Chapter 129: Stopped the Spurs Twice and Overtook Parker in a Curve!
"The Spurs call timeout! The Suns' bench, led by Chen Yan, is making a serious statement right now!" Yu Jia's voice rang with excitement.
"Yeah, this is what young legs give you—pure energy! Just dunk it down!" Zhang Weiping followed up with a laugh.
Three straight dunks from Phoenix's second unit had even the commentators in the CCTV5 studio fired up.
"Beautiful play! Keep it going!"
On the Suns' sideline, Coach Mike D'Antoni clapped enthusiastically, urging his second unit to keep the momentum rolling.
Meanwhile, on the Spurs' bench, Gregg Popovich wasn't smiling. He was sharp, focused, and relentless—hammering the message into his players: Double Chen Yan. Every time he touches the ball.
Pop knew the truth: defending a guy like Chen one-on-one was a pipe dream. You needed bodies on him, pressure at every touch.
After the break, the game resumed.
The Spurs, sticking to their classic ball-movement-heavy offense, passed patiently, probing for an opening.
With 12 seconds left on the shot clock, Manu Ginobili held the ball up top, calling for a screen.
Matt Bonner stepped up to set the pick.
Unlike a traditional pick-and-roll, Bonner didn't roll after the screen—he popped out to the perimeter instead.
Manu exploded toward the paint, then suddenly whipped a no-look, behind-the-back pass.
It was flashy as hell—vintage Ginobili. But that kind of creativity walks a tightrope: highlight or blooper reel.
And tonight? The chemistry between him and Bonner was slightly off.
Bonner fumbled the pass, nearly turning it over. By the time he collected himself, the shot opportunity was gone.
Ginobili raced back out to get the ball again—6 seconds left on the clock.
He pounded the ball, danced with it, then launched a deep three as the clock bled out. Barnes closed out hard, contesting.
Bang!
The shot clanked off the rim.
The Spurs were already retreating.
Chen Yan didn't hesitate. He snagged the rebound and immediately fired a bullet pass—one-handed, low, and fast—straight from the center circle.
It ripped right through the Spurs' last line of defense like a laser beam.
Ginobili instinctively stretched out a leg to deflect, but the ball was too quick—it zipped past his calf untouched.
Barea was already sprinting. He caught the ball in stride and finished the layup smoothly.
28–30.
"Whoa! What was THAT pass!?" Kenny Smith yelled in disbelief on the TNT broadcast.
Beside him, Charles Barkley chuckled. "If Nash wasn't lying over there on the billboard, I would've sworn that pass came from him."
Kenny grinned. "Yeah, that was a sick dime. Little too fast though—hope Barea's hands are still attached."
Chuck laughed louder. "If Chen's gonna throw darts like that every game, the Suns better get their players some baseball gloves or install a JUGS machine at practice!"
While the TNT crew joked, the game rolled on—and the Spurs kept struggling.
Ginobili tried drawing contact inside, hoping for a foul, but the ref didn't bite. Too forced.
Chen Yan grabbed the board and pushed the pace again.
Even though San Antonio kept the same defensive setup, their second unit's older legs were visibly slower on the transition.
Phoenix smelled blood.
The Suns spread the floor, giving Chen room to work.
He pulled up abruptly from beyond the arc.
Barea and Azubuike crashed toward the rim for a potential rebound—but they didn't need to.
Swish!
A clean pull-up three in transition—one of Chen's signature weapons.
31–30. Suns take the lead.
BEEP!
Popovich burned another timeout—his second in under two minutes.
He looked frustrated.
The Spurs' bench was known for being one of the toughest in the league—battle-tested, smart, and physical. But tonight? They were getting cooked by Phoenix's young guns.
Back on the Suns' bench, Nash, Diaw, and Raja Bell were up on their feet, high-fiving Chen. Even Stoudemire ran over to give him a playful slap on the rear.
Chen had sparked the comeback—and now the starters could return to the court with less pressure.
After the timeout, D'Antoni stuck with his bench unit. They were locked in, and he wasn't about to mess with a good thing.
Popovich, however, made changes.
He brought in Bruce Bowen and Tony Parker—clearly trying to bolster both the offense and the perimeter defense.
Duncan remained seated. Pop was always careful with his star. After all, just because you drafted a No. 1 pick didn't mean you could run him into the ground for 20 straight years.
Before sending his players out, Pop issued one more clear directive: Stop Chen Yan's drives. If he takes threes, so be it. But no more paint attacks. No more layup lines.
Back on the court, Parker brought the ball up and executed a handoff with Ginobili.
Ginobili took two quick steps toward the rim, then pulled back and swung it to Parker.
Tony caught the ball in motion and instantly cut toward the basket. Azubuike rotated over, but Parker hit him with that classic spinning top move—his trademark pirouette.
He kissed the ball off the glass.
31–32. Spurs momentarily stopped the bleeding.
With both Parker and Ginobili—two elite slashers—on the floor, Phoenix's interior defense suddenly had its hands full.
The Suns inbounded quickly.
Barea walked it up and signaled an isolation.
But it wasn't for himself.
He passed the rock to Chen Yan, then cleared out with the others. The court opened up.
Bowen stepped up to guard him—alone.
Bowen was no saint on the court—dirty, sure. But defensively? He was a pit bull.
Since 2004, Bruce Bowen had been named to the All-Defensive Team every single year. From 2005 to 2007, he even finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting for three straight seasons. On the perimeter, he was San Antonio's iron gate—cold, relentless, and impossible to shake off.
But it wasn't just textbook defense that made Bowen so feared. He had a reputation—one earned from countless questionable tactics. Stepping under jump shooters, sneaky kicks, eye pokes, trips, and the occasional knee to the lower body... if there was an opening to mess you up, he'd find it.
Facing Bruce Bowen, Chen Yan didn't just need to score—he needed to survive.
Bang! Bang!
Chen Yan kept shifting his dribble, testing Bowen's balance, changing rhythm with crisp crossovers.
Bowen's stance never wavered. Feet light. Arms wide. Eyes locked in.
Then—bam! Chen Yan exploded forward out of a between-the-legs crossover!
Bowen didn't bite. He didn't chase. Popovich had made it clear: force Chen Yan to shoot, not drive. And even if Pop hadn't said that, Bowen would've made the same choice. He wasn't some reckless kid with a chip on his shoulder. He knew his limits—especially when it came to speed and explosiveness. Chen Yan had both in spades.
Space opened.
Chen Yan took a sharp dribble and rose for the pull-up.
Bowen stepped in, not with his hands—those stayed up—but his feet snuck forward. Not on purpose... not this time. It was muscle memory. A habit. Whenever someone jumped in front of him, that "black foot" would slide under like clockwork.
Fortunately, Chen Yan's shot floated with a slight drift. He landed clean—just inches from disaster.
Swish!
Two more on the board. 33–32. The Suns retook the lead.
The jumper looked smooth, effortless. But the landing? That was too close. Chen Yan made a mental note—when Bowen was defending, protect your ankles at all costs.
Spurs ball.
The "French Sports Car" Tony Parker brought it up, gliding past halfcourt. The Suns' defense collapsed inward to cut off his lane.
Parker faced Barea—not the biggest guy, but quick. Still, Parker had the edge in speed.
He darted into the paint, probing.
But instead of forcing the issue, Parker kicked it out to the perimeter.
Bowen caught it in the corner—the place he called home.
Chen Yan, who had just rotated to help inside, read the pass like a hawk. He bolted out with everything he had.
He soared.
Bowen still got the shot off, textbook form and all.
The arc rose...
And suddenly dipped.
Clink! No, thud! Chen Yan's fingertips had barely kissed the ball, but it was enough—block!
"Damn it!" Bowen muttered. That was his money shot. His comfort zone. If not for the tip, that thing was going in.
As the ball bounced free, the Suns were off and running.
Chen Yan didn't hesitate. He turned and sprinted, a blur across the hardwood.
Bowen gave chase, but the gap widened fast. The difference in raw athleticism was too obvious.
Bowen was 34. Even if he were 24, he still wouldn't be able to catch Chen Yan.
At the midcourt logo, Chen Yan snagged a full-court pass from his teammate.
The only defender back?
Tony Parker—racing up with desperate speed.
The Frenchman had top-end gear, no doubt. But this wasn't just about straight-line speed.
Chen Yan stood at 6'6" (198 cm). Parker was 6'2" (188 cm). A clear mismatch.
Just past the arc, Chen Yan accelerated with his right, pushing hard to Parker's right side...
Then slammed the brakes.
Snatch!
A violent crossover yanked the ball back to his left, just as Parker shifted to cut him off.
It was like watching a motorcycle lean into a tight curve at 90 miles per hour.
Parker's momentum betrayed him—his feet stuck, his hips behind.
Gone.
Chen Yan didn't just change direction. He carved the floor open like it was his personal racetrack.
If Parker thought it was just a straight-line foot race, he was dead wrong.
He wasn't chasing a player—he was chasing smoke.
One man stood in front of the rim now: the rim itself.
Chen Yan had a decision to make—go flashy with a dunk, or keep it simple?
As fans around the world leaned forward, ready for a thunderous jam...
He twisted mid-air.
Jelly layup. One hand. Pure finesse.
No need for theatrics—he had already left everyone in the dust.
---
Commentary, Courtside, and Online:
"What the hell was that?! Even Parker can't keep up?"
"That change of direction... didn't even slow down!"
"He hit the curve and gunned it harder. Who drives like that?"
"You call that a crossover? That was low-altitude flight!"
"Bro didn't just break ankles, he broke the sound barrier!"
"I swear I'm gonna try that move tonight at the gym!"
"You try that and you're blowing out your ACL, man. Don't even try."
"That layup... that twist mid-air... smooth as silk."
Domestic basketball forums and the local scene exploded with hype. Replays of Chen Yan's move looped across social media and forums like wildfire.
Even Parker, back on the court, just raised his hands in disbelief.
"Coach told me to let him shoot, not to let him drive... What am I supposed to do? Asking for a friend... urgent!"
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