Chapter 74: Golden Double Guns Attack! Chen Yan Uncovers the Answer?
November 8th.
After two days of rest, the Phoenix Suns were back on their home floor, ready to host the Denver Nuggets.
Fans were hyped. The Suns, with their run-and-gun offense and the league's hottest rookie, were set to clash with the Nuggets, led by the "Golden Double Guns" — a flashy nickname for Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, two elite scorers with explosive firepower.
At first glance, that duo looked unstoppable. But in reality? The chemistry just wasn't there.
Sure, both Iverson and Melo could drop 30 on any given night, but they weren't playing together. It was more like a game of "your turn, my turn." Iso after iso. No synergy. No rhythm. A textbook case of 1 + 1 being less than 2.
Still, on paper, this Denver squad looked stacked.
Iverson and Melo on the wings. Marcus Camby anchoring the paint — a perennial block leader and defensive nightmare. Rebounding machine. They had serious size and athleticism.
Coming off the bench? J.R. Smith, electric and unpredictable. In the past two seasons, he'd become a reliable shooter — 45% from two, around 40% from three — with hops to match. Then there was Kenyon Martin, just back from injury, bringing explosive leaping and physicality inside. If he got a runway, you were getting dunked on — period.
Add in solid role players like Anthony Carter, Nene, and Linas Kleiza, and this team wasn't just flashy — they were deep.
No doubt, this wasn't going to be a cakewalk for Phoenix.
---
TNT Studios – Pre-game.
Kenny Smith grinned as the lights came on. "Chuck, I got one question for you tonight — just one. Can Chen keep up the streak? Another 30-piece?"
Charles Barkley raised an eyebrow, smirking. "30+? As long as the kid wants it, he'll get it."
Kenny laughed. "That's the most non-answer I've ever heard. C'mon, man — gimme a real prediction!"
Barkley leaned back. "I don't usually make predictions... unless we're betting."
Kenny's face lit up. "Betting? Say less. Hey, Chuck — remember the last time we bet on a Chinese player?" He couldn't stop grinning. "Back in '02, Yao's eighth game. You said if he scored more than 19, you'd kiss a donkey's ass…"
Everyone watching knew how that ended.
Barkley groaned and threw his hands up. "Man, I learned my lesson! This time, I'm riding with Chen. He's getting 30+."
"Oh yeah? Then let's run it back. Loser has to call the next game in their underwear."
Kenny burst out laughing. "What's the matter, Chuck? Trying to show off your SpongeBob briefs?"
Barkley shot back, "You better pack your busted boxers now, Kenny. Wouldn't wanna flash your crack on national TV!"
The studio broke into laughter as the trash talk kept flying. Game time was coming — and the energy was electric.
---
Pre-game Warmups – Courtside Interview.
Fox Sports grabbed Iverson as he was stretching near the sideline.
"AI, the Suns' No. 2 pick has been lighting it up — three straight 30-point games. What do you think of the kid?"
Iverson nodded. "I watched him in the NCAA. I like his style. Got a real smooth game. He's been cooking lately…"
Before he could finish, Melo popped his head into the shot, smirking.
"Yeah, but his luck runs out tonight," Anthony said with a chuckle. "He's playing us now."
That grin? Oh, it wasn't gonna last long.
---
First Quarter.
BZZZZT. The horn sounded.
Fifteen minutes later, Chen Yan had torched Denver's defense for 15 points. Pull-ups. Slashes. Contact finishes. Free throws. The full arsenal.
The Nuggets looked shook.
On the bench, Anthony leaned forward, jaw slightly dropped. "Man… you sure that kid's a rookie?"
He'd read the scouting reports. Seen the headlines. But he still hadn't expected this.
---
Second Quarter.
D'Antoni made a shift. Chen had played nearly the whole first quarter, so the Suns rolled out a full bench unit to start the second.
The expectation? Hold the line. Maybe steal a couple buckets.
But then… the bench caught fire.
Backup point guard J.J. Barea came out like a man possessed. First possession? Picked off a lazy pass, went coast to coast for the layup.
Next trip down? Slashed through traffic, took the bump, and-one.
Meanwhile, J.R. Smith was heating up for the Nuggets.
J.R. was a wild card — a microwave scorer. When he was off, he'd shoot you out the game. But when he was on? You couldn't guard him. Fadeaways, step-backs, off-balance threes — they were all falling.
Suddenly, the second unit duel turned into a showdown.
Barea vs. J.R.
Many fans had clowned the Suns' front office for digging up J.J. Barea—calling him a washed-up, undersized guard who didn't belong in the league.
But after watching his performance tonight, most of those fans were probably choking on their own words. That "true fragrance" law hit hard.
On the Suns' bench, Chen Yan was the first to jump up and start waving a towel.
The team chemistry? Impeccable. Every time someone made a highlight play, the whole bench lit up like it was the playoffs.
With 7:48 left in the second quarter, the score stood at 46-42. A tight game.
Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni called for a quick 20-second timeout.
Coming out of the huddle, the Suns brought their starters back to the floor.
Suns lineup: Steve Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and Amare Stoudemire.
Nuggets lineup: Allen Iverson, Linas Kleiza, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, and Marcus Camby.
Suns possession.
Nash ran the pick-and-roll with Stoudemire, curling off the screen and gliding toward the free-throw line with that signature hair flip.
Instead of hitting Stoudemire on the roll or taking it himself, Nash zipped a low bounce pass—straight to Chen Yan cutting in from the wing.
Chen caught it clean and went full throttle into the paint.
Sensing the attack, Martin, Camby, and Melo instantly collapsed on him. The scouting report was clear: Chen Yan's a slasher. Ball hog. Doesn't pass.
Nuggets assistant coach Stacey Augmon had hammered that point during the break. So the trio charged without hesitation.
Four players went airborne.
1-on-3 mid-air? No fear.
As Chen hung in the air, he twisted his body and launched a no-look pass behind his back, threading it through the gap between Camby and Martin.
[Passing Master Lv. 1] activated.
The ball found Stoudemire perfectly in stride. He didn't hesitate.
"BOOM!!"
A thunderous slam rattled the rim.
"HOLY HELL! What a dime from Chen Yan!" Barkley yelled over the broadcast.
"Man never passes, but when he does—sheesh, that's a highlight," Kenny Smith laughed.
The Suns' home crowd exploded. The pass hit like a poster dunk.
"Yo, Chen! Were you possessed by Steve just now?" Amare shouted, smacking Chen on the backside.
"Haha, maybe a little. I've been picking up a few tricks from him lately," Chen replied with a grin.
That [Passing Master] skill didn't just improve Chen's vision and accuracy—it encouraged him to keep passing. Every assist leveled it up. But make no mistake, Chen's game still centered around buckets. Nash was the main distributor. Someone had to carry the scoring load on the wing.
Nuggets ball.
Iverson took Nash one-on-one. A quick crossover under the legs, a slick hesitation, then a sudden pullback. Nash couldn't stay in front. AI floated a shot just inside the free-throw line.
Buckets.
It was no secret: Nash was a magician on offense, but on defense? He was a turnstile—especially against someone like Iverson.
Diaw quickly inbounded and triggered the Suns' fast-break machine.
Nash pushed it past half-court, but the Nuggets had already hustled back on D. No clean look yet.
He held the ball near the top of the arc, scanning.
Then, a quick hand-off to Chen Yan.
At the same time, Nash set a soft screen to stall Kleiza, giving Chen a half-step of separation.
Iverson rotated on the switch, cutting off the drive early.
Chen didn't force it. He hesitated, took one step in, then pulled the ball back out to reset.
His teammates recognized the iso opportunity and spaced out, leaving Chen and Iverson isolated near the top of the key.
Chen gave a quick jab step, testing Iverson's balance.
Crossover. Left to right.
Iverson bit.
Another crossover—this one sharper. The moment Iverson leaned left, Chen planted hard and exploded right, blowing past him.
He rose from the free-throw line, pure rhythm in motion.
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
Iverson lunged to contest, but his 6-foot frame and split-second delay gave him no shot.
The arena erupted.
"DAMN! Did Chen just break down Iverson?"
"Yo… That looked exactly like when AI cooked Jordan back in the day!"
"Iverson broke God. Chen just broke the Answer."
"That's gonna be on highlight reels for the next decade!"
Social media back in China lit up. Fans weren't just hyped—they were in awe.
This wasn't just a crossover. It felt like anointing.
Back on defense, Iverson paused.
The 32-year-old vet watched Chen's back as he jogged away.
For a moment, he stood frozen—almost like he was seeing a reflection of himself… back when he was 22.
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