The FedExForum was packed to capacity for the season opener. As Han Sen and his teammates erged from the tunnel, the arena lights dimd, and a spotlight illuminated the center court.
It was ti for the championship ring ceremony.
A wave of boos, loud and unrelenting, swept through the arena as Michael Heisley stepped into the spotlight.
Heisley had not returned to mphis since leaving in July, but as the owner, he couldn't skip the championship ceremony. Accompanied by his assistant, Rush, and two bodyguards, Heisley's face was grim.
Public sentint often dissipates over ti. For example, when LeBron Jas left Cleveland and faced backlash after "The Decision," so fans burned jerseys and protested at his house. However, when he returned, the outrage had subsided to re boos.
mphis fans were no different in principle, but this was mphis—a city where unpredictability reigned. Security asures had to be airtight.
Heisley's expression darkened further as the ceremony began. Being booed by your own fans during a dynasty's championship ceremony was unprecedented.
The event itself lacked grandeur. The championship rings were generic, and the ceremony felt like an obligatory formality. With Han Sen gone and the team's ownership status uncertain, it was clear the franchise was rely going through the motions.
When the spotlight shone on Han Sen, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Despite wearing a Cavaliers warmup, the crowd erupted in deafening applause and cheers.
The fans at the airport yesterday had only been the tip of the iceberg. Regardless of Han Sen's fallout with Heisley, his role in leading the Grizzlies to three consecutive championships made him a hero in mphis.
The stark contrast in reception between Heisley and Han Sen couldn't have been more apparent.
As Han walked to the center of the court, he acknowledged the crowd with a wave before approaching Heisley to receive his ring.
Heisley's face remained stony as he handed over the ring, but Han Sen didn't let the mont pass quietly.
"You'll regret not selling the team this sumr," Han said, his words cutting deep.
Even Commissioner Silver couldn't hide his reaction, frowning slightly at Han's boldness.
Before Heisley could respond, Han turned to soak in the crowd's cheers, leaving Heisley fuming. His face twisted in a scowl so dark it seed murderous.
Over the sumr, rumors swirled that Heisley might sell the team following Han's departure. Yet, he hadn't. It wasn't for lack of desire, but rather strategy—selling under duress would invite lowball offers. He was biding his ti, confident the team's new assets, including Andrew Wiggins, would increase its value.
But Han's words landed like a proclamation, and the sting was undeniable.
The ceremony concluded with the raising of the 2013–2014 championship banner, joining the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 banners. The three consecutive years symbolized a dynasty.
As Han looked up at the banners, he felt a mix of pride and frustration. What should have been a mont of triumph was marred by Heisley's shadow. Han resolved to show the world why those banners were his legacy.
During warmups, Grizzlies players began greeting Han. Rudy Gay ca over first, embracing him tightly, followed by Zach Randolph and Kenneth Faried.
Though Han was no longer a Grizzly, his bond with his forr teammates remained unbroken. None of them cared if Heisley was watching.
"I won't hold back tonight," Han joked to Rudy Gay after their hug.
"Andrew's in for a rough night," Rudy replied with a grin, hinting that Wiggins would be guarding Han.
Han welcod the challenge.
As the prega festivities wrapped up, the broadcast cut to split-screen shots of Han Sen and Andrew Wiggins. The matchup was generating buzz not only because of the sumr trade but also because of the brands they represented.
Wiggins was Nike's prized rookie signee, landing a five-year, $15 million deal after Under Armour (UA) showed interest. In contrast, UA signed Zach LaVine for a more modest four-year, $4 million deal, saving resources to pursue Klay Thompson next year.
Viewers' attention soon shifted to Han's footwear. He wasn't wearing his signature HS series sneakers but an unfamiliar design.
The shoes featured a striking panda-inspired design with a black tongue, white laces, and a black-and-white striped band extending to the heel, forming a panda face.
Fans quickly began investigating and discovered the shoes were part of UA's new "HS Panda Series." The line wasn't officially released yet, available only for limited preorders.
Within minutes, preorder sales exploded, and social dia buzzed with discussions. UA's marketing gamble had paid off handsoly.
...
The ga moved into the opening ceremony as both teams' starting lineups were announced.
Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, Han Sen, PJ Tucker, Tristan Thompson, Spencer Hawes
Grizzlies: Mike Conley, Andrew Wiggins, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol tipped the ball to the Grizzlies' side, and the highly anticipated battle officially began.
With Han Sen gone, the Grizzlies shifted their offensive focus to the inside.
Marc Gasol received the ball in the low post, executed a series of spins, and finished with a hook shot.
Despite Hawes' solid shot-blocking abilities, he struggled to contain Gasol in his pri.
Han Sen didn't take the ball imdiately.
Running the offense through a ball-dominant player from the start consus a lot of energy. Letting teammates go first and stepping up only when they falter is the smarter approach.
The Cavaliers' offensive setup had Tucker in the weak-side corner, Han Sen at the 45-degree angle, Hawes at the top of the arc, and Thompson in the dunker's spot, creating ample spacing.
Kyrie Irving opted for an isolation against Mike Conley.
Although Conley's defense was solid, Irving's ball-handling was on another level. After a series of crossovers and hesitations, Irving broke past Conley.
However, Randolph had already rotated under the basket.
Irving accelerated and attempted a crafty reverse layup.
The move was gorgeous, but his angle was slightly off. The ball ricocheted off the rim, and Randolph secured the rebound.
Conley pushed the ball up for another half-court possession.
This ti, Randolph bullied Tristan Thompson in the post, drawing Hawes' help defense before dishing it to Gasol for an easy dunk.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
The disparity in inside strength between the two teams was evident.
On the next possession, Irving ran a pick-and-roll with Thompson.
Thompson rolled hard to the rim, showcasing why he averaged 12 points over the past two seasons despite being a blue-collar player.
But the Grizzlies had a plan. Randolph and Conley blitzed Irving off the pick.
Under pressure, Irving's weakness as a passer beca apparent. He attempted a lob, but the angle was off, and Thompson couldn't grab it, resulting in a turnover.
"TT has no shooting; they'll keep blitzing you. You need to pass earlier," Han Sen advised Irving during the transition defense.
The Grizzlies' core dynasty players didn't need coaching on what to do during the ga; their experience was unparalleled.
In contrast, the young Cavaliers lacked exposure to high-level competition—a gap only ti and gas could bridge.
The Grizzlies returned to their bread-and-butter post offense, with Gasol getting another touch.
Head coach Joerger knew Han Sen's defensive prowess on the periter, so he aid to exploit the Cavs' weaker inside defense.
This ti, Han Sen rotated to help.
He tid his move perfectly, forcing Gasol into a difficult position. However, the veteran center raised the ball overhead and spotted a cutting Wiggins.
Wiggins caught the pass in stride, soared into the air, and unleashed a ferocious tomahawk dunk.
The FedExForum erupted.
Even Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, watching from his VIP suite, jumped out of his seat, pumping his fists in excitent.
"Who needs Han Sen? We've got Wiggins!"
The sa formula that catapulted the Grizzlies into contention with Han Sen could be repeated with Wiggins—or so the crowd believed.
"Defense! Defense!"
Wiggins' dunk electrified the fans.
This scene sharply contrasted with Cleveland fans, who cheered Han Sen during his first return as a Grizzly, even chanting his iconic line, "Who is your daddy?"
But this was mphis—where Han Sen built his dynasty. Such reception was not in the cards.
Han Sen finally took control of the ball.
The crowd's chants instinctively quieted, aware of his nace.
Wiggins assud a defensive stance, hyper-focused.
As soone who attended Han Sen's sumr training camp, he knew how dangerous the forr MVP was.
But in an instant, Han Sen crossed him up and blew by him.
While Han Sen's post-up ga had beco his signature in recent years, longti fans rembered his deadly face-up skills from his rookie playoff series against Kevin Durant and the Thunder.
Wiggins recovered quickly, chasing from the side.
Thompson, learning from earlier mistakes, boxed out Randolph effectively.
As Han Sen approached the rim, Wiggins leaped to contest.
Fueled by confidence from his earlier dunk, Wiggins was determined to et Han Sen at the summit.
But reality hit hard.
Han Sen soared higher than expected, with Wiggins only reaching his elbow.
Boom!
Han Sen dunked over Wiggins with authority, silencing the arena.
As he landed, Han Sen shot Wiggins a piercing glare, his eyes seemingly saying, "Welco to the NBA."
The Cavaliers' bench erupted.
"This is daddy!" Cunningham shouted enthusiastically.
Irving and Thompson rushed over, hyped up by the display.
Monts like these were foreign to the young Cavaliers, who previously lacked resilience in adversity.
Back on defense, the Cavs' intensity visibly increased.
Hawes held his ground against Gasol, securing the defensive rebound.
Irving initiated a fast break but pulled it back as the Grizzlies quickly transitioned into defense, handing the ball to Han Sen.
Han Sen called for a high pick-and-roll with Thompson.
He demonstrated masterful timing, accelerating into the paint just as the Grizzlies' help defense converged.
Before the defense fully collapsed, Han Sen lobbed the ball to the rim.
Thompson soared over Gay and threw down a thunderous dunk, drawing a foul in the process.
The referee's whistle confird the 2 1 opportunity.
Hawes chest-bumped Thompson in celebration, while Irving exchanged excited words with Han Sen, dissecting the intricacies of the pick-and-roll.
In that mont, it felt like a ray of light pierced through the dark cloud that had hung over Cleveland for four long years.
-End of Chapter-
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