Chapter 854: Approaching the Record

Chapter 854: Chapter 854: Approaching the Record

Chapter 854: Approaching the Record

Chinese fans were overflowing with excitement.

At this rate, China’s first victory of the London Olympics was getting closer and closer.

And if that first win came against the reigning European champions, then fans could hardly imagine how far this team might go.

Chen Yan’s scoring output had slowed somewhat in the 3rd quarter.

Part of that was because Spain had devoted even more defensive attention to him.

The other reason was Chen himself.

Instead of forcing shots, he had shifted his focus toward organizing the offense and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Whether he scored or passed, Spain remained uncomfortable.

During the break before the 4th quarter, Jonas thought carefully before making his decision.

Chen needed rest.

He had played the entire first 3 quarters.

And everyone knew the final period would be brutal.

Spain was not the kind of team that would quietly accept defeat.

If China wanted to close the game, Chen would almost certainly need to take over again during the latter half of the 4th quarter.

Jonas approached him.

"Rest for a few minutes."

Chen nodded.

He understood.

The 4th quarter began.

Both teams were tense.

The first 2 possessions ended in misses.

Then, with 8 minutes and 41 seconds remaining, Spain produced a beautiful offensive sequence.

Pau Gasol cut toward the paint after a pick and roll.

Calderón lifted the ball.

Lob pass.

Pau caught it while moving.

For a moment, everyone expected him to attack from the high post.

Instead, Pau suddenly redirected the ball toward his right.

Rudy Fernández was cutting.

Catch.

1 step.

Takeoff.

Boom!

Powerful dunk.

The 2 NBA players had executed the action perfectly.

81 to 72.

Immediately after scoring, Spain applied full court pressure.

China struggled.

Liu Wei and Sun Yue failed to communicate properly.

Calderón read the mistake.

Steal.

Fast break.

Layup.

Good.

81 to 74.

Spain kept pressing on the next possession.

They understood China’s weakness.

The Chinese guards had already spent 3 quarters dealing with relentless defensive pressure.

Fatigue was setting in.

Now was the time for Spain to attack.

Liu Wei nearly lost the ball just trying to cross half court.

He stumbled forward and barely avoided an 8 second violation.

Chinese fans watching from home were growing anxious.

"Spain is pressing like crazy. We can barely get the ball across half court."

"This problem again."

"Put Chen back in!"

"What is Jonas waiting for?"

"The lead is disappearing!"

Jonas remained composed.

If he put Chen back immediately, then those few seconds on the bench would mean nothing.

It would effectively be the same as asking Chen to play the entire game.

The rest needed to have some value.

China finally settled into half court offense.

Yao Ming received the ball inside.

Turn.

Hook shot.

Good.

83 to 74.

Chen relaxed slightly on the bench.

As long as Yao and Yi Jianlian were still on the floor, Spain would have a difficult time erasing the entire deficit in 1 burst.

Spain attacked again.

Rudy received another opportunity.

Pick and roll.

Mismatch.

Yao switched onto him.

Rudy immediately accelerated.

Drive.

Left handed layup.

Good.

83 to 76.

Spain kept coming.

The margin eventually settled at 5 points and remained there until 6 minutes and 24 seconds were left.

China called timeout.

Jonas looked toward Chen.

Time.

Chen stood.

3 and a half minutes of rest had been enough.

Another minute would have been a luxury China could no longer afford.

Spain had already come dangerously close.

If they had converted a few more opportunities during those possessions, they might have taken the lead outright.

The moment Chen walked back toward the scorer’s table, Spanish fans became nervous.

Spain had failed to capitalize fully while he was resting.

Now the punishment was coming.

Chen received the ball in the backcourt.

Spain continued applying pressure.

Unlike the other Chinese guards, Chen looked completely calm.

Crossover.

Another crossover.

Spin.

Change of direction.

He advanced steadily while keeping complete control of the basketball.

Near the logo, 3 Spanish defenders converged.

Chen planted off 1 foot.

Jump.

While airborne, he calmly delivered the ball toward Sun Yue.

Pass.

Sun Yue caught it.

China suddenly had a numbers advantage.

But Sun Yue did not rush.

Instead of forcing an immediate attack, he slowed the possession down.

He trusted Chen.

Spain recovered.

Once the defense was organized again, Sun Yue returned the ball to Chen.

Chen’s first possession after reentering would be an isolation.

Spain did not immediately double him.

Instead, they stayed cautious and maintained their zone principles.

Chen stood beyond the arc.

Rudy Fernández faced him.

Chen repeatedly extended his right leg while dribbling between his legs.

Probe.

Probe.

Probe.

Rudy stayed balanced.

Then suddenly,

Explosion.

Chen drove hard to his right.

There had been no defensive mistake.

No screen.

No opening created by anyone else.

Chen simply created the gap himself.

Skill.

Acceleration.

Power.

He burst through.

Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol both collapsed into the paint.

Chen did not care.

He attacked them anyway.

First step.

He moved toward Marc’s right side.

Second step.

Another burst of explosiveness.

Gather.

Chen shifted across Marc’s body and appeared on his left.

Marc tried to change direction.

Too late.

His center of gravity was already committed.

Chen had completely beaten him with his signature Phantom Steps.

Now only Pau remained.

Chen launched toward the rim.

Pau gathered himself.

Jump.

Contest.

Chen raised his left arm to protect the ball.

Their bodies collided.

Even with all his effort, Pau still looked overpowered.

Chen drove through the contact.

Boom!

Dunk!

Beep!

Whistle.

Pau had clearly fouled him on the attempt.

The arena erupted.

Barkley practically shouted from the broadcast table.

"That is violent basketball right there."

Kenny Smith laughed.

"Chen got a few minutes of rest, and now he looks like he has been recharged."

Chinese fans were losing their minds.

"No one can stop him!"

"He went straight through both Gasols!"

"That dunk just crushed Spain!"

"Those few minutes on the bench were worth it!"

Chen landed and immediately pounded the front of his jersey.

Once.

Then again.

The national flag on his chest.

Playing for his country felt different.

The NBA brought pressure.

The Olympics brought something else.

Honor.

Chen shouted toward the crowd.

Then walked to the free throw line.

Swish!

The scoreboard showed 83 to 76.

Spain returned to offense.

This time, they worked from the perimeter.

China extended its defensive formation.

The shot clock reached 9 seconds.

Rudy attacked.

Zhu Fangyu tried to stay in front.

At this point in the game, however, almost every Chinese player except Chen was running close to empty.

Rudy got past him.

Drive.

Yi rotated.

Rudy immediately passed.

Marc Gasol caught it inside.

Bank shot.

Good.

83 to 78.

Back to 5.

Spain was gambling everything on these final 6 minutes.

Their entire plan was built around exploiting China’s declining stamina.

Jonas remained calm on the sideline.

China still had its safety net.

Chen Yan.

China came down.

Chen dribbled to about 2 steps beyond the arc.

Slow.

Rudy stayed tight.

He was shorter than Chen, but from this distance, close pressure could still interfere with the shot.

Chen did not force it.

He did not immediately drive either.

He watched.

Spain’s positions.

The weak side.

The help defenders.

Most importantly, whether a second defender was preparing to come.

Once Chen confirmed Spain was staying in zone coverage, he returned to isolation mode.

The effect of having Chen on the national team was obvious.

Everyone else immediately felt less pressure.

For years, China’s greatest weakness had appeared late in games.

Once fatigue arrived, the offense often collapsed.

The big men were not ideal options for creating clutch perimeter offense.

The guards were not consistently capable of generating their own shots.

That problem had destroyed China in countless close games.

Chen solved it almost completely.

Cannot score late?

Give Chen the ball.

Cannot beat the press?

Give Chen the ball.

Possession falling apart?

Give Chen the ball.

Simple.

Chen stood 2 steps beyond the top of the arc.

Cross.

Another cross.

No acceleration yet.

Just constant movement.

To Rudy, it might have looked like Chen was playing with him.

In reality, Chen was searching.

Balance.

Foot position.

Weight distribution.

Every small weakness.

Between the legs.

Hang dribble right.

Large lateral step.

Then between the legs again.

Hang dribble left.

Another wide lateral step.

The exaggerated dragging motion constantly shifted Rudy’s center of gravity.

Rudy lowered his stance.

He refused to give Chen an easy lane.

Chen hung the ball in his left hand.

Pause.

Then exploded forward.

Rudy retreated.

Stayed with him.

Chen approached the 3 point line.

Hard dribble.

Sudden step back.

Rudy followed again.

By now, Rudy probably knew what Chen wanted.

But knowing and stopping were 2 different things.

Chen completed the step back beyond the arc.

Gather.

Rise.

His shooting motion flowed like an archer drawing a bow.

Release.

Swish!

Pure.

86 to 78.

Chen turned away.

50 points.

Barkley stared at the scoreboard.

"50 in an Olympic game. He is getting dangerously close to history."

Kenny immediately supplied the number.

"The Olympic single game scoring record is 55 points, set by Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt in 1988."

He looked back toward Chen.

"Chen Yan is only 5 points away."

.....

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