Chapter 725: Yearning to Prove Himself
"Chen Yan put on another perfect performance tonight," Barkley said. "He shot 23 of 36 from the field and made all 12 of his free throws, scoring an incredibly efficient 66 points. If he had played the final 2 minutes, reaching 70 tonight would not have been difficult."
Kenny Smith smiled and said, "70 points is no longer a goal for Chen Yan. Whether in the regular season or the Playoffs, Chen Yan has scored that many points more than once. He has also stated in multiple interviews that his top priority now is the championship, and everything else is secondary. I believe he will pursue that goal with absolute focus this season."
The game ended with a score of 119 to 98.
Boston did not score in the final 2 minutes, and the Knicks crushed the Celtics by 21 points.
The outside world widely criticized Boston, once again bringing up last season's Black 8 upset.
Nowitzki understood this feeling deeply.
After his own Black 8 incident that year, he had been criticized for several years. Whenever people mentioned him, fans thought of negative labels like soft and blown lead.
It was not until he won the championship last season that Nowitzki's reputation finally turned around.
Suddenly, his labels became team leader, single core champion, and German Tank.
It was clear that the fastest and most effective way to reverse public perception was to win a championship.
From this game onward, a seed quietly planted itself in Durant's heart.
He wanted to win the championship.
No matter what, he had to win the championship.
"After a long offseason, our players have not reached their optimal state yet, and the team has not achieved its best chemistry," Rivers said. "I will not be disappointed in the players. They need time to adjust. I believe this season, we will achieve very brilliant results."
Rivers, as always, poured out motivational words for everyone.
What surprised fans was not Rivers statement.
It was why Rivers was still coaching the Celtics.
After last season's Black 8 upset, his in game adaptability had begun to receive heavy criticism from fans.
Fans felt that he did not deserve Boston's Big 3.
If it had been Phil Jackson or another coach skilled at developing stars, perhaps Boston would have won the championship last year.
After all, their hard power was obvious.
Stoudemire was in his prime, while Rose and Durant were beginning to enter the early peak of their careers.
Their 1st place finish in the Eastern Conference regular season last year was the best proof.
Durant said in a low voice, "We still have a long way to go. I trust myself and my teammates. Just wait and see. We will achieve what we want."
Durant was also constantly growing through his rivalry with Chen Yan.
This growth was not only reflected in skill, but also in mentality.
In previous seasons, Durant would never have said such words after a loss.
At the Knicks post game press conference, Nelson said generously, "I know what you want to ask. The Knicks goal this season is only 1 thing. That damned golden trophy."
Nelson's words did not come from being carried away by victory.
As a coach with more than 1000 wins, what storms had he not seen?
Nelson truly believed that the Knicks had a chance to contend for the championship this season.
He had confidence in his players.
A reporter asked, "How do you think the Knicks players performed tonight?"
"They all played great," Nelson said. "A team needs the effort of every player to win. We won tonight, and this is the reward for every player's hard work on the court."
The reporter continued to press, "What about David West? How do you think he performed tonight?"
"He basically completed my tactical deployment tonight," Nelson said. "He integrated into the team very quickly. His physical condition still needs adjustment, because he underwent major surgery this offseason. We have confidence in him."
Chen Yan was asked the same question, and his answer was similar to Nelson's.
"I like playing with David," Chen Yan said. "He is a threat on the court. No team will relax its defense against him. Running pick and rolls with him is very comfortable. He has mid range and long range ability, he can cut to the basket, his footwork is flexible, and his basketball IQ is high. I do not think we should only look at the stats. He played well tonight, and I believe he will get better and better."
Chen Yan was also asked about the performance of his national team teammate Yi Jianlian.
Yi Jianlian played 19 minutes, scoring 8 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
"He played cleanly and efficiently tonight," Chen Yan said. "He felt more like a veteran on the team than a new addition. He is a very hardworking player, both in practice and on the court. I look forward to his future performance. He will be an important member of our team."
Chen Yan praised Yi Jianlian's performance tonight.
External evaluations were similar.
Most believed that Yi Jianlian had played well and effectively completed his tasks.
David West, who also scored 8 points, was heavily criticized by the outside world.
The reason was simple.
Fans had different expectations for the 2 players.
David West was an All Star big man.
Yi Jianlian was only expected to be a qualified rotation player.
When asked about the new additions, DeAndre Jordan and Beverley, Chen Yan also praised them generously.
The reporter then asked, "You scored 66 points tonight. Is your goal this season to win the scoring title?"
"I am not very interested in the scoring title," Chen Yan said. "Compared to being the scoring champion, I would rather lift the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and bring new glory to this team and this city."
"If the team needs you to sacrifice shot attempts, organize, assist, or grab rebounds for the championship, would that also be acceptable?" the reporter asked.
"Of course," Chen Yan said. "I am willing to sacrifice my stats for the team. Whatever the coach asks me to do, I will do. I believe every player on the Knicks feels the same way. This is what every player with a sense of collective honor would do."
On the plane back to New York, every player looked very happy.
Beverley no longer had the stiffness of a new team member.
He had even started learning how to play Fight the Landlord from Chen Yan.
Yi Jianlian and David West sat in their seats.
Both were naturally introverted and quiet players.
Their teammates understood and did not disturb them, giving them more personal space.
After returning to New York, David West increased his training volume.
2 days later was the Knicks home opener, against the Golden State Warriors from the Western Conference.
David West clearly understood that his performance in the 1st game had been mediocre.
He wanted to prove himself in this game.
Yi Jianlian also trained extra hard during these 2 days.
Last season, he had been swept out by the Golden State Warriors and almost ended up returning to the CBA.
Every player had the desire to prove himself in front of his former team.
Yi Jianlian was no exception.
.....
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