Chapter 215: Stars' Moment of Praise, the Strongest Big Three?
[We're now at 200 plus power stones guys]
That night, Chen Yan's 35-point quarter sent shockwaves through the entire league.
Over in Los Angeles, the Lakers handled business at Staples Center, defeating the SuperSonics 106–89 to hold their spot atop the Western Conference.
After the game, Kobe Bryant was in a good mood—until the reporters brought up Chen Yan.
"This young man keeps surprising us," Kobe said with a grin. "But we can't call him a rookie anymore. That'd be unfair to the other rookies."
A reporter quickly followed up, smirking. "Kobe, would you say Chen's scoring explosiveness has already surpassed yours?"
Kobe's smile faded. "Let's wait until he scores 81 points."
The room burst into laughter. Classic Kobe—generous with his praise, but always reminding everyone who still owned the throne.
Meanwhile, in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, LeBron James had just finished another dominant win when the same question was tossed his way.
"Thirty-five in a quarter? Man, that's insane!" LeBron said, eyes wide. "That's a scary moment for anybody. Chen's a super-talented player, and honestly, I'm not even surprised he did it."
It was a polished, diplomatic answer—exactly what you'd expect from the King. LeBron always knew how to keep things respectful while giving the media the headline they wanted.
Up in Boston's TD Garden, Kevin Durant was in disbelief when a reporter mentioned it to him.
"Wait—did you say thirty-five in a game?" Durant asked, confused.
"No, thirty-five in a single quarter, KD."
Durant blinked, then let out a short laugh. "Incredible. Unbelievable."
As a natural scorer himself, he knew exactly how absurd that was. A single quarter like that wasn't just talent—it was volcanic.
Another reporter decided to get cute. "Your jersey number's 35, KD. Do you think Chen's performance was a tribute to you?"
Durant stared blankly. "…Next question."
He wasn't taking the bait. Even he couldn't believe how ridiculous some of these questions were getting.
Elsewhere, Yi Jianlian was cornered by reporters after his own game.
"Yi, can you comment on Chen's 35-point quarter?"
Yi just stared at them for a moment. His career high was 29 points in an entire game.
How could someone who hadn't hit 30 comment on a 35-point quarter? The question didn't even make sense. He could only smile awkwardly and shake his head.
Beyond the current players, the legends weighed in too.
Jerry West, the Logo himself, said, "Chen's the kind of player I'd pay money to watch."
Hakeem Olajuwon added, "He's got that rare magic. You watch him once, and you're hooked. He'll inspire a new generation just like Jordan did."
Even George Gervin—the man whose record Chen had just broken—spoke up. "Records are meant to be broken. I'm just happy to see a young player pushing the game forward."
Magic Johnson summed it up perfectly. "Every one of his games should be nationally televised. You never know when he'll do something magical."
The entire league was talking. Chen Yan had become the hottest name in basketball overnight.
---
When he woke up the next morning, his face was on every sports headline.
"Miracle Night! Chen Yan Breaks a 30-Year NBA Record!"
"Matador Mode! Chen Yan Torches the Mavericks in One Quarter!"
"A Rare Scene: Rival Owner Gives a Standing Ovation!"
"A One-Man Scoring Machine!"
"Unbelievable! A Record Even the Basketball Gods Couldn't Break!"
Chen just sipped his water and smiled faintly as he scrolled through the articles. He'd learned not to get carried away.
After nearly a full season, he understood the rhythm of the media—the praise, the hype, the cycle.
Some fans were already calling him "the next Jordan," or even claiming he'd surpassed him. Chen shook his head. He knew better. It was way too early for that kind of talk.
---
After all the noise and headlines, the regular season rolled on.
On March 7, the Suns traveled to Seattle and crushed the rebuilding SuperSonics 117–89.
The result surprised no one. The Sonics were focused on draft odds; the Suns were chasing a title. They were playing two very different games.
Stoudemire dominated the paint with 40 points and 11 rebounds. The Sonics' frontcourt duo, Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison, couldn't match his explosiveness.
Nash chipped in 21 points and 10 assists, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from three.
Chen Yan took a step back, contributing 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. It wasn't a slump—he simply recognized that his teammates were on fire and played the role of facilitator.
The very next night, March 8, Phoenix returned home for the second half of a back-to-back against the Miami Heat.
The post-Shaq Heat were deep in rebuild mode, and with Dwyane Wade sidelined by a knee injury, the result was never in doubt.
The Suns blew them out 121–98.
From the opening tip, Stoudemire came out like a storm, throwing down two violent dunks that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Miami's big men, Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony, stood no chance. At barely 6'9" and 6'10", they were undersized and overmatched against Stoudemire's sheer power.
By night's end, Amar'e had piled up 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
The Heat's perimeter defense wasn't any better. Jason "White Chocolate" Williams was a fan favorite, but his defense was a revolving door. Nash and Chen Yan targeted him possession after possession until Williams fouled out midway through the third quarter.
Chen was ruthlessly efficient—13-of-17 from the field for 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Nash added 22 points and 12 assists, keeping the offense flowing with surgical precision.
After two straight games where Nash, Stoudemire, and Chen combined for more than 80 points, the media had a new nickname ready for them: The Strongest Big Three.
But inside the locker room, they knew the truth.
This wasn't some flashy superteam run—it was survival.
Grant Hill was still sidelined. Barea and Azubuike were nursing injuries. The rotation was thin.
If the Big Three didn't show up every night, Phoenix didn't stand a chance.
After beating the Heat, the Suns went on to take down the Timberwolves and Nets with ease.
The schedule had been merciful lately—soft matchups, rebuilding teams, and opponents resting starters.
Still, every win mattered.
Phoenix was regaining its rhythm, inching closer to full strength.
And just as things began to stabilize, the Suns received both good news—and bad.
[TL: New Fanfic Released -Titled: I Just Want to Die and Sit on the Throne of Heroes, check out my profile]
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