Chapter 217: What Kind of Team Leader Is That?
The FedEx Forum was packed to capacity, with the arena buzzing with energy and dotted with clearly provocative signs: "Draymond is the Real Clown", "Let the Ignorant Stay Ignorant", and "Watch Your Back!"
Draymond Green's big mouth had not only fired up the Warriors but also drawn immense media attention. However, it inevitably angered Memphis fans.
Even during warm-ups, the Grizzlies' dormant competitive edge—dulled after their breezy first-round win—was reignited. The team conducted a series of high-flying dunks during pregame practice.
Han Sen, Rudy Gay, Vince Carter, Kenneth Faried—each player showcased their leaping ability, making the warm-ups look like an all-star dunk contest.
Once warm-ups concluded, the opening ceremony began, and the starting lineups for both teams were announced:
Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut
Grizzlies: Mike Conley, Han Sen, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol
Mark Jackson showed flexibility by promoting Green to the starting lineup after his strong performance in Game 1. This adjustment added intrigue to the matchup while also firing up the Grizzlies.
Bogut won the opening tip for the Warriors, and Curry brought the ball into the frontcourt. The Warriors' first play was an off-ball action for Thompson.
Han Sen switched onto Curry, while Gay guarded Thompson. Against Bogut's screen, Gay fought over aggressively, denying Thompson any space for a three-pointer.
This was part of Dave Joerger's game plan: no open threes, allow mid-range shots if necessary.
Thompson caught the ball, dribbled into mid-range, and drained the shot.
It's common for three-point specialists to struggle with mid-range shots, but Thompson was an exception, excelling at both. That dual threat was part of what made him a future star.
On the Grizzlies' offensive end, the strategy was equally clear: target Green in the post.
While Bogut was a strong low-post defender, his slower footwork made him less effective as a help defender. Green, though energetic, was simply outmatched.
Randolph received the ball in the post against Green, used his body to create space, faked Green into jumping, and finished with an easy layup.
Even peak Draymond Green would struggle against a player as strong, skilled, and experienced as Randolph in the low post.
The Warriors went back to Thompson, but Gasol stepped up to contest his shot this time, forcing a miss. Thompson, still in his sophomore season, lacked the consistency of his prime years.
Green grabbed the offensive rebound and attempted a putback, but Gasol swatted it away.
The crowd erupted in jeers.
"So much for modern basketball!"
The Warriors inbounded the ball, finally running a play for Curry. Using consecutive screens, Curry found space for a three.
At this stage of his career, Mark Jackson still treated Curry as an elite off-ball shooter—a role he had thrived in during his NCAA days.
Curry's off-ball movement was on par with Richard Hamilton's, but with deeper range and a quicker release.
Han Sen fought through Bogut's screen but encountered Green's moving screen. Green's subtle shoulder movement turned it into an illegal pick, and Han Sen went down.
The whistle blew—illegal screen on Green.
The Memphis crowd jeered even louder, now mixed with mocking whistles.
Green, visibly frustrated, held his head in his hands. Curry's three-pointer, which had gone in, was nullified.
As Green turned back toward his bench, Han Sen met his gaze with a knowing smirk. The message was clear: "You're out of your depth trying to play dirty with me."
The foul had a ripple effect. Already outmatched by Randolph, Green now had to play cautiously with a foul to his name.
The Warriors adjusted, collapsing their defense to help Green in the post. Randolph, showing patience, passed out of the double team to Gay, who swung it to Conley, and finally to Han Sen for an open three-pointer.
Swish!
The Grizzlies were clicking offensively, moving the ball with the precision they had shown against the Thunder.
Han Sen's shot ignited the crowd and gave the Grizzlies an early edge.
On the next possession, the Warriors tried another off-ball play for Thompson, but Gay shut it down.
Switching gears, they ran an elevator play for Curry, who got a clean look at a three.
But Han Sen anticipated the play, slipping through the screens to contest Curry's shot.
Curry's quick-release, one-motion jumper had its advantages, but it lacked the stability to withstand heavy contests. Under Han Sen's pressure, the shot clanked off the rim.
Marc Gasol secured the rebound, and the Grizzlies pushed the ball back up the court.
Back in their offensive set, the Grizzlies once again attacked Green in the post. Randolph, showing his full repertoire, hit a hook shot over Green to make it 7–2.
Mark Jackson called for Carl Landry off the bench, signaling Green's imminent substitution.
Realizing his spot was in jeopardy, Green stepped up to set a screen for Curry, who pulled up for a deep three.
Splash!
Curry's quick-trigger release and ability to create just enough space set him apart from other shooters. All he needed was a sliver of daylight.
Green celebrated the make enthusiastically, perhaps more so than Curry himself.
Curry's three gave the Warriors a much-needed boost in confidence. Their improved defensive rotations forced a Grizzlies miss on the next possession.
Although not yet at their peak, the Warriors' potential was undeniable. They had already upset the 56-win Denver Nuggets despite missing their interior anchor, David Lee. ①
Just as the Warriors seemed to gain some momentum, a commotion erupted in the arena.
Han Sen had stepped up to defend Stephen Curry in the frontcourt!
After the earlier defensive lapse, Han realized one thing: when guarding Curry, you had to stick to him like glue, leaving him no space to get a shot off.
Curry tried to accelerate past Han, but he quickly discovered that Han's lateral quickness was far better than he'd anticipated.
Switching tactics, Curry attempted a behind-the-back dribble to break through, but once again, he failed.
The arena's restless murmurs turned into roaring cheers.
Han's full-court press defense didn't just put pressure on Curry—it fired up the Memphis crowd.
After taking the blame for their previous loss, Han was making his statement now. By locking down Curry, he was showing he was ready to take the game back into his own hands!
Curry eventually realized he couldn't shake off Han.
Back in college, Curry had stayed until his junior year before declaring for the draft, mainly because scouts doubted his physical attributes.
He was frail and lacked explosiveness. Although his ball-handling skills improved with training, his lack of an explosive first step remained a limitation.
Han, on the other hand, struggled most against guards with lightning-quick first steps. Put him against someone like Allen Iverson, and he'd have no chance. But with Curry? That was a different story.
Han's sudden full-court pressure caught the Warriors off guard. By the time Curry's teammates realized he couldn't get past midcourt and rushed to help, the 8-second violation was already looming.
Forced into a tough spot, Curry had to locate a teammate and hurled the ball toward Harrison Barnes, who was standing on the opposite side of the midcourt line.
It was the best option under pressure—but it didn't work. Mike Conley seized the moment, darting in for the steal!
The Grizzlies had adjusted their defensive matchups, with Han guarding Curry, Rudy Gay covering Klay Thompson, and Conley taking Barnes.
Had Barnes been a more seasoned player, this matchup could have spelled trouble, as he could've overpowered Conley in the post.
But the rookie Barnes was mostly a spot-up shooter on offense.
Conley, a perennial two-steals-per-game player, was incredibly attuned to such situations.
After the steal, Conley burst forward in transition.
Curry, left defending a two-on-one in the backcourt, stood no chance. Conley tossed a high lob, and Han soared to grab it, finishing with a one-handed alley-oop dunk.
Landing with authority, Han grabbed his jersey with both hands, pulling on the number 77.
The FedEx Forum exploded into pandemonium.
The slight resurgence the Warriors had been building was stomped out by Han in an instant.
When the Warriors inbounded the ball again, Han once more took up a full-court press against Curry.
The Grizzlies' players could feel their adrenaline surging.
Barnes hesitated to receive the ball. Draymond Green moved to help, but Randolph stepped up past midcourt, using his long arms to interfere with Green's movement.
The Warriors couldn't even cross halfcourt again!
With the 8-second violation looming, Coach Mark Jackson was forced to call a timeout.
The cheers in the arena were deafening, unstoppable.
"This is what being a team leader looks like!"
"If LeBron could do what Han's doing, maybe the Thunder would have won a single game!"
Coming out of the timeout, Jackson made adjustments.
Surprisingly, the player subbed in wasn't Carl Landry but Jarrett Jack.
Jack replaced Barnes, and Jackson rolled out a "four-out, one-in" lineup.
However, this version of four-out, one-in was different from the Heat's or Thunder's setups from last season, as Draymond Green, strictly speaking, was still a big man.
A more accurate term for this lineup might be a "three-guard system."
Jack, a solid ball-handler, partnered with Curry to successfully bring the ball past halfcourt.
The ball ended up in Jack's hands.
Jack had a unique reputation—often serving as a sixth man off the bench, but as the season progressed, the starting point guard would frequently get injured, thrusting Jack into the starting lineup.
This pattern was linked to his playstyle: Jack was a strong, aggressive combo guard.
Using a Bogut screen, Jack drove straight into the paint, launching a floater over Marc Gasol.
Quick footwork, a sturdy frame, and an excellent stop-and-pop ability—this was one of his signature moves.
But just before the ball reached its apex, a figure soared overhead.
Bang!
To the crowd's astonishment, Han Sen delivered a volleyball-style block, swatting the ball far out of bounds!
The stunned gasps from the crowd quickly turned into thunderous applause.
On the sidelines, Robert Sacre grabbed two towels and started wildly waving them with both hands.
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant earned their legion of fans not just because of their aesthetically pleasing playstyles, but also because of their mentality.
While they were usually tasked with leading the offense, they didn't hesitate to step up on defense when needed, taking on critical roles and executing them to perfection.
Tonight, Han was embodying that same spirit.
He wasn't just shutting down Curry; he was sending a message to the Warriors: when the Grizzlies were locked in, scoring on them wouldn't be easy!
Historical Note:
① During the 2012–2013 season, the Warriors eliminated the Nuggets 4–2 in the first round but lost to the Spurs 2–4 in the second round. The Spurs ultimately lost to the Heat 3–4 in the Finals.
(End of Chapter)
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