Chapter 638: Kobe Bryant's Message to Chen Yan
The Dallas Mavericks fought with everything they had in this game, but sometimes effort alone was not enough to reach the goal.
Tonight, Dallas had been suppressed by Phoenix for almost the entire game. Even after Nash left the court, the Mavericks still could not fully take control.
Of course, their most fatal problem was the string of turnovers in the final moments.
The home fans rose to their feet and applauded.
This victory had truly been hard earned.
"Your players performed well," Rick Carlisle said like a gentleman as he congratulated D'Antoni. "Congratulations on the victory."
"The Mavericks players were also very resilient," D'Antoni replied with a smile.
"How is Steve's injury?" Carlisle asked.
"He still needs further examination," D'Antoni said, still smiling. "But it should not be anything serious."
"He is an excellent player. I hope he returns to the court soon." Carlisle patted D'Antoni on the shoulder.
Carlisle seemed to be showing concern for Nash, but in reality, he was trying to gather information.
D'Antoni naturally knew that, so he would not tell him the truth.
The 2 coaches were engaged in a subtle battle of wits.
Sometimes, basketball was not only about what happened on the court.
The postgame box score was soon released.
Chen Yan finished with 51 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, unknowingly recording another massive triple double.
Grant Hill and DeAndre Jordan also gave Chen Yan strong support.
Grant Hill scored 18 points.
DeAndre Jordan only had 9 points, but he grabbed 15 rebounds, almost singlehandedly helping Phoenix avoid losing the rebounding battle against Dallas.
Nash, who left the game early, also made an important contribution with 13 points and 9 assists.
For the Mavericks, Nowitzki performed the best.
He scored 41 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, nearly carrying the entire team by himself.
However, Dirk was both the reason Dallas stayed alive and the reason they fell short.
His turnover and blocked shot in the final moments could be said to have ruined the team's efforts for the entire night.
Ray Allen and Artest scored 16 points and 18 points respectively.
They could not be called terrible, but they certainly were not great either.
At best, they were average.
"Our containment of Chen was still not enough," Rick Carlisle said at the postgame press conference. "We should have increased our intensity and physicality to limit him, especially after Steve Nash left the court. Our players did not seize the opportunity, so we paid the price with a loss."
Of course, Carlisle did not simply blame his players.
When a reporter asked whether the turnovers in the final moments changed the direction of the game, Carlisle replied, "I know many people will attribute the loss to the team's performance in the final 2 minutes, but I see it differently. If a team wants to win, it has to play well from the 1st minute instead of placing all its hopes on the final moments. Our performance at the end was indeed unsatisfactory, but it was not the only reason we lost. We must face the reasons for this defeat and fully prepare for the next game."
Nowitzki's tone remained firm. He did not look defeated by another loss.
"We will make adjustments," Dirk said. "Every loss is a lesson. I believe we can win the next game. My teammates and I all believe that."
Ray Allen looked somewhat dejected.
"Everyone has to execute the tasks assigned by the coach with more determination," Ray Allen said. "That will increase our chances of winning. We need to reduce turnovers and strengthen our cooperation. This series is not over yet."
The atmosphere at the Mavericks press conference was tense.
On the other side, the winning Suns were not much happier.
Although they had won the game, Nash was injured.
Phoenix had too many hidden crises now, and no one on the team could truly celebrate without worry.
When asked about Nash's injury, D'Antoni deliberately avoided giving a clear answer.
"He is a very important member of our team, and we all hope he returns soon," D'Antoni said. "As for when, that is up to the team doctor, not me."
Grant Hill said, "Steve's injury and leaving the court was a blow to us, but fortunately, we held on. I am proud of everyone on the Suns."
A reporter then turned to Chen Yan.
"Chen, in the final moments of the game, you made a series of key defensive plays. How did you improve so quickly on the defensive end?"
Chen Yan replied calmly, "It is not that I improved quickly. It is that you always only saw my offense and ignored my defense. From now on, if anyone says my defense is not good, show them the video of the last 2 minutes of this game."
"Chen, did the Mavericks put pressure on you tonight?" another reporter asked.
"Of course," Chen Yan said. "It would be a lie to say there was no pressure. You can see the Mavericks roster. It is luxurious and healthy. They are a team capable of contending for a championship. Against an opponent like that, you have to be extra careful, because there is always the danger of being killed at any moment."
"Chen, at the end of the 3rd quarter, DeAndre Jordan completed a guard like crossover layup. Were you surprised?"
"Not surprised," Chen Yan said. "Do not underestimate DeAndre Jordan just because he is not that Jordan."
The reporters burst into laughter.
Chen Yan's humor added a rare touch of joy to the dull conference room.
…
Game 4 between the 2 teams began 2 days later.
Nash was still on the injury list, which meant all the pressure fell on Chen Yan's shoulders.
Chen Yan was a bit too eager in this game.
He wanted to handle both offense and defense, and that mindset led to him making overly aggressive defensive moves in the 1st quarter. He quickly picked up 2 fouls.
This put Chen Yan into foul trouble.
Although the Suns role players performed well, Chen Yan was the only true core player on the court, and his playing time became fragmented and disrupted.
That fragmentation sometimes even had a negative effect on his teammates.
When Chen Yan entered the game, his teammates had to give him the ball, which meant they could not maintain the rhythm they had just established.
Then, once they adapted to Chen Yan becoming the primary option again, he would suddenly leave the court, forcing them to find their rhythm all over again.
It was frustrating.
In the end, Phoenix lost Game 4 at home, 106 to 113.
The series was now tied at 2 to 2.
Game 5, the pivotal battle, would be played at the Mavericks home arena, American Airlines Center.
The series between the Suns and Mavericks was in full swing, while the other Western Conference Semifinals series had already concluded.
The Los Angeles Lakers swept the Jazz 4 to 0 with overwhelming force.
The scores of the 4 games were 104 to 99, 111 to 103, 111 to 110, and 111 to 96.
At 1st glance, the games had all been close, but the Lakers always managed to grit their teeth and hold on at the most crucial moments.
After winning the Western Conference Semifinals, Kobe directly declared that he would be waiting for Chen Yan in the Western Conference Finals.
It was not because Kobe looked down on Nowitzki or the Dallas Mavericks.
It was because Kobe was a vengeful man.
He had fallen at the feet of the Suns for 2 straight years.
Naturally, he wanted to rise from the place where he had fallen and complete his revenge.
.....
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