Chapter 247: This Will Be a War!
After dropping 45+ in Game 1 and recording a triple-double in Game 2, Chen Yan had officially taken over the playoffs. Every major media outlet in the country was buzzing about him.
Unlike the regular season, the playoffs magnified everything. Only sixteen teams remained, and every game drew national attention.
Fans weren't the only ones watching. NBA stars past and present had plenty to say about the Suns' new sensation.
Wade commented, "That kid's start is something every player dreams of."
Clyde Drexler said simply, "I'm a fan. Watching him play is pure joy."
LeBron James laughed in an interview, "At this point, we should stop calling him a rising star and just call him a superstar."
Jason Kidd, the league's triple-double king, added, "That's not easy to do, especially in the playoffs. The kid's legit."
Even Magic Johnson, whose record Chen had just broken, was all smiles. "You can tell this kid's special. One day, he's going to rewrite a lot of those records."
Back at home, Chen's life remained simple. After the postgame press conference, he fed his two dogs — a husky and a bulldog — then called his parents and Taylor Swift.
His parents had watched every game on TV, proud but still worried about his health. Taylor, busy with her tour, caught every game highlight she could.
Outside of the court and the gym, this was his rhythm: quiet, focused, grounded.
That night, the other playoff scores came in.
The Lakers beat the Jazz 101–88, taking a 2–0 lead.
The Mavericks edged the Hornets 95–90 to go up 2–0 as well.
The Wizards defeated the Raptors 87–80, also leading 2–0.
But the biggest story came out of San Antonio. The Rockets pulled off a stunner — 89–86 — behind a vintage Tracy McGrady performance, capped by six points in the final minute.
As the buzzer sounded, Houston fans erupted, chanting, "The man who scored 13 in 35 seconds is back!"
After the game, a fired-up McGrady told reporters, "This isn't an upset. This is who we really are."
Watching the highlights, Chen couldn't help but smile.
Deep down, he was quietly rooting for Houston. Facing the Rockets would be far easier than facing the Spurs.
But he knew that was wishful thinking.
The Rockets were a good team — Yao Ming, McGrady, Scola, Battier, Hayes — all hardworking, team-first guys. But the Spurs? That was a different beast entirely.
Bowen, Finley, Ginóbili, Popovich — crafty veterans through and through. And then there was Tim Duncan — calm, calculating, and deadly. He looked like a saint but played like a silent executioner.
The gap between the two teams wasn't small. Most fans overestimated the Rockets' strength simply because of Yao Ming's influence. With Yao out for the season due to injury, even this one upset wouldn't change much. The Spurs were still the heavy favorites.
Chen turned off the TV and got ready for bed. Tomorrow, they'd fly to Denver.
---
The next morning, the Suns boarded the team plane for their first road trip of the postseason.
Two dominant wins at home had sparked endless media speculation about a possible sweep. Sports shows were already debating whether Denver could even take a single game.
On the flight, D'Antoni reminded everyone to stay sharp. "We're not done yet. Don't get too high off the first two games. Denver's altitude is no joke, and their fans will make sure we know we're not in Phoenix anymore."
The players nodded. Everyone knew the truth — the Pepsi Center was a tough place to play. The air was thinner, the crowd louder, and Denver's desperation was dangerous.
---
April 24th, Denver, Colorado.
The Pepsi Center was a sea of blue and gold. Thousands of fans waved white towels and held signs screaming "Protect This House!" and "Mile-High Madness!"
The crowd's roar was deafening.
Inside the Nuggets' locker room, the atmosphere was tense. A loss tonight would mean doom — no team had ever come back from a 3–0 hole.
The players sat quietly, most staring at the floor until Iverson stood up.
"Hey!" he shouted, voice cutting through the silence. "Forget Game 1. Forget Game 2. Forget the pain, forget the noise. All that matters is this game — right now. We're not going home losers. Not tonight!"
His words hit hard.
This time, unlike before, the locker room erupted with energy. Hands went in the middle, voices shouted as one. "One, two, three—NUGGETS!"
They knew what was at stake.
As both teams lined up in the tunnel, the arena lights dimmed, and the jumbotron blazed with the starting lineups.
Phoenix Suns: Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Diaw, Stoudemire.
Denver Nuggets: Iverson, Kleiza, Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Camby.
George Karl had made adjustments. Anthony Carter was out — replaced by Kleiza, who offered more size and toughness.
Carter could organize the offense, sure, but his defense had been a liability. Against Phoenix's run-and-gun tempo, he was too small, too slow.
Karl also shifted his defensive matchups. Kenyon Martin would now guard Chen Yan directly, leaving Anthony to cover the interior when help was needed.
It wasn't ideal, but it was all Denver could do.
Martin was physical enough to bump Chen off rhythm, at least on jump shots. If Chen got past him, Camby would be waiting in the paint.
At center court, the players gathered for the jump ball. The noise was deafening — thousands of Denver fans standing, waving, chanting.
Carmelo Anthony glanced over at Chen Yan, eyes burning.
"This is going to be a war," Melo said, voice low but fierce. "My house, my fans — they'll tear you apart."
Chen smirked. "It's a pity it's you on the court, not them."
"Yeah? Let's see who survives," Anthony shot back.
The two locked eyes as the referee held the ball high.
The tension was electric — every camera, every fan, every player could feel it.
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