Chapter 168: Teasing Nick Young and a Post-Game War of Words
On January 4, the Phoenix Suns arrived in Washington to take on the Wizards.
Their previous meeting had been a thriller—Chen Yan had crossed up Gilbert Arenas twice and sealed the game with a buzzer-beater that was replayed endlessly across sports networks. But this time, things were different.
Arenas sat out in a suit and tie, sidelined by injury. Without him, the matchup lost some of its spark.
---
Before tipoff, in the Suns' locker room, Azubuike walked up to Chen with a shy grin.
"Hey, Chen… could I maybe get a pair of AeroWings? I lined up twice already and couldn't get one."
Chen blinked, then laughed. "That's it? Sure. What color you want?"
Azubuike scratched his head. "Actually… I like all four."
Chen grinned and patted him on the head. "Alright, you'll find all four colorways waiting in your locker next game."
At that moment, J.J. Barea popped his head out from behind a locker.
"Uh, Chen… I kinda want one too."
Chen waved him off with a smile. "No problem, bro."
It wasn't a big deal. Giving out shoes to teammates only boosted his brand, and having NBA players wear his signature sneakers was free marketing.
As Chen laced up, an idea sparked in his mind: What if, once my studio grows, I start signing active players myself?
He chuckled at the thought—then quickly shook it off. Business could wait. Basketball came first.
---
The game began, and it was clear early on: without Agent Zero, the Wizards were outgunned.
Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison could score, sure—but neither could carry a team.
By halftime, the Suns led by 20 points. Chen had barely broken a sweat—eight shots, six from deep, totaling 14 points. Everyone else was clicking, and Coach Eddie Jordan was out of answers.
In the second half, the Verizon Center slowly transformed into a Suns highlight reel. Every possession turned into a fast break, every fast break into a dunk contest.
"Boom!"
With 2:07 left in the third quarter, Steve Nash lobbed a high-arching pass in transition. Chen took off, caught it midair, and flushed it home with a two-handed slam that sent the crowd into chaos.
His vertical had improved dramatically—his legs looked like springs.
Home fans started heading for the exits. Coach Jordan threw his clipboard down and called timeout.
Moments later, he waved his starters to the bench and sent in the reserves.
"I'm done. You guys handle the rest," he muttered, exasperated.
---
By the fourth quarter, it was garbage time.
That's when rookie Nick Young finally checked in, eager to make a name for himself.
After throwing down a fast-break dunk, he turned toward the Suns' bench and yelled,
"We're unstoppable!"
The Suns' bench burst out laughing. Even the assistant coaches cracked a smile. From the scoreline, you'd think the Wizards were the ones being unstoppable—at losing.
When the buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read 117–92. Another dominant win for Phoenix.
Eight Suns players scored in double figures.
Amar'e Stoudemire: 29 points, 11 rebounds.
Chen Yan: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists (8-of-13 shooting).
Steve Nash: 14 points, 11 assists.
On the Wizards' side, Butler and Jamison each scored 20+, but that was where the positives ended.
---
After the game, Gilbert Arenas, watching in street clothes, didn't hold back when asked about the loss.
"We didn't play our style," he said, shaking his head. "If I'd been on the floor, it would've been different. I'd have put that rookie in his place. This is my city."
Typical Arenas—cocky on the court, and even cockier off it.
When reporters relayed his comments to Chen Yan in the locker room, Chen couldn't help but laugh.
"He's right," Chen said with a smirk. "If he were on the court, things would be different. After all, he's the only guy I've ever knocked down twice in one game."
The room erupted in laughter.
The quote made headlines the next morning:
"Chen Yan Fires Back: 'He's the Only One I've Knocked Down Twice!'"
Fans loved it.
Reporters replayed it.
And Arenas? He didn't say another word for the rest of the week.
Chen had once again proven that whether on the court or behind a microphone—he never missed his shots.
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