"If he doesn't dare to make a move, then he's only focused on racking up stats. And when the team loses, he'll act like it's not his fault." Gay said this with a look of disdain.
While the Grizzlies' principle was to play it safe and secure the win without unnecessary drama, witnessing Jas's antics was just aggravating.
Han Sen stared at Gay for a mont. Gay had gotten sharper, hadn't he?
If Jas had no chance of winning and no intention of going all out, all that remained was the usual 'stat-padding showcase.'
"You're right," Han Sen finally nodded.
Gay, initially thinking Han wouldn't go along with it, was caught off guard when he did. His initial lack of excitent for Ga 4 suddenly transford into boundless motivation.
He grinned and stretched out his hand, sharing a firm high-five with Han.
Their plan required more than just the two of them, though. Han instructed Gay to gather the others, including Marc Gasol.
Han Sen's reason for agreeing wasn't just to thwart Jas's selfish intentions—it was also to give Westbrook a helping hand.
By showing the Thunder managent what Jas's solo leadership looked like, they'd naturally lean toward Westbrook when it ca ti to make offseason decisions.
...
The dia's Agenda
As the initial dia frenzy began to settle before Ga 4, the narrative started shifting. Reports of Jas's outburst were conveniently downplayed, while Westbrook beca the primary target of negative press.
"KD flourished as an MVP after leaving Westbrook—it's clear he was holding the Thunder back."
"Westbrook can't be a reliable second option. He demands the ball too much and plays inefficiently."
"If it were Westbrook injured at the start of the season instead of Jas, the Thunder's record would've been much better."
Unlike Jas, Westbrook didn't have a 'Windhorst' to defend his case. He faced the dia storm almost entirely alone—eerily similar to what Han knew Westbrook endured in 'history' before leaving the Lakers.
...
Ga 4: A Restless Crowd
At Chesapeake Energy Arena, the stands were only 80% full—a first in this series. The reduced attendance was a silent protest from OKC fans, echoing their dissatisfaction.
This was tied deeply to Thunder history.
Officially, the Thunder inherited the Seattle SuperSonics' legacy, but the bitter relocation left them without the cultural connection to Seattle's past. For Thunder fans, the team's true history started in 2008.
In that history, Durant had beco associated with the Sonics, as Seattle's final draft pick. But Westbrook was OKC's first-ever lottery pick. His fiery personality made him a fan favorite, loved even more than anyone else on the team.
...
During the prega warmups, the caras panned to Jas. To everyone's surprise, he looked happier than ever—grinning ear to ear.
Optimists might say he was staying upbeat despite the circumstances. Cynics would argue he was delighted to hog the spotlight now that Westbrook was suspended.
After the player introductions, the starting lineups were announced. The Grizzlies stuck with their usual five, while the Thunder replaced Westbrook with Fisher at point guard.
Marc Gasol secured the opening tip for the Grizzlies, and the ga was underway. Without Westbrook, the Grizzlies had no reason to employ a grind-it-out strategy.
Right from the start, Conley breezed past the aging Fisher, assisting Gay for a thunderous dunk.
Jas, who completely missed his defensive assignnt, drew jeers from the crowd.
On the other end, the Thunder cleared the weak side, leaving Jas to post up Gay. With Fisher's steady three-point shooting, Jas theoretically had more space to operate.
Gay applied pressure from the front, but as Jas spun toward the basket, Han Sen appeared out of nowhere, exploiting Marc Gasol's screen as cover.
Smack!
Han stripped the ball cleanly, catching Jas completely off guard. Han dashed to the other end, taking off from just inside the free-throw line for a soaring tomahawk dunk.
The crowd erupted.
The Grizzlies had opened the ga with back-to-back emphatic slams, setting a blistering tone.
Jas's expression darkened. His initial defensive intensity was supposed to signal goodwill, but the Grizzlies were having none of it—especially Han Sen, who seed as 'low EQ' as ever.
Jas tried again, posting up Gay and carefully watching Han this ti. But Han didn't wait—he preemptively rotated over, forcing Jas to pass to Afflalo.
Afflalo sank a three-pointer and struck a triumphant pose for the caras, but the Grizzlies hardly flinched.
Conley responded by slicing through the Thunder defense like a knife through butter. After a pick-and-roll with Marc Gasol, he lobbed the ball to the big man for another vicious dunk.
The Grizzlies were relentless, dunking on three of their first possessions. They treated the Thunder's paint like their personal playground.
The lack of Westbrook was glaring.
Passion, an intangible but invaluable elent, was completely absent from the Thunder's play. Against a stronger opponent, it was the kind of energy that could make all the difference.
Jas continued trying to make plays, finding Afflalo for a pump-fake and a midrange jumper—but the shot clanked off the rim. Afflalo's typically reliable midrange ga was clearly affected by the team's overall dysfunction.
anwhile, Conley was playing like a man possessed, repeatedly blowing past Fisher.
Facing Ibaka's help defense, Conley dished to Randolph, who lobbed it to Marc Gasol for an alley-oop slam.
The Grizzlies' offense was an unstoppable force, flowing like liquid rcury.
So fans couldn't sit still anymore. This Thunder team bore no resemblance to the one they had cheered for all season.
LeBron adjusted his offensive strategy.
Post-ups are static moves that often draw double teams, creating chances for teammates. But if those teammates miss their shots, the entire play collapses.
Instead, LeBron began orchestrating from beyond the three-point line, signaling for Fisher to set a pick.
A classic pick-and-roll mismatch ensued. However, the Grizzlies chose not to switch. Gay maneuvered around the screen and sagged back, giving LeBron space to shoot from three.
Clang!
The ball smashed against the rim.
Marc Gasol secured the defensive rebound, and the Grizzlies quickly launched a fast break. When Gay received a pass from Han Sen and threw down another thunderous dunk, the entire arena erupted into chaos.
10–3.
It was déjà vu from Gas 1 and 2—only this ti, the intensity was magnified. Watching live in the arena was far more visceral than viewing on TV.
And then, sothing even more dramatic unfolded on the court.
When the Thunder brought the ball back into the frontcourt, Han Sen switched onto LeBron.
The mont LeBron saw Han Sen in front of him, he imdiately realized the Grizzlies were going to make life hell for him tonight.
Initially, LeBron considered giving up the ball. However, recalling the recent Nike endorsent drama on social dia, he steeled himself. He needed to fight back.
Catching the ball with his back to Han Sen, LeBron reset his pivot foot. Let's not forget, LeBron trained under Hakeem Olajuwon, technically making him Han Sen's senior in the art of post moves.
As LeBron prepared to make his move, Han Sen suddenly reached in to steal the ball.
LeBron instinctively took a step with his right foot to dodge the attempt, negating his reset pivot foot.
But LeBron wasn't called 'The King' for nothing. Ignoring the minor setback, he continued to back down Han Sen as if nothing had happened.
Technically, LeBron's weight advantage should've allowed him to overpower Han Sen.
However, LeBron had been caught with a chair pulled out too many tis in their previous matchups, so he didn't dare go all in. As a result, Han Sen maintained constant pressure on the ball.
LeBron ultimately spun toward the basket with a power move, flaring his elbows aggressively as he attacked.
As he approached the rim, he saw Marc Gasol stepping in for help defense. LeBron jumped, seeking contact for a finish.
But just as they collided, Gasol instinctively tucked his hips and abs, sidestepping to avoid the full impact. Years of playing against LeBron had drilled this reflex into him.
Without a solid point of contact, LeBron lost his balance and sailed past the hoop. Yet, his athleticism still allowed him to attempt a tricky jelly layup mid-fall.
The ball seed destined to fall through the net—until a hand ca out of nowhere and smothered it.
Han Sen, who had been elbowed aside monts earlier, recovered to chase down the play. With perfect timing, he soared to swat the ball away.
LeBron, anwhile, crashed into the courtside seats.
Glancing down at LeBron sprawled among the photographers, Han Sen wasted no ti, pushing the ball upcourt. He sprinted past the Thunder defense and finished with a soaring one-handed dunk, igniting the crowd into a frenzy.
It wasn't until Han Sen completed his highlight-reel slam that LeBron finally rose to his feet.
When the cara cut back to LeBron, many fans found it hard to watch.
It beca painfully obvious—the Grizzlies were targeting LeBron relentlessly.
From a strategic standpoint, this adjustnt made sense. With Westbrook out, the Thunder's only true ballhandler was LeBron.
But visually, it felt brutal.
The Grizzlies' approach tonight was even more aggressive than in Gas 1 and 2. They capitalized on every opportunity to force turnovers and run fast breaks.
Westbrook's absence played a big role in this. As a guard, Westbrook's blazing speed in transition usually deterred the Grizzlies from pushing the pace. Without him, they ran freely.
One had to wonder—did LeBron miss Westbrook, even just a little?
Especially when, on the next possession, Han Sen was still in his face, guarding him tightly.
LeBron tried forcing a shot but was blocked again, making him rethink his approach.
Eventually, he resorted to holding the ball at the top of the arc, directing his teammates into action.
For a brief mont, Han Sen thought LeBron resembled Draymond Green.
Unfortunately for OKC, they didn't have a Curry or Durant. Afflalo's catch-and-shoot attempt, following a screen, was contested by Gay and missed badly.
The Thunder were struggling to score—each basket felt as improbable as the national soccer team finding the back of the net.
The Grizzlies finally failed to convert on a possession, giving the Thunder a rare opportunity. Robin Lopez's pick-and-roll dive resulted in a layup, snapping a long scoring drought.
The crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief.
But their reprieve was short-lived.
On the very next play, Han Sen posted up LeBron. Using a shoulder fake, he tricked LeBron into jumping, then calmly banked in a shot off an up-and-under move.
After scoring, Han Sen spread his hands and looked at LeBron, his expression cheeky.
"A master can lead you to the door, but personal growth is up to you."
The crowd erupted.
LeBron's face darkened, as if he were ready to kill soone.
At that mont, Johnson checked in for Rudy Gay.
By halfti, the Grizzlies led 48–30.
Eighteen points. The ga was already a blowout.
So fans began leaving early to avoid postga traffic.
On social dia, public opinion began turning against the dia narratives.
Forget the previous ga—OKC at least competed in the first three gas when Westbrook played. Without him, they had no chance from the opening tip tonight.
How could anyone claim the Thunder were better off with LeBron leading the team? If that were true, they'd be fishing for the offseason by now!
But the most glaring detail was LeBron's halfti stats: 8 attempts, 2 makes, 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists.
If Han Sen had thought LeBron resembled Draymond earlier, these numbers sealed the comparison. He was now officially OKC's Draymond Green.
Why had LeBron only taken eight shots in a half?
The Grizzlies were to bla.
Even during the bench rotations, they relentlessly targeted LeBron, ensuring his shooting percentage stayed abysmal.
As for why LeBron hadn't fought back harder?
Spotting old acquaintance Jas Johnson on the Grizzlies' bench reminded him why his head was pounding.
With the first half winding down, Han Sen once again guarded LeBron.
LeBron stood on the weak side with his hands on his hips, visibly frustrated. He knew he'd lost the battle tonight.
"You good?" Han Sen asked, feigning concern.
LeBron glanced at him before turning away, biting his mouthguard. He wasn't naive enough to believe Han Sen's words carried any goodwill.
Yet, despite ntally preparing himself, Han Sen's next comnt still made him freeze mid-chew, his fists clenching as he glared daggers at his opponent.
"Does your groin hurt? Are your legs cramping? Maybe your elbow injury is flaring up again?"
-To be continued-
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