December arrived in the blink of an eye.
The Cavaliers had wrapped up the first month of their season, finishing November with a record of 10 wins and 5 losses. They stood third in the East, behind the Heat and the Raptors.
While their record wasn't as strong as last season's, the Cavs had gained more than expected from this opening stretch.
Kyrie Irving delivered the best month of his career, averaging 25.8 points, 7.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per ga.
Even more impressive than the numbers was his growing ability to handle double teams with composure.
It's a simple truth in basketball: give any player the ball for long enough, even a role player, and they'll look like an All-Star with enough dia hype.
Kyrie wasn't just any role player, though. He had the talent, and now he understood what he needed to improve. With enough space to make mistakes and grow, his potential could be fully unleashed.
But Han's decision to share the ball wasn't just about Kyrie.
Nikola Jokić had an encouraging debut, struggled for a few gas, but quickly showed his ability to adapt.
In mid-November, he recorded a career-high 4 assists against the Bulls. On Thanksgiving, he scored in double digits for the first ti against the Bucks. And by the end of the month, in a ga against the Magic, he posted his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. His progress was undeniable.
The Cavaliers' first ga of December was against the Spurs.
At the start of the season, the Spurs hadn't cracked the league's top-five rankings. But after November, they were right behind the Warriors and Lakers as one of the Western Conference's powerhouses, surpassing the Rockets.
They had posted an 11-4 record in November.
While the addition of LaMarcus Aldridge was a factor, the real key to their success was Kawhi Leonard. He had blossod into a star, averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2 steals per ga.
Don't let the scoring numbers fool you — in San Antonio's team-first system, putting up 20 points per ga was no small feat. It was a testant to Kawhi's efficiency, similar to Han's early days with the Grizzlies, when his impact went far beyond the stat sheet.
For the Cavaliers, the opener against the Warriors had been a battle, and this matchup with the Spurs would be another tough one.
Fortunately, it was a ho ga. They'd have the advantage of rest and preparation.
---
On the morning of ga day, Coach Malone walked into the locker room before practice.
All eyes turned to him, wondering what was going on.
He made a beeline for Jokić.
"You'll be in the starting lineup tomorrow."
Jokić, initially confused, froze. He thought he was in trouble. Instead, it was great news.
As soon as Malone left, the locker room erupted. Teammates rushed over to congratulate Jokić.
As the team's resident 'mascot', Jokić's promotion to starter was cause for celebration.
Even Kevin Garnett gave him a nod of approval."Wait," Jokić said, frowning. "Does this an you're going to the bench, Kevin?""If it helps the team, I'm happy to do it," Garnett replied, his tone genuine.
Clearly, this wasn't a surprise to KG — he and Malone must have discussed it beforehand. Garnett, after all, wasn't eager to burn himself out as a starting center at this stage of his career.
During practice, Malone placed Jokić with the starting unit.
It wasn't a completely unfamiliar role for Nikola. His minutes had been steadily increasing, and he'd often shared the floor with the starters.
Still, during practice, his nerves were evident.
Malone noticed but didn't make a big deal out of it. Everyone's first start cos with jitters.
---
After practice, Han was scrolling through his phone, stressing over Christmas gift ideas.
It didn't matter how rich you were — finding the right gift for your girlfriend was never easy.
He sighed, locking the screen and putting the phone down. It wasn't happening today.
Just then, Jokić plopped down beside him.
Han glanced over and couldn't help but chuckle. Jokić's eyebrows were arched in a worried expression, making him look like a human emoji.
"Nikola, why do you look like that?" Han teased. "It's just a start. Relax."
"I'm not worried about starting," Jokić mumbled, shaking his head. "It's who I'm starting against."
Han blinked. "Right. TD's their starting center now."
Jokić nodded solemnly.
With Aldridge in San Antonio, Tim Duncan had moved to the center spot. And now, Nikola's first career start would be against the Tim Duncan — the man who defined sustained greatness for two decades.
It made sense why Jokić was feeling the pressure.
"When I was with the Cavs," Han said, leaning back, "it took six gas to crack the starting lineup."
Jokić's eyes widened in admiration. "No wonder they call you the boss."
Han smirked, shaking his head. "That's not the point. My first start? Guess who I had to guard."
"Who?"
"KD."
Nikola sat up straighter, eyebrows rising even higher. Kevin Durant. The league's second-best player, right behind Han himself.
"How'd it go?"
Han grinned. "He dropped 34 on ."
Jokić winced.
"But," Han continued, "it took him 29 shots to get there. I held him to five turnovers. And I put up 20 on him."
Nikola let out a low whistle.
"I'm not scoring 20 on Tim Duncan," Jokić muttered, shaking his head.
"There's your problem." Han frowned. "You're too hard on yourself, Nikola. Way too hard."
Jokić scratched the back of his head awkwardly. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the vote of confidence. He just couldn't wrap his head around why Han believed in him so much.
Han leaned forward. "Look. I faced pri KD. You're up against a 39-year-old Duncan. What's the worst he's gonna do? Flop for a foul call?"
Nikola froze for a second, then broke into a grin.
Han chuckled, imagining Duncan pulling a KG-style flop. "Co on. Stop him? No. You're gonna dominate him."
Nikola nodded slowly, but Han noticed he still couldn't bring himself to repeat the word dominate.
Han sighed, shaking his head. Lighting a fire under Jokić wasn't going to be easy.
But once it was lit? The whole league would burn.
Han picked up his phone again, scrolling for gift ideas.
But after that unexpected exchange with Jokić, he felt more stressed than ever.
"Boss, are you picking out a gift for your girlfriend?"
Han looked up, surprised. Nikola hadn't left. Instead, he'd wandered over, curious.
Han nodded, sighing as he locked the screen again. Yeah, this wasn't happening today.
"What does she like?" Nikola pressed on.
Han gave him a look.
There was no way Nikola had an interest in Anjali — he hadn't even t her. The kid was clearly just trying to help.
But seriously? A rookie giving advice on gift-giving? It felt like taking poker tips from soone who'd never played a hand.
"You got a girlfriend?" Han asked, half-joking.
Nikola nodded without hesitation.
Now Han was the one caught off guard.
"Wait. You have a girlfriend?"
"Since I was sixteen," Nikola said casually.
Han's jaw dropped.
Damn.
This goofy kid? He'd been in a relationship for years.
"Alright," Han said, warming up to the idea. "What do you think I should get her?"
"Well, what does she like?"
"Basketball. Animals. Working out. Writing songs. That's about it."
Nikola's eyes lit up. "You're lucky, Boss. Finding soone who loves basketball? That's a blessing."
Han chuckled. "Yeah. She's one of a kind."
"I think you should get her a pet," Nikola suggested. "A cat or a dog. Sothing that matches her interests. And if she takes care of it every day, she'll always rember you gave it to her."
Han paused, considering it.
Then, with a grin, he clapped Nikola on the shoulder.
"Good idea, Joker."
Joker.
The nickna had slipped out naturally — a nod to Nikola's calm deanor and ability to surprise people in the most unexpected ways.
As it turned out, Han and Anjali had t at a pet market.
Maybe Nikola was onto sothing.
---
That evening, the Cavs hosted the Spurs at Quicken Loans Arena.
The place was packed, as usual.
Before the ga, Gregg Popovich was asked about Han Sen.
"I think he's a greater player than Jordan," Pop said with a deadpan expression. "He can do anything he wants on the court."
The comnt sent a ripple through the Cavs fan base.
After last season's playoff run, it seed even Pop was ready to give Han his flowers.
But older fans? They weren't buying it.
They rembered the history between Han and Pop.
That wasn't praise.
It was a setup.
After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups were announced.
Spurs: Tony Parker, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan.
Cavs: Kyrie Irving, Han Sen, P.J. Tucker, Tristan Thompson, Nikola Jokić.
Popovich visibly hesitated when Jokić's na was called in the starting five.
The Cavs hadn't hinted at this lineup change.
It was a curveball.
---
The ga tipped off with Duncan and Jokić at center court.
Neither of them had much bounce left in their legs, but the younger Nikola got the better of Timmy and secured the first possession for Cleveland.
Kyrie started as the primary ball-handler, calling for a pick-and-roll with Jokić.
He drove hard at Duncan.
But Nikola's screen was shaky, leaving Kyrie caught in a double team.
Still, Kyrie spun out of trouble, creating just enough space to thread a bounce pass to Nikola in the paint.
Jokić caught the ball near the rim.
But Kawhi Leonard was already rotating over.
Most rookies panic in that mont.
Not Nikola.
He calmly raised the ball high, using his size to shield it from Kawhi before flipping up a soft shot.
Except Kawhi wasn't having it.
Leonard swatted the ball out of the air, sending it flying toward the sideline.
Parker scooped it up and led a fast break, spinning past Kyrie for his signature layup.
But he didn't see Han trailing behind him.
As Parker floated the ball toward the rim, Han exploded from behind and pinned it against the backboard.
The crowd roared as Han snatched the rebound, already looking upcourt.
Spotting Jokić just past the three-point line, Han launched a perfect outlet pass.
Nikola caught it in stride.
It was just him and Duncan now.
In that mont, Han's words echoed in his mind:
"This isn't pri Duncan. He's just an old man now."
Nikola pressed forward.
He wasn't fast, but his movents were deliberate, like he was playing chess in his head.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation.
Jokić had mostly played as a post-up bruiser or spot-up shooter.
But clearly, there was more to his ga.
As he approached Duncan, he suddenly shifted directions with a crossover.
The move caught Duncan off guard.
Was it surprise? Or age catching up to him?
Either way, Tim couldn't keep up.
Jokić glided past him.
But Duncan wasn't done.
Even at 39, he was a competitor. He turned and gave chase, his long arms stretching out to contest the shot.
But Nikola made another adjustnt.
Instead of going for a layup, he powered through for a two-handed slam.
The arena exploded.
It wasn't just a dunk.
It was a statent.
Sure, Duncan was past his pri.
But he was still Tim Duncan.
Monts like these — like when Iverson crossed over Jordan — had a way of sticking in people's mories.
Jokić's dunk felt like one of those monts.
Over at the TNT broadcast booth, Shaq's booming voice filled the air.
"That's Joker right there!"
Barkley snorted. "Co on, Shaq. Joker? You just made that up."
Shaq grinned. "Nah. Look at him. He's always got a trick up his sleeve. He just clowned Tim Duncan. That's Joker."
The nickna landed instantly.
As Jokić jogged back on defense, he kept his head down, refusing to celebrate.
He wasn't about to let anyone blow past him for an easy bucket.
Watching from the backcourt, Han chuckled to himself.
Nikola might be quiet off the court.
But when the lights ca on?
He delivered.
And that, Han knew, was a special kind of talent.
-End of Chapter-
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