Desperation.

At halftime, the Mavericks led the Grizzlies 55-48.

Nowitzki had scored 21 points in the first half, shooting 8-of-9 from the field and making all five free throws. He only missed one shot.

Han Sen, meanwhile, scored 18 points in the first half, going head-to-head with Nowitzki in the latter parts of both the first and second quarters to keep the score close.

Without Han's performance, the Grizzlies would've crumbled under Nowitzki's insane first-half showing.

In the second half, Han Sen immediately attacked the paint and drew a shooting foul on Nowitzki, heading to the free-throw line.

Down in the score, Han needed to focus on attacking the inside to guarantee points.

But on the next possession, Nowitzki's low-post play drew a double-team, allowing him to pass the ball to Jason Kidd at the top of the arc.

Kidd swung it to the corner where Shawn Marion drained a three-pointer. 

Nowitzki, despite being a scorer, was also a capable playmaker. Though not as good as Garnett, he was more than adequate, especially with Kidd orchestrating.

Kidd not only moved the ball quickly but also developed a reliable three-point shot after joining Dallas, shooting at a 40% clip—something defenses couldn't ignore.

This left the Grizzlies' defense in a tough spot. They couldn't defend Nowitzki one-on-one, but doubling him left open shooters.

Han Sen, however, responded by taking the ball outside and faking a pick-and-roll with Marc Gasol, before stepping back and draining a three-pointer, answering right back. 

You could feel Han's poise in clutch moments tonight.

As the game continued, Grizzlies' coach Lionel Hollins directed the defense to abandon double-teaming Nowitzki, opting to foul him immediately whenever he got a clear shot opportunity.

This strategy made sense in theory, given Nowitzki's unreal shooting rhythm tonight. Rather than allowing him open looks, it was better to send him to the free-throw line.

But Nowitzki turned this strategy on its head, hitting 14 free throws in the third quarter alone. Counting the first half, he was now 19-for-19 from the line!

That meant Nowitzki had attempted 28 shots overall and made 27.

Even Hollins and Han Sen had never seen anything like this.

Nowitzki was on another level tonight.

Despite Nowitzki's dominance, the Grizzlies didn't let the Mavericks extend the lead, thanks to Han's relentless attacks on the inside to draw fouls.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Mavericks led 80-72.

Nowitzki had 36 points through three quarters, while Han Sen had scored 26.

But it was in the start of the fourth quarter, with the bench units in, that the Mavericks widened the gap.

Though Jamal Crawford was still performing well, the Mavericks' bench was just too strong, with contributions from the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Terry, and J.J. Barea.

Barea, standing just 5'10" with his shoes on, was lightning-quick and a threat from beyond the arc. Defending him was much harder than it seemed.

Earlier, Crawford's hot hand had helped the Grizzlies stay in the game, but expecting him to sustain that was unrealistic.

The Grizzlies had no choice but to bring Han and Gasol back in early.

In response, the Mavericks brought Nowitzki back in as well. Han glanced at the scoreboard:

90-78.

After Gasol hit a mid-range shot to cut the deficit to 10, Han communicated with Gasol before switching onto Nowitzki.

The Grizzlies had already tried using Gasol, Johnson, and even Tony Allen to guard Nowitzki, all without success.

Han wasn't supposed to be able to guard him either, but given the circumstances, he had no choice but to try.

Nowitzki was surprised to see Han defending him but quickly called for the ball.

Remembering how Allen had defended his lower body earlier, Nowitzki caught the ball with his back to the basket, raising it above his head to prevent Han from stripping it.

Han positioned himself to prevent both Nowitzki's drive and his signature fadeaway jumper.

Nowitzki dribbled once before spinning into a one-legged fadeaway.

Han lunged to contest, disrupting Nowitzki's shot and forcing him to arc it higher than usual. The ball still managed to find the backboard and drop in.

"God just put on a #41 jersey!" ESPN's Jeff Van Gundy exclaimed from the commentary booth.

Despite being defended perfectly, Nowitzki had banked it in. This defied all logic.

Back on offense, Han called for a pick-and-roll with Johnson, forcing a switch onto Nowitzki.

The Mavericks rotated to adjust, but Han saw an opening and pulled up for a mid-range jumper.

Swish!

The crowd in the American Airlines Center buzzed with energy.

This was yet another moment where Han Sen came to the Grizzlies' rescue!

The fans now understood why it was the Grizzlies, not the Thunder, facing them in this series.

This second-year player might not have Kevin Durant's raw scoring ability, but his presence on the court was unmatched.

Han continued guarding Nowitzki in the post, using his physicality to disrupt his shooting rhythm, much like he had done against Durant.

Though Nowitzki's game resembled Durant's, the difference was that one was a big man and the other a perimeter player, forcing Han to adjust his center of gravity to defend the post.

After two bumps, Nowitzki spun for another fadeaway. This time, Han anticipated it perfectly, using his agility and athleticism to lunge from the side and contest the shot.

Nowitzki once again had to elevate the arc of his shot to avoid Han's hand.

By this point, Han was the most effective Grizzlies defender against Nowitzki.

The ball sailed over Han's fingertips, tracing a high parabolic arc.

Clang!

The ball hit the front rim, bounced off the backboard, and finally bounced twice on the rim before falling in.

"Damn it!"

Han cursed under his breath. He finally understood what it meant to be "divinely assisted."

Nowitzki wasn't invincible, but tonight, his form and luck were on a ridiculous level.

Hollins called a timeout and sent the starters back in.

In the fourth quarter, Han scored 12 points, matching Nowitzki's output.

However, the hole the Grizzlies dug themselves earlier was too deep, and they ultimately fell to the Mavericks 121-112.

After the game, the stats showed Han with a team-high 38 points. Randolph contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, Conley had 18 points and 6 assists, Gasol added 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks, and Crawford finished with 12 points.

Nowitzki, on the other hand, had a playoff career-high 48 points, shooting 12-of-15 from the field and an astonishing 24-of-24 from the free-throw line. Terry scored 24, Barea 21, and Kidd recorded 11 assists.

After the game, Han could be seen talking with Gasol, offering words of encouragement.

The Grizzlies had thrown everything they had at Nowitzki, but most of the defensive load had fallen on Gasol, who tried every possible approach yet still couldn't stop him.

The most symbolic moment came in the fourth quarter when Gasol did everything he could, only for Nowitzki to casually drain a fadeaway jumper over him.

Gasol's spirit was crushed.

"We tried every method, but we couldn't stop him. We were helpless," Hollins candidly admitted to reporters.

None of the reporters thought he was weak for saying this because even Van Gundy had said something equally dramatic: "I salute his toughness. I'm naming my firstborn Dirk!"

Nowitzki's performance was changing people's perceptions of him as a soft player.

"Yes, we were helpless. I've been in this league a long time, and I've never seen a show like this," admitted Randolph, clearly in awe of Nowitzki.

A reporter then asked Han Sen, "How do you view Dirk's performance tonight?"

"I should've defended him sooner. If I had realized that earlier, things might have been different," Han answered, offering a different take from Hollins and Randolph.

While Han was also impressed by Nowitzki's performance, he didn't think it was an impossible task.

A journalist followed up, "I'm curious, with Dirk playing that incredibly, how did you keep your confidence in the game? I mean, most people might say, 'Well, it's his night, let's just focus on winning the next game.'"

All eyes turned to Han.

"I can accept losing, but I'll never accept giving up," Han said firmly.

Nobody can win forever, but losing and giving up are two different things.

The reporters could finally see Han's intense competitive nature.

Perhaps they should've known this from last season's playoffs when Han played for the Cavaliers and sacrificed his entire season fighting for them.

Only, with LeBron still on that Cavs team, Han's efforts didn't receive much coverage.

"They played better tonight, but that doesn't mean they'll be better every night. We still have an equal shot," Han added.

The Mavericks were stronger than the Thunder or Spurs the Grizzlies had faced before, but no one knew the outcome until the series reached its end.

After the Grizzlies wrapped up their press conference, Nowitzki and Terry took the stage.

"His performance was unbelievable. The resilience he showed on the court made me feel like we wouldn't be able to pull out the win," Nowitzki said when asked about the toughest challenges he faced tonight.

He took the opportunity to bring up Han Sen and was full of praise.

"To be honest, I don't think his performance tonight was any worse than mine.

The only difference is that I have teammates like Jason (Terry) and JJ (Barea) by my side, and together, we managed to beat them."

A reporter then seized the moment to ask, "After winning Game 1, do you think the Mavs will sweep the Grizzlies just like against the Lakers?"

"No, no, no. It's definitely different," Nowitzki quickly shook his head. 

"They are on the same level as us. We'll need to give it our all every night if we want to win, and that's exactly what we'll do."

Two days later, the Grizzlies and Mavericks faced off in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in Dallas.

The Grizzlies made a strategic adjustment, starting Tony Allen in place of Shane Battier.

The goal was to have Han Sen match up against Nowitzki from the start.

Han Sen put everything on the line, and it paid off.

During Nowitzki's prime years, figuring out how to guard him became a key focus for every team.

A player who could score inside and out, handle the ball, play off-ball, and facilitate with perfect footwork and shooting, was essentially a walking cheat code in this era.

That question was partially answered during a Rockets-Mavericks playoff series.

Although the Rockets were eventually eliminated, McGrady's defense against Nowitzki was highly effective.

Nowitzki's biggest weakness was his lack of strength, so large, physical wing defenders could make things difficult for him.

And with Nowitzki unable to get into a rhythm, the Mavericks' offense was clearly stifled in the first five minutes.

Zach Randolph, a star in his own right, showcased his ability to adjust in Game 2.

He used his shooting touch and footwork to take on Chandler, with significantly improved efficiency, giving the Grizzlies an early advantage.

However, when the Mavericks subbed in Terry, the momentum of the game began to shift.

In the "history" Han Sen knew, many fans claimed the Mavericks' 2011 championship was won with a "single star." But that wasn't accurate.

Terry averaged 17.5 points and 3.2 assists in that playoff run, increasing to 18 points and 3.2 assists in the Finals.

Meanwhile, Nowitzki averaged 27.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in the playoffs, and 26 points and 9.7 rebounds in the Finals.

If that was considered a "single-star" championship, then Jordan must've had countless single-star titles.

From a performance standpoint, whenever Nowitzki struggled through the first three quarters of the Finals, it was Terry who kept the game close, acting as the clear number two option.

But like the Lakers' 4-1 Finals win over the Magic that Han knew, the league needed a focal point for its narrative, so Terry's contributions were downplayed.

Meanwhile, Nowitzki demonstrated his superstar adaptability.

He used screens and off-ball movement to draw defenders and create opportunities for Terry, which kept the Mavericks competitive with the Grizzlies through the starting lineup minutes.

But as the game entered the bench rotation phase, the Grizzlies quickly fell behind.

Crawford wasn't able to step up this time. You can hope that a player with Sixth-Man potential might emerge as a surprise hero on a given night, but expecting a rookie to do so consistently is unrealistic.

From the starting minutes of both games, it was clear that the Grizzlies' starters weren't inferior to the Mavericks'. But the Mavericks' bench was on another level.

This was evident in the Thunder series too; even if the Grizzlies gained an early advantage, the Thunder would close the gap during the bench rotations.

(TL/n: Dang, missing Rudy Gay a lot rn.)

The Mavericks' lineup was better balanced, and their core players were performing at a higher level.

Without the Grizzlies establishing a strong lead during the starters' minutes, the game played out differently.

This crucial gap led to the Grizzlies' 87-96 loss in Game 2.

Despite Han Sen holding Nowitzki to just 18 points—a dramatic drop from his previous performances and arguably his worst game of the playoffs—Terry scored 18, Marion added 13, Kidd 13, and Barea 11, giving the Mavericks five double-digit scorers.

Nowitzki wasn't just being polite after Game 1. The Mavericks, like the Grizzlies, were fundamentally playing team basketball.

But Han Sen expended a significant amount of energy focusing on defending Nowitzki, and he ended up with only 15 points himself.

He merely neutralized Nowitzki in Game 2.

Besides him and Randolph, only Conley managed to score in double figures for the Grizzlies, which wasn't nearly enough to secure a win.

Now down 0-2, the Grizzlies found themselves facing a situation they hadn't experienced before in the playoffs.

Just like the Spurs faced against them earlier, the Grizzlies were now on the brink of elimination at 0-2.

If they lost again, they'd be staring at a 0-3 hole, and their backs were against the wall.