Basketball System: Hate Makes Me Unstoppable

(TL/n: Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! May this year bring you joy, success, and unforgettable moments both on and off the court. Thanks for the support so far, and let's keep enjoying the game together!) 

In "history," Zion Williamson's NCAA debut saw him blow out a pair of PG 2.5s with one step, costing Nike a staggering $1.3 billion. Han Sen's opening game indirectly leading to the Grizzlies changing ownership is a fitting parallel.

But transactions involving team ownership don't happen overnight. They involve complex financial, legal, and debt-related processes. For someone like Heisley, who lacks significant financial resources, loans are often part of the equation.

The league will also need to conduct thorough evaluations and approvals, meaning the earliest this deal could finalize would be around the All-Star break. If that happens, the All-Star Game will surely have an added layer of intrigue.

...

As December arrives, the season's first month is in the books. Surprisingly, the most impressive team isn't the Lakers, Heat, or Rockets—it's the Warriors.

Initially projected by Stan Van Gundy to finish 12th in the West, the Warriors stormed through November with a 14-2 record, now standing at 15-2, the best in the league.

This performance not only embarrassed Van Gundy but also humiliated Nike. While Nike focused its offseason strategy on Han Sen and the Cavaliers, Steph Curry, UA's #2 man, completely blindsided them.

With Steve Kerr at the helm, the Warriors boldly promoted Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes to the starting lineup while relegating All-Stars David Lee and Andre Iguodala to the bench. This improved both their starting offense and bench depth, making them the league's deepest team.

At the heart of it all was Steph Curry.

In November, Curry averaged 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.9 steals, with a stunning 44% three-point shooting. It earned him his first Western Conference Player of the Month award and demonstrated his unleashed potential as the team's primary focus.

In the East, Han Sen claimed the Player of the Month title.

Han posted monstrous November stats: 30.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 3.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game on 51.4% shooting, leading the Cavaliers to an 11-5 record.

Nike executives, who meticulously planned this season, were undoubtedly reeling from seeing UA dominate the opening month with both Player of the Month awards.

Despite this setback, the season is still young. Nike-backed teams like the Heat and Rockets have performed well.

The Heat hold the East's top spot at 13-3, while the Rockets trail the Warriors with a 13-4 record.

Conversely, the heavily favored Lakers have underwhelmed, sitting at 12-5 and third in the West.

Their struggles primarily stem from LeBron James.

Surprisingly, James hasn't been causing on-court disruptions this time. When sharing the floor with Kobe, he's embraced the role of facilitator, which aligns with Nike's larger plans.

The issue lies in his ability to perform in high-pressure situations.

The West is stacked with strong teams and elite wing defenders: Iguodala for the Warriors, Leonard for the Spurs, Ariza for the Rockets, Gay and Wiggins for the Grizzlies, and Batum for the Blazers. James is constantly facing challenges, and when he falters, the burden shifts to Kobe.

At 36, Kobe can no longer sustain prolonged scoring bursts while maintaining efficiency, even if he hasn't suffered the catastrophic injuries of "history."

One day, Cavaliers GM David Griffin handed Han Sen his Player of the Month trophy.

Unlike MVP awards, these minor accolades are simply handed out, often dismissed unless used as a consolation prize in futile arguments.

Griffin wasn't just there to deliver a trophy; he also hinted that the team could pursue trades if Han felt it necessary.

Currently third in the East, the Cavaliers trail only the Heat and the surprising Hawks. However, they've shown some vulnerabilities.

The primary concern is defense. Despite Han's otherworldly defensive stats, the Cavaliers rank just 10th in defensive efficiency. Defense is never a one-man job.

Opponents consistently exploit weak links like Kyrie Irving and Spencer Hawes.

Against the Spurs, their defense was downright disastrous. San Antonio's mastery of pick-and-roll plays exposed Cleveland's slow rotations.

This highlighted why last season's roster, despite its potential, missed the playoffs. Defense remains the key to winning in any era.

Even the Warriors learned this lesson. They transitioned from Don Nelson's pure run-and-gun system to the balanced approach under Mark Jackson, who instilled a defensive mindset before Kerr refined their offense.

Another issue is Kyrie Irving.

In November, Irving averaged 15.8 points and 6.8 assists on 42% shooting—well below expectations. The growing calls for the Cavaliers to trade him are unsurprising.

Irving has yet to prove himself and is struggling, leading some to suggest Cleveland should cut their losses.

"David, I'm not LeBron," Han said with a smirk.

Griffin, though newly promoted, was a veteran of the LeBron era. Trading underperforming teammates had become second nature to him.

But it's still early in the season, and Cleveland's current assets wouldn't yield better returns. Irving, their most valuable piece, is at his lowest trade value.

However, Griffin's comment planted a seed in Han's mind.

After Griffin left, Han paid a visit to coach Mike Malone's home.

Malone lived in a team-provided villa with his wife, Jocelyn. When Han arrived, Jocelyn prepared coffee for the two before leaving them to talk in private.

...

"You have a good wife," Han Sen complimented.

"You should think about getting married yourself," Malone replied, hinting at Han's well-known dating history over the years.

Han Sen chuckled but didn't say anything.

"Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you," Malone said, gesturing for Han to enjoy his coffee before continuing.

Han Sen raised his cup, a hint of curiosity on his face.

"I think there might be some issues with how we're using Kyrie," Malone admitted.

After taking a sip of his coffee and setting the cup down, Han Sen replied, "That's actually why I came to see you today."

It seemed the two of them were on the same page.

Han Sen's earlier attempts to convince Kyrie Irving to adjust his playstyle mirrored Shaquille O'Neal's past efforts with Kobe Bryant—a way to emphasize the importance of teamwork.

But Kyrie wasn't Kobe, and Han Sen wasn't Shaq. Kyrie had listened, but when it came to games, his performance didn't improve. Instead, it worsened.

He hesitated—holding the ball when he should pass, failing to score when he should finish. It was as though the adjustments had left him uncertain.

After a month of games, it became evident that Kyrie wasn't the type of player who could naturally balance scoring and playmaking.

Kyrie's style was already set before he even entered the NBA. Expecting him to change now was unrealistic.

The best course of action was to design offensive plays around him, letting him focus on scoring—as a pure finisher, similar to how Han Sen had played in his earlier years.

"I'll talk to him," Malone said, taking a sip of his still-warm coffee.

Since they were on the same wavelength, the discussion progressed quickly.

Han Sen nodded in agreement. It was better for Malone to address Kyrie, considering Han had just recently encouraged him to embrace a more team-oriented approach.

As for whether this would affect Kyrie's long-term growth, that wasn't something Han could concern himself with now. Everyone makes their own choices in life, and he couldn't dictate how others should live.

...

The Cavaliers hosted the Hornets in their first game of December. While older fans might still refer to them as the Bobcats, the team officially reclaimed the "Hornets" name in May, inheriting the original Hornets' history.

Meanwhile, the previous Hornets, now the Pelicans, had rebranded and were forging a fresh identity, much like the Thunder.

Last season, led by Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, the Hornets broke a long playoff drought. This year, with the addition of Lance Stephenson, their ambitions were clear.

Michael Jordan, owner of the Hornets, was present to watch this game in person.

Given Han Sen's past declaration to surpass Jordan as the greatest in history, the broadcast cameras occasionally framed them together—a rare pairing of player and owner.

However, Jordan didn't stay long. The Cavaliers dismantled the Hornets early, prompting him to leave before the game's conclusion.

Stopping Han Sen was expectedly difficult for the Hornets, but their inability to contain Kyrie Irving was surprising.

Malone's strategy for Kyrie was straightforward: space the floor and let him go one-on-one.

And it worked. Kyrie, when tasked solely with scoring, was a natural. He could conjure countless ways to put the ball in the basket.

His struggles against the Grizzlies were a reflection of their elite defense. But in the Eastern Conference, defenses as suffocating as Memphis's were rare.

Interestingly, Han Sen noticed something else during the game. Once Kyrie got into a scoring rhythm, he started finding balance between scoring and playmaking, even dishing out some impressive assists.

Kyrie truly was a unique player in the NBA.

The Cavaliers secured a decisive victory in three quarters. Han Sen tallied 26 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals, while Kyrie contributed 20 points and 5 assists.

While the Hornets weren't the strongest opponents, the game significantly boosted Kyrie's confidence.

...

Following the Hornets game, the Cavaliers returned home to face the Bulls, who had made notable offseason moves.

Although they missed out on Pau Gasol, who chose Miami, the Bulls added Nikola Mirotić and retained a solid frontcourt with Taj Gibson.

More importantly, after two seasons of waiting, Derrick Rose had returned, and Jimmy Butler had emerged as a reliable star.

The Bulls boasted a defensively dominant starting lineup with Rose, Butler, Joakim Noah, and Gibson, plus free-agent pickup Robert Covington.

The game was a hard-fought battle, with the lead changing frequently until the final moments.

Rose's last attempt to win the game was blocked by Han Sen, giving the Cavaliers a chance to seal the victory.

Han Sen faced a double team on the final play but threaded a pass to Kyrie on the perimeter. Before Jimmy Butler could contest, Kyrie sank the game-winning three.

As the shot went in, Kyrie celebrated with childlike exuberance, running laps around the court before returning to Han Sen for an emphatic high-five and chest bump.

For the first time, Han Sen saw Kyrie genuinely excited and unrestrained.

"I'm thrilled and thankful for Han. Ever since he came to Cleveland, he's been trying to make me more comfortable on the court. If anyone can bring success to Cleveland, I believe he's the one," Kyrie said postgame, his emotions overflowing.

Han Sen's calm response? "I've said before—we all know Kyrie's talent."

It wasn't that Han was unmoved by Kyrie's heartfelt remarks; he simply knew that proving oneself required more than regular-season heroics.

Still, the game was a milestone for Kyrie, finally giving him a signature moment to silence his critics.

The media coverage that followed reignited Kyrie's confidence, making him the center of attention once again.

In the first half of December, Kyrie averaged 22.8 points over seven games, shooting career-high percentages—48% overall and 41.5% from three.

The Cavaliers had finally discovered Kyrie's instruction manual.

Or rather, Han Sen had always known it. He just needed to test it to confirm that Kyrie only had one way to play.

-End of Chapter-