Chapter 188: He Went Off — Why Mess with Him at All?
"Beautiful dunk! Durant wakes up the crowd with a two-handed slam!" Mike shouted excitedly from the commentary booth, his voice brimming with energy.
"Chen Yan's got that flair for the spotlight," said Yao Ming, sitting beside him. "His game fits perfectly in an All-Star environment."
Mike nodded. "Yeah, that play had a touch of Steve Nash in it."
Yao laughed. "No doubt. After half a season playing next to Nash, you can tell Chen's learned a lot."
Mike added with a grin, "Still, that kind of court vision can't be copied. You've got to have a feel for it — and Chen Yan's one of those rare players who just gets it."
Even during an exhibition, Mike never missed a chance to praise him.
As the two commentators talked, Brandon Roy ran a slick pick-and-roll, drove hard to the rim, and threw down a one-handed dunk for the sophomores.
Perfect spacing, perfect timing.
The crowd roared — not because of the score, but because no one came to block it. That's how the Rookie Challenge worked. You don't lock up on defense — you let the fans enjoy the show.
---
The first half flew by with highlight after highlight. The sophomores led 75–68, and both teams shot lights-out.
No one in the arena cared who was ahead. Everyone was there for the dunks, the lobs, and the fun.
Chen Yan only took four shots, hitting three for seven points and four assists. He wasn't forcing anything; it was an exhibition, and he knew when to entertain and when to let others shine.
Durant led the freshmen with 12 points and 4 rebounds, while Yi Jianlian struggled a bit — 1-for-3 in six minutes. His calm, methodical style didn't quite suit the chaotic, high-flying pace of an All-Star game.
Daniel Gibson from the sophomore team couldn't miss, draining five threes for 15 first-half points. He was red-hot.
Meanwhile, Suns teammates Barea and Azubuike saw limited time, adding five and four points respectively.
Everyone expected the second half to be another dunk contest in disguise.
They were wrong.
---
Barely a few minutes into the second half, the tone shifted.
It started with a Rondo steal.
The freshman team had a fast break — Durant streaking down the lane, Chen trailing just behind. It was an easy highlight waiting to happen.
Durant, showing respect, decided not to dunk himself. Instead, he tossed the ball back to Chen Yan for a give-and-go finish — a payback for all the assists Chen had given him in the first half.
But out of nowhere, Rondo lunged in and intercepted the pass midair.
Play stopped.
Chen stood frozen for a second, then raised an eyebrow. He'd been letting the sophomores have their fun the entire first half. But when it was his turn? Rondo went full try-hard.
Even Durant looked awkward — stuck between a friend and a current Celtics teammate.
The crowd booed loudly. Nobody liked seeing defense in an exhibition — especially not defense that killed an alley-oop.
Chen locked eyes with Rondo and said coldly, "Alright. You wanna play for real? Let's play for real."
---
On the next possession, his demeanor changed.
Chen's defensive intensity skyrocketed — full-court press mode engaged.
He'd been sitting on an 85 defensive rating, but now he was using every bit of it. His stance lowered, his eyes sharpened, and the rhythm of the game shifted instantly.
Rondo brought the ball past half court — and in a flash—
"Snap!"
Chen stripped the ball clean.
Using his Wind Step, he exploded down the court, leaving everyone behind.
One stride, two strides—
"BOOM!"
A one-foot folding reverse dunk — the kind that blends power with grace.
The crowd erupted. Chen flexed toward the baseline camera, showing off his lean, chiseled arms. Female fans screamed from the stands.
"Good lord, what a dunk!" Mike yelled. "You don't see that every day — even in regular season games!"
Yao Ming laughed. "That was payback. Rondo stole his fun, and Chen just took it back with interest."
But Chen wasn't finished.
---
On the next trip down, Bargnani bricked a mid-range jumper.
Chen grabbed the rebound and took off again — coast to coast.
At the free-throw line, he flicked the ball up lightly, then exploded toward the rim.
"He's going again!" Yao shouted.
Azubuike, standing in the paint, immediately stepped aside. He knew better — he'd seen this movie too many times in Phoenix.
Rondo, however, didn't.
As Chen took flight, Rondo tried to chase him down.
"BOOM!"
They collided in the air — Chen finishing strong through contact, hammering the ball into the basket!
"Beep!"
And-1!
Rondo crashed to the floor, flat on his back. Chen landed clean, expression stone-cold.
The fans were on their feet.
Chen walked calmly to the line, glanced down at Rondo still lying under the basket, then sank the free throw.
"Swish!"
Five straight points.
But he was just heating up.
---
On the next possession, Gibson launched another three.
"Bang!" — off the rim.
Jeff Green snagged the rebound and kicked it out.
"Give me the ball!" Chen barked, taking the pass and pushing full speed across half court.
The sophomores scrambled to set up defensively, but Chen didn't slow down.
He burst into the paint, splitting Aldridge and Bargnani with a silky Shadow Trace crossover, twisting midair for a one-handed scoop finish.
The crowd gasped.
Even the defenders could only shake their heads.
That was art.
---
Finally, Aldridge answered with a tough fadeaway jumper — two points, but the damage had been done.
Durant inbounded quickly, and Chen was already sprinting up the court.
Catching the pass at the 45-degree angle, he pulled up instantly — no hesitation.
"Bang!"
Nothing but net.
Ten straight points.
The arena went insane. The rookie challenge had turned into a warzone — and Chen Yan was the one-man army leading it.
The crowd was ecstatic. The sophomore bench? Not so much.
Every player turned to glare at Rondo.
He avoided their eyes.
Because everyone knew the truth —
He was the one who woke the beast.
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