Warrior's Struggles.

The Warriors' offensive attempt ended fruitlessly, and the arena's energy reached a boiling point.

"Whoop that trick!"

The familiar chant reverberated throughout the FedEx Forum.

Zach Randolph went back to work in the low post, taking on Draymond Green again. But this time, the Warriors' three-guard lineup started showing its defensive strengths. Their rotations on help defense became notably quicker.

As Han Sen watched, he found himself re-evaluating Mark Jackson while simultaneously lowering his opinion of Steve Kerr.

Elevator screen plays, developing Green, and enhancing defensive rotations with small-ball lineups—many of the innovations credited to Kerr were, in fact, refinements of foundations Jackson had already laid.

But the Grizzlies had fully found their groove. After a series of swift passes, the ball ended up in Han Sen's hands. Facing Green, Han executed a flawless fake, spun past him, and finished with a smooth step-through layup.

Green's inexperience on defense was laid bare.

Han Sen, scoring the basket, looked back at Green with a sly smile.

"You should start learning some Chinese," he said.

Green froze for a moment, confused by the comment.

"Because you're about to play in the CBA."

When Han Sen delivered his follow-up, Green immediately turned beet red.

Contrary to common assumptions, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) holds more recognition in the NBA than one might think.

Reasons include Yao Ming's legacy, frequent jokes by well-known analysts, and the sheer number of ex-NBA players who transition to the CBA when their time in the league ends.

For Green, a second-round pick, this jab hit particularly hard. Players like him, without an established foothold, often face a real possibility of heading overseas if things don't pan out in the NBA.

Lies don't hurt; it's the truth that cuts deep.

On the Warriors' next possession, Han Sen smothered Curry with relentless on-ball defense, denying him any chance to catch the ball.

Forced to improvise, Jarrett Jack facilitated a play to get the ball to Klay Thompson. However, Rudy Gay's tenacious contest forced Thompson's shot to go astray.

Han Sen's example had sparked a ripple effect. Scoring against the Grizzlies had now become a monumental challenge for the Warriors.

Meanwhile, on the offensive end, Han Sen's fake this time sent Green flying. Drawing contact, Han absorbed the foul and earned Green his second personal foul of the quarter.

Green's foul trouble forced Jackson to sub him out for Carl Landry.

As Green left the court, Han Sen gave him a little wave.

This scene was promptly displayed on the arena's jumbotron, igniting a storm of whistles and cheers from the Memphis crowd.

Though Green wasn't yet a pivotal figure for the Warriors, his behavior on social media had made him easy to dislike.

The scoreboard reflected the contrast: Green's most notable contribution was his foul count.

His early exit was a blow to the Warriors. In Game 1, Green had played 35 minutes off the bench, essentially replacing David Lee in the rotation. Without him, the Warriors' interior defense weakened, as did the quality of their screens.

This became evident immediately after the substitution.

Curry increased his off-ball movement, hoping to shake off Han Sen's defense. However, Han navigated screens from both Bogut and Landry with ease, continuing to hound Curry relentlessly.

By reading the Warriors' screen setups, Han began anticipating plays, disrupting their actions before they could develop.

Curry, visibly frustrated, was forced to give up the ball. Jack drove into the paint for a floater, but even without a block this time, Marc Gasol's contest was enough to force a miss.

The Warriors found themselves in a scoring drought.

At this time, Adam Silver hadn't yet taken over as commissioner, and the Warriors hadn't risen to prominence. No whistle was coming to bail them out tonight.

It wasn't until eight minutes into the quarter that Landry finally broke the Warriors' dry spell with a putback layup.

By then, the scoreboard read 7–20.

In just over half a quarter, the Grizzlies demonstrated their true power.

While their offense was potent, it was their defense that truly terrified opponents. This was why Memphis often blew games open by the third quarter.

If Miami was the NBA's sharpest spear, Memphis was its impenetrable shield.

Tonight, that shield had transformed the Warriors into a shadow of the team from Game 1.

The final score read 98–77. By the end of the third quarter, the game had entered garbage time.

Ironically, Green's pregame prediction was half-right. A team had indeed been buried tonight—but it wasn't the Grizzlies.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 17 points on 20 shots, while Curry, stifled by Han Sen's defense, scored just 9 points on 4-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. Curry also recorded 8 assists but committed 4 turnovers.

On the Grizzlies' side, Han Sen finished with 20 points on 13 attempts, half of his output from Game 1. Randolph led Memphis with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists, dominating the paint.

...

Han Sen and Randolph attended the postgame press conference together.

"Other than Han, the rest of us played like crap last game," Randolph said bluntly, effectively criticizing himself and the team.

"Even though Han is younger than me and we've been teammates for three years now, I'm still learning from him—his willingness to take responsibility and lead by example. He's a true leader."

Randolph's words were heartfelt, in stark contrast to the typical platitudes exchanged at press conferences.

Three years ago, Randolph had clashed with Han Sen over the team's hierarchy. But now, he was more than willing to play the role of Han's second-in-command.

As Randolph put it, Han Sen earned respect not just with his on-court performance but with his character and leadership.

"Honestly, I'm just lucky to be on a team with six All-Stars," Randolph said, his tone reflective.

When it was Han Sen's turn to speak, his humor lightened the mood.

Asked how Memphis could have six All-Stars, Han jokingly referenced a famous fanbase trope, prompting laughter across the room.

An ESPN reporter shifted the focus. "Will you continue defending Curry like this in the next game? I mean, this kind of effort could significantly impact your stats."

"We know you haven't signed an extension with the team yet. Doesn't this affect your potential contract value?"

Han Sen, who had yet to agree to an extension with Memphis, was in a contract year. Unlike most players who inflate their numbers during such years, Han seemed to be taking the opposite approach.

Was he genuinely afraid of getting a deal too large?

Of course, that wasn't the case. Nobody would intentionally undermine their own earnings.

Han's decision not to extend last summer wasn't because of a lack of interest, but because the Grizzlies' offer wasn't enough. It wasn't just about the money, either—getting a max contract symbolized status.

If you aren't offered a max deal, how can you call yourself the team leader?

"Will you still defend like this?"

Han Sen's response was succinct: "I will."

There might be some incompetent executives in the NBA, but not all of them are. As the reigning Finals MVP and three-time fan vote leader for the All-Star Game, the likelihood of Han not receiving a max contract this summer was about as slim as the national soccer team making it to the World Cup.

Finally, an NBC reporter asked, "Draymond said pregame that the Warriors would bury the Grizzlies. Do you have anything to say to him now?"

Han Sen paused briefly before replying, "I hope he enjoys the rest of the series."

With a small smirk, he added, "Time's running out for them."

...

After the first two games of the series, the Grizzlies and Warriors shifted the battle to Oakland for Game 3.

Joerger decided not to assign Han Sen to guard Curry this time.

While Han Sen was willing to sacrifice his stats for the team's success, as a coach, Joerger had to consider a broader perspective. 

In Game 1, the Grizzlies were out of sync offensively. Under those circumstances, regardless of whether Han could shut down the blazing-hot Curry, as the head coach, Joerger couldn't risk putting his offensive core against the opponent's. That would have only accelerated the collapse.

However, the situation in Game 3 was markedly different from Game 1. The Grizzlies had found their rhythm, and for games they could win with standard effort, there was no need to go all out.

Once again, Jackson adjusted the starting lineup for this game, inserting Landry into the starting five.

Jackson had become something of a mad scientist, always throwing surprises at Joerger.

Landry, who earned the nickname 'Birdman' during his time with the Rockets, was well-remembered by East Coast college basketball fans for his relentless energy. One of his iconic career moments was losing a front tooth during a game.

He was the opposite of Draymond Green—strong offensively but weak defensively. Though he lacked three-point range, he had a solid mid-range shot effective up to 16 feet.

When Green ran pick-and-rolls, his primary option was to pop out. In contrast, Landry's threat lay in rolling to the basket.

Landry's presence gave the Warriors a slight offensive edge compared to the previous game. Moreover, back at home, the Warriors were playing with renewed vigor.

The teams were locked in a tight contest for the first half, but then the game shifted into classic Grizzlies mode.

In the third quarter, the Grizzlies tightened their defense, and Joerger finally tasked Han Sen with guarding Curry.

The Warriors managed only 16 points in the third quarter, allowing the Grizzlies to pull ahead.

Adding to the Warriors' woes, Curry suffered another ankle sprain while attempting a forced drive under Han Sen's suffocating defense and had to leave the game early.

Though Curry's tactical role in Jackson's system wasn't as prominent as in later years, his absence revealed just how much the Warriors relied on him. Even when Curry wasn't holding the ball, his off-ball movement exerted significant pressure on opposing defenses.

The Grizzlies won comfortably, 97–85, taking a 2–1 series lead.

Han Sen posted a game-high 28 points, while Curry had 18 before his injury. 

As for Green, time appeared to be running out for him. He logged only 10 minutes, finishing with 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists on 1-of-3 shooting.

Could Curry return for Game 4? That was the burning question among Bay Area media after Game 3. 

The answer came the day before Game 4: Curry would play through the pain with a cortisone shot.

The news was a huge morale booster for the Warriors.

This wasn't the first time Curry had played under such circumstances this season—or even in this postseason. In Game 3 of the first round against the Nuggets, he also sprained his ankle but returned with a cortisone injection to help the Warriors secure a 3–1 series lead.

If LeBron could make a triumphant comeback with the Cavaliers, Curry's choice brought a similar surge in team spirit.

Adding to the Warriors' optimism was another piece of exciting news: David Lee, previously ruled out for the season with a hip flexor injury, announced he would return for Game 4.

This near-miraculous recovery injected another dose of confidence into the Warriors.

"It's time for Memphis to see how terrifying the Warriors truly are," Green proclaimed on social media.

You had to admire Green's audacity—his personality ensured he would always be the most prominent figure among Han Sen's haters.

Amid the eager anticipation of Bay Area fans, Game 4 in Oakland began.

Curry and Lee's return to action inspired the Warriors. Early three-pointers by Thompson and Barnes gave them a perfect 6–0 start.

However, no one expected that this would be their only lead of the entire game.

Curry's grit in playing through injury uplifted the team's spirit, but his performance was visibly affected by his condition. As for Lee, his return felt more symbolic than impactful—he played just three minutes.

It wasn't a miracle after all, unless you counted faking an injury.

The Grizzlies routed the Warriors 109–91, taking a commanding 3–1 series lead.

"Playing through injury with a cortisone shot is a huge risk for Steph. He's a warrior," Han Sen said during the post-game press conference, offering high praise for Curry.

Despite being a time traveler, Han Sen hadn't known Curry had a history of playing through cortisone shots. Nor did he know how such repeated treatments might affect Curry's career, given that Curry's game wasn't built on physical dominance.

Han Sen's comment was genuine admiration for Curry's courage. However, it unexpectedly attracted a wave of new haters.

This had everything to do with LeBron, who had already been sent fishing by the Grizzlies.

After the Thunder were eliminated, LeBron, despite being injured, attended the post-game press conference and delivered the now-infamous quote, "It's just basketball."

His remarks drew criticism from some, but most people understood his point—injuries are an unfortunate part of the game.

Yet shortly after the playoffs, LeBron was seen actively participating in commercial events, even dunking during performances, showing no signs of injury. This sparked a backlash online.

Thus, Han Sen's praise for Curry was interpreted by LeBron fans as a veiled jab at their idol.

Han Sen couldn't help but think back to forums he'd browsed before his time travel. Discussions about players somehow always circled back to LeBron, with people frequently inserting the word 'than' to draw comparisons.

He once thought it was just LeBron haters stirring the pot. But now it seemed that LeBron's most fervent fans might be his biggest detractors.

-End of Chapter-

Author's note:

To set the record straight, the Warriors under Mark Jackson weren't weak. Despite missing David Lee, they defeated the Nuggets 4–2 before falling 2–4 to the Spurs, who came within one rebound by Duncan and one three-pointer by Ray Allen of winning the title that year.

In the 2013–2014 season, the Warriors lost 3–4 to the Clippers in the first round, a one-possession game without Bogut, who was sidelined late in the season.

When the Warriors were upset in 2016, in addition to Green's suspension, Bogut's injury was a critical blow as he was their defensive anchor.