Chapter 531: Picking on Old Fish
The Suns went into halftime down by 11.
Nothing about their first half looked right. Their rhythm was off, the shots were not falling, and even the flow of their offense felt stiff.
Sometimes, too much rest was not a blessing. Phoenix had wrapped up its previous series early and ended up with the longest layoff of any team left in the field. Instead of coming in refreshed, they looked like a group that had forgotten where the rim was.
During the break, Barkley and Kenny Smith talked through the problem. Anyone watching could see what was happening. The Suns simply could not buy a bucket.
Back in the locker room, D Antoni lost his temper for once. It was not just the score that bothered him. He was angry at the way his team was playing.
He pulled Chen Yan aside and gave him a direct order. In the second half, attack the basket more. Use the pick and roll. Hunt mismatches. Force the issue.
In the first half, Chen Yan had only 10 points and 2 assists. He was 4 for 9 from the field. He had not imposed himself, and his jumper was only average.
The Lakers' twin towers had also made his drives much more difficult than usual.
D Antoni wanted to use Chen Yan's individual offense to crack the game open first, then let that pressure create cleaner opportunities for everyone else.
That had always been his answer whenever the Suns got stuck. When the offense stalled, he handed the keys to Chen Yan and told him to break it by force.
"The Suns have to get tougher on defense," Barkley said.
Kenny shook his head. "If Phoenix wants to come back, it still has to start with offense. This team wins with pace and firepower, not with defense."
That was the sharpest read of all.
The Lakers had scored 58 points in the first half, but that was not some outrageous collapse on Phoenix's part. With Kobe and Garnett on the other side, this was more or less what the Suns' defense was built to allow.
The real issue was on the other end. Phoenix had only 47.
When the third quarter began, D Antoni sent out Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Barnes, and Stoudemire.
The plan was obvious.
Nash and Raja Bell would space the floor. Novak had been cold all night, so D Antoni went with his more reliable perimeter options. Barnes would stretch the weak side as much as possible, and Stoudemire would either dive to the rim or screen for Chen Yan.
As long as Chen Yan could shake free, he would have a runway. If the help rotated, he could finish or kick to the open man.
It was a very Lakers style solution, especially the sort of thing they liked to do late in games with Kobe. D Antoni had seen enough of Phil Jackson's team over the years to borrow a page or two.
At its core, though, the tactic was brutally simple. Put the ball in the hands of your best player and trust him to solve the problem.
That only works when you have a superstar.
Chen Yan knew exactly how much pressure was on him now. If Phoenix was going to come back, it would start with him.
The Lakers got the first possession of the half.
Fisher walked the ball over half court and swung it to Kobe at the top. Kobe barely held it. He immediately reversed it to Garnett on the wing.
The Suns opened in a 2 3 zone.
Garnett held the ball high and looked inside, appearing ready to feed Camby in the middle, but Diaw read it and got a hand on the pass. The deflection skipped straight to Fisher.
After collecting the loose ball, Fisher drifted into the corner. He had space, but instead of shooting, he made the extra pass to Kobe.
It was a veteran's decision. Fisher knew his limits. The look was decent, but Kobe's look would be better.
Kobe caught it and rose immediately from deep.
Raja Bell came flying at him.
The contest was real, but Kobe came up short on his own. The ball kicked long and bounced out near the 3 point line.
Chen Yan snatched it and instantly pushed.
Kobe and Fisher were the only Lakers already back.
The moment Chen Yan saw the alignment, he chose the simplest answer. He rifled a long lead pass between them.
Raja Bell reached it, but the pass was so sharp he almost lost the handle. He recovered just in time, gathered himself, and got the shot up before Kobe arrived.
It dropped.
Phoenix cut it to 49 to 58.
Fisher brought the Lakers back up and ran the same action again. Pass to Kobe, then swing to Garnett.
This time Garnett did not try the inside feed. He touched it and sent it right back to Kobe.
Kobe caught it at the arc, jabbed, then drove with purpose.
Nash stayed down.
Kobe spun near the foul line, and the moment the Suns collapsed, he kicked it out to Garnett.
Garnett caught it on the opposite elbow and buried the open jumper.
49 to 60.
Phoenix answered quickly.
Diaw inbounded the ball at once. The Suns wanted pace now. They wanted to play before the Lakers could set their shell.
But the Lakers were ready. All 5 defenders were already retreating.
You can surprise a team after a miss. You rarely surprise a team after a made basket.
Nash pushed to the wing, crossed over, and nearly broke Fisher's ankles in the process.
He saw daylight and took the pull up himself.
Clang.
Another miss.
Nash was off tonight too. That was a shot he usually hit in his sleep.
Ariza grabbed the rebound and brought it up. Phoenix stayed in its 2 3 zone.
He swung it to Kobe. Nash stepped toward him.
Kobe gave a quick shoulder fake, then drove. Nash did not bite.
At the foul line, Kobe spun backward and drew Chen Yan in from the lane. In midair, he fired the ball back out to Ariza.
Ariza took the open 3.
It rattled home.
49 to 63.
The Lakers' offense had found its groove.
Kobe had opened the half with 2 quick assists, and suddenly Phoenix was staring at a 14 point hole.
On the next trip, the Suns finally put the ball in Chen Yan's hands.
Nash screened for him.
Chen Yan immediately understood the target. He wanted Fisher.
Kobe and Ariza were ready to help, but the moment the switch came, Chen Yan rose without hesitation.
He pulled up from a step beyond the arc, right in Fisher's face.
Actually, "in Fisher's face" was generous. Fisher barely had a chance to react. Even if he had, it would not have mattered. Chen Yan had too much height, too much reach, and too much lift. Shooting over Fisher was just picking on the weak link.
Swish.
Phoenix finally got a clean answer.
52 to 63.
Chen Yan had his first bucket of the second half.
.....
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