Chapter 706: New Nickname
During the timeout, Nelson drew up a play.
He wanted Chen Yan to go into isolation and use his individual firepower to destroy Miami's defense.
Chen Yan had a different opinion.
He felt that the immediate priority was to get the outside shooting going. That would give him more space, whether he wanted to drive or shoot. Otherwise, if only Chen Yan attacked and everyone else failed to get involved, Miami's defense would only collapse more aggressively toward him, making New York's situation even more difficult.
Nelson was not a rigid coach.
He signaled for Chen Yan to handle the ball himself, giving him complete authority.
The Knicks inbounded the ball, but Chen Yan failed to receive it on 2 consecutive cuts, because Miami was guarding him extremely tightly.
With a 5 second violation about to occur, Barea cut out to receive the ball. In the rush, there was a miscommunication between Battier and Barea.
Battier's pass was too strong, and Barea could not catch it. He only grazed it with his fingertips, deflecting the ball into the backcourt.
The referee's whistle blew.
Backcourt violation.
Miami made a substitution, taking Miller out and bringing Haslem in.
New York's offensive efficiency had declined during this stretch, and Spoelstra wanted to strengthen rebounding protection.
On Miami's offensive possession, Haslem moved to the perimeter to set a screen for Wade.
New York's defensive attention was all on Wade.
Haslem posed no threat from the perimeter.
Wade passed the ball to James.
Seeing the good momentum from the recent comeback, James wanted to strike while the iron was hot and pulled up for a 3 pointer.
Clang!
It missed.
Battier's defense was right in his face, creating significant interference.
Battier could not limit James every game, but at least in this game, he was doing well.
Al Harrington secured the rebound, and the Knicks launched a fast break.
Chen Yan drove along the left side, with Wade defending tightly. Chen Yan made a cross court pass on the move, finding Barea.
Barea shot with great resolve.
Swish!
The long range shot hit.
67 to 59.
Chen Yan recorded another assist.
Chen Yan high fived Barea in celebration.
Barea was definitely a trustworthy teammate. Chen Yan had known this since his time with the Suns.
Miami offensive possession.
After a pick and roll, James was double teamed and immediately passed out to Wade.
Wade drove to the basket after receiving the ball.
Chen Yan did not stick too closely in order to conserve energy.
A superstar of Wade's caliber could turn even the tiniest bit of space into a scoring opportunity.
Wade accelerated low to the ground and drove inside. He sensed Chen Yan behind him to his left, then executed an acrobatic layup, switching hands in the air to score.
2 points.
67 to 61.
The Knicks quickly inbounded.
Chen Yan quietly slipped near midcourt, and Barea understood his intention. As soon as he received the baseline inbound pass, he immediately made a long pass to Chen Yan.
Barea acted like a setter, instantly looking for someone after receiving the ball.
Chen Yan leaned against Wade and drove inside.
Wade did not dare stick too close, but he also did not dare give too much space.
That was the most frustrating part of defending Chen Yan.
Neither fast nor strong players could fully use their advantages against Chen Yan, because once they used full speed or full strength, Chen Yan would immediately use a change of pace to get past them.
Chen Yan deliberately sped up and leaned into Wade.
Near the free throw line, Chen Yan suddenly pulled the ball up.
A quick 1st step to the right, then a change of pace with a big crossover step to the left.
The rhythm change made Wade very uncomfortable.
However, James help defense was also in position, rushing over from behind.
Both defenders prepared to double team Chen Yan.
Chen Yan jumped but did not shoot.
Instead, he twisted his body in midair and passed the ball to the perimeter.
Chen Yan had not actually seen James this time, but James was so powerful that his sprint created a sharp whooshing sound. Chen Yan felt a chill behind him and knew James was there.
Passing in midair was usually a major taboo, but Chen Yan had long hang time and a strong core.
He accurately found Battier on the perimeter.
Battier had a wide open shot. He even steadied himself and adjusted for a second before shooting.
Swish!
Hit.
70 to 61.
Miami offense.
James demanded the ball with his back to the basket. After a back to the basket fake, James immediately turned toward the baseline.
This move was learned from Olajuwon.
James had been attending Olajuwon's summer camp to learn footwork for the past 2 years.
However, the results had been minimal.
James had not truly grasped the essence of Olajuwon's footwork.
Every star had their signature move, and mastering one required not only hard training but also talent.
If simply attending a class allowed someone to master another player's unique skills, then everyone would be a basketball god.
James physique and long established playing style destined him not to rely on footwork as the foundation of his game.
Battier easily saw through James intention and used his body to block the paint.
James made a half turn outward and passed to Wade.
Wade drove to the basket after receiving the ball.
Even though he saw New York's defense collapsing, he still chose to drive in.
Everyone knew Wade's outside shooting ability.
Letting him shoot from the perimeter was basically giving New York possession.
With the Knicks converging from inside and outside, Wade was forced to pass.
Currently, Miami only had Chalmers as an outside shooter, making them very easy to defend.
With only 8 seconds left on the shot clock, Chalmers did not hesitate and immediately shot a 3 pointer.
Barea anticipated the shot, jumped early to contest, and the ball bounced off the rim.
The Knicks had another fast break opportunity.
Chen Yan once again drove to the basket with the ball.
Fast breaks were different from half court sets. It was difficult for Miami's players to double team and limit Chen Yan in transition.
Chen Yan picked up the ball on the move between Wade and Chalmers.
As Chen Yan took his 1st step, he slightly turned his body and made a motion as if he were going to throw the ball out with 1 hand.
Both Chalmers and Wade fell for it, slowing their steps.
That was a defender's subconscious reaction.
However, in the very next instant, Chen Yan's large hand pulled the ball back as if it were a suction cup.
At the same time, he stepped directly through the gap between the 2 of them.
This move truly faked them out.
Boom!
Chen Yan leaped up and finished the play with a powerful dunk.
Barkley exclaimed, "A deceptive fake. Incredible. Chen has reached the point where he can do whatever he wants."
Kenny Smith smiled and said, "It is the same move, but when other players do it, the effect is not the same as when Chen does it. Until he completes the action, you never know whether he is going to drive, shoot, or pass."
Barkley nodded.
"Exactly. You never know what he is going to do next. He is like a riddle."
Barkley unintentionally gave Chen Yan a new nickname.
Spoelstra called a timeout.
He still sent Mike Miller back onto the court.
Miami's current problem was having too few outside shooters. If New York simply collapsed its defense, Miami's offense would become very difficult.
Even though they had Wade and James, 2 epic level slashers, they still needed spacing.
Mike Miller made an immediate impact after entering the game, hitting a 3 pointer.
His presence had an instant effect, directly helping James and Wade create space for their drives.
Chen Yan also maximized his playmaking in this quarter.
He constantly drove and kicked, continuously using his own threat to create opportunities for his teammates.
In this quarter alone, he dished out 5 assists.
At the end of the 3rd quarter, Chen Yan's stats had risen to 44 points, 12 assists, and 7 rebounds.
83 to 73.
The Knicks led by a full 10 points.
Chen Yan understood that a 10 point lead was not safe.
Miami would stage a fierce comeback in the final quarter.
The real battle had only just begun.
.....
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