The NBA's Twilight Star System

At the start of the fourth quarter, Jay Sun had already tallied 27 points.

Charles Barkley couldn't hide his unease.

"This kid isn't seriously going for 30+, is he?"

The answer was clear: Yes, he absolutely is.

"Great, my legacy as Sir Charles is officially in ruins," Barkley muttered to himself.

He cursed Kenny Smith inwardly. "Why did you have to egg me on? Couldn't we just stick to reading ads like some other networks? It's so much easier to make money that way!"

The Nets called a timeout just two possessions into the fourth quarter, trailing by 20 points. Coach Lionel Hollins had no choice—if he didn't stop the bleeding now, it would be too late.

Timeout Over—Game On

The Nets ran a play centered on Joe Johnson, this time utilizing Brook Lopez's screen to free him up.

Johnson took full advantage of Lopez's solid pick, driving inside. J.R. Smith stayed close, maintaining just half a step of separation.

Suddenly, Johnson came to a screeching halt, pivoted, and executed a step-back jumper.

J.R., caught off guard, froze momentarily, allowing Johnson a clean look at the basket.

Swish.

Relieved, Johnson breathed out deeply. He had been hounded by Jay's defense all night, shooting under 40%. Finally hitting a shot felt like a small victory.

On the next possession, Jay held the ball beyond the arc, matched up against Deron Williams.

Calling for a screen from Kevin Love, Jay exploited the pick to drive toward the rim. Deron struggled to keep up, while Thaddeus Young hesitated to help, wary of Love's three-point shooting.

The paint opened up like a red carpet.

Jay drove hard to the basket, absorbing contact from Deron mid-air. With the help of his Relentless Finisher and Acrobat badges, he executed a smooth Euro step for the layup.

29 Points.

The Cavaliers extended their lead back to 19 points.

On the Nets' next possession, Deron attempted to shake off Jay. After a screen from Lopez, he reached the free-throw line and executed a signature crossover to create space for a jumper.

Jay stretched his arm forward, seemingly without effect.

But Defensive Anchor and Clamps told a different story.

Clank.

Deron's shot bounced off the rim. Tristan Thompson grabbed the rebound and immediately passed it to Jay.

Jay sprinted downcourt, only to find the Nets' defense already set. No matter.

Once again, Jay called for a pick-and-roll with Love. This time, the play was a decoy. Jay feigned a drive to the basket, then abruptly stopped, catching Deron off-guard.

Without hesitation, Jay launched a three-pointer.

Swish.

32 Points.

The crowd roared as Jay celebrated with a simple fist pump.

In the broadcast booth, Kenny Smith couldn't contain his excitement.

"Charles, it's done—32 points! Only five more to tie the rookie playoff debut record! How's that lingerie fitting you now?"

Barkley slumped in his chair, utterly dejected. "Oh, Lord, this can't be real. Somebody wake me up from this nightmare!"

Back on the court, the Nets continued to falter. After another missed possession, Jay orchestrated a fast break. The Nets scrambled back to defend, leaving Jay with no clear path to the basket.

Slowing down, Jay set up a half-court offense.

Once again, he called for Love to set a screen. This time, both defenders collapsed on Jay at the rim, leaving Thompson wide open.

With a slick bounce pass, Jay found Thompson under the basket.

Boom.

Thompson finished with an emphatic dunk.

Despite the team's success, Barkley grew increasingly anxious. Jay was just one point away from 30, and there were still six minutes left to play.

Kenny couldn't help but tease.

"Charles, just relax. You knew this was coming. It's only a matter of time."

"Relax? Relax?! Kenny, I feel like I'm waiting for the electric chair!" Barkley shot back.

With five minutes left, the Nets' coach, Lionel Hollins, signaled his team to play through Joe Johnson.

Johnson, facing J.R. Smith, showed flashes of his old self. With a smooth crossover, he drove past Smith and finished at the rim.

The basket cut the deficit to 17, but time was running out.

Jay, now in complete control, brought the ball upcourt. Once again, he called for Love's screen.

However, this time, the pick-and-roll was yet another decoy. Jay faked the drive, stepped back beyond the arc, and fired off another three-pointer.

Swish.

35 Points.

The Cavaliers' bench erupted in cheers, while the Nets called another timeout.

During the break, LeBron James approached Jay with a serious expression.

"Jay, you're two points away from making history. This is your moment. Don't let it slip."

Touched by LeBron's encouragement, Jay nodded firmly.

Tyronn Lue, recognizing the historic opportunity, instructed the entire team to feed Jay the ball.

"Let's make sure Jay gets his moment," Lue said.

Back to the Game

As play resumed, the Cavaliers' sole focus was clear: get Jay those two points.

Jay, now fully in the zone, wasted no time. After receiving the ball at the top of the key, he faked a drive to the left, spun back to his right, and pulled up for a mid-range jumper.

Swish.

37 Points.

The crowd exploded, knowing they had just witnessed history. Jay Sun had tied the rookie playoff debut scoring record.

Barkley buried his face in his hands, muttering, "This is the worst day of my life."

Kenny, laughing uncontrollably, patted his colleague on the back. "Cheer up, Charles. At least you'll look fabulous in lingerie."