Chapter 760: The 2nd All Star MVP Trophy
The fans eyes lit up.
There it was.
Chen Yan had finally taken the initiative to attack.
"Wow, what a fadeaway!" Steve Kerr exclaimed. "That was a powerful response."
"If I am not mistaken, that is Chen's 1st basket from inside the 3 point line tonight," Marv Albert said with a smile.
Western Conference possession.
Chris Paul quickly dribbled into the frontcourt.
The pace of the All Star Game was incredible. Nearly every possession resembled a regular season fast break because the players understood what the audience wanted to see.
After reaching the arc, Paul performed a flashy move. He spread his legs and bounced the ball between them toward Griffin.
Griffin was still eager to perform.
After receiving the pass, he took 2 dribbles and attempted a mid range jumper.
Missed.
Some fans immediately began shouting their displeasure.
In their eyes, this stretch belonged to the duel between Chen Yan and Kobe. Griffin forcing his way into the spotlight had interrupted the spectacle.
James grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball up the court.
Chen Yan cut into the paint without the ball.
Kobe followed him closely.
Although Kobe's physical abilities were declining, his athletic foundation remained strong. His straight line speed was still impressive, especially on defense.
During the regular season, Kobe could often be seen chasing guards around the court without the ball.
James suddenly stopped near the logo, held the ball in his right hand, and fired it forward with tremendous force.
The pass sliced directly through the Western Conference defense.
It was an imaginative delivery and exactly the kind of play James excelled at making.
After receiving the ball, Chen Yan pounded it hard against the floor, paused, then launched into a 2nd burst.
The challenge was obvious.
How would Kobe respond to that sudden change of pace?
Just as expected, after Kobe stopped, his acceleration on the restart was noticeably slower.
Those were the marks time had left on him.
Chen Yan flashed past Kobe like a streak of light, drove along the baseline, and completed a powerful reverse dunk.
By the time Chen Yan landed, the 2 Western Conference big men had only just returned to the paint.
The defenses on both sides remained relatively loose.
Only Kobe and Chen Yan were competing with true intensity.
102 to 92.
Western Conference possession.
This time, Kobe personally brought the ball across half court.
Facing Chen Yan's defense, Kobe used a wide crossover and attacked hard.
Kobe was extremely experienced.
He pressed his body against Chen Yan during the drive, preventing him from jumping comfortably.
Just as Kobe released the shot, a big man suddenly appeared from behind Chen Yan.
Howard leaped and slapped the ball away.
Kobe looked irritated.
Was this not supposed to be a 1 on 1 duel?
Why was Howard interfering?
Chen Yan turned and immediately pushed the fast break.
After receiving the outlet, Chen Yan flicked his wrist and passed to James, who was open on the right side.
James calmly set his feet and shot without pressure.
"James from 3," Reggie Miller said. "Let us see if he has it."
Swish.
The ball dropped cleanly through the net.
"He does," Kerr said with a smile. "James has been shooting well tonight."
102 to 95.
The deficit was now fewer than 10 points.
The Western Conference did not call a timeout.
In a regular season game, the coach would have stopped play to disrupt the opponent's rhythm.
There was no need to do that in an All Star Game.
This was an exhibition designed for the fans enjoyment.
Calling a timeout whenever the opponent gained momentum would be more likely to ruin the audience's experience than interrupt the opposing team.
Kobe dribbled into the frontcourt and returned to his post game.
After several forceful bumps, he turned toward the middle.
Howard had become slightly addicted to blocking Kobe.
He abandoned his own assignment and quietly moved over again.
Kobe hung in the air and attempted an extreme fadeaway.
Air ball.
At the same moment, the referee blew the whistle.
Howard was called for a shooting foul.
After Kobe made both free throws, Wade threw a long outlet pass from the baseline.
James completed a long distance alley oop.
On the return possession, Chris Paul answered with a long pass of his own, and Griffin finished with a powerful dunk.
During the latter half of the 3rd quarter, the game's focus shifted away from the duel between Chen Yan and Kobe.
Both teams began putting on a dunk exhibition.
Chen Yan also joined the show with 2 minutes and 9 seconds remaining in the quarter.
On an Eastern Conference fast break, Chen Yan raced into the frontcourt alone.
No Western Conference player could catch him.
It was a clear 1 on 0 opportunity.
The crowd cheered wildly, and the noise inside the arena suddenly rose.
Chen Yan had originally intended to make a simple dunk.
But the atmosphere had already reached its peak.
It would have felt wrong not to add something special.
Chen Yan threw the ball against the backboard, then launched himself into the air.
Boom.
The arena erupted.
The dunk was not especially difficult for Chen Yan, but it was more than enough to ignite the crowd.
As the Eastern Conference's main offensive weapon, Chen Yan scored an astonishing 18 points in the quarter.
He led the East back to within 3.
Western Conference 124, Eastern Conference 121.
The narrow margin restored suspense to the exhibition.
During the break, players from both teams eagerly anticipated the final quarter.
With the score this close, an intense battle was inevitable.
Both teams opened the 4th quarter with their reserves.
The players immediately showed that they were taking the game seriously.
Harden attacked the paint and drew a foul.
At this stage of his career, Harden had not yet fully developed his reputation for hunting fouls. His game was still built heavily around speed, power, and aggressive drives.
On the return possession, Rose attacked the basket with equal force.
He drew contact, completed a reverse layup, and earned a 3 point play.
While the players battled on the court, Chen Yan sat on the bench and spoke with an ESPN reporter.
"Why did you suddenly erupt for 18 points in the 3rd quarter?" the reporter asked.
Chen Yan smiled.
"The answer is obvious. Kobe provoked me. He kept scoring against me in isolation, and more importantly, that guy was playing too physically. He nearly broke my sternum. When you face an opponent that strong, you have to respond."
The reporter continued, "Kobe has scored 23 points so far. He now has 267 career All Star Game points and has surpassed Michael Jordan as the leading scorer in the event's history. What would you like to say about that?"
"Congratulations to him," Chen Yan replied. "He has broken another record. Only 1 word comes to mind when I think of Kobe now, legend."
Relationships mattered in the NBA as much as they did anywhere else.
During interviews, All Stars usually praised one another.
That mutual recognition helped elevate all of their legacies.
When Chen Yan returned to the court, the score remained close.
Both teams had clearly raised their defensive intensity.
Even so, Chen Yan continued scoring with ease and maintained a steady offensive output.
His individual ability was 1 reason.
His teammates were another.
With exceptional players such as James, Wade, and Durant beside him, it was difficult for the defense to deny Chen Yan space.
During the next several possessions, James repeatedly attacked the basket and scored.
He had already reached 31 points, trailing only Chen Yan's 34.
James had become a serious candidate for the MVP award.
The Western Conference immediately tightened its defense and focused on James and Wade.
Their 1 2 2 zone was particularly effective against players who relied on attacking the basket.
James and Wade struggled to break through the defense on their own, so they began driving and passing the ball back outside.
Chen Yan and Durant became the greatest beneficiaries.
Within 2 minutes, Chen Yan made 2 shots from 3 point range, while Durant also buried a 3 from beyond the arc.
The Western Conference could not match the Eastern Conference's offensive talent, especially on the perimeter.
As the East threatened to stretch the lead, Kobe stepped forward.
He made a series of difficult jumpers from both mid range and beyond the arc, almost single handedly cutting the deficit to 4 points.
Tonight was a historic occasion for Kobe.
He had become the leading scorer in All Star Game history, and he had no intention of allowing the younger stars from the Eastern Conference to ruin the moment.
However, at this stage of the game, no one was willing to step aside.
The Eastern Conference would not simply hand Kobe the victory because of his record.
2 minutes and 21 seconds remained.
Eastern Conference 152, Western Conference 148.
James controlled the ball across half court.
Chen Yan made a back cut along the baseline and received the pass.
During the final minutes, James played like a true point guard while Chen Yan focused on scoring.
James delivered the ball perfectly.
Chen Yan caught it near the baseline and turned with his momentum, but no immediate shooting opportunity appeared.
At this point in the game, the defense would not surrender easy space.
Kobe stepped forward aggressively, hoping to trap Chen Yan in the cramped area and force a turnover.
Wade moved over to help, while Chris Paul watched closely and prepared to cut off any passing lane.
Chen Yan had no intention of remaining trapped.
Using his left foot as the pivot, he faked a turn to the right.
Halfway through the motion, he suddenly planted his right foot and forcefully spun back in the opposite direction.
Chen Yan lowered his center of gravity and drove along the baseline.
Kobe retreated 1 step.
Chen Yan immediately pulled the ball back between his legs.
Kobe did not completely lose his position, but Chen Yan had created enough shooting space.
Chen Yan rose over Kobe and launched a corner 3 pointer.
Swish.
Eastern Conference 155, Western Conference 148.
The arena erupted.
This was Orlando, home of the Magic, so the crowd naturally leaned toward the Eastern Conference.
Even the commentators could only shake their heads.
Marv Albert looked toward the 2 great shooters sitting beside him.
"Steve, Reggie, what did you think of that shot?"
"That was incredibly difficult," Reggie Miller replied.
Kerr smiled.
"Chen has entered scoring mode. Once he finds his rhythm, everything he throws toward the basket seems to go in. We have seen it countless times in the regular season and the Playoffs, so I cannot say I am surprised."
"Not surprised at all?" Albert pressed. "Kobe was practically in his face."
"If it were anyone else, I would be surprised," Kerr said. "Not with Chen."
That basket raised Chen Yan's total to 40 points.
Chris Paul quickly pushed the ball forward.
With around 2 minutes remaining, the Western Conference needed to score as quickly as possible.
Paul passed to Kobe while both were moving.
Kobe wanted to shoot a 3, but Wade guarded him extremely closely.
After using a pump fake, Kobe took a long step and attacked the paint.
The Eastern Conference defense collapsed, crowding the lane.
Kobe took 2 strong steps before choosing to pass.
Nowitzki stood open near the baseline in the mid range area.
He received the ball, raised his hands, and scored.
That distance was far too comfortable for Dirk.
Eastern Conference 155, Western Conference 150.
1 minute and 58 seconds remained.
The deficit was 5 points.
The Western Conference still had hope of tying the game or taking the lead.
However, it first needed to stop the Eastern Conference on the next possession.
Chen Yan called for the ball in the backcourt and slowly dribbled across half court.
He ran down the clock, treating the final moments exactly like a regular season game.
With 12 seconds remaining on the shot clock, James stepped forward and set a screen for him.
Chen Yan used the screen to attack from the right side.
Griffin switched onto him.
Kobe immediately left James and chased Chen Yan from the side.
"They are double teaming him in an All Star Game?" Reggie Miller exclaimed.
After calling All Star Games for so many years, even he had rarely seen anything like it.
The double team had not come from a tactical instruction.
The players had decided to do it on their own.
Chen Yan had been exceptional from outside tonight, making 7 of his 9 attempts from 3 point range.
Kobe refused to give him another clean look.
"A direct double team?"
"This is an All Star Game!"
"That is how much attention Chen Yan commands."
"They are completely focused on stopping him."
"They really want to win."
The fans could barely contain their excitement.
Chen Yan twisted his body and passed to James.
Kobe immediately moved over to cover him.
James briefly had an open shot, but he hesitated.
Hesitation led to defeat.
By the time James decided he wanted to shoot, Kobe was already standing in front of him.
Only 6 seconds remained on the shot clock.
James put the ball on the floor, changed direction, and drove inside.
Kobe quickly moved laterally to cut him off.
James faked a shot.
Kobe did not jump.
He had read James perfectly.
With so little time left, all Kobe needed to do was remain in front of him.
James spun.
He was not attempting a jumper.
He was passing.
James threw the ball back to Chen Yan beyond the 3 point line.
It was a complete hot potato pass.
After receiving it, Chen Yan did not have enough time to perform a full shooting motion.
He raised his hand and flicked the ball toward the basket just before the shot clock expired.
The basketball followed a long arc through the air.
Swish.
Eastern Conference 158, Western Conference 150.
Chen Yan excitedly pressed 3 fingers against his temple.
Even when handed the hottest possible ball, he could still throw it into the basket.
That shot effectively secured the Eastern Conference victory.
During the final minute, both teams continued scoring.
The final score was 160 to 155.
The Eastern Conference won.
Chen Yan delivered a heroic performance in the 2nd half and finished with a game high 43 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
The All Star Game MVP was usually awarded to the highest scorer on the winning team.
His teammates had already gathered around to congratulate him.
At the same time, a graphic appeared on the television broadcast.
Chen Yan had broken Wilt Chamberlain's All Star Game single game scoring record, which had stood for 50 years.
At that moment, the fans once again remembered Chen Yan's nickname.
The Record Breaker.
James finished with 34 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Wade and Durant also performed well, scoring 18 and 15 points respectively.
David West recorded 2 points and 1 rebound.
Many fans could not even remember seeing him on the court because his presence had been so limited.
For the Western Conference, Kobe was unquestionably the best performer.
He finished with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists while surpassing Michael Jordan as the leading scorer in All Star Game history.
Aside from losing the game, Kobe's night had been nearly perfect.
Yao Ming recorded 0 points and 1 rebound.
He had gone through the motions, playing only 4 minutes and making several runs up and down the court.
Yao was perfectly satisfied with that arrangement.
He was not a natural showman, and remaining on a stage like this for too long would have made him uncomfortable because he would not have known how to entertain the crowd.
David Stern personally presented Chen Yan with the All Star Game MVP trophy.
Chen Yan accepted it with a smile and raised it over his head.
The entire arena erupted in applause.
This was the 2nd All Star Game MVP trophy of his professional career.
"The MVP of the 2012 NBA All Star Game is Chen Yan," Reggie Miller announced. "He also broke Wilt Chamberlain's 50 year old single game scoring record. Tonight, he truly became the brightest star among stars."
Had Chen Yan failed to win the award, some of his supporters would have dismissed it as an unimportant exhibition.
Now that he had claimed the trophy, they described it as one of basketball's greatest individual honors.
No matter the outcome, they could always find a reason to praise Chen Yan.
After flying back to New York, Chen Yan immediately returned home.
Jeremy Lin had moved out after signing his guaranteed contract.
Taylor Swift was waiting for Chen Yan at home.
That night, the 2 of them planned to study the structure of his new All Star Game MVP trophy beneath the covers.
....
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