NBA: Basketball Legend.

Chapter 404: Chapter 404: The Opening Battle of the New Season

Chapter 404: The Opening Battle of the New Season

The building exploded the moment Chen Yan finished speaking. He had a gift for grabbing the room by the collar and making everyone feel something.

A familiar anthem rolled through the speakers, We Are The Champions, and a banner began to rise toward the rafters of the US Airways Center.

2007 2008 Season

NBA Champions

Phoenix Suns

The cheers swelled again, even louder than before. It was the first championship banner in franchise history. The night had not even reached tipoff, and Phoenix already owned the momentum.

After the ring presentation, both starting lineups stayed at center court.

Phoenix Suns starters: Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Diaw, Stoudemire.

Cleveland Cavaliers starters: Mo Williams, Larry Hughes, LeBron James, Varejao, ONeal.

On the call for opening night were Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Reggie Miller.

”Not much has changed with the starters compared to last season,” Kenny said as the ball was readied. ”Cleveland’s biggest adjustment is at point guard. They brought in Mo Williams from Milwaukee, and that should help take some offensive pressure off LeBron. Last season Mo averaged 17.2 points a game.”

Barkley smiled and shook his head. ”Same faces, same jerseys. I feel like I just woke up back in last season’s Finals.”

Reggie chuckled. ”Watching your Finals opponent get rings right in front of you has to sting. But if the Cavs can win tonight, that’s a little revenge, at least for one night.”

The ball went up.

Stoudemire won the tip over ONeal, and Nash immediately signaled for the first action.

Stoudemire stepped up beyond the arc and set the screen. Nash turned the corner, took 2 dribbles into space, then rose from the right side near the free throw line for a pull up jumper.

Clang.

The first shot caught iron and bounced out.

Nash looked unusually aggressive early, but tonight was different. Tonight he finally received the ring he had waited 12 years for, and the adrenaline was obvious.

Varejao, hair flying in every direction, snagged the rebound.

Mo Williams came to get it, pushed it past half court, then swung it to James on the wing.

In Milwaukee, Mo had lived with a green light. Here, that freedom disappeared the moment he put on a Cavaliers jersey. He knew the rules. This was LeBron’s team, and if he wanted to thrive, he had to fit around LeBron.

James exhaled and went to work.

It was clear he had put in a serious offseason. He looked lean, strong, and even more forceful than last year. One hard crossover, and he drove straight through Raja Bell’s chest and into the paint.

Stoudemire stepped over to help. James took contact, hung in the air, then flipped a reverse finish to avoid the block, turning it into a drop off to ONeal inside.

A few years ago Shaq would have caught that and detonated at the rim.

Now, he had to dip, gather, and load up.

That half second was enough.

Diaw rotated in time, slid behind him, and wrapped both arms around Shaq’s, an intentional foul with a clear message.

Respect the name, even if the legs are older.

ONeal went to the line.

Clang.

Barkley laughed the moment he saw the release. ”Phoenix came out with the Hack a Shaq mindset immediately. Free throws have haunted that man his whole career, and it doesn’t look like tonight is the night the ghosts leave him alone.”

Clang.

Shaq missed the second one too.

Two empty trips. Ball back to Phoenix.

Nash brought it up again. The first miss cooled him off a little, and this time he ran the offense the way Phoenix trusted.

He called for another screen, dribbled from the left side toward the middle, and Mo fought over the top and stayed connected. Good defense.

Nash slowed, then hit Diaw at the high post.

Diaw caught and surveyed. Raja Bell set an off ball screen for Chen Yan.

Chen Yan gave Larry Hughes a subtle bump, then used the screen to spring to the arc.

He was not a rookie anymore. He understood the whistle in this league, and that kind of contact almost never got called.

As Diaw delivered the pass, Raja Bell sliced toward the lane.

Cleveland got tangled in the Suns’ movement. Hughes and James hesitated, both read Bell’s cut, and both chased him for a beat.

That beat was enough.

Chen Yan was alone.

He caught, took his time, and actually had enough room to adjust his feet. He even lifted his shoulders in a small shrug before he rose into the shot.

The arena roared.

To Chen Yan, it was a quick way to keep his arms loose.

To the fans, it looked like he was celebrating before the ball even left his hands.

Swish.

The net snapped clean.

0 to 3.

Chen Yan flashed 3 fingers, eyes bright, feeding off the noise. It was his first bucket of the night, and the Suns’ first points of the new season.

”Same old story,” Kenny said. ”Chen Yan’s 3 is automatic.”

Reggie shook his head with a grin. ”That’s not even a practice shot, that’s a warm up line shot. Cleveland can’t give him that kind of space.”

Barkley added, ”You leave a killer that open, you’re basically writing your own obituary.”

Cleveland came back down.

James held the ball at the arc. Raja Bell sagged a full step, the same coverage Phoenix used in last season’s Finals.

James saw the gap and did not hesitate.

He launched the 3.

This summer he worked on that shot, not just the mechanics, but the confidence. He was tired of teams treating him like the line was lava.

Swish.

3 to 3.

The regular season was not the Finals, and the open look felt lighter on his shoulders. After it fell, James stared at Raja Bell with a look that said, You really want to play that game again.

Raja Bell did not flinch. A perimeter player hitting a wide open 3 was not a shock, even if that player was LeBron.

Phoenix brought it right back into the half court.

Chen Yan caught at the top and waved everyone out. He took Hughes one on one.

Nash and Raja Bell spaced to the corners, both credible threats, stretching the floor until it looked like an airport runway. The setup was simple on paper, but it only worked because Chen Yan’s handle and first step forced defenders to stay honest.

He dribbled between his legs, steady and patient. Hughes did not dare reach, unsure whether Chen Yan was hunting a driving angle or loading into a pull up.

Chen Yan crossed, then crossed again, and nudged one step to his right.

Hughes stayed low.

Chen Yan gathered instantly.

One step beyond the arc, he rose and fired, quick release, no extra lift, pure rhythm and surprise. Hughes only got a hand up as decoration.

Swish.

Back to back 3s to open the season.

Chen Yan landed and turned with a calm smile, like the new year had started exactly the way he expected.

.....

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