Chapter 802: Do You Even Need to Tell Me?
The final buzzer sounded.
Madison Square Garden erupted.
The New York Knicks had completed the comeback.
112 to 106.
For the first 3 quarters, Chen Yan had been relatively quiet by his standards.
Then the 4th quarter arrived.
18 points.
By the end of the night, Chen finished with 38 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block.
James had experienced almost the exact opposite game.
He played extremely well through the first 3 quarters, but his shooting abandoned him in the 4th.
James scored only 5 points in the final period, shooting 1 of 6 from the field with the rest coming from free throws.
He still finished with an impressive line.
35 points.
9 rebounds.
7 assists.
Wade also had an excellent game, contributing 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Despite the loss, Miami fans found reasons for optimism.
Game 2 had been close from beginning to end.
If the Heat could reproduce that level of play once the series shifted to Miami, plenty of fans believed a comeback was possible.
Kenny Smith looked back at the decisive stretch.
"New York had to work for this one. Miami controlled a lot of the game, but Chen completely changed things in the 4th quarter. That is what you need from your best player when the game starts slipping away."
Barkley nodded.
"Exactly. Everybody looks good when things are easy. The real test is what happens when your team needs somebody to take responsibility. Chen did that tonight."
At the post game press conference, Chen Yan was straightforward about New York's performance.
"We did not play well during the first 3 quarters. Miami controlled the game for long stretches and put us under a lot of pressure."
He smiled.
"Fortunately, basketball has 4 quarters. We corrected our mistakes in the last one."
A reporter immediately followed up.
"What is New York's goal now? Are you trying to finish the series in 4 games?"
Chen leaned back slightly.
"I do not want to overestimate Miami, and I do not want to underestimate them either. Both are dangerous."
The reporters listened closely.
"The Heat are a strong opponent. If I sat here and said we were definitely going to sweep them, that would be disrespectful."
Then came the turn.
"After all, they have 3 All Star players. A team that strong usually does not expect to get swept."
A few reporters laughed.
Chen continued as though he had said nothing unusual.
"I cannot guarantee what the final series score will be. I can only guarantee that we will play our style every night and do everything possible to win the series."
It sounded respectful on the surface.
But everyone in the room understood what Chen had done.
He had praised Miami first.
If New York actually completed the sweep, those words would become even more embarrassing for the Heat.
Reporters would replay the quote endlessly.
After Game 2, David Stern held a small meeting with the officiating crew assigned to the next game.
His message was clear.
Game 3 should lean toward Miami.
The league had spent considerable effort promoting this series.
If New York finished it in only 4 games, the NBA would lose a significant amount of potential revenue.
By the following day, most basketball discussion centered on Chen Yan battling Miami's Big 3.
The Western Conference Finals received far less attention.
San Antonio and Memphis had never generated the same level of national excitement.
Both teams also preferred slower basketball built around interior play, a style that attracted fewer younger fans.
Then came Game 3.
The series moved to Miami.
The moment the Heat returned home, their entire demeanor changed.
The arena announcer introduced each player with confidence, and Miami's players emerged from the tunnel carrying themselves with renewed energy.
Before tipoff, Chen Yan gathered his teammates.
"Do not put any pressure on yourselves tonight."
Everyone looked toward him.
"There is nothing to be nervous about. Just relax and shoot. Treat it like practice."
Chen smiled.
"If we lose, we are still ahead in the series."
Then his expression sharpened slightly.
"If we win, this series is basically over."
Nelson nodded.
His thinking was almost identical.
This was Miami's home floor.
It was also a crucial Game 3.
New York's chances of winning were naturally lower than they had been at Madison Square Garden.
That was exactly why Nelson wanted his players relaxed.
Play freely.
Let Miami carry the pressure.
Maybe something unexpected would happen.
James and Wade looked anything but relaxed.
If Miami lost tonight, the series would become 3 to 0.
At that point, their season would effectively be finished.
Spoelstra looked even more tense than his players.
He understood what this series could mean for his career.
If a roster built around 3 All Star players failed to win a championship for the 2nd consecutive season, there was a very real possibility he would not survive into Year 3.
Pat Riley had personally promoted him.
The owner had consistently supported him.
But professional sports ultimately came down to results.
If Spoelstra could not win with a roster this talented, organizational support could only protect him for so long.
Before the game, Kenny Smith laid out the situation.
"Miami cannot afford to lose tonight. There is no room for anything less than maximum effort."
Barkley nodded.
"If they play with the same intensity they showed in Game 2, and now they have their home crowd behind them, they have a real chance. But if the team from Game 1 shows up again, this series might be finished tonight."
Nelson made a small but important change to New York's starting lineup.
Al Harrington replaced DeAndre Jordan.
Curry.
Chen Yan.
Battier.
Al Harrington.
David West.
New York opened with an extreme small lineup built around shooting.
Miami kept the same starters from Game 2.
Chalmers.
Wade.
James.
Joel Anthony.
Pau Gasol.
Channing Frye remained on the bench.
After Game 1, Spoelstra had decided he could no longer start Frye against New York.
Whenever Frye started, Gasol was forced to handle nearly all the physical work inside.
That reduced Gasol to little more than a role player and severely weakened Miami's interior offense.
Gasol won the opening tip.
Miami controlled the first possession.
Wade dribbled across half court.
Chen Yan immediately stepped into him.
Aggressive pressure.
Both teams wanted to seize control early.
The side that established momentum first would gain an important psychological advantage.
Wade turned his body to protect the ball.
1 hard step to the right.
Sudden stop.
Pullback.
Chen stayed directly in front of him.
Wade could not create separation.
Chen possessed better explosiveness and coordination.
More importantly, he had once learned from Kobe exactly how to defend Wade in ways that made him uncomfortable.
Ironically, Wade had also contacted Kobe before the series.
His question had been simple.
How do you defend Chen Yan?
Kobe had a good relationship with both men.
He could not exactly refuse.
The problem was finding an answer.
When Chen first entered the NBA, there had been weaknesses.
His left hand had not been fully developed.
His shooting percentage from the baseline had been slightly lower than from other areas.
Over the years, those flaws disappeared.
Chen improved his weak hand.
He filled the gaps in his shooting map.
His offensive game gradually became complete.
Kobe thought for several seconds before finally answering.
"Try not to let him catch the ball."
Wade had stared at him.
That was it?
After all that thought, Kobe's brilliant solution was simply to deny Chen the ball?
Wade could have figured that out himself.
Sometimes, the most useless advice was the advice that was completely correct.
....
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