Chapter 78: McGrady's Signature Skill [Unstoppable Pull-Up], Challenge the Lakers!
The system had thousands of side quests—on and off the court.
Chen Yan didn't bother memorizing all of them. He just focused on playing his game. As long as he performed, the system would automatically prompt him when a side quest was completed and drop the reward.
Unlike main quests, side quest rewards were randomized. Sometimes they gave attribute points, sometimes star-level skills, sometimes items from the system shop, or even lifestyle buffs.
And just now, the system chimed in with a reward notification that made Chen Yan's eyes light up.
"Ding! Side quest complete—McGrady's exclusive skill: [Unstoppable Pull-Up] unlocked!"
[Unstoppable Pull-Up]: Increases dribble pull-up shot accuracy by 5%, top-of-the-key shot accuracy by 10%, and has a 15% chance to completely ignore defender interference.
"Congrats! You've completed your first career side quest—bonus reward: [Status Upgrade Card]!"
[Status Upgrade Card]: One-time use item. Boosts player's game status to 100%–150% efficiency for a single game.
Double reward?!
Damn, that's fire!
Chen Yan was hyped.
He rarely took pull-up shots from the top of the arc in earlier games—too risky, low efficiency. He preferred open looks or catch-and-shoots coming off screens.
But if you want to be a superstar in this league?
You've gotta master tough shot-making.
[Unstoppable Pull-Up] didn't just give him higher accuracy on dribble jumpers and top-of-the-key shots. That 15% chance to flat-out ignore defense?
OP as hell.
This wasn't just a small buff. It was a patch-level update to his offensive game.
Chen Yan just leveled up big time. His face-up game, already dangerous, just got an epic boost.
Usually, the tougher the side quest, the better the loot.
This time, all he did was win Player of the Week in the West—and he bagged McGrady's signature move?
"Sh*t… I'm really on that Euro-God RNG right now."
And that [Status Upgrade Card]? Just as valuable.
No player's body is made of steel. As the season drags on, fatigue creeps in. Cold nights. Off nights. Your body just doesn't feel right sometimes.
This card guarantees he'll play at full throttle—hell, even beyond 100%.
If he could, Chen Yan would use one before every damn game.
But... reality check: this thing costs 25 honor points in the system shop.
That's a luxury he can't afford—yet.
Still, getting both the McGrady skill and a Status Card?
Big W.
Today was a good day. Skill upgrades, honor points, and props—everything came together.
After taking home Western Conference Player of the Week, Chen Yan also climbed to the top of the 2007 rookie rankings.
While other rookies were still adjusting to the NBA pace, Chen Yan was already torching veterans and bagging weekly awards.
That's the difference.
The only rookie remotely close to him was Kevin Durant.
Durant—aka "Slim Reaper"—was averaging 21.1 points and 4.5 rebounds through his first four games.
Solid numbers. But those stats were jacked up by high volume shooting.
Boston's front office had basically thrown this season in the trash and told KD to shoot as much as he wanted.
His shooting splits? 41.7% from two, 27.9% from three.
Durant might be averaging 20+, but that North Shore Garden rim probably needed therapy after every home game.
As for the other lottery rookies—Horford and Conley were putting up decent double-digit numbers. Respectable. But not even close to Chen Yan's level.
Noah was still stuck in a starting battle with the "Browless Warrior" in Milwaukee and looked inconsistent.
Yi Jianlian though—he was surprising folks.
He dropped 8 points and 4 boards in his debut, then followed it up with three straight double-digit scoring games. Against the Bobcats, he went off for 20 and 5.
Looks like Chicago's system fits him way better than the Bucks did in his previous life.
The kid actually looks happy out there.
As for the other rookies—Brewer, Jeff Green, Thaddeus Young, Nick Young, Brooks—they were all still fighting for minutes.
---
After crushing the Nuggets, the Suns kicked off a week-long road trip.
First stop? Minnesota.
The Timberwolves were in full rebuild mode after trading away the heart and soul of the franchise—Kevin Garnett.
They sent the Big Ticket to Boston in exchange for Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar, Maurice Evans, and a first-rounder.
Short term? The Wolves lost the trade.
Long term? Still lost.
Their front office really thought Bynum could be the next Shaq. But ever since he left Kobe's locker room, Bynum was out of control.
Dude changed his hairstyle three times in a week. New cut every three days like he was trying to set a Guinness record.
The Timberwolves didn't trade for a center—they traded for a walking barbershop ad.
And Odom? The man was dead inside after leaving LA.
I mean, can you blame him?
From Hollywood, beaches, and models to… Minnesota blizzards and dive bars.
His only motivation to clock in was the paycheck.
The Wolves had lost four straight coming into the game. And Chen Yan?
He was there to make it five.
Bynum didn't even suit up.
Not suspended by the league—suspended by his own damn team.
During halftime of the last game, Bynum left the arena mid-game to get a haircut.
Coach benched him on the spot. The team hit him with a suspension and fine.
Straight clown show.
The game itself? No contest.
From tip-off to final buzzer, the Timberwolves played like their spirit was stuck in a snowstorm.
Final score: Suns 101, Wolves 78.
Chen Yan didn't go nuclear like some fans expected, but he stayed efficient.
He went 9-of-19 from the field, 2-of-4 from deep, and made 10-of-13 from the line—mostly from relentless drives to the rim.
Another 30-piece in the bag.
Nash was surgical again—20 points, 11 dimes. Classic.
Amar'e, Grant Hill, Boris Diaw, and J.J. Barea all chipped in with double digits.
The Suns' run-and-gun system made everybody eat.
On Minnesota's side, Randy Foye was their top scorer—with 20 points.
But it took him 18 shots to get there.
6-of-18 from the field. 2-of-7 from three. 6-of-7 at the line.
Just another inefficient night for a player whose heart is literally on the right side of his chest.
The Wolves had traded Brandon Roy for this guy.
Big mistake.
Roy was averaging 20.7 points and 5 assists on high efficiency and had real leader vibes.
Foye? Not that guy.
---
After the blowout, the Suns didn't even rest. They hopped on a flight straight to Los Angeles.
Next up?
Lakers. Back-to-back. On the road.
Now that was the real test.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for Advanced Chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9