Chapter 250: Falling into a Foul Trap
Excitement can be a double edged sword in basketball. It fires up a player's spirit, but it also makes it far easier to lose composure. That is exactly what happened to Chen Yan.
In just two minutes, driven by pure adrenaline and the hostile Denver crowd, Chen picked up two quick fouls. D'Antoni immediately pulled him out. It was not punishment. It was protection.
If Chen collected a third foul before the end of the first quarter, the game would be over before it even began.
"Chen, slow down. Control yourself. The team needs you later," D'Antoni said, patting him on the shoulder.
Chen nodded. He knew he had gotten carried away.
He spent the rest of the first quarter sitting on the bench. The Suns trailed 26 to 19. It was their worst opening quarter of the series.
The noise inside the Pepsi Center was brutal. Fans hammered the Suns with constant chants, jeers, and pounding thunder sticks. Denver fans knew the truth better than anyone else — if they lost this game, their season was done.
The altitude, the slow Phoenix start, Chen's foul trouble, and the broken rotation all contributed to the struggle.
From the TNT broadcast, Kenny Smith let out a low whistle. "Denver came out with a completely different energy tonight. This is the most aggressive I have seen them in the series."
Barkley nodded. "Phoenix needs to calm down during the break. They are letting the crowd control the pace. And Chen better watch those fouls. If he picks up another early one, the Suns are in big trouble."
The second quarter began with heavily mixed lineups.
The Suns sent out Barea, Chen Yan, Grant Hill, Azubuike, and Barnes. A pure small ball lineup. D'Antoni wanted speed, tempo, and quick strikes to cut down the lead.
Chen checked back in after resting half a quarter. Before he stepped on the floor, D'Antoni pulled him close one more time.
"Watch your hands. No reaching. No risky contests. Stay clean."
Chen nodded. The message was clear.
The Nuggets countered with Anthony Carter, Jr Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Najera, and Kenyon Martin. They protected their lead carefully, cutting down rotations and keeping their core players on the floor longer than usual.
The second quarter opened. Chen was noticeably restrained, moving carefully to avoid a third foul.
At 9:47, a crack finally appeared. Najera and Anthony miscommunicated on a pass, and the Suns seized the opportunity.
Barea scooped up the loose ball and fired it forward immediately.
Chen Yan sprinted ahead of everyone, beating the defense by several steps. Anthony Carter was the only man back.
Chen took one step and launched.
A clean, powerful, one handed dunk.
Sometimes the simplest play is the most devastating.
Carter, only one hundred eighty centimeters tall, could do nothing but watch him soar overhead.
The dunk finally loosened Chen up. Two plays later, he pulled up in transition and drilled a three. D'Antoni clapped hard on the sideline.
That was the Chen he wanted to see.
But the celebration didn't last. On the next defensive sequence, the trap snapped shut again.
Jr Smith used a screen and drove inside. As Chen rotated over to help, Jr leaned his shoulder directly into Chen's chest.
The whistle came instantly.
Foul.
The perfect bait. The perfect purpose. A textbook foul drawing play.
George Karl pumped his fist and pointed at Jr Smith. "Beautiful! That's it!"
Karl had adjusted his entire strategy the moment Chen got two fouls in the first quarter. The mission was clear.
Attack Chen. Force fouls. Get him off the floor.
With Chen out, the Suns' spacing collapsed. Their run and gun rhythm collapsed. Their half court offense collapsed.
D'Antoni had no choice but to sub him again. The mustache's expression darkened. They had finally found a rhythm, but the foul trouble shattered it again.
The rest of the second quarter and early third were a nightmare. Chen played in short, fragmented bursts, never long enough to fully settle in.
The score reflected it.
At the end of the third quarter, the Suns trailed 80 to 69.
Chen sat on the bench with four fouls, shooting just five for thirteen. He had fifteen points, four rebounds, three assists, and three free throw attempts. The rhythm he normally dominated with was nowhere to be found.
To make matters worse, the Nuggets put endless pressure on Nash. Playing in the thin air of Denver already drained him. Being targeted on every possession drained him even more.
By mid fourth quarter, Nash looked exhausted. The Nuggets smelled weakness.
The Suns' fans online were starting to panic.
"This game might be over…"
"Chen got trapped by fouls tonight!"
"He barely had room to breathe!"
"The Suns aren't adjusting to Denver at all."
"They don't look like themselves out there."
With 6:37 left in the fourth, D'Antoni finally waved Chen to the scorer's table.
Chen stood, took a deep breath, and walked toward the court.
Before stepping in, he glanced at the scoreboard.
91 to 79.
Down twelve. On the road. At altitude. With the crowd screaming for blood.
It was tough.
But not impossible.
Chen understood something else too.
Nash had old injuries. Hill had old injuries. If he could turn this game around early, it meant more rest for them. Rest they absolutely needed if Phoenix wanted a shot at the championship.
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