Chapter 533: Another Limit in Human Basketball History

The Houston locker room was brainstorming.

Fan Xi sat in the locker room, never expecting that he would accidentally put up such astonishing stats. He wasn't a player who deliberately chased numbers.

In this game he was constantly plugging gaps, helping teammates with various tasks, filling every hole.

And it actually produced this effect.

"Jie Ke, you must get a quadruple-double tonight. I'm telling you, getting a quadruple-double and getting a near-quadruple-double are completely different experiences." Kevin Garnett looked especially excited; he had once gotten a near-quadruple-double, in that game he gave his all to push for a quadruple-double but ultimately fell far short.

Now he sees Fan Xi having a chance to achieve a quadruple-double, and he feels it deeply.

Fan Xi smiled and said to him, "Don't keep emphasizing it; that will make me lose the set game rhythm."

A quadruple-double isn't about scoring; scoring just requires focusing on shooting. But if you deliberately pursue a quadruple-double, you'll naturally end up on an abnormal rhythm.

Fan Xi is a clear-headed person.

Larry Brown greatly admired Fan Xi's clarity, and he told Mike Woodson beside him: "I finally understand why he dominates this league; his thinking is completely unlike that of an ordinary superstar."

Woodson nodded especially seriously.

Larry Brown, in the usual task assignment that followed, scolded JR Smith, harshly criticizing his defense, believing his defense against James Harden was a complete failure.

JR Smith was very obedient in front of a super-coach of Larry Brown's caliber.

Brook Lopez's recent lesson is not far off; he doesn't want to be traded just after arriving in New York and playing half a game.

Larry Brown benched JR Smith, put in Hamilton, and arranged for Fan Xi to guard James Harden, while also demanding that Fan Xi always stay alert to help inside.

While Larry Brown was making his strategic deployment, Adelman also offered suggestions.

He is a master of the Princeton system, which seeks the ultimate one-on-zero offense, often stressing high-low coordination. Therefore, he advised Paul and Harden not to make lateral passes anymore; if they can finish a one-on-one with a screen on the perimeter, they should go straight to it, or else just pass inside to let the interior players attack the basket directly.

This is to prevent Fan Xi from using his agile lateral movement to steal.

In practice, a pure Princeton offense often requires an interior player with a rich arsenal and high-post range, but the Rockets have neither Howard nor Asik capable of that.

Beep!

The whistle blew, and the second half soon began.

At this point, all the fans in the arena already knew Fan Xi's near-quadruple-double stats; their looks at him were filled with provocation and fear. They jeered, baring their teeth and claws, hoping to pressure him, yet at the same time they feared Fan Xi might actually achieve a super quadruple-double.

They didn't want to become the second Nets.

Even though no one has ever scored 101 points in a quadruple-double, which would be even more embarrassing.

Chris Paul brought the ball past half-court, with Hamilton sticking tightly to him on defense; Hamilton's stamina is great, his defensive trait is like sticky gum, wearing down the rhythm through relentless harassment.

Paul did not try to break through Hamilton's defense.

After James Harden ran out past the three-point line, he passed the ball to Harden.

Harden received the ball, and facing Fan Xi's defense, he immediately became especially vigilant.

He dribbled carefully, afraid Fan Xi would directly steal it.

He knew well that the only hurdle for Fan Xi to get a quadruple-double was two steals.

So, after making two tentative changes of direction, he called Howard over for a screen, then used the screen to quickly attack the free-throw line.

Fan Xi went around Howard and stayed close behind.

He originally wanted to stop and lean his broad back and hips against Fan Xi… but realizing Fan Xi's strength was not inferior to his own, and that his long arms posed a great offensive threat, he hurriedly passed the ball to Asik.

Asik received the ball, tapped it up, faked out Tyson Chandler, made a beautiful turn, and shot… but at the very moment he released, Fan Xi sprinted into the paint… he leapt up, soaring like a jet… swat!

A huge hand slapped the ball Asik had just shot onto the backboard, sending it bouncing violently.

Joe Johnson reacted quickly, grabbed the ball, and secured possession.

Fan Xi's block count increased by one, reaching five.

Joe Johnson passed the ball to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi brought the ball past half-court, and when Stoudemire ran into an advantageous position, he passed it to him; Stoudemire isolated Howard, stopped, rose up, and shot… but was disturbed by Howard.

The ball didn't go in, and Asik grabbed the rebound.

Transition.

Chris Paul dribbled, accelerated to shake off Hamilton's defense, and quickly attacked the paint.

He was stopped one step inside the free-throw line by Fan Xi, then quickly turned and passed.

James Harden, facing Joe Johnson's help defense beyond the three-point line, hit a three.

The Rockets further narrowed the score.

After scoring, James Harden was especially pleased, shaking his head, using his finger as a gun barrel, and blowing on it.

This provoked cheers from the whole crowd, who shouted "MVP" and cheered for Harden.

His hot touch continued from the first half into the second.

Afterwards, Fan Xi drove into the paint, drew a foul on Howard, made both free throws, and steadied the team.

After the free throws, Fan Xi locked onto Harden.

He wouldn't give Harden a chance to exploit a mismatch.

Harden took the ball from Paul's hands, also acting cautiously; Asik came over to set a screen for him, he had an open shot, but because Fan Xi's pivot was too quick, he didn't gamble and instead drove inside.

Fan Xi chased from behind, and Stoudemire also opened his arms to help.

Harden displayed the excellent traits of a combo guard, lofting the ball directly into the paint; Howard leapt to grab it, and he could have alley-ooped it in with a layup.

But he insisted on dunking; he caught the ball in midair, came down, then exploded upward again.

But as he jumped again with both hands on the ball, Fan Xi had already rushed past; Fan Xi soared forward with one hand, slamming down on the ball Howard held above his head, and they landed together.

Howard retained possession, he faked, then jumped again and shot… this time he chose a floater.

But Fan Xi's explosiveness was no less; he leapt up, and with his right hand once again pressed Howard's floater against the backboard… blocking it twice in a row.

The ball was swatted out of bounds.

The Rockets still had possession.

But Fan Xi's block count at this moment rose straight up to 7.

Now the entire TNT live stream went crazy.

Originally everyone thought Fan Xi was going for a quadruple‑double, but now, after three consecutive blocks on the court, the Rockets' inside‑out passing displayed Fan Xi's mobility to the fullest, and Fan Xi's help‑defense energy exploded.

"God, is Jieke Fan about to create an unprecedented historic legend? A quintuple‑double! A record never seen in human history—he's only missing three blocks, two steals, and one rebound,"

Kenny Smith shouted on TV, "No one has ever called Jie Ke an all‑round player, nor a scoring ace. Yet he dropped 101 points in a game, and in this game he's going straight for a quintuple‑double never seen in human history!"

"Can the Rockets stop any of this?" Charles Barkley said, enjoying the spectacle. "Will they give up the game?"

He holds no goodwill toward the Rockets. Back then he was pressured by Jordan, watching the Rockets under Da Meng capture two championships during Jordan's two‑year retirement. He quickly gave up his max contract, rushed to Houston to cling to a big leg, but the bamboo basket was just water—no money, no reputation, the championships a mirage. He watched Jordan complete a three‑peat, while he never even reached the finals with the Rockets.

"According to Jieke Fan's past, Houston has nothing left to do but abandon the game," Er Johnson said.

But at that moment, Harden received a pass from Chris Paul, and under Fan Xi's defensive pressure, completed a high‑difficulty fade‑away three‑pointer.

The Rockets took the lead.

That shot set the Houston arena ablaze.

Everyone cheered James Harden's magic tonight.

Meanwhile, viewers in front of their TVs breathed a sigh of relief.

The general sentiment: Harden is so fierce, his touch so smooth, they surely won't call garbage time early. That means Jieke Fan's human‑miracle night will be updated again. The NBA could see its first super quintuple‑double ever.

"Jie Ke, you can't guard me. When I go full‑throttle, no one can stop me," James Harden trash‑talked Fan Xi on the court.

Fan Xi ignored him.

The Kardashian family on the sidelines was anxious, loudly cheering for Fan Xi. They hoped Fan Xi would curb Harden's swagger and not let him steal the spotlight.

But they clearly don't play Texas Hold'em.

They only saw Harden about to hit four 9s, overlooking that Fan Xi might be holding a straight flush.

To them, whoever scores more baskets is the better.

That's a fake fan.

Fan Xi's style won't change because of their screams; he calmly dribbles across half‑court, breaks through the defense, then passes to Stad Meyer.

Stad Meyer took a jump shot from the free‑throw line... Bang!

Missed.

Fan Xi drove into the paint, leapt skyward, and slammed the ball with one hand.

While steadying himself, Fan Xi also secured a triple‑double via the offensive rebound.

He is only two steals and three blocks short of a quintuple‑double.

Viewers in front of their TVs grew more anticipatory and more excited.

Online discussions grew wilder, gaining the momentum of a 101‑point record‑breaking night.

But this time, many sites were prepared; their servers didn't collapse so easily.

"If Fan Xi records a quintuple‑double tonight, he'll be the first in history. After pushing the human scoring limit, he'll set the all‑around limit. It's a miracle in basketball history—a single player achieving two different super‑extremes in two games,"

"Jordan never did that either."

"There's no doubt Jordan's first four seasons weren't as spectacular as Fan Xi's. When he gets a quintuple‑double tonight, the only thing that can stop Fan Xi from surpassing Jordan is the number of championships,"

A CCTV host across the ocean spoke to the fans before their TVs with unparalleled pride.

Fans before their TVs originally thought this was just an ordinary regular‑season game, after all Yao Ming no longer plays for the Rockets, making a derby comparison impossible.

But Fan Xi still gave them a surprise.

A near‑quintuple‑double in less than three quarters.

Bang!

Fan Xi blocked again.

He still tangled with Harden; Harden still broke through and passed to the paint, this time to the slip‑down line Parsons… a classic Princeton offense.

Parsons' slip‑down line was very concealed; he almost succeeded.

His reverse layup looked risk‑free.

But Fan Xi deflected the ball with his fingertips.

The ball hit the backboard and bounced out.

Eight blocks!

After the ball fell, Howard grabbed it, passed to Chris Paul, whose jump shot went in.

At that moment, D'Antoni on the bench said to Adelman, "Passing inside doesn't work; Jie Ke's ability to sneak in for a block from behind is more threatening than his lateral steals."

Adelman was also helpless.

He hadn't expected his tactical change to cause this outcome.

Lateral passes were stolen, passes to the paint were blocked by Fan Xi's speed, explosiveness, and huge vertical reach.

In just a few possessions of the third quarter, he already logged four blocks.

What can be done now!

D'Antoni gestured from the sideline, demanding a one‑on‑one next.

He trusted James Harden's and Chris Paul's touch tonight.

That's all they can do.

He has no other options.

Meanwhile, Jo Johnson's jump shot missed, and the Rockets grabbed the rebound.

D'Antoni furrowed his brow, wondering: Are the Knicks fishing? Deliberately missing, falling behind, so we can't enter garbage time early and let Jieke Fan complete a quintuple‑double?

With the situation before his eyes, D'Antoni couldn't help but think that.

Fan Xi had always seemed too clever to him; this cunning made him strongly doubt his own relatively high IQ.

But, there really isn't any.

The Knicks are really shooting poorly now; the addition of new players still brings some negative impact. Fan Xi can plug the gaps on defense, but on offense he's not as smooth.

Moreover, the Knicks have expended a lot of energy over the past three days in San Antonio and Dallas.

Swish!

James Harden again hit a stop-and-go jump shot despite Fan Xi's defense.

His shooting touch was scorching hot.

At this rate, he'll have no problem scoring 60 points tonight.

But, the audience in front of the TV doesn't care.

The live fans gave James Harden huge feedback.

James Harden greatly enjoyed the feeling of 20,000 people shouting 'mvp', and he enjoyed even more the sight of the Kardashian family helplessly shouting 'Fan Xi, come on!' from the sidelines.

Nothing feels better than this.

Once a person's dopamine spikes too fast, they're prone to getting carried away.

James Harden was feeling a bit carried away, and he asked Fan Xi: "Do you think you'll achieve a quadruple-double faster, or will I hit 60 points faster?"

"The Kardashian family is too immature and short-sighted; if you can crush me, what are you waiting for?"

Harden's tone was flighty.

Then he saw a pair of eyes, sharp as a hawk and a falcon, coldly fixed on him.

Harden shivered.

A conditioned reflex.

…