The NBA's Twilight Star System

The third quarter began with Jay Sun on the bench while Kyrie Irving took control on the court.

For Kyrie, taking on Dwyane Wade was a challenge. But going up against Mario Chalmers? Easy work.

Chalmers couldn't stop Kyrie's drives, and Irving scored on him repeatedly.

Seeing the game slipping, Wade got off the bench and re-entered the game.

Neither the Cavaliers nor Heat wanted to lose this battle—especially LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

But no matter who tried to guard Wade—whether it was Matthew Dellavedova or Kyrie—the result was the same. They couldn't hold him.

Tyronn Lue waved his hand. It was time for Jay.

Jay stuck to Wade like glue, frustrating him with constant defensive pressure.

Feeling Jay's pesky defense getting to him, Wade grew impatient.

Right when Wade's frustration peaked, Jay struck.

Pickpocket activated.

Jay stole the ball cleanly from Wade and immediately pushed the fast break.

Seeing Jay sprinting downcourt, Wade chased him down.

As Jay jumped to shoot, Wade leapt right behind him.

"Let me show you why they call me the best shot-blocking guard in history!" Wade thought.

But Jay knew all about Wade's chase-down blocks.

At the last second, Jay passed the ball behind his back.

Kyrie caught the pass on the other side of the rim and finished with a smooth layup.

The two celebrated with an enthusiastic high-five, while Wade looked back in disbelief.

Wade, a seasoned veteran, didn't let one possession affect his focus.

He quickly ran a pick-and-roll with Luol Deng, drawing the defense before kicking it out.

Deng caught the pass and hit a clean three-pointer.

LeBron answered right back, muscling past Deng for a strong layup.

Wade responded by feeding Udonis Haslem, who knocked down a mid-range jumper.

The third quarter turned into an all-out shootout.

Neither team could pull away.

At the end of the third quarter:

Score: 89-82.

The Heat still led by seven.

Jay sat on the bench, catching his breath. He'd played more minutes than usual and felt it.

But deep down, Jay knew something the Heat didn't.

"Closer mode activated. Let's see if they can handle this."

The fourth quarter began, and Jay took the court, revitalized.

Across from him, Wade was clearly exhausted from the game's intensity.

Right from the start of the quarter, Jay clamped down on Wade.

Wade's early attempts to score all came up short.

Growing frustrated, Wade shifted his strategy.

"Forget finesse. I'll beat you with brute strength!"

Wade drove hard into Jay, using his body to force his way to the rim.

Jay, however, anticipated the move and maintained his defensive position.

Just as Wade went to make his move, Jay struck again.

Another steal.

This time, Jay went coast-to-coast and finished the fast break with a layup.

Wade, trailing behind, couldn't help but see his younger self in Jay.

"This kid… he's still full of energy in the fourth quarter?"

Jay's basket pushed the score to 99-91, giving the Cavs an eight-point lead with just over a minute remaining.

Wade had one last chance.

Holding the ball beyond the three-point line, he faced Jay once again.

Wade's shooting efficiency was well below his usual standards, thanks in large part to Jay's defense.

If Jay wasn't on the court, Wade could've easily gone off for 30 points.

Wade passed to Luol Deng, then ran through a series of screens, trying to shake Jay.

But Jay stuck with him.

Deng, stuck in isolation against LeBron, couldn't find a way to score and passed the ball back.

With the shot clock winding down, Wade had no choice but to take a contested three over Jay.

Clang.

The ball bounced off the rim.

With the Cavs in control, the clock ran out.

Final score: 101-93.

The Cavaliers walked away with the win.

After the final whistle, Wade stood with his hands on his hips, breathing heavily.

LeBron walked over and embraced his old friend, offering words of encouragement.

Jay's contribution was primarily on defense.

He held Wade to 17 points on inefficient shooting, making life difficult for Miami's star.

Jay's own stat line wasn't jaw-dropping: 19 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds, shooting 3-for-6 from three.

But it wasn't the numbers that stood out.

It was his fourth-quarter performance—especially his defense on Wade—that solidified his value.

Jay's all-around game was catching attention.

A player who can shoot threes, defend, and handle the ball? That's a valuable asset in the NBA.

More importantly, Jay was proving his stamina and reliability in clutch moments.

Many analysts pointed out how Jay seemed to thrive in the fourth quarter, always delivering when it mattered most.

With each game, Jay's reputation grew stronger.

After the Heat game, the Cavaliers had three games left in 2014:

Orlando MagicDetroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks

On December 27, the Cavs defeated the Magic 98-89.

Tobias Harris led Orlando with 16 points, but their offense struggled overall.

Victor Oladipo scored 13 points, Nikola Vucevic added 12, and Evan Fournier chipped in with 15 points.

Interestingly, most of Fournier's points came against Dion Waiters.

Waiters was back in the rotation.

Jay figured it was a showcase to potential trade partners.

"Waiters' time in Cleveland is ticking down."

On December 29, the Cavs beat the Pistons 103-90.

Though the score suggested a comfortable win, the game itself was far from easy.

Andre Drummond grabbed 17 rebounds, including 8 offensive boards.

The Pistons dominated the glass, exposing a weakness in Cleveland's lineup.

With Kevin Love spacing the floor, the Cavs struggled to secure rebounds.

December 31. Cavaliers vs. Hawks.

Hours before tip-off, the Cavs announced that LeBron James would miss the game with a back injury.

Coincidentally, Al Horford also sat out for the Hawks.

Both teams knew each other well, having already clashed multiple times.

There was no need for a feeling-out process.

Right from the jump, it was a fierce, physical battle.

Neither side gave an inch.

The game came down to the final minutes, with both teams still tied.

Without LeBron, the Cavs leaned heavily on Kyrie Irving and Jay Sun.

Kevin Love? A complete non-factor.

Love finished with 7 points and 7 rebounds, including 4 points from free throws.

Late in the fourth, Tristan Thompson missed a crucial rebound, giving the Hawks the edge.

Final score: 109-101. Hawks win.

Jay finished with an impressive stat line:

28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists.

But Kyrie was the star of the night, exploding for 35 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Despite his big game, Kyrie was visibly upset after the loss.

Once again, he failed to prove himself as a capable leader without LeBron.

Jay, on the other hand, took the loss in stride.

"I'm just a rookie. Let the veterans worry about wins and losses."

The headlines in China were celebratory:

"Cavs Lose, but Jay Sun Shines!"

"Jay Gives It His All!"

"Jay's Monster Stats Can't Save the Cavs!"

Some headlines went overboard, making Jay feel a bit embarrassed.

"They're acting like I'm the team's leader…"

Lying on his bed, Jay stared at the calendar.

2014 was over.

A new year awaited.

Time to take it to the next level.