章 83: The Arena.
After the game, Curry came over to chat with Han Sen.
At heart, Curry was still just a big kid, and after Han Sen complimented him a bit, he had completely forgotten about the whole NCAA incident.
Han Sen joined in the friendly conversation. After all, it was thanks to Curry that a lot of his social media followers (and haters) came his way.
On the final day of the All-Star event, the main game.
For NBA fans, especially those in Dallas, this was a truly historic moment.
The Cowboy Stadium was just built in the latter half of last year, and its "first" event was this NBA All-Star game.
A crowd of 100,000 watching basketball sounded unbelievable; those fans in the highest seats probably couldn't see more than a tiny dot on the court— they were just there for the atmosphere.
The Eastern and Western All-Star players were in their locker rooms, making last-minute preparations.
"This is my little bro— look out for him, would ya," LeBron introduced Han Sen in the Eastern locker room.
Who's your little bro?!
Though it seemed his previous "killing with kindness" buff hadn't expired yet.
It was lasting longer than expected.
Of course, he knew that LeBron's words wouldn't make much difference.
Besides him and LeBron, the other three starters were Wade, Howard, and Garnett.
Howard and Garnett were LeBron's Eastern Conference rivals and weren't exactly fans, even if they pretended to get along.
There was no way they'd take extra care of him just because of LeBron's suggestion.
Fortunately, he had a decent relationship with Wade, which might offer him some opportunities.
It was unfortunate that Kobe was out this year due to a fractured finger.
Their last Christmas Day showdown ended with a loss to the Lakers, leaving Han Sen eager for a rematch.
He'd have to wait until after the All-Star game; he was also curious to see if his Cavs could take down the Lakers.
Soon, a staff member came in to inform them it was time to get ready.
As they walked through the tunnel toward the main stage, they could already hear the roaring crowd outside.
With 100,000 people on-site, even thick concrete walls couldn't mute that sound.
By the time they reached the platform under the stage, the sound was like a bomb going off next to their ears.
Han Sen couldn't help but take a few deep breaths. This was a one-of-a-kind way to experience his first All-Star game.
First came the Eastern Conference reserves, followed by the starters.
One by one, the five starters rose up on their platforms.
Wade was the first to go up.
Standing below, Han Sen could clearly hear the deafening cheers from the crowd outside.
This response showed Wade's popularity in the league— even in a 'road' game in the Western Conference.
After Wade, it was Han Sen's turn.
As the platform slowly lifted, Han Sen raised both hands high.
He was expecting to be greeted by boos, as usual.
But to his surprise, the crowd cheered.
The cheers weren't as loud as Wade's, but they were definitely cheers.
This caught him off guard, as he'd hoped to rack up some hater points.
Apparently, he underestimated the impact of his three-point performance the previous day.
Many had become fans rather than haters after witnessing his performance.
American fans especially respect strength, so a bit of arrogance isn't a big deal if you're good enough.
Han Sen laughed helplessly in the end— he needed haters, not fans!
But he couldn't help smiling with a hint of pride.
After all, who could resist cheers from the crowd?
He lowered his hands, then raised his right hand to his ear in a 'listening' gesture.
The fans' cheers rose to a new level.
This year's All-Star game had one absentee from each conference: Kobe in the West and Iverson in the East.
Iverson had chosen to sit out to take care of his sick daughter, which saddened many fans.
Han Sen's gesture showed he truly knew how to work the crowd.
As the opening ceremony ended, the lights dimmed before slowly coming back up.
Only then did Han Sen get a chance to take in the entire arena.
He was stunned.
Not only him— other players looked around in awe as well.
The sheer sight of this endless sea of people was overwhelming.
Since this was an NFL stadium, it had a roof but open sides.
The scene, with the mix of fresh, slightly dusty air, didn't feel like a typical basketball court; it felt more like a Roman Colosseum from the movies.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As Han Sen looked away from the crowd and was about to warm up, something in the front row caught his eye.
At first, it was because someone was wearing a Cavaliers jersey with his number 77.
Then, he realized— it was Taylor Swift?
His expression was as shocked as a meme-worthy cat.
Seeing Swift here wasn't surprising— being a pop star, she'd definitely show up to an event of this magnitude.
But why was she wearing his jersey?!
Their rumored 'date' already drew Swift a lot of hate online.
For her to "defy the odds" like this, could she also have some kind of hater system?
Or could it be that, inspired by his 'courage', she actually had a crush on him?
If that were true, it'd be absurdly, ridiculously... 'romantic'.
---
As Han Sen was fantasizing, the others began warming up.
After warm-ups, the All-Star starters took their positions on the court.
The West: Nash, Anthony, Nowitzki, Stoudemire, Duncan.
The East: Wade, Han Sen, LeBron, Garnett, Howard.
After Kobe's injury, theoretically, he should've been replaced by another guard. However, since the All-Star Game was taking place in Dallas, Nowitzki ultimately took his place.
This made the Western Conference lineup visibly bigger, and Han Sen ended up matched against Anthony. Like LeBron, Anthony is a power forward–type small forward, taller than Han Sen and weighing around 110 kilograms, making him a tough opponent to defend.
However, Han Sen had a grin on his face since, in comparison, LeBron's matchup with Nowitzki was clearly more intriguing. As someone with foreknowledge, Han Sen was well aware of the drama that would unfold between these two later on.
Duncan and Howard were at the center circle, ready for the jump ball, and Han Sen lined up against Anthony.
"You shouldn't be here," Anthony said, shaking his head, to Han Sen's surprise.
Han Sen had anticipated that his All-Star selection might be controversial, but he hadn't expected Anthony to be so blunt about it.
"The fans picked me, not you!" Han Sen shot back without hesitation. He had no reason to hold back against Anthony like he did with LeBron, who was his teammate and required a bit of tact.
Anthony stared at Han Sen for a moment, silent, a hint of hostility could be seen in his eyes. They said Anthony had a street reputation, and his silence definitely gave off a 'tough guy' vibe.
Han Sen shot a hard glare back. Did Anthony really think he'd back down?
The whistle blew, and Duncan's experience shone through. He nudged the ball twice and tipped it back to his team's side of the court.
Amid the deafening cheers of 100,000 fans, the unique All-Star Game officially began.
As the game started, rhythmic drumming filled the stadium, though the open-air arena dispersed the sound, giving it a vibe more akin to a soccer match.
The West took the first possession. Duncan and Stoudemire set up two solid screens on the right side for Nowitzki, and Nash's pass was perfectly on target.
Nowitzki ran into position, caught the ball, and smoothly knocked down a mid-range jumper to put the West on the board. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
Unlike his place on the Cavaliers, Brown- the All-Star Game head coach, was more of a figurehead. This year, the Western coach was the Nuggets' George Karl, who certainly hadn't called this play— it was the Western players giving their 'hometown' player, Nowitzki, the spotlight in Dallas.
For the East's first possession, LeBron took over as point guard, driving the ball up. He didn't pass but instead backed Nowitzki down, then spun right for a fadeaway.
Nowitzki pressed in for a strong contest, and the shot bounced off the rim.
LeBron hadn't applied enough pressure in his post-up move, so even a defender like Nowitzki could interfere effectively.
Back on offense, the West ran a similar play on the left side. Nowitzki, positioned further out this time, nailed another long two-pointer.
Han Sen had previously admired Durant's shooting ability for a tall player, but if anyone was at the top of that list, it had to be Nowitzki.
At 7 feet tall with a smooth touch and that signature high-release 'one-legged fade', he was almost impossible to contest directly.
Wade then pushed the ball for the East, and this time LeBron moved to the right side to take the ball. He squared up and attempted a pull-up jumper but missed again.
Duncan grabbed the rebound and quickly passed to Nash, sparking a fast break that ended with Stoudemire flying in for a layup.
The West opened with a 6-0 lead.
With Kobe out and the Western lineup slightly off-kilter, the East was supposed to hold the advantage, but this start was surprising.
Yet Han Sen sensed something different about this opening. Typically, All-Star Games were relaxed in the first three quarters before getting serious in the last. But today, there was already some tactical play and actual defense from the start.
Clearly, the unprecedented crowd of 100,000 had spurred the players to focus from the tip-off, which suited Han Sen's defensive style perfectly.
The West's possession then switched to a Nash-Stoudemire pick-and-roll, drawing the East's defense in. Nash made a no-look bounce pass to Anthony, who drove hard to the rim.
Duncan set a solid screen for him from the weak side.
Anthony leaped to finish, but a figure chased him down from behind, leaping to meet his shot.
Bang!
The ball was swatted forcefully into the backboard, and Anthony was knocked out of bounds.
While Duncan's screen was solid, the 'Big Fundamental' hadn't learned the art of sneaky, illegal screens, and Han Sen managed to get around him.
Anthony looked slightly rattled after Han Sen's block, but the referee called a foul, giving him a bit of a dignity-saving break.
Two players came to help him up—Duncan and LeBron.
LeBron even playfully patted him on the back as if to say, "You shouldn't have messed with him."
After all, Han Sen had been the one who blocked LeBron in their very first training camp together.
Seeing Anthony in the same situation put LeBron at ease.
Anthony sank both free throws, bringing the score to 8-0.
In an All-Star Game, the score didn't really matter, but the East's pride was a bit dented by the start.
LeBron handed the ball off, and Wade finally got his hands on it. Wade made a strong drive against Nash, forcing the West's defense to collapse.
Unlike Kobe, Wade didn't force a shot but instead whipped the ball out to Han Sen in the corner.
Wade, often overlooked as a playmaker, had a knack for racking up seven or eight assists in a season when given the chance.
Han Sen felt more comfortable than he did on the Cavs since Wade's pass had a nice touch and timing.
Han Sen took the shot, and the West's unbalanced lineup was evident. Even All-Star big men couldn't cover the three-point line that quickly.
Swish!
With yesterday's three-point contest win fresh in his mind, Han Sen broke the East's scoreless streak.
On the way back to defend, Han Sen found Wade for a high-five. Having a real friend in the All-Star Game made a difference.
For the West's next play, Anthony tried to get the ball and take his shot, seeking redemption from his earlier block. But Han Sen used a half-fronting defense to deny him the ball.
The moment was captured by a courtside photographer and flashed up on the LED screen, causing a wave of cheers from the crowd.
"Is this really the intensity of an All-Star Game?"
Anthony didn't get the ball, but the Western team still pulled off a smooth play. Nash, with a screen from Duncan, drove into the paint and, with some Magic Johnson-style flair, dished a no-look pass to Stoudemire on the baseline. Stoudemire tapped it back to the rolling Duncan, who banked in a solid mid-range shot.
Clearly, Nash and Stoudemire, as teammates, plus his prior connection with Nowitzki, had the Western team running a more coordinated offense. For the Eastern team, they had to rely on Wade to keep up.
And Wade stepped up, driving hard past Nash. The Western defense was cautious, clearly hesitant to collapse inward— showing the value of having a strong outside shooter.
Seizing the opportunity, Wade used a nifty Eurostep to shove Nash aside and then tossed the ball off the backboard, slamming down a self-assist dunk. The high-flying legs brought the crowd to a frenzy.
Now this was starting to feel like an All-Star game.
After the dunk, Wade pointed at Han Sen, and LeBron raised an eyebrow. "You two seem pretty in sync, huh?"
On the next possession, Anthony got the ball outside the three-point line and drove past Han Sen. In Han Sen's memories, though Anthony's reputation wasn't always high due to his time with the Lakers, he knew the guy's game. Despite lacking in defense and playmaking, Anthony's scoring ability, especially at 15 feet, was elite.
Han Sen closed in to deny Anthony's space to make a move. It worked, forcing Anthony into a back-down play. Anthony was heavy and skilled in post-ups, so Han Sen lowered his stance.
In that instant, Anthony used a tight spin move, his trademark 'spin cycle'. By the time Han Sen recovered, Anthony was already at the rim for a banked-in score. He celebrated with his iconic 'three-to-the-head' gesture, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
LeBron tried a three-pointer but missed again. Luckily, Howard grabbed the offensive rebound, fighting through Duncan and Stoudemire's coverage, but couldn't find an opening against the Western team's towering lineup. Han Sen moved from the corner to a 45-degree angle, catching Anthony napping and leaving him wide open. Howard, who'd played a four-out offense with the Magic, instinctively passed it over.
No chance for a clean shot, though, as Duncan quickly closed out. Han Sen made a sharp move past him, driving to the basket. Anthony recovered and, along with Stoudemire and Duncan, blocked off any easy layup or jump shot. With no other option, Han Sen went for an off-balance floater, and it dropped in cleanly.
With that shot, Han Sen was now the Eastern team's top scorer.
He took the chance to flash his signature celebration, gripping the sides of his jersey and shaking it— an action that seemed to amplify in significance under the spotlight of All-Star weekend.
Anthony wasn't about to back down. This time, he came at Han Sen more aggressively, hoping to humble the rookie. But Han Sen responded with equally intense defense, pushing back harder than before.
The fans were getting louder and louder. Anyone walking in might have thought this was last year's Lakers vs. Nuggets Western Conference Finals. The ref finally called a foul on Han Sen's defense.
Anthony spun around, grabbed the ball with one hand, and pushed his forehead into Han Sen's.
"Rookie, you can't guard me!"
"Quit yappin'. Last I checked, you haven't stopped me either!"
They locked eyes, both of them glaring, tossing trash talk back and forth. The crowd of ten thousand was on fire, the court turned into a modern-day colosseum.
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