Chapter 840: Manu, the Acting Pro

Chapter 840: Chapter 840: Manu, the Acting Pro

Chapter 840: Manu, the Acting Pro

During warmups, players from the 2 teams barely acknowledged each other.

After everything that had happened in Game 4, whatever mutual respect had existed was buried beneath genuine resentment.

Before the Knicks left the locker room, Chen Yan gathered his teammates.

"Win this game."

Everyone looked toward him.

"There is nothing that will hurt them more than watching us lift the trophy on their home court."

The Knicks came together and stacked their hands in the middle.

There was only 1 goal tonight.

Finish the series.

Curry remained in the starting lineup.

A bandage covered his injured nose, and a transparent protective mask covered his face.

Television ratings for Game 5 were enormous.

This could be the final game of the NBA season, and nobody wanted to miss it.

At the broadcast table, Charles Barkley was still thinking about Chen’s performance in Game 4.

"68 points."

He shook his head.

"11 3 pointers. In the NBA Finals."

Barkley looked toward the court.

"Now New York is missing 2 starting big men. That means even more of the offense could fall on the perimeter."

He grinned.

"So what happens tonight? Does Chen break another record?"

Kenny Smith smiled.

"With most players, fans hope they might see something historic."

He glanced toward Chen.

"With Chen, people actually expect it."

Special guest Reggie Miller laughed.

"11 made 3 pointers in an NBA Finals game is ridiculous. Chen is the greatest shooter of this era."

Barkley immediately turned toward him with a mischievous smile.

"Only this era?"

Reggie laughed.

"Of course. I still hold the career record for made 3 pointers."

Kenny leaned forward.

"For now."

Reggie burst out laughing.

"The day Chen breaks my record, I will be there in person to congratulate him."

Before tipoff, Nelson reviewed the game plan one final time.

His biggest concern was interior defense.

Without David West and DeAndre Jordan, San Antonio would obviously attack New York’s weakened frontcourt.

Kenyon Martin had to survive.

Nelson repeatedly reminded him to stay disciplined and avoid unnecessary fouls.

If Martin got into foul trouble, Yi Jianlian would be the next option.

And putting Yi against Duncan for extended stretches was not a matchup New York wanted.

The starting lineups were announced.

New York Knicks:

Stephen Curry.

Chen Yan.

Shane Battier.

Al Harrington.

Kenyon Martin.

San Antonio Spurs:

Tony Parker.

Manu Ginóbili.

Kawhi Leonard.

Matt Bonner.

Tim Duncan.

Popovich had once again chosen Bonner over Diaw.

With David West unavailable, San Antonio faced much less resistance inside.

Bonner’s shooting could stretch New York’s remaining frontcourt defenders away from the paint and create even more room for Duncan, Parker, and Ginóbili.

Before heading toward center court, Chen pulled Martin aside.

"Kenyon."

Martin looked at him.

"Watch your fouls."

Chen pointed toward Duncan.

"Your job is to stay with him. If Parker or Manu gets downhill, we will rotate."

He tapped Martin on the chest.

"Do not reach unless you have to."

Martin pointed toward his own head.

"It is burned in here already."

The coaching staff had repeated the same warning for 2 straight days.

At this point, Martin felt like he could hear it in his sleep.

Both starting groups took the floor.

The referee tossed the ball up.

Martin won the opening tip.

"Defense!"

"Defense!"

The AT&T Center erupted immediately.

This was an elimination game.

San Antonio fans were standing from the opening possession, pouring every bit of energy they had into the building.

The Spurs fed off it.

Their first defensive possession was excellent.

Every player moved with purpose.

The game plan was obvious.

Take away New York’s 2 primary creators.

Curry.

Chen.

The floor was spread unusually wide.

New York’s starting frontcourt did not provide much interior scoring.

Harrington preferred operating outside.

Martin offered almost no independent shot creation.

San Antonio knew where the danger was coming from.

After several passes, the ball returned to Curry near the top.

Leonard stood in front of him.

After 4 games, Popovich had finally settled on his conclusion.

There was little value in assigning Leonard to Chen if Chen was going to score regardless.

Better to use San Antonio’s best perimeter defender against New York’s second most dangerous scorer.

If Leonard could suppress Curry, San Antonio might survive even if Chen produced another huge game.

Chen moved without the ball near the corners.

Ginóbili stayed glued to him.

In some ways, Manu was better suited than Leonard for this particular assignment.

Leonard was bigger and stronger.

Ginóbili was more elusive.

More experienced at navigating traffic.

More comfortable chasing players through complicated off ball movement.

A player who had spent his own career slipping through defenses understood how another player might try to escape.

Curry sized Leonard up.

Behind the back.

Again.

Leonard stayed with him.

Curry accelerated.

Leonard absorbed the drive and forced him sideways.

Curry considered rising for a jumper.

Leonard’s enormous hand immediately appeared in front of his vision.

Curry frowned internally.

This guy is annoying.

Then another thought followed.

How did Chen score 68 against him?

Curry moved laterally and passed to Battier.

Kenyon Martin immediately screened for Chen away from the ball.

Chen cut outside.

Duncan switched.

His long arms filled Battier’s passing lane.

Battier was not the kind of passer who enjoyed forcing the ball through narrow windows.

He looked once.

Then chose the safer option.

Pass inside to Martin.

Martin caught it near the paint.

Ginóbili had switched onto him.

Mismatch.

Martin attacked immediately.

Powerfully.

Bang!

Their bodies collided.

Ginóbili instantly fell backward.

Beep!

Offensive foul.

The AT&T Center exploded.

Duncan and Bonner immediately walked over and helped Manu to his feet.

Martin stood there with both palms raised.

He could hardly believe it.

He had spent 2 days hearing the same warning.

Do not foul.

Do not foul.

Do not foul.

And on New York’s first possession, he already had 1.

Martin stared at Ginóbili.

That was pure acting.

Chen walked past him and gave him a quick pat.

"Do not worry about it."

Martin looked over.

"That one was not on you. Manu is clever."

Chen pointed toward the other end.

"Forget it. Defend."

Martin nodded and immediately ran back.

San Antonio began its first offensive possession.

Parker crossed half court without rushing.

Ginóbili came up to receive the ball.

Parker followed the game plan and gave it to him immediately.

Manu calmly called for Duncan’s screen.

Left hand drive.

His preferred direction.

Martin switched onto him.

The moment Ginóbili saw the big man in front of him, he leaned his body toward Martin.

Every muscle in Martin’s body tensed.

Not again.

He was already terrified of picking up another foul.

2 fouls in the opening 2 possessions would be disastrous.

So instead of defending aggressively, Martin instinctively gave Ginóbili a little space.

Exactly what Manu wanted.

He leaned forward, protected the ball, and slipped toward the rim.

Left handed layup.

Good.

0 to 2.

The San Antonio crowd became even louder.

They looked determined to maintain that intensity for the entire night.

New York came back down.

This time Chen received the ball.

Curry crossed half court and quickly passed to Battier.

Battier immediately lobbed the ball toward Chen.

Chen caught it in the corner with his back to the basket.

Ginóbili pressed into him.

Parker instantly abandoned Battier.

Double team.

Chen had received the ball almost too easily.

Now it was obvious why.

The corner itself acted as another defender.

With the baseline and sideline limiting his space, Parker and Ginóbili could trap him without giving Chen much room to escape.

The broadcast booth immediately recognized it.

"San Antonio is sending help at Chen from the opening minutes."

"This looks planned. They let him catch it in the corner, then bring the second defender immediately."

Chen saw Parker coming.

He did not fight the trap.

Pass.

Straight back to Battier.

Wide open.

And more importantly, Battier was standing in his favorite corner spot.

Catch.

Rise.

Swish!

3 to 2.

Chen had his first assist.

The broadcast booth approved immediately.

"That is exactly what New York needs."

"Battier did not hesitate at all."

Kenny nodded.

"If the role players keep punishing those rotations, San Antonio cannot keep sending 2 defenders at Chen for free."

The message was clear from the very first exchange.

Popovich wanted the ball out of Chen Yan’s hands.

New York intended to make him pay every time he succeeded.

....

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