Half a quarter, a 21-point difference!
The Suns gave up the game, accepting another loss. Home fans weren't surprised; some even believed the Suns were intentionally rebuilding this year.
The starting lineup rested on the bench, fans chatted, and commentators discussed unrelated topics. The game continued.
After the timeout...
Carlos finally got on the court as he wished. Glancing at the score difference and time, he focused, "21 points in half a quarter? It's challenging, but there's still a chance."
The Suns had possession...
Substitute Dragic dribbled the ball, hesitated when he saw Carlos, a big center, at the top of the key, then quickly passed the ball and moved to the side.
Carlos had no intention of giving up the ball. Dragic's current strength was weak, and Carlos wanted to showcase his skills.
"Slap!"
Receiving the ball at the top of the key, Carlos faced Martin, a Wizards forward. Martin rushed to steal, but Carlos executed a swift between-the-legs dribble, evading the defender. He smoothly accelerated to the right, easily getting past Martin.
"Huh?"
Martin was stunned. He didn't expect this unfamiliar center to be so agile.
"Swoosh!"
In Martin's moment of astonishment, Carlos, positioned on the right side of the free-throw line, took a jump shot. The basketball sailed through the air, drawing a perfect arc and swishing into the net.
"Whoosh!"
Mid-range shot - success...
This series of events happened in an instant, flowing smoothly like water.
Nash on the bench closely watched Carlos. The textbook-like jump shot surprised and pleased him. He wondered if Carlos's earlier confidence came from skill.
On the court...
Apart from Nash, no one else cared about the game. With a 21-point deficit and substitutes playing, victory already belonged to the Wizards.
"Clang!"
Forward Trevor Booker missed a shot at the rim, and Carlos collected the rebound. Dragic reached for the ball, but Carlos pushed it away.
"Why is a center pushing the ball over half-court?"
Dragic shook his head slightly, dissatisfied. Before he could voice his complaint, Carlos made a quick stop and jumped for a mid-range shot from the free-throw line, scoring again.
"Another one?"
Dragic was stunned.
"Swoosh!"
In the next possession, Carlos made another jump shot, this time facing Martin's attempt to block. He unreasonably scored with the jump shot.
"What?!"
Dragic was shocked, not just by Carlos making three consecutive baskets, but by the fact that a 215 cm tall center continuously made sudden stops and jump shots from the perimeter.
The most surprised was Nash!
"Haha!"
Nash was quite happy. Carlos's performance exceeded his imagination.
Some rejoiced while others felt distressed. Nash was happy, but Wizards forward Martin, who had defended Carlos for these three rounds, felt uncomfortable and even a bit angry. He couldn't believe that, as a forward, he couldn't stop a center on the perimeter.
Receiving the ball, Carlos faced Martin again.
"Come on, this time I will block you for sure and let you know that centers should stay obediently under the basket."
Martin roared...
"You're too weak!"
Carlos shook his head slightly.
"What did you say?!"
Martin, angered by Carlos's comment, roared louder. He crouched down and was about to pounce, but Carlos didn't even look at him. With the ball in hand, Carlos jumped and released another jump shot, pressing his wrist.
"Block it!"
Martin's face turned cold. Roaring, he reached out to block, but at 201 cm, how could he block a 215 cm center with Allen Iverson's talent?
"Swoosh!"
The basketball flew far beyond Martin's fingertips, and in his bewilderment, the ball pierced through the net again, a swish.
"Nice shot!"
Dragic shouted excitedly. Nash on the bench was also thrilled. "Impressive! Carlos's mid-range shot is so accurate."
Carlos glanced at Martin, "Hey, can you be more serious? Jump a bit higher and give me some defensive pressure."
"Ah ah ah!"
Martin roared wildly. He had given his all to block, but Carlos mocked him for not providing enough defensive pressure, being mocked by a rookie.
Repeated defensive failures and taunts made him completely furious. With the ball in the frontcourt, Martin rushed towards Carlos, exerting force, and rammed into Carlos, charging straight to the basket.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort...
As Martin, who was about to dunk to vent his frustration, was about to dunk, a large hand descended from the sky and fiercely slapped the basketball away.
Who was it?!
It was Carlos!
"What?!"
Martin was shocked.
"Wow! What kind of jump is this?"
On the substitute bench, Nash, excited, couldn't sit still anymore.
"Thud!"
Just after blocking Martin, Carlos jumped for the rebound, passed it to Dragic to advance, and once again found Carlos in the high position on the left side.
"Step!"
Red-eyed, Martin rushed out like a madman, entwining Carlos.
However, Carlos ignored him, bent slightly, lowered his center of gravity, stepped suddenly with his right foot, accelerated like the wind, and stepped past Martin in one stride.
"Swoosh!"
Then, with a quick stop and a fadeaway jump shot.
"Ah ah ah!"
Martin went crazy, rushing up in a frenzy. In his panic, he slapped Carlos's arm in frustration.
"Bleep bleep!"
The whistle sounded...
"Swoosh!"
The ball went in!
Carlos made another mid-range shot.
"Impossible!"
Martin roared helplessly. He simply couldn't believe that this seemingly ordinary center could make such elegant jump shots from the perimeter.
And he had hit all five attempts!
"Swoosh!"
Standing on the free-throw line, Carlos made another free throw.
In just two minutes, Carlos made five consecutive shots, scoring 11 points and reducing the deficit to just 10 points.
"Bleep—bleep!"
Wizards coach Philip Saunders called for a timeout, despite having a 10-point lead with 10 minutes left. However, his attention was on Carlos, who had drawn so much focus. He needed to use a timeout to understand this unfamiliar center.
On the Suns' bench...
Carlos sat on a chair, shrugged his shoulders and arms, feeling quite satisfied with his new body.
"Two minutes, 11 points in a row. Carlos, you're doing great!"
Nash jogged to Carlos, handed him a white towel, patted him heavily on the back, and praised him with a smile.
Carlos took the towel to wipe off the sweat, shrugged, and said with a faint smile, "The opponent is too weak; it's nothing. If I were up against a scorer like Wall, maybe it would be interesting."
"You're too modest!"