Chapter 411: On Site Barrel Tackling Instruction
After 1 day of rest, the Phoenix Suns headed to Chicago to face the Bulls on the road.
Nationwide, this game did not generate much buzz. The Suns were the defending champions. The Bulls were a young team still figuring itself out. On paper, the gap was obvious.
During warmups, Chen Yan and Yi chatted near mid court.
Yi's progress was clear. His English sounded smoother, and the confidence in his posture was different from last season. He looked more comfortable in this environment.
But Chen Yan also knew comfort was not enough. If Yi truly wanted to establish himself in the NBA, he would need to keep changing, on the court and off it.
As the 2 laughed and talked, Russell Westbrook wandered over, looking around like a kid trying to sneak into the grown ups' table.
"Hi, Russell. Long time no see," Chen Yan said, pulling him in.
Westbrook had not become the unstoppable force he would be later. Right now, he still looked young, still a little raw, still carrying that wide eyed excitement.
Westbrook grinned. "Man, a few months ago you were watching me in the NCAA. Now we're playing against each other in the NBA."
Chen Yan understood the feeling. He had lived it.
He laughed. "Then show me what you've improved."
Westbrook's smile turned even brighter. "You'll regret it."
"I'm looking forward to it," Chen Yan replied.
After Westbrook left, Chen Yan and Yi continued talking.
"Westbrook's a good guy," Chen Yan said. "Get to know him more."
Yi nodded. "Yeah. He's straightforward."
"In the NBA, you can't fight alone," Chen Yan added. "If you get into something on the court and you've got no relationships, nobody's stepping in for you."
Yi smiled again and took it seriously.
Yi was not the type to start conflicts, but basketball was basketball. Things happened. And Chen Yan knew Yi well enough to know one of his biggest issues was that he barely communicated with teammates outside games and training. That made it harder to truly blend in.
…
Starting lineups:
Phoenix Suns: Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Diaw, Stoudemire.
Chicago Bulls: Hinrich, Westbrook, Luol Deng, Yi Jianlian, Gooden.
Chicago ran a dual point guard look, with Ben Gordon moved to the sixth man role by the coaching staff.
The Bulls did not have a settled rotation yet. Rookie coach Vinny Del Negro had just taken over, and early season games were his lab.
Both teams were similar in structure tonight, mobile lineups with no traditional center on the floor.
"It's going to be fast," Smith said with a smile. "Both lineups are built to run."
Barkley laughed. "Fast pace means fun pace. Let's hope both teams show out."
The game tipped off. Stoudemire won it over Yi, giving Phoenix the first possession.
Nash and Stoudemire went straight into a classic pick and roll. Stoudemire caught and rose for a midrange jumper.
Clang.
Decisive, but cold. The ball bounced off the rim.
The moment the shot missed, Westbrook took off like someone had hit a switch.
At this stage he was not hunting defensive rebounds, he was hunting chaos. His first instinct after a miss was always, Run.
Gooden secured the rebound and hit Hinrich. Hinrich looked up, saw Westbrook already sprinting, and fired a long lead pass.
Nash jumped to intercept, but the pass was too high. It sailed over his hands and dropped cleanly into Westbrook's path.
Westbrook grabbed it in stride and went full throttle to the rim.
On the Suns' side, only Chen Yan was back.
Chen Yan accelerated to match Westbrook's line, then slowed just enough to set his feet. His eyes stayed locked on Westbrook's steps, waiting for the takeoff.
Westbrook did not hesitate. No tricks, no hesitation dribbles, no finesse. He drove into the restricted area and exploded off 2 feet.
The crowd rose in unison. If he finished this, it was an instant top 5 highlight.
Chen Yan jumped too.
Talent against talent.
Westbrook's force was violent, but his height was a half beat short.
Slap.
A clean, emphatic rejection.
The ball got erased like it had never belonged in the air.
Westbrook landed off balance, stumbling forward. Chen Yan recovered, secured the ball, and pushed up court immediately.
No points yet, but the game already had a clear identity.
Speed.
And when the pace goes up, cracks appear.
Phoenix attacked the unsettled floor, turned it into a quick 5 on 4, and Chen Yan buried a 3.
Swish.
Phoenix 3, Chicago 0.
"Right away," Barkley said. "Chen Yan's touch from Indiana carried over."
Smith added, "That block on Westbrook was solid. I wonder if it shakes him at all."
That was giving Westbrook too much credit for being normal.
Westbrook's confidence came factory installed. It did not come with an off button.
Chicago came back.
Hinrich crossed half court. Westbrook tried to cut free for the ball.
Hinrich looked at him, then ignored him.
Instead, he tossed it inside.
Westbrook was still a rookie, and rookies did not get to call the offense.
Gooden caught, then swung it out to Luol Deng.
Deng jabbed, faked, then put the ball down to drive.
Raja Bell read it immediately.
The moment Deng dribbled, Bell's hand flashed in.
Steal.
Bell poked it loose cleanly, and Phoenix had another transition chance.
Chen Yan collected the ball and hit the gas.
He loved open floor, the feeling of sprinting with nothing in the way.
His straight line burst left Hinrich behind. They were not built the same.
Chen Yan reached the restricted area, and once again he saw Westbrook waiting.
A mirror of the Bulls' first break.
This time it was Chen Yan with momentum.
He timed his steps, gathered, and launched.
Westbrook jumped to challenge him with everything he had.
Another talent test.
Westbrook had only Chen Yan in his eyes.
Chen Yan had only the rim.
Boom.
Chen Yan rose higher and hammered it down over Westbrook.
A thunderous dunk that shook the building.
Beep.
The whistle sounded at the same time.
Westbrook landed, stunned, and only then realized he had fouled.
The arena erupted. Chicago had plenty of Phoenix fans in the seats tonight, and they came to see exactly this.
Someone shouted, "That dunk was ridiculous!"
Another voice yelled, laughing, "Back to back lessons on both ends. Westbrook, welcome to the NBA!"
A third fan yelled, "Somebody translate, what does posterized mean?"
And someone answered, loud enough for the nearby section to hear.
"It means you jump higher than the other guy. That's the whole lesson."
.....
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