Payback.

Carlisle called a timeout.

After the timeout, Terry subbed in for Kidd, and the Grizzlies brought in Battier to replace Gay.

Han Sen hit his free throw, and Nowitzki responded with his signature one-legged fadeaway, leaving the score at 10-15.

At this point, Marion was assigned to guard Han Sen.

It looked like Carlisle was planning to rotate defenders on Han Sen to wear him down.

But as soon as Han Sen got the ball, Barea immediately double-teamed him.

Han Sen passed to Conley, who was quickly double-teamed by Terry.

Though Terry's defense wasn't as strong as Kidd's, his footwork was much faster.

Meanwhile, Marion stretched his arms out to deny Han Sen the ball.

Carlisle's real intent now became clear: he wasn't trying to rotate defenders on Han Sen but rather to force him to give up the ball.

Conley ended up passing to Randolph, who missed his shot against Chandler in the low post.

Chandler grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Mavericks quickly launched a fast break, with Barea catching the ball and speeding down the court for a layup.

Han Sen was double-teamed again after receiving the ball. He attempted to break through but couldn't, ultimately passing it back to Conley.

Right now, Han Sen's one-on-one skills were strong, but scoring under a double-team was another challenge entirely.

Without exceptional speed to break through or outstanding footwork and technique for a tough shot, passing was the only option.

After passing, Han Sen tried to shake off his defenders without the ball. However, Marion was glued to him, and Barea actively disrupted Conley's passing lane toward Han Sen.

Having faced the Grizzlies for the second consecutive season, Carlisle's preparation for Han Sen was notably thorough.

This time, Conley took a quick shot from beyond the arc.

However, the Mavericks rotated defensively with impressive speed, and Terry's flying contest caused Conley's shot to clang off the rim.

The Mavericks launched another fast break. Once again, Barea received the pass, powered through Conley, and banked it in.

After last season's finals, people discussed LeBron, Nowitzki, and even Terry, but Wade praised Barea highly after the game.

"I know he wouldn't be Finals MVP, but his impact on the game was unmatched. We couldn't contain him," Wade had said.

14-15.

With a few defensive stops and fast breaks, the Mavericks had closed the gap to one point.

Now it was the Grizzlies' turn to call a timeout.

During the break, Damon held the board to set up a play.

Joerger managed the defense while Damon handled the offense, and the two worked seamlessly together.

After the timeout, the Grizzlies managed to get the ball to Han Sen, but with a new twist: he received the ball on the strong side while the weak side ran an off-ball play.

The Mavericks double-teamed Han Sen again, and he passed to the weak side, where Randolph took a mid-range shot and scored, keeping the Grizzlies' lead intact.

Damon's adjustment proved successful. Double-teaming inevitably left someone open, and positioning Randolph on the weak side made it harder to cover.

Of course, this setup relied on Han Sen's improved passing ability. If this were last season, he wouldn't have been able to make this play.

Barea tried to score at the basket, with Conley in hot pursuit, but his layup attempt was blocked by Marc Gasol.

Barea's threat was significantly reduced in a half-court set.

Marc Gasol grabbed the rebound, and Conley pushed the ball up the court.

The Grizzlies ran the same play, but this time, the Mavericks hesitated to double-team.

Han Sen held the ball single-handedly, observing the defense. Although he wasn't double-teamed, his positioning indicated he could be at any moment.

He focused on Marion, crossing over, pausing with his left hand, faking a shot, then quickly changing direction to the right.

With a crossover move, Marion jumped, falling for Han Sen's fake.

Han Sen, whose shot was on fire tonight, couldn't resist taking the shot.

After beating Marion, he stopped and took a mid-range shot before the help defense could close in.

Swish!

The ball smoothly dropped through the hoop.

Tonight, Han Sen seemed to be automatic—every shot was going in.

14-19.

After this basket, the lead extended to five points.

In a key moment, Nowitzki responded with a low-post turnaround to keep the Mavericks within reach.

Back on defense, a slight miscommunication by the Mavericks gave Han Sen a brief opening after catching the ball.

He didn't waste the chance, sinking another three-pointer.

Swish!

The ball slipped through the net as if it had a homing device.

The camera focused on Carlisle, who shook his head in resignation.

Giving Han Sen even a sliver of space proved fatal.

The FedEx Forum erupted with cheers.

The arena's LED screen displayed Han Sen's stats for the night.

7-for-7 from the field, 1-for-1 from the line, 17 points, and 2 assists.

A perfect showing!

The camera panned to a young fan sitting on his father's shoulders, beaming with excitement and waving Han Sen's UA sneakers.

"We can all feel Han's determination to win this game," remarked commentator Breen.

The Mavericks' only consolation was that substitution time was fast approaching.

With two minutes left in the quarter, Han Sen subbed out for a rest.

Though he was red-hot, Joerger knew this was a four-quarter game, and the Mavericks weren't going to go down easily tonight.

Of course, Joerger could make this call with confidence, given the Grizzlies' strong bench.

The Grizzlies proved him right.

Last season in the Western Conference Finals, both Han Sen and Randolph were in top form, but the team lost due to the Mavericks' superior bench depth.

This year, however, the Grizzlies' second unit included Crawford, Battier, Gay, Speights, and Faried, with Tony Allen and James Johnson yet to come in.

Hollins: Why didn't I get to coach this loaded squad!

With such a strong bench, Han Sen could comfortably rest without being run ragged by the fourth quarter like last season.

At halftime, the Grizzlies led the Mavericks 54-46.

Han Sen had gone 12-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-4 from three, with a perfect 3-for-3 at the line, totaling 30 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Carlisle had tried everything, but nothing could stop Han Sen from scoring.

"God gave Michael 23; Han took the remaining 77," remarked Breen, echoing Shaq's earlier sentiments.

Han Sen's infamous quote had once made him a target of ridicule, but it had since become his trademark.

It turns out, it's not just about talking big—it's about backing it up.

In the second half, Han Sen returned and hit a contested mid-range jumper over Nowitzki, showing no drop-off in his touch.

Carlisle was at a loss.

In the next possession, as Han Sen prepared to shoot, Marion outright pulled Han Sen down to prevent him from shooting.

The Hack-a-Han tactic had begun.

Carlisle was desperate.

Last season, the Grizzlies resorted to fouling Nowitzki to cool his hot streak, only to see him drain 24 consecutive free throws in a legendary game.

While Carlisle was far more strategic than Hollins, Han Sen's incredible shooting forced him to try anything.

And unlike Nowitzki, Han Sen, as a guard, doesn't need to establish position inside to start scoring; he's even more explosive when he catches fire.

As Han Sen went to the line, the arena erupted with chants of "MVP!"

Though Kobe was the favorite for season MVP, Han Sen was their MVP.

Han Sen kept his rhythm, sinking both free throws.

He continued to be fouled and made his free throws consistently.

Hollins: Only now do you realize Carlisle and I are on the same level!

Of course, Carlisle didn't want to resort to fouling, as the Mavericks were already limiting Han Sen's touches.

But the Grizzlies' team-focused playstyle shone. All four other players could pass well, getting the ball to Han Sen despite the defense.

After Han Sen's fourth trip to the line, Gay joked, "Han, you're now 'Dirk Han.'"

Gay's comment, meant to reflect Han's treatment similar to Nowitzki's, almost caused a scuffle, as Terry thought Gay was mocking Dirk and angrily shoved him from behind.

This flare-up nearly caused an altercation, but it also exposed how rattled the Mavericks had become.

Terry received a technical foul, gifting the Grizzlies a free throw and possession.

This incident only served to successfully anger the Grizzlies.

Han Sen sank all three free throws in a row.

The Grizzlies inbounded, and Han Sen broke through, pulling off a classic 'Han-Gay alley-oop' with Gay slamming the ball over Nowitzki, igniting FedExForum into a frenzy.

The Grizzlies outscored the Mavericks 30-20 in the third quarter and led by 18 points going into the fourth.

Nowitzki returned at the start of the fourth quarter, leading a desperate comeback for the Mavericks alongside Barea.

But Joerger quickly substituted Han Sen back in.

Han Sen stabilized the situation by scoring a mid-range jumper over Barea, then made a defensive steal against Carter.

Finally, he broke through, faking out Carter and setting up Faried for a powerful alley-oop dunk.

"This is Han's night!" Breen said, as the Mavericks' comeback was successfully halted.

With three minutes remaining and the Mavericks still trailing by 15, Coach Carlisle decided to throw in the towel.

At that moment, the FedEx Forum erupted with the deafening chants of Memphis fans.

"Whoop that trick!"

A familiar scene, though the last time was in encouragement for a defeated home team, whereas this time, it was in celebration of the home team's triumph.

That young boy, along with so many fans, had felt the tension leading up to this game.

But at this moment, their worries vanished.

Dallas was no longer their bogeyman but rather a stepping stone on their path to glory!

The Grizzlies finally won 112-97 at home, securing a victory in their playoff opener.

In terms of stats, Nowitzki made 10 of 25 shots and went 13-for-13 from the line, finishing with 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Chandler had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks; Terry scored 11 points but hit only 4 of 12 shots; Carter went 3-for-10 with 8 points, and Kidd had 4 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Han Sen shot 17-for-22 from the field, made 3 of 6 three-pointers, and went 14-for-15 from the line, scoring 51 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals—a new playoff and career high.

Gay added 15 points, Conley had 13 points and 10 assists, Randolph had 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Marc Gasol finished with 8 points and 10 rebounds.

...

In the post-game press conference, the Mavericks, as the visiting team, were interviewed first.

"We tried everything, but ultimately, we were powerless to stop him," Carlisle said helplessly.

History often repeats itself: what happened to the Grizzlies last season is now happening to the Mavericks.

"I know why he played like that tonight. His desire for a championship surpasses anyone else's; we've got to find that same urgency," Nowitzki explained, understanding Han Sen.

He paused thoughtfully, adding, "This wasn't just a night where he got hot. We're going to have to match that intensity, or we could be done for."

If the Mavericks' other players didn't heed Nowitzki's words and respond with urgency, they could face the same fate as the 2007 Heat, getting swept out of the playoffs.

Han Sen then joined Joerger at the press conference.

"Congratulations on a career-high 51 points, Han! That's incredible, especially in the playoffs. Any thoughts on the achievement?" It was clear that the Grizzlies wanted Han Sen to bask in the spotlight alone tonight.

"We wanted this win badly. After last season's loss to them, we felt like we had something to prove," Han said with a smile.

"So, from the start, we pushed hard on defense and tried to bring our best. As for the 51 points? That's just a blessing. But what really matters is that we won. That's what's important."

The smile on Han's face was genuine. Despite his pre-game confidence with that young fan, nobody truly knew how tonight's game would play out against the reigning champs.

"Has tonight's game set the tone for the series? Do you think you'll finally exact revenge on the Mavericks?" an ESPN reporter asked.

"No, the Mavericks are defending champions," Han replied calmly.

"They're a proven team. If we think we've already settled the score after one game, we're asking to lose. This is just the beginning. We're staying focused."

"Are you concerned about the next game? We know it's hard to replicate tonight's kind of shooting performance," the reporter pressed, fishing for a headline.

"Look, I'm a regular-season guy averaging 23 points," Han answered with a grin, drawing laughter from the room.

Though it sounded humble, Han Sen's 51-point playoff game was something even LeBron James and Kevin Durant hadn't achieved yet.

"Tonight I happened to score a lot. Next game, it might be Rudy, or Zach…" Han paused and then, with a smirk, added, "or maybe even Jordan."

More laughter filled the room. The Grizzlies also had their own 'Jordan' (Jordan Crawford).

But Han's message was clear: this wasn't just his night; it was the team's. They were a unit, and they didn't need any single player to carry them to victory.