บท 244: History Repeats Itself.
(TL/n: Got bad news to share. I'm going on a trip next week which will last at least 20 days. So I'll be cutting down on my daily updates from 3->2 or even 1 depending on how many chapters I manage to stockpile.
Unless I am able to translate on the phone, I won't be able to return to my usual schedule until January next year. At least we won't lose much ground to the raws since the original author has also slowed down.)
The Grizzlies faced off against the Rockets in Game 1 of their series, with Memphis hosting the opening game.
Coming off a grueling first round, Han Sen was not fully rested. Coach Joerger adjusted the game plan, assigning Rudy Gay to guard James Harden.
The result? Rudy Gay couldn't stop Harden.
Though Harden hadn't yet hit his career peak, his two seasons as the Rockets' primary playmaker had refined his skills significantly. His signature step-back jumper was now a thing of beauty, his off-the-dribble three-point shooting had greatly improved, and Chris Paul's presence allowed him more opportunities off-ball.
And let's not overlook the nightclub-fueled mastery of NBA foul rules—Harden had become a foul-drawing savant.
In this game, Harden went 7-for-17 from the field and a perfect 15-for-15 from the line, dropping 32 points.
Thanks to Harden's performance, the Rockets were neck-and-neck with the Grizzlies by the end of the third quarter.
In the West, there are no weak teams. A squad that survives a Game 7 battle isn't going to fold easily.
But they didn't have the final say in this game.
Despite Harden's standout night, the Grizzlies stayed competitive, proving the impact of their first-round series. Han Sen wasn't the only one who had leveled up—his teammates showed noticeable improvements as well.
In the fourth quarter, Memphis outscored Houston 32-22, securing a 115-105 victory.
Han Sen, now freed up defensively, erupted for 43 points.
The Rockets lacked a defensive stopper like Trevor Ariza, instead relying on Omri Casspi and a post-injury version of Danny Granger.
While these players could help stretch the floor for Harden offensively, they were defensive liabilities against players like Kobe—or in this case, Han Sen.
...
After the game, the league announced the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award.
Thanks to heavy UA marketing, the award had garnered significant attention this year.
The winner? Joakim Noah, who edged out Han Sen with 30% of the vote to Han's 28%.
This result was rich in drama.
Noah had a stellar defensive season, anchoring the Bulls to a respectable playoff spot in the East. But the Bulls only managed 48 wins, compared to the Grizzlies' 60.
Statistically, and in terms of defensive impact on the court, Han Sen was the superior candidate.
This snub felt eerily reminiscent of Michael Jordan's 1986-87 season.
Back in 1986-87, Jordan returned from training with Tim Grover, transformed into a physical juggernaut. He averaged an eye-popping 2.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per game and had the third-best defensive rating in the league.
Yet Jordan finished 10th in the DPOY voting.
That year's award went to Michael Cooper of the Lakers, who averaged a pedestrian 1 steal and 0.5 blocks with a defensive rating outside the league's top 50.
The reasoning? Jordan scored 37.1 points per game, leading to skepticism about his defensive effort. The narrative was that such stats had to be 'padded.'
Han Sen is now facing a similar challenge.
Like Jordan back then, Han's dominance threatens to monopolize accolades. The concern seems to be: If Han gets every award, what's left for others?
This situation echoes the 1995-96 season, when Jordan, despite leading a record-setting 72-win Bulls team, didn't win DPOY. The justification? Award fatigue.
Silver likely allowed this DPOY result to promote parity in the league, just as he hadn't blocked Han's MVP win earlier.
...
When asked about Noah's victory, Han initially appeared gracious:
"I respect Joakim Noah. He had an outstanding season."
But then he delivered a stinger:
"But let's be real—they're voting with their feet."
The room went dead silent.
Han's comment—a direct broadside against the media voters—sparked an explosion of criticism. Negative headlines flooded in, but Han Sen's hater points skyrocketed, much to his delight.
"Turns out group taunts like this are super effective," Han mused. "Guess I should lean into it more often."
...
Game 2: FedExForum
The arena was electric. Grizzlies fans held up signs that read:
"You Voted With Your Feet!"
"League's Shame!"
"Silver Knows Nothing About Basketball!"
Some fans were escorted out for overly aggressive signs, but that's just Memphis for you.
The game atmosphere mirrored this intensity.
When Nikola Vučević won the tip for Houston, James Harden caught the ball to an eruption of boos. The crowd wasn't angry at Harden; they were fired up because Han Sen was guarding him tonight.
After Rudy Gay struggled in Game 1, it only made sense to unleash Han on Harden.
Harden hesitated, then passed the ball back to Chris Paul.
Unlike Dwyane Wade, who had faced Han's defense in the Finals, Harden knew exactly what kind of monster he was up against. After all, he had trained with Han that summer.
After the handoff, he didn't just stand idle. Instead, he immediately set up a pick-and-roll with Terrence Jones.
Paul's pass came perfectly on time, but just as James Harden caught it, Han Sen had already maneuvered past Jones' screen and was charging toward him.
Harden, thinking quickly, threw a pump fake to catch Han mid-sprint, but Han didn't bite.
Jones tried setting another screen, but Han stayed glued to Harden, applying relentless pressure. Harden nearly lost the ball under the suffocating defense.
With the shot clock winding down, Harden waved Jones away, signaling for an isolation play. The arena crowd erupted into mocking jeers, the volume rising as the pressure mounted.
Harden's athleticism had never been his calling card. Battling asthma as a kid, his game was built on rhythm and control—oh, and his underrated ball-handling skills.
Keeping his dribble low to the ground, Harden made a quick, low-to-the-floor crossover to challenge Han's defense.
After bumping shoulders with Han to create space, Harden leaned into his signature move: a step-back jumper. At this stage of his career, he hadn't fully embraced the 'Moreyball' philosophy yet, and his mid-range step-back was still one of his deadliest weapons.
He created enough separation, ready to launch. But just as he rose to release the ball, he experienced what Carmelo Anthony had encountered before him.
Creating space ≠ scoring.
SMACK!
Han Sen, reading the move perfectly, recovered and swatted the ball volleyball-style out of bounds.
The crowd, once mocking Harden, exploded into wild cheers. Harden stood frozen, his face an echo of Carmelo's bewildered look from earlier in the playoffs.
The Rockets' first possession was a bust, and on the other end, Han Sen got the ball in the post, spun around Omri Casspi, and nailed a smooth mid-range jumper before the double-team could arrive.
The fans could feel it. The energy in the building surged as the realization dawned—this was going to be another appearance of 'Full Throttle Han.' Sure, it wore Han out, but to the crowd, it was worth every second.
Five minutes in, Harden hadn't taken another shot since that blocked attempt. The Grizzlies were already up 12–6.
With Harden locked down, the Rockets turned to Chris Paul's bread-and-butter mid-range shots off pick-and-rolls. But even that wasn't sustainable.
First, the screener had to deliver a perfect screen to free up Paul. Second, his height disadvantage demanded a clean window for the shot. Lastly, Paul still had to make the shot under pressure.
The Rockets' bigs—one undersized, the other too slow—weren't helping matters. Paul could try feeding them after a pick-and-roll, but their inefficiency rendered those passes ineffective.
Meanwhile, the Rockets had no answer for Han Sen.
On defense, Han kept Harden shackled. On offense, he turned Casspi into a liability. Guarding Harden required less energy than chasing Stephen Curry around screens, and Han used that to his full advantage.
Eventually, Rockets Head Coach Kevin McHale tried switching Chris Paul onto Han.
Credit to Paul—he wasn't explosive as a scorer, could crumble in clutch moments, and had a reputation for prioritizing his own interests—but fear?
That wasn't in his DNA. He would step up and guard anyone, be it in L.A., Houston, against Miami, or Memphis.
But bravery alone wasn't enough.
Paul's defense worked against Durant because KD was vulnerable to players who aggressively attacked his lower body. Han Sen, however, was a different beast.
A simple bump to create space, keeping an eye on Paul's hands to avoid getting stripped, and the rest was a walk-through shooting drill for Han.
Paul's lack of height and diminished athleticism post-knee injury left him helpless. After two possessions of Han scoring at will, McHale pulled the plug—it was just gifting points at that stage.
On the offensive end, Harden decided to tap into his infamous club-inspired move: drawing fouls. Driving inside, he raised the ball high, forcing his elbow into Han's body to neutralize his defensive strength.
But this wasn't the polished 'Son of Jingdezhen' version of Harden, who would masterfully trap defenders' arms. His current foul-drawing bag was too shallow against Han.
Han simply backed off, waiting for his moment. Harden, thinking he'd carved out space, attempted a right-handed layup. Han timed his leap, pinned the ball to the backboard, and, before landing, snagged the ball with one hand.
Harden, frustrated, committed a foul to stop the fast break. After the whistle, he silently let out an expletive-laced rant.
'I'm not one of those DPOY voters! And damn those reporters—can't they vote properly for once?! Now I'm the one paying the price for their nonsense!'
The FedExForum was now a cauldron of roaring fans. The chants rang loud and clear.
Han Sen not DPOY?
That's like Elden Ring missing out on Game of the Year. It's not a knock on Elden Ring; it's a loss for GOTY!"
By the end, Harden had shot 3-of-11 from the field, including 0-of-4 from three, finishing with 14 points and six turnovers under Han's suffocating defense.
The Rockets lost 104–86 and fell into a 0–2 hole.
Han's final stat line? A jaw-dropping 35 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 4 blocks.
Chris Paul, who posted a respectable 24 points and 10 assists, lingered on the court post-game, staring at the scoreboard. Another 0–2 deficit, another season with no Conference Finals in sight.
If someone ever wrote a book, LeBron and the Missing Rings would have a fitting companion: Chris Paul and the Unreachable Conference Finals.
This game proved one thing, though: Paul's struggles weren't just bad luck—they were limitations.
To put it bluntly, the key difference between Paul and contemporaries like Harden or Curry is his inability to fully capitalize on high usage.
Whenever his backcourt partner—be it Kobe, Harden, or even Booker from the 'history' Han Sen remembers—was neutralized, Paul often found himself struggling to carry the load.
...
The Rockets' lack of a true Moreyball strategy was their downfall against Memphis. They clawed back to steal one home game thanks to a hot shooting night, but the Grizzlies closed the series 4–1, advancing to the next round with ease.
While Memphis looked sharper in the second round, signs of vulnerability were showing. The league's evolving three-point-centric rules were eroding their defensive edge. Against strong shooting teams, they were at risk of being exploited.
The very next day, the Spurs wrapped up their series against the Thunder with an equally commanding 4–1 win.
For the second consecutive year, the Grizzlies and Spurs were set to meet in the Western Conference Finals.
-To be continued-
Translator's note:
About Harden's Chinese nickname- I didn't remove it cuz it gave me a good laugh when looking it up online.
Jingdezhen is a town famous for making fragile porcelain, so Son of Jingdezhen (景德镇之子) is a term for an NBA flop artist. Harden is perceived to be the best at this 'art,' so he gets to be the 'mayor' of Floptown.
This name came about because the term 'touching porcelain' (碰瓷) is for people who purposely dashes in front of slow moving cars to feign injury for insurance money.
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