Chapter 230: Playoff Showdown is Out!
During this stretch, Chen Yan suffered a minor ankle sprain, but he quickly recovered by using a recovery potion purchased for 25 honor points. It wasn't the first time he had spent points on healing, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. With Nash also recovering from injury, Chen knew that both of them being sidelined simultaneously would cripple the Suns' playoff hopes.
The Western Conference playoff race was heating up, and Chen refused to let an injury derail their season.
During Nash's absence, Chen carried more than most fans realized. He wasn't just the team's leading scorer—he was their playmaker, floor general, and emotional core. He orchestrated the offense, set up returning players like Barea and Azubuike, and kept the locker room focused.
For weeks, Chen had been both the "father" and the "mother" of the team—shouldering the burden alone.
To keep the team's rhythm intact, he cut down on his own shots and improved his passing efficiency. Quietly, his [Pass Master] skill leveled up to Rank 3, transforming him into one of the league's most complete players. His assists per game climbed to 6.7 while his scoring average slightly dipped to 27.9 points, still above both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
But for Chen, numbers weren't the goal. Wins were.
On April 4, veteran forward Grant Hill returned from injury, marking the moment when the Suns were finally whole again.
That night, the Suns faced the Trail Blazers. They lost narrowly, but the defeat hardly mattered. It was all about regaining chemistry before the postseason. The return of key players always required time and patience.
Over the next two weeks, Phoenix stabilized, closing out the season with a 5–2 record.
Then came April 16—the final game of the 2007–2008 regular season.
Inside Footprint Center, the Suns demolished the Clippers 101–78. The Clippers, already out of playoff contention, barely put up a fight. The Suns' starters dominated the first three quarters before D'Antoni emptied the bench, allowing the reserves to finish the job.
It was a statement win to end a statement season.
Phoenix locked in a 61–21 record—second in the entire league.
When the final buzzer sounded, the players embraced one another, smiling through the confetti as fans erupted in celebration. The regular season was over. Now came the real test.
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Final Standings – 2007–2008 Regular Season
Eastern Conference:
Detroit Pistons – 59-23
Cleveland Cavaliers – 53-29
Orlando Magic – 52-30
Washington Wizards – 43-39
Toronto Raptors – 41-41
Philadelphia 76ers – 40-42
Atlanta Hawks – 38-42
Indiana Pacers – 36-46
New Jersey Nets – 34-48
Chicago Bulls – 33-49
Charlotte Bobcats – 32-50
Milwaukee Bucks – 26-56
Boston Celtics – 25-57
New York Knicks – 23-59
Miami Heat – 15-67
Western Conference:
Los Angeles Lakers – 64-18
Phoenix Suns – 61-21
San Antonio Spurs – 57-25
New Orleans Hornets – 56-26
Dallas Mavericks – 55-27
Houston Rockets – 55-27
Denver Nuggets – 52-30
Utah Jazz – 51-31
Portland Trail Blazers – 47-35
Golden State Warriors – 46-36
Sacramento Kings – 38-44
Los Angeles Clippers – 23-59
Memphis Grizzlies – 22-60
Minnesota Timberwolves – 22-60
Seattle SuperSonics – 20-62
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Playoff Bracket
Eastern Conference:
(1) Detroit Pistons vs (8) Indiana Pacers
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (7) Atlanta Hawks
(3) Orlando Magic vs (6) Philadelphia 76ers
(4) Washington Wizards vs (5) Toronto Raptors
Western Conference:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs (8) Utah Jazz
(2) Phoenix Suns vs (7) Denver Nuggets
(3) San Antonio Spurs vs (6) Houston Rockets
(4) New Orleans Hornets vs (5) Dallas Mavericks
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The contrast between the two conferences was staggering. The fourth-seeded Wizards wouldn't even crack the top ten in the West. Analysts joked that the real NBA Finals were in the Western Conference this year.
Before the postseason even tipped off, media outlets were already declaring, "Whoever wins the West will win it all."
But the path out West was a minefield. Every top-five team was a legitimate contender with championship pedigree. Kobe's Lakers, Duncan's Spurs, Paul's Hornets, Nowitzki's Mavericks—each had their own claim to the throne.
Meanwhile, the ninth-seeded Trail Blazers became the league's biggest "what if."
Despite finishing with a respectable 47–35 record, they narrowly missed the playoffs. After the season ended, the team's management tried to spin the narrative with optimism.
They told reporters, "Our young core finished ninth in the West, but this record would have put us top four in the East. The future is bright!"
Fans weren't buying it.
Social media exploded with backlash. "Top four in the East? That's not an achievement—it's an excuse!" one fan wrote.
Another comment quickly went viral: "If the Blazers had drafted Chen Yan, we'd be talking playoffs right now, not excuses."
The irony stung. The same player their front office had passed on months earlier had just led Phoenix to the second-best record in basketball.
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