Chapter 462: No. 1 in the Power Rankings, the Basketball Holy Land
After the blowout in Boston, the first topic at every microphone was the same: Chen Yan's absurd stat line.
At the podium, Doc Rivers shook his head with a half smile. "I don't think I've ever seen a guard rebound like that. It's incredible. I'm not sure what Phoenix is doing schematically, but I'll study it as soon as I get back."
Mike D'Antoni was even more direct. "A guard putting up 40 and 20, that's unbelievable."
Amar'e Stoudemire sounded almost offended by how simple the night felt. "That was the easiest game I've played all season. On defense, I only had 1 job, box out."
Not far away, Diaw wore a faint smile, thinking the same thing.
The locker room interviews turned into a full on appreciation festival. Everyone had something nice to say, and nobody was shy about it.
Azubuike was the most enthusiastic of all. These days Chen Yan was not just his teammate, he was also his boss. If Azubuike was not going to praise him like a professional, then when exactly was he planning to earn a pair of signature AeroWing shoes?
…
At the press conference, reporters finally got Chen Yan in front of the cameras.
Chen Yan laughed. "Credit to my teammates. They boxed out like crazy tonight. That's why I could grab that many rebounds."
It was a smart answer. He took the spotlight without stealing the work. Nobody wants to sacrifice their body for your numbers if you act like you did it alone.
A reporter followed up. "Are you going to keep crashing the glass like this?"
"No, no, no," Chen Yan said, waving it off. "It's too tiring. And not every opponent fits this style."
It was the polite version of the truth. Rebounding is still a big man's territory. He could take a share when the matchup allowed it, but doing it every night would eventually create friction. Even winning teams can start fighting each other if roles get blurred.
Another reporter leaned in. "You're currently No. 1 on the MVP ladder. Have you thought about winning MVP in your second season?"
Chen Yan smiled. "If I said I never thought about it, I'd be lying. But my priority is still winning. I don't need to chase MVP on purpose. If the team keeps winning, awards take care of themselves."
"Talk about Derrick Rose tonight."
"Wow," Chen Yan said, genuinely impressed. "Derrick showed everyone why he went No. 1. Explosive athlete, but it's not just that. His skill package is real, and he plays with a clear head. He knows when to attack and when to move it. With him and Durant, Boston's going to be dangerous soon."
A reporter pressed again. "How do you think Durant played? You two were college teammates, good brothers."
"He could've been better," Chen Yan said carefully. "Durant has more in him than that."
He was being kind. Durant scored 20 points, but it took 22 shots, and the whole night felt like he was forcing the air out of every possession.
Right after the game, Durant did what he always did. He went online, read the comments, and when he saw people roasting him, he swapped to a burner and started arguing like his pride depended on it. For Durant, that was not just a habit, it was stress relief.
Fans were on fire.
"41 and 20, that's a super sized double double. Even Kobe hasn't done that!"
"With this form and this Suns record, Chen Yan might actually win MVP."
"An Asian player winning MVP? A few years ago that sounded impossible."
"Forget MVP, just making the NBA used to be something to brag about."
"Is Chen Yan the best shooting guard in the league right now?"
"Accolades wise, Kobe and Wade are still ahead. Skill wise, that's subjective."
"I turned on the TV and saw 20 rebounds. I thought the broadcast was broken."
"Plus 1. Chen Yan getting 20 rebounds is more shocking than 60 points."
Fans could understand a guard getting 20 assists.
A guard getting 20 rebounds felt illegal.
The last guard to grab 20 plus rebounds in a game was the original triple double king, Oscar Robertson.
The film breakdowns started immediately. People went frame by frame, pointing out how Chen Yan read the bounce, how he timed his crash, how he attacked space like a forward, and how his second jump was as violent as his first.
…
Then the league wide conversation shifted to the bigger picture.
In the newest ESPN power rankings, Phoenix took the No. 1 spot, no surprise at all. After a 24 game winning streak, nobody had a real argument against it.
The Lakers sat at No. 2, rolling with momentum, just a step behind.
The Mavericks were No. 3. The Dirk Nowitzki, Nash, Ray Allen, and Artest lineup was clicking. All Stars at their positions, skills that fit together without overlap, a clean blend of scoring, spacing, and defense.
The Cavaliers landed at No. 4. Their record looked strong, but the usual skepticism followed them, the East and West gap, schedule strength, all the classic debates.
The Nuggets were No. 5, the Spurs No. 6, and the Magic came in at No. 7 as another Eastern team that people could not ignore.
Beating Boston also gave the Suns the midseason "title," and practice got lighter. The mood was good, bodies were loose, confidence was high.
Chen Yan, meanwhile, kept pestering Nash to teach him the running floater. He had noticed how often Nash used it in motion, a soft shot that reached from a surprising distance and caught defenders between steps.
Chen Yan had a deep bag already, yet he still loved to "borrow" skills, like a professional freeloader who never forgot where he came from.
Nash taught him all morning.
Still no system prompt.
Learning new moves was always a bit random. Some guys could grind all year and gain nothing. Others would suddenly hit 2 skills in the same month like they won the lottery.
…
After a rest day, Phoenix flew to snowy Toronto.
Through 3 quarters, the Suns had balanced scoring, 91 points on the board, and a 2 point lead heading into the 4th.
Then Chris Bosh caught fire.
Bosh was the kind of star people overlooked because he did not shout for attention. But his offensive toolkit was deep: hooks, fadeaways, drives, face up work that was even more varied than Stoudemire's.
In the 4th, under heavy pressure, he hit turnaround fadeaway after turnaround fadeaway, almost automatic. He scored 15 points in the quarter.
His heat pulled everyone with him. The Raptors played with sudden confidence, the arena warmed up, and Phoenix's offense stalled like it had stepped into ice.
Chen Yan's touch felt frozen by the Toronto cold.
In the end, the Raptors pulled the upset at home, winning 123 to 116.
Pierce and Chen Yan had history, and Pierce had wanted to beat him since last season. Now he finally got the win, but he could not even enjoy it. Pierce was the Raptors' worst performer, going 2 for 9, basically earning a "lay down win" while Bosh carried the night.
Phoenix had played poorly over their last 3 games, losing 2 of them. They needed a reset.
Fortunately, the next stop was New York, and it was on the road.
Madison Square Garden is basketball heaven for fans.
For players, it is the holy land for getting your swagger back.
.....
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