Chapter 105: Chen Yan Should Be Paid Twice—Otherwise, This Game Loses Its Spark!
The first quarter wrapped up in a flash.
With their entire roster catching fire, the Suns took a 12-point lead over the Cavaliers, heading into the second quarter with a 32–20 advantage.
As the new period began, Coach Mike D'Antoni gave his starters a breather, opting to roll with the bench unit. The starting five had played the whole first quarter, and he knew they'd need their legs later in the game.
On the sidelines, Steve Nash was sprawled across the scorer's table like a knock-off Ge You meme. Chen Yan was right next to him, mimicking the same pose.
The two lay back like they were sunbathing on vacation. Naturally, social media had a field day with the scene.
"Yo, are these two hooping or filming a buddy comedy?"
"They deadass look like they're previewing a summer blockbuster."
"Popcorn and a Coke—someone make it happen!"
"Next time just bring a blanket and call it a sleepover!"
Meanwhile, the second quarter tipped off—and both teams sent out their bench squads.
Cavs coach Mike Brown had a clear plan: let the bench squad shrink the deficit to single digits so LeBron could come in and close the gap more comfortably. What no one expected, though, was the Suns' bench nearly blowing the Cavs out of the water.
Phoenix's second unit came in with energy and fire. The chemistry they'd been building all season was finally starting to click.
J.J. Barea got things going early, slicing through the defense with crafty drives and delivering pinpoint assists. The dude was electric—aggressive, confident, and playing like he had something to prove.
Every possession was another reason for D'Antoni to trust him more.
That trust mattered. Barea's ability to lead the second unit meant Nash could rest longer, which was a huge win for the Suns over the course of the game—and the season.
Then came the real surprise: Kelenna Azubuike caught fire.
Fast breaks. Shoulder shimmies. Pull-up jumpers. He looked like a budget Kobe out there—and not in a bad way. Less than three minutes in, he was putting on a show.
Snap!
Barea picked Gibson's pocket mid-court and sprinted down. It was a 2-on-1 fast break.
Only Devin Brown was back for Cleveland.
Barea didn't hesitate—he lobbed it up.
Azubuike soared in and hammered it home with a two-handed jam!
The Suns' bench exploded.
Chen Yan and Nash shot up from their laid-back positions like they'd just been electrocuted. The two, who were chilling just seconds ago, were now on their feet, hyped out of their minds.
Azubuike pounded his chest and stomped the floor before turning to the sideline. Chen Yan whipped his towel like a chopper blade, spinning it over his head like a madman.
The energy was contagious.
Normally, Azubuike was the one swinging towels for others. Today, the roles were reversed—and it fueled him even more.
Across the court, LeBron James squinted at the Suns' bench.
"Who the hell are these guys?" he muttered.
TNT's studio team was just as curious.
Charles Barkley leaned forward, frowning at the screen.
"I'm tellin' ya, where did Phoenix find these dudes? They fit D'Antoni's system perfectly."
Kenny Smith flipped through his game notes.
"According to local reports, Barea and Azubuike were actually recommended by Chen Yan. Both of them were summer league signings."
"Wait, for real?" Barkley raised his eyebrows. "Then Phoenix better double Chen's paycheck. Give that man a player salary and a scout's salary!"
Kenny chuckled.
"He's not wrong."
Back on the floor, Barea pulled up for a transition three—
Splash!
The Suns' second unit was feeling themselves now. Everyone had the green light, and the confidence was sky-high.
Mike Brown had seen enough.
He burned a 20-second timeout. The Cavaliers were spiraling, and he needed to stop the bleeding.
Seconds later, LeBron checked back in.
If he didn't return now, Cleveland risked getting run out of the gym before halftime.
And just like that, the King went to work.
First, a thunderous dunk in traffic. Then a coast-to-coast layup through contact for an and-one.
He was putting the team on his back—business as usual.
Coach D'Antoni looked toward the bench.
"Alright, get the starters ready," he told his assistant. "We're not leaving the bench out there against LeBron for long."
With 7:53 left in the second quarter, the Suns' starters checked back in. The Cavaliers made their own adjustments—LeBron James stayed on the floor, joined by Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Big Z), Anderson Varejao, Damon Jones, and Larry Hughes.
Cleveland had possession, and LeBron brought the ball up. He'd been the Cavs' most reliable offensive weapon so far, using his elite strength and first step to punish defenders in isolation. This time was no different.
Big Z and Varejao moved up top, setting a double screen. LeBron exploded off the pick, driving hard to the rim.
But Chen Yan was ready.
Since boosting his defensive attributes, Chen's instincts and lateral movement had leveled up. Instead of trying to body up James directly—a death sentence for most defenders—he predicted the angle of attack and slid into position to cut him off.
James read it. For a rare moment, he didn't bulldoze through. Instead, he pulled out a European step—left, then right.
It looked smooth… but something was off. That second step felt awkward. His momentum shifted too far forward, and he instinctively shuffled one more step to balance out.
Four steps.
The Suns' bench erupted.
"TRAVEL! TRAVEL!"
The subs jumped up, fists pumping, yelling at the top of their lungs. Their expressions were a mix of disbelief and triumph.
Chen froze, stunned. He didn't expect James to Euro-step him out of position like that.
But the refs stayed silent.
No whistle. Nothing.
LeBron James was a league superstar—referees gave him a different whistle. Everyone knew it.
Still, the broken rhythm clearly affected him. His final left-handed layup clanked off the rim.
Chen didn't hesitate. He snagged the rebound, whipped it ahead to Steve Nash, and the Suns pushed the break.
Phoenix had numbers. Nash faked the dish to the corner, kept the ball, and finished the layup with ease.
On the Cavaliers' sideline, head coach Mike Brown looked torn.
Playing both Big Z and Varejao slowed their pace to a crawl—Phoenix's run-and-gun offense exposed them badly. But taking them out meant losing the Cavs' only strength: rebounding.
The dilemma left Brown stuck. In the end, he went back to Plan A:
"Just give the ball to LeBron and pray he figures it out!"
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Halftime – Suns 69, Cavaliers 49.
The Suns walked into the locker room with a commanding 20-point lead. The game wasn't just in their control—it was a showcase.
The Cavaliers looked nothing like the squad that reached the Finals last season. Truth be told, their 2007 Finals run owed more to the Eastern Conference's weakness than their actual roster strength.
San Antonio had swept them in four games—and that was the only sweep the Spurs had pulled off during the entire postseason. Even Denver managed to steal a game in the first round.
The East-West power gap was getting wider, and this game made it painfully obvious.
The Cavaliers were a sixth seed last season. Hell, they weren't even better than the Rockets, and Houston had flamed out early.
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Second Half – The Suns Smell Blood
To start the third quarter, LeBron stayed on the floor. There was no more pacing himself—it was do-or-die time.
But the grind showed.
James wasn't getting clean looks from the perimeter, so he kept attacking the paint. It worked, but it was exhausting. As the minutes ticked by, his finishing touch began to fade.
Worse, no one stepped up to relieve the pressure.
Ilgauskas chipped in with 9 points on 4-of-8 shooting, but beyond him? Nothing. No firepower. No spark.
LeBron glanced around at his teammates—and what he saw was fatigue, indecision, and inconsistency.
Meanwhile, Phoenix was cooking.
Nash orchestrated. Chen cut backdoor. Alley-oop slam—clean and easy.
Next play—Stoudemire came flying in. One-handed poster dunk off a Nash lob. The arena erupted.
The Suns pushed in transition again. Chen threw a laser to Nash, who snapped a behind-the-back dime to the corner—Raja Bell, splash. Showtime basketball.
Steal. Fast break. Chen pulled up from deep—bang! The Suns were up 25.
Cleveland fans began to file out quietly, heads down.
The Cavs, who normally gave up 96 points a game, had already allowed 90 by the end of the third quarter. The Suns were relentless.
At the start of the fourth, LeBron checked in again, but only for a few minutes. Once Mike Brown saw the writing on the wall, he pulled his star to avoid any unnecessary injury.
LeBron walked back to the bench, face blank. No emotion. Just frustration.
The game was over. The Suns had completely dismantled the Cavaliers.
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