Chapter 164: A Historic Week — Blazers Fans Lose Their Minds
On December 29, the NBA officially announced its Players of the Week.
In the East, LeBron James took home the honors, averaging 30 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 8 assists—another week of classic LeBron dominance.
In the West, the award went to Chen Yan—no surprises there.
It wasn't his first Player of the Week, but it was easily his most jaw-dropping. Over the past seven days, Chen averaged an unbelievable 49.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.
Even ESPN couldn't ignore it. They released a special segment ranking the Top Five Single-Week Performances in NBA History.
Michael Jordan — 1989–90 season: 48.3 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 5.5 APG.
Kobe Bryant — 2008–09 season: 51.5 PPG (the same week he dropped 81).
Chen Yan — 2008 season: 49.5 PPG, the highest-ever for a rookie.
Larry Bird — 46.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 7.2 APG.
Allen Iverson — 44.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.0 APG.
Seeing his name among basketball legends filled Chen with pride. This wasn't just about numbers—it was validation that he belonged among the greats.
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December 31 — Portland, Oregon.
Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers.
The final game of the year.
Portland sat at eighth in the Western Conference, clawing to stay in the playoff race. The West was a battlefield this season—even the defending champions, the Spurs, had fallen to fifth despite returning the same roster.
The Blazers were young, hungry, and fearless. Their lineup featured LaMarcus Aldridge dominating the paint and Brandon Roy—the "Yellow Mamba"—commanding the perimeter. Off the bench came Jermaine O'Neal, Channing Frye, and two of Chen's old teammates, Shawn Marion and Leandro Barbosa, who'd been part of the draft-night trade that sent Chen to Phoenix.
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The game opened tight. Both sides traded buckets, and the first quarter ended in a deadlock.
But in the second, Brandon Roy exploded.
He torched the Suns for 14 points—driving, shooting, and pulling up with surgical precision. Every possession felt like a masterclass in efficiency.
Even Kobe once said, "Brandon Roy has no weaknesses," and tonight, he proved it. Mid-range, threes, fast breaks—it didn't matter. Roy was calm, composed, and commanding, like a seasoned veteran.
In the stands, Blazers fans were electric. Every bucket Roy made sent waves of pride through the crowd. He was their star, their chosen leader—the man they'd picked over Chen Yan.
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But basketball is a game of adjustments.
After halftime, Chen Yan came out blazing.
He exploded in transition, slicing through the Blazers' defense with lightning-fast drives and perfectly timed pull-ups. Every bucket felt like a punch to Portland's confidence.
By the fourth quarter, the Blazers tried one last rally behind Roy and Aldridge. But Chen had other plans.
Three-pointer.
Another one.
Then another.
A one-man shooting storm silenced the Moda Center.
Final score: Suns 102, Blazers 95.
Chen Yan finished with 41 points, including 29 in the second half, putting an exclamation mark on a perfect week.
As the final buzzer sounded, Portland fans erupted—not in celebration, but in frustration.
They hurled every creative insult they could at the team's front office. The words "worst trade in franchise history" started trending across fan forums before the players even left the court.
From his box seat, GM Steve Patterson sat stone-faced, watching the chaos unfold.
He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "You're the same people who called me a genius for that trade a few months ago. Now I'm an idiot?"
He rubbed his temple, sighing.
"Fans… they're impossible to please."
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