Han Sen played the entire first quarter, scoring 20 points, a personal best for points in a single quarter, while also effectively containing Kyrie Irving.
With Jamison struggling under Faried's tight defense, the Grizzlies turned the first quarter around after initially trailing, closing with a double-digit lead over the Cavaliers.
Though the ga seed settled, the Cavaliers managed to keep the score close at the start of the second quarter.
Thompson's tough defense and offensive rebounding, along with the improved Cunningham and periter threat Ramon Sessions, made the Cavaliers' bench surprisingly effective.
Han Sen returned with six minutes left in the second quarter and continued his strong play, adding another 8 points to reach 28 by halfti.
The Grizzlies led the Cavaliers 55-42.
The Cavaliers were still in it, but that changed in the third quarter.
After halfti, Irving opened with a three-pointer, sparking a Cavaliers' rally. However, the Grizzlies responded with a 15-3 run.
Han Sen contributed a three-pointer, two mid-range shots, and two assists during this stretch. With two minutes left in the third quarter, Han was subbed out for a break.
The LED screen displayed his stats for the night: 15-for-22 field goals, 2-for-4 from three, 7-for-8 free throws, totaling 41 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
Last season, in his first return to Cleveland, Han set his career-high of 43 points; this season, he had already reached 40 in three quarters.
Quicken Loans Arena, where he once declared "This is my house," had beco his lucky ground.
Ultimately, the Grizzlies comfortably defeated the Cavaliers 103-87 in this nationally televised ga.
At the post-ga press conference, Han Sen joined Coach Joerger.
"How would you rate Irving's performance tonight?" a reporter from TNT asked, noting Irving's respectable 25 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
"He's a very talented and competitive player. I enjoy playing against him on the court."
While aggressive on the court, Han Sen was generous in his praise afterward.
"Your offensive intensity tonight seed high. Did that have anything to do with Gay's comnt pre-ga?" The follow-up question caught Han a bit off guard.
After practice, he had gone straight to the locker room, unaware of what Gay had said.
"He said you could score 40 points whenever you wanted," the reporter reminded him.
Han laughed at that.
In the current slower-paced NBA, with fewer possessions and intense defense, scoring 40 points wasn't as easy as it used to be.
Yes, he could easily hit 40 against weaker teams like the Cavaliers, but against top teams like the Lakers, Spurs, or Heat, success would depend on the opponent's defensive strategies and his own shooting form.
Gay's comnt had hyped him up.
"That's right," Han nodded, fully understanding the implications and knowing he could use this opportunity to earn more [hater points].
At that mont, Joerger took the mic and, with a smile, said, "I asked Han if he wanted to play in the fourth, but he declined. If he had, he could've easily scored 50 tonight."
That was an "assist" that Hollins would never have given him.
Though so NBA coaches lack in tactical ability, they offer emotional support that can work wonders for team morale.
"Han Could Score 50 Anyti He Wants."
This headline quickly trended, and Han raked in a lot of hater points.
"Padding stats against weak teams," "Only Kobe could make such a claim," "Young, arrogant, but better not be too cocky" were so reactions.
Han saw the reactions and shared the article on his social dia.
Though his primary focus was to max out the [Uncle Drew] talent, in this shortened season, ti was limited, so he welcod any extra [hater points].
While sharing the news, he noticed his Facebook following had surpassed 3 million. Not quite "celebrity" status yet, but a far cry from when only his own alternate account followed him.
Among his followers were several "big nas" like Selena Goz, Paris Hilton, and Kim Kardashian, a result of the ongoing dia buzz.
But Han didn't read too much into these followers. After all, even he'd follow interesting stories out of curiosity.
What caught him off guard was a private ssage—from Madonna. The content was quite forward, essentially inviting him to her ho to "hang out."
Han shuddered a bit. Madonna was 53 by now, still looking to "play"?
By February, Han's social dia post had drawn increased defensive pressure from opponents.
Was that a bad thing for him? Not at all. Much like previous abilities, high-intensity gas only accelerated his talent's progress.
With his new passing skills, he could toggle between scoring and passing without letting tough defense impact his ga.
Ironically, this sped up his progress.
Additionally, two more waves of hater points rolled in.
One wave involved Jeremy Lin.
In late January, Lin joined the Knicks and in early February exploded onto the scene with "Linsanity."
As the only two active Asian guards, Han and Lin were naturally compared.
ESPN sumd it up with a pointed remark: "Sotis, NBA success is just about opportunity. Han got his in mphis, and now Lin has his in New York. They're no different."
The other wave was due to Dwight Howard.
Howard's trade request, which had dragged on for months, ended in a near farce.
After declaring his "loyalty," he announced he'd stay with the team through 2013 by exercising his 2012 player option.
This was t with widespread player mockery.
Though Han thought Howard hadn't done anything wrong, Howard's "loyalty" ① statent evoked mories of when Han had said, "Don't let loyalty hurt you."
Swift's words were prophetic: "They'll criticize you not because of what you do, but because they want to."
The classic case of "More fa, more problems."
But Han had learned that increasing his influence outside of basketball was another way to earn hater points.
His relationship with Swift had already boosted his off-court profile, generating many hater points from her fanbase.
Since they'd broken up, though, unless he started actively trashing Swift, he wouldn't be able to gain any more hater points from that group.
Yet there were many off-court opportunities—singing, for instance... but he dismissed that thought.
Movies, however, seed more promising.
Many NBA stars had dabbled in film, like Shaq in Scary Movie or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's famous scene with Bruce Lee in Ga of Death.
And who knew? After achieving great success, starring in a Jordan-style movie might be possible.
Han had plenty of script ideas in mind from his mories of movies.
While Han trained and considered off-court ventures, this year's All-Star voting results ca in ②.
Unsurprisingly, Han received 1.8 million votes, making him the top vote-getter.
Why fewer votes this year?
The lockout-shortened season had lowered overall interest, and the league had reweighted the votes from China, where fans pushed Marc Gasol to the starting center for the West.
Of course, Gasol's impressive season contributed to this as well. He averaged 16.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks, all career highs.
Gasol thanked Han for his assist in his dia interview:
"We all know the sacrifices Han makes for the team, and my performance wouldn't be the sa without his support."
These weren't just polite words. Han's playmaking had done wonders for Gasol's numbers.
With Conley also participating in the Skills Challenge, Han wouldn't be alone at All-Star Weekend.
...
February flew by, and just before the All-Star break, the Grizzlies had another nationally televised ga against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
The Lakers have encountered so challenges this season, the most surprising of which has been the health of their main center, Okafor.
Aside from a few ankle injuries early in his career due to weight issues, Okafor has had high attendance in recent seasons.
Over the past four seasons, he played full seasons in three, and in the one he didn't, he still managed 72 gas.
But this season, now with the Lakers, he's suffered repeated injuries to his left knee, playing intermittently.
Furthermore, Jordan Hill's defensive abilities have fallen short of expectations, leaving the team with significant rotation issues in the frontcourt.
Yet, these troubles haven't stopped the Lakers from dominating. They now sit atop the league standings.
With Chris Paul and Pau Gasol driving the team and Kobe's strong desire for his sixth championship, Kobe is playing at the most efficient level of his career.
In this ga, Lakers head coach Mike Brown opted for full-court, one-on-one defense on Han Sen, using Artest, Barnes, and even Kobe to mark him.
The Grizzlies rely on a team-oriented style, and cutting off Han Sen's connection with his teammates proved more effective than simply trying to limit his scoring.
Brown may not excel in offensive strategy, but his defensive tactics are solid.
The result was that Han Sen gave his all, scoring his first career 50 points.
But the Grizzlies ultimately lost, 106-115.
Kobe scored 41 points, Gasol contributed 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Paul added 14 points and 14 assists.
This ga was a great showcase of Han Sen's current abilities. Even against a title contender, he can still put up 50 points when giving his all.
But losing renders the stats aningless, and Han Sen only said one thing after the ga: "We'll win it back."
The two teams will et again in March, after the All-Star Ga.
Back in mphis, Han Sen ran into Randolph at the practice facility.
Ti had flown by, and it had already been over a month since Randolph's injury. Randolph was now able to do so off-ball training.
At his current recovery rate, he'll be ready to return after the All-Star break.
Han Sen went over to greet Randolph and practiced with him for a bit.
Losing to the Lakers was a clear reminder that basketball is not a one-man sport.
Although Conley, Gay, and Gasol Jr. have all improved this season, Randolph's presence is crucial against an experienced team like the Lakers.
It's not that having Randolph on the court guarantees a win, but if they were to play a series, the difference between having Randolph and not having him would be substantial.
Randolph was also eager to return.
It's not that Han Sen is fighting alone, but without him, the Grizzlies have been performing well. If Randolph doesn't co back soon, he might lose his place in the team.
"Winning is not the problem; it's embarrassing if soone's missing." This applies to everyone.
On February 26, Randolph stayed in mphis for rehab, while Han Sen, along with Marc Gasol and Conley, flew to Orlando for the All-Star Ga.
This year, Han Sen only needed to participate in the main ga, so he had more free ti during the first few days compared to past All-Star events.
On the first day, aside from participating in promotional events, he spent ti hanging out with Gasol and the others.
The next day, Conley was set to participate in the Skills Challenge, so he and Gasol dressed in suits and sat in the front row, ready to watch.
This year's Skills Challenge was star-studded, featuring Curry, Westbrook, Wall, Rondo, Parker, and Irving, in addition to Conley.
Irving, in particular, was drawing a lot of attention after his 34 points and 9 assists in the Rookie Challenge the previous night.
While they chatted, debating who might win, a soft voice chid in nearby.
"Mind if I place my bet too?"
Han turned to see a familiar face, smiling and slipping into the seat beside him.
It was Scarlet Johansson.
Only monts ago, he was sure soone else was sitting there.
Surprised but amused, he returned her smile. "Scarlett? Didn't expect to see you here."
She extended a hand warmly. "We've never t, but I've heard plenty about you."
He chuckled, shaking her hand. "Good things, I hope."
"Would I be here if they weren't?" she replied with a playful wink.
---
①: "One of the main reasons is that I'm a very loyal person. I've always believed that loyalty is more important than anything else. The past few months have been tough for , but I'm not the way many people think or describe. I am loyal; betrayal isn't in my nature." — Howard on his decision to stay.
②: Western Conference Starters: Han Sen, Kobe, Durant, Griffin, Gasol
Substitutes: Paul, Westbrook, Parker, Aldridge, Nowitzki, Love, Bynum
Eastern Conference Starters: Rose, Wade, Jas, Anthony, Howard
Substitutes: Deron, Joe Johnson, Iguodala, Pierce, Luol Deng, Bosh, Hibbert
(End of Chapter)
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