Basketball System: Hate Makes Me Unstoppable

Kobe Bryant's mental toughness was legendary. A man who once said, "I'd rather go 0-for-20 than 0-for-9" wasn't someone who crumbled under pressure.

What had happened so far didn't faze him. He calmly sank both free throws, cutting the Lakers' deficit to single digits.

But on the very next possession, Han Sen faced off against Jordan Clarkson. Seeing that the double-team wasn't coming immediately, Han spun gracefully into a fadeaway jumper and knocked it down with ease.

Clarkson, the half-Filipino rookie, could do nothing but look up in awe.

After hitting the shot, Han spread his hands toward Kobe's direction, as if to say, "What else can you do?"

Kobe couldn't be everywhere at once, and LeBron was practically a walking ATM for Han, coughing up easy points. Whenever the Lakers' defense was even a step slow on rotations, Han effortlessly capitalized.

It looked eerily similar to the third quarter of the Christmas game, when Han had obliterated the Lakers.

The Cavaliers were riding a wave of momentum, and it showed.

...

Kobe came back down the court and used a high pick-and-roll with Mozgov, freeing himself up for a quick mid-range jumper.

His physical abilities had declined, but Kobe still refused to chase fouls like LeBron. He didn't rely on baiting defenders to rack up points.

And honestly, no one would've blamed him if he had. Aging stars often leaned on their experience when their athleticism waned.

But that wasn't Kobe. He was just as stubborn and obsessive as Kevin Garnett.

Unfortunately, his shot didn't fall.

Mozgov couldn't set a strong enough screen to keep Han away, and Han's agility rendered size advantages meaningless.

To stop Han, you needed someone like Draymond Green — a mobile big with just enough sneaky physicality to toe the line of what the refs allowed.

The Cavaliers, however, failed to secure the rebound.

Mozgov crashed the boards, grabbed the offensive rebound, and powered through Garnett to score a putback.

At 39 years old, Garnett clearly wasn't what he used to be. His pre-game intensity and trash talk made it seem like he was still the Wolf King, but LeBron had been the only one fooled.

The Lakers cut the lead back to single digits, and Kobe switched back to guarding Han.

Han didn't give the ball to Kyrie. He went straight at Kobe.

Given his previous gestures and trash talk, it was clear Han was sending Kobe a message: "You're old."

But credit to Kobe — he managed to slow Han's drive, allowing his teammates to rotate over for help defense.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, Han wasn't just a scorer.

With perfect timing, Han whipped a pass around Mozgov from out of bounds, delivering it to Tristan Thompson under the basket.

The ball spun like a tennis shot, hitting TT right in the hands.

Too easy.

BANG!

TT slammed it home with both hands, and Lakers coach Byron Scott immediately called a timeout.

Despite facing Han during the Christmas game, Scott was still stunned by Han's court vision and creativity.

"It's like Han leveled up his passing overnight," Scott muttered to his assistants.

But it hadn't been overnight — only three months had passed since their last meeting.

...

At the commentary table, Shaquille O'Neal couldn't hold back anymore.

As a Lakers legend, Shaq had seen his share of Magic Johnson's passes, and while he never had the chance to play alongside Magic, he'd studied his tapes endlessly.

"This is Han's Showtime!" Shaq declared.

The Showtime Lakers were famous for their fast breaks and dazzling plays. Watching them was pure entertainment.

While this Cavaliers team didn't have the same depth of talent, Han was more individually dominant than anyone on those Showtime squads.

Shaq continued, "The Showtime Lakers had a system. But Han IS the system!"

The only good news for the Lakers was that the rotation players came in, giving them a brief respite as Han rested.

But it didn't last.

The moment Han checked back in for the second quarter, his highlight reel continued.

On the first possession, he faked a no-look pass, holding the ball high in one hand before dropping it behind his back to a cutting Kyrie Irving for an easy layup.

The Staples Center crowd was already buzzing.

It was uncanny.

Outside the arena stood the statue of Magic Johnson, but inside, #77 was running wild with flashy passes and breathtaking assists.

There was one major difference, though.

Magic had to pass to thrive.

Han? He passed because he wanted to.

If the Lakers tried to shut down his playmaking, he would simply start dropping 50 on them.

...

At halftime, the Cavs led 62-43.

Han already had a double-double with 18 points and 12 assists.

After the second quarter, Lakers coach Byron Scott spoke to reporters.

"We need to reevaluate Han's passing threat," Scott admitted.

In the past, opposing teams focused more on Han's scoring. The general strategy was to force the Cavaliers' other players to beat you.

But tonight was different.

Han wasn't just scoring — he was carving them up with passes.

"Shooting can be streaky," Scott continued. "But passing? That's pure skill."

Unfortunately, Scott's halftime analysis didn't come with solutions.

The second half felt like déjà vu for Lakers fans.

It was like facing Jordan all over again.

When a player excels in both scoring and passing, the only thing that can slow them down is fatigue.

But the Lakers weren't going to outlast Han.

Even though Kobe had a brief outburst in the third quarter, the Lakers only managed to break even, playing the Cavs to a standstill.

When the quarter ended, the Lakers were still down by 20 points.

79-99.

The Staples Center crowd was silent.

They had come hoping to see greatness.

They did.

It just wasn't wearing purple and gold.

...

The final score wasn't the most humiliating thing for the Lakers that night.

What stood out more was the free throw disparity: 33 to 8.

Yes, they made history that night. But even the referees couldn't save them.

An interesting scene occurred right before the third-quarter rotations.

The glaring free throw difference from the first half must have caught the referees' attention because they started blowing more whistles for the Lakers.

At one point, LeBron was called for a defensive foul, and as he spread his arms and stared at the referee in disbelief, Han Sen casually walked over to the official.

"You shouldn't have called that foul," Han said, smirking. "You didn't call those earlier. You need to stay consistent."

Han wasn't defending LeBron — far from it.

He just wanted to make sure that the absurd free throw disparity stayed on display for everyone to see.

The officials, though tasked with ensuring certain outcomes, couldn't completely ignore Han's influence in the league.

So, by the time the third quarter ended, the free throw count was still as ridiculous as ever.

In the fourth quarter, Lakers coach Byron Scott kept LeBron on the court, hoping to stage a comeback.

But those hopes quickly died when LeBron elbowed JR Smith on a drive and got called for a flagrant foul.

The game lost all suspense after that.

The Cavaliers won in a blowout: 124 to 100 — a 24-point victory on the Lakers' home floor.

...

Post-Game Stats:

Han Sen: 24 points, 5 rebounds, 16 assists (career-high)

Kyrie Irving: 18 points, 5 assists

Kevin Garnett: 8 points, 4 rebounds

Kobe Bryant: 24 points

LeBron James: 21 points (on 16 free throw attempts, making 11)

Mozgov: 14 points, 11 rebounds

...

At the post-game press conference, Han Sen and Kevin Garnett took the stage together.

With 16 assists, Han had set a new career-high and naturally became the center of attention for reporters.

"I didn't do anything special," Han shrugged. "Their defense just fell apart. You know, they have two All-Defensive Team players out there."

His casual dismissal of the record was hilarious.

But when it came to taking shots at opponents, Han was in his element.

"Either their coach screwed up their defensive schemes, or the people voting for the All-Defensive Team have serious issues."

Han's mockery sent the room into a frenzy.

He'd once again fired shots at both LeBron and Kobe — at the same time.

After all, the flaws in their defensive accolades had long been an open secret.

And there was no way to argue against Han's point.

Because the Lakers' defense was atrocious.

Letting a player rack up 16 assists in three quarters was beyond embarrassing.

Simply put:

If the Lakers weren't so terrible, Han's assists would've easily hit 20+.

Han didn't forget to praise Kevin Garnett, though.

"KG brought us energy. He raised our defensive intensity. That doesn't always show up in the box score."

Having a workaholic like Garnett around wasn't always pleasant, but Han understood his value.

Looking back at his own experience in Memphis, Han realized that Garnett's fiery leadership was like a manifestation of his own villainous persona.

And that could help the Cavs go further in the playoffs.

Garnett, meanwhile, was equally impressed with Han.

"I don't throw around MJ comparisons lightly," Garnett began.

"I played against prime Michael.

I've competed with Kobe my entire career.

But right now, I'll say this — Han is on that level. He can do whatever he wants on the court."

It was high praise, and the reporters ate it up.

Later that night, the NBA's official social media account posted a highlight reel of Han's assists under the caption:

"Witness the Legend of No. 77".

What made the post go viral was that the tagline was one of Han's own.

He had originally posted that phrase on social media as a joke to bait haters.

Now, it was NBA-official.

The final month of the season became Han's passing showcase.

Fans soon realized that Han wasn't just about scoring.

Passing was just as thrilling — especially when he fully embraced it.

Once you start enjoying the process, it's hard to stop.

Some fans lamented that Han fell just short of 20 assists against the Lakers.

But he made up for it against the Raptors shortly after.

24 points and 21 assists.

A double-20 performance.

As Shaq put it: "This is Han Sen's Showtime."

The impact was massive.

Han's move from Memphis to Cleveland had shattered the notion that he needed a team-oriented system to thrive.

Fans now realized: Han's individual talent was enough to carry any team.

And more importantly: Han could be anything fans wanted him to be.

He could light up the scoreboard.

He could control the game with his passing.

It all depended on his mood.

People began to discuss Han the way they once discussed Jordan.

No one talked about LeBron's return to Cleveland anymore.

For Cleveland fans, Han was their king now.

"LeBron who? Sorry, never heard of him."

...

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert couldn't be happier.

Han's showmanship was fueling a resurgence in Cleveland's economy.

The Quicken Loans Arena was sold out every night, and merchandise sales skyrocketed.

One of the most popular items?

The "Han Sen Bobblehead", which sold over 10,000 units in its first week.

Fans from all over the country were now traveling to Cleveland just to watch Han play.

What once seemed impossible — a dying industrial city revitalized by basketball — was becoming a reality.

Gilbert proposed renovations to Quicken Loans Arena to accommodate the overwhelming demand.

He also unveiled plans for a state-of-the-art training facility next to the arena.

Interestingly, despite the Cavs' star power, they weren't even over the salary cap.

Because Kyrie's new contract wouldn't kick in until next season, the Cavs had managed to stay under the luxury tax.

And with the team now contending in the East, Gilbert was raking in profits.

Looking back, his trade package for Han Sen seemed like a steal.

Two No. 1 picks. A rising star.

And three unprotected first-rounders.

Was it expensive?

No.

In Gilbert's eyes: It was dirt cheap.

If kneeling before Han would've sealed the deal, Gilbert would've done it without hesitation.

And if Han ever delivered a championship to Cleveland, Gilbert just might do it for real.

-End of Chapter-