Chapter 702: The Best Chen Yan
In the last 2 possessions of the 1st quarter, neither team scored, and Chen Yan's single quarter points stopped at 26.
During the break, Spoelstra arranged a multiple player double team strategy on the bench to limit Chen Yan.
It was a familiar scene again.
Whenever Chen Yan erupted, the opposing coach would inevitably make this kind of tactical adjustment.
As for the stubborn coaches who insisted on single coverage, without exception, they all became Chen Yan's backdrop.
As the 2nd quarter began, Chen Yan rested on the bench, while Miami took James off and sent Wade back onto the floor.
This kind of staggered star rotation was actually very reasonable. It ensured that Miami's lineup would never lack offensive firepower.
On his 1st possession, Wade unleashed his signature Euro step, using a screen to shake off his defender before driving deep into the paint with dazzling footwork for a layup.
After about 4 minutes of play, Miami had narrowed the gap to 41 to 35.
Only a 6 point difference remained.
Nelson sent Chen Yan and Curry back onto the court together.
Chen Yan continued his simple and brutal style from the 1st quarter.
He ignored Wade's close defense, called for a screen, moved horizontally beyond the 3 point line, and took a drifting shot.
Chen Yan's release was extremely quick.
As long as he had even a little space, it was difficult to interfere with him.
The basketball spun rapidly before falling into the net.
44 to 35.
This 3 pointer largely extinguished Miami's comeback momentum.
"Switch!" Wade yelled at Haslem.
Haslem shook his head helplessly.
He understood the logic, but the problem was that his speed could not keep up.
Just as he was about to rush up, Chen Yan had already released the ball.
Miami offense.
Wade ran along the baseline.
On this possession, Chen Yan was slightly lax, and Wade seized the opportunity to cut in.
James immediately threw the ball over.
Quick, accurate, and fierce.
James passing was impeccable.
Powerful yet precise, it almost always hit his teammates directly in the hands or chest.
After receiving the ball, Wade took 1 step and drove into the paint.
Chen Yan was behind him, ready to block, while Kenyon Martin came over to help defend from the front.
Both defenders made significant movements, squeezing Wade in the middle.
The referee's whistle blew, sending Wade to the free throw line.
Wade made both free throws.
44 to 37.
Free throws were also 1 of the weapons The Flash relied on for survival.
His free throw consistency had always been among the best in the league.
Curry dribbled past half court and clearly felt that Miami's defense had expanded outward.
Chen Yan's 3 point shooting tonight posed a significant threat to Miami's defense.
Chen Yan moved to the wing and did not ask for the ball. Instead, he pointed toward the paint.
Curry understood and threw a bounce pass to Kenyon Martin.
Kenyon Martin was deep in position. After receiving the ball, he immediately attacked the basket with force and easily scored 2 points.
The fans laughed at this scene.
The ultimate remote commander was online.
Miami offense.
Chalmers dribbled past half court. Curry seized the opportunity and directly tried to steal the ball, but unfortunately, he was a little unlucky and tipped it out of bounds.
Miami restarted from the frontcourt.
James received the ball and first organized from the top of the arc, then passed it out and ran to the low post to demand the ball.
James did not like initiating offense with his back to the basket.
This was a requirement from Miami's coaching staff, or more accurately, Pat Riley's requirement.
Pat Riley had always been harsh on his players, and he had made many unreasonable demands on James. 1 of them was to gain weight and play power forward in the paint.
After turning, James felt the angle was not comfortable, so he passed the ball out to Wade.
After receiving the ball, Wade first faked, then probed left, then feigned a drive right. He took 1 step and immediately pulled up for a shot.
3 fakes in 1 second.
Wade thought this shot was guaranteed, but what he did not expect was that Chen Yan had kept up.
Chen Yan's jumping speed far exceeded his imagination, and Wade's shot was severely interfered with.
The basketball hit the backboard and bounced out.
Al Harrington grabbed the rebound and tried to immediately pass it to Chen Yan.
He was in too much of a hurry.
The pass was not far enough, and the height was not enough, so Wade directly intercepted it.
Wade's 1st reaction after the steal was to drive to the basket.
Al Harrington tried to make amends and came out to defend.
Wade used a nimble Euro step to shake off Al Harrington.
Just as he was about to shoot, a dark figure darted out.
Wade did not know whether it was a person or a ghost.
He only knew that the ball in his hands was gradually slipping out of his control.
"Shit!"
Wade blurted out an American curse.
Before he could even shoot, the basketball was directly snatched away by Chen Yan.
Chen Yan was also a master of the Euro step.
He successfully anticipated Wade's footwork, jumped early, and completed the interception in midair.
Wade rarely encountered such a situation, which was why he could not help cursing.
"Holy crap!"
"Is that a block or a steal?"
"That is a robbery!"
"Bandit Chen Yan, hand it over!"
"Chen Yan is not just brutal on offense!"
"Another classic moment is born!"
The fans exclaimed one after another.
After completing the steal, Chen Yan did not pause for even 1 second. He immediately dribbled forward, ready to go straight for the kill.
Miami knew it could not stop Chen Yan, so Chalmers committed a tactical foul near the 3 point line.
For Miami, this foul was worth it.
The Knicks only got a frontcourt inbound.
Chen Yan received the ball after an off ball screen.
Battier helped him screen Wade, and James switched onto him.
Chen Yan continuously used crossovers to shift James center of gravity.
James was not easily shaken off. His defensive ability was actually underestimated.
But James truly did not want to defend Chen Yan.
Before the series began, he had clearly expressed this request to Spoelstra.
Defending the opponent's main scorer was an enormous drain on stamina, and the ankle breaking nature of Chen Yan's game gave James a headache.
For example, right now, James was intensely focused on Chen Yan, but he still did not know what Chen Yan would do next.
Chen Yan made continuous wide changes of direction.
His dazzling moves made Madison Square Garden feel like his own streetball court.
James closely followed Chen Yan's changes of direction.
After the 4th change, Chen Yan suddenly accelerated.
James felt his feet slip a little, so he simply stopped following.
Compared to having his defense broken, James was more afraid of being faked out and falling.
He cared a lot about his image.
Pau Gasol came over to help defend.
With this help, Miami's defense immediately became full of holes.
Chen Yan gently tossed the ball into the air.
The height was just right.
Kenyon Martin completed a violent alley oop.
46 to 37.
Barkley said with a smile, "Chen has already broken through Miami's defense. The Heat should now be thinking about how to stop Chen from receiving the ball, not how to stop him from scoring, because once he gets the ball, he becomes unstoppable."
"Chen has also done a good job defending Wade tonight," Kenny Smith said. "Once again, he is showing his powerful 2 way ability."
Fans also loved Chen Yan's style of play.
"James got cooked!"
"James cannot stop Chen Yan!"
"Chen Yan and his teammates have already passed the adjustment period. Their current cooperation is as pleasing to watch as it was during his Suns days!"
"Scoring, defense, assists. There is nothing Chen Yan cannot do. Many people are now putting Chen Yan into the discussion for best in the league, but I think that is inappropriate, because he should be in the discussion for best in history."
"Chen Yan still needs time to mature. Best in history requires more honors."
"Chen Yan's future has infinite possibilities."
Everyone praised Chen Yan's performance tonight, because he not only scored wildly, but also assisted his teammates and performed almost perfectly on the defensive end.
It could be said that tonight's Chen Yan was the best Chen Yan in the eyes of the fans.
.....
https://discord.gg/KvMN2CFsMR
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]