Coming out of the tiout, Steve Kerr went all in.
Every Warriors starter checked back in.
Malone?
He subbed out everyone except Wade, signaling that Cleveland was ready to close this one out.
This was it—the final battle of Ga 1.
Through three quarters, it had been a war of attrition.
Jokić's ergence and Wade's resurgence had put Cleveland on equal footing with Golden State.
But now?
The fourth quarter belonged to Han Sen.
And with the Cavaliers already holding a double-digit lead, their win probability had skyrocketed to 80%.
The only thing that could flip the script?
A miracle from the Splash Brothers.
Steph and Klay were capable of bending reality when they caught fire.
And Malone knew it.
That's why he threw every defensive resource at them, forcing the ball out of their hands at all costs.
Hell, he even had Covington sag off LeBron, allowing him to get inside freely.
LeBron's lack of explosion on drives ant that even if he scored twos, as long as Cleveland kept their offense rolling, it would just burn more clock.
Since so people were already calling LeBron Cleveland's inside man, Malone might as well let him do the job for real.
---
But the miracle never ca.
Cleveland held their ground, and despite a late push from the Warriors, the Cavaliers closed out a 126-118 victory.
Ga 1 was in the books.
This wasn't just a win—it was a statent.
Fans would talk about Han Sen clowning LeBron and Wade's cutthroat celebration for days.
And that third-quarter scoring frenzy?
A must-watch classic.
This was the high-intensity Finals matchup the world had been waiting for—
Except the outco wasn't what most people expected.
---
Postga Press Conference – Warriors Camp
LeBron, sitting at the podium, kept his composure when asked about Han's fake handshake incident.
"That's the kind of thing kids do. I only focus on basketball."
The only correct answer—because what was he supposed to say?
That he got humiliated on live TV?
Then ca the question about Wade's throat-slash gesture.
LeBron's deanor changed.
"DW is my brother, but that celebration is banned. The league should penalize him."
The 'bigger man' act was in full effect.
Had Wade been anyone else, LeBron would've gone nuclear—
Probably demanding a suspension like Draymond last year.
But with Wade?
He kept it just subtle enough.
Steve Kerr was far less concerned about the antics.
"They played a near-perfect ga, but keeping that up won't be easy. The Finals are just getting started."
He had a point—128 points wasn't Cleveland's usual scoring output.
Golden State's real counterpunch was coming.
---
Postga Press Conference – Cavaliers Camp
Han Sen, seated at the podium, dropped a direct tribute to Kobe.
"We all know this is a war. Victory belongs to whoever wants it more."
No gimmicks.
Just cold, hard truth.
Then ca the elbow question.
Han didn't even flinch.
"If LeBron wants to hoop, I'll hoop. If he wants to play gas, I'll keep doing what I did today."
A straight-up warning.
The league wasn't about to suspend Han in the Finals—not for sothing as minor as an elbow.
Compared to dirty closeouts or mid-air shoves, this was nothing.
Han was simply playing the ga within the rules—
While letting LeBron know exactly where he stood.
Wade was a good guy.
But Han Sen?
He was the league's most infamous villain.
---
Cleveland anticipated blowback from Wade's throat-slash gesture, so they kept him away from the dia.
But avoiding it completely?
Impossible.
Han was imdiately asked to comnt.
"I think DW was just letting out so emotions—it wasn't personal."
The classic deflection.
But then—
"If the league fines him, will you cover it?"
Han laughed.
"You want to pay the fine for a guy who's made $200 million in his career?"
If Wade really asked, Han would do it in a heartbeat.
Because that gesture wasn't just a celebration—
It was Wade severing ties with LeBron.
LeBron could never use Wade again.
Would Wade turn into a full-ti LeBron hater? Probably not.
But LeBron?
He'd never get that sa loyalty again.
---
As expected, the NBA handed Wade a $25,000 fine—but no suspension.
That throat-slash celebration?
One of the most banned gestures in league history.
Right below LeBron's infamous eye-pull three celebration from his first Cavs stint—
Which had racial connotations the league wanted buried.
But this ti?
LeBron had no power to push for more.
The days of him dictating NBA policy were over.
---
While fans were still debating Ga 1's wild monts, sothing completely unexpected happened.
Han's fake handshake and hair-slicking taunt had been too smooth—
So smooth that it accidentally made his shampoo sponsor go viral.
In the NBA, most players either had buzz cuts or went fully bald.
Less hair ant less sweat interference.
Even guys with longer hair kept it styled tight—cornrows, dreadlocks, or mohawks.
Nobody thought of shampoo sponsorships for NBA players.
Except Han.
Unlike most, he rocked a loose, flowing mid-length cut.
That's why, even back in his rookie year, he had landed a shampoo endorsent deal.
And now?
That one subtle taunt on LeBron had unexpectedly blown up on social dia.
Sotis, going viral wasn't about quality—
It was about timing.
---
Two days later, Ga 2 tipped off in Oakland.
And this ti?
Golden State had no margin for error.
Going down 0-2 before heading to Cleveland?
That was a potential death sentence.
And under those circumstances, the Warriors unleashed hell.
They shot 54% from the field.
An insane 60% from three.
They put up over 130 points.
Golden State's true power wasn't defense.
It was their explosive firepower.
The Splash Brothers caught fire.
LeBron attacked the rim with zero hesitation.
Every Warrior on the floor played like their season was on the line.
And just like that—the series was tied.
With each team taking a ga in Oakland, the series now shifted to Cleveland.
This result?
Both sides could live with it.
For the Warriors, bouncing back after Ga 1 was a must.
For the Cavaliers, stealing one road ga ant they had flipped hocourt advantage.
Now?
Their job was to protect their house.
Ga 3 was next.
And it was about to get even more personal.
---
Before Ga 3 tipped off, both teams were locked in preparation.
Players trained.
Coaching staffs adjusted.
But the Cavaliers' social dia team?
They were arming the fanbase.
On Cleveland's official account, they openly asked fans for ideas on how to rattle the Warriors.
And the comnt section?
Pure gold.
So fans pulled out old Clippers lore—suggesting using real-life models instead of posters to distract Golden State players.
Others went straight for the kill, focusing on LeBron's free throw struggles—proposing huge cutouts with ssages like:
"Cleveland already has a real King."
Then ca the classic 'Daddy' chants, a reference that had now transcended Boston and officially beco an NBA-wide phenonon.
The self-dia era had no shortage of creativity, but what strategy the Cavs actually used?
That would only be revealed once the ga started.
---
On ga day, a light drizzle covered Cleveland.
But nothing was stopping this crowd.
If anything?
The cooler temperatures only made it more comfortable for fans arriving early.
The Cavs were fully prepared—even setting up a free poncho distribution area outside the arena.
Everything off the court was in place.
Now?
It was up to the players to execute.
---
During warm-ups, Han Sen made an unusual change.
Instead of his usual highlight dunks, it was Derrick Jones Jr. and J.R. Smith putting on the show.
Han?
He simply took his shots, then sat courtside, chatting with Malone.
Sothing was different.
Cleveland's ga plan tonight wasn't the sa as the first two gas.
---
Starting Lineups Announced
Golden State Warriors:
- Stephen Curry
- Klay Thompson
- Andre Iguodala
- LeBron Jas
- Draymond Green
Cleveland Cavaliers:
- Han Sen
- J.R. Smith
- P.J. Tucker
- Robert Covington
- Nikola Jokić
Kerr made a lineup adjustnt, rolling out a small-ball starting five.
Ga 2 had been a shooting clinic, but hot hands weren't sustainable—especially on the road.
So tonight?
Golden State was ready to scrap.
This change caught Cleveland slightly off guard, forcing Malone to make last-minute adjustnts in the huddle.
---
The opening whistle blew.
Jokić won the tip, tapping it back into Cleveland's possession.
And right away—the Cavaliers revealed their adjustnts.
Jokić didn't go into the low post.
Instead?
He imdiately pulled up to the high post—setting a screen for Han Sen.
A Han-Jokić pick-and-roll to start the ga wasn't surprising.
But this?
This was a hard screen—no slip, no roll.
Which ant Han Sen was now matched up with Draymond Green.
Han wasted no ti.
One hard step forward—then an instant stop for a mid-range jumper.
Bucket.
On the next possession, Thompson jumped the screen to double-team Han.
Han kicked it back to Jokić—who didn't pass.
Instead, Jokić reset the play, handing the ball back to Han before setting another stonewall screen on Klay.
Han went right back at Draymond.
This ti?
Pump fake, step-through, easy bucket.
And as soon as the ball fell through the net—
Han dropped low, slapped the floor, and hit Draymond with a 'Too Small' celebration.
---
Malone's strategy was fully exposed.
He wasn't just hunting Draymond defensively—
He was trying to neutralize Golden State's only real interior defender.
If Draymond broke down, then Jokić would have free reign inside.
On the Warriors' bench, Mike Brown—a defensive mastermind and forr Cavs head coach—was the first to react.
He shot up, yelling defensive adjustnts.
But so things couldn't be fixed.
Han was too calculated when it ca to ntal warfare.
Draymond tried to keep his cool—but the cracks were showing.
If he had snapped over LeBron stepping over him, how was he supposed to handle Han deliberately targeting him?
Even if he didn't engage, his ga was already suffering.
The biggest statistical impact?
Draymond's three-point shooting imploded.
He went 0-for-3 from deep in the first half—
And when he clanked his third miss off the rim?
Han didn't even hesitate—
"He has no three! Crash the boards!" he shouted to Jokić.
Green's frustration was boiling over.
You could see it in his body language.
And the Cavs fans?
They pounced.
---
When LeBron went to the free-throw line, a section of fans held up a massive crying LeBron cutout—
Right next to a sign that read:
"Cleveland already has a real King."
When Curry went to shoot free throws?
The front-row female fans took it up a notch—
Shedding their jackets to reveal bikini tops, blowing kisses right behind the basket.
Cleveland fans weren't picking just one thod—
They were going all in.
And then—
The ultimate dagger.
Right before halfti, Draymond finally got to the line.
The crowd fell completely silent.
Then—
In perfect unison, the entire arena erupted into a chant.
"LEBRON WILL TRADE YOU!"
Draymond's entire playoff run had been solid.
But here?
In Cleveland?
Malone's ga plan had completely unraveled him.
And this—this chant?
This was personal.
Because this wasn't just fan trolling.
It was sothing that might actually happen.
Draymond snapped.
He turned to the hecklers near courtside, screaming "SHUT UP!"
But the louder he got—
The louder they chanted.
Even the broadcast caras were locked in.
Not on Draymond—
But on LeBron.
Standing at the free-throw line, expressionless.
Not saying a word.
That?
That was pure cinematic gold.
Han Sen?
He couldn't help it anymore—he laughed out loud.
For all the mind gas he'd played, he never expected his own fanbase to be even more ruthless than him.
The power of the people.
And with that, Ga 3 was officially off the rails.
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