Chapter 768: Changing Direction on Ice
The Knicks gradually took control of the game with a sustained scoring run.
Watching New York pull away, Westbrook became impatient.
After receiving the ball, he attacked with long, powerful strides and accelerated straight toward the paint.
Battier immediately abandoned Luol Deng to help, while Curry stayed attached to Westbrook from the side.
This time, Westbrook refused to pass.
With 2 defenders surrounding him, he launched himself into the air and attempted an enormous hanging layup.
The move was filled with power and athleticism.
But the ball did not go in.
Battier turned, secured the rebound, and immediately threw a long outlet pass toward Chen Yan.
Now it was Chen Yan's turn to attack in transition.
Chen Yan had originally planned to give Westbrook a live demonstration of what a truly spectacular hanging layup looked like.
Chicago refused to give him the opportunity.
Hamilton wrapped both arms around Chen Yan while he was still in the air.
"Hamilton chose the foul," Jeff Van Gundy said. "When Chen Yan gets to full speed in transition, defenders usually do not have many good options."
Magic Johnson nodded.
"Exactly. Instead of letting Chen get a powerful dunk or some ridiculous finish above the rim, you stop him early and make him earn it at the line. Hamilton made the right choice."
Chen Yan stepped to the free throw line.
Swish.
His 1st point of this year's Playoffs.
Swish.
The 2nd free throw dropped as well.
15 to 7.
Chicago possession.
Westbrook dribbled to the top of the arc and passed to Hamilton.
Chen Yan remained glued to him.
After having his previous 2 opportunities disrupted, Hamilton had learned his lesson.
If shooting against Chen Yan was this difficult, then he could simply keep running and avoid forcing anything.
After moving the ball, Hamilton continued cutting through the defense.
On the other side, Luol Deng found an opportunity to attack.
He used a change of direction to shake Battier and drove inside.
David West stepped over to help.
Deng immediately gathered the ball and bounced a pass toward Hamilton, who was cutting behind the defense.
Hamilton caught it and took 2 steps.
David West had already committed to Deng, leaving New York's paint completely open.
Hamilton prepared for an easy layup.
Bang!
The instant he released the ball, Chen Yan appeared from behind and pinned it against the backboard.
Chen Yan calmly collected the ball and immediately started the fast break himself.
The most frustrating part for Hamilton was that he did not even have time to complain about being blocked.
The moment his feet touched the floor, he had to turn and chase Chen Yan.
Unfortunately, Hamilton's straight line speed was nowhere near Chen Yan's.
Once New York reached the frontcourt, Chen Yan immediately passed the ball away and continued moving without it.
He ran toward the left corner, crossed paths with Battier, then continued through the offense.
Now Hamilton was the one desperately chasing Chen Yan.
Chen Yan moved up the sideline and used a screen to temporarily create separation.
Taj Gibson immediately stepped over to help, while Hamilton went around the screen and continued chasing.
Chen Yan had not shown much desire to score tonight.
It did not matter.
His presence alone demanded constant attention.
No defender dared leave him open.
Chen Yan used that threat to occupy 2 Bulls defenders and create an opportunity for Al Harrington.
Harrington received the ball and buried a mid range jumper.
17 to 7.
Without anyone noticing exactly when it happened, New York's lead had reached double digits.
Chicago had opened the game with tremendous energy.
That momentum lasted less than 2 minutes.
Afterward, the Knicks answered with a scoring run that left the Bulls scrambling.
Thibodeau immediately called timeout.
Any reasonable coach would have done the same.
For the previous several minutes, the Bulls had looked like headless chickens, running around the court without any sense of direction.
Thibodeau was especially dissatisfied with Hamilton.
"Richard, come out and get some rest."
Hamilton said nothing.
He knew his start had been poor, so he accepted the substitution without complaint.
Then Thibodeau pointed toward the young Jimmy Butler.
"Jimmy, you are in."
Butler stood up.
"You have 1 assignment," Thibodeau continued. "Shut down Chen Yan."
Butler pointed at himself.
"Me?"
Thibodeau placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Show me your toughness. Whether Chen has the ball or not, stay attached to him. Do not give him room."
Jimmy Butler nodded without saying anything else.
The assignment created enormous pressure.
But it was also an opportunity.
If Butler could defend Chen Yan well, Thibodeau might reward him with more playing time.
For a coach who had built his reputation on defense, defensive ability carried tremendous value.
The timeout allowed Chicago to settle down.
Luol Deng received the ball near the elbow, used several jab steps to create space, and buried a mid range jumper.
17 to 9.
The Knicks quickly inbounded.
Before Chen Yan had even crossed half court, he passed directly to Al Harrington.
Harrington caught the ball and immediately launched from beyond the 3 point line.
There was not even a moment of hesitation.
He had already made 2 shots tonight and was overflowing with confidence.
This one missed.
A transition 3 pointer was still a difficult shot.
Taj Gibson grabbed the defensive rebound and immediately threw the ball ahead.
The pass sailed over Curry and reached Westbrook.
Another fast break opportunity.
Westbrook shifted gears and exploded directly toward the restricted area.
Boom!
A thunderous dunk.
17 to 11.
Westbrook landed and roared toward the ceiling.
He strode across the baseline with overwhelming confidence, as though the dunk had completely revived him.
And in terms of momentum, it had.
Westbrook threw every ounce of power into the finish, leaving the rim trembling afterward.
That dunk perfectly represented his approach to basketball.
Full effort.
No hesitation.
No holding back.
Knicks possession.
Chen Yan controlled the ball at the top of the arc.
His teammates immediately spread the floor.
Jimmy Butler stood in front of him, repeatedly reminding himself of Thibodeau's instructions.
Stay attached.
Be physical.
Do not let Chen Yan beat you.
Chen Yan dribbled with his left hand while moving forward with short, quick steps.
Then suddenly, he dropped his center of gravity.
He exploded left.
Butler immediately shifted his weight to follow.
Then, almost instantly, Chen Yan appeared on Butler's left side.
Butler froze.
The change of direction had happened too quickly.
He had barely reacted at all.
Chen Yan had not used an ordinary crossover.
At the exact moment he changed direction, he planted his inside foot and allowed it to support almost his entire body weight.
At the same time, his outside foot stepped directly inward.
Compared with a conventional change of direction, the technique effectively eliminated 1 entire step.
Combined with Chen Yan's explosiveness, that saved step made the move almost impossible to defend in isolation.
It was incredibly effective.
It was also brutal on the ankles and knees.
Without the system strengthening his body, Chen Yan would never have dared practice such a move repeatedly.
A normal player might destroy his season attempting it.
Jimmy Butler was already behind him.
Chen Yan reached the edge of the paint and casually lifted a floater toward the basket.
Swish.
Nothing but net.
19 to 11.
"Wow!" Magic Johnson laughed. "Chen Yan just left Jimmy Butler standing there. Look at Jimmy's face. He looks like he is wondering where Chen even went."
Van Gundy watched the replay carefully.
"I did not fully understand it in real time either. Look at how low Chen gets. Look at the angle of his body when he plants. That is an incredibly sharp change of direction."
He watched the replay again.
"It almost looks like a speed skater leaning through a turn. Butler shifts 1 way, and Chen is already gone in the other direction."
On the court, Jimmy Butler stood still for a moment before finally turning and running toward the offensive end.
Whatever Thibodeau had told him during the timeout had already disappeared from his mind.
....
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