Chapter 57: He's just a 3D player.
"Shaq was absent, we were called for 26 fouls, while our opponents only had 15. It was not a normal night."
At the post-game press conference, Brown rubbed his forehead as he tried to justify the loss.
"Our outside shooting didn't meet expectations either. We took 22 shots but only made 7, and we grabbed 14 fewer rebounds than our opponents." Of course, blame had to be shared.
Missing outside shots and losing the battle for rebounds — two issues that never failed to contribute to the Cavaliers' losses.
But the reporters, especially those from Cleveland, had grown tired of hearing this over the past month, so naturally, they weren't satisfied.
"You said our outside shooting didn't meet expectations, so why not give Han (Sen) and Delonte (West) more playing time?"
Brown coughed twice, signaling for the next question.
"Han played well at the start of the season and contributed a lot to the team, but after the game against the Thunder, his minutes were drastically reduced. What exactly happened?"
Then, the next reporter's question was even more direct.
Brown picked up his water cup for a tactical sip, but ended up choking and coughing.
James frowned at the reporter.
"We heard you and Han had a heated exchange at the gym. Did he talk back to you, causing him to lose playing time?"
Kerr also chose the perfect moment to ask a question.
Such confrontational scenes were rare at post-game press conferences, but now that it had happened, it showed just how dissatisfied people were with the team's current situation.
James pulled the microphone closer to himself.
"We all need to change, not just one person, but all of us. This is not the level we should be playing at."
After the press conference, James and Brown walked towards the locker room.
"Start that guy in the next game," James said.
Hearing this, Brown let out a long sigh of relief.
The pressure he'd endured over the past month could finally be released! In fact, he had no problem with Han Sen — strong defense, accurate three-point shooting, clutch performances, and a powerful presence on the court. No coach would dislike a player like that.
Even though Han Sen publicly complained about his playing time and had clashed with him, Brown didn't change his opinion, because, after all, he was the one at fault in the first place.
But he had no choice; he couldn't risk losing his job.
Luckily, it was all over now.
However, having worked with James for many years, Brown understood his personality. Despite the drama at the press conference, it wasn't enough to make James change his mind.
Just then, a staff member passed by them.
After the person left, Brown continued, "If he plays well, our previous lineup decisions will be questioned."
James suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Brown, realizing a moment too late, also stopped and turned to look at James, noticing a dark expression flash across his face.
Then, he heard James mutter, "He's just a 3D player."
...
"That move of yours was slick."
In the Cavaliers' locker room, O'Neal sat next to Han Sen, chatting with him.
Although O'Neal couldn't play tonight, he watched the entire game from the sidelines.
Early in the second quarter, Han Sen made a beautiful spin move for a layup.
Han Sen smiled, a little helpless.
The Wizards' bench wasn't very strong, and he had more opportunities to showcase his improved driving skills, but unfortunately, his playing time was limited.
Just then, James appeared at the locker room door.
Seeing him, O'Neal got up and moved his bench back to his locker.
A moment later, Brown also walked in.
"We need some changes."
As soon as he entered, he spoke directly, causing all the Cavaliers players to turn their eyes towards him.
"Han will return to the starting lineup in the next game. This isn't the end. Anyone who doesn't perform well will lose their starting spot."
After saying this, Brown left the locker room.
At the same time, James picked up a towel and headed for the shower.
Cunningham immediately stood up, walked over to Han Sen, and gave him a high-five with excitement.
"Congrats."
O'Neal also congratulated Han Sen.
Even Delonte West, who didn't say anything, walked over and bumped fists with him.
Varejao, on the other hand, snorted coldly, grabbed his bag, and pushed past Cunningham as he left the locker room.
Cunningham didn't get angry and instead whistled at Varejao's back.
Old Parker, on the other hand, seemed a bit despondent. His performance had been relatively consistent over the past few games, but tonight, he shot just 1 for 7.
Reactions varied, and Han Sen, caught in the center of attention, was somewhat taken aback.
Just because the fans called for Brown's dismissal, he was put back in the starting lineup?
Shouldn't they have increased his minutes as a transitional step?
No, Brown couldn't have made that decision on his own.
Did James suddenly have a change of heart?
That couldn't be it!
Looking at the empty seat in front of James' locker, Han Sen couldn't figure it out.
But one thing was for sure — this was good news.
Although the next game was against the Celtics, if he could put on a stellar performance against such a strong team and solidify his role as an indispensable player for the Cavaliers, it would be much harder for Brown or James to try to suppress him again.
The game against the Celtics was an away game, so the team flew to Boston the day before the match.
"I don't like that place," O'Neal started venting to Han Sen on the plane.
"The racism there is terrible. No one wants to play there." He didn't hold back at all.
James and Williams, sitting in the rows ahead of them, didn't react to what O'Neal said, showing that Shaq wasn't exaggerating.
Han Sen felt a bit strange, considering that O'Neal's final stop in his career was in Boston.
"I respect Bill Russell, not just because of his achievements on the court, but because of everything he did in Boston," O'Neal continued.
"You might not be able to imagine, but when he played for Boston, he couldn't even stay in the same hotels as his white teammates. But he never complained. He taught me to have a strong spirit, to never complain, and not to be a crybaby."
Han Sen wasn't too familiar with America's history of black and white relations, but he deeply despised racism.
O'Neal's words brought to Han Sen's mind an image of the 2017 NBA Awards, where Russell received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award.
At the time, five legendary centers — Kareem, Shaq, David Robinson, Zo, and Mutombo — gathered to congratulate him.
Russell pointed at them and said that iconic line: "I would kick your asses."
The five centers laughed and applauded, accepting the statement.
Back then, Han Sen didn't fully understand it, since, in terms of historical status, Kareem alone could match Russell.
Could it be that just because Russell was their senior, he had the right to publicly insult them?
Now it seemed that Russell's influence went far beyond the court.
After arriving in Boston, the team took a bus to the hotel.
There were quite a few fans gathered outside the hotel.
Cavaliers fans in Boston?
When Han Sen got off the bus, puzzled, he quickly realized that these weren't their fans at all. They were troublemakers.
"LeBron is a loser!"
A man in the front was wearing a bold jersey.
There were security guards from the hotel present, but they completely ignored the situation.
James saw this and walked straight into the hotel, acting as if he hadn't seen anything.
It seemed he was already used to it.
Han Sen was confused. Wasn't this just a regular-season game?
But soon, he couldn't stay calm.
After being ignored by James, the group quickly targeted him instead.
The man in the James jersey pulled his eyes back in a mocking gesture towards him.
"Damn!"
Han Sen couldn't hold it in and was about to confront the man.
But just then, O'Neal grabbed him from behind.
"This is exactly why I told you those things on the plane."
The NBA has strict rules prohibiting players from engaging in altercations with fans. If Han Sen were suspended because of this, his hard-earned starting opportunity would be wasted.
Han Sen, held back by O'Neal, watched as the man waved his right hand at him, singing what sounded like a Spanish song.
Han Sen couldn't understand it, but he knew it wasn't anything good.
"If you're so tough, come over here and fight me!"
Perhaps because Han's reaction was too aggressive, the security guards finally stepped in and chased the man away.
Han Sen was also urged to return to the hotel, but he still felt a belly full of rage.
O'Neal wasn't wrong; no one wants to come to this rotten place.
Weekly Power Status
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