章節 193: Champions!
Han Sen's first attempt at driving past Mike Miller after returning to the court didn't succeed.
Though he could play, his foot injury significantly impacted his ability to drive to the basket.
Realizing this, Han decisively abandoned drives and instead opted for off-ball screens and jump shots in tandem with Marc Gasol.
LeBron's exit dealt a heavy blow to the Heat, particularly because their offense now relied more heavily on Wade. This left Wade unable to defend Han, forcing Miami to use other players for the matchup.
However, the Heat's roster lacked strong defensive substitutes on the perimeter.
Han's first off-ball attempt began with receiving a pass from Conley.
Though there was still some pain as he jumped, it was far less severe than during his drives.
In mid-air, he executed a textbook shooting form.
The ball arced beautifully through the air.
Swish!
Nothing but net.
The Grizzlies' bench erupted in cheers.
Wade attempted a drive to respond but was blocked outright by a leaping Marc Gasol.
On the return play, Han once again utilized Marc's off-ball screen to receive the pass.
This time, Bosh lunged toward him. Han immediately dished the ball to Marc and cut to the paint without the ball.
Marc secured the ball despite Miller's pressure and lobbed it above the rim.
Han soared to meet it, holding his breath.
Although his injury reduced his vertical leap, he still managed to snatch the ball mid-air, adjust, and slam it down on his descent.
Bang!
As the ball smashed into the hoop, the American Airlines Arena fell into stunned silence.
Han not only continued to play but seemed as impactful as ever.
No, the morale boost of seeing him fight through injury made the Grizzlies play even better than before.
Despair filled the eyes of Heat fans, growing only deeper.
By the fourth quarter, as the Heat failed to close the scoring gap, many fans began leaving the arena.
It wasn't because watching the Grizzlies celebrate would be unbearable. They simply wanted to avoid the post-game traffic!
The students from Barry University, however, became a striking presence.
They had cheered for the Grizzlies from the start, though their voices were drowned out by the home crowd's chants.
Now, with Heat fans either leaving or too dejected to cheer, the Grizzlies chants echoed prominently in the arena.
With two minutes remaining and the Grizzlies maintaining a 15+ point lead, Coach Spoelstra pulled his starters, conceding the game.
The Grizzlies' bench could no longer contain themselves—they were all standing courtside.
As Han left the court, he was met with thunderous applause from his teammates.
Rudy Gay embraced him tightly, shouting in excitement:
"We did it! You led us here! We're champions now! We're the f*cking champions!"
His voice trembled with genuine emotion, releasing the frustration and anticipation pent up within him.
Randolph joined them, wrapping his arms around both Han and Rudy, shaking their heads playfully as he muttered incessantly.
For Randolph, this season had been the most tumultuous. He had once felt like a burden to the team, but in the Finals, he rediscovered his form and helped secure the title.
More importantly, this season erased the stigma that had plagued his entire career. He was no longer seen as toxic or a liability.
Even Shane Battier joined in, patting Han's shoulder and reminiscing.
"From winning a single playoff game to a series, to competing for a title, and now… Champions. It's all about making the right choices."
Veteran Mike Bibby also leaned in. For him, this was a perfect farewell—playing his final NBA game, even contributing a little in Game 3, and winning a championship on his terms.
Of course, what delighted him most was doing so against someone who had irked him all season.
As more Grizzlies players surrounded Han, the celebration began even before the final whistle.
The scene was captured by photographers and displayed on the arena's LED screens, drawing an uproar from the audience.
"Who would've thought the Finals would be the Grizzlies' easiest playoff series?" Barkley quipped from the commentary booth.
As blunt as the statement was, it rang true. Among the Grizzlies' four playoff opponents, the Heat were the only team swept 4-0.
Even the Thunder managed to steal a game.
The Heat not only lost decisively on the scoreboard but were dominated in every facet—despite attempts at physical play and questionable officiating.
"This might be the last image of the Miami Big Three," Shaq added with a chuckle.
He had held back earlier due to controversial officiating but now reveled in the Heat's exit, emphasizing: "Even biased refereeing can't make an 8-on-5 scenario work for everyone."
As they bantered, the final buzzer sounded.
The Grizzlies defeated the Heat 102-88, completing a 4-0 sweep to claim the NBA Championship!
When the buzzer rang, the Grizzlies' players erupted, their long-suppressed emotions spilling out as they screamed and celebrated wildly.
Fans at home cheered just as passionately, much like they had the year before when the Mavericks upset the Heat.
Not all of them were Grizzlies fans, but as long as someone took down the Heat's Big Three, they were delighted.
After all, the beauty of sports lies in its competitiveness. Few favor those who take shortcuts, and nothing is more satisfying than seeing such shortcuts fail.
...
At this moment, basketball fans back in Han Sen's homeland were in a state of complete euphoria.
The national basketball team might have been a lost cause, but seeing one of their own conquer the NBA was the ultimate source of pride.
Even those who had once criticized Han Sen now joined in giving him the loudest cheers.
"Sen-ge, we were young and short-sighted before, but now we're your die-hard fans!"
...
After a brief celebration, the Grizzlies and Heat players lined up for the traditional post-game handshake.
Dwyane Wade's eyes were red with emotion. Losing wasn't the end of the world, but being swept? That was humiliating. For the Big Three, it was even more of a disgrace.
Han Sen didn't plan to say much, especially since he'd already been blunt the previous summer.
But considering how much Wade had supported him in the past, he couldn't resist giving Wade a hug and whispering, "Don't let the cuckoo take over the magpie's nest."
If Wade were familiar with Han Sen's culture, he might've understood that this simply meant not letting someone unworthy take what's yours.
Regardless, it was a timely reminder. After all, no one could guarantee Pat Riley wouldn't consider trading LeBron James.
After the handshakes, the Grizzlies players headed to the locker room to change into their championship T-shirts.
Once inside the locker room, Han Sen met James Johnson, who was waiting for the team to arrive.
"You doing okay?" Han Sen asked, concerned.
"You should be asking if LeBron is okay," Johnson replied with a grin.
Han Sen burst into laughter, giving Johnson a big hug.
As for whether LeBron was okay? Who cared!
The Grizzlies launched into a second wave of celebrations in the locker room.
Joerger endured his second champagne shower as the Grizzlies' coach.
This time, Han Sen personally doused him from head to toe with a full bucket of champagne. Of course, Han Sen himself wasn't spared from his teammates' enthusiastic retaliation. The entire locker room turned into chaotic merriment.
By the time they emerged, everyone's hair was soaking wet.
Back on the court, the crowd had thinned out to less than half.
The die-hard Heat fans had left, leaving mostly neutral spectators and Grizzlies supporters who stayed to witness the upcoming championship ceremony.
A stage had been set up at center court.
In addition to David Stern, Han Sen noticed a legendary figure he'd heard so much about—Bill Russell.
This basketball icon, revered by Shaquille O'Neal, seemed even kinder in person than he appeared on TV.
At this time, Russell was still in good health, looking vibrant and full of life.
Once everything was ready, the lights focused on center court, and the awards ceremony began.
"First, we want to thank the Miami Heat for demonstrating effort and resilience throughout this series."
Acknowledging the losing team was an NBA tradition, but Stern's choice of words made the Grizzlies players chuckle.
You couldn't blame Stern, though—it wasn't easy to find praise for a team that had just been swept.
"And now, let's congratulate the Memphis Grizzlies, the 2012 NBA Champions! This is the first championship in their franchise history!"
As Stern made the announcement, the arena erupted in cheers.
As Charles Barkley once joked, the Heat's Big Three were nice guys—they'd helped Dallas and now Memphis achieve historic firsts.
Amid the cheers, Stern handed the championship trophy to Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley.
Interestingly, this was the first time Han Sen had met his team's owner.
NBA owners varied greatly in personality. Some, like Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, were passionate about their teams. Others viewed their franchises as mere investments.
Most fell into the latter category. Owning a team wasn't about loving basketball; it was about having deep pockets.
Still, Heisley was undoubtedly happy at this moment.
A championship would boost the team's marketability, translating to increased revenue.
Smiling, Heisley raised the trophy high. The Grizzlies players reached out toward it as confetti rained down—a symbol of their championship moment.
When Heisley passed the trophy to general manager Chris Wallace, who then handed it to Joerger and the rest of the team, the Grizzlies players erupted in genuine excitement.
Only when they touched the trophy did they fully realize this wasn't a dream.
They, a small-market team from Memphis that had never won a playoff series just two years ago, were now NBA Champions!
It felt surreal.
While the courtside staff tallied votes for the Finals MVP, reporters began interviewing the Grizzlies' key figures—starting with Heisley, then Wallace, then Joerger, and finally Han Sen.
"You're the first player since Dwyane Wade to win a championship in your third season, and you defeated his Heat team to do it. How does that feel?"
"I like your question," Han Sen said, taking the microphone.
"Three years ago, I came to Memphis, a small market team with no championships, no banners, and no history of playoff success. People said we didn't have a chance. They laughed when I said I wanted to bring a championship here. Well, who's laughing now?"
As Han Sen raised his right hand, the arena filled with deafening cheers.
Standing beside him, Wallace was grinning ear-to-ear, recalling how he'd once urged Han Sen to keep a low profile.
Back then, Han Sen's bold proclamation of winning a championship had made Wallace nervous.
Now, it seemed he'd been too cautious.
In this world, it wasn't about how big your talk was—it was about backing it up.
Even if it had seemed like posturing at the time, Han Sen had turned it into reality.
As the interview concluded, an envelope containing the Finals MVP voting results was handed to Stern.
The outcome was hardly surprising.
The Grizzlies' core players had posted the following Finals averages:
- Han Sen: 28 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5 assists, 51.4% FG, 40.2% 3PT
- Zach Randolph: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 48.2% FG
- Marc Gasol: 15 points, 11 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 55% FG
- Rudy Gay: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 47% FG, 38.4% 3PT
- Mike Conley: 9.5 points, 6.5 assists, 2 steals, 45.4% FG, 40.1% 3PT
Stern opened the envelope and announced the result.
"The winner of the 2012 Finals MVP Bill Russell Award is… Han Sen!"
Russell picked up the Finals MVP trophy and handed it to Han Sen, even giving him a hug.
"You really kicked their asses," Russell whispered, surprising Han Sen with his bluntness.
Han Sen couldn't help but laugh.
Russell was down-to-earth, to say the least.
It also underscored how little the older generation of players appreciated the Heat's peak-era superteam.
As Han Sen raised the Finals MVP trophy overhead, not only did the fans erupt in cheers, but his teammates behind him roared in approval.
They knew Han Sen's sacrifices and contributions. No one deserved the honor more than him.
In his acceptance speech, Han Sen said: "During the regular season, we only beat the Heat on a buzzer-beater. But now, we've swept them. The biggest difference? We had Zach."
His unexpected opening drew cheers and laughter.
Randolph was taken aback. He hadn't expected Han Sen to highlight him so prominently. When the camera focused on him, Randolph blushed and pumped his fist.
"When Zach was out, our frontline was shaky. Marc stepped up and turned himself into an All-Defense-caliber player."
"Rudy's importance is undeniable. If he'd been with us last season, we'd already be back-to-back champions."
"Mike (Bibby) brought us experience. None of us will forget what he did in Game 3."
Surprisingly, Han Sen mentioned every teammate—not just their names but their contributions.
"This trophy might have my name on it, but I didn't win it alone. This is our championship. It belongs to everyone on this team, from Marc locking down the paint, to Rudy hitting clutch shots, to Mike (Conley) making plays, to Zack dominating inside. It belongs to Coach Joerger, to every trainer, every staff member, and every fan who believed when no one else did. Together, we built this. Together, we made history."
The fans began chanting, "MVP! MVP!" as Han smiled and continued.
"This isn't just about basketball. It's about showing that no matter where you come from, how many times you've been doubted, or how big the obstacles are, you can achieve greatness when you believe in each other and fight together. Memphis, this is for you. Grizzlies, this is for us. We're not just champions—we're family!"
As Han held the trophy aloft once more, he turned toward his teammates with a grin. "We're all MVPs tonight. Now let's celebrate like champions!"
With that, Han tossed the microphone back to the stage crew and lifted the FMVP trophy once more, his team mobbing him with cheers and laughter.
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