The Honeymoon Phase.

Two days later, the Cavaliers visited Orlando for their second matchup of the season against the Magic.

The Magic hadn't made any moves by the trade deadline, and Jamison was still coming off the bench as Coach Brown had planned.

But in this game, Jamison became the key factor in the outcome.

He came off the bench for 31 minutes, shot 9-for-14 from the field, and delivered an efficient 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. 

Not only did he perform completely opposite to his previous game offensively, but he also played solid defense for once.

For most of the game, Jamison was matched up against Rashard Lewis. Under Jamison's defense, Lewis was limited to 5-for-12 shooting and only managed 12 points and 4 rebounds.

Jamison had never been known for his defense, especially after joining the Wizards, where his defensive habits became poor, turning him into a liability for his team.

However, defense often relies on physical talent.

Take two extreme examples: Tracy McGrady and Sasha Vujacic. The former, even without putting much effort into defense, was never considered a liability, while the latter, no matter how hard he tried, was often referred to as non-impactful.

Jamison stands at 6'9" with a 7'1" wingspan, weighs 238 pounds, and has broad shoulders— a natural gift for defense.

When he's willing to commit defensively, even at 33, he can at least avoid being a liability, though not a lockdown defender.

As Han Sen had predicted earlier, Jamison regained his form just one game later.

This earned him a spot in the post-game press conference.

During the press conference, Coach Brown even smiled and announced in advance that Jamison would start in the next game.

According to Brown, the coaching staff had planned for Jamison to get into rhythm over two games.

But Jamison knew deep down that it was his performance that had earned him his starting spot back.

After the press conference, back in the locker room, Jamison was greeted warmly by his teammates, as if things were back to how they were when he first joined the Cavs.

Except for Han Sen.

Han quietly stepped aside, letting his teammates congratulate Jamison while he sat next to Cunningham, offering words of comfort to his young teammate.

With Jamison returning to the starting lineup, Cunningham was the one to lose his spot.

Cunningham, though, was taking it well, much like veteran Parker had earlier when he was replaced by a more capable player.

Unlike Parker, Cunningham was more at peace with the situation.

"I wasn't a starter to begin with, and I'm still getting minutes," Cunningham said.

After Ilgauskas left, Varejao became O'Neal's backup, leaving Jamison and Cunningham to split the minutes at the four spot.

Now, it was just a matter of the two swapping roles.

In the last game, Jamison played 31 minutes off the bench, while Cunningham, the starter, played only 13. There wasn't much difference between starting and coming off the bench anymore.

Han Sen patted Cunningham on the shoulder. Ever since the time he grabbed the wrong shoes in the locker room, Han knew this kid had a good attitude.

If by some chance LeBron decided to stay, and if that agreement between Han and Ferry kicked in and he was traded, Han thought it would be good to take Cunningham with him.

The next day, Coach Brown didn't schedule a morning practice for the team. Han had been doing extra workouts lately, so per the team doctor's orders, he was taking a break and sleeping in.

But around 9 a.m., his phone rang, waking him up.

It was Jamison.

He hadn't asked Jamison to join him for extra workouts the day before because Jamison had been in such a good mood. He didn't even mention that they had the morning off. Was Jamison calling to drag him to the gym?

When Han answered the phone, he didn't expect Jamison to say he was downstairs.

Since they had gone fishing together, Jamison knew where Han lived.

Han got up and headed downstairs, only to find Jamison standing there with a small truck. Jamison was wearing polarized sunglasses, and for a moment, Han thought he was a delivery driver.

With Jamison were two other men who, under his direction, unloaded something from the truck.

When they set it down, Han saw it was a massage chair.

As soon as it was inside, Jamison began explaining, "This is the model I use myself. It works wonders after training. I think it'll help you too."

"Very thoughtful," Han smiled, patting Jamison on the arm.

It really was thoughtful.

After O'Neal gifted him a Rolls-Royce, Han didn't need much else, but a massage chair was genuinely useful.

After intense exercise, the body produces a large amount of lactic acid, which, if not flushed out, can lead to serious soreness the next day.

Post-workout massages, ice packs, and ice baths were all aimed at flushing out lactic acid.

But with all the extra training Han did, he wasn't always able to flush the lactic acid in time. A massage chair would definitely help.

More than the chair itself, what really made him happy was Jamison's gesture.

If Jamison hadn't considered Han a friend, he wouldn't have put that much thought into choosing the gift.

After the massage chair was set up in the living room, Han decided against taking the day off.

After all, Jamison had already come over.

Might as well hit the gym together!

...

By mid-March, the NBA regular season was nearing its end, with less than a month left.

During the past month, the Cavaliers had experienced a true honeymoon period.

They had just won their longest streak of the season— 12 straight victories.

This streak allowed them to surge past the Celtics and Magic to claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Basketball isn't simple math, but when a team has more players who can handle the ball, it exponentially increases the pressure on the opposing defense.

Take a simple example: When Cunningham sets a screen, the defense only needs to focus on the ball handler because, besides a catch-and-shoot, Cunningham doesn't pose a real threat. 

But with Jamison, you have to guard against him rolling to the basket, popping out to the three-point line, and even making a secondary pass. You have a lot more to worry about.

This diversity in threats made the Cavaliers' offensive system much more complex.

As for the ball distribution issues that were a concern, Jamison, displaying his North Carolina roots, didn't complain about having fewer touches.

Much like when he was traded from the Warriors to the Mavericks, where he went from being the main guy to the sixth man, he accepted the change.

That's his personality, and it's also why he never became a superstar, but it made him fit in perfectly with the Cavs.

Of course, it helped that Jamison had signed a fully guaranteed four-year, 50 million dollar contract in 2008, meaning he didn't need to chase stats for a new deal.

During the win streak, LeBron averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists; Jamison averaged 16.1 points and 7.4 rebounds; Han Sen averaged 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2 steals; Williams averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 assists; and Shaq averaged 12 points and 7.8 rebounds.

The Cavaliers not only maintained their top-tier defense but also became one of the league's elite offensive teams.

In early March, the Cavs took advantage of a loophole in league rules and re-signed Ilgauskas, who had been waived by the Wizards.

This meant the Cavs had traded for Jamison by giving up only a future first-round.

This move sparked strong dissatisfaction among other teams, leading to the creation of the 'Big Z Rule', which stated that a player, once traded, could only return to his original team after one year.

But like all rules, it didn't apply retroactively, so Ilgauskas could still return to the Cavs.

As Shaq had said, it really seemed like they didn't know how to lose.

Han Sen's stellar play earned him his first career honor in March— Rookie of the Month.

Up until then, the award had always gone to the Bucks' Brandon Jennings.

Jennings had nearly recorded a triple-double in his NBA debut with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, and had set a rookie record with 29 points in a quarter and 55 points in a game against the Warriors on Thanksgiving.

Winning the award was nice, but what made Han happier was training with Jamison.

With Jamison's help and the experience gained from games, Han's floater technique improved rapidly, and he was close to breaking through the bottleneck for [Giant Slayer].

Two days later, the Cavaliers would face the Lakers for the second time this season.

The team was in top form, and everyone was eager to avenge their loss from the Christmas Day game.

On the morning of game day, the players trickled into the locker room, preparing for the final pre-game practice.

It wasn't until he was about to get up that Han noticed O'Neal's spot across from him was empty.

"Shaq hasn't shown up?" Han asked, puzzled.

Cunningham shook his head; he hadn't seen O'Neal today either.

Today's practice included tactical drills and was closed to the public.

It wasn't until they arrived at the training facility that Coach Brown made the announcement.

O'Neal had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his right hand and required surgery. He would miss the rest of the regular season, and whether he could make it back for the first round of the playoffs depended on his recovery.

This was a huge blow.

Han Sen was a bit stunned.

He remembered that O'Neal had dealt with injuries during his time with the Cavaliers, but he hadn't expected anything this serious.

This wouldn't just affect tonight's game against the Lakers, but also cast a shadow over the Cavs' playoff run.

But injuries are part of the season. Even Kobe had missed nearly a month earlier because of a fractured finger, including sitting out the All-Star game.

The intensity of an 82-game regular season is a massive test on a player's body.

That night, the Cavaliers avenged their Christmas Day loss to the Lakers with a 102-87 victory.

LeBron scored 33 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 12 assists (though with 7 turnovers), along with 2 steals. Han Sen had 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Jamison contributed 13 points and 4 rebounds, while Mo Williams added 11 points and 5 assists.

Kobe put up 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, but he only made 11 of his 33 shot attempts. Gasol managed 11 points and 6 rebounds, Artest added 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Bynum and Odom combined for just 10 points.

Even with Shaq out, the Lakers' 'Big Three' in the frontcourt had a terrible game.

In fact, you could see from the Christmas Day game that the Lakers had some issues this season.

The logic is simple: winning a championship is like chasing a goddess— before you win her, you're willing to do anything, but once you've got her, the passion quickly fades away.

Kobe still had that fire because, like Shaq, he wanted to win more championships than the other.

But the rest of the team wanted higher status, more shots, and bigger contracts.

These desires couldn't be fulfilled on a Lakers team with a fixed roster.

After the game, once Han Sen showered, he and Cunningham brought some gifts over to O'Neal's house to visit him.

Shaq had surgery on his finger, so while he couldn't play, it didn't impact his day-to-day life too much.

When Han saw Shaq, he didn't look much different from usual. Shaq even stood up with a smile and gave him a hug.

"I watched the game. You really kicked Kobe's butt! That guy still doesn't get that there's no 'I' in team," Shaq said, laughing.

He still loved dissing Kobe.

"But there's a 'me' in it, right?" Han Sen joked.

Shaq was caught off guard for a second, then burst out laughing.

"What did the doctor say?" Han asked, concerned about Shaq's injury.

Even though the Cavaliers had won easily that night, it was mostly because the Lakers' frontcourt trio played so poorly.

They wouldn't always be that bad, and Han remembered that this was the year Gasol would shed his 'soft' label in the Finals.

At that point, O'Neal's presence would be crucial.

And that was assuming the Cavs made it to the Finals. If they had to face the Magic, Shaq's presence would make all the difference.

"Looks like I'll be back by May."

"That's good news."

May meant Shaq would likely return around the second round of the playoffs.

Based on the current standings in the East, the Magic were right behind the Cavs, so if they met, it would be in the conference finals.

That meant Shaq might even have a full series to get his rhythm back.

But Han Sen suddenly remembered something— hadn't the Cavs failed to make it to the conference finals this year?

In his memory, LeBron's 1.0 version of the Cavs only faced the Magic once in the playoffs.

If it wasn't the Magic, then they must have lost to the Celtics in the semifinals.

So, maybe that good news wasn't as good as it seemed.

"Don't worry, even if I'm not fully recovered by then, I can still play with one hand," Shaq said, flexing the muscles in his left arm for a laugh.

Han Sen cracked up. Was Shaq trying to turn into Greg Oden now? This wasn't college ball.

But beneath the jokes, Han could feel Shaq's determination— 5 is greater than 4. This year, it was a race between him and Kobe to see who would get that fifth ring.

If the Cavs and Lakers did meet in the Finals, Han wouldn't be surprised if Shaq found a way to shine one last time.

After some more conversation, Han Sen reminded Shaq to rest up and then prepared to leave.

"You didn't have to bring me these gifts," Shaq finally noticed the items Han and Cunningham had left by the door.

Shaq had made nearly 300 million dollars in his career; even after taxes, he still had over 100 million, not to mention his investments and endorsements.

While he wasn't as wealthy as Jordan, Shaq was still part of the highest-earning group in NBA history. That's why he could casually gift Han a 400,000 dollar car.

In other words, no matter how expensive a gift Han brought, it would just end up gathering dust in Shaq's basement.

"It's an East Coast tradition. Just think of it as ordering takeout while you're stuck at home recovering," Han Sen said with a smile.

Shaq laughed heartily at Han's humor.

It wasn't just about their shared interests; their personalities had always clicked, which was why they had bonded so well.

After visiting Shaq, Han didn't go straight home. Instead, he returned to the arena and contacted the team doctor.

After the game against the Lakers, he'd felt some soreness in his knee.

The doctor's diagnosis was the same as last time, but his tone was more serious this time, even expressing concern.

Han Sen had not only returned to his previous training intensity but had also been driving to the basket more in both training and games.

With the season entering its later stages, the doctor worried that Han was pushing his body too hard and might risk injury from fatigue.

Han trusted the team doctor after his previous experience, so he was willing to listen to the advice again.

But this time, the doctor's advice put him in a bit of a dilemma.

Besides reducing his training load, the doctor also recommended cutting back on his drives in games, especially explosive moves like his euro step, which put too much strain on his knees.

Training he could cut back on, but if he stopped driving to the basket in games, it would be like crippling himself.

He didn't have many offensive moves to begin with. If he cut back on driving, he would essentially revert to being a 3-and-D player, making all his previous hard work pointless.

And how could he explain this to Coach Brown? Tell him he was afraid of getting hurt, so he wanted to abandon the team's game plan for him?

That was just unrealistic.

At that moment, Han thought of Tim Grover.

He wasn't regretting not listening to Grover's advice earlier; rather, he was facing the same dilemma now.

If he had listened to Grover back then, he wouldn't have broken out so quickly on the Cavs, and he wouldn't have earned all those hater points, nor the role he had now.

It seemed like a choice, but in reality, it wasn't.

Still, he chose to follow part of the doctor's advice by reducing his training load, even though he was on the verge of breaking through the [Giant Slayer] bottleneck.

Slowing down was better than getting injured and being unable to play at all.

...

Two weeks passed, and the season was down to its final 10 days.

During a game against the Bulls, while making a hard drive to the basket, Han collided with Joakim Noah and rolled his ankle, forcing him to leave the game.

Reality isn't a novel— Han wasn't immune to injuries like some fictional protagonists.

In fact, as an injury-prone Asian player, the fact that he'd made it this far without getting hurt was a testament to his careful planning and willingness to listen to the medical staff.

But playing through the risk of injury inevitably meant that injuries would come.

The post-game evaluation showed that Han was lucky: there was no fracture or ligament tear. He just needed 2-3 weeks of rest before returning to play.

In a way, this injury gave his overworked knees the rest they needed.

So, in a sense, it was good news.

The bad news, however, was that the timing of the injury meant he would miss the Cavs' final week of games and the first round of the playoffs.

That's right— he was now sidelined alongside Shaq. 

---

TL/n: Don't forget to leave a review if you're enjoying it so far!