Breaking the Defense.

At this moment, a very intriguing scene unfolded on the sidelines.

Coach Joerger called James Johnson off the bench and sent him to the scorer's table to sub in for Rudy Gay.

Johnson wasn't in the Grizzlies' regular rotation anymore, so the intent behind this substitution was clear.

Han Sen's explosive performance didn't just intimidate the opponents—it worried the head coach as well.

Han played the entire first quarter, and despite the Spurs' frenzied double-teaming later in the period, he still managed to rack up 26 points.

This marked a new NBA playoff record for the most points in a single quarter.

Additionally, his streak of scoring 20 consecutive points to start the game also set another playoff record for the most consecutive points at the beginning of a game.

In history, Napoleon famously defeated two opposing armies at the Battle of Austerlitz. Now, Han Sen broke two historical records in one quarter.

Back in China, the game was broadcasted live nationwide. The TV broadcast held up, but the online stream crashed the website entirely.

Fans who could access a TV tuned in, while those who couldn't resorted to live-text commentary—until even that system crashed.

In the end, with no outlet for their excitement, fans swarmed forums to discuss the game, causing the forums to crash as well.

A triple cascade of crashes—it was that kind of night.

Under Han Sen's lead, the Grizzlies also made history by scoring 38 points in a single quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, the score stood at 38–18.

This set the tone for the entire game.

...

In the next three quarters, the Spurs showed their resilience.

However, the Grizzlies remained remarkably composed, maintaining a steady and methodical approach even with a 20-point lead.

As a result, no matter how hard the Spurs tried, they couldn't narrow the gap.

Coach Gregg Popovich was visibly frustrated by the end. During garbage time in the fourth quarter, he uncharacteristically kept his starters on the court until the final buzzer.

While this wasn't entirely shocking for a coach known for occasional unconventional tactics, the true surprise came during the postgame press conference, where the legendary coach lost his cool.

Unlike two years ago, when Han Sen's remarks had irritated him, this time, it was Han's performance that truly broke his composure.

"Why didn't we stop Han? How could you even ask such a stupid question? Didn't you see the way we defended him? Or are you pretending not to notice?"

The reporter was left dumbfounded, as Han Sen had scored 45 points in three quarters against the Spurs' defense.

Had he played the fourth quarter, it would have undoubtedly been a career-defining night for him.

While Popovich fumed, Joerger was overjoyed.

At the Grizzlies' press conference, Joerger delivered a string of quotable gems:

"I have no idea what just happened—I didn't do anything, and suddenly we were up by 20." "I wanted Han to play in the fourth, but he wouldn't allow it." "Why was Han so dominant? Because the great Mayor has returned to his loyal city of San Antonio."

Even Han Sen couldn't help but laugh at his coach's humor. It was only then that he realized Joerger wasn't just a great communicator but also had the makings of a talk show star.

When asked about his stellar performance, Han remained characteristically 'humble'.

"Will I continue to play like this? Of course—whether the team needs me on defense or offense, I'll give it my all."

...

While the Grizzlies breezed through Game 1, the Miami Heat struggled in their opener.

The Indiana Pacers' defense was stifling, featuring an interior duo of Roy Hibbert and David West—untouched by the league's verticality rules—and perimeter stoppers in Paul George and Tony Allen. The only relatively weak link was point guard George Hill, but coincidentally, the Heat's weakest position was also point guard.

More importantly, Dwyane Wade had just returned from injury and was far from his best. This left Kevin Durant heavily targeted by the Pacers' defense.

Durant's inability to facilitate under pressure was exposed. Facilitating isn't something you need to be great at, but it's something you can't entirely lack.

In the 'original timeline,' Durant stayed with the Thunder during this year, where James Harden's trade forced him to develop some playmaking skills.

Though Durant never became a true point forward, the experience at least gave him a baseline of facilitation.

Now, having skipped that phase and operating in a system perfectly suited to his strengths, Durant thrived—as long as Wade stayed healthy.

But with Wade struggling, the Heat's offense faltered, limiting Durant's effectiveness.

An unexpected yet logical hero emerged to save the Heat.

George Hill, having spent a month recovering before joining the Heat late in the season, played just 20 regular-season games and hadn't made much of an impact.

However, his court vision and playmaking remained intact.

With Wade out, Erik Spoelstra was forced to give Hill more playing time.

Given the Heat's stacked lineup, Hill gradually found his rhythm, rediscovering his shooting touch from deep.

Hill's entrance opened up the offense, allowing Durant to flourish again.

If the Grizzlies and Heat ultimately face off in the Finals, the matchup promises to be fascinating.

That said, Hill's limitations were also clear—his defense had significantly regressed, giving Paul George opportunities to shine.

The Pacers, built similarly to the Grizzlies, relied on suffocating defense and a single perimeter scoring star.

After Danny Granger's career was derailed by injuries courtesy of LeBron James, Paul George stepped up, showcasing even greater talent and potential.

The two teams battled fiercely, reminiscent of their final regular-season clash, with the game decided in the closing moments.

In the end, Durant hit a game-winning shot over George, securing a Heat victory.

Durant finished with 48 points, setting a new personal playoff career high.

"This is KD's year!" The commentator exclaimed.

Leading his team to 70 wins, claiming the MVP award, and breaking playoff scoring records, Durant's arrival in Miami had him shining with main-character energy.

And if he caps it all off with a championship? The narrative practically writes itself—a true rags-to-riches, 'rise to glory' story.

...

After a two-day break, the Grizzlies and Spurs resumed their series in Memphis for Game 2.

Popovich's stubbornness was on full display.

He refused to rely on help defense, believing it would only increase the Spurs' defensive burden against the Grizzlies' dynamic offense.

However, he did make a starting lineup change, replacing Tiago Splitter with Boris Diaw as the starting center.

While Splitter was initially used to counter the Grizzlies' twin towers, the Grizzlies' offensive focus had shifted. Diaw's inclusion allowed the Spurs to better contain Han Sen.

Han's performance at the start of this game wasn't as explosive as in Game 1. His shooting touch was off, even by his standards. However, he attacked the basket more frequently, drawing defenders and facilitating the Grizzlies' offense.

Basketball tactics can be as complex or as simple as you make them, but the goal is always the same: to create easy scoring opportunities.

Take the Princeton offense, for instance—it's a team-based strategy where every player contributes to creating those opportunities through constant movement and passing.

Most strategies, though, rely on offensive stars drawing double teams to create openings for their teammates.

That's why, as basketball evolves, complex tactics often simplify into star players exploiting mismatches in isolation plays.

When Han Sen is in rhythm, he can score in isolation without needing elaborate schemes. But when his shot is off, driving to the basket can still energize the Grizzlies' system.

However, the Spurs aren't afraid of a team-oriented approach from the Grizzlies. While Green and Leonard couldn't lock down Han Sen one-on-one, their help defense capabilities were exceptional.

Kawhi Leonard, in particular, with his massive hands, applied immense pressure during help defense. Even when he didn't force turnovers, his presence made a significant impact.

Additionally, Popovich's decision in Game 1 to play his starters through garbage time as a 'punishment' seemed to light a fire under the Spurs. They came out far more aggressive and focused in this game.

By halftime, the Spurs held a 45–40 lead over the Grizzlies.

In the timeline Han knew, this Spurs team came within one free throw of a championship, or more accurately, one legendary shot from Ray Allen's highlight-reel buzzer-beater.

If nothing unexpected occurred, the Spurs seemed poised to suppress the Grizzlies and even the series at 1–1.

But in the second half, the unexpected happened.

Han Sen rediscovered his touch!

The scene felt eerily familiar—two years ago, during the Western Conference Semifinals, Han Sen had also struggled in the first half but came alive in the second.

It was as if Han Sen had some kind of unique 'mayoral gene' when playing against the Spurs.

The difference now was that Han Sen had become even more formidable.

Popovich stuck to his defensive strategy, and Han Sen responded by sinking one mid-range jumper after another—the 'least efficient' shots by modern basketball standards.

In this quarter, Han Sen morphed into Carmelo Anthony. The latter had recently dropped 50 points against the Thunder without stepping into the paint.

Han Sen scored another 20 points in the third quarter, prompting commentators like Charles Barkley to question Popovich's coaching decisions.

"Has Popovich forgotten that guy's still on the court?" Shaquille O'Neal asked in disbelief.

"He's like a stubborn ass," Barkley retorted. "Keeps charging ahead, forgetting where his reins are tied." Barkley's fixation with donkeys was as unshakeable as Shaq's on Kobe.

Meanwhile, social media was ablaze with similar sentiments:

"Pop's luckiest moment as a coach was meeting Duncan. His biggest challenge? Coaching without Duncan."

"The Spurs' success came down to three things: drafting Duncan, the Big Three taking pay cuts, and then Popovich himself."

"By 'Popovich himself,' do you mean sending goons to injure opponents' star players when things get tough?"

...

In the final quarter, Popovich started with the Big Three—Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili—hoping their experience could turn the tide.

Say what you will about his coaching decisions, but Popovich always managed to come up with surprising moves.

Grizzlies coach Joerger, however, remained surprisingly composed and refused to be baited into a reactionary strategy.

His confidence was bolstered by the Grizzlies' deep bench.

After trading for Vince Carter, the Grizzlies could field a pure second unit of Livingston, Carter, Battier, Jamison, and Faried.

And that lineup didn't even include Rudy Gay, who was always staggered with the starters.

This lineup alone was stronger than some Eastern Conference teams' starting fives.

It was this depth that allowed the Grizzlies to maintain their position atop the Western Conference standings, even while coasting through the latter half of the grueling season.

The Spurs managed to cut into the lead during the Big Three's run, but they couldn't fully erase the deficit.

Once the Grizzlies reinserted their starters, the game swung back in their favor.

Leonard played brilliantly in the closing minutes, keeping the Spurs competitive with timely cuts and perimeter shooting.

The Spurs' trade for Kawhi Leonard was on par with the Lakers trading for Kobe Bryant or the Grizzlies acquiring Han Sen.

But without the ability to create his own shots consistently, Leonard couldn't fully tilt the game in the Spurs' favor.

The Grizzlies ultimately won 95–85, taking a 2–0 series lead.

Han Sen finished the first half with just 9 points but exploded for 31 in the second half, ending the game with 40 points.

Through two games, his playoff scoring average stood at a staggering 42.5 points per game.

Barkley's initial offhand prediction that Han Sen could score 40 points now seemed conservative in hindsight.

At the post-game press conference, Popovich once again lost his composure in response to a reporter's question.

"Why does Han Sen always score so much against the Spurs? Is there something wrong with your defensive strategy?" the reporter asked.

"I'm the one sitting here," Popovich shot back. "I've coached this team to four championships. I think I know more about winning than you do."

His response was reminiscent of LeBron's famous 'I think I'm the best player in the world' moment. Maybe Pop should consider coaching The Chosen One next.

Meanwhile, Han Sen couldn't resist a little humor at Popovich's expense.

"I hope they stick to that defensive strategy," he joked during his interview. "It'll make my stats look amazing."

While the Grizzlies went up 2–0 on the Spurs, the Heat stumbled in Game 2.

Wade was still searching for his rhythm, and the game played out almost identically to Game 1, with the teams neck-and-neck in regulation.

This time, though, it was Paul George who stepped up in the clutch.

With 0.7 seconds left, George hit a handoff three-pointer over Durant to send the game into overtime.

In the extra period, George locked down Durant in a crucial possession, forcing a travel and sealing the Pacers' win.

George's performance earned him a surge in popularity, and fans revived his old nickname, 'Mini-McGrady.'

During practice before Game 3, Rudy Gay approached Han Sen with a cheeky question.

"Han, could Miami actually get knocked out early?"

If the Finals ended up being Grizzlies vs. Pacers, the odds would heavily favor Memphis.

The Grizzlies' clash with the Spurs had already shown that a team with a superstar scorer like Han Sen had the edge against defensive-oriented squads.

Moreover, their two toughest opponents—the Lakers and the Heat—might not even make it to the Finals.

"If they do, great. If they don't, even better," Han Sen replied with a grin.

He doubted the Pacers could actually dethrone Miami. After all, Wade wouldn't stay in a slump forever.

Still, the Heat had already expended so much energy during the regular season. If the Eastern Conference Finals drained them further, how much gas would they have left for the Finals?

Come to think of it, Han Sen was reminded of the 73-win Warriors.