Chapter 624: The Biggest Point Difference in History!
"Oh, Chen Yan is still on the floor. He hasn't rested for even 1 minute so far. D'Antoni is really running him into the ground," Barkley said when he saw Phoenix's lineup to start the 2nd quarter.
Kenny Smith smiled and shook his head. "Chen is famous for his stamina. Playing the whole game is not a problem for him. But D'Antoni obviously does not want that. Once the lead gets bigger, Chen will have plenty of time to rest."
Kenny was right.
D'Antoni wanted to finish the opponent in 1 decisive wave, then pull the starters early so they could rest longer.
Phoenix's bench lineup had passing, rebounding, and shooting, but it lacked a true offensive core who could handle the ball. With Chen Yan on the court, the lineup immediately became complete.
On the 1st offensive possession, Chen Yan received a pass from Rondo, drove into the paint, and scored with a gliding layup.
Chen Yan and Rondo did not get along much off the court, but on the court, they were good teammates. Both were highly professional.
On the defensive end, Chen Yan, Rondo, Raja Bell, and Jordan were all strong defenders. Together, they made Portland's offense uncomfortable again.
"Tonight, Phoenix is showing a different kind of game," Barkley said. "They are not just scoring. They are locking people up too."
Kenny nodded. "A lot of people thought the Suns had declined after Amar'e Stoudemire left. But based on what I'm seeing tonight, I still think they are the biggest championship favorite."
Phoenix's defense was indeed very active tonight, but the result was also tied to Portland's own struggles.
Roy and Aldridge, the Trail Blazers' 2 core players, both had poor shooting rhythm. Once they failed to get going, it became difficult for the rest of Portland's players to find confidence.
Chen Yan seized the opportunity while Portland was using its bench lineup and led Phoenix to a 10 to 1 run.
The Trail Blazers only scored 1 point, and that came from a Barbosa free throw.
The lead suddenly widened to 28 points.
In the stands, Suns fans were already calmly eating popcorn. At the start of the game, many of them had been standing and cheering to boost morale.
By now, they already felt the game was stable.
They began to relax and enjoy the show.
Portland quickly brought back its 2 core players, Roy and Aldridge. Andre Miller was also sent back onto the floor.
After returning, Roy used a screen to hit a mid range jumper.
But it was only a drop in the bucket.
The gap between the 2 teams was no longer something 1 or 2 mid range shots could erase.
After another minute, Phoenix also adjusted its lineup, bringing Nash and Gallinari back onto the court.
The Suns now had Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Novak, and Gallinari on the floor.
This was a 5 shooter lineup with terrifying offensive firepower.
Of course, the lineup also had a flaw.
Defense.
Especially interior defense.
Novak and Gallinari were basically a gift inside. That could be seen from their offensive styles. Generally speaking, big men who liked floating around the 3 point line were rarely dominant defenders.
But with these 5 players on the court, Phoenix's spacing stretched the floor to an extreme degree.
That was exactly what Chen Yan liked most.
Whenever he drove, he could slice into the defense with precision. If Portland collapsed the paint, Chen Yan could easily dish the ball out and turn the possession into an assist.
The shooters standing around him were all elite.
Gallinari did not have much impact in the 1st quarter, but in the 2nd quarter, he continuously received passes from Chen Yan and knocked down 2 3 pointers, instantly lifting his confidence.
Novak also hit a 3 pointer after a series of drive and kick plays from Chen Yan and Nash.
Chen Yan then received a pass from Nash on the perimeter and made a 3 pointer of his own.
After Phoenix hit 4 straight 3 pointers, the Trail Blazers players already looked dizzy.
They did not even have the courage to look up at the scoreboard.
Every glance at the lead felt like another punch to the chest.
The only good news for Portland was that its offense had improved slightly. Roy, Aldridge, and Andre Miller all scored.
But their scoring was not enough to keep up.
The Trail Blazers were getting 2 points at a time.
How could that compare to Phoenix raining 3 pointers?
At halftime, the Suns led 72 to 41, a full 31 point advantage.
In the 2nd quarter, Phoenix's 5 shooter lineup left a deep impression on everyone.
Portland had been directly traumatized by the shooting.
During halftime, the Trail Blazers locker room was dead silent.
After a long moment, McMillan finally exploded.
Chen Yan had shot 11 for 18 in the 1st half, 5 for 8 from 3 point range, and 4 for 4 from the free throw line. He had already scored 31 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Of course, McMillan was not only dissatisfied with how they defended Chen Yan.
Almost every Phoenix perimeter player had escaped Portland's control.
For the Trail Blazers, their performance so far had been a disaster.
The largest margin of victory in playoff history was 58 points, set by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1956 Western Conference Semifinals against the St. Louis Hawks.
Just hearing those team names made it clear how ancient that record was. Both teams had long since moved into different eras, but the record remained preserved forever in NBA history.
After watching the 1st half, Portland fans began to worry.
They were afraid their team might make history in the worst possible way tonight.
Being remembered like that would be a disgrace.
At halftime, McMillan tore into his players in the locker room, hoping to wake them up.
Losing was acceptable.
Losing this badly, this shamelessly, was not.
If Game 1 collapsed like this, how were they supposed to play the rest of the series?
After his storm of criticism, Portland's locker room remained silent.
McMillan did not know whether his words had truly sunk in.
Soon, the 2nd half began.
Chen Yan continued to start the 2nd half.
The huge lead removed all pressure from the Suns players. They became more confident with their passes and moves, making Phoenix's offense even smoother.
Portland completely collapsed in the 3rd quarter.
The collapse was more mental than tactical.
When they saw their opponent making shot after shot while their own offense kept struggling, there was no way their mindset could remain steady.
What broke them the most was not even the score.
It was the relaxed smiles on the faces of the Suns players.
Phoenix looked as if it were playing a practice game.
That unintentional calm hurt Portland's pride even more than direct provocation or trash talk.
With 5 minutes and 21 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, Chen Yan had already clocked out.
He did not have many dramatic moments in the quarter. He shot 4 for 6, 1 for 1 from 3 point range, and 2 for 2 from the free throw line, adding 10 more points.
By the end of the 3rd quarter, Phoenix was already leading by 44 points.
It was a terrifying score.
Normally, at this stage of the game, the leading team would play more conservatively.
But after entering the final quarter, Phoenix's offensive momentum did not fade.
Rondo led the 2nd unit and continued attacking fiercely.
In Rondo's dictionary, there was no such thing as holding back or being nice.
As long as the game was not over, he would go all out.
His attitude also affected the rest of the bench.
The Suns reserves forgot about the score and began putting on their own individual performances, hitting jumper after jumper.
Fortunately, the Trail Blazers players were all relatively honest.
If they had run into someone like Artest, someone might have thrown an elbow at Rondo just to help him unlock his Sharingan.
With 3 minutes left in the game, the lead had already reached 60 points.
Portland's momentum had long since vanished, and the bench players no longer had much desire to attack.
In the next minute, Phoenix launched another 7 to 1 run, pushing the lead to an exaggerated 66 points.
Fortunately for Portland, Barbosa and Nicolas Batum made 2 3 pointers in the final minute, preventing the score from widening any further.
Phoenix also used its bench lineup until the final buzzer.
When the game ended, the Suns had defeated the Trail Blazers by 60 points.
139 to 79.
Looking at the final score, even Chen Yan was amused.
He had not expected Portland to play this badly tonight.
Nor had he expected Phoenix to break a record even after he clocked out following 3 quarters.
.....
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