Tang Tian breaking Kobe's 81-point record affected more than just himself or the Pelicans. It was also a major event for the NBA's global promotion.
You could tell from the NBA's official accounts, which kept sending out notifications about it.
Riding that momentum, the Pelicans kept piling up wins.
It was around then that the first-round results of the All-Star voting were announced.
Tang Tian received 2 million votes in the first round, more than twice as many as James, who ranked second.
Tang Tian had averaged 37.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game so far that season, with a 51% Shooting Percentage and a 41% Three-Point Percentage.
Even setting aside the Pelicans' record and performance compared with last season, Tang Tian's numbers alone showed that he was having an absolute peak season.
Such explosive and all-around production was also unprecedented in NBA history.
So that vote total was entirely understandable.
That day, the Pelicans happened to be hosting the Jazz.
After the game, his teammates all offered Tang Tian their congratulations in the locker room.
With such an explosive first-round total, Tang Tian would very likely break the voting record again that year, and perhaps raise it to another level altogether.
Tang Tian chatted with his teammates for a while, then got up to use the restroom.
Before he even entered, he heard people talking inside.
"I need to talk to the coach. If I keep getting no Playing Time, I'm going to request a trade."
"Stay patient and keep working hard. Your chance will come."
"I've been patient enough. And Jeff, you're only on a one-year deal. If you don't fight for it, you might be out of the league next year."
"I believe my chance will come."
"Honestly, you're just too