Chapter 608: 101 Points, the League Is in Uproar!
On the Grizzlies' final possession of the third quarter, Conley buried a three pointer at the buzzer.
81 to 94.
For Memphis, that was good news. A 13 point deficit meant the game was still within reach.
For Chen Yan, it was also good news. As long as the score stayed close enough, he had a legitimate reason to remain on the floor and keep adding to his total.
The Suns fans were thinking the same thing. At this point, their biggest fear was not Chen Yan suddenly going cold. It was the Grizzlies raising the white flag too early.
Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins had considered that possibility during the break between quarters.
But his professional integrity would not allow him to give up. The margin was only a little over 10 points. Memphis still had a chance to compete for the win.
The Grizzlies opened the fourth quarter with Conley, Rudy Gay, Beasley, Love, and Gasol.
Hollins had placed his strongest offensive lineup on the court. Rudy Gay, after resting for more than half a quarter, was back in action. His defensive assignment was simple. If Chen Yan shot, he had to rush him. He did not need to worry too much about the drive, because his teammates would rotate and help behind him.
Hollins told Gay not to carry too much psychological pressure. Just contest the shot and trust the defense.
The Suns countered with White Chocolate Williams, Chen Yan, Grant Hill, Diaw, and Jordan.
D'Antoni had taken Stoudemire out. Phoenix did not need another primary scorer at this stage. His plan was clear. Everyone on the floor existed to screen for Chen Yan.
Off ball screens, on ball screens, double screens, flare screens, every kind of screen Phoenix could run was now being used to spring Chen Yan loose.
On the first possession of the fourth quarter, Chen Yan caught the ball a step before mid court and fired immediately.
Miss.
For any other player, that shot would have been reckless. For Chen Yan, it was within range.
"That was actually a good look," Kenny Smith said. "No one was in front of him. He just missed it."
Barkley nodded. "When a guy has been shooting like Chen tonight, you live with that shot. That is not a bad possession anymore. That is the world he has dragged everybody into."
On the next 2 possessions, Chen Yan kept moving, using screen after screen to create difficult looks.
Both shots missed.
The Grizzlies had clearly read Phoenix's intentions. Every defender on the floor was locked onto Chen Yan, refusing to give him a clean look. Memphis took advantage of the empty possessions and trimmed the score to 86 to 94.
The deficit was under 10.
D'Antoni immediately realized that Phoenix could not rely on Chen Yan alone every trip. After a dead ball, he brought Stoudemire back into the game.
Stoudemire's presence changed everything.
No matter how badly the Grizzlies wanted to load up on Chen Yan, they could not simply leave an All Star level big man unattended.
Chen Yan and Stoudemire ran a pick and roll on the perimeter. After Stoudemire set the screen, both Memphis defenders jumped toward Chen Yan.
Chen Yan made the simple read and fired the ball to Stoudemire in the middle.
Bang!
Stoudemire took 1 dribble, stepped into the paint, and rose. Beasley left Grant Hill in the corner to help.
Stoudemire kicked the ball out to Hill.
At the same time, Chen Yan drifted to the wing beyond the three point line.
Hill caught it and immediately swung the ball.
The Grizzlies defense was in chaos.
Chen Yan caught, rose, and fired.
Swish!
Three pointer made.
That shot reopened the valve.
On the next 3 possessions, Chen Yan drilled 2 more three pointers and added a pull up midrange jumper.
His personal total instantly climbed to 91 points.
A new individual scoring record had been born.
At the same time, Chen Yan also set a new single game record with 15 made three pointers.
The score was 89 to 105, and the lead had suddenly ballooned back beyond 15.
Hollins stood frozen on the sideline.
No substitution.
No tactical adjustment.
No answer.
He could only watch Chen Yan keep playing.
Once Chen Yan's touch exploded again, even double teams stopped feeling useful. The ball was leaving his hands too fast. The screens were coming from too many angles. The Suns were reading every rotation before Memphis could complete it.
"He's really going for 100 tonight," Barkley said, shaking his head.
Kenny Smith laughed. "There is still time left. At this point, it depends on whether Memphis gives him the chance."
With 4 minutes and 56 seconds left, Chen Yan faked as if he were coming up for a handoff, then suddenly planted and cut back.
The move fooled both Conley and Rudy Gay.
Both defenders looked stunned. They had not expected Chen Yan to still have the energy for that kind of change of pace this deep into the night.
White Chocolate lofted the ball inside.
Chen Yan caught it and floated the ball in before the help defense arrived.
His 93rd point.
One possession later, Chen Yan pushed a fast break along the baseline, stopped on a dime, and rose into a pull up jumper before the defense could settle.
Swish.
His 95th point.
The Grizzlies looked completely bewildered.
They knew it now.
They were going to be part of history, and not the kind anyone wanted attached to their name.
With 3 minutes and 5 seconds left, White Chocolate came off a screen and drove into the paint.
As he entered the lane, he noticed something almost absurd.
The Grizzlies defenders were clearing out of the paint.
They would rather give White Chocolate a layup than allow Chen Yan's total to rise any higher.
White Chocolate did not care about the open 2 points.
His goal was obvious.
He wanted the assist.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, White Chocolate whipped a no look pass to Chen Yan on the perimeter.
The pass was flashy, almost too flashy. He had not thrown one like that in a long time, and the delivery was not especially comfortable.
But Chen Yan's adjustment ability was elite. He took 1 step, squared himself in an instant, and snapped up a quick shot.
At this point, he was no longer thinking about field goal percentage.
He just wanted the ball in the air.
Even if he had to pile up points through sheer volume, he would do it. A chance to break 100 did not come every night.
The moment Chen Yan rose, Rudy Gay rushed over.
Gay wanted to stop him so badly that he came in with too much force, crashing into Chen Yan from the side and knocking him to the floor.
Before losing his balance, Chen Yan forced the ball upward.
The shot kissed the backboard and dropped through the net.
A four point play.
Chen Yan knew it was lucky.
But luck counted all the same.
The shot was good.
The points were real.
He walked to the free throw line.
Swish.
The free throw fell.
His personal total had reached 99 points.
Hollins called timeout.
After the timeout, the Grizzlies still did not pull their starters.
Hollins understood the situation. Whether Memphis played its starters or emptied the bench, Chen Yan was not going to pass up the chance to break the record. No player alive would refuse that temptation.
If Hollins sent out the reserves, Chen Yan might score even more.
With 2 minutes and 3 seconds left in the game, history arrived.
Chen Yan attacked in transition, driving straight through the lane. Rudy Gay fouled him before he could finish.
The whistle blew.
The entire arena rose to its feet.
"MVP!"
"MVP!"
"MVP!"
More fans were shouting a different number.
"100!"
"100!"
"100!"
If Chen Yan made 1 free throw, he would tie Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point record.
If he made both, he would stand alone.
Chen Yan took the ball, spun it once in his hands, and looked at the rim.
Swish.
The first free throw was good.
100 points.
"Chen Yan has 100," Kenny Smith said, his voice rising. "This is one of those moments where everybody watching knows exactly where they were."
Barkley leaned forward. "One more, Kenny. One more and nobody is above him."
Chen Yan received the ball again.
The arena seemed to hold its breath.
He bent his knees, raised the ball, and released.
Swish.
A new single game scoring record.
The building erupted.
D'Antoni immediately called timeout, giving Chen Yan the moment he deserved.
Teammates rushed toward him. Fans screamed until the arena felt like it was shaking. Cameras locked onto Chen Yan from every angle as he walked toward the bench, face flushed, chest rising and falling, the weight of history settling over him.
After the timeout, Chen Yan chose to leave the game.
Some fans were disappointed. They wanted to see how far he could push the number.
But for Chen Yan, the goal had been achieved.
101 points was an unprecedented record, one that would be almost impossible to surpass.
Playing even 1 more second felt unnecessary.
Across the basketball world, everyone scrambled to report the news.
The aftershocks of Chen Yan's 89 point game had not yet settled.
Now the league had been hit by an even bigger earthquake.
.....
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