Chapter 658: Doing Whatever You Want, Switching Freely
Chen Yan's playstyle in this game had been focused mainly on passing, and even ordinary fans had noticed it.
However, the Miami Heat still did not dare relax their individual defense on him.
That was the deterrence created by Chen Yan's terrifying scoring ability.
Even if he stood still in the backcourt, 1 or 2 defenders still had to stay close to him.
That was the basic respect owed to a superstar scorer.
Miami offense.
James did not post up in the paint on this possession. That style of play was not what he excelled at, and it was uncomfortable for him.
James circled out to the 3 point line to receive the ball.
Chalmers handed it to him.
Battier guarded very tightly, giving James no room to accelerate, so James gestured for a pick and roll.
Miami's 2 perimeter stars were both pick and roll specialists.
More than 80 percent of James and Wade's ball handling offense relied on pick and rolls.
The advantage of both players was speed and explosiveness, and the space created after a screen could maximize their strengths.
This tactic was not only used to drive to the basket.
It was also used to tear open the opponent's defense, force mismatches and rotations, allow teammates to participate more effectively, and make each offensive possession as efficient as possible.
After the pick and roll, Al Harrington was 1 step slow on the switch.
James seized the opportunity and accelerated straight inside.
Al Harrington did not even bother to chase.
James had already charged in, so following him or not made no difference.
Kenyon Martin came over from the side to help.
James gathered the ball right in front of him.
"Slap!"
Kenyon Martin slapped the basketball squarely and hard.
However, James still held onto the ball firmly.
His finger strength was terrifying.
Kenyon Martin was helpless.
That was a gambling defensive play.
If he did not knock the ball away, it would be very difficult for him to keep up with James.
"Boom!"
James finished with a tomahawk dunk, his signature offensive move.
After landing, James could not contain his emotions. He roared and pumped his fist.
49 to 44.
A 5 point difference.
On the Knicks next possession, Chen Yan also called for a screen at the high post.
Miami immediately double teamed him.
They understood Chen Yan's explosiveness and refused to give him any space to accelerate.
Chen Yan made a move an ordinary player would not dare make.
He gathered the ball.
As he gathered it, he raised it high.
Normally, gathering the ball in this area was extremely dangerous, especially when being double teamed.
But Chen Yan's action completely drew the attention of both defenders.
Wade and Pau Gasol jumped with their hands raised, trying to interfere with Chen Yan's shot or pass.
On the surface, 2 players were locking down Chen Yan.
In reality, Chen Yan had frozen 2 players.
Chen Yan immediately made his next move.
He pulled the ball to his left, then looked toward the 3 point line.
It was a very subtle action.
It made Chalmers on the weak side think Chen Yan was about to pass to Curry, preventing him from helping on Kenyon Martin, who was cutting toward the paint.
In a flash, Chen Yan delivered a bounce pass to the basket.
Kenyon Martin had not even started his shot motion when Chen Yan turned away, already certain that another assist was coming.
"Boom!"
The dunk echoed through the arena.
51 to 44.
"A beautiful pass," Kenny Smith said. "Chen completely broke down Miami's defense."
"That is the type of pass big men love," Barkley said. "Comfortable, right on time. Catch it, go up, finish. That is basketball made easy."
Kenny continued, "This play showed Chen's extraordinary way of reading the game. A normal player would pass the moment he drew a double team, but an impatient pass like that would allow weak side help to rotate over, and the teammate would lose an easy scoring chance. Chen was patient and confident. He deliberately held the ball at the top, paused, and created time for Kenyon Martin to cut."
Barkley nodded. "It is not just patience. Chen trusts his own eyes. That was a perfectly executed assist."
Miami offense.
Chalmers drove into the paint after a screen, changed pace, then scored with a reverse layup.
It was a very well executed play.
Chalmers definitely had skill.
To be the starting point guard for a super team like Miami, he could not be just a pure role player.
New York offense.
Chen Yan got the ball at the top of the arc and called for another pick and roll.
This time, Miami did not double team.
They chose to switch, letting Pau Gasol guard Chen Yan.
Chen Yan's passing impact tonight had been too great, and the other Knicks players were all in rhythm.
It would be unwise for Miami to keep leaving them open.
Chen Yan extended his right hand and waved outward.
That was the signal for an isolation.
The Knicks players immediately spread out to create space for him.
Chen Yan began dribbling with crossovers, his shoulders shaking with each bounce.
First left to right.
Then right to left.
The motion grew wider and wider.
After seeing Pau Gasol's center of gravity shift, Chen Yan immediately drove left.
Pau Gasol retreated 2 steps, backing all the way to the free throw line.
Chen Yan's fakes kept Gasol's nerves extremely tense.
After seeing Gasol's positioning, Chen Yan pulled up and hit a mid range jumper.
53 to 46.
Chen Yan was known for having no blind spots on the court.
To him, anywhere past half court could become a sweet spot.
Miami offense.
Pau Gasol posted up in the paint and tried to score against Kenyon Martin.
He missed, but drew a foul on Martin.
This whistle seemed influenced by Miami's home court. It was a borderline call that could have gone either way.
Pau Gasol's playing style was still somewhat soft.
In Chen Yan's previous life, he had gradually become tougher under Kobe's influence.
But in this timeline, Gasol and Kobe were not teammates, so how he would develop later remained unknown.
Perhaps he might even develop a 3 point shot.
Gasol made both free throws.
53 to 48.
New York offense.
Curry passed the ball to Chen Yan, then began to move.
Chen Yan orchestrated from the top of the arc and immediately passed the ball back to Curry in the corner.
Chalmers guarded tightly.
After receiving the ball, Curry did not force the shot. Instead, he threw a bounce pass to Kenyon Martin.
Martin turned and took 1 dribble, while Pau Gasol's hands constantly hovered above him.
Martin's ability to create his own offense in the paint was limited.
If he could not shake off the defense immediately, he had no other options.
After a pause, Martin passed the ball to Battier.
Battier was also a connector.
He did not have the ability to create his own shot off the dribble.
Battier dribbled 1 step sideways, then passed back to Curry, who had circled to the top of the arc.
Curry still did not have a clean shooting opportunity.
The Knicks tactic on this possession had completely failed.
The players wasted 19 seconds moving back and forth.
When Chen Yan received the ball again, there were only 5 seconds left on the shot clock.
Chen Yan was decisive.
He took 1 dribble with his left hand, then stepped back and faded away for a jumper.
Wade's defense was difficult to deal with, but his raised hand still could not effectively interfere with Chen Yan's shot.
On offense, Chen Yan and Wade were both players who were almost impossible to guard.
But compared with Wade, Chen Yan's shooting methods were even harder to counter.
His various step backs and side steps were almost impossible to defend.
"Swish!"
The shot was incredibly smooth.
55 to 48.
Chen Yan switched freely between passing and scoring, doing whatever he wanted.
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]