章節 224: The Modern Jordan.
As the timeout ended, Grant Hill subbed in for Mario Chalmers.
The rough start forced Erik Spoelstra to make adjustments, sacrificing some defense in favor of offense.
Hill's entrance was met with an overwhelming wave of cheers from the Miami crowd.
He had been instrumental in eliminating the Pacers earlier, and now, in the Finals, he was bringing everything he had.
Hill's impact was immediate. With the ball at the top of the key, Conley couldn't afford to sag off and help. Once Durant used a screen to get open, Hill's precise pass hit him right in stride.
Durant pulled up for a mid-range jumper before Randolph could switch over.
Swish!
The ball kissed the net cleanly, breaking Miami's painful scoring drought.
The crowd erupted, the kind of relief only felt after being underwater for far too long.
Yet, as the camera panned across the Grizzlies' players, their faces remained calm and composed.
After all, you can't expect to shut Miami down completely. Forcing them into tough, unwanted shots was already a defensive success.
Conley signaled Marc Gasol to set a high pick-and-roll.
With Hill now on the floor, the Grizzlies weren't going to ignore the mismatch. Hill was playing point guard and matched up directly with Conley.
Perkins stayed back, unwilling to step up, and Conley drained a smooth mid-range jumper off the screen.
The Grizzlies' defense fueled their offense, keeping them sharp on both ends.
But Durant was far from done. After receiving another assist from Hill, he drained a three-pointer from beyond the arc.
Durant pounded his chest and roared toward the sideline, his emotion igniting the Miami crowd.
If not for his lack of playmaking skills, Durant's scorching form this season would be downright unstoppable. Even without a true facilitator for much of the season, he still managed to average 27+ points. With someone like Hill feeding him, or a hypothetical pairing with LeBron, Durant's scoring could easily hit 30 a game.
The score tightened to 11–5.
Durant's quick 5-point burst shifted the momentum in Miami's favor.
As the Grizzlies brought the ball back up, the American Airlines Arena erupted in deafening chants of "Defense! Defense!"
Miami's defensive intensity ratcheted up.
Conley attacked Hill again, but this time Bosh's help defense disrupted his rhythm. Perkins held his ground under the rim, muscling out both Gasol and Randolph to secure the rebound.
Once again, the ball found its way to Durant. This time, he used his signature sweeping spin move to draw a foul and earn a trip to the line.
As Durant stepped to the free-throw line, the crowd began chanting "MVP! MVP!"
Durant was, after all, the league's MVP this season, and the crowd's adoration felt more than justified.
He sank both free throws, scoring 7 straight points to pull Miami within striking distance.
Durant's explosive scoring barrage mirrored the type of dominance Han Sen had displayed against the Spurs.
With the crowd now fully behind them, Miami's momentum was palpable.
Conley signaled a new play as he crossed half-court.
This time, Han Sen set a screen for Conley, forcing a switch. Conley quickly passed the ball to Han Sen, who was now isolated on Hill.
Down to a 4-point game, the Grizzlies needed a steadying bucket.
Han Sen wasted no time. He took one explosive step past Hill, pulling up for a clean mid-range jumper just inside the free-throw line.
Hill could only look on helplessly as Han Sen released his shot.
Swish!
The net snapped crisply, silencing the arena's defensive chants in an instant.
Thank you, Popovich. Not only had Han Sen maxed out his [Dream Shake] against the Spurs, but his mid-range game had also become a lethal weapon.
Spoelstra was starting to feel the pressure.
The Pacers had Paul George, but the Grizzlies had Han Sen, and Han wasn't just exploiting Hill—he was turning him into a walking ATM.
Hill, however, wasn't useless. He soon found Bosh cutting to the rim after a Durant pick-and-roll, threading the needle with a perfect bounce pass. Bosh drew a foul and earned a trip to the line.
Hill was a 90s throwback, capable of averaging 21-9-7 in his prime. His court vision was a perfect fit for this Miami offense.
As Bosh prepared to shoot free throws, Han Sen gathered his teammates.
"Great work, guys. Keep moving the ball and stay vocal. Stick to our game plan," Han Sen encouraged, steadying his squad.
Then, pulling Rudy Gay aside, Han added, "Switch with me on Wade. Let me take the drive. Trust Marc on the help. Let's shut them down."
Bosh hit one of two free throws, making it 13–8.
For the next few possessions, both teams traded buckets, keeping the margin within 4–7 points.
The Grizzlies stuck to their strategy, relentlessly attacking Hill through pick-and-rolls.
Miami attempted to double Han Sen on the perimeter, but his sharp passing forced the defenders to retreat. The moment they backed off, he blew past Hill with ease.
Even Hill, a seasoned veteran, couldn't help but feel a flicker of frustration. Han was dismantling him the same way Hill had once toyed with defenders in his prime.
This time, as Bosh rotated to help, Han Sen dished a slick bounce pass to Randolph, who drew a foul on Perkins.
Before Randolph could even shoot his free throws, Spoelstra subbed in Ray Allen for Hill.
Randolph sank both free throws, restoring a 7-point lead for Memphis.
On Miami's next possession, Wade brought the ball up and noticed a shift in Memphis' defense.
Seeing Han Sen now matched up on Durant, Joerger looked uneasy but refrained from intervening.
It wasn't standard practice to pit your offensive cornerstone against the opponent's, especially when that cornerstone was carrying the scoring load.
But after three seasons coaching Han Sen, Joerger trusted his star's instincts.
...
After facing Kevin Durant, Han Sen was about to exchange pleasantries, but Durant immediately leaned into him, demanding the ball without even bothering to set up a pick-and-roll with Bosh.
Fine, thanks to the league and the TNT trio hyping things up, Durant's hatred for him had reached its peak. Guess they skipped the formalities.
Durant received the ball and started backing down Han Sen.
Having faced each other countless times, Durant was well aware of Han Sen's defensive tricks, especially his footwork, and was cautious as he backed in.
After forcing Han Sen to sink slightly under his weight, Durant spun quickly toward the baseline.
But just as he turned, he realized Mike Conley had rotated to help.
Caught in a trap between two defensive savants, Durant could feel the ball slipping from his hands.
He made a quick decision to jump and shoot.
Though his reaction was fast, Conley swatted the ball away.
It ricocheted off Durant's knee and out of bounds. Possession to the Grizzlies.
"You really that scared to guard me one-on-one?" Durant barked, clearly irritated.
Han Sen couldn't help but laugh at the comment.
He pointed at Dwyane Wade, who was standing beyond the three-point line.
This gesture was a throwback to Han Sen's rookie year when he faced Durant for the first time. Back then, he had pointed at Serge Ibaka instead.
Durant hadn't changed one bit—still that same guy from back in the day.
This only made Durant angrier.
Was it the memories that Han's gesture brought back? Or frustration with his lack of playmaking?
Han Sen, seeing Durant fuming, added fuel to the fire. "Well, at least I'm not too scared to guard you, huh?"
Han's provocation was so loud even fans in the cheap seats could hear it. But Durant pretended not to.
When Han returned to the frontcourt and saw Durant defending him, he nearly burst out laughing.
Spoelstra's expression turned blank.
Both coaches had their stars guarding the opposing team's offensive anchors, but the situations felt vastly different.
After all, Han was a perennial All-Defense team member, while Durant had never made it.
This wasn't leadership; it was recklessness.
As the coach, Spoelstra couldn't intervene—it'd kill the vibe.
Honestly, the best solution would've been Wade outright refusing to switch. But Wade, ever the nice guy, didn't.
Han Sen, without calling for a screen, started backing Durant down.
Durant looked like steam was coming out of his ears.
Han was clearly the smaller player in this matchup. What kind of guard backs down a forward instead of driving past him?
It was obvious Han was playing a psychological game, just like during the All-Star Game when he'd mockingly offered LeBron tips after his failed post-up.
As Han backed Durant down, he checked Wade's defensive position.
Post moves sacrifice visibility, making it easier for defenders to exploit blind spots—a weakness Durant had just experienced moments ago.
Han noticed Rudy Gay pinning Wade in the corner beyond the arc. Lowering his center of gravity, Han initiated contact.
When posting up against bigger opponents, speed is the advantage, but proper force is necessary to make it count.
With his [Dream Shake] talent honed to its peak, Han's ability to handle contact had significantly improved.
Of course, there was another advantage: Durant's emotional state.
When defenders let their emotions control them, their effectiveness drops significantly.
A firm bump, followed by a fake step-through, baited Durant into the air.
Han spun into a fadeaway.
Durant, despite his size, could only watch as Han calmly released the shot.
Wade tried to contest late but couldn't stop the clean swish.
Splash!
Han extended the lead to 17-8 with his three scoring possessions and a key defensive stop.
Spoelstra had no choice but to call a timeout.
"The Grizzlies have Han, just like the Bulls had Michael or the Rockets had Hakeem. You can trust him to take over a game," Kenny Smith praised.
The Grizzlies' performance was taking him back to another era.
Last year, the Heat didn't challenge Memphis at all, so no one had seen the Grizzlies' true power.
This year's Heat was different, though.
After the timeout, Wade resumed handling the ball, running a pick-and-roll with Bosh high on the perimeter. Wade drove into the paint, forcing Memphis to collapse, then kicked it out to Bosh.
Positioned just inside the arc, Bosh calmly drained a long jumper.
On the next possession, Han found Wade defending him again. Spoelstra had clearly used the timeout to tweak their defense.
Memphis shifted to high-low action, with Randolph working the post against Bosh.
But this time, Bosh held his ground, denied Randolph, and secured the defensive board.
On the other end, Bosh hit a pump fake from the high post, drove past Randolph, and used a crafty move to dodge Marc Gasol before throwing down a two-handed dunk.
Bosh roared in celebration, his signature 'Dragon Scream.'
With two key offensive plays and a defensive stand, Bosh narrowed the gap to 17-12.
Since LeBron's departure, the infamous 'Big Three' era was over, and fans no longer used that moniker. However, in moments like this, you could see what it meant. Each one of them could easily carry a team as its centerpiece.
The Heat fans roared, their chants echoing throughout the arena.
But for Miami, that four- or five-point deficit felt like an impenetrable wall tonight. If they could just get one stop, cut it to a single-possession game, everything could shift in their favor.
Han Sen knew this too. As he crossed half-court, he called for the ball with his back to Dwyane Wade.
The Grizzlies spaced the floor, and Han leapt to catch the ball. Immediately, he went into his post-up against Wade.
Kevin Durant had witnessed Han's unique post-up skills during the All-Star Game, but Wade was now feeling it firsthand. The pressure Han exerted was suffocating—worse than what he'd felt even against Kobe.
Wade had to lower his center of gravity to hold his ground. The instant he did, Han spun with a lightning-quick step into the paint. His movement was so precise, he even brushed Wade aside during the spin, leaving Wade unable to recover in time.
Before Kendrick Perkins could rotate over, Han floated up a flawless teardrop that dropped through the net.
The Grizzlies' bench erupted. Even veteran Vince Carter was on his feet alongside Robert Sacre, clapping and shouting in celebration.
It was Han's signature move, executed with surgical precision.
The Miami crowd groaned. It was Han again. Every time the Heat seemed poised to seize momentum, Han would step up and deliver.
And he wasn't done. Jogging back on defense, Han clapped his hands, urging his teammates to keep the energy high.
Bosh tried to replicate his earlier success, but this time Zach Randolph bodied him up and shut him down. With no advantage inside, Bosh had to kick the ball back to Wade.
Ray Allen came off a well-designed screen for a corner three, but Mike Conley and Marc Gasol closed out perfectly, forcing him into a miss. The long rebound fell into Han Sen's hands.
Han didn't hesitate. Dribbling up the court, he motioned for his teammates to clear out—even Rudy Gay on the strong side was sent to the weak side.
The crowd buzzed. Han wasn't holding anything back now.
Once the floor was cleared, Han took Wade into the post again. This time, he didn't power through; instead, he mixed in a series of feints and counters. Feeling Wade's weight shift backward, Han spun toward the baseline for a fadeaway.
Wade lunged to contest, only to realize mid-air—he'd been baited.
Han had pumped, drawing the contact. The whistle blew. As their bodies collided, Han stayed balanced, pivoted again, and got the shot off.
Wade turned just in time to see the ball drop cleanly through the net.
The arena fell into stunned silence before erupting in a mixture of cheers and groans.
Han Sen wasn't satisfied with just two points—he wanted the and-one.
Wade, though frustrated, couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. "Seriously? You've mastered the post-up and fadeaway in just one season?"
Han grinned as he lined up his free throw. "That's a secret." He sank it without hesitation.
22-12.
The Grizzlies had pushed their lead into double digits for the first time that night.
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