Chapter 214: New Skills Added! Interview
The third quarter ended, and the Suns' bench erupted.
Every player rushed toward Chen Yan—high-fives, head pats, even playful slaps on the back. The energy in the locker room could've powered the entire arena.
Chen had just played all twelve minutes of the third quarter, shooting 13-for-18 from the field, 4-for-5 from deep, and 5-for-6 from the line—for a total of 35 points. A brand-new NBA record.
George Gervin's single-quarter mark had stood untouched for thirty years for one simple reason—it was nearly impossible to break. But Chen Yan's explosion had just rewritten history.
The Suns were ecstatic. The Mavericks? Less so. Their bench sat stunned, faces blank. The game wasn't even over, yet Phoenix was already celebrating like they'd just won a championship.
The fourth quarter tipped off, and Chen wasted no time. First possession—catch, rise, and drain a three from the right wing.
The boos from the Dallas crowd that had thundered all night suddenly faded. They had finally accepted the truth—no amount of noise could shake this kid.
From there, Chen used his gravity to open up opportunities for his teammates. Every defender who dared to double him paid the price, as Nash and Stoudemire feasted on wide-open looks.
Within minutes, the Suns' lead ballooned past twenty. Dallas tried to rally, but their defense was in shambles, their spirit broken.
When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read 113–103.
Phoenix had snapped its two-game losing streak—and done it in spectacular fashion.
Chen Yan finished with 51 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers.
His first 50-point game since the All-Star break.
Nash was steady as ever with 18 points and 13 assists, while Stoudemire contributed 22 points and 9 rebounds. For Dallas, Nowitzki dropped 30, Ray Allen added 24 on a deadly 5-of-7 from deep, and Kidd nearly tallied a triple-double with 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
But the moment everyone remembered came late in the third—Mark Cuban standing courtside, clapping for the very man he'd been heckling minutes earlier.
"Thirty-five points in one quarter—a new NBA record!"
"A miracle moment!"
"He broke it all by himself!"
"God! That was ruthless!"
The headlines spread like wildfire across every network. Chen Yan wasn't just trending—he was transcending. Scoring was the fastest way to win fans, and tonight, he'd gained an army.
As soon as he stepped back into the locker room, a familiar digital chime echoed in his head.
The system had arrived.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for winning the game. 4 Honor Points!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for breaking the regular-season single-quarter scoring record. 10 Honor Points!"
"Ding! Side Quest Complete—Set a new single-quarter scoring record. Reward: George Gervin's exclusive skill [Fingertip Layup]!"
[Fingertip Layup]: Reduces the chance of being blocked by 30% and the chance of interference by 15% on layup attempts.
Chen smirked. "A little niche… but I'll take it."
It wasn't flashy, but a skill was a skill.
Across the locker room, the atmosphere was electric. The injured players, Azubuike and Barea, limped over with printed stat sheets of the game and asked Chen to sign them.
"C'mon, man, you've gotta autograph this one," Barea grinned. "You just made history."
Chen laughed and obliged, scribbling his name across the page. Even in the midst of exhaustion, he felt proud—grateful for the team that had believed in him.
Moments later, he was called into the postgame press conference. Cameras flashed the second he walked in.
"Ka-ka-ka-ka!"
The lights flickered wildly. The NBA loved its heroes, and tonight, Chen Yan was the headline.
A female reporter from ESPN leaned forward, microphone in hand. "Chen, you set a new single-quarter scoring record tonight. How do you feel right now?"
Chen smiled calmly. "I'm very happy. I know I've become part of NBA history, and that's something I'll never forget."
A Fox Sports reporter spoke next. "You scored only ten points in the first half but exploded for thirty-five in the third quarter. What changed?"
Chen chuckled softly. "A few things. First, I've got to thank Coach for trusting me. At halftime, he told me, 'Shoot whenever you want—don't hesitate.' That gave me the green light. Second, I've got to thank my teammates. Once I caught fire, they just kept feeding me the ball. And lastly," he paused with a grin, "I have to thank the Mavericks fans for booing me. Anyone who knows me knows—I love that kind of environment. It fires me up."
The reporters laughed, appreciating the mix of confidence and composure.
A TNT reporter leaned forward. "Chen, be honest—do you think you can break Kobe Bryant's 81-point record one day?"
Chen shrugged, smiling faintly. "Who knows?"
"Have you ever thought about it?" the reporter pressed.
"I don't think about things that haven't happened yet," Chen replied smoothly.
He wasn't going to let anyone turn this into a Kobe comparison. He knew the trap and refused to step into it.
After Chen finished, the questions shifted to Coach D'Antoni.
"Coach," another reporter asked, "did you design any plays specifically to help Chen break the record in the third quarter?"
D'Antoni laughed, twirling his marker between his fingers. "I wish I could say yes, but honestly? I didn't do anything. That was all him. If you really want to call it a play, maybe it was just one—give Chen the ball and get out of the way."
The room erupted in laughter. Classic D'Antoni charm.
Meanwhile, in the Mavericks' media room, Avery "Little General" Johnson faced his own line of questioning.
"He just went off," Johnson admitted. "Out of nowhere, without warning. I threw four different defenders at him, tried traps, tried rotations—nothing worked. He found answers for everything."
Dirk Nowitzki was more direct. "You want my thoughts on that third quarter?" He smirked helplessly. "He made us look like fools."
Even Mark Cuban gave his take. Surrounded by reporters on the sideline, he kept his trademark grin.
"The players did their best," Cuban said. "They gave it everything. Now they just need to shower, rest, and move on. We've got more battles ahead."
One journalist raised a question that made Cuban sigh. "What's your take on Assistant Coach Mathis getting a technical foul?"
Cuban threw up his hands. "He didn't do a thing! The man was drinking water! I'll be filing a complaint with the league about that one."
Another reporter smiled knowingly. "We also saw you yelling at Chen earlier—and then applauding him later. What changed?"
Cuban didn't hesitate. "I yelled because I'm the Mavericks' owner," he said with a grin. "I applauded because I'm a basketball fan. That's all."
The room chuckled. It was the perfect line—honest, simple, and true.
<><><><><>
[Check Out My Patreon For +40 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]