NBA M3 - Chapter 571: Going at the Big Fundamental, A Windmill Dunk Born of Frustration (Patreon)

“Jump ball!”

DeJuan Blair was San Antonio's center, but Tim Duncan had stepped up for the opening tip. Phoenix had done something similar, leaving Yao Ming at center while Blake contested the jump. Which of the two would win it?

The answer was obvious.

“Smack!”

Blake got to the ball before Duncan and tipped it toward Yao. Yao collected it and passed to Nash, who brought the Suns forward for their opening possession.

At the top of the arc, Nash handed the ball to Blake and moved to one side while Curry spread out to the other. George waited on the wing, ready to set a screen, and Yao occupied the paint. Standing directly in front of Blake was Tim Duncan.

Two players who were essentially centers facing each other outside the three-point line on the game's first possession. It wasn't something you saw every day.

“Blake!” Duncan stared at him and said in a low voice. “In just one season, you're already showing signs of becoming the best player in the league. You've improved even faster than I expected.”

“Heh.” Blake smiled at the man known as the “Sea King.” “It's because you motivated me that I've gotten this good so quickly.”

“Don't give me that.” Duncan kept his usual deadpan expression, but his voice was serious. “Right now, you've only shown the potential. Until you actually become the best player in the league, I'm going to keep you in check.”

“Is that so?” Blake couldn't help smiling at the contrast between Duncan's expressionless face and his fierce words. “Then by all means, try.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Blake lowered his stance, took the ball in his left hand, and burst left before snapping it back across his body with a huge crossover.

“Whoosh!”

One crossover was enough to leave Duncan behind. Blake accelerated down the right side and attacked the paint. Gathering for the finish, he ignored Blair waiting under the basket, extended his long arm, and soared toward the rim like an eagle.

“BOOM!”

He threw down a ferocious dunk right over Blair. The rim rattled under the impact.

Suns 2, Spurs 0.

Blake had drawn first blood with a poster dunk.

On the next possession, Parker brought the ball to the left side of the arc and attacked Nash directly. He accelerated into contact, spun past Nash with his signature move, and lifted a floater.

“Swish!”

Good! Of the GDP trio, Ginóbili was thirty-four and Duncan was thirty-five. Both were getting older. Parker, however, was only twenty-nine and firmly in his prime. His drives were still sharp, quick, and difficult to contain.

Phoenix came right back. Nash pushed the ball up the floor, determined to redeem himself after Parker had beaten him one-on-one.

But time had taken its toll, and Nash couldn't get past him. He wasn't stubborn enough to force the issue, either. Instead, he passed to Blake on the left side of the arc.

“Thud!”

Duncan moved into position, and the two faced each other once more.

Blake was attacking a superstar widely regarded as the greatest power forward in history. He gave Duncan a jab step as though preparing to drive. The instant he saw Duncan lower his center of gravity, Blake rose for a three.

“Whoosh!”

“Hah!” Duncan's eyes widened. He lunged to contest the shot, but he was already too late. The ball sailed well above his outstretched fingertips.

“Swish!”

Nothing but net.

“Whew...” Duncan shook his head, astonished. How can a center shoot threes that accurately? How is that even possible?

On a subsequent Suns fast break, Blake raced into position at the top of the arc. Duncan closed out on him, but Blake simply pulled up for another three.

“Swish!”

Another make. Duncan could hardly believe it.

San Antonio's turn. Parker again tried to exploit Nash, but George rotated over to help. Parker immediately moved the ball to Jefferson on the opposite side.

“Step!”

Blake closed out, and Jefferson swung the ball on again. That was the Spurs' approach: keep moving the ball, be patient, and don't force a shot until the right opportunity appears.

“Catch!”

Duncan received the pass at the top of the arc, where he'd been facilitating the offense. This time, there wasn't a defender anywhere near him.

Remembering Blake's effortless three-pointers, Duncan looked at the basket, glanced at the empty space around him, and decided to shoot from deep himself.

“Wow! A three from Tim Duncan?” Jon Barry exclaimed from the commentary table.

Would it go in?

“Clang!”

No.

“That's not really Tim's range,” Barry said with a chuckle.

“True,” Mark Jackson replied with a smile. “But I've heard Tim worked on his three-point shot during the offseason. If he's that wide open, I can understand why he'd try it.”

“Oh?” Barry looked surprised. “First ‘Superman’ Howard starts working on threes, and now Tim Duncan? These guys are supposed to dominate the paint. Why are they all practicing from beyond the arc?”

“Hehehe!” Jackson laughed and pointed toward Blake. “Who do you think inspired them?”

Back on the floor, Duncan shook his head after the missed three, privately marveling again at how accurately Blake could shoot from that distance.

“Smack!”

Yao Ming secured the rebound.

“Curry brings it up and finds Blake at the right high post!” the commentator called. “And there's Duncan again! Blake really wants to score tonight. What's his move going to be?”

With his back to Duncan, Blake spun into a turnaround jumper and released it right over the veteran's defense.

“He takes the shot with Tim right in his face! Duncan gets a hand up! Can he make it? Yes! It's good again! Blake keeps going straight at Duncan. Four minutes in, he's already got ten points. That's ruthless!”

The next play went the other way in a hurry.

“Parker steals it from Paul George! Ahead to Richard Jefferson, who spots up on the left side of the arc. A transition three... good! What a shot!”

But the Suns were just as quick in transition.

“Nash races up the court and finds Carter on the right, fresh off the bench for Curry! Will Carter take it himself?

“No, bounce pass to George cutting in from the left! George heads for the rim, but Duncan's protecting the paint! What's he going to do?”

George bounced the ball across the lane again.

“Wow! Blake's cutting in from the right corner! He catches it and takes off! Duncan sees him and jumps to block it, but he's too late!”

“BOOM!”

Blake hammered the ball through the hoop over Duncan's head.

“And there's the whistle! Count the basket!”

Blake had just posterized Tim Duncan.

“BOOM!”

The home arena erupted with thunderous cheers.

Even grabbing his arm wasn't enough?!

Duncan had tried to stop the play with a tactical foul. Instead, he'd been dunked on and had picked up the foul anyway.

As the ball bounced up from the floor, he caught it in frustration. With nowhere else to direct his anger, Duncan performed a standing windmill dunk on the spot to let it out.