After getting blocked by Han Sen on back-to-back possessions, Kyrie finally played it safe.
When the Bulls pushed the ball back up the court, he quickly passed to Butler.
Kyrie had co out aggressive, but now? It was like he was hesitating—like he had declared all-out war but wasn't sure if he wanted to fight.
Butler took advantage of a Gasol screen, got into the paint, and used a pump fake to draw a foul on Jokić.
When it ca to talent, Butler was one of the least gifted NBA stars.
A 6'7" (2.01m) fra with a 6'7" (2.01m) wingspan, lacking elite athleticism—his ga wasn't built on physical dominance.
His shooting? Streaky. His driving ability? Decent, but not elite. Even his signature mid-range wasn't at a superstar level due to his physical limitations.
And yet, he had made it.
Why?
First, his work ethic. Butler had endured one of the roughest childhoods imaginable. A lot of NBA players grew up without a father, but how many got kicked out by their own mother? If he hadn't found a family willing to take him in, he might've been holess.
That experience made him relentless.
If you rated his talent at 80, his effort was a 99.
Second, his defense. The one area where pure effort could make up for physical shortcomings. Butler had been nad to the All-Defensive Second Team five tis in history.
And lastly—his basketball IQ.
This might have been the one elite gift he was born with. He always knew how to make the right play, how to be efficient, and how to win.
Was he a low-efficiency shot creator? Sure.
But a two-way, high-IQ player who could handle a decent scoring load?
The last guy like that in Chicago was Scottie Pippen.
The difference? Butler didn't have Pippen's natural gifts.
But his heart? Bigger.
If the Cavs didn't already have Jokić, Butler would've been a great second option next to Han.
---
With Kyrie locked down, Butler kept the Bulls in the ga.
Five minutes in, the score was 15-12, Cavs leading.
That's when Malone made his first substitutions—bringing in J.R. Smith and Covington for Wade and Tucker.
It was an early sub, but it didn't hurt the Cavs' lineup.
This was where the depth from the Kyrie trade started to show.
And more importantly, the Cavs' lineup now looked like this:
Han, J.R., Covington, TT, Jokić.
No true point guard.
Or rather—Han was playing point.
A 6'7" (2.01m) point guard wasn't exactly common.
Only Magic Johnson had done it before.
But the Cleveland fans didn't react like it was anything new.
Because they had already seen sothing similar.
During Deron's absence, Powell had played, and the Cavs had run similar sets.
That stretch had made one thing clear—this team didn't need a traditional point guard.
---
On their first possession with the new lineup, Han and Jokić ran a pick-and-roll.
Han dished to Jokić, who found TT inside for an easy finish.
Wade's exit had instantly improved the Cavs' spacing.
And the Bulls?
They were suddenly dealing with the sa defensive nightmare the Warriors had faced on Christmas.
Collapse inside? Han and Jokić would find open shooters.
Stay ho? They'd pick the defense apart.
The two-man ga was too strong.
And on defense, Covington's impact was imdiate.
He wasn't a lockdown on-ball defender like Tucker, but his help defense was elite.
So the Cavs used a simple strategy—
J.R. bodied Butler up front. Covington waited in the gaps.
As a forr Bull, Covington knew Butler's tendencies well.
His long wingspan disrupted passing lanes, and even when Butler got rid of the ball, Covington could recover fast.
If the ball swung to McDermott?
That was basically a defensive win.
McDermott was a shooter, nothing more. If he wasn't pulling up, the Bulls' offense stalled.
---
By the 10-minute mark, the Cavs had stretched their lead to 26-18.
In just five minutes, they had redefined basketball.
Basketball had started with strict positional roles.
Point guards facilitated. Big n scored inside. Then ca Jordan, and the wings took over.
Later, scoring point guards erged.
But they still had the sa responsibilities—controlling the offense.
What the Cavs had just done?
None of that applied.
It was simple.
A pick-and-roll.
Han or Jokić made the read.
That was it.
The weak side didn't even need complex off-ball actions.
And the best part?
Everyone was playing to their strengths.
Han had the ball.
Jokić made the reads.
The other three? Just had to be ready to shoot.
---
"I think the only thing stopping them is stamina," Barkley said from the broadcast booth.
Han could play extended minutes.
But Jokić?
He barely had 30 minutes of gas in him.
Right as Chuck said that—
Butler attacked off a screen, drawing Jokić's second foul.
Along with everything else, Butler was elite at drawing fouls.
Unlike Harden, who relied on flopping, Butler used his pace, physicality, and just enough acting to sell calls to refs.
It was a smart play.
If you can't stop them? Get Jokić off the floor.
But it ca too late—
Because it was already ti for the bench unit.
Malone pulled both Han and Jokić.
And right on cue—Wade checked back in.
---
Now, the real reason for Malone's rotations beca clear.
Wade had started.
But his real job was leading the second unit.
His opening minutes had proved he could still hoop.
And in the bench lineup, that made him an advantage.
He wasn't pri Wade.
But against bench players?
He was still a middle-tier starter at worst.
And unlike Kyrie, he accepted this role.
So now, he ca in fresh.
And in this lineup?
He had even more space than before.
Korver. Covington. Cunningham.
Three guys who could all shoot.
The ball was in Wade's hands.
And just like that—
He started carrying the second unit.
---
The Cavaliers entered the rotation phase with an 8-point lead, but by the ti the starters returned in the second quarter, the gap had widened to nearly 15.
Depth—sothing Han had emphasized in his conversations with Griffin—was on full display tonight.
In fact, given the circumstances, the trade Cleveland made was the best possible move outside of keeping Kyrie.
In the end, the Cavaliers secured a 106-90 victory over the Bulls in this high-profile matchup.
Han finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists. Jokić contributed 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Wade added 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
For Chicago, Butler led with 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Gasol chipped in 16 points and 8 boards, while Mirotić had 15. anwhile, Kyrie, guarded by Han all night, struggled—shooting just 5-of-15 for 14 points.
"DW has been in this league for 13 years. He's more experienced than any of us, one of the most respected teammates in the NBA, and a great person. His presence here is invaluable."
At the postga press conference, Han spoke publicly for the first ti about Wade joining the team.
"Kyrie needs to get used to nights like this. If he wants to be the leader of a team, he has to learn to handle the pressure that cos with it."
When asked about his defensive approach against Kyrie, Han was direct.
So things can be given—like a child crying for milk, you make enough noise, and you get what you want.
But other things?
You have to earn them yourself.
Running headfirst into a wall doesn't an you'll turn back once you hit it.
Sotis, by the ti you crash into the wall, there's no turning back.
---
With just under two weeks until the All-Star break, the Cavaliers had five more gas on the schedule.
Their opponents: Raptors, Rockets, Thunder, Wizards, and Grizzlies.
After a relatively smooth early-season schedule, this stretch would be anything but easy.
Cleveland finished with a 3-2 record.
Technically, counting the Bucks ga, their post-trade record stood at 5-2—not bad on paper. But this stretch exposed so serious issues.
The biggest?
Wade as a starter wasn't working.
Having Wade in the starting lineup ant the ball needed to be in his hands.
He could still attack, but he wasn't the sa dominant force as before.
Simply put, giving Wade heavy on-ball responsibilities in the starting unit was counterproductive.
However, Wade's value off the bench was undeniable.
His individual ability, combined with the added depth from the trade, allowed Han and Jokić to get significant rest during rotations.
It was obvious to everyone—Wade coming off the bench was the better move.
But making that change?
Not so simple.
Many superstars, like Iverson, would rather retire than accept a bench role.
For now, though, the conversation could be put on hold—All-Star Weekend was approaching.
---
The day before the All-Star Ga, Han's private jet carried a 'visibly thrilled' Jokić and newly appointed Eastern Conference All-Star head coach Michael Malone to New Orleans.
This year's All-Star Ga had been a ss from the start.
Originally, Charlotte was supposed to host it—for the first ti ever.
Curry, an Akron-born kid raised in Charlotte, was especially excited about the prospect of playing in front of his hotown fans.
Then, North Carolina passed the controversial HB2 bill, sparking widespread protests from the LGBTQ community. The backlash grew so intense that the NBA was forced to pull the event from Charlotte, relocating it to New Orleans at the last minute.
The result?
Curry, disheartened by the change, opted out of the Three-Point Contest.
And just like that, this year's All-Star festivities beca one of the most underwhelming in recent mory.
Especially after last year's spectacle in Toronto, the drop-off was noticeable.
For Han and Jokić, this trip was less about basketball and more about enjoying themselves.
New Orleans didn't have New Orleans BBQ wings, but it was still one of the most famous tourist cities in the U.S.
A cultural lting pot.
A forr French colony with Spanish-style architecture.
A place where you could even find ceteries full of above-ground tombs.
---
Still, despite the dull All-Star setting, one major event stole the show.
Just before the All-Star Ga, the Pelicans and Kings finalized a blockbuster trade.
New Orleans acquired DeMarcus Cousins in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a protected 2017 first-round pick, and a future second-rounder.
Just like Griffin had told Han before, the Pelicans' true target had always been Cousins.
Jrue Holiday, however, was not included in the deal—suggesting Sacranto had failed to secure his commitnt for an early contract extension.
But that wasn't the wildest part.
Cousins' trade was even more brutal than Kyrie's.
At least Kyrie got traded before the All-Star break.
Cousins?
He got moved right before the ga.
The only player in history who had it worse was Harrison Barnes—who literally got benched at halfti mid-ga because he was being traded.
The Cousins deal brought so much-needed entertainnt to an otherwise stale All-Star Weekend.
The other highlight?
The Western Conference team practically worshipping Anthony Davis.
As the host city's franchise player and self-proclaid 'Son of Arica', Davis got force-fed possessions all night.
He ended up with 52 points, shattering the All-Star scoring record.
Han and Jokić barely played.
Han casually racked up 21 points before calling it a night.
Jokić?
He logged just 8 minutes.
---
On the flight back to Cleveland, Malone brought up the Wade situation.
Not to ask Han to fix it—Han wasn't a babysitter.
But to share his concern.
Malone wanted to talk to Wade about coming off the bench.
But he was worried.
After all, back in Chicago, Hoiberg had tried the sa thing—and failed miserably.
"You don't need to worry," Han said, his confidence catching Malone off guard.
"What if DW throws a fit?" Malone pressed. "He's making over $20 million this season."
"He won't," Han replied without hesitation.
Then, after a brief pause, he added—
"DW... he's always been a good guy."
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