Chapter 681: Breaking Through the Pocket Formation
The Celtics players surrounded Kenyon Martin.
Chen Yan stepped forward to help Kenyon, but Rose blocked his path.
Chen Yan instinctively pushed Rose away, and that push directly knocked Rose to the floor.
The court instantly became chaotic.
The fans began cursing Chen Yan.
After Rose fell, the situation almost escalated again.
Durant rushed in front of Chen Yan.
The 2 bumped heads, neither willing to back down, their mouths still moving as they talked back and forth.
"Oh, these 2 brothers are really going at it now, are they not?" Barkley said, looking like he was enjoying the show.
Kenny Smith sounded worried. "Chen Yan needs to calm down. If he gets ejected because of emotion, the Knicks will be in a very passive position in this game."
Durant and Chen Yan were serious.
On the court, each of them was fighting for his team. Past friendship no longer mattered.
The 3 referees, along with members of both coaching staffs, had to pull the 2 apart.
The referee called a flagrant foul on Kenyon Martin.
Chen Yan and Durant each received a technical foul.
When Chen Yan shot the free throw for the technical foul, he was met with wild boos from the crowd.
This was Boston's home court.
Chen Yan certainly would not get off easily here.
After that possession, both sides were fired up.
For the next few minutes of the 1st quarter, the intensity was so high that it almost felt like gunpowder could be smelled through the screen.
Both teams increased their physical contact.
The close range fighting caused both sides shooting percentages to drop, but the game became even more exciting.
Fans loved this kind of passionate showdown.
Both teams starters were overly exhausted in the 1st quarter, so at the start of the 2nd quarter, all starters from both sides rested on the bench.
However, the tension also spread to the second unit.
The bench players on both teams fought just as fiercely.
Emotions were contagious.
When the reserves saw the starters fighting so hard on the court, they naturally could not be careless when it was their turn to play.
Both teams reserves were very competitive, but Boston played slightly better.
They had home court advantage, and even Weaver was hot tonight, hitting a jumper and a 3 pointer.
Boston's bench quickly extended the lead to 8 points.
With 7 minutes and 33 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, Nelson put the starters back on the court.
Boston did the same.
The score was now 40 to 32, with the Celtics holding an 8 point lead.
After Stoudemire returned, his appearance had changed slightly.
For safety, he wore a mask.
He had found a black mask from somewhere.
This brought a small touch of lightness to the tense and intense atmosphere.
When Chen Yan came on in the 2nd quarter, he began using more off ball offense.
In the 1st quarter, he mainly attacked with the ball. Although his shooting percentage had not been low, scoring against Boston's aggressive targeting had been difficult.
If he continued playing that way until the 4th quarter, his efficiency would definitely suffer once his stamina declined.
This was Chen Yan's intelligence.
He constantly adjusted his style based on the situation on the court and the opponent's strategy.
Of course, intelligence alone was not enough to achieve this.
Chen Yan had a vast offensive arsenal.
Whether with the ball or without the ball, he was top tier.
After 2 minutes, Boston simply brought in a 2 guard lineup of Delonte West and Rose to further increase its firepower.
Daniels already had 4 fouls before halftime, and that was with the referees giving him some leeway.
If he continued playing, he would almost certainly foul out before halftime.
Rivers thought that since they could not stop Chen Yan, they might as well open things up and fight an offensive battle.
On defense, they would try to double team him and force him into difficult shots.
Repeated difficult shots also consumed plenty of energy.
Rivers was not only looking at the present.
His eyes were already on the decisive battle in the final quarter.
Chen Yan did not fall for it either.
He tried to play reasonably and distribute the ball.
Both sides had a clear understanding.
They both believed that the true decisive moment of this game would come in the final quarter.
Boston's 2 guard lineup achieved good results on offense.
Delonte West was a stronger offensive player than Daniels.
Whether shooting or driving, his presence made it easier for Rose and Durant to operate.
However, Curry also played well tonight.
With 2 minutes and 2 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, Curry hit an unbelievable long range 3 pointer.
That 3 pointer greatly boosted morale.
On the next Boston possession, Chen Yan successfully stole the hand off between West and Rose, then went on a 1 on 0 fast break dunk.
In this quarter, Chen Yan focused on efficiency.
Catch and shoot.
Fast breaks.
9 attempts, 7 makes, including 3 of 4 from 3 point range.
He scored 17 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and added 2 assists in the quarter.
At halftime, he already had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
55 to 57.
The Knicks trailed by 2 points entering the 2nd half.
During halftime, Rivers team began discussing how to defend Chen Yan.
Constant double teaming like this would not work.
Chen Yan handled the ball very reasonably, and the other Knicks players could easily get shooting opportunities.
But not double teaming was even worse.
Chen Yan's hand was too hot tonight.
After much discussion, the coaching staff came up with a strategy.
Let Daniels guard Chen Yan 1 on 1 and first try to disrupt his reception.
If that did not work, let Chen Yan catch the ball on the wings, with Daniels guarding toward the top of the key and prioritizing Chen Yan's shot.
If Chen Yan stayed near the baseline, the interior players and the player at the top of the arc would collapse inward.
This way, they could limit both Chen Yan's offense and his passing.
This tactic was like setting a trap and waiting for Chen Yan to fall into it.
It sounded good, but Rivers was not sure how it would work in actual execution.
However, given the current situation, this was the only option.
On New York's 1st offensive possession of the 2nd half, Boston used this defensive strategy.
Chen Yan received the ball at a 60 degree angle outside the 3 point line.
Daniels deliberately positioned his body on Chen Yan's right side.
Chen Yan did not hesitate.
He dribbled with his left hand, lowered his center of gravity, and drove inside.
Boston was already prepared.
Stoudemire immediately rushed up, and Rose at the top of the arc also collapsed toward the free throw line.
Chen Yan noticed the change in Boston's defense and chose to pass the ball to Curry at the top of the arc.
Rose leaped high and disrupted Chen Yan's passing lane.
The ball bounced into Durant's hands.
Chen Yan committed a turnover.
Boston launched a fast break.
Durant and Rose completed the play, and Rose slammed it down with a dunk.
59 to 55.
New York's offensive possession was almost identical to the previous one.
Chen Yan received the ball on the left side, with Daniels standing to his right.
Chen Yan dribbled with his left hand and drove inside.
Boston's defensive formation immediately shifted.
However, this time, Chen Yan did not choose to drive all the way in.
He paused, then shifted his body a small step to the right, effectively screening Daniels behind him.
This move put Daniels in a very passive position and made it impossible to double team Chen Yan properly.
Just as Stoudemire hesitated between stepping up and staying back, Chen Yan suddenly shot from mid range.
"Swish!"
It went in.
59 to 57.
For Boston, Rose used a screen to create a mismatch and aggressively scored against Al Harrington.
61 to 57.
New York offense.
Chen Yan again received the ball on the wing, but this time, it was on the right side at a 60 degree angle.
Daniels continued to shade him away from the baseline.
After 2 possessions, Chen Yan had already read Boston's defensive changes.
He dribbled with his right hand, accelerated 1 step inside, then used his body to screen Daniels behind him.
Daniels did not dare exert too much force.
He already had 4 fouls.
Chen Yan exploited that mental pressure and made physical contact with him without restraint.
This time, Stoudemire saw Chen Yan hesitate and decisively stepped up to cover.
Chen Yan did not choose a mid range shot.
Instead, he accelerated a 2nd time, bent low, and drove past Stoudemire.
Facing Kostic in the paint, Chen Yan did not slow down.
He leaped with all his might.
"Boom!"
Chen Yan rode over Kostic and powerfully slammed the ball into the hoop with 1 hand.
61 to 59.
After landing, Chen Yan glared at Rivers on the sideline.
You like setting traps?
Then I will break right through them.
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
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