The longest river

Chapter 233: 83 points in a single game!
You might think Scott was just saying that, but in the following games, whenever Yang Shuai made a shot, Scott's words of praise would be heard from the sidelines from time to time.

"Well done, Hansen."

"You're always so amazing, Hansen."

……

What you think of as a honey trap: Handsome guy, have a drink with me.

The actual honey trap: Hey, hey, hey, why are you still as clueless as you were in high school? "Could you please stop smoking?"

Yang Shuai initially thought that Scott's defensive tactics against Jordan were nothing special, but when he actually tried to apply them to himself, he found it was really hard not to be affected.

The reason Jordan was able to continue his strong performance after that game was probably because he had been guarded by Scott so much that he developed resistance.

Scott's strategy successfully weakened Yang Shuai's offensive desire, allowing the Nets to close the gap, but it also drew undisguised disgust from Kidd on the court.

The Nets have seen a strong rebound in their performance over the past two years, but the relationship between the players and coaches is not as harmonious as it seems to outsiders.

The main reason is that Kidd doesn't recognize Scott's abilities. He feels that the Nets' improved record is entirely due to his personal efforts, and that Scott is simply dragging the Nets down.

Even before the start of this season, in order to get the Nets to replace Scott, he bluntly told the management, "Scott's coaching is not as good as my son's."

What Scott is doing now is only exacerbating the discontent in his heart.

At halftime, the Nets trailed the Trail Blazers 43-50, with the score still tied.

After halftime, cameras captured Scott and Kidd looking somber on the Nets' sidelines.

Judging from the situation, something unpleasant must have happened between the two during halftime.

The second half of the game began, and in the third quarter, a strange thing happened to the Nets.

Scott told Kidd to go east, but Kidd went west; Scott told Kidd to go west, but Kidd went north.

Scott was helpless in the face of this, as Kidd's position on the Nets was now unshakeable.

He could only vent his anger on the referee, and as a result, he was ejected from the game after receiving a series of technical fouls.

As soon as Scott left, Yang Shuai felt like Sun Wukong without Tang Sanzang, instantly finding peace and quiet and feeling much better.

He continued his offensive output in this quarter, scoring 20 points and establishing a decisive advantage in the game.

The Trail Blazers easily defeated the Nets 101-82, extending their winning streak to 10 games.

Kidd was absent from the post-game press conference, but Scott, who was ejected from the game, was present.

He started by explaining that there was nothing wrong with the Nets, even asking the reporter, "Who is the second-ranked team in the East right now?"

However, when the reporter asked a probing question, Scott let slip the secret.

"I don't play golf with Jason in private."

This statement undoubtedly brought the conflict between him and Kidd to the public eye.

After leading the Nets to a comeback, Kidd's reputation soared. He was a top-five MVP last season and has almost become a totem-like figure in New Jersey.

It looks like Scott's time coaching in New Jersey won't be long.

After the November games, the Trail Blazers finished with a record of 13 wins and 1 loss.

Starting last season, the NBA divided the Player of the Month into Eastern and Western Conferences.

With an average of 41 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, Yang Shuai unsurprisingly won the Western Conference Player of the Month award.

In fact, another team in the West also had an excellent start, with the Mavericks achieving a franchise-best start of 12 wins and 1 loss.

The trident lineup of Nowitzki, Nash, and Finley was incredibly powerful, but unfortunately they encountered an even more formidable Young and the Trail Blazers.

The Eastern Conference Player of the Month award goes to Tracy McGrady of the Orlando Magic. McGrady was in phenomenal form in November, averaging 36.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game.

When Christmas arrives, the annual Christmas battle begins.

Unlike previous years, this year's Christmas Day games have been exceptionally scheduled to be two.

One matchup is Lakers vs. Magic. McGrady is in hot form this season, and the Kobe-McGrady showdown has become a highly anticipated matchup for fans.

The other game is a rematch between the Trail Blazers and the Pacers.

The Pacers have been on a winning streak this season, especially since December when they remain undefeated.

In terms of roster, the Pacers have made some minor adjustments this season. They signed former Trail Blazers guard Eric Strickland, who played alongside Jordan on the Wizards, and Ron Mercer, who previously participated in multi-player games with Billups, to bolster their backcourt.

However, their improved performance stemmed from the progress of new players in the squad and tactical adjustments.

Jamal Tinsley, the second-year point guard, has improved his three-point shooting percentage to 37.2% in the new season, and he has also increased his shot attempts to four.

Even Al Harrington, who was moved from the bench to the starting lineup by Thomas after entering December, also had a 34.6% three-point shooting percentage.

The Pacers' tactics have changed from last season's Miller-O'Neal inside-outside combination to a "one star and four shooters" strategy.

There is a rumor circulating about this change.

It is said that because Thomas's tactics were too rigid, Bird eventually couldn't stand it and simply threw O'Neal's old Magic tactics manual at Thomas.

Whether the rumors are true or false, it has proven that this tactic is indeed more suitable for the current Pacers team.

The game was played at the Portland Trail Blazers' home arena, the Rose Garden.

The Pacers arrived in Portland a day early.

During the Pacers' open practice, O'Neal was asked this question while being interviewed by reporters on the sidelines.

"Hanson's performance this season has been incredible. The last person to do this was Michael Jordan in the 86-87 season (37.1 points per game). Who do you think had the greatest scoring performance?"

Although O'Neal hadn't entered the league yet, he had already started playing basketball and had witnessed Jordan's scoring performances.

Moreover, everyone knows about the feud between O'Neal and Yang Shuai, so this was clearly a trap.

"Michael."

To everyone's surprise, O'Neal answered very decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

"Why?" This answer instantly excited the reporter, who then pressed for further details.

"Three-pointers weren't valued back then, and Michael rarely attempted them. Also, the defense was more aggressive than it is now."

On the second day of the game, before the Christmas Day match began, Barkley and Kenny Smith also discussed this topic.

Kenny Smith supported O'Neill's point of view because those were objective facts.

Especially with three-pointers, even if the number of attempts differs by 10 percentage points, three-pointers still score more points.

“Kenny, you’re overlooking a crucial point. Michael was averaging 12 free throws that season. When you’re not shooting threes from the outside, you’re bound to drive to the basket and create scoring opportunities.”

Barkley's statement hits the nail on the head: the number of possessions, not the way the shot is taken, determines the scoring.

"As for defensive intensity, that's just 'ancient hype.' Didn't we play basketball back then?"

There is no no-and-check rule yet; it's just that with the increased emphasis on three-pointers, the space on the court has become larger, making defense more difficult.

While they were chatting, the camera also focused on Yang Shuai, who was sitting on the sidelines.

Because he had previously experienced a bout of the flu, Yang Shuai's health was not at its best, and his head was feeling a bit dizzy.

He's trying his best to conserve his energy right now.

The fans at the stadium were particularly excited during the opening ceremony.

Last year, Yang Shuai broke the single-game scoring record in the Christmas game, but unfortunately it was in an away game. This year, they will finally be able to see Yang Shuai at home.

Moreover, Yang Shuai's consistently high-energy performance this season has raised expectations for him even higher.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Pacers: Tinsley, Miller, Kirilenko, Al Harrington, O'Neal
Trail Blazers: Billups, Reed, Young, Wallace, Sabonis

Sabonis has only averaged about 18 minutes of playing time per game this season. His age limits his physical fitness, but the good news is that he has a high attendance rate and has not missed a game so far this season.

O'Neal jumped for the ball, and the Pacers started their "one star and four shooters" strategy in the frontcourt.

The Trail Blazers' opening strategy was to avoid double-teaming, but O'Neal punished them by using a nimble and quick turnaround hook shot to score.

Although Sabonis is still physically strong, he can no longer keep up with O'Neal's speed.

This forced Carlisle to engage in a coordinated defensive double-team.

But right after the help defense, the Pacers punished the Pacers again from the perimeter.

Miller, Harrington, and Tinsley all fired from beyond the arc, and the Pacers quickly established an advantage at the start of the game.

The "Moreyball" tactic in history evolved from the "one star and four shooters" strategy, and this tactic is greatly affected by the outside shooting touch.

When you're in form, you're unstoppable.

Five minutes into the game, O'Neal scored with a powerful dunk after rebounding his own shot, drawing a foul from Sabonis, bringing the point difference to double digits.

After dunking, O'Neal excitedly performed a domineering celebration on the sidelines.

If he hadn't faced Hakeem Olajuwon in the Finals, he could have led the Magic to the championship.

However, it's not too late now, because there are no centers in the league who can compete with him now.

When O'Neal called for the free throw, Yang Shuai didn't go to the free throw line. Instead, he stood on the outside and looked up at the scoreboard.

Due to his physical condition, he didn't take many shots at the start of the game, and with Kirilenko, a defensive monster, on the court, the Trail Blazers' offense didn't go very smoothly at the beginning.

After withdrawing his gaze, his eyes became resolute.

After running for a while at the beginning, his body had warmed up, and the drowsy state had almost dissipated.

"Shh!"

O'Neal also got a free throw.

To address his free throw problem, O'Neal adjusted his free throw form this season, increasing the force and contact area of ​​his fingertips, which proved effective.

His free throw percentage has surpassed 60% for the first time this season, reaching 63%.

The Pacers continued to widen the gap, causing the fans in the arena to become somewhat agitated.

However, their commotion didn't last long, because Yang Shuai and Sabonis executed a handoff, with Yang Shuai moving towards the sideline and then hitting a mid-range shot. Kirilenko's help defense was still quick, but Yang Shuai's release was even faster.

Right after that shot went in, Yang Shuai started a series of goals.

Although Sabonis' movement speed has slowed down, his experience remains, and his teamwork with Yang Shuai is incredibly skillful.

Of course, the most important thing is that O'Neal is now 100% retired, and Yang Shuai is consciously moving to the sideline, which means that the Pacers can only rely on Kirilenko to catch up when defending against him.

Yang Shuai's shooting speed is too fast now; Kirilenko can't catch up no matter how hard he tries.

From the moment Yang Shuai started shooting until the end of the quarter (7 minutes), he made 7 of 9 mid-range shots, plus 1 three-pointer and 3 free throws, scoring 20 points in the quarter.

The Trail Blazers also took the lead by the end of the first quarter.

This immediately sent the Portland fans in the stadium into a frenzy.

If he scores 20 points in this quarter, how many points will he get in the whole game?
Yang Shuai certainly lived up to their expectations!
However, in the second quarter, the Trail Blazers failed to capitalize on this momentum and extend their lead.

As a former Pistons player, Thomas understood the "Jordan Rules" better than anyone and immediately began to focus on shutting down Yang Shuai's shots. Yang Shuai only scored 8 points in this quarter.

The Pacers' outside shooting remained hot throughout the quarter, and at halftime, they led the Trail Blazers by a whopping 16 points, 64-48.

Throughout the first half, the Pacers made 10 of 15 three-point attempts, achieving a three-point shooting percentage of nearly 70%.

This was at the beginning of the century; the Pacers' performance was almost unbelievable.

"Tonight is Indiana's night."

Even Barkley, who was on the commentary desk, couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

After halftime, Carlisle continued his double-teaming strategy.

After all, a player's feel for the game usually cools down during the halfway point.

However, as Miller hit another three-pointer from the outside, the arena erupted in a huge uproar.

Perhaps, as Barkley said, this was truly the Pacers' night.

However, just two minutes later, the commotion turned into a huge cheer because they saw Yang Shuai, who was even more frenzied than in the first quarter.

Yang Shuai's performance in this quarter also made fans realize one thing: the Jordan rule does not completely apply to Yang Shuai.

The key to the Jordan Rule's effectiveness lies in its ability to limit a player's shot attempts, but this limitation is contingent on the double-teamer being able to get in time.

However, Yang Shuai adjusted his playing style in this quarter, and he started to shoot more from beyond the three-point line.

Yang Shuai only made one three-pointer in the first half, but he made two three-pointers in one minute in the third quarter.

One was a fake drive followed by a three-pointer that went in, and the other was a pull-up three-pointer while chasing down the ball.

The 19-point difference was instantly reduced to only 13 points.

Upon seeing this, Thomas immediately called a timeout.

After the timeout, O'Neal stabilized the situation with a strong layup.

But then, Yang Shuai caught the ball and hit a three-pointer.

After noticing Yang Shuai's improved outside shooting touch, Carlisle set up more screens for him to receive the ball more easily.

After sinking three consecutive three-pointers, Yang Shuai realized his shooting touch was on fire and began to shoot more decisively.

He pulled up and shot without any fakes, facing Kirilenko's defense directly, shooting from a meter away from the three-point line.

In this quarter, Yang Shuai made all nine of his three-point attempts, and his shooting percentage was so high that he could easily evade any defender. He made all 13 of his shots in the quarter, scoring 37 points!
Shaquille O'Neal said that Yang Shuai's scoring performance is not as good as Jordan's because he takes more three-pointers, so Yang Shuai will not take a single three-pointer tonight to prove that O'Neal's statement is wrong.
Only a fool would put such shackles on himself!
When Yang Shuai scored 20 points halfway through the quarter, Barkley and Kenny Smith in the commentary booth realized that something big was about to happen, and their voices became more and more excited.

When Yang Shuai actually did it, they were so excited they were speechless.

The fans at the scene were moved to tears.

Yang Shuai's 37 points in a single quarter broke the record of 33 points in a single quarter set by "Iceman" George Gervin in the 1977-1978 season!
Thanks to Yang Shuai's incredible performance, the Trail Blazers not only erased the 16-point deficit in three quarters, but also took a 6-point lead over the Pacers, which is equivalent to a net win of 22 points in a single quarter.

Even with the Pacers in hot form, they couldn't stop Yang Shuai's godlike performance.

Right after this quarter ended, fans noticed that Yang Shuai's score in the third quarter had suddenly surged to 65 points.

Yang Shuai's career-high score is only 66 points, and Yang Shuai was only 1 point behind him in these three quarters.

In the final quarter, Yang Shuai was substituted back into the game by Carlisle after only three minutes of rest.

The Pacers were really hot tonight, and although Yang Shuai scored a lot in the third quarter, most of his shots were three-pointers from the outside, with little physical contact, so his energy expenditure wasn't actually that high.

As soon as Yang Shuai entered the game, he used his three-point threat to dribble past the defender, then drove in to draw fouls and made both free throws, setting a new career high for points in a single game.

From that point onward, every point Yang Shuai scored broke that record.

Moreover, Thomas had already given up on using the Jordan Rules on Yang Shuai. On the one hand, the effect was mediocre, and on the other hand, he was running out of energy in the fourth quarter, and continuing to do so would only cause the offense to collapse.

Thomas's strategy was sound, and the Pacers were on fire throughout the night, trading the lead with the Trail Blazers.

Yang Shuai's score continued to increase.

With 6 minutes remaining in the game, Yang Shuai's personal score had reached 73 points, surpassing Elgin Baylor's 71 points. Barkley and Kenny Smith in the commentary booth were completely ecstatic.

Because they realized that Yang Shuai was already heading towards another world tonight.

In that world, there was only one other person's name: Chamberlain.

The highest score in a single NBA regular season game is Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points.

The second highest score is Chamberlain's 78 points.

Yang Shuai continued to score, and the Trail Blazers players were also working hard to create scoring opportunities for him.

Everyone knows this is just a regular season game, and their leader is making history.

However, even without Thomas's instructions, the Pacers players began to try to limit Yang Shuai's scoring.

They knew it was just a regular season game, and they had become the background, so they tried their best not to be the background.

As a result, Yang Shuai's scoring efficiency declined, but his score continued to rise.

With two minutes left in the game, Yang Shuai made a drifting mid-range shot, bringing his personal score to 78 points.

It was at this moment that Yang Shuai finally looked a little tired.

Even with simpler and faster attacks, the sheer number of attacks still consumes a great deal of physical energy.

The Pacers were just on fire tonight; even with Yang Shuai scoring 78 points, the point difference remained within one possession.

With one minute left in the game, Yang Shuai got another three-point opportunity from the outside, and after a slight adjustment, he took the shot.

"Shh!"

With a crisp sound, Yang Shuai slammed down a three-pointer, bringing his personal score to 81 points!
The Rose Garden Arena has gone crazy.

With this three-pointer, Yang Shuai has moved up to second place on the NBA's all-time scoring list!

However, not long after the cheers from the fans subsided, Miller, with his clutch gene, hit another three-pointer!

Miller's abilities are clearly not as good as Kobe's now, but his clutch ability is still there.

In the next possession, Yang Shuai missed his shot, and with 1.8 seconds left in the game, O'Neal was sent to the free-throw line.

The Pacers are still down by two points, and this is a test of O'Neal's abilities.

But at that very moment, an extremely strange scene unfolded on the field.

That is, although there were boos at the scene, they were not actually very loud.

That feeling was like wanting the game to continue.

O'Neal seized the opportunity and made both free throws.

His adjustment to his free throw form this season has been a major factor.

With 1.8 seconds left, the Trail Blazers called a timeout.

The fans wanted the game to continue, but Carlisle saw that Yang Shuai was nearing his limit.

"Hansen, you take the last shot."

Although Yang Shuai was nearing his limit and had just missed a shot, Carlisle still chose to let Yang Shuai take the game-winning shot.

Such a night must also be given to Yang Shuai.

Thomas was aware of this, so when the timeout ended, the Pacers players surrounded and blocked Yang Shuai.

Sabonis could only turn his attention to Billups. The Trail Blazers had more than one player with a big heart, and Carlisle's tactics also had alternatives.

But at that moment, Yang Shuai used a very nice reverse run to shake off the people blocking him, and then quickly cut towards the basket.

Without hesitation, Sabonis tossed the ball towards the basket.

The moment the ball flew out, all the fans in the stadium stood up, and Barkley and Smith in the commentary booth also quickly stood up.

The basketball flew to the right side of the basket and Yang Shuai had already jumped up to catch it.

Kirilenko, who was chasing closely behind and leaping with all his might, became the biggest backdrop.

"Oh!"

"beep!"

Yang Shuai completed an alley-oop dunk over Kirilenko, who had just jumped, and the red light on the sidelines lit up the next second.

The Trail Blazers won 126-124, securing a dramatic victory!

The Trail Blazers players started rushing onto the court in celebration, their excited expressions even more jubilant than if they had won the championship.

The big screen also immediately displayed Yang Shuai's data for tonight.

45投28中，三分球16投11中，罚球18罚16中，83分7板3助攻3抢断1封盖。

"This is a night that belongs to Indiana, but Hansen stole it!"

Barkley's flushed face broke into a smile, just like a blooming rose in Portland.

(End of this chapter)