While everyone in the arena celebrated the Suns' game-winner and their trip to the Finals, Nowitzki walked alone into the players' tunnel.
His lonely figure was a painful sight.
After all, this had been the best year of his career, the year he had come closest to a championship. After losing tonight, he might never get another chance.
But that was basketball.
There would always be winners and losers.
...
The next morning, discussion of Game 5 between the Suns and Mavericks was already raging online.
"Insane!"
"That's the only word for it. Insane!"
"Blake, this 'Monster Rookie,' is way stronger than I ever imagined. He's completely beyond anything I thought possible."
"Exactly!"
"Seven threes in one quarter, 27 points in one quarter, 11 threes in a game. He broke three major records in a single night. Then there's the 55 points, back-to-back 50-point games, and game-winners in two straight games.
"And the best part?
"On that game-winning three at the end of Game 5, General Blake turned around and started celebrating before the ball even went in. That level of confidence was just too cool!
"He's ridiculous!
"Blake is absolutely ridiculous.
"He's so good it's hard to believe he's a rookie. Even harder to believe he's a center!"
"Seriously, the Mavericks were already a strong team, and everything seemed to be going their way in this series. Under those circumstances, even if they weren't going to sweep Phoenix, they should've at least won the series.
"Instead, the Suns beat them 4-1.
"All I can say is that Blake, that 'monster leader,' is terrifying."
"Gotta feel bad for Dirk."
"Seriously."
"Agreed."
"With Blake playing like this, I honestly don't know who can stop the Suns."
"Who else? Their opponent in the Finals will obviously be whoever wins the Eastern Conference Finals between Miami and Chicago."
"Uh... just say the Heat."
"Exactly. The Suns are strong, and Blake is incredible, but don't forget that Miami has the Big Three.
"They're the strongest final boss this season.
"They're unbeatable. They're going to win the championship and silence every last bit of criticism!"
"You're dreaming."
"Exactly. The Heat might be the final boss, but they're the villain. In movies and TV shows, the villain always gets taken down in the end."
"Quit joking around. Movies and TV are fiction. The Heat standing in front of you are cold, hard reality."
"Hmph."
"Hmph. We'll see."
"..."
The internet was already buzzing before the day had even properly begun.
...
Meanwhile, aboard a private jet flying from Miami to Chicago, the entire Heat team was traveling to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
"Hey, you all know by now, right? Looks like our opponent is going to be Phoenix."
LeBron spoke with a faint smile.
"So it really is them."
Wade shrugged.
Bosh shook his head. "The team we least wanted to face ended up making it after all."
"Can't do anything about that."
LeBron spread his hands. "The Suns are seriously strong this year because of Blake, because of that 'Monster Rookie.'
"They survived that tough first round and made it all the way here on pure ability.
"They've earned their reputation as the biggest dark horse of the season."
"Yeah."
Bosh nodded. "Phoenix is definitely one of the best teams in the West. They deserve their spot in the Finals."
"Hey."
Listening to them, "Flash" Wade curled his lip.
"Don't tell me you guys are actually scared of Phoenix."
He shook his head.
"Don't even think like that.
"Blake is strong, sure. So what? Forget the fact that we're the Big Three for a second. One-on-one, would either of you be afraid of him?"
"Not really."
Bosh shook his head.
LeBron shrugged as well. "Why would I be afraid of a rookie?"
"Exactly."
Wade crossed his arms, confidence written all over his face.
"Who cares who we face? We just have to beat them.
"This year, everyone's painted us as the villains. We've taken more criticism than anyone.
"So no matter who the opponent is or how strong they are, we have to be the ones who win.
"This year, we have to take that championship trophy and use it to silence every doubter and prove ourselves."
"Of course."
"Absolutely."
"Yeah!"
LeBron and Bosh nodded, while the rest of the Heat players chimed in around them.
The entire team was brimming with confidence about reaching the Finals and winning the championship.
The funny thing was, they were only up 3-1 on Chicago.
They had not won the series yet.
They had not even reached the Finals.
Yet they were already talking as if the championship was theirs.
That alone showed just how confident the Heat Big Three were.
...
At 9:00 p.m., Game 5 between the Bulls and Heat began.
For Chicago, a loss meant elimination.
Playing at home, the Bulls had only one goal tonight. Win, take another game, and keep the series alive.
"Aaaahhh!"
Before the game, D-Rose roared into the air several times, psyching himself up for the battle ahead.
He needed to lead his team to victory.
In the first quarter, Rose came out blazing.
A change of direction without losing speed.
A vicious, full-extension dunk.
A twisting double-clutch layup.
A midair pass after hanging in the air.
One spectacular play after another.
This season, Rose was at the peak of his powers, pouring everything he had into scoring and trying to keep Chicago alive.
By the end of the first quarter, the Bulls held a 5-point lead.
It was a good sign.
As long as they were ahead, there was still hope.
But starting in the second quarter, LeBron and Wade, two top-five players in the league, began taking turns hounding Rose with intense, suffocating defense.
Rose was elite.
But against those two alternating on him, sometimes even trapping him together, his efficiency inevitably began to fall.
And Miami had an advantage Chicago simply couldn't match.
When Wade guarded Rose, LeBron attacked.
When LeBron guarded Rose, Wade attacked.
And whenever they doubled Rose together, "CB4" Bosh could take over the scoring.
No matter the situation, Miami always seemed to have another offensive weapon available.
Chicago had Rose.
Only Rose.
When he was contained and his efficiency dropped, the Bulls started losing ground.
That 5-point lead?
Gone by halftime.
By the end of the third quarter, Chicago trailed by 8.
It did not look like an insurmountable gap, but the Bulls were growing anxious, and Rose was even more desperate.
He didn't want to lose.
Of course, nobody did.
The "D-Rose" gritted his teeth and kept attacking.
Again and again, he changed direction without slowing down.
Again and again, he charged into the paint and threw himself into crowds of defenders.
His offense became increasingly relentless.
Rose pushed his extraordinary athleticism and talent to their absolute limit.
Was he playing well?
Absolutely.
But Miami had the "Big Three."
They were playing just as well. Even if each of them individually was a fraction below Rose tonight, their combined strength was far beyond what one man could overcome.
The Bulls, facing elimination, played aggressively and fought with everything they had.
But they could only hold on for three quarters.
In the fourth, with 4 minutes and 11 seconds remaining, Chicago trailed by just 4.
Then LeBron, Wade, and Bosh suddenly unleashed a devastating run.
In the blink of an eye, the deficit ballooned to 14.
And by then, barely more than a minute remained.
It was over.
Everyone knew it.
The Bulls were finished.
There was no coming back.
...
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