Chapter 184: Chen Yan the "Hero" Strikes Again — All-Star Lineups Revealed!
"A buzzer-beating free throw, followed by a buzzer-beating three after being blocked—this game was absolutely insane!" one commentator shouted in disbelief. "What a finish!"
Even the normally calm analysts in the studio were on their feet. Regular season games rarely hit this level of intensity, but tonight's Suns vs. Celtics showdown was pure drama.
"Chen Yan's performance was flawless," one host said. "And Durant? Equally incredible. Hard to believe these two are rookies. The ceiling for both is sky-high."
His co-host nodded. "If they stay healthy and focused, this could be the start of an era. What a duel."
---
The post-game scoreboard flashed across the jumbotron:
Phoenix Suns
Chen Yan: 55 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 4 fouls
Steve Nash: 11 points, 15 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls
Amar'e Stoudemire: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks
Grant Hill: 13 points
Boston Celtics
Kevin Durant: 44 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 4 fouls
Al Jefferson: 20 points, 10 rebounds
Carlos Delfino: 15 points, 4 assists
Tony Allen: 10 points, 5 rebounds
Rajon Rondo: 9 points, 12 assists, 13 rebounds
Durant's 44-point night was a career-high, but there was no joy in his expression. He'd done everything right — and still lost to a 55-point masterclass at the buzzer.
---
At the post-game press conference, the spotlight was all on Chen Yan. Reporters crowded around him, flashing cameras and shouting over one another.
"Chen, did you feel any despair after Durant hit two free throws to take the lead?"
Chen smirked slightly. "Didn't have time for despair. As long as the clock's still running, there's still work to do."
Another reporter leaned forward. "Walk us through that final shot."
He shrugged. "Instinct. The ball came my way, time was short… I just let it fly."
Laughter rippled through the room.
"Are you aiming for the scoring title this season?"
"I'm working on it," Chen said simply.
"Third buzzer-beater this year. What's going through your mind during moments like that?"
"To be honest, I love the thrill," Chen said with a grin. "But I'd prefer to win without making my coach, teammates, and fans have a heart attack every time."
The whole room laughed — even D'Antoni and Nash, sitting beside him.
"Do you think that shot will give your opponents nightmares?" someone else asked.
Chen spread his hands with a playful grin. "You'll have to ask them. I just take the shots."
"What about your college teammate, Kevin Durant? What did you think of his game tonight?"
Chen paused for a moment, then replied, "Almost perfect. He showed what kind of scorer he's going to be. Honestly… if I wasn't around, he'd probably be Rookie of the Year."
The room burst out laughing. "There he goes pretending to be humble again!" someone joked.
Chen chuckled, raising his hands in mock innocence.
---
By the next morning, the internet had exploded.
Clips of Chen Yan's buzzer-beater flooded basketball forums and highlight channels. GIFs of his fadeaway over Durant looped endlessly, and fans dubbed him "The Silent Assassin."
Even Yao Ming, who had just led Houston to a 97–94 win over the Spurs, couldn't escape it. Every reporter asked him about Chen's 55-point performance.
Yi Jianlian faced the same barrage of questions after his own game, and both he and Yao smiled as they gave the same answer:
"Chen's on fire. We're proud of him."
---
Social media lit up with reactions from stars across the league:
LeBron James: #YoungKiller
Dwyane Wade: #Unreal! If he keeps this up, the Suns are heading to the Finals.
Allen Iverson: #You can't defend that. Celtics gave everything.
Magic Johnson: #This kid's special. Pure talent. Unstoppable.
Magic's endorsement wasn't new — he'd been praising Chen since his debut — but now the rest of the NBA world was catching up.
Even Larry Bird chimed in after the game:
"The Celtics showed passion and heart tonight. KD's potential is undeniable, but unfortunately for him, he ran into a guy with a heart just as big as mine."
Fans couldn't help but laugh. "Classic Bird — flexing even in a compliment!"
Chen read every quote later that night, scrolling through posts and tweets with a satisfied grin. Seeing how the world reacted had become part of his post-game ritual.
---
The next day, the NBA officially announced the All-Star lineups — and Chen's name was front and center.
Western Conference Starters:
Chen Yan, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming
Western Conference Reserves:
Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Amar'e Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, Ray Allen, David West
Coach: Mike D'Antoni
Eastern Conference Starters:
Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Shaquille O'Neal, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Richard Hamilton, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce
Coach: Flip Saunders
Then came the Rookie Team announcement.
Alongside Chen Yan were Yi Jianlian, Kevin Durant, J.J. Barea, and Kelenna Azubuike.
For Phoenix, it was a historic moment — five players and their coach headed to All-Star Weekend.
Both Barea and Azubuike were especially emotional. Just a season ago, both had gone undrafted and nearly out of the league. Now they were All-Star Rookies.
They found Chen after practice, grinning like kids.
"Chen, man, thank you," Barea said. "Without that summer invite, we wouldn't even be here."
Chen smiled, then smacked both of them lightly on the back of the head. "Don't thank me. Work harder. You've got way more potential left to show."
The two laughed, nodding.
For Chen Yan, moments like this — seeing his teammates grow, watching the people he believed in succeed — were just as satisfying as any buzzer-beater.
Because heroes don't just hit shots.
Sometimes, they lift others up too.
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