Chapter 852: Warning

Chapter 852: Chapter 852: Warning

Chapter 852: Warning

Spain called another timeout.

China’s performance tonight was becoming a serious problem.

It was not as though Spain had underestimated them before the game.

They already knew exactly how dangerous this Chinese team could be.

3 NBA players.

An NBA MVP.

That alone made China impossible to treat lightly.

What Spain had not expected was for them to be this difficult.

International basketball placed a much greater emphasis on collective execution, and outside of China’s stars, there were obvious weaknesses in the roster, especially at point guard.

That had been one of the main reasons Spain entered the game confident.

But with nearly half the game gone, that confidence was beginning to crack.

The Spanish players were starting to realize something uncomfortable.

If the game continued this way, they might actually lose.

The pattern had repeated itself throughout most of the first half.

Spain would spend an entire possession moving the ball, using screens, making cuts, and creating a basket through precise team basketball.

Then China would come back down the floor.

Chen Yan would attack.

Score.

Just like that.

Once or twice, Spain could accept it.

But when the same thing happened possession after possession for almost an entire half, it became mentally exhausting.

During the timeout, Pau Gasol tried to calm everyone.

"Play our game."

He looked around the huddle.

"Stay with our pace. Their conditioning is going to drop in the 2nd half, especially in the 4th quarter."

Pau continued,

"That is when our opportunity comes."

He clapped his hands.

"So do not panic now."

Very few players responded.

China’s stamina declining was one thing.

Chen Yan’s stamina declining was another.

Chen was famous for being a physical monster.

Spain was not truly afraid of China.

They were afraid of him.

...

On the other side, China remained completely focused.

An 11 point lead against Spain meant nothing yet.

Jonas gathered the players around him.

"For the final 2 minutes, slow the pace down."

The translator immediately repeated his instructions.

"Lower the intensity a little. Play efficiently."

Jonas pointed toward Chen.

"Keep running the offense through Chen."

Then he looked toward the frontcourt.

"If the inside is open, use it."

His eyes swept across the team.

"And when you get a clean shot, take it immediately. No hesitation."

The Chinese players answered together.

"Understood!"

Jonas knew China could not maintain this frantic pace and defensive intensity for the entire game.

If they tried, they would pay for it in the 4th quarter.

Chen could carry an enormous load.

The rest of the team could not simply rely on him to solve everything.

Basketball was still a 5 man game.

A team was only as stable as its weakest position.

If 1 area became too vulnerable, Spain would attack it relentlessly.

Play resumed.

China’s lineup on the floor was:

Sun Yue.

Chen Yan.

Zhu Fangyu.

Zhou Peng.

Wang Zhizhi.

It was a tall lineup, but one built more around perimeter play than interior power.

Spain immediately attacked the paint.

Drive.

Contact.

Whistle.

2 free throws.

They made 1.

Even while trailing, Spain did not panic and start launching reckless 3 pointers.

They continued searching for efficient offense.

China came back down.

An unusual picture formed on the floor.

4 Chinese players stood around the perimeter.

Meanwhile, Chen Yan, the shooting guard, was posting up on the low block.

He raised his hand.

Give me the ball.

The pass came.

Chen immediately attacked Rudy Fernández.

Rudy looked nervous.

Chen had been destroying Spain all night.

The moment Chen put the ball on the floor, Rudy instinctively looked toward his teammates for help.

Spain collapsed.

Ibaka came as the second defender.

Chen took 1 dribble.

Then immediately leaned backward.

No hesitation.

Fadeaway.

The move looked almost like Dirk Nowitzki’s signature shot.

Spain’s trap had not even fully formed.

Chen had already released the ball.

Bank.

Good.

53 to 41.

Zhu Fangyu laughed as he ran past and slapped Chen on the backside.

"Beautiful! Since when do you use the glass like that?"

Even in practice, Zhu rarely saw Chen deliberately bank in jumpers.

Chen smiled.

"I know a little of everything."

Then he turned and ran back on defense.

Spain came down.

This possession, China backed off slightly.

Exactly as Jonas had ordered.

Navarro dribbled.

Waited.

Continued probing.

He became too hesitant.

By the time he finally passed, only 8 seconds remained on the shot clock.

Rudy caught the ball as if someone had handed him an explosive.

Shot fake.

Drive.

He managed to get past Chen and reached the area near the free throw line.

Short floater.

On the drive, Rudy created separation with his body.

The finish itself was not clean enough.

Clang!

Miss.

Wang Zhizhi secured the defensive rebound.

China did not run.

Sun Yue slowed everything down and organized the half court offense.

Chen again fought for position inside.

This time Spain reacted earlier.

Rudy fronted him.

Navarro shaded toward the passing lane.

Together, they denied the entry pass.

Sun Yue was left open.

He caught the ball.

Shot fake.

Navarro lunged.

Sun Yue bounced the ball past him.

A simple, practiced move.

Pass inside.

Chen caught it.

Turn.

Rudy stayed tight and denied the immediate jumper.

Chen dribbled backward.

Created separation.

Fadeaway from the mid range.

Swish!

55 to 41.

Barkley raised his voice from the broadcast table.

"Chen again. Spain cannot stop him right now."

Kenny Smith nodded.

"This is what an MVP looks like. He is reading every coverage and still getting where he wants."

Neither team scored on the final 2 possessions of the quarter.

Halftime arrived.

China 55.

Spain 41.

14 point lead.

Chen’s first half numbers were absurd.

32 points.

7 assists.

6 rebounds.

3 steals.

The moment China entered the locker room, Jonas addressed him first.

"Chen, you are still our primary option in the 2nd half."

Chen nodded.

Jonas continued.

"Keep attacking. If we can push the lead farther, do it."

His tone became more serious.

"Do not give Spain any chance to recover."

Jonas understood exactly what kind of opponent they were facing.

Against a team this experienced, even a small opening could become dangerous.

...

Spain’s locker room was much quieter.

Their coaching staff spent most of halftime discussing defense.

More specifically,

How do we stop Chen Yan?

There were no easy answers.

The 2nd half began with Spain in possession.

Rudy returned to the floor.

His first half had been quiet, and he clearly wanted to change that.

Spain immediately ran a pick and roll for him.

Rudy turned the corner.

1 step in front of the free throw line.

Floater.

Good.

55 to 43.

China struggled to find its rhythm over the next few possessions.

Miss.

Another miss.

Spain took advantage.

5 straight points.

Suddenly, the score was 55 to 46.

Single digits.

The momentum had shifted.

China came back down.

Chen dribbled toward the top of the arc.

Immediate double team.

He twisted away from the pressure.

Pass to Yao Ming.

Yao caught the ball high.

Instead of attacking, he continued facilitating.

Chen cut without the ball.

Toward Yao.

Then suddenly accelerated again.

Drive.

Yao waited until exactly the right moment.

Lead pass.

Perfectly placed.

The ball dropped directly into Chen’s path.

Catch.

Euro step.

Gasol was beaten.

Spain collapsed instantly.

Everyone except Calderón converged toward Chen.

Chen went airborne.

4 defenders were focused on him.

He hung for an instant.

Then whipped the ball back outside.

Yao Ming.

Wide open.

Beyond the 3 point line.

Yao caught it.

Set his feet.

Aimed.

Shot.

Swish!

58 to 46.

Yao clenched his fist.

His first half had been relatively quiet.

7 points.

5 rebounds.

3 assists.

That shot gave him something more important than another 3 points.

Confidence.

For China, the basket carried an even greater meaning.

It was a warning.

Spain could keep doubling Chen Yan if they wanted.

But if they sent that much defensive attention toward him,

everyone else was waiting to punish them.

.....

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