunk, Carlos from the wing lunged forward, his large hands directly pressing on the basketball.

Then...

"Smack!"

The mighty Carlos forcefully snatched the ball away from Brand's hands.

Brand, who hadn't reacted, jumped up but found the basketball was already gone.

"Wow—"

Sideline fans near the basketball hoop widened their eyes, shocked by Carlos's brutal steal.

"My God!"

"What is Carlos doing? He snatched the ball right out of Brand's hands? Mark, have you ever seen a center steal like this?!"

Jon Barry was astonished.

Mark Jackson, who had also seen everything clearly, laughed and said, "I've seen centers make more brutal blocks than this. But... I've never seen a center snatch the ball so violently."

However...

During their commentary, on the court, Iguodala, like a giant, was preparing for a powerful layup in a swift moment.

"Smack!"

Carlos extended his long arm and intercepted the basketball once again.

Even though Iguodala, in mid-air, exaggerated his hand motion to the extreme, the referees paid no attention. Because... it was indeed a clean and neat interception.

Two steals, two fast-breaks.

"Swoosh!"

Nash effortlessly laid up again, and then Carlos hit a trailing three-pointer, instantly widening the 13-point gap to 18.

At the same time, the Suns' offense became even more unstoppable.

End of the half...

76ers (42): Suns (63).

Just half a game, a 21-point difference, and the game seemed to be decided.

"The 76ers can't keep up with the Suns' fast-paced run-and-gun tactics. Carlos's consecutive steals have repeatedly disrupted the 76ers' offensive rhythm. It's a back-and-forth... but the 76ers, trailing by 21 points, have collapsed in just half a game."

Jon Barry analyzed.

"Exactly..."

Mark Jackson agreed, "The 76ers don't have a stable scoring point like Carlos. The Suns score quickly in their run-and-gun, while the 76ers fail to score in their counterattacks. A few back-and-forths, and the gap is evident. Of course, the rapid collapse of the 76ers tonight is also mainly due to Carlos's jaw-dropping steals, which have boosted the team's morale several times. A 'no-look' steal and a 'King Kong'-like brutal steal, truly remarkable. The sharp sense of stealing, especially from a center, is hard to imagine!"