Chapter 755: A Desperate Shot
"The 2 teams are almost back at the same starting point," Kenny Smith said. "This 4th quarter should be exciting."
"That is right," Barkley replied. "Chen Yan nearly erased the entire deficit by himself. Now we will see whether he can continue what he did in the 3rd quarter."
"The 4th quarter has begun, and Nelson has Chen Yan on the bench," Kenny observed.
"That makes sense," Barkley said. "Chen went all out in the 3rd quarter. He needs a breather before the final battle."
"Durant and Rose are also resting. Boston has Stoudemire leading its 2nd unit, while David West is leading New York's."
How long Chen Yan could remain on the bench depended on David West's performance during this stretch.
Unfortunately, David West's touch remained inconsistent.
The good news was that Stoudemire was also struggling, so both teams scored at a very slow pace.
With 8 minutes and 9 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter, Chen Yan returned to the court.
The Celtics immediately brought their starters back as well.
Everyone understood that the decisive battle was about to begin.
Boston used Derrick Rose, Marquis Daniels, Kevin Durant, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Nenad Krstić.
New York countered with Beverley, Chen Yan, Battier, Al Harrington, and DeAndre Jordan.
Nelson directly removed the struggling David West and replaced him with Al Harrington, who posed a greater threat from the perimeter.
Rose dribbled past half court with Beverley pressing him tightly.
Beverley's constant small fouls greatly irritated Rose.
Rose waved off the screen and signaled for an isolation.
He dribbled toward the wing beyond the 3 point line, made a wide crossover, and squeezed past Beverley on his way to the paint.
Beverley's mind kept up with the play.
His body did not.
Rose possessed terrifying explosiveness. His 1st step resembled a rocket leaving the ground.
After beating Beverley, Rose used his signature floater.
Swish.
The shot dropped cleanly through the net.
99 to 96.
The Celtics held a 3 point lead.
Knicks offensive possession.
Beverley brought the ball across half court.
Al Harrington moved beyond the 3 point line to receive the pass, forcing Stoudemire to follow him outside.
That was the value of a big man who could shoot from the perimeter. His presence created driving space for the ball handler.
Chen Yan drove forward for 2 steps, then pulled the ball back to reset.
Daniels defended him aggressively under Rivers instructions.
If Boston treated Chen Yan politely, it would be no different from giving him free points.
Daniels played with plenty of contact, but he was not dirty.
Although he pressed closely, Chen Yan did not appear particularly bothered.
Under Daniels tight defense, Chen Yan remained completely at ease.
After retreating, he crossed the ball into his left hand.
Daniels pressed forward another step.
Chen Yan lowered his center of gravity and executed an extremely low double crossover in front of his body.
After returning the ball to his right hand, Chen Yan exploded past Daniels.
That was the risk of applying such tight pressure.
Once the defender was beaten, there was no room to recover.
Chen Yan suddenly stopped near the free throw line, rose into the air, and calmly sent the ball through the basket.
He did not use his momentum to attack the rim directly.
Instead, he chose the safest and most energy efficient finish.
Chen Yan was already thinking about the final minutes of the 4th quarter, and perhaps even overtime.
He needed to preserve as much stamina as possible.
On Boston's next possession, his former teammate Stoudemire answered.
Stoudemire took a probing step, then immediately launched himself forward. He used his explosive power and powerful frame to create space before finishing the layup.
101 to 98.
Stoudemire exchanged a forceful high 5 with Durant.
Although the Celtics had collapsed during the 3rd quarter, they had regained their fighting spirit in the 4th.
They refused to let a victory that had once seemed secure slip away.
Stoudemire was still enjoying his basket when the Knicks quickly inbounded from the baseline.
Daniels saw the long passing lane and prepared to intercept the ball.
However, he clearly overestimated his leaping ability.
Perhaps Daniels could have reached the pass from a standing jump, but he was retreating throughout the play.
Generating his full jumping power from that position was extremely difficult.
Daniels jumped helplessly and missed the ball.
Chen Yan was suddenly completely open.
Durant retreated while preparing to defend him.
Chen Yan took 1 dribble forward, then pounded the ball hard outside the 3 point line and took an enormous step.
As he stepped, Chen Yan raised the ball above his head.
A Euro step followed by a wide spin.
After beating Durant, Chen Yan glided beneath the basket and finished an elegant reverse layup.
101 to 100.
The score remained extremely close.
Every basket Chen Yan made felt like another stab into the hearts of the Celtics.
The entire Boston team was tense.
Only Piétrus, watching from the sideline, felt a trace of relief.
He had finally proven that his inability to guard Chen Yan was not entirely his fault.
The pressure on Durant increased sharply.
However, on the next possession, he proved his own ability.
After using his signature crossover, Durant rose for a drifting mid range jumper.
Swish.
103 to 100.
"Great shot," Kenny Smith said. "That was a difficult mid range jumper, and Durant did not hesitate in the crucial moment."
"Durant has grown tremendously during the past 2 years," Barkley added. "Not just technically, but mentally too."
After scoring, Durant roared, his eyes burning with intensity.
He was fully invested.
In Durant's mind, this was no longer an ordinary regular season game.
After scoring, the Celtics quickly retreated on defense.
They had no intention of giving the Knicks repeated transition opportunities.
Beverley brought the ball up the court.
Chen Yan tried to step forward and receive it, but Boston guarded him too tightly.
Chen Yan was forced to make a reverse cut.
Beverley noticed that the entire Celtics defense was focused on Chen Yan.
He suddenly accelerated and attacked the basket himself.
DeAndre Jordan immediately stepped sideways and sealed Stoudemire behind him.
Beverley slipped through and scored.
103 to 102.
Chen Yan exchanged a high 5 with Beverley, who looked extremely excited.
He had realized that he could help the team with more than defense.
Chen Yan was also glad to see a teammate step forward at this moment.
No one wanted to fight alone forever.
Over the next several possessions, both teams missed their shots.
Kenny Smith said that the defensive intensity had risen to Playoffs level.
In reality, even that description was conservative.
The game had nearly reached NBA Finals intensity.
With the battle becoming this heated, neither team was willing to lose.
Boston continued increasing the physical pressure, and New York had no choice but to respond.
It was like 2 gamblers sitting across from each other.
Once 1 pushed all his chips into the middle, the other had to match or accept defeat.
The 2 teams battled until only 1 minute and 13 seconds remained.
The score was 116 to 115.
Boston led by 1 point.
Chen Yan received the ball near the logo.
Durant had become his defender.
Chen Yan had already scored 65 points tonight, and Durant was extremely irritated.
Beyond Chen Yan's personal numbers, Durant was even more frustrated by Boston's sudden collapse during the 3rd quarter.
What should have been a guaranteed victory had become completely unpredictable.
Chen Yan did not call for a screen.
Using one at this moment would only give Boston a chance to trap him.
He decided to handle the possession himself.
Durant defended tightly, placing his right hand against Chen Yan's waist and applying active pressure.
The referee did not call it.
At this stage of the game, officials usually allowed the players to decide the outcome themselves.
Chen Yan used Durant's pressure against him.
He lowered his center of gravity and drove forcefully past Durant's side.
Durant was extremely agile for his size, but his center of gravity was still high.
It was natural that he could not lower it quickly enough to match Chen Yan.
After Chen Yan beat him, Piétrus stepped over from the wing.
Rivers had returned Piétrus to the court during the latter half of the 4th quarter.
Throughout the game, Rivers had rotated Daniels, Piétrus, and Durant against Chen Yan.
None of them had been effective.
Battier was open on the wing.
Chen Yan did not pass.
He felt comfortable on this possession.
After beating Durant with his 1st step, Chen Yan changed direction while still moving and flashed directly toward Piétrus's left side.
Piétrus barely stayed with him.
Chen Yan leaned into the defender and forced himself into the air.
The fans could clearly see that Chen Yan's pace had slowed.
Carrying a team for an entire game inevitably drained a player's stamina.
By the final quarter, it became difficult to maintain the same speed and explosiveness from earlier.
But that did not mean Piétrus could stop him.
Piétrus and Chen Yan jumped at the same time.
Piétrus held excellent defensive position and prevented Chen Yan from taking off at full strength.
Chen Yan raised the ball above his head with both hands.
He was not looking to pass.
Instead, he engaged Piétrus in a battle of hang time.
Piétrus began descending.
Chen Yan was still near the highest point of his jump.
Chen Yan finally released the ball.
It struck the backboard and dropped through the basket.
His momentum carried him out of bounds, where he landed on the floor.
117 to 116.
The fall was a form of self protection, allowing Chen Yan to disperse the force of his momentum.
This had unquestionably been Piétrus's closest attempt at stopping Chen Yan all game.
He still failed.
However, Piétrus reacted quickly.
While Chen Yan was still on the ground, he grabbed the ball and immediately inbounded it.
It was an outrageous response.
Boston created a numbers advantage in the frontcourt.
Durant received Rose's pass and prepared to finish the layup.
Beverley saw the situation and made his decision.
If Boston wanted to take advantage of Chen Yan being on the floor, Beverley would not show mercy.
He slapped Durant directly across the forearm.
Durant immediately exploded in anger, believing the foul had been intentional.
Beverley refused to back down.
He almost hoped Durant would come over and hit him, because that would maximize the value of the foul he had committed.
Their teammates quickly separated them.
A moment of impatience could destroy an entire game.
If New York received free throws from a technical foul at this stage, it would be a disastrous mistake for Boston.
"Man, you are a clown!" Durant shouted angrily. "You are a minimum salary clown!"
"That is right," Beverley fired back. "And you are an MVP on a maximum contract who lost as the top seed in the 1st round!"
There was an old saying that one should not strike another person's face or expose their deepest wound during an argument.
That principle clearly did not apply here.
Beverley's words struck Durant exactly where it hurt.
If his teammates had not held him back, Durant might truly have thrown a punch.
Despite having faced Beverley only twice, Durant already genuinely disliked him.
In Durant's eyes, Beverley not only played dirty, but also possessed an extraordinary ability to disrupt an opponent's emotions.
Players such as Beverley were always like this.
Opponents hated them.
Teammates loved them.
Beverley was unquestionably a team player.
He was willing to sacrifice for the team, not only tactically, but also at the expense of his own reputation.
He would accept every ugly assignment and every difficult task.
That was exactly why Chen Yan had recruited him.
No matter what era of basketball one played in, it was useful to have a loyal enforcer nearby.
Even if that player was not needed, his presence still created a deterrent.
Owning a sword and choosing not to draw it was completely different from having no sword at all.
Durant stepped to the free throw line and took a deep breath.
The entire arena surged with chants of "MVP!"
Durant made the 1st free throw.
117 to 117.
Clang.
The 2nd attempt carried slightly too much force.
The ball hit the rim and bounced away.
Beverley had clearly shaken Durant's concentration.
52 seconds remained.
Chen Yan began controlling the pace.
Boston did not dare double team him.
Trapping Chen Yan would leave another Knicks player open, and surrendering a clean basket at this point could be fatal.
"Do not let him drive!" Rivers shouted. "Keep him outside the 3 point line!"
Chen Yan's 3 point shooting had indeed been average tonight.
His touch from the perimeter had never become smooth, and most of his points had come from drives.
Piétrus stood in front of him.
He had already been feeling enormous pressure, but Rivers instructions allowed him to relax slightly.
Piétrus took a small step back and focused on preventing the drive.
If Chen Yan made the outside shot, Rivers would have to accept responsibility for the decision.
Chen Yan dribbled patiently and allowed the clock to run.
He did not begin his move until only 7 seconds remained on the shot clock.
Piétrus retreated as he defended.
Chen Yan saw an opening at the top of the arc and immediately pulled up for a 3 pointer.
Clang.
When Chen Yan found such a comfortable shooting opportunity, some Celtics fans had almost begun mourning prematurely.
The moment they heard the ball strike the rim, they released breaths of relief.
A false alarm.
Stoudemire leaped with everything he had.
He understood the importance of securing that defensive rebound.
After grabbing it, Stoudemire clutched the ball tightly against his chest.
Rose came forward to receive the outlet pass.
Stoudemire handed him the ball.
Rose slowly dribbled across half court.
Rivers called a timeout.
32 seconds remained.
The players assumed he wanted to carefully design the next possession.
Instead, Rivers delivered a long and passionate speech.
As for the actual tactic, he gave only 1 instruction.
"Give the ball to Durant. Everyone else clear out."
Coming out of the timeout, Boston nearly failed to inbound the ball from the sideline.
Beverley chased Rose across the court.
The Celtics wanted Rose to circle toward the top of the arc, receive the pass, and then execute a handoff with Durant.
However, Piétrus never found a clean passing lane to Rose.
Boston nearly committed a 5 second violation.
Fortunately, Durant's height gave them another option.
He signaled for Piétrus to throw the ball high.
Durant received the sideline pass 2 steps beyond the 3 point line at the top of the arc.
The moment he caught it, the clock began moving.
Boston did not run a play.
Everyone cleared out and watched Durant isolate Battier.
Durant dribbled with his left hand outside the 3 point line.
Just as Chen Yan had done on the previous possession, he allowed the clock to fall to 7 seconds.
Battier stared intently at him.
Durant suddenly crossed the ball between his legs.
He tried to accelerate right, but Battier anticipated the route and moved sideways while retreating.
Durant drove forcefully for 2 steps but failed to shake him.
Battier's defense was extremely disciplined.
He knew the shot clock was nearly gone, so he leaned directly into Durant and waited for the shot.
Durant had only 2 options.
Shoot or pass.
As a pure scorer, Durant was unlikely to give the ball away in this situation.
This time was no exception.
Durant pulled up for a forced jumper.
Although he possessed an advantage in height and wingspan, Battier was directly in his face.
Durant was forced to fade away as he released the shot.
Swish.
It went in.
"Durant made the go ahead basket," Kenny Smith said. "That was an incredibly difficult shot."
"Battier defended it as well as anyone possibly could," Barkley replied.
Nelson was about to call a timeout when Chen Yan demanded the ball in the backcourt.
He began slowly dribbling toward half court.
Nelson chose not to interrupt Chen Yan's rhythm.
Even if New York called a timeout, there was no guarantee they could successfully inbound the ball back to him.
"Boston is not pressuring Chen," Barkley said. "Did Durant's basket make them think the game was already over?"
"The Knicks did not call timeout either," Kenny Smith added. "They are letting Chen decide the game himself."
By the time Chen Yan crossed half court, only 7.5 seconds remained.
Piétrus glanced behind him.
Every Knicks player had cleared out.
6 seconds.
5 seconds.
With fewer than 5 seconds left, Chen Yan dribbled continuously with his left hand toward the wing.
On the 4th dribble, after finding his rhythm, Chen Yan suddenly rose for the shot.
The immediate reaction from the home crowd was confusion.
That was it?
He simply pulled up?
There had been no fake.
No hesitation.
No complicated move.
Chen Yan had simply risen for a direct jumper from 1 step beyond the 3 point line.
"Impossible."
Piétrus turned to look at the basket.
Chen Yan had not shot the 3 well tonight.
His previous attempt had missed.
Piétrus still held a trace of hope.
That hope was shattered instantly.
Swish.
The ball dropped through the net as cleanly as it had left Chen Yan's hands.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
120 to 119.
Chen Yan pressed his lips together and repeatedly pounded his chest.
He ran toward the sideline and celebrated with a series of chest bumps against his teammates.
"You can always trust Chen Yan!" Barkley shouted.
After making the shot, Chen Yan left Boston only 0.2 seconds.
That was enough time for the Celtics to feel despair.
It was not enough time to attempt another shot.
…..
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