Chapter Summaries

Tang Tian received Nike dividends that gave him enough top-up points to exchange for Legend (Iverson), dramatically increasing his stamina and unlocking Court Fighter. After testing the new skill, he completed 20 suicide drills, far beyond his previous limit.

• Durant tweeted that the Warriors could beat any opponent after their win over the Pelicans, prompting fans to ridicule him and debate how Curry and Harden had adjusted to the referees' new style.
• Harden scored 40 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead the Rockets past the Jazz, mixing in more mid-range shots and varied finishes at the rim.
• Tang Tian received 30 million in Nike dividends, bringing his top-up points to 57 million.
• Tang Tian exchanged his points for Legend (Iverson), gaining 40% faster stamina recovery and the passive skill Court Fighter.
• Tang Tian jogged to the training facility and completed 20 suicide drills before reaching his limit.

The Pelicans prepared to face the Rockets as Cousins declared Houston was stronger, intensifying the rivalry between the teams and their fans. Before tipoff, Tracy McGrady predicted the Pelicans would win because they had Tang Tian.

• Tang Tian trained early after the Pelicans' loss to the Warriors, inspiring his teammates to practice with extra energy.
• The Pelicans traveled to Houston, where the Rockets prepared for the matchup amid growing confidence from their winning streak.
• Cousins told reporters the Rockets would win, prompting heated arguments between Pelicans and Rockets fans.
• Breen and Miller discussed the Rockets' improved form during the broadcast, while McGrady declined to predict a winner at first.
• McGrady said the Pelicans would win because they had Tang Tian, then pointed to Tang's 180-degree spinning dunk during warmups.

The Pelicans kept pace with the Rockets through the opening minutes, but Cousins and Harden helped Houston build a five-point lead. Harden then targeted Tang Tian, who missed a shot but answered with a fast-break dunk over Paul and drew a blocking foul.

• Cousins scored inside against Jokic, while Tang Tian and Jokic answered with a jumper and two free throws to keep the score close.
• The Rockets replaced Cousins with Capela, and Harden scored a floater and a step-back three to give Houston a five-point lead.
• Harden chose to attack Tang Tian, but Tang Tian defended his step-back jumper and grabbed the resulting long rebound.
• Tang Tian raced downcourt, dunked over Paul despite the contact, and drew a blocking foul.

Tang Tian’s defense shut down Harden and helped the Pelicans build an early lead, while the Rockets adjusted their tactics to conserve Harden’s energy. In the fourth quarter, Harden tried to attack Tang Tian again, only for Tang Tian to steal the ball twice and leave him stunned.

• Tang Tian blocked Harden’s shot, stole the ball on his next drive, and scored to tie the game before the Pelicans ended the first quarter ahead 31-21.
• D'Antoni, Harden, and Buzdrik agreed to have Harden use off-ball movement until the fourth quarter, and the Rockets cut the Pelicans’ lead to 56-51 by halftime.
• The teams stayed close through the third quarter, and the Pelicans held an 86-80 lead with seven minutes remaining.
• Harden attacked Tang Tian in the fourth quarter, but Tang Tian stole the ball and sent Holiday on a fast break.
• Harden tried again and passed to Paul, but Tang Tian anticipated the pass and stole the ball, leaving Harden disbelieving as Tang Tian ran downcourt.

Tang Tian kept the Pelicans ahead of the Rockets with a series of steals, reaching 30 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, and 9 steals. With just over a minute remaining, the Pelicans led by six as the Rockets tried to get a stop and keep their comeback hopes alive.

• Harden scored a step-back jumper over Tang Tian, but Tang Tian stole the ball from him on his next attempt and Holiday finished the fast break to put the Pelicans ahead by double digits.
• The scoreboard showed Tang Tian with 30 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, and 8 steals, bringing him within reach of a quadruple-double.
• Harden made a three-pointer after Cousins drew the defense, and Paul later made two free throws to cut the Pelicans' lead to five.
• Tang Tian intercepted Cousins' pass to Morris for his ninth steal, then Holiday finished the fast break with a dunk.
• Tang Tian ripped the ball from Harden's hands, drew an intentional foul, and made both free throws to restore a nine-point lead.
• Harden answered with a three-pointer, leaving the Rockets down six with just over a minute remaining.

Tang Tian completed a historic four-double as the Pelicans and Rockets battled through the final minute. After Paul pulled Houston within three, Tang hit a contested fadeaway to extend New Orleans’ lead.

• Tang missed a putback dunk over Cousins, but the offensive rebound completed his 32-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist, 10-steal four-double.
• Breen, Miller, McGrady, and the fans reacted to Tang’s historic achievement as the game continued.
• Paul made a three-pointer with 50 seconds left, bringing the Rockets within three points.
• Stevens called a timeout and set up the Pelicans’ next possession while Paul urged the Rockets to win despite Tang’s record.
• Tang drove past Morris and made a contested baseline fadeaway over Harden and Tucker.

The Pelicans defeated the Rockets 104-95 after Tang Tian secured a quadruple-double, but Paul’s flagrant foul left Tang with back spasms. Tang went to rest before his MRI, while the league’s ruling and the severity of his injury remained uncertain.

• Tang Tian made a late 2+1, and the Rockets missed their next three-point attempt before Tang secured the rebound.
• Paul fouled Tang Tian hard from behind, triggering a brief brawl in which Paul was struck and Tang appeared injured.
• The referees assessed Paul a Flagrant 1 Foul, and the team doctor diagnosed Tang with back spasms requiring one to two weeks of rest.
• Tang Tian made two of four free throws before Stevens substituted him out, and the Pelicans beat the Rockets 104-95.
• Tang Tian finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, and 10 steals, then went to the locker room to rest ahead of an MRI.
• At the press conference, Stevens said the league would handle Paul’s dangerous foul, and Davis explained that he had let Tang take the final rebound.

After learning his injury was less serious than expected, Tang Tian discovered his Court Fighter skill let him play through the pain and returned to the starting lineup against the Jazz. The Jazz opened the game by scoring first.

• The MRI showed Tang Tian had no structural damage, and the league gave Paul a Flagrant 2 Foul and a $30,000 fine.
• Tang Tian found that his back hurt far less than expected and realized his Court Fighter skill reduced the effects of minor injuries.
• Tang Tian persuaded Stevens and the team doctor that he could play, and the doctor approved his return against the Jazz.
• Tang Tian surprised the fans and Jazz players by warming up and starting at shooting guard.
• Gobert won the tip, and Hill scored an Outside three-pointer after the Jazz set up a drive-and-kick for Hayward.

Tang Tian led the Pelicans to an early double-digit lead despite playing with an injury, repeatedly creating steals and scoring chances. After the Jazz targeted him through Hayward, Tang shut down three consecutive isolation possessions and left the arena questioning whether he was injured at all.

• Tang Tian stole Hill's pass, scored on a fast break, grabbed a defensive rebound, and assisted Ariza on a three-pointer as the Pelicans took an early lead.
• Tang Tian split a double-team to set up Davis, then helped the Pelicans build a 14-4 lead with another assist, a deep jumper, and a steal that led to Holiday's fast-break basket.
• Snyder called a timeout and instructed Hayward to attack Tang Tian directly, believing Tang's injury would make him vulnerable.
• Tang Tian stripped Hayward on his first isolation and then blocked his jumper on the next, forcing the Jazz to inbound the ball again.
• Tang Tian held his ground against Hayward's back-down and pressured him into an airball, prompting fans and commentators to question whether he was truly injured.

Tang Tian’s back injury hampered his shooting, but he created baskets for Davis with clever passes as the Pelicans faced the Jazz’s tightening defense. At halftime, the Jazz had narrowed the Pelicans’ lead to five points, and fans wondered whether Tang Tian should keep playing through his injury.

• Tang Tian missed two difficult shots as the Jazz’s defense cut the Pelicans’ lead to eight points.
• With three seconds left on the shot clock, Tang Tian passed between Favors’s legs to Davis, who scored at the rim.
• Tang Tian assisted Davis on another basket with a no-look pass, and the Pelicans finished the first quarter leading 29-20.
• The Jazz adjusted their double teams in the second quarter, limiting Tang Tian’s assists even as he scored eight points.
• At halftime, the Jazz had cut the Pelicans’ lead to 50-45, while Tang Tian had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks.

Tang Tian overcame a poor shooting night and his injury to lead the Pelicans’ fourth-quarter comeback against the Jazz. He tied the game and reached 22 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• The Jazz erased the Pelicans’ lead and opened the fourth quarter with a 12-2 run, prompting Davis to urge his teammates to fight harder.
• Davis drew a foul and made both free throws, then Tang Tian stole the ball from Favors and assisted Davis on a fast-break dunk.
• Tang Tian stole the ball from Gobert and sent a long pass to Holiday for a layup, cutting the Jazz’s lead to four.
• After Hayward briefly steadied the Jazz, Tang Tian hit a three-pointer, drew a foul on a drive, and made both free throws.
• Tang Tian assisted Davis on scoring plays and stole the ball from Hayward, helping the Pelicans tie the game as he reached 22 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 9 steals.
• Tang Tian dived out of bounds to keep Hood’s errant pass in play, and Holiday recovered it for his tenth steal of the game.

Tang Tian and the Pelicans held off Hayward and the Jazz in a tense finish, with Tang Tian sealing the win with a putback dunk. He recorded a quadruple-double for the second consecutive game while playing through an injury.

• Ariza made Holiday's pass for a three-pointer, giving the Pelicans a three-point lead before Hayward cut it to one with two free throws.
• Tang Tian drove into the paint and passed to Davis, who scored over Gobert to put the Pelicans ahead by three.
• Hayward missed a potential tying three, and Davis boxed out Favors so Tang Tian could grab his tenth rebound and complete another quadruple-double.
• The Jazz denied Tang Tian the ball on the Pelicans' final possession, but Davis's shot missed and Tang Tian leapt over Hill to slam in the rebound.
• The Jazz called their last timeout with eight seconds left and down five as Tang Tian's consecutive quadruple-doubles appeared on the arena screen.

Tang Tian led the Pelicans to wins over the Jazz, Knicks, 76ers, and Raptors while playing through a back injury and recovering his shooting touch. The chapter ended with him posting another triple-double in Toronto as the Pelicans continued their winning streak.

• Tang Tian recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and 10 steals as the Pelicans beat the Jazz 98-93, then joked at the press conference about dunking over Hill and Davis giving up a rebound.
• Davis hit a buzzer-beating three off Tang Tian’s pass to give the Pelicans a 103-101 win over the Knicks, while Tang Tian posted 21 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks.
• Tang Tian rested during the Pelicans’ three-day break while following the team doctor’s recovery plan for his back injury.
• The Pelicans beat the 76ers comfortably, and Tang Tian shot 8-for-14 while recording a triple-double of more than 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
• Tang Tian and Davis led a late 15-3 run to defeat the Raptors, and Tang Tian finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Tang Tian extended his triple-double streak to five games as the Pelicans prepared to face the Cavaliers, whose improved roster made the rematch far more challenging than their season opener. Before the game, Whiteside said he would keep Tang from getting another triple-double, and a reporter pressed him on whether that meant Tang was a stat padder.

• Tang Tian reached five consecutive triple-doubles, bringing his averages close to a triple-double while Westbrook also maintained a triple-double average.
• The Pelicans continued their away trip to face a Cavaliers team strengthened by Kohlver and a slimmer, effective Whiteside.
• Cleveland fans and media built up the matchup as a chance for the Cavaliers to prove themselves against the Pelicans.
• At the Cavaliers' open practice, Whiteside said he deserved attention for recording more than five blocks in three straight games.
• Whiteside claimed he would grab every rebound and prevent Tang from recording a triple-double, prompting a reporter to ask whether he was calling Tang a stat padder.

After Whiteside’s comments made him appear to call Tang Tian a stat padder, the Pelicans rallied behind Tang and resolved to answer by helping him pile up stats against the Cavaliers. The game opened with Whiteside dunking for Cleveland before Tang assisted Davis on a mid-range jumper, and the Pelicans’ plan was underway.

• Whiteside nodded when reporters asked whether Tang Tian padded his stats, then compared Tang and Westbrook in a way that intensified the controversy.
• Media coverage spread Whiteside’s remarks, and the Pelicans players condemned him for disparaging Tang despite Tang’s role in helping his career.
• The Pelicans agreed to help Tang record a triple-double or an even bigger stat line against the Cavaliers, and Tang accepted their plan.
• James skipped his usual pregame chalk toss as the Cavaliers and Pelicans began their game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
• Whiteside opened the scoring with a dunk after James’s pass, and Tang answered by feeding Davis for a mid-range jumper.

Tang Tian dominated the Cavaliers while Whiteside tried to stop him from building toward a triple-double. He led the Pelicans to a 57-46 halftime lead with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals.

• Tang Tian scored and created most of the Pelicans' points as they led the Cavaliers 33-30 after the first quarter.
• Whiteside focused on denying Tang Tian a triple-double, grabbing offensive rebounds and asking an assistant coach about Tang Tian's stats.
• Tang Tian drew defenders and passed to Jokic for an easy layup, earning his sixth assist.
• Tang Tian accelerated past the Cavaliers' help defense and dunked over Whiteside, who was knocked out of bounds.
• Tang Tian scored 16 points in the second quarter and helped the Pelicans take an 11-point halftime lead.

Tang Tian dominated the Pelicans’ third quarter with 21 points, but his pursuit of a triple-double stalled at six rebounds as Cleveland mounted a comeback. He returned early in the fourth quarter, hit a three-pointer for his 50th point, and helped halt the Cavaliers’ surge.

• At halftime, Davis urged Jokic to box out better so Tang Tian could collect more rebounds, and Jokic agreed.
• Jokic and Davis boxed out Whiteside and James, letting Tang Tian grab rebounds and Jokic score a putback as the Pelicans extended their lead.
• The Cavaliers rallied behind Irving and James, but Tang Tian answered with fadeaways and finished the third quarter with 47 points, six rebounds, and 12 assists.
• JR Smith scored eight straight points in under two minutes to cut Cleveland’s deficit to two, prompting Stevens to call a timeout.
• Stevens sent Tang Tian back into the game early, and Tang Tian hit a pull-up three for his 50th point before Smith missed under pressure.

Tang Tian led the Pelicans through a tense finish against the Cavaliers while chasing a record-setting 60-point triple-double. He secured the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history, then made a late three-pointer as the game neared its end.

• Tang Tian reached 52 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists as Whiteside returned to the court to help stop him.
• The Cavaliers used a BOX-1 defense, but Tang Tian passed around it to Jokic and Holiday, who helped Davis score.
• Tang Tian made a fadeaway for his 54th point, then reached 57 points and 15 assists as both teams struggled to score late.
• Tang Tian dove to save a rebound from Love, reached 10 rebounds, and surpassed Chamberlain’s record for the highest-scoring triple-double.
• Jokic passed to Tang Tian, who shot over the closing defenders and made the basket as the referee called a foul.

Tang Tian led the Pelicans to a 119-112 road win over the Cavaliers, finishing with 61 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists, and 4 steals. After the game, James vowed not to throw magnesium powder again until he won a championship for Cleveland.

• Tang Tian made a late three-pointer and the and-one free throw, completing a historic 60+ triple-double and reaching 61 points.
• The Pelicans shut down the Cavaliers’ comeback, and Holiday made two free throws to secure a 119-112 win and a season sweep.
• Reporters questioned Whiteside about his pregame remarks, leaving him unable to answer as James stayed silent beside him.
• James told reporters he would not throw magnesium powder again until he brought a championship to Cleveland.
• Fans celebrated Tang Tian’s record and reacted to James’s vow with confidence that the Cavaliers would win the championship.

The Pelicans and Rockets prepared to strengthen their rosters through the 2017 buyout market, with Tang Tian and Dempsey considering Rose, Wade, and Diaw. Rose and Wade were not bought out, but the Pelicans signed Diaw while the Rockets settled for Deron and Troy Williams.

• Dempsey visited Tang Tian, and they agreed the Pelicans should pursue Rose or Wade while keeping Diaw as a backup option.
• The buyout deadline arrived, but the Heat kept Wade and the Wizards kept Rose.
• Morey found that his plans to sign Rose or Wade had fallen through.
• After the Jazz bought out Diaw, Woj reported that the Pelicans had signed him to a one-year Minimum Salary Contract.
• The Rockets signed Deron and Troy Williams after losing out on their preferred buyout candidates.