Basketball System: Hate Makes Me Unstoppable

The moment the score was tied, Kevin Durant felt as if a dagger had pierced his chest.

Why?

Why is it that even after joining a team like the Cavaliers, Han Sen could still play them to a standstill?

If this continued, Han Sen would truly become the Michael Jordan of this era, while Durant would be reduced to Clyde Drexler—a player with immense talent but forgotten in the shadows of his time.

Durant pushed into the frontcourt, signaling for the ball.

Pau Gasol demonstrated his versatility, setting a solid pick for Durant before quickly rolling to drag Han Sen away from the play.

Faced with Tristan Thompson, Durant took a simple hesitation dribble before stopping on a dime for a pull-up mid-range jumper.

Swish!

The Reaper swung his scythe, ending the Heat's scoring drought.

The American Airlines Arena erupted.

Han Sen's dominant performance earlier had been a massive weight on their chests, suffocating the crowd.

Durant's basket lifted that weight off, igniting the home fans once again.

"Defense! Defense!"

The Heat faithful chanted in unison, and their team's defensive intensity soared.

Following Erik Spoelstra's instructions, the Heat began tightening their coverage on the Cavaliers' perimeter shooters.

But this is where JR Smith's unique qualities came into play.

Unlike PJ Tucker, who mainly thrived on catch-and-shoot threes, JR could shoot off the dribble and in motion.

With Kyrie Irving heavily guarded, JR quickly found his moment to shine.

Han Sen, ever the maestro, anticipated JR's movement perfectly, delivering a pinpoint pass right on time.

As JR rose to shoot, Han Sen turned toward the Heat fans, raising both arms in celebration before the shot even went in.

Anyone else might have gotten jittery seeing Han Sen's early celebration, but not JR. He didn't even notice.

Swish!

Another crisp splash—JR nailed the three!

The Cavaliers took the lead.

Spoelstra immediately called for another timeout.

"Wait, JR Smith is still in the league?" Barkley asked, genuinely surprised.

His confusion was understandable. JR's reputation had taken a massive hit last season, and after being suspended by the Cavaliers, it was easy to assume he had been cut.

"I'm not sure what happened, but he's been revitalized this past week," Kenny Smith chimed in.

Since returning from suspension, JR's attitude had notably improved. While his performances hadn't been as explosive as tonight, there were signs of progress.

"That's great news for the Cavaliers. They need a third scoring option, and JR might be that guy," Shaq added.

Shaq was right—and it was one of the reasons Han Sen invested his time in JR.

Outside of Han and Kyrie, the Cavaliers lacked reliable scorers.

Andrea Bargnani was injury-prone, and Mo Williams was past his prime. At 29 years old, JR was the best option available.

After the timeout, both teams brought in their bench players.

During this stretch, the Heat regained the lead, largely thanks to Nikola Vucevic dominating inside.

Vucevic had been a starter for the Rockets in previous seasons, averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds alongside James Harden.

Although he was now coming off the bench for Miami, that was more due to tactical adjustments than any decline in skill.

Neither Spencer Hawes nor Joel Anthony could slow him down.

Watching from the stands, Cavaliers GM David Griffin realized they needed to reinforce their frontcourt—fast.

At the end of the first quarter, the Heat led 30-24.

Kyrie wasn't in rhythm tonight, so Malone sent Han Sen back in to start the second quarter.

In response, Spoelstra countered with Durant.

Right out of the gate, Han Sen delivered a perfect assist, setting up JR for his third three-pointer of the night.

"JR's performance tonight is unbelievable. He reminds me of 'Mad Max,'" Kenny Smith said with a chuckle.

The nickname "Mad Max" came from Spike Lee, referring to Vernon Maxwell, a sharpshooter known for his fearlessness in big moments.

Smith's comparison wasn't far off—Maxwell had been a key piece of Houston's championship runs, despite his streaky shooting.

Maxwell was notorious for hoisting six three-pointers per game in the 90s, even though his shooting percentage barely hovered above 30%.

Both Maxwell and JR had the same nickname for a reason—they were both wild cards.

However, JR had his own brand of craziness.

As he backpedaled on defense, he blew kisses to the Heat fans in celebration.

In his mind, he was just doing what he did best.

On the other end, Durant sneered at Han Sen.

"So, you're just a playmaker now? You don't score anymore?"

Han Sen froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

He couldn't believe it.

Years ago, when he faced the Thunder, he had used trash talk to bait Durant into playing hero ball.

And now, here was Durant—falling into the same trap himself.

"You know it, Kev. Games are won with words," Han replied with a smirk.

The boomerang had come full circle in just 24 hours.

Realizing he'd been played, Durant snorted in frustration before focusing on his next possession.

He tried to score over Han, but his pull-up jumper missed. Without Gasol on the court, Durant struggled to create space against Han Sen's defense.

Back on offense, Han Sen drove to the basket, finishing through Vucevic's foul for an and-one layup.

Having JR hitting shots and constantly moving without the ball had opened up the paint for Han.

At the free-throw line, Han Sen turned to Durant and smiled.

"Keep it up, Kevin. You're gonna be like Shaq someday."

Durant's face turned crimson, his irritation obvious.

Meanwhile, the other players looked confused.

What did Durant have to do with Shaq?

But Durant understood.

Han was comparing Durant to Shaq's infamous loss to the Bulls in 1996—when Shaq finally defeated Jordan, but it was too late.

At halftime, the Cavaliers led 61-60.

They shot 10-for-16 from beyond the arc, a blistering 62.5%, with JR accounting for four threes.

Han Sen finished the half with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, including 12 points in the second quarter alone.

Despite his pass-first mindset in the first quarter, Han couldn't resist getting buckets when the second unit came in.

The Heat fans were anxious.

Sure, the Cavaliers' lead was largely due to their hot shooting, but who's to say that won't continue in the second half?

Pat Riley was notably absent from the stands during halftime.

When he finally returned, just before the second half began, his expression was grim.

It didn't take long to figure out why—he had gone to the locker room to give the Heat a stern lecture.

And based on the sour faces of the Heat players, Riley's message had hit home.

At the start of the second half, the Heat intensified their perimeter defense on the Cavaliers.

But you can't shut down both Han Sen and the Cavs' shooters at the same time.

In the third quarter alone, Han exploded for 24 points, bringing his personal tally to 44 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists by the end of the quarter.

Thanks to Han's unstoppable performance, the Cavs held their own against the Heat, keeping the game tied through three quarters.

When Han's stats flashed on the LED scoreboard, a wave of excitement and disbelief swept through the arena.

Three consecutive 50+ games had already silenced the doubters.

But now, it looked like Han was about to drop another 50+ game tonight!

Four consecutive 50-point games.

Before tonight, only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant had ever done that.

And it wasn't just 50+ points on the horizon—it was shaping up to be a 50-point triple-double!

With the Cavs frequently using a small-ball lineup, Han was playing as a small forward, giving him more chances to grab rebounds than usual.

Charles Barkley was already hyping Han from the commentary booth.

"You know," Barkley started, "if you make two or three shots each quarter and hit four or five free throws, you'll get 40+ points without even realizing it."

His comment had Shaq and Kenny Smith laughing.

It was a playful callback to Michael Jordan's famous response when asked how he consistently scored 30+ points a game.

But Barkley's joke aside, Han's scoring was no accident.

The game had been full of defensive adjustments, and Han had adapted accordingly.

He scored 8 points in the first quarter, 12 in the second, and exploded for 24 in the third, keeping pace with Miami's changing defensive schemes.

Both teams rested their starters at the start of the fourth quarter. The game had been so close that most of the key players had played the entire third quarter.

Sitting on the bench, Kevin Durant glanced up at the LED scoreboard.

Seeing Han's stats, he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

Han wasn't just keeping the Cavs competitive. He was doing it with insane numbers, all while making Durant look like a supporting character in Han's story.

The Cavaliers kept it close to start the fourth quarter.

Finally, Kyrie Irving found his rhythm. He hit a three-pointer and followed up with several drives to the basket, racking up 7 quick points.

With 8 minutes left, the Cavs led 106-104.

Both teams brought their starters back for the final showdown.

The Heat adjusted their defense, focusing on trapping Han Sen.

The adjustment worked—PJ Tucker missed a wide-open three.

For shooters, it's not just about getting open—they also need rhythm and confidence, which comes from consistent touches.

Spoelstra's defensive switches weren't random.

The Heat's success came from team chemistry and tactical precision. Spoelstra was one of the best coaches at making mid-game adjustments.

On the next possession, Pau Gasol backed down in the post, drawing a double team before dishing the ball to Durant, who drove into the paint, absorbed contact from Tristan Thompson, and finished with a foul.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

Durant let out a roar, pumping up the crowd as American Airlines Arena erupted.

If Durant could lead the Heat to victory, he wouldn't have to worry about being relegated to a mere footnote in Han's legacy.

And Durant wasn't playing poorly either. After that bucket, he had 30 points on the night.

He calmly sank the free throw, putting the Heat back in front.

"Defense! Defense!"

The chants echoed again, and the Heat looked to pull away.

They had momentum. If the Cavs' shooters stayed cold, Miami could seal the game with a decisive run.

But just as the Heat fans' confidence peaked, it was doused by a bucket of cold water.

And the man holding that bucket?

JR Smith.

Han Sen whipped a pass to JR, who confidently pulled up and drained his fifth three-pointer of the night.

Five threes in a game isn't unusual, but for JR, it's just another day at the office.

This was a guy who had hit 10+ threes in a single game three times and once dropped 45 points as a role player.

It's no wonder he once told Han Sen, "Scorers rule the court."

For JR, "cold hands" wasn't a concept. His shooting depended entirely on his mood.

Dwyane Wade tried to answer on the other end with a tough isolation drive, but JR stuck with him. Although Wade powered past JR, PJ Tucker was there to help.

Wade's contested shot missed.

Tucker secured the rebound, and the Cavs launched another fast break.

Han Sen led the charge and delivered a perfect assist to Kyrie, who hit a transition three.

Kyrie had only made two threes all night, and both came in the fourth quarter.

But unlike JR, Kyrie wasn't streaky—he was finding his rhythm again.

The pressure shifted to Spoelstra. His defensive adjustments had been effective, but the Cavs were still ahead by four points.

After some deliberation, Spoelstra reverted to his third-quarter strategy, focusing on Han Sen as the primary threat.

It turned out to be the right call. The game slowed down into a gritty defensive battle.

However, there was one unintended consequence:

Han's scoring tally continued to climb.

With 4:18 remaining, Han missed a floater but grabbed his own rebound and put it back in.

51 points.

Nine rebounds.

At 3:34, Han drove again, drawing a foul and hitting both free throws.

53 points.

With 2:13 left, the Heat were called for a defensive three-second violation, and Han sank the technical free throw.

54 points.

At 1:05, Han finished a tough layup through contact, bringing his total to 56 points.

Then, with 41 seconds left, JR missed a three, but Han snatched his 10th rebound and drained a mid-range jumper.

50-point triple-double.

And that shot gave the Cavs a crucial four-point lead.

With 18 seconds left, Durant drew a foul on a three-point attempt.

But after reviewing the play, the refs confirmed his foot was on the line—he only got two free throws.

Durant made both, cutting the Cavs' lead to two.

The Cavs called a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, Han Sen was fouled and went to the free-throw line.

The arena erupted with cheers, not just because these free throws would seal the win, but because Han was sitting on 58 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.

If he made both, he would become the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point triple-double.

At the line, Durant looked more nervous than Han Sen.

What Durant thought would be just another loss now looked like his name would be immortalized as part of Han's record-breaking game.

Han's first free throw hit the front rim, bounced up, and dropped in.

The Cavs had essentially sealed the win.

Han took a deep breath and lined up his second free throw.

Swish.

"A new record is born!" Barkley yelled, unable to contain his excitement.

What he had hoped for—a special performance from the Cavs—had turned into a historic night for Han.

The Heat fans had mixed emotions.

They had just watched their team lose a crucial game, but they also witnessed history being made.

During the Heat's timeout, Durant stood at midcourt, hands on his hips, staring at the scoreboard for a long time.

It wasn't until Wade tapped him on the shoulder that Durant finally shook his head and walked back to the bench.

-End of Chapter-