Shaquille O'Neal's Method.

LeBron James didn't keep his fans waiting for long, as he made his return during the second pre-season game against the Detroit Pistons. 

The Pistons are another legendary Eastern Conference team. In the last century, their "Bad Boys" era held down Michael Jordan for a long time until Jordan ultimately broke them apart. In the new millennium, their "Pistons Five" similarly kept LeBron in check for a while, but this time they fell apart because their core players aged out. 

This summer, Ben Wallace went to Boston to chase his second championship, leaving only Hamilton and Prince from the once-famous Pistons Five. They still have name recognition, but their power has long faded. 

In Han Sen's eyes, choosing this team for their season debut was a very smart move.

However, the game was tougher than expected for the Cavaliers.

At the start of the game, LeBron played generously, clearing out space on the strong side and feeding Shaq in the post. But the Pistons had a clear strategy— leave LeBron open on the perimeter and collapse into the paint immediately. 

Despite the team's decline, they had played against LeBron for years and were well aware of his outside shooting limitations.

As a result, LeBron was forced to take long-range shots early on, all of which bricked.

After that, LeBron abandoned the idea of passing to Shaq and started driving to the basket on his own. But the moment he did that, Shaq became a huge burden on the court.

Because Shaq had no shooting ability and was too slow to effectively roll after setting screens, he could only stay near the paint to remain a threat. But by staying there, he clogged LeBron's driving lanes. 

With Varejão on the court as well, LeBron often found himself driving into triple teams.

It was just as awkward as Han Sen expected.

It wasn't until Shaq went to the bench and Ilgauskas came on that LeBron started to play comfortably again.

When Shaq went to the bench, he glanced at the scoreboard and then turned to look at Han Sen, solidifying his resolve to follow through with their agreement.

Han Sen played 20 minutes in this game, contributing 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block, shooting 2-of-4 from three.

His minutes and performance weren't much different from the previous game, showcasing the kind of stability rarely seen in rookies.

But it was clear that with LeBron back, Han Sen's opportunities were noticeably fewer than before.

Even so, Han Sen was still better off than Shaq.

Shaq played 15 minutes, went 3-of-6 from the field, and ended with just 6 points and 5 rebounds.

In the post-game press conference, LeBron appeared alongside Coach Brown.

"I didn't have any issues. I just experienced some physical reactions, but we all know it's just the pre-season," LeBron proactively explained his absence from the previous game.

"I feel great right now. I added some weight this summer and believe I've reached another level in my career," he said, showering himself with praise when asked about his performance.

"Shaq's fine. His body and conditioning are great. I saw that firsthand during training camp. We just need more time to get in sync," he added, offering a diplomatic response when asked about Shaq's performance.

It was a very successful press conference, almost like a scripted event.

And this pretty much became the Cavaliers' routine throughout the pre-season:

"Shaq's fine. He's in great shape. We just haven't found our chemistry yet."

"I'm confident Shaq's fine. The coaching staff is figuring out the best way to use him. Everything will fall into place."

"I don't think Shaq's the problem. He knows what he can bring to the team, and we know it too."

...

The fans were tired of hearing it..

To put it bluntly, the issues exposed during the Pistons game weren't going to be solved just by facing a different opponent.

At this point, Coach Brown's tactical limitations were becoming very clear.

It was inevitable that Shaq's and LeBron's playing styles would clash. Shaq had similar issues when he played with Dwyane Wade in Miami. Wade, when younger, was just like LeBron—neither player was known for their shooting.

But after Pat Riley took over in Miami, he was able to adjust the lineup and tactics to solve that problem. Coach Brown, on the other hand, was at a loss.

Finally, Shaq couldn't take it anymore.

In the preseason game against his former team, the Miami Heat, Shaq went into full beast mode, demanding the ball in the post and going to work. 

With Michael Beasley, a poor help defender, playing power forward for the Heat, Shaq ended the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds, shaking off the slump he'd been in.

And after the game, during the press conference, Shaq made his demands publicly, in front of the media and Coach Brown:

"We need a starting power forward who can space the floor. It would make things easier for both LeBron and me."

Shaq's sudden statement left both Brown and LeBron stunned.

A suggestion like that is typically made behind closed doors, but Shaq chose to say it out in the open.

This wasn't just a suggestion—it was a demand.

And Shaq wasn't dumb; he cleverly included LeBron in his statement, essentially binding their interests together.

Coach Brown was left unsure of how to respond. He glanced at LeBron, only to find LeBron looking back at him.

"We're also considering how to make both LeBron and Shaq more comfortable on the court. We'll find a solution soon," Brown ultimately deflected with some vague comments.

After the press conference, Brown didn't approach Shaq to discuss the matter further.

Shaq relayed this situation to Han Sen, sharing his thoughts on it. Given his current status in the league, Shaq knew the coaching staff might not necessarily take his demands seriously.

But Han Sen reassured him that there was no need to worry. After all, now that Shaq had publicly voiced his demands, his goal was already halfway accomplished.

After the game against the Heat, the Cavaliers had completed their seven pre-season games.

Han Sen averaged 24 minutes per game, putting up 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks, shooting 46.2% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range.

For a 16th overall pick, that performance was already quite impressive, especially on a contending team where opportunities were limited. As the preseason wore on, the rotations became more and more like the regular season's.

The Cavaliers finished their pre-season on October 23, and their regular-season opener was scheduled for October 27, giving them four days of rest in between.

During those four days, Coach Brown began experimenting with pairing Cunningham with Shaq in practice.

This was a very promising sign.

Han Sen had already won big by forming an alliance with Shaq. If Cunningham could break into the starting lineup, it would be an even bigger win.

...

Time flew by, and soon it was the 27th. The Cavaliers were at home for the opening game of the 2009–2010 regular season, facing off against the Orlando Magic.

The Cavaliers were upset by the Magic in last season's playoffs, and after enduring a long offseason, their fans were eager for revenge. 

In terms of scheduling, the league had never let LeBron or the Cavaliers down.

Han Sen was just as excited for the regular season to begin.

LeBron's press conference answers might have been formulaic, but he was right about one thing: pre-season is just pre-season.

Only when the regular season truly starts can the season officially begin, and only then will Han Sen have truly stepped onto the NBA stage.