Chapter 350: Exclusive Interview, The Finals Begin!
Cleveland had gone 1 game longer in the Eastern Conference Finals, which gave Phoenix extra rest. Add in home court, and the Suns had the luxury of staying in Arizona while they waited for the Cavaliers to arrive.
On June 3, an ABC Sports production crew landed in Phoenix to begin Finals coverage, features, and live broadcast prep. With Game 1 just days away, their first priority was securing an exclusive sit down with the hottest name in the league.
Chen Yan agreed immediately.
It would not take long, and when the Finals come calling, you do not treat the league's biggest spotlight like a spam message.
They set the interview at the Suns training facility.
…
Michele Tafoya stepped forward with a practiced smile and a firm handshake.
"Chen, good to see you again."
"Good to see you too," Chen Yan said, returning the grip and facing the camera like he had done it his whole life.
A few quick pleasantries, a final mic check, then the red light blinked on.
"First off," Tafoya said, "say hello to everyone watching."
Chen Yan looked into the lens and lifted a hand.
"Hey, everyone. I'm Chen Yan. We're getting ready for the NBA Finals right now, and I appreciate all the support."
Tafoya nodded, then went straight to the question the entire basketball world had been circling for weeks.
"It's your rookie season. You're a starter. And you're in the Finals. How does that feel?"
"Exciting," Chen Yan said. "Nerve wracking. And more than anything, I'm looking forward to it."
Tafoya smiled.
"Are you looking forward more to winning the trophy as a team, or to putting on a show as an individual on the biggest stage?"
Chen Yan chuckled softly, as if the question itself carried a little trap inside it.
"Both. But my performance is tied to the team result. So I'm focused on staying in rhythm and playing my style of basketball."
Tafoya followed up without wasting a beat.
"Any special training for the Finals? Any secret weapon you can actually share, or are you going to keep that locked up?"
"These past few days it's mostly been running our sets and keeping our timing sharp," Chen Yan said. "A big battle is coming, so it's not the time for high intensity training. As for secret weapons…"
He paused, then grinned.
"Everyone will see once the Finals start."
Tafoya laughed, recognizing the dodge for what it was, a clean one.
Then she asked the question that always followed him, no matter how high the NBA stage rose.
"When the season ends, will you join your national team for the Beijing Olympics?"
Chen Yan answered without hesitation.
"Absolutely. It's an honor, and it's been a dream since I was a kid. Representing my country is one of the few decisions I don't have to think about. Once the Finals are over, I'm joining immediately. I'm looking forward to it, and I want to bring honor back home."
Tafoya nodded, satisfied.
"Appreciate your time, Chen. Good luck in the Finals."
"Thank you," Chen Yan said.
…
After the cameras cut, Chen Yan gave the crew a quick walk through the US Airways Center, pointing out a few pieces of arena history along the way. During the tour, he bought coffee for every staffer, a small gesture, but the kind people remembered.
The crew left with an even better impression of him.
Chen Yan also believed in keeping a good relationship with the media. This was still the era where headlines shaped reputations, and sometimes 1 article was enough to tilt public opinion for an entire season.
…
On June 5, Game 1 of the NBA Finals was finally set to tip in Phoenix.
The Suns were ready. The Cavaliers were ready too. They had arrived 2 days early to get comfortable with the arena and the desert air.
After lunch, Cleveland boarded the team bus and headed toward their battleground, the US Airways Center.
On the ride, the Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, felt the city's Finals energy pressing in from every side.
Phoenix was covered in Finals branding.
Billboards, bus stop ads, posters on walls, everything screamed Suns basketball, every corner promised a trophy that had not arrived here in a long time.
It created invisible pressure, a constant reminder that they were the road team walking into someone else's celebration.
After lunch, Chen Yan rode to the arena with his teammates as well. On the bus, he scrolled through the news on his laptop.
Suns fans were already discussing how their team would lift the trophy. The media was nearly unanimous in predicting Cleveland would fall. Veterans and legends added their voices to the wave, publicly backing Phoenix to finish the job.
Phoenix had already won the battle of public opinion.
Chen Yan did not relax.
The Finals were decided on the floor, not in headlines, not by a show of hands from reporters. If he wanted to win, he had to stay locked in. After beating the Spurs and the Lakers, losing to the Cavaliers would be a brutal embarrassment.
…
"We don't care about outside opinions," LeBron said in a pre game interview, voice firm. "I'm sure we're ready."
It was his 2nd straight Finals appearance, and he carried himself with more calm than last year.
On the other side, Chen Yan was also being interviewed, and he dropped another line that made the reporter blink.
"Chen, what's the biggest challenge you'll face in the Finals?"
Chen Yan thought for a moment.
"The 2 3 2 Finals format."
The reporter frowned. "You're worried they'll win 3 straight at home?"
Chen Yan shook his head.
"No. I'm worried our fans won't get to celebrate the championship at home. After 2 home games, the next 3 are on the road."
The reporter froze for a beat.
The meaning was obvious. Chen Yan believed Phoenix would finish this series in 4 or 5 games.
…
During shooting warmups, Suns fans leaned over the rail and shouted straight at LeBron from courtside.
"LeBron, you're getting swept again!"
"Welcome to Phoenix, we're sending you home!"
"The future belongs to Chen!"
That was home court advantage, loud and shameless.
LeBron kept shooting as if he heard nothing, calm on the surface, but Chen Yan knew words like that still landed, even if only a little.
Nobody was perfect. Even the greats carried their weak points. Jordan had his habits. Kobe had his obsessions. Stars at that level were not immune to pressure, they simply learned how to weaponize it.
…
After introductions, Game 1 finally began.
Phoenix Suns starters: Steve Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Amar'e Stoudemire.
It was their standard group, the lineup that carried them through every test to reach the Finals.
Cleveland Cavaliers starters: Daniel Gibson, Larry Hughes, LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shaquille O'Neal.
Cleveland came out with a LeBron centered look and 2 big men, Ilgauskas and Shaq, a throwback lineup that felt almost retro in a league sprinting toward speed.
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