Capítulo 152: Injuries truly are the devil!
[The Suns with a 22-game Hot Streak, Tying the 'GT' Rockets' Record!]
[Phoenix Suns Continue to Rewrite Franchise History with the Second Longest Winning Streak Ever!]
[Carlos Scores 29 in a Quarter!]
That night...
These three basketball buzzwords about the game were hotly debated by numerous fans on Twitter.
"It's been no time at all, just a blink of an eye, and the Suns have clinched a 22-game winning streak, ascending to first in the Western Conference and the league."
"Powerful!"
"Carlos is truly remarkable, he's rewriting the Suns' history. As a Phoenix fan, I'm incredibly proud that our team has Carlos."
"A rookie center dropping seven threes in a quarter, racking up 29 points, my goodness, that's just insane!"
"Carlos: I often feel like an outlier among the rookies because of my freakish performance!"
"Carlos: I'm in a league of my own!"
"Haha, almost mistook that for Carlos himself speaking."
"LOL, but 29 points in a quarter is just 70% of what Carlos can actually do!"
"70%? Ridiculous, you're underestimating Carlos's capabilities. In my view, that's barely 50% of his full potential."
"30%, no more!"
"Hey, hey, let's not go overboard, the last person who hyped Carlos this much, his grave's grass is now two meters tall."
"The guys above, you really know how to play!"
"Sure, scoring 29 in a quarter is impressive. But don't you think it's even more remarkable that rookie Carlos has led the Suns, not considered a strong team, to a 22-win streak? Now that's truly impressive!"
"Indeed, creating the second-longest winning streak in history as a rookie, how could that not be impressive?"
"Right, but to me, if the Suns crush the Celtics in two days, that would be the real deal and a brand new milestone."
"Oh?"
This comment instantly sparked interest among many fans, all awaiting the follow-up.
After a pause...
That fan continued to comment: "First off, taking down the Celtics would mean the Suns seizing a 23-game winning streak, surpassing the 'GT' Rockets' record.
That would be second only to the Lakers' legendary 33-game streak, solidifying second place in history.
Moreover...
Back then, the formidable 'GT' had their 22-win streak halted by the recently formed Celtics with the super Big Three of Ray Allen, Garnett, and Pierce.
Now...
It's the same streak on the line, against the same powerhouse team. It's uncertain if Carlos-led Suns can outdo the 'GT', overcome the Celtics' mountain, and secure the second-longest winning streak in history!"
"Wow- that's gonna be thrilling?"
"Totally looking forward to it. Plus, I remember the Suns have beaten the Celtics before, I'm sure they can do it again. Go Suns, go Carlos!"
"No, no, no, that's not how you should phrase it."
"Yes, the 'Big Four' Celtics have always been strong, but no matter what, I'm throwing my support behind Carlos, and that's that. Oh, and don't forget about the All-Star voting, fans who love Carlos, make sure to cast your vote!"
"Ah! Speaking about the All-Star voting, if my memory serves me correctly, at the end of the first round of voting, players ranking 6th to 10th in the Eastern Conference were all Celtics starters, right?"
"What?"
"Seriously? That's like saying the Celtics have an All-Star starting lineup!"
"What did you expect? Rondo, Ray Allen, Pierce, Garnett, and O'Neal – tell me, which one of them doesn't deserve to be an All-Star?"
"Yikes!"
"Scary stuff!"
"Even though they aren't at their peak anymore, except for Rondo, they're still seasoned veterans with substantial skill. When they come together, the power they can unleash is impressive. Suns' next opponent being the Celtics is just..."
"It's not going to be easy to win, really not easy, even though the Suns have beaten the Celtics before. This time it's still not simple."
"Yeah, facing a starting lineup of All-Star caliber Celtics, victory won't come easy. The Suns aiming for a 23-win streak, to hold the second-longest in history, it's going to be tough!"
"Tsk tsk... Carlos vs. the All-Star five!"
"So what, I support Carlos unconditionally, and the Suns too!"
"Hmph, the Suns can't do it, the Suns are going to lose – I've heard this so many times, I don't want to argue anymore. Just wait two days, when the Suns beat the Celtics, and we'll see who's right."
"Heh, we'll see—"
"Uh..." On Twitter...
As soon as the Suns' 22-win massacre over the Rockets ended, fans turned their attention to the more meaningful battle between the Celtics and the Suns.
It was a night of records.
Everyone was waiting for that night.
...
And about Carlos...
Feeling not so good, he didn't show it in the locker room, didn't dampen his teammates' spirits, after all, a 22-win streak is something to be happy about.
When he returned to the villa, it was already past midnight.
But Carlos wasn't sleepy, leaning on the sofa and staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"Injuries, they're truly a dreaded demon! Gustavo Ayon is a prime example, only 30 this year, at the peak of his career, yet sidelined for the season with an injury, ending his professional journey prematurely.
'The Yellow Mamba' Roy, dubbed 'Kobe's successor,' was also ruined by injuries, retiring after just a few years.
'The Windy City Assassin' Rose, the youngest MVP in history who took one from 'King' LeBron's 5-time MVP reign, once hailed as 'Jordan's successor.'
In the end... also ravaged by injuries, a rose that wilted, causing countless regrets!
In addition to them, there's 'Big Cuz' Cousins, the youngest player before Carlos to score 50 points, Jennings, 'Mr. Big Shot' Chauncey Billups, and other stars.
All because of injuries, they faded early into mediocrity.
Injuries are the devil, showing no mercy to anyone, especially major ones like Achilles ruptures. Once they set their sights, they'll do everything to break the player down until destruction."
The more Carlos thought about injuries, the more he panicked.
However...
Nothing is certain, there are players who've dodged the bullet.
'General' Paul George, after suffering a 'broken leg,' was reborn from the ashes, playing even better than before. During his recovery, he once said in an interview:
"After a serious injury, it's not just the decline in physical abilities that's frightening, but the psychological impact of long-term treatment and being benched.
The mental pressure grows over time, to the point where I was afraid to even think about my future career!
Injuries truly are the devil!"
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