The End of 2011-2012 Regular Season.

The game between the Grizzlies and Lakers was over, but the conversation surrounding it was far from finished.

Though Kobe said post-game, "The Grizzlies gave us a good wake-up call," and praised Han Sen's performance in the clutch, the heated nature of the game and Han Sen's open ridicule of Chris Paul after the match quickly intensified the feud between the two teams, fueled largely by the massive Lakers fan base.

Whatever Chris Paul had said before the game now seemed irrelevant.

However, one important point was that the Grizzlies' performance had created a sense of urgency for the Lakers.

While the outcome of a single regular season game doesn't decide much, everyone knew this was Randolph's first game back, and he was still coming off the bench.

As Randolph continued to recover, the Grizzlies might indeed pose a serious threat to the Lakers.

On the latest episode of TNT, Shaquille O'Neal appeared with his head shaved bald, and the camera zoomed in to catch the shine on his head, contrasting with Kenny Smith's deadpan expression next to him, creating an explosive comedic effect.

"I love the Lakers, but they let me down. Now, I just have one thing to say: Memphis for the championship," Shaq declared.

The most surprising part was when Shaq tore off his Lakers No. 34 jersey to reveal a Grizzlies No. 34 jersey underneath.

Shaq had always been a born showman, and this prank added a new item to his post-retirement collection of rainbow-colored jerseys.

But his joke only added fuel to the fire, making the Grizzlies-Lakers feud even more intense.

After the Lakers game, Coach Joerger put Randolph back in the starting lineup.

However, Randolph's performance wasn't as stellar as expected.

Theoretically, if he could put up 20 points off the bench, he should have easily returned to his dominant form from last season as a starter.

But in reality, Randolph's performance was inconsistent.

His injury, a torn ligament, was the culprit.

Fans are familiar with this type of injury because many players have experienced significant declines or even faded out of the NBA entirely because of it.

There are two ways to treat this injury: one is surgery to repair the torn ligament, and the other is a combination of rest and medication for natural recovery.

Randolph opted for conservative treatment because his tear was minor.

But after two months, he could only just return to play. His game on the court was nothing like last season.

It's like Tim Duncan's plantar fasciitis, which took an entire lockout summer to heal.

So, expecting Randolph to return to his previous form this season was unrealistic.

To put it more concretely, Randolph was only at about 70% of his potential.

Against the Lakers, he and Han Sen's pick-and-roll caught the Lakers off guard.

Even so, this version of Randolph was still stronger than Speights and Faried.

As demonstrated in the Lakers game, his pick-and-roll with Han Sen could yield impressive results, and that was enough.

Despite Randolph's ups and downs, the Grizzlies' form was indeed on the rise as the season wound down.

Han Sen's evolution, the improvement of Marc Gasol and Conley, Gay's steady performance, and the bolstered front line—all these were obvious upgrades.

Randolph's return was like the final piece of the puzzle, allowing the Grizzlies to show their claws and fangs, flexing their muscles in the NBA jungle.

In the final month of the season, they went 10-2 and capped it off with an impressive six-game winning streak.

On April 26, the 2011–2012 shortened season ended over two weeks later than usual.

In the Eastern Conference, the Bulls finished first with a 50-16 record, topping the Heat's Big Three for the second season in a row.

The Heat came in second with a 46-20 record. The Pacers were third with 42 wins, followed by the Celtics at fourth with 39 wins, and the Hawks at fifth with 40 wins.

The Magic were sixth with 37 wins.

The Knicks and 76ers placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

Despite the Heat not leading the East, the media, led by ESPN, had already started a campaign for LeBron's MVP award mid-season.

They touted how LeBron carried the team while Wade was injured, how he led them despite lackluster performances from the role players, and how his stats were comprehensive and efficient.

Did this work?

In the 'history' Han Sen knew, these narratives helped LeBron secure the MVP even though the Heat's Big Three only managed the fourth-best record in the league.

But now, it wasn't enough.

The Lakers finished first in the league with a 55-11 record, and Kobe, playing with the highest efficiency of his career, was all but guaranteed his second MVP trophy.

The Spurs followed with a 50-win record, finishing second in the West.

The Thunder placed third with 47 wins.

The Grizzlies ended up in fourth with a 46-win record.

In his third season, Han Sen averaged 23.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2 steals, and 0.8 blocks, with a field goal percentage of 48.5% and a three-point percentage of 40.6%.

Looking at the Grizzlies' early and late-season performances, if Randolph hadn't been injured, they could have easily finished third or even second.

But injuries are part of the season, just like the Lakers' record might have been even better if Okafor had stayed healthy.

This year's Western Conference was brutal, with every team facing a tough battle to advance.

The Mavericks ranked fifth with 43 wins, followed by the Clippers in sixth with 39 wins.

The Nuggets and Jazz claimed the seventh and eighth spots, while the Rockets missed the playoffs by just one game, finishing ninth.

"If Zack hadn't been injured, we wouldn't be in this mess," Gay couldn't help but complain to Han Sen in the Grizzlies' locker room once the final rankings were released.

Aside from being in great form, the Grizzlies had been aiming to climb to third because facing the Mavericks in the first round would be far better than facing the Clippers.

Moreover, even if they beat the Mavericks, they'd have to face the Lakers in the next round.

Unfortunately, the Thunder's strong finish dashed those hopes.

"This isn't a bad thing," Han Sen replied, seeing things more optimistically.

They would have to face the Lakers this season one way or another. Going against the Mavericks first could help them find their rhythm.

Although the Mavericks were in the lower bracket, they were just as strong as any top-bracket team.

In fact, their lower ranking was due to Nowitzki's early-season struggles with injuries.

If they couldn't beat the Mavericks, then a championship wouldn't be realistic.

Facing the Mavericks again in the playoffs was something Han Sen wanted.

After all, when he learned from Delonte West that the Mavericks wanted to 'make another run,' he'd wanted to face them again.

Gay sighed; it seemed like nothing could make Han Sen worry.

"Let's focus on celebrating instead," Han Sen said, gathering his teammates.

"Celebrate?" Gay looked puzzled. Celebrate going up against the Mavericks?

---

Coach Joerger was on his way to the practice facility, a worried look on his face.

The final standings were a concern not only for the Grizzlies players but for him as well.

First-round against the Mavericks, second-round against the Lakers, then potentially Thunder or Spurs—this was a historically tough path.

The only team with a harder route might be their opponent, the Mavericks.

Just as he had sensed from the beginning, he was one unlucky coach.

When he arrived at the practice facility, he found no players in sight, prompting him to turn to Damon in confusion.

"I already called them," Damon explained.

As they wondered, Han Sen suddenly came running into the facility, looking panicked.

"Coach, something's wrong!"

Seeing Han Sen's alarmed expression, Joerger's heart sank. He had never seen Han Sen look so rattled.

"Rudy and Zack are fighting in the locker room!" Han Sen exclaimed, breathless.

Joerger's face changed instantly, and he dashed toward the locker room without hesitation.

Rudy and Randolph had never been on great terms, but they rarely had open conflicts, especially since Han Sen joined the team.

But now, they were fighting—and Han Sen had come to inform him. This must be serious.

Sure enough, before reaching the locker room, he heard chaotic noises from inside.

"Coach, take it easy!" Han Sen shouted, chasing after him.

The locker room door was open, and Joerger burst in.

Then, he got soaked.

There was no fight at all; instead, he was greeted by a champagne shower from all directions.

The players laughed heartily as they doused him, including Randolph and Gay, who were supposedly fighting.

Only then did he realize he'd been tricked.

Every year after the regular season ends and before the playoffs start, the league announces the first batch of season awards.

Despite the condensed season, the awards were still on schedule.

Joerger had been named the NBA Coach of the Year.

In theory, the award should go to the coach of the top team, but it often goes to teams that exceed expectations. Fans sometimes joke it's a 'Most Improved Coach' award.

This season, Shaq, as a commentator, remarked that even his grandmother could have coached the Lakers to first place, so while Coach Mike Brown was the theoretical favorite, he was the least likely to win.

In contrast, even though the Grizzlies haven't made the biggest improvement in their record, their star player Randolph was injured at the start of the season, which threw the lineup into disarray.

There's another important point: Coach Joerger is a young coach.

Looking back at previous Coach of the Year awards, you'll find a surprising trend: these awards are often given to young coaches to help boost their resumes.

That's exactly what Han Sen meant by 'celebrating.'

He even took the initiative to make it happen, keeping it a surprise from Damon.

When Han Sen and Damon arrived at the door, they saw Joerger, the "victim" of their plan.

From the way the players cooperated, it's clear that Joerger is well-loved by his team.

"You could totally go to Hollywood to be an actor," Damon joked, relieved after the prank.

"Really?" As it happens, Han Sen has plans to appear in a movie this summer to increase his off-court influence.

After the champagne shower ended, Han Sen smiled and walked in.

When Joerger saw Han Sen, he pointed at him with a grin. Han had really fooled him; his freshly cleaned suit was ruined.

But after all the commotion, the worried look on Joerger's face had faded.

It also reminded him of something Han Sen had said at the end of last season.

Taking a towel from Battier, Joerger wiped his face and began, "I know some of you are worried about the upcoming playoffs."

The players, who had been laughing moments ago, grew serious.

Having a little fun doesn't make the problems go away.

Joerger continued, "But right now, the ones who should really be worried are the Dallas Mavericks. They're afraid of repeating Miami's fate in 2007, getting eliminated in the first round.

The Lakers should be worried too. If they lose to us in the semifinals, they'll have to answer for building a super team that can't make it to the conference finals.

And the Spurs and Thunder are concerned as well because both were defeated by us last season."

With that, a new look appeared in the Grizzlies players' eyes—gone were the worries and anxiety, replaced with an eager, excited energy.

Han Sen was a little surprised, but quickly understood and gave Joerger a discreet thumbs-up.

Joerger may not be a 'motivational guru' like Rivers, but as a coach with strong communication skills, he definitely knows how to rally the team.

The moment Joerger started talking, you could tell he knew what he was doing!

Joerger then pointed to the locker room's motto.

The players looked up, and every time they saw it, it reminded them of their playoff experience last season.

Then, Joerger said the words he had been thinking from the start:

"Like Han said last season: This year, nobody wants to face us!"

As soon as he finished, the players couldn't contain their excitement and cheered.

Joerger extended his hand, and the players followed suit, each placing a hand above his.

Together, they shouted the Grizzlies' classic slogan: "Whoop that trick!"

Their spirits were high, and their eyes set on Texas!

After the chant, the players jogged out of the locker room.

Watching the departing players, Joerger couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm.

But he quickly realized one thing—his suit was still wet; what was he going to do about that?

—End of Chapter—

Notes:

1. In the 2011-2012 season (in reality), Randolph played only 28 games due to injury, starting 8, and averaged 11.6 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. In the playoffs, he played in 7 games, averaging 13.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.

2. In the NBA, both the Eastern and Western Conferences have three divisions. The Eastern's three divisions are the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast. The Western's three divisions are the Northwest, Pacific, and Southwest. Each division has 5 teams.

3. Each division leader is ranked in the top four, but playoff home-court advantage is still based on win-loss records. Memphis Grizzlies is in the Southwest division along with Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, and San Antonio Spurs.

4. 2011-2012 Scoring Leaders (in the novel): Kobe Bryant (28.5), Kevin Durant (28), LeBron James (27.1), Kevin Love (26), Russell Westbrook (23.6), Han Sen (23.2), Carmelo Anthony (22.6), Dirk Nowitzki (22.5), Dwyane Wade (22.1), LaMarcus Aldridge (21.7).