Chapter 675: Don't Think You've Got It All Figured Out!
The game quickly resumed.
Chen Yan controlled the ball on the perimeter, and the fans inside Madison Square Garden cheered tirelessly for the home team.
The head coach had been ejected.
The starting center had been ejected.
But the home fans still believed the Knicks could win this game.
Mike Breen was worried for New York.
"For the rest of this game, the Knicks can only rely on themselves. They have to adjust on their own, solve sudden situations on their own, and keep their minds steady."
Van said, "After Kenyon Martin went out, New York lost a lot inside. That allows Boston to push its defense farther out, and that is not good for the Knicks shooters."
Al Harrington came up for a pick and roll, and Chen Yan leisurely moved to the left.
Stoudemire switched onto him, but Chen Yan did not lower his center of gravity. He chose to pass to Harrington, who had popped out to the perimeter.
After receiving the ball, Harrington immediately looked for a shooting opportunity.
Daniels rushed toward him.
Daniels was more than half a head shorter than Harrington, so to defend Harrington's shot, he played very close. That gave Harrington an opportunity to drive.
Harrington was also a veteran and easily spotted the opening.
After a fake, he took 1 step to the right and passed to Battier in the corner.
Battier had an open look and squared up to shoot.
Durant quickly closed out.
But it was another fake.
After fooling Durant, Battier stepped inside the 3 point line and hit a long 2 pointer.
103 to 99.
"Great shot," Mike said. "The Knicks played with excellent patience on that possession. This is exactly how they should handle it. With the lead in hand, calm execution makes the opponent anxious."
Van nodded. "That is how you disrupt their rhythm. Do not rush. Make them chase you."
Boston offense.
Rose crossed half court and passed the ball to Durant.
With 6 minutes left, the Celtics began playing hero ball.
In Boston's lineup, Durant was undoubtedly the biggest star and the player with the highest offensive reliability.
Battier defended Durant tightly.
He knew that at this stage of the game, Durant's stamina was declining, and his offensive choices would likely lean toward jump shots.
Durant also did not want to waste energy wrestling with Battier.
He waved for Stoudemire to set a screen, then drove to the right.
Al Harrington rushed up and gave Durant a bump.
Harrington had only 2 fouls at this point, so he was not afraid of the bald referee's whistle.
Crawford did not call anything on this play.
Durant's driving space was squeezed, making him very uncomfortable. He gathered the ball with both hands and passed to Rose.
After receiving the ball, Rose immediately drove inside, moving like lightning.
Curry could not keep up on the 1st step, making it very difficult to defend him afterward.
Rose leaped in the paint, adjusted in midair, and completed a reverse layup.
103 to 101.
In fact, Rose did not need to use a reverse layup on that play.
The finish was safe anyway, because Turiaf only jumped symbolically and did not dare reach out at all.
He had listened to Chen Yan.
At this moment, the defense could not be impulsive.
If Turiaf picked up 2 more fouls, New York's interior would be completely depleted.
Bench depth, especially interior bench depth, was a major hidden danger for the Knicks.
New York quickly inbounded the ball.
Nelson was no longer on the sideline, but the players seemed to hear him standing there shouting.
Faster.
Push the pace faster.
Nelson's voice and tactical philosophy had already been deeply imprinted in the hearts of the Knicks players.
Curry dribbled the ball up the court.
Chen Yan ran past Curry a step outside the 3 point line, using a cross screen cut.
Chen Yan was responsible for attracting the defense.
Curry pulled up from a step beyond the 3 point line.
"Swish!"
Curry hit the quick shot.
106 to 101.
With the gap at 5 points, Boston's momentum weakened significantly.
Chen Yan turned and high fived Curry.
This 3 pointer was too important.
It was not only important for this game, but also for Curry's growth.
Making such a crucial 3 pointer would help build his confidence.
Rivers called timeout and put in Murphy, a tall shooter with a career 3 point percentage of 38.8 percent.
Chen Yan immediately adjusted the defensive strategy.
"3 to 2 zone defense. Focus on the perimeter. Switch immediately after a pick and roll mismatch. Do not give them easy 3 point opportunities."
Boston offense.
Rose brought the ball across half court.
Curry did not press him tightly.
For Rose, he would have preferred Curry to come up close so he could use his physical talent to overpower him.
Rose passed the ball from the top of the arc to Durant, who was posting up.
After receiving the ball, Durant pivoted on his left foot to face the basket.
After several fakes, Durant drove.
He stopped and started, showing perfect offensive rhythm, quickly blowing past Battier.
Chen Yan quickly came over to help defend.
Durant gathered the ball and passed to Daniels.
Daniels did not shoot after receiving the ball.
He waited for Rose.
Rose accelerated without the ball, shook off Curry, and cut into open space.
After receiving the pass, he took 1 step and jumped into the restricted area, making a reverse layup against Turiaf's defense.
A very pleasing basket.
106 to 103.
Van shook his head.
"Battier cannot lose his position that easily on that possession."
Mike agreed. "Once Battier gets beat, Chen has to help. And once Chen helps, the entire Knicks defense loosens up."
Actually, it was not simply Battier making a mistake.
Durant's moves were too deceptive.
For a scorer of Durant's caliber, even the best defenders could not completely stop him. At most, they could limit him.
Curry crossed half court and passed the ball to Chen Yan.
Daniels was hounding him like a mad dog, making it difficult for Chen Yan to receive the ball.
Chen Yan had to retreat near the logo to receive Curry's hand off pass.
At this point in the game, New York and Boston had similar strategies.
It all came down to star power.
Turiaf immediately came up to set a screen, helping Chen Yan block Daniels.
Kostic switched onto him.
Chen Yan used a quick in and out dribble, breaking through from Kostic's left side.
Chen Yan's ball handling was unmatched.
Even the simplest, most ordinary move became a deadly weapon in his hands.
Chen Yan's eyes were fixed on Al Harrington in the paint.
Just as Stoudemire hesitated, Chen Yan leaned back and shot a floater.
"Swish!"
The basketball dropped through the net.
108 to 103.
Boston began to grow a little anxious.
New York's offense had been very stable during this stretch. After several possessions, the gap still had not changed.
Rose, just like the previous possession, crossed half court and passed the ball to Durant.
Stoudemire came up to set the screen.
This time, Battier anticipated it and went around the screen early, while Al Harrington left Stoudemire to double Durant.
Stoudemire took 1 step back to the free throw line and shouted, "Here, KD!"
This was a very good opportunity.
If it had been Nash or Chen Yan, they would definitely have found him accurately.
But Durant could not.
Durant's passing ability was not on the same level as those 2.
He was a man who had allocated nearly all his skill points to shooting and dribbling.
Durant also knew Stoudemire was open, but he could not immediately find a passing lane.
By the time the double team arrived, Durant could only gather the ball and wait for a teammate to receive it.
The basketball court changed like that.
One second, there was an opportunity.
The next second, it could become a predicament.
Fortunately, Rose came over to receive the pass in time, helping Durant escape trouble.
After receiving the ball, Rose pushed off with 1 foot and drove to the right.
New York's defensive attention had mostly been drawn by Durant, giving Rose an open mid range look.
Jump shot.
Missed.
Turiaf grabbed the rebound and passed to Curry.
Curry crossed half court and tried to find Chen Yan immediately, but the pass was too predictable.
Daniels directly stole it from behind.
Daniels had been guarding Chen Yan like a mad dog for almost the entire game, and he finally found an opportunity in the final moments of the 4th quarter.
Daniels poked the ball away and sent it to Rose.
Rose took the ball and passed diagonally forward.
Durant charged in at high speed.
Durant drove into the paint, used a Euro step to fake out Battier, and gently scooped the ball up with his left hand.
However, what greeted Durant next was not the crisp sound of the basketball swishing through the net.
It was the sound of the basketball hitting the backboard.
The camera showed Chen Yan adjusting his steps and swatting Durant's shot from behind like an eagle catching a chick.
After the block, Chen Yan launched a fast break with a long pass.
Al Harrington hit a mid range jumper.
110 to 103.
A 4 point swing.
After the shot, Chen Yan looked at Durant with sharp eyes.
It was as if he were saying, before the ball goes through the net, anything is possible.
Do not think you have it all figured out.
.....
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