After landing, Han Sen was elated. He stood right in front of the photographers, puckered his lips, and pulled up his No. 77 jersey, performing his signature celebration move.
The Arican Airlines Arena was in an uproar.
The steal, the fast-break windmill dunk, and the celebration all flowed seamlessly, securing the top spot on today's Top 5 Plays.
82 to 67.
The Grizzlies had successfully extended their lead to 15 points! Spoelstra was forced to call a tiout.
Even the usually stern Hollins was smiling, high-fiving Han Sen as he ca off the court.
He had said they'd win by 15 points, and Han Sen had made it happen.
After the tiout, both teams gradually sent their starters back onto the court.
The Heat were making one last push.
Unfortunately for them, tonight they were up against the Grizzlies, a retro-style team renowned for their grind-it-out style.
When facing this type of team and falling behind by a large margin, the ga becos a struggle, as it's not just about shooting efficiency; the number of possessions matters even more.
And the Grizzlies thrived in limiting possessions.
With three minutes remaining, the Heat were still trailing by around 15 points, prompting Spoelstra to pull most of the starters early.
On the Grizzlies' side, Hollins decisively put in the entire bench.
On the bench, the Grizzlies' starters were chatting and laughing.
Although it was just a regular-season ga, beating the Heat's Big Three convincingly felt incredibly satisfying.
Rudy Gay, sitting next to Han Sen, found himself liking him more and more.
His thoughts were simple, but it was because of that simplicity that he could clearly see how much Han Sen had helped the team—and him.
Forget about fighting for the role of periter leader. Han Sen was the one who could lead them forward!
But Han's gaze was fixed on the court because he noticed that LeBron was still out there.
And crucially, Tony Allen was defending him.
Han Sen had played extended minutes today, so Allen hadn't gotten many opportunities to be on the court. Now, with his fresh legs and high energy, he was ready.
As for LeBron, his frustration was written all over his face. Staying on the court now was probably just an attempt to pad his stats.
The clash of two players in such contrasting states resulted in another turnover for LeBron.
Han Sen couldn't help but feel a bit sorry—LeBron just wanted to get a few more points!
In the end, the Grizzlies defeated the Heat 97-85, securing their season opener victory.
In terms of stats, for the Heat, Wade shot 10-for-21 for 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers. Bosh had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists. LeBron recorded 17 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 turnovers.
For the Grizzlies, Randolph contributed 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists. Han Sen had 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 steals. Gay added 17 points and 8 rebounds, Gasol had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Conley finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists.
The Grizzlies dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Heat 47-32, and also led in steals 10-4. Rebounding and defense were the keys to their victory.
At the post-ga press conference, Han, Randolph, and Gay attended together.
Khalil had also been brought to the scene by Han Sen, who gave him a knowing glance as he entered and then took the seat on the far right of the podium.
As soon as the press conference started, Han Sen beca the focal point for reporters' questions, as he had provided many morable monts while matching up against LeBron tonight.
It was no exaggeration to say that LeBron had turned himself into the league's biggest villain with "The Decision," and Han Sen had exposed his facade tonight, revealing the hollow inside.
"How would you evaluate the performance of the Heat's Big Three tonight?" asked an ESPN reporter.
"DW is one of the top two shooting guards in the league, perhaps the best. Bosh is one of the top three power forwards. They created a lot of challenges for us on both ends, and Mike Miller did a good job spacing the floor. They're still adjusting, and I look forward to facing them again."
Top two, perhaps the best? Top three? And did he just refer to Miller as the third star?
Han Sen's brief comnts were bound to stir up a lot of controversy once reported.
It couldn't be helped. The Grizzlies were a small-market team with low attention, so Han Sen had to seize every opportunity to make his voice heard.
"And what about LeBron?" the reporter pressed.
Han Sen glanced at the reporter. LeBron? Started 0-for-4? Scored in garbage ti during the second quarter? Got exposed by in the third quarter? And got stripped by Tony Allen in the fourth?
Are you expecting to praise his highlight, that one alley-oop dunk?
"LeBron played terribly tonight," Han Sen's response instantly caused a stir.
He didn't hold back at all, despite LeBron calling him 'my good brother' before the ga.
But what ca next was even more shocking.
"I guess he hasn't fully recovered from his elbow injury."
When had LeBron suffered an elbow injury? There hadn't been any reports before the ga.
And he wasn't wearing any elbow braces tonight.
Could Han Sen have been referring to that elbow injury from last season's playoffs?
That would be pretty ruthless. LeBron had already appeared unaffected during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Magic last season.
Besides, half a year had passed since then; even if surgery had been required, he should have recovered by now!
At least stick to so basic facts when you criticize soone.
Han Sen shrugged. It wasn't his fault they kept pushing the question; he hadn't intended to bring it up.
"What do you think was the key to your team's upset victory tonight? I an, according to the NBA's power rankings, you're clearly a lower-ranked team compared to the Heat," asked another ESPN reporter.
"Why treat a power ranking put together by so journalist like it's gospel?"
After "The Decision," Han Sen had grown increasingly disdainful of ESPN.
"Rankings are filled with subjective judgnts. In the official NBA player rankings, LeBron is still considered the best. Did his performance tonight look like that of a top player?"
Han Sen's words left the reporter montarily speechless.
"I don't think our win tonight was an upset. But if you really want to talk surprises, I didn't expect us to even have garbage ti."
Han Sen was brash, but you couldn't argue with his point.
Then it was Khalil's turn to speak. He had a job to do tonight.
"I noticed you were wearing a pair of violet sneakers tonight, which you didn't wear last season?"
At this, all the other reporters turned to Khalil.
Co on, man, that was too forced!
But Han Sen had already stretched out his leg to show off his flashy shoes, which was also why he had chosen to sit on the far right—to show them off conveniently.
"Yes, this is my first signature sneaker, from UA, called the HS Terminator One."
If Durant were here, he would probably jump off the bench right now. He knew Han Sen had been trying to promote them to him!
But you have to admit, Han Sen's promotion was effective, as so reporters were already taking pictures.
Even though most of them hadn't heard of UA making basketball shoes, the unique design and color sche did stand out.
After Han Sen's influence, the atmosphere at the press conference beca much lighter in the second half.
When the Grizzlies' press conference ended and the Heat's Big Three arrived, the mood imdiately turned tense.
The Big Three had made their debut only to be blown out. Even with the excuse of needing ti to gel, there was no easy way to explain away such a loss.
"We played terribly, like moldy bread pulled from a slop bucket. Losing like this is unacceptable," Wade said dejectedly.
He was genuinely frustrated; both past and future paths seed blocked, and starting the season with such a failure was a nightmare.
"We couldn't contain Randolph; that was a tactical issue for the coaching staff. The players worked hard, though I believe things will gradually improve. This was only our first ga," Spoelstra said, trying to shoulder the bla.
A microphone was finally handed to LeBron.
His poor performance was plain for all to see. If not for scoring during the first two quarters, it could have been another Ga 4 disaster against the Celtics from last season.
"My elbow injury is still bothering ."
As soon as LeBron spoke, the reporters were stunned.
Wait, did Han Sen actually predict this?
"You know, last season it affected my performance. My team recomnded surgery, but I opted for conservative treatnt. It flared up again during training camp."
...
"Ah-choo!" Han Sen sneezed as he stepped out of the shower. It was still warm in Miami in October, so he wasn't sure if the water had been too cold or if he was just overthinking things.
"Hey Han, when we get back to mphis, you should co over to my place," Rudy Gay said, walking over. After tonight's ga, his good impression of Han had doubled, especially after that alley-oop that almost felt like magic.
Han nodded. The competition between them had faded since Rudy accepted his new role, and he appreciated Gay's straightforward nature. There was no harm in socializing off the court.
"Aweso! I'll have Ecko get things ready. We'll make sure it's a night you won't forget," Rudy added, referring to his wife.
Just then, Han's phone rang. It was Taylor Swift calling. He gave Rudy an apologetic wave before stepping aside to answer.
Later, instead of heading back to the hotel, Han went down to the underground garage. Taylor was waiting next to a sleek SUV, waving at him. It seed like she always had a different car in every city.
They hit the road, cruising along the highway. With the windows down, the cool breeze from Biscayne Bay swept through the car, refreshing and light.
Eventually, Taylor pulled over by a quieter section of the beach, donned her hat and sunglasses, and stepped out. Han followed her lead.
"Thanks for coming tonight," Han said, his tone sincere.
"Surprised?" Taylor grinned, clearly enjoying the spontaneity of it all.
Han chuckled and nodded. It was more of a shock, really. But he couldn't deny that her presence had brought in a flood of attention, including plenty of haters.
Tonight alone, he had gained a six-figure amount of hater points, not just from LeBron fans but from Swifties as well.
Taylor had unknowingly beco his secret weapon.
"I asked my friends about dating athletes, and none of them were into basketball players," she said, walking toward the sand.
"That makes sense. We can be pretty boring," Han replied, rembering how she had once watched him practice for hours.
"I don't think you're boring," she shot back, glancing at him with a hint of mischief. The moonlight illuminated her face, adding a touch of magic to the mont.
"You once asked if I had hobbies. It's not that I don't, but with people like us, there's barely any ti left. I spend six to seven hours a day training, then another hour or two recovering. The rest is for eating and sleeping. The only pet I could probably manage is a turtle because it doesn't need daily attention," Han said, a teasing smile on his lips.
Taylor laughed, her eyes lighting up. She took off her sunglasses, looking at him seriously. "I get it. My life's a lot like yours—except, of course, I also worry about running out of inspiration."
For her, it was a constant cycle of performing and writing songs, not to ntion all the travel. Every ti they t, Han found himself driving her to the airport.
"At least you're more free," he remarked.
"Free?" She repeated, stepping onto the sand and slipping off her shoes. "I haven't felt truly free in a long ti."
Han watched as she wandered toward the water, his hand instinctively reaching out as if to stop her. But she wasn't doing anything reckless; she was just letting the waves wash over her feet.
Relieved, he took off his own shoes and joined her. The salty breeze, the sound of the waves, and the silver moon above all combined to create a serene mont. Just then, Han felt Taylor's hand slip into his.
"You know, when I was 11, I sang at a Philadelphia 76ers ga," she said softly, staring out at the ocean, her voice nostalgic.
"Really?" That was news to him.
"They told who Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant were. Most girls don't like basketball players, but I always did." She tightened her grip on his hand. "So when I found out a basketball player had a crush on , you have no idea how happy that made ."
She turned to face him. Her expression was genuine, and Han felt a twinge of guilt for using her presence to rack up hater points.
No wonder Taylor had found his initial confession bold. The cake promise, her curiosity about his taste in won—it all made sense now. For her, it wasn't just about him; it was a nostalgic fantasy from her teenage years.
Looking at her under the moonlight, with her guard down and her youthful features glowing, Han pulled her closer. He didn't know if dating Taylor would lead to anything serious, but she was chasing a romantic ideal while he was a rookie in the world of relationships.
It wasn't as if he had to stay single just to compete in the NBA.
Worst-case scenario, if things went south, he'd end up in one of her breakup songs.
Taylor smiled, draping her arms around his neck. This ti, he leaned down, and when they kissed, he felt her breath hitch, the mont charged with electricity.
After a pause, she pulled away, laughing. "You're still not very good at that."
How was he supposed to get better at this kind of thing?
Before he could respond, Taylor kissed him again, but this ti she took the lead. Han wrapped his arms around her, lifting her effortlessly as he carried her back toward the SUV.
---
TL/n: I've added an auxiliary Chapter that records his stats and talents to date. I'm thinking of adding another one, explaining basketball terminologies for the casual readers.
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