Chapter 655: The Heat's Big 3
After the game, Chen Yan accepted an interview.
"There is an old saying, everything is difficult at the beginning," Chen Yan said. "This was my 1st game with the Knicks, and winning this game means a lot to me. We still have 2 more road games, and both will be tough battles. I hope the whole team remembers the feeling of this victory and continues it."
Chen Yan's words were true.
The Knicks road trip through the Eastern Conference this week was indeed difficult.
Their next game would come in 2 days against the Miami Heat and their Big 3.
After that, they would face the Eastern Conference powerhouse Orlando Magic.
On February 26, the Knicks new players arrived.
On February 27, Battier and Kenyon Martin were already in the starting lineup, despite having practiced with their teammates only once.
There was no other choice.
The Knicks were too short handed.
The Miami Heat were currently 2nd in the Eastern Conference, and the Big 3 were still adjusting to each other. So far this season, they had lost 16 games.
Basketball was not a card game.
You could not win just because you held the big joker and the small joker.
To win games, apart from strength on paper, factors such as form and chemistry also had to be considered.
That was also why newly formed lineups often struggled in their 1st year.
Chemistry took time to develop.
The starting lineups for both sides were set.
New York Knicks starting lineup: Curry, Chen Yan, Battier, Turiaf, Kenyon Martin.
Miami Heat starting lineup: Chalmers, Wade, James, Haslem, Pau Gasol.
There was no comparison between the 2 starting lineups.
The Heat had 2 superstars and 1 All Star.
The Knicks only had Chen Yan as their true standout.
Curry was still developing and had not fully matured yet.
Kenyon Martin had once been an All Star, but his peak was already behind him. Even at his best, most of his points came from easy finishes created by Kidd.
The benches, however, were not too far apart.
For the Knicks, Barea, Williams, and Al Harrington were all capable players.
For the Heat, the usable names were Miller, James Jones, and Joel Anthony.
This was also why the outside world was not optimistic about Miami winning the championship this year.
Their starting lineup was indeed luxurious, but their bench was simply not strong enough.
Before the game began, James tossed his chalk, and Wade pulled on the rim.
Both went through their usual pre game rituals.
The 2 of them seemed quite relaxed.
Chen Yan was very strong, but aside from him, the Knicks had no other stars.
When James greeted Chen Yan before the game, he smiled and said, "I hope we can put on a great show for the fans."
James was smiling when he said it.
He did not think the Knicks could pose much of a threat to the Heat.
There was even a hint of mockery in his tone.
He believed that with this Knicks lineup, forget contending for a championship, even making the playoffs would be difficult.
Chen Yan would regret refusing to team up with him.
The jump ball came at center court.
Although Kenyon Martin had the better vertical leap, his timing was poor, and Pau Gasol beat him with superior length and positioning.
Chalmers fumbled the ball.
Curry reacted quickly and stole it.
The moment Chen Yan saw Curry make the play, he immediately cut forward.
Curry stole the ball and fired a powerful pass ahead.
Chen Yan caught it, took a long stride, rose swiftly, and finished with a lightning fast dunk.
2 to 0.
The Heat did not pay too much attention to it.
The game had just begun. 1 turnover would not affect them much.
James comforted Chalmers, signaling that it was not his fault and that he should slow down and steady the rhythm.
After Chalmers crossed half court, he passed the ball to Wade, who came up to receive it.
James posted up on the baseline at mid range and called for the ball.
After catching it, James fiercely bumped Battier, then quickly turned to face the basket.
His post game during this period was still very crude. Most of the time, he was only pretending to post up.
Chen Yan left Wade and rushed over, putting James in a trap from both sides.
The baseline had very little space, and Chen Yan wanted to completely seal James off.
But James was not an ordinary player.
He was a superstar, and a superstar who was good at passing.
Making a pass in this situation was not difficult for him.
James threw the ball to Wade on the perimeter.
Wade took a 3 pointer from the top of the arc.
This shot was at most an attempt, because Wade's 3 point shooting was also unreliable.
"Clang!"
The ball struck iron.
Chen Yan turned around, grabbed the rebound with 1 hand, and immediately pushed forward.
1 step before the logo, Chen Yan made a feint, then delivered a no look pass to Curry on the right.
Curry caught the ball and hit a crucial 3 pointer.
This was his rhythm.
5 to 0.
"Oh, that was a very precise 3 point make," Kenny Smith praised. "This is where Stephen Curry is dangerous. Beautiful shot. But I want to praise Chen Yan's pass just now. He found the right teammate at exactly the right moment. This is only his 2nd official game as Curry's teammate, and it already looks like he understands him very well."
Barkley laughed. "Hahaha, that is not difficult for Chen Yan."
The Heat continued playing half court offense, just like the previous possession.
Chalmers crossed half court.
Wade received the ball.
James posted up and called for it.
However, this time, James chose not to post up in the corner. Instead, he took position at the left 45 degree angle.
From this spot, it was harder for Chen Yan to come over and double team.
James used a triple threat, pulling the ball from his right hip to his left, then drove hard inside like a tank.
This possession was pure force.
James wanted to overpower Battier with his superior strength.
However, basketball was not football.
When Battier occupied legal defensive position, James could only go around him. A direct charge would be an offensive foul.
James leaned into Battier and drove into the paint, using his physical advantage to push him aside and attack the rim.
Although Battier was pushed off balance, he prevented James from getting a full jump.
Kenyon Martin came over to help and easily blocked James's shot.
The ball fell back within James's reach.
He quickly caught it and shot a fadeaway jumper.
Missed.
The Heat offense struggled to get going.
They had not established their preferred rhythm at the start.
On the other end, the Knicks entered a half court set.
After a few off ball screens and movements, it was obvious that the team's coordination was still a bit rusty.
With 12 seconds left on the shot clock, Chen Yan held the ball at the top of the arc.
He took 1 dribble forward, faked with his left hand, then pulled up for the shot.
"Swish!"
He solved the problem with individual ability.
7 to 0.
The Heat finally got on the board.
Wade used a drive to draw a foul and made 1 of 2 free throws.
7 to 1.
The Knicks pushed the ball in transition.
Kenyon Martin received the ball and cut into the paint.
James directly intercepted the pass in midair.
This was also revenge for being blocked on the previous possession.
James took 2 steps on the left side, then made an accurate long pass to Wade.
The lead pass was perfect.
Wade caught the ball, took 1 step, and finished with a 1 handed dunk.
7 to 3.
The Knicks once again settled into half court offense.
Curry passed the ball to Chen Yan.
Chen Yan dribbled once, passed to Turiaf, then moved toward the paint himself, preparing to run a play.
Unexpectedly, Turiaf turned the ball over the next second.
He tried to find Curry, but James stole the pass cleanly.
James took the ball and sprinted toward the frontcourt.
Although 2 Knicks players had returned to the defensive half, they were Curry and Battier.
Neither could pose much of a threat to James once he was charging downhill.
James gathered the ball, went around Curry, and finished with a powerful dunk over his head.
7 to 5.
In these 2 possessions, the Heat played their brand of basketball.
The 2 dunks ignited the home crowd.
.....
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