Chapter 186: I'm Finally Here.
In reality, reports about the nightclub incident weren't limited to Oklahoma City.
On the latest show, Barkley and the crew were already making fun of the news.
Thunder fans were outraged.
No wonder the Thunder played so poorly on the road—it turned out that Harden had been out partying at a nightclub.
This was hardly a surprise, as Harden had always had a thing for nightclubs.
It's all Harden's fault. If he hadn't performed so poorly, the Thunder would've had the 3-1 lead.
No, actually, it's the evil Grizzlies' fault for using underhanded tactics, luring Harden in with temptations.
The words 'Harden' and 'nightclub' together triggered a lot of memories for Han Sen.
Harden was, indeed, a frequent nightclub-goer, to the point that nightclubs could practically retire his jersey.
But after battling the Thunder in this series and knowing some 'history,' Han felt that things might not be as simple as they seemed.
In Game 3, it was clear that the Thunder weren't the united front they appeared to be; in fact, their internal conflicts were obvious.
This could explain why Harden went to the nightclub.
It was part of his passive nature; he wasn't the type to rebel when faced with team conflicts.
So when someone like him feels wronged, it's natural he'd go somewhere to relax.
And it was interesting that the media exposing the story wasn't from Memphis but Oklahoma City, essentially cutting off Harden's escape route.
When we add Fisher's news into the mix, things become clearer:
After losing Game 3, Harden wanted more ball time to help the team win, but Westbrook disagreed.
The two had a bit of an argument, and Fisher, acting as the 'locker room leader,' scolded Harden, leaving him in a foul mood, leading him to the nightclub.
So, this was all a manifestation of a power struggle for control.
Westbrook and Durant were close, and Westbrook had just signed an $80 million, five-year extension with the Thunder last summer.
This situation was similar to Gay's; the Thunder weren't going to give Westbrook a max contract without giving him control over the ball.
So that '$6 million history' Han knew about became clearer.
It seemed like a mere $6 million contract gap, but it was actually about getting Harden to obey the team's arrangements, to humbly accept a Ginobili-type role.
Harden wasn't willing, so he got traded.
People say Thunder management was unbelievably dumb in their trade decisions, but really, they were treating players as though they were characters in a video game.
But Harden going to the nightclub, well, there was no excusing it. The problem was that he went and then played horribly. He deserved the backlash.
Jordan gambled all night during the Finals and still returned to dominate on the court.
If you can't handle the big leagues, don't take on the work. Harden just doesn't have that strength.
Realizing this, Han knew the series was already over.
The revelation of this news was practically an announcement of the Thunder's internal conflicts.
Han didn't even need to see it to know what would happen to a team with internal issues.
The Grizzlies ended it with a 102-82 win on the road, sending the Thunder fishing with a 20-point blowout.
As the game ended, Ford Center fell into silence.
It was a stark contrast to last season when the Grizzlies lost to the Mavericks.
Last season, the Grizzlies had lost, but they had shown a promising future, while now the Thunder were left with only despair.
Plus, the Grizzlies, like them, were a young team, so there was no waiting it out. The Grizzlies would inevitably become their nemesis in the future.
And they had to watch the Grizzlies celebrate.
The Grizzlies' players couldn't hold back any longer.
Having secured the victory early, they had been waiting for the game to end.
Or rather, ever since they defeated the Lakers, they'd been waiting for this moment.
So when the final buzzer sounded, everyone on the team, both on and off the court, erupted in cheers and celebration.
Even Han shared a chest bump with Gay.
They finally won!
They were going to the Finals!
Battier, however, looked a little dazed.
When he first joined the Grizzlies last season, he just wanted to help them win a playoff game...
But now, he was heading to the championship with this team!
"This sounds unbelievable, but now, Memphis is heading toward the first championship in their franchise history—their first in 18 years!" Barkley said in awe on the commentary bench.
"The Grizzlies' performance this season has been unreal. They've eliminated the Mavericks, Lakers, and Thunder—three title contenders. If they win the title, this will be an epic championship!" Kenny Smith chimed in.
Before this, no one would've expected the Grizzlies to emerge from the West.
Although they performed well at the end of the regular season, many teams were resting their starters for the playoffs by then.
But the Grizzlies achieved it, step by step.
"They even withstood biased officiating. I don't know what could possibly stop them now," Shaquille O'Neal remarked, both admiring and regretting it.
Watching the Grizzlies celebrate, an old thought resurfaced—he couldn't help but imagine how amazing it would be if he were on this Grizzlies team!
In the postgame press conference, Han attended with Randolph.
Randolph scored 20 points tonight, his best performance in the playoffs, marking his return to form.
"KD said before the game that they'd end the series in five games, and technically, he was right. Do you have anything to say to him?" A reporter took a playful jab at Durant.
The 'five-game theory' originally came from Barkley, but Durant accepted it with open arms.
"Tell him my offer still stands—he doesn't need a championship to get bathwater," Han replied, sparking laughter from the reporters.
The bathwater joke was here to stay.
"Did you think the series would end so quickly?"
"No." Han shook his head, then confidently added, "But I always knew we would be the ones to win."
"Who do you think will be your opponent in the Finals?" asked an ESPN reporter.
Yes, the Grizzlies finished up early, but the East wasn't over yet.
Or, more precisely, the Eastern Conference situation was quite unexpected.
The Heat, after winning the first two games, lost the next three to the Celtics, bringing the series to a 2-3 deficit.
Believe it or not, there was a real chance the Heat wouldn't make it to the Finals.
"Doesn't matter who it is," Han replied. "As I said at the start of the season, the championship is our only goal."
With the Eastern Conference Finals still undecided, the Grizzlies enjoyed a rare break.
The day after they returned to Memphis, the league sent them two sets of new jerseys.
In Han's original timeline, Conference Finals MVPs were recognized, but not in this era. However, players wore jerseys with the conference champion logo on them.
There was no runner-up award, but the Western Conference championship was real enough.
"Looks amazing." The Grizzlies players were thrilled. Gay was especially pleased; it might just be an added logo, but it added a different aura.
It was, after all, the most tangible recognition they'd received so far in the playoffs.
"Han, do you think the Heat might actually miss the Finals?" Gay asked, wearing his new jersey and sitting beside Han.
"You could try betting a little on the Heat winning the Eastern Conference," Han suggested, giving Gay a tip on how to make some money.
Though he was also surprised by the current Eastern Conference Finals events, he knew the outcome.
"Well, that works too," Gay's response surprised Han a bit.
"If we win the championship over them, we'd achieve legendary status just like the people in Dallas did last year."
Han laughed. The Heat's 'Big Three' were now the perfect golden backdrop—everyone wanted a piece of it.
But Gay's confidence wasn't unfounded. After all, the Grizzlies had swept the Heat for two consecutive seasons; they had a solid foundation.
"Do you think if we beat them, they'll break up?" Gay pondered.
It was something Han hadn't considered.
But knowing Riley's style, facing immense pressure and repeated failures with the same lineup at its peak, there was a real chance.
Actually, Gay wasn't the only one wondering.
Han noticed that with the Heat down 2-3, the media had already started speculating on the possibility of breaking up the Big Three.
After all, they'd lost in the Finals their first year, and now they might be out in the Conference Finals. What was the point of staying together?
Curious, Han began to look into how the Heat ended up in this situation.
Earlier, he'd been focused on his own games, but now that he had time to check, a realization hit him.
In the Conference Semifinals, with Bosh injured, the Heat were pushed to a 1-2 deficit by the Pacers.
Then, in Game 5, LeBron fouled Granger hard, which Han remembered, although he couldn't recall exactly when it happened.
Thinking it over, he could sense that LeBron had reached a point where he simply couldn't afford to lose anymore.
The Western Conference Finals were already over, and all eyes were now on Game 6 of the Eastern Finals.
In that game, LeBron delivered one of the strongest performances of his career, hitting 19 of 26 shots for a staggering 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists, helping the Heat defeat the Celtics 98-79 on the road, tying the series at 3-3.
Before the game had even ended, ESPN had captured a close-up of LeBron's intense expression, dubbing it the 'Death Stare.'
Even though Han and LeBron had their differences, he couldn't deny that LeBron played phenomenally in this game.
In adversity, you either break through or you break down.
It also gave Han a new understanding of how the Heat managed to crush the Thunder so easily in 2012.
With Bosh's unexpected injury, the Heat had actually fought through a series of adversities, and their mentality had changed drastically compared to the previous season.
So if they underestimated the Heat simply because they'd swept them in the regular season, the Grizzlies could very well suffer a major setback.
The next day, before practice, Han Sen didn't head over to the third squad as usual; instead, he sought out Joerger.
After practice, Joerger gathered the Grizzlies players to rewatch Game 6 between the Heat and the Celtics.
Joerger then gave the team a pre-game cautionary talk.
This approach proved effective.
Just as Gay had shown earlier, the Grizzlies were brimming with confidence due to their regular-season record, yet that confidence had led to a bit of complacency.
So this pep talk hit home.
Two days later, the Heat, with LeBron attempting more free throws (17) than the entire Celtics team (15), defeated Boston 101-88, securing their place in the Finals.
In fact, after losing Game 6, the Celtics had little hope left.
With Stern's influence, the Heat had a much higher margin for error.
With the Heat advancing, the Finals matchup was set.
Now it was time to hype up the series.
The Finals, as the league's 'final battle' of the season, are a bit like a boxing match—promotion is essential.
Especially since this was a shortened season, Stern had initially counted on a Lakers-Heat showdown to recoup losses.
But with the Lakers eliminated early by the Grizzlies, they now had to rely on marketing.
The good news was, this was the first time a player from China had reached the NBA Finals.
No doubt, viewership from East Asia would be off the charts, so he wasn't too worried about international revenue.
But during this stage, one piece of news left people speechless.
ESPN released a report where they conducted a survey on who fans thought would win the championship.
The question was simple: Who do you think will win the title?
The results showed that over 96% believed the Heat would win.
This result was surprising since, based on their head-to-head matchups, the Grizzlies should clearly have been favored.
But a closer look revealed the reason—typical media tactics.
All the survey participants were Florida residents!
The Grizzlies' promotional slogan, on the other hand, was much simpler.
"We haven't lost yet, so why would we lose now?"
When this slogan was released, not only were the Memphis fans fired up, but even neutral fans got hyped.
With the promotional phase wrapped up, the stage was set for the Finals.
The Grizzlies and the Heat had the same regular-season record, but because Memphis held the head-to-head advantage, they would have home-court advantage in the Finals.
A fourth-seeded Western Conference team holding home-court advantage in the Finals really highlighted the talent gap between the East and the West over the years.
As the Finals approached, the FedExForum was packed—not just inside but outside as well.
For the fans of Memphis and even Tennessee, this was a historic event, and nobody wanted to miss it.
Not just the fans; prominent figures from Memphis, including the CEO of FedEx, had all arrived at the arena.
The excitement was unparalleled.
During the pre-game ceremony, the crowd's cheers echoed through the arena.
Starting lineups were announced:
For the Heat—Chalmers, Wade, LeBron, McRoberts, and Bosh.
For the Grizzlies—Conley, Han Sen, Gay, Randolph, and Marc Gasol.
There was a bit of a humorous scene before the game.
As the players were preparing to take the court, LeBron went to the scorer's table to do his usual chalk toss.
But when he picked up the chalk container, he found it was empty.
And when he asked the staff for more, they didn't have any, leaving him to walk onto the court looking annoyed.
This was Memphis's way of showing a bit of hostility.
Well, what could you expect? This was, after all, the 'City of Chaos.'
Han Sen found the whole thing amusing.
But as he stepped onto the court, he took a deep breath, and his expression grew focused.
Back in his rookie season, he had the chance to be on this stage but never made it.
Two years later, he was finally here!
-End of Chapter-
TL/n: I'd like to apologize in advance for irregular updates the next two weeks. I've got project deadlines and exams coming up.
I'll try to keep up daily updates as best as I can! So please wish me luck on the finals lol.
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