Chapter 595: What the Hell Does God of War Even Mean?
"What the hell? Chen Yan already has 47 points in the 1st half. He is unstoppable tonight!" Barkley exclaimed.
"Look at the Portland players' faces," Kenny Smith said with a laugh. "They look like they are wondering if they are guarding a basketball player or a monster."
On December 7, in the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers, Chen Yan had gone completely nuclear, pouring in 47 points in the 1st half.
The moment the 2nd half began, Chen Yan dribbled to the top of the arc and buried a pull up three point shot.
His 50th point of the night.
The Portland fans were already starting to curse. Their anger was not just because Chen Yan was unstoppable. A large part of it came from the fact that this unstoppable player had once been so close to wearing a Trail Blazers jersey.
In that year's draft, Portland had used the 2nd overall pick to select Chen Yan, only to immediately trade him to Phoenix for Leandro Barbosa and Shawn Marion.
Barbosa and Marion were both strong immediate contributors, but their arrival had not changed Portland's future. Chen Yan, meanwhile, had directly helped the Suns win 2 championships and had collected major individual honors such as regular season MVP and NBA Finals MVP.
From the perspective of Portland fans, how could they not be furious?
Andre Miller brought the ball across half court and ran a pick and roll with Joel Przybilla.
At the top of the arc, Miller passed to Marion. Portland ran another pick and roll, with Aldridge screening for Marion, who used his height and reach to cut to the rim and score an easy 2.
64 to 56.
Portland still trailed by 8.
Although Chen Yan's performance was explosive, Phoenix had not opened a decisive lead. A major reason was Portland's balanced offense. Not only could every starter score, but their bench also had plenty of firepower.
Leandro Barbosa, Nicolas Batum, and Steve Blake all had legitimate offensive ability.
Phoenix went back on offense.
Chen Yan caught the ball at the top of the arc, faked, and immediately drove right. Marion did not bite, staying attached to Chen Yan.
To be honest, Marion's defense made Chen Yan uncomfortable. He had height, long arms, and excellent mobility.
But Chen Yan's defining trait was that he thrived under pressure. If the defender did not challenge him, it would not ignite his scoring desire.
With Marion pressed against him, Chen Yan used a crossover into a fake spin, then continued his drive to the right.
Marion raised both hands high, and Chen Yan suddenly took off.
He twisted in midair and finished with a reverse layup.
The ball kissed the glass and dropped in with style.
66 to 56.
Portland attacked again.
Roy took the ball and called for a screen. Aldridge moved to the high post and quickly screened Raja Bell.
Diaw switched a step late, and Roy did not waste the opening, rising into a pull up midrange jumper.
66 to 58.
Roy was in his prime during this period. In terms of scoring ability among Western Conference shooting guards, he ranked 3rd, behind only Chen Yan and Kobe.
Of course, the gap between 3rd place and the top 2 was enormous.
Chen Yan answered Roy on the very next possession.
Jason Williams brought the ball across half court and passed to Chen Yan. Chen Yan's touch was scorching tonight, and the rest of the Phoenix players had fully embraced their roles. Their only job was to keep feeding him the ball.
Chen Yan isolated Marion at the top of the arc.
For some reason, Portland head coach Nate McMillan seemed to have lost his mind. Chen Yan had completely exploded, yet McMillan still had no intention of sending a double team. It was unclear whether he trusted Marion too much or firmly believed that 1 player alone could not beat Portland.
Chen Yan dribbled between his legs twice, studied Marion's stance, then drove straight left without any extra movement.
Marion stayed with him all the way to the free throw line.
Chen Yan took a small step back, then drove again, repeating the same rhythm.
After 2 straight hesitations, Chen Yan reached the edge of the paint and released a fadeaway jumper.
Marion jumped to contest, but the ball still dropped cleanly through the net.
Chen Yan had completely controlled the rhythm.
Portland possession.
Roy continued to call for the pick and roll. He liked this simple, efficient style of offense.
This time, Diaw's switch was timely, and Roy immediately made the right read, passing to Aldridge.
Raja Bell was the one standing in front of Aldridge. It was a clear mismatch.
Aldridge took 1 step, backed Bell down, turned, and released a slight fadeaway.
Bell could not bother Aldridge's shot and could only watch it go up.
"Swish!"
68 to 60.
Chen Yan took the ball again on the next possession and responded.
This time, the answer was even more direct. After receiving the ball at the left 45 degree angle outside the three point line, he drove straight past Marion.
Marion hesitated on defense. Chen Yan had too many fakes in his bag.
Using that psychological advantage, Chen Yan completed the drive. Aldridge stepped up to help, but Chen Yan adjusted in the air, slipped around him, and finished with another reverse layup.
70 to 60.
"Good Lord. He has 54 points early in the 2nd half," Barkley said from the broadcast table. "Is Coach McMillan really not going to double team him? Is he sure about that?"
"This is turning into a high scoring duel," Kenny Smith said. "Both teams are extremely efficient. The difference is that Portland is spreading the scoring around, while Phoenix is leaning into an individual masterpiece."
Portland had the ball again.
Old Miller handed the ball to Roy and immediately ran to the low post. Roy understood and fed him.
Andre Miller's post game was absolutely elite among point guards. He once scored 52 points almost entirely by backing defenders down.
After receiving the ball, Miller faked, powered into Jason Williams, and hit a turnaround jumper.
A classic old school bucket.
70 to 62.
Jason Williams was not angry about being scored on. He understood his role on the floor.
After dribbling across half court, he passed the ball to the red hot Chen Yan.
Chen Yan caught it, faked, took 1 left hand dribble, then quickly pulled back and stepped right into a jump shot.
He had created space for himself.
The step back, much like the retreat step, is one of the few moves in basketball that can create shooting space in an instant, but it is also among the most difficult shots to master.
This step back had become 1 of Chen Yan's frequent weapons this season.
The crossover in his rookie season, the Hesi Pose last season, and the step back this season.
Every year, Chen Yan brought something new to amaze the fans.
Even after the step back, Marion still closed the gap. At that moment, people could only admire his abnormal physical tools.
Chen Yan drifted slightly in the air, avoided the contest, and released the shot.
"Swish!"
"My God. He has scored 10 straight points to start the 2nd half!"
"He is going to break Kobe's 81 point record!"
"What 81 points? He is going after Wilt Chamberlain's 100!"
"Good thing I skipped class to watch this game. This is history!"
"Someone translate it for me. What the hell does God of War even mean?"
Fans back home were losing their minds.
Even some fans in Portland began to applaud Chen Yan, swept up in the sheer force of his individual performance, as if they were watching a show rather than rooting against him.
.....
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