Chapter 614: The More Outrageous, the Better
Phoenix took a 36 to 28 lead after the first quarter.
Chen Yan had 28 points and 2 assists by himself. In other words, 32 of Phoenix's 36 points were directly connected to him, more than the entire Bobcats roster had scored.
Lately, this had become Chen Yan's normal state.
Every team in the league understood one thing clearly: if they could limit Chen Yan, Phoenix would collapse. The problem was that no one had actually managed to do it.
During the quarter break, Bobcats head coach Larry Brown had a splitting headache.
Aside from slowing the pace and cutting down possessions, he could not think of another way to stop Chen Yan's rampage.
These Bobcats were not the Detroit Pistons team he had once coached. They did not have that many defensive anchors, especially in the paint. There was not a single big man who could truly protect the rim. Even if Brown designed a defensive scheme, his players might not have the tools to execute it.
On TNT, Barkley said, "28 points in 1 quarter. Chen Yan looks like he is about to put on another scoring show."
Kenny Smith nodded. "This guy is a scoring machine."
Barkley chuckled. "Scoring machine is not enough anymore."
Kenny looked at him. "Sounds like you already came up with a new nickname."
Barkley grinned. "How about Sandwich? He scores easier than I eat a sandwich."
Kenny's face went blank. "That might be the worst nickname I have ever heard. I promise you, Chen does not want fans calling him that."
Barkley burst out laughing. "All right, all right, I am kidding. No nickname is enough for Chen right now. Actually, there is 1 word that barely fits."
"What word?"
"Legend."
Kenny smiled. "Now that one works. Chen's performance really is legendary, and all of us are watching it happen."
Barkley nodded. "Exactly. We are watching the rise of a legend."
The second quarter began with Chen Yan still on the bench.
The Bobcats launched a counterattack behind DJ Augustin, once even tying the game.
DJ Augustin was Chen Yan's close friend from college. He had solid individual ability, good burst, and reliable outside shooting. However, because of his height, it was difficult for him to become a long term starter in the NBA.
His listed height was 183 centimeters, but his real height was at most 180 centimeters. In the NBA, that made him a serious defensive target.
For Phoenix, Grant Hill completed a 3 point play, then assisted Novak on a 3 pointer, stabilizing the situation.
With 8 minutes and 7 seconds left in the second quarter, Chen Yan checked back in.
Phoenix led 47 to 42.
Charlotte brought Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson back as well, while Augustin, who had played well in the quarter, stayed on the court.
The moment Chen Yan entered, he attacked Charlotte's weakness.
DJ Augustin's height.
Chen Yan had excellent overall court vision and was always reading the floor. He targeted Augustin on 2 straight possessions, hitting 1 tough shot and drawing a foul for 2 free throws on another.
Augustin was miserable.
Were they really brothers?
The moment Chen Yan came back, he locked onto him and attacked without mercy.
Charlotte had no choice but to double team.
Augustin simply could not stop Chen Yan. If he played normal defense, Chen Yan could shoot over him without pressure. If he pressed too tightly, Chen Yan could blow past him in 1 step.
Chen Yan was 2 sizes bigger than Augustin and even faster than him. That was the most frustrating part.
Augustin could only try to use his agility to steal the ball, but once he missed, his defense was basically finished.
With Augustin on the floor, Charlotte's double team also became much less effective. Chen Yan could pass directly over his head.
After another 2 minutes, Larry Brown reluctantly pulled Augustin, even though he had been playing well offensively.
That was the sadness of small guards. No matter how good your offense was, it was hard to fully make up for the defensive holes created by height.
Chen Yan continued to play at a high level through Charlotte's double teams, drilling consecutive deep 3 pointers from beyond the arc.
After all, how do you double team a shot launched from that far away?
Still, Chen Yan focused more on creating opportunities for his teammates in this quarter, especially during the final 2 minutes, when he repeatedly delivered brilliant passes.
Phoenix ended the first half with a 69 to 57 lead.
During the closing minutes of the second quarter, Charlotte began trapping near half court, and Chen Yan used his gravity to create looks for teammates, recording 5 assists in the quarter.
At halftime, Chen Yan already had a monstrous line of 44 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds.
For most stars, that would have been a godlike full game performance.
For Chen Yan, it was only halftime.
He was about to go wild again.
Fans spread the news quickly, and TNT's viewership began to soar.
Chen Yan was now the NBA's biggest ratings draw. A single sentence like "Chen Yan is going off tonight" was enough to make countless fans drop what they were doing, turn on the television, and watch him perform.
During halftime, Barkley threw out a bold idea. If Wilt Chamberlain had never existed, Chen Yan would occupy every spot in the top 10 of the NBA's single game scoring list.
Kenny Smith's reply was just as bold. He believed Chamberlain's era was too distant, back when basketball had not fully matured and statistical standards were not as complete, so his records should be separated from the modern scoring list.
Both commentators praised Chen Yan heavily, partly for attention and discussion, but also because they genuinely admired him.
For a player in modern basketball to score more than 100 points on an NBA court, calling that achievement the 9th wonder of the world was not an exaggeration.
Crash.
Crash.
Noise echoed through Charlotte's locker room.
Larry Brown was throwing things.
He could not accept an opponent putting up 44 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds in 1 half right under his nose.
Brown tore into his players. He did not even spare the equipment staff.
His gentlemanly image was only on the surface. In reality, he was a controlling tyrant who enjoyed verbally attacking and humiliating players.
During his time with the New York Knicks, stories around the league said Brown called Nate Robinson names every day, leaving the young guard deeply uncomfortable.
Eventually, Robinson could no longer endure the insults. With tears in his eyes, he went to Brown's office and begged him to stop.
But Robinson's sincerity did not change Brown's behavior. Afterward, Brown continued insulting him in front of the team and even told the players that Robinson had cried.
He left him no dignity.
Jalen Rose once said Brown's attitude toward him during their time with the Indiana Pacers was extremely unfriendly, leaving him deeply frustrated.
Chauncey Billups also once admitted that Brown's personality had made him seriously consider whether strangling him was possible.
Then there was Brown's favorite disciple. Although they eventually reconciled, Allen Iverson once had deep conflicts with him and left Philadelphia in anger, saying Brown's personality and need for control were unbearable.
Playing under Brown made players feel suffocated, and that kind of pressure could easily make young players lose their mental balance.
When the second half began, Charlotte committed more mistakes than before, both offensively and defensively.
Chen Yan seized the chance and continued his assault, hitting trailing 3 pointers in transition and attacking the rim off pick and rolls, while the rest of Phoenix crashed the offensive glass.
Phoenix normally did not emphasize rebounding battles.
It was not that they did not want to fight for boards. Their personnel and playing style simply did not allow it. The Suns were destined not to be a rebounding powerhouse.
But tonight was different.
Charlotte's interior height was even worse than Phoenix's. Their average defensive rebounding was only 30.1, even lower than the Suns.
Their leading rebounder was small forward Gerald Wallace. Neither of their 2 big men averaged more than 5 rebounds.
Against a team like that, Phoenix naturally had confidence attacking the glass.
Chen Yan scored 14 points in the first 6 minutes of the third quarter, bringing his personal total to 58.
The broadcast no longer showed closeups of Michael Jordan. His grim expression had lasted far too long.
Charlotte recovered slightly in the second half of the third quarter and once again double teamed Chen Yan.
Phoenix adjusted accordingly.
Chen Yan repeatedly passed from the top of the arc to open teammates.
After 3 quarters, his stat line had reached 62 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds.
A 60 point triple double was already certain.
But the fans were clearly expecting more.
A 70 point triple double.
An 80 point triple double.
In short, the more outrageous, the better.
.....
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