Staggered Shifts.

The day after losing Game 2, the Grizzlies flew back to Memphis.

This would be their most challenging stretch yet. The idea of making a comeback seemed even harder than their previous Game 7 battles.

You could sense it in the players' mood when they returned. Despite staying dedicated in practice, the drop in morale was visibly clear.

It was understandable. The Grizzlies had practically played all their cards in the first two games.

In reality, getting this far with this roster had already exceeded almost everyone's expectations—management's included.

To be blunt, you could see from Wallace's attitude when Han Sen first joined the team that making the playoffs was the primary goal.

As for the championship? Han Sen was the only one daring enough to even think about it.

So the roster wasn't built with that in mind, or they wouldn't have left the bench so lacking—especially at the center position.

Having Haddadi as your backup center on a contending team was almost comical.

After practice, Han Sen pulled Randolph aside.

"Zach, I need more from you."

Randolph was a bit confused at first, but like when he nodded before exiting Game 4 against the Spurs, he nodded again.

Was there any way left for the Grizzlies to turn things around?

Yes, but only one.

They had to extend their starters' minutes. Doing so would minimize the minutes the bench played, thus reducing the team's vulnerabilities during rotations.

However, this was a massive physical challenge, especially in the playoffs.

The intensity wasn't comparable to the regular season. It was also a desperate move—playing a full series like this could feel like a death wish.

But at this point, the Grizzlies had no other options.

After talking with Randolph, Han Sen approached Hollins and shared his idea.

Hollins couldn't refuse—not because of Han Sen's status on the team, but because Hollins was completely out of his depth at this stage.

As he'd admitted in an earlier interview, he was at a loss for what to do.

Expecting a defense-oriented coach built on a twin-tower system to make adjustments on a Western Conference Finals stage was a stretch, to say the least.

When they were playing the Thunder, it was stubbornness. But after Randolph got ejected, what Hollins showed was more helplessness.

So, when someone tossed him a lifeline, he clung to it with everything he had.

The next day, on game day, the Grizzlies' spirit looked visibly better during their open practice in front of the media.

It wasn't all for show. Hollins made changes, and even if they didn't work, at least they had a direction now.

After scoring 38 points in Game 1 and locking down Nowitzki in Game 2, Han Sen became the media's main focus.

"Are you confident about tonight's game?"

"Absolutely," Han Sen's confidence was palpable.

"Have you made any adjustments?"

"Of course, but that's not the point."

"Then what is?" a reporter asked, curiosity piqued.

"Because it's our home court."

That night at the FedEx Forum, the place was packed to capacity.

You could see signs everywhere bearing the phrase "This is our home court," and the atmosphere was electrifying, showing just how much Han Sen's words had rallied the fans.

People had almost forgotten Han Sen's jump onto the Cleveland scorer's table, but his leap onto the Memphis table after beating the Thunder in Game 3 remained fresh in everyone's minds.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups were announced:

Mavericks: Kidd, West, Marion, Nowitzki, Chandler.

Grizzlies: Conley, Han Sen, Battier, Randolph, Gasol.

After the lineup shuffle in Game 2, the Grizzlies reverted to their original starting lineup.

This move sent a clear message—they wouldn't rely on Han Sen to guard Nowitzki this time.

Indeed, when Chandler won the tip-off for the Mavericks and Nowitzki settled in the low post, Gasol was back guarding him.

Nowitzki, not holding back, immediately hit a signature fadeaway. Despite looking the same as his Game 1 shots, this one clanked off the rim under Gasol's contest.

It proved Nowitzki's Game 1 performance had been an outlier—he couldn't sustain that level of play with a defender in his face.

"Nice work, Marc!" Han Sen gave Gasol immediate positive feedback.

Nowitzki missing one shot didn't mean he was off, but building Gasol's confidence was crucial. They didn't need to shut down Dirk completely—just limit his effectiveness.

On the next play, Randolph went to work against Chandler in the post. After missing his initial shot, he grabbed the offensive rebound, drawing a foul on the second attempt.

In these two games, Randolph had shown everything he had against Chandler. But now, his aggression was noticeably higher.

This was part of what he had promised Han Sen—"more."

And it wasn't just this.

After Nowitzki faked a shot, blew by Gasol, and finished at the rim with a smooth layup, Randolph responded with a post-up spin and a soft hook off the glass.

Through two possessions, Han Sen stayed out of the offense, occupying the weak side for spacing. This was what he meant by needing "more" from Randolph.

The game plan was clear: the primary scoring option was Randolph, while Han Sen conserved his energy.

And why save energy? To dominate the bench minutes, of course.

You couldn't extend everyone's minutes—it'd leave them gassed in crunch time.

Plus, the bench minutes often turned into chaotic scrambles, a bad fit for a heavy big like Randolph.

With around seven minutes left in the first quarter, Tony Allen subbed in for Han Sen. A couple of minutes later, as the teams rotated, Han Sen re-entered the game.

"I got this," he said, exchanging a high-five with Randolph at the scorer's table.

Han Sen glanced at the scoreboard. Thanks to Randolph's dominance inside, the Grizzlies trailed the Mavericks by just two points, 16-18.

It felt ironic because, in a sense, he was now playing the role he once wanted Rudy Gay to play for the Grizzlies.

He was taking his turn on the court during the staggered rotations.

Of course, seeing who Dallas had subbed in, Han Sen knew his job wouldn't be easy.

On the floor for the Mavericks: Barea, Terry, Peja Stojakovic, Marion, and Shaquille O'Neal. 

For the Grizzlies: Conley, Tony Allen, Han Sen, Johnson, and Haddadi.

This was barely "staggered shifts" at all.

Dallas started with O'Neal in the post against Haddadi.

Johnson collapsed in to help, forcing O'Neal to kick the ball out to Marion, who drew Han Sen over, then dished to Peja.

Peja's three-pointer swished through, extending Dallas's lead to five.

At this point, Peja had become a vital cog for Dallas after joining mid-season.

Despite his rocky start, he had been an invaluable scoring punch off the bench during the playoffs.

Back on offense, Han Sen ran a pick-and-roll with Haddadi and punished O'Neal with a clean mid-range jumper.

Despite Dallas's strong lineup, they had exploitable weak points, and Han Sen wasted no time targeting them.

O'Neal shook his head in frustration.

The guy who once saved him from being dragged out to the perimeter in Cleveland was now the one dragging him there.

O'Neal retaliated by going hard at Haddadi, who committed a foul to stop him.

Han Sen gave Haddadi a supportive pat, then exchanged a few words.

O'Neal hit one of two free throws, and Haddadi secured the rebound.

Holding the ball high, Haddadi glanced upcourt—Han Sen had already taken off beyond the three-point line.

Game 4 against the Spurs proved that the Grizzlies could still run without the twin towers, and Han Sen was carrying that lesson over.

The key was having Haddadi's passing skills.

Despite his limitations, Haddadi stayed in the NBA due to two things: his size and his court vision.

With a quarterback-style pass, Han Sen caught the ball and charged down the court.

Barea was hot on his heels, catching up by the time Han Sen crossed the three-point line.

This guy was fast.

Sensing Barea's pursuit, Han Sen shielded him off while moving into the paint and launched into a Euro step, dodging Barea's attempted steal before leaping for a two-handed slam.

The FedEx Forum erupted as Han Sen celebrated with his signature No. 77 jersey gesture.

In theory, Han Sen should have been conserving energy tonight. But sometimes, making a statement mattered just as much.

"Defense! Defense!" the crowd chanted.

Sure enough, the dunk fired up the home fans. In the next defensive stand, Haddadi used every ounce of strength he had to contest O'Neal's shot successfully.

Unfortunately, the ref blew the whistle, calling a foul.

The crowd booed loudly.

Han Sen patted Haddadi's back, encouraging him.

Against O'Neal, the strategy was simple—keep fouling him. If you could tire him out first, then it was a win.

And sending O'Neal to the line also kept Dallas's other weapons off the scoreboard.

The chorus of boos grew louder.

O'Neal, however, kept his cool, hitting one of two free throws.

As long as he wasn't missing both, it was par for the course.

On the next possession, Han Sen attacked O'Neal in a pick-and-roll.

Just like he said in their earlier conversation, he was giving it everything he had.

But in the midst of Rick Carlisle's shouting, the Mavs showcased their defensive mobility.

After the pick-and-roll, Han Sen was immediately met by Marion's help defense.

And his pump fake didn't fool Marion at all.

Johnson isn't a threat from the outside, and with Shaq already in the paint for the Mavs, he's basically a non-factor offensively.

Han Sen decided to take the contested shot over Marion.

Marion reacted fast too, jumping up right away to contest.

The two met mid-air, but in the end, the younger Han Sen got the better of him, releasing the shot right in Marion's face.

It looked like Kobe, but the finish was all Jordan.

Swish!

The ball dropped clean through the net.

The FedExForum erupted once again.

Hitting such a tough shot does as much for morale as a poster dunk.

And that's the right way to rise to the occasion—if I'm on the court at this moment, it's to score. It doesn't matter if it's a simple bucket or a highlight.

22 to 23.

With Han Sen scoring six straight points, the deficit was now just a single point.

It seemed like Hollins had caught on, yelling at Haddadi to commit a foul immediately.

Shaq reluctantly went back to the free-throw line.

Only 20 seconds remained in the first quarter.

Hollins clearly wanted to flip the score before the end of the quarter.

The crowd noise surged, but Shaq calmly sank both free throws despite the distractions.

After hitting the second one, Shaq pumped his fist in excitement.

Han Sen had held nothing back, and now neither was Shaq.

Hollins called a timeout.

"Coach, put me in!" Marc Gasol volunteered.

Han Sen's words of encouragement earlier hadn't had much effect on his defense, but seeing Han Sen's play lit a fire in his young heart.

Hollins agreed. Even though Gasol hadn't been playing great in this series, his screens were still a step above Haddadi's.

After the timeout, the Grizzlies' strategy was simple—give Han Sen the ball and let him take the shot.

Hollins drew up a play for a three-pointer.

Han Sen came off Gasol's screen, received the pass from Conley, and saw Shaq rushing out to contest.

Han Sen made a quick move and took a step forward, but Marion was also closing in fast, so he decided to lob it inside.

After the screen, Gasol had cut to the basket, and with Shaq out of position, he had a clear opportunity.

It wasn't a difficult pass—just needed to lob it up toward the rim.

With his height and wingspan, Gasol caught Han Sen's pass cleanly.

Terry, in desperation, grabbed Gasol's arm to commit the foul.

Terry's foul was decisive, but Gasol's finish was even more so. Despite losing his balance, he managed to put the ball up.

The whistle blew, and the ball rolled in.

An and-one!

Gasol roared to the sky after the bucket.

Han Sen came over and gave him a hard high-five.

Because he could feel it—after that shot, the heart Gasol lost in Game 1 to Nowitzki was beating again."