Chapter 742: Continuing Military Training
Kyrie returned to the defensive half with his head lowered.
Chen Yan's words did not discourage him.
Instead, they ignited his fighting spirit.
Chen Yan had the ball, and Beverley came up to set a screen.
Chen Yan's goal was simple.
Force a switch, then attack Kyrie.
Kyrie pressed up close to guard him.
What Kyrie considered physical confrontation was child's play in Chen Yan's eyes.
Kyrie had just graduated from college, and the intensity of his so called NCAA level games could not put any pressure on Chen Yan.
"You need to call for a teammate," Chen Yan said, holding the ball above his head. "Or I will score very quickly."
Just as Kyrie was thinking about what trash talk he should use to respond, Chen Yan suddenly burst forward.
Kyrie was too close and was immediately beaten by half a step.
Kyrie tried to chase and defend, but his strength was inferior to Chen Yan's, and he was easily pushed aside.
It truly lived up to the saying.
Getting past him was as easy as crossing an empty road in the morning.
Kyrie felt a sense of powerlessness.
That feeling was even stronger than when he had faced Chen Yan on offense just moments earlier.
Chen Yan drove hard into the paint.
Varejão covered his groin with both hands, ready to pull out his killer move.
Flopping.
Chen Yan was not facing Varejão for the 1st time.
He understood Varejão's habits very well and signaled at him.
"Do not try that with me."
With a Euro step, Chen Yan bypassed Varejão and easily finished a left handed layup off the glass.
Varejão wanted to fall, but he had no chance.
Chen Yan had not even touched him.
On the Cavaliers offensive possession, Kyrie started to pass the ball after crossing half court.
It was not because he was afraid of Chen Yan.
It was because the coach was shouting from the sideline.
His teammates had not touched the ball for a long time.
It was true that the Cavaliers wanted to fully develop Kyrie, but that did not mean turning the game into his personal show.
Kyrie was a point guard.
Besides scoring, he had to show passing and team awareness.
Anthony Parker received the ball and passed it inside.
Jamison turned and took a jumper.
Missed.
Varejão tipped the basketball, but he did not secure the offensive rebound.
DeAndre Jordan fought hard and protected the ball.
After Jordan came to the Knicks, New York's rebounding improved significantly.
Every game, the coach told Jordan that he had to protect the boards and that the paint was his territory.
Jordan had not been with the Knicks for long, but this was the phrase the coach said to him most often.
It had almost been carved into Jordan's blood.
After Jordan secured the rebound, the Cavaliers players quickly returned to the defensive half.
Beverley dribbled the ball into the frontcourt and handed it off to Chen Yan.
Beverley did not continue feuding with Kyrie.
Stars could have tempers, but role players like him could not.
That was how realistic this league was.
Jordan moved to the high post to set a screen for Chen Yan.
The Cavaliers still chose to switch defensively without sending a double team.
Chen Yan pushed off the floor and accelerated, charging directly to the left.
Varejão defended sideways.
This was a player's natural reaction.
Chen Yan also adjusted his driving route based on Varejão's movement.
With a change of direction, he moved the ball to his right hand.
Countless NBA players could change direction like this.
But not many could change direction without slowing down, the way Chen Yan did.
Varejão suddenly felt his body stop responding.
His body was already leaning in the other direction, and he could not pull it back.
But Varejão's mind told him he had to keep up.
So Varejão made a very comical move.
He spun in a circle on the spot.
It was useless.
Chen Yan's speed was too fast.
By the time Varejão turned to the other side, all he saw was Chen Yan's taillights.
Chen Yan rushed inside the free throw line and tossed up a simple floater, easily ending the possession.
Chen Yan now played with simplicity, especially when finishing.
The moment the ball left his hand, it gave people the feeling that it was definitely going in.
9 to 4.
"Wow," Barkley said with a laugh. "Varejão's spin was pretty good. I think he might have the talent to be a ballet dancer."
Kenny Smith said, "Varejão's body control is actually pretty good, at least among big men. I thought Chen was going to shake him straight to the floor."
Barkley shook his head. "Chen's change of direction is too brutal. He is a natural ankle breaker."
Cavaliers offensive possession.
Kyrie once again could not contain his desire for a one on one.
He could not just watch Chen Yan score by himself.
That was not his personality.
"Kyrie! Call for a screen!" Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott shouted.
He was still clear headed.
Kyrie ignored him and began a series of flashy dribbles in front of Chen Yan.
Chen Yan only focused on Kyrie's legs, watching for the moment he would start his drive and ignoring everything else.
In his opinion, Kyrie's flashy dribbling was something he himself had long outgrown.
Kyrie stubbornly dribbled until only 8 seconds remained on the shot clock.
"Oh yeah," Barkley said, laughing. "Looks like this is going to be another one on one possession."
"Young Kyrie Irving does not seem ready to give up," Kenny Smith said with a smile.
With 7 seconds left on the shot clock, Kyrie finally made his move.
First came an in and out dribble.
Then a behind the back dribble.
Kyrie Irving forced his way into the attack.
1 step.
2 steps.
Chen Yan did not lose his position, sticking tightly to him.
Kyrie was forced to pass the ball after jumping into the air.
If he did not pass, it would undoubtedly be another block.
Every angle had been sealed by Chen Yan.
Anthony Parker received the hot potato at the baseline.
He shot.
Clank.
Missed.
Chen Yan retreated 1 step and grabbed the rebound.
As soon as he dribbled the ball once, Kyrie rushed up.
This was a gamble for a steal.
Kyrie timed Chen Yan's dribble, but Chen Yan's reaction on the spot was extremely fast.
The moment the ball bounced back from the floor and touched his palm, Chen Yan executed a behind the back dribble, easily blowing past Kyrie.
Kyrie's continuous dribbling could not shake Chen Yan even an inch.
Yet Chen Yan's casual behind the back dribble left Kyrie completely disoriented.
This play looked more like a dribbling lesson.
A true master was teaching a young man with immense dribbling talent and potential.
After getting past Kyrie, Chen Yan immediately accelerated.
His speed, even if played at 1.5 times, would still leave everyone behind.
"Damn it!"
Kyrie cursed under his breath.
At this moment, he could do nothing but curse.
Clank.
The sight of Chen Yan's back as he threw down a tomahawk dunk quickly entered Kyrie's view.
Kyrie's eyes were filled with anger and defiance.
Byron Scott saw all of this from the sideline.
Kyrie would definitely continue going at Chen Yan on the next possession.
If he kept playing like this, the Cavaliers offensive rhythm would be shattered.
But Byron Scott did not take Kyrie out.
Management had clearly told him before the season started that the main task this season was to help Kyrie level up.
That made things very clear.
The Cavaliers did not care about their record this season.
They only cared about Kyrie's growth.
Byron Scott would not go against management.
Unless, more or less, he wanted to be fired.
.....
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