Chapter 656: The 3 Pointers Are Falling Smoothly!
The Miami Heat were full of attacking power.
Both of their core players were known for explosive drives. Against a team like this, no one could afford to relax or lose focus. If the Knicks slipped for even a moment, Miami could easily put together a scoring run and pull away.
New York offense.
After Curry crossed half court, he passed the ball to Chen Yan.
Chen Yan swung it horizontally to Battier.
Curry first cut into the paint, then circled back out to the 3 point line. Battier passed the ball sideways again.
This was originally 1 of Curry's off ball movement plays, but Kenyon Martin was half a step slow and failed to screen for him.
The moment Curry received the ball, Chalmers had already appeared in front of him.
The off ball play failed.
Curry held the ball outside the 3 point line, and a pick and roll quickly came.
This time, Chen Yan set the screen for Curry.
Chen Yan intended to replicate the tactics he had used during his time with the Suns, letting 2 guards run pick and roll actions together.
He knew Curry's shooting ability and range very well.
A pick and roll between the 2 of them carried enormous threat.
After the screen, Curry immediately accelerated toward the middle, forcing Miami to switch.
This was exactly what the Knicks wanted.
Curry quickly passed the ball to Chen Yan at the top of the arc.
As Chen Yan received the ball, a voice came from the sideline.
"Clear out! Everyone clear out and let Chen go 1 on 1!"
The speaker was Knicks head coach Don Nelson.
After Nelson was fired by the Warriors last season, he had begun considering retirement. However, the Knicks invitation rekindled his interest in coaching because they had Curry, the guard he had always wanted.
Nelson came for Curry.
In Chen Yan's previous life, Nelson had pushed through objections to draft Curry, even though the Warriors already had a crowded guard rotation.
In this parallel world, he even chose to postpone retirement for Curry.
Yes.
That was definitely true love.
Nelson had come to New York for Curry.
He never expected to receive an unexpected surprise in Chen Yan after coaching for half a season.
After confirming the news that Chen Yan was coming, Nelson was excited for several days.
Coaching Chen Yan was every coach's dream, just as no one would refuse the chance to coach Jordan.
This was especially true for a coach like Nelson, who specialized in run and gun basketball.
Since his time with the Warriors, he had fantasized about bringing Chen Yan under his wing.
Now, that fantasy had become reality.
The Knicks players on the court immediately spread out.
Chen Yan began to isolate against Chalmers.
He did not use overly complex moves.
He made a simple change of direction, shifted the ball to his left hand, then turned his body to shield the ball and slowly drove inside.
This was already Chen Yan's 4th professional season, and he now had a bit of that veteran rogue feel.
He knew how to use his physical advantages against different defenders.
Chalmers was 188 cm tall and weighed 86 kg.
Chen Yan could easily post him up.
Although Chalmers was at a disadvantage in both height and weight, as a young player, he still had pride.
He continuously bumped Chen Yan with his chest, applying a little active force, though not enough to be obvious.
This was Miami's home court, and the referees would overlook small details like that.
Chen Yan bumped Chalmers while talking.
"Young man, you cannot guard me. Do you want to steal my ball? I will teach you a lesson."
Chalmers was furious.
What young man?
I only entered the league 1 year after you, all right?
Besides, Chalmers had played 3 years in the NCAA before entering the NBA.
In actual age, Chen Yan should be calling him big brother.
The next second, the angry Chalmers directly reached out to swipe at the ball.
That exposed far too much.
Chen Yan executed an elegant spin move and left him completely behind.
Chalmers adjusted his center of gravity and tried to chase, but it was already too late.
Chen Yan drove into the paint with the ball, leaving him with only a view of his back.
Pau Gasol stepped forward to help, but Chen Yan immediately faked him out with a Euro step.
After shaking off Miami's last line of defense, Chen Yan finished with a reverse layup.
9 to 5.
The Knicks bench erupted in cheers.
A superstar play like that was incredibly satisfying to watch.
Chalmers had no words to express his frustration.
Only a stomach full of anger remained as he dribbled past half court.
After Chalmers crossed half court, he immediately passed the ball to Wade.
His role on the Heat was that of a support player. He had no right to isolate, and the coach had not designed plays for him.
Wade passed the ball to Pau Gasol at the right 45 degree angle near the free throw line.
Gasol dribbled once, then passed to Haslem.
The intention of the pass was too obvious. The Knicks disrupted it, and the ball went out of bounds.
The good news for Miami was that they still had possession.
The bad news was that only 9 seconds remained on the shot clock.
The inbound pass came in, and Pau Gasol immediately took a mid range jumper.
Missed.
Although the shot did not go in, Miami's decision was not a major problem.
With so little time left on the shot clock, trying to run another play would likely result in a 24 second violation.
It was better to take a decisive mid range shot.
"Quick! Quick! Quick!"
Nelson urged his players forward from the sideline.
Nelson was dissatisfied with the Knicks offense over these 2 possessions because both had become half court sets. They had failed to generate the speed and attacking impact he wanted.
Curry received the ball and advanced to the top of the arc beyond the 3 point line.
Chen Yan cut toward the basket and drew defenders.
Curry decisively pulled up from the outside.
"Swish!"
A 3 pointer.
12 to 5.
Curry's 3 point shot was noticeably more decisive than last season.
This was Nelson's instruction.
In Nelson's team, missing a shot was acceptable, but refusing to shoot when an opportunity appeared was intolerable.
If a player hesitated when open or chose to pass to a teammate with a lower shooting percentage, Nelson would immediately substitute that player out.
No discussion.
In this regard, he was essentially an evolved version of D'Antoni.
D'Antoni encouraged players to shoot more 3 pointers and take open looks.
Nelson was more direct.
If you did not execute, you came out.
After scoring, the Knicks quickly retreated on defense.
The Heat seemed even more reliant on fast breaks than they were.
Reducing Miami's fast break opportunities meant reducing their offensive threat.
After Chalmers crossed half court, he passed the ball to Pau Gasol.
Gasol facilitated from the high post.
After receiving the ball, Wade chose to drive inside.
The Knicks knew Wade's driving ability very well.
To some extent, Wade's driving threat was even greater than James's, because Wade could tear apart an entire defense by himself.
James mostly used screens to create space, then relied on force to attack the interior.
One key to defending Wade was not allowing him to build speed.
The Knicks did very well on this possession.
However, Wade was not limited to driving.
He stopped abruptly, glanced outside, made a fake, then pulled up for a mid range jumper.
12 to 7.
As soon as Wade scored, the Knicks immediately inbounded quickly from the baseline.
Chen Yan accelerated all the way into the frontcourt, paused as if waiting for his teammates, then suddenly lowered his center of gravity and executed an extreme change of direction.
He blew past Wade.
Wade quickly turned to chase.
Wade was fast, but his absolute speed still could not compare with Chen Yan's.
Once he was shaken off, it was very difficult to keep up.
James came over to help, and that was all within Chen Yan's control.
His eyes had already locked onto Battier, who was moving toward the corner 3 point line.
No look pass.
Chen Yan accurately found Battier.
Battier also delivered, making the 3 pointer from his most comfortable spot.
15 to 7.
"Another 3 pointer!" Kenny Smith shouted. "The Knicks are really feeling it from outside tonight!"
Barkley laughed. "That ball is moving, and when Chen is making reads like that, everybody gets paid. Miami better wake up, because those 3s are falling smooth right now."
.....
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