True King.

To everyone's surprise, the Cavaliers not only avoided falling behind during the bench rotation, but they even tied the game by the time the starters returned.

No one had expected it.

But they had witnessed it with their own eyes.

Everyone had underestimated this team's hunger to win.

And that made all the difference.

At halftime, the score was tied at 64.

The Heat's offensive firepower was undeniable. The Cavaliers hadn't been able to stop them, but through relentless effort and efficient scoring, they had managed to keep the game close.

"If the Heat don't pull away in the third quarter, they're in trouble," Charles Barkley said excitedly from the commentary booth.

Spoelstra's game plan made sense. But if Han Sen entered the fourth quarter with his stamina intact, it would spell trouble for the Heat.

After all, who could outscore Han in the clutch?

As the second half began, Kevin Durant became more aggressive on offense.

Spoelstra showed his tactical prowess—if they couldn't stop the Cavaliers from scoring, they would wear down Han's stamina by forcing him to play more defense.

There's more than one way to win a game.

Malone quickly responded, signaling PJ Tucker to switch onto Durant.

Though less experienced than Spoelstra, Malone had sharp in-game instincts.

However, Tucker couldn't stop Durant.

At almost thirty years old, Tucker was still relatively inexperienced in the NBA, having spent much of his early career in overseas leagues. Technically, he was only in his third NBA season.

Seeing Durant go to work, Han Sen decided to increase his own offensive output.

He targeted the Heat's weak points with precision.

Kyrie's aggressive start to the game had opened up opportunities for Han to exploit.

Pau Gasol, who had picked up an early foul in the first quarter and sat for much of the second, was now in foul trouble with three fouls.

Han called for a pick-and-roll with Tristan Thompson, taking advantage of the Heat's defensive spacing issues.

The Heat's offense ranked first in the league, but their defense ranked only seventh. While solid, it wasn't elite.

A high pick-and-roll near the three-point line made it difficult for the Heat to send help defense.

This was exactly why Golden State's Death Lineup was so lethal. With full-floor spacing and constant movement, one defensive breakdown could lead to disaster.

TT's pick-and-roll mechanics had improved dramatically under Garnett's guidance.

After setting the screen, he quickly rolled to the basket, forcing Wade to follow.

Han patiently waited for the mismatch to form, then isolated Gasol.

Drawing fouls doesn't require memorizing rules at 4 a.m.. For a true elite scorer, if they want to draw a foul, they will.

Unless you play passive defense, you'll eventually get caught.

Han blew past Gasol, stopping at the free-throw line for a pump fake.

Gasol bit, jumping into the air.

Whistle.

Fourth foul.

As soon as the whistle blew, Spoelstra threw his hands over his head.

He realized Han's strategy, but it was too late.

There was nothing more he could have done.

With Gasol forced to sit, Nikola Vučević checked in for the Heat.

Vučević could reliably rack up double-doubles given enough time, but he wasn't nearly as impactful as Gasol.

He lacked the passing ability that Gasol provided.

And more importantly, his defensive shortcomings were glaring liabilities in high-level playoff games.

Both teams continued targeting each other's weaknesses throughout the third quarter, and neither side gained an edge.

This was great news for the Cavaliers, as the game seemed headed for a tight, three-quarter battle.

And crucially, Han Sen hadn't overexerted himself.

Now it all depended on how the Cavaliers handled the upcoming rotations.

With three minutes left in the third, Han took a seat to rest.

Kyrie stayed on the floor to lead the offense.

Spoelstra countered by sending Dragić and Wade out together.

Wade took the defensive assignment on Kyrie, clearly intending to create separation in the score before the final quarter.

It doesn't take long to build a lead—a few successful possessions can do it.

Spoelstra's lineup looked perfect on paper.

But things didn't go according to plan.

Wade couldn't stop Kyrie.

Kyrie had one plan tonight:

Attack the paint.

Wade, plagued by years of knee injuries, couldn't match Kyrie's explosive first step.

And when double-teamed, Kyrie didn't settle for fancy finishes.

Instead, he drew contact and got himself to the free-throw line.

By the end of the third quarter, Kyrie had only taken seven field goal attempts.

But he had already attempted eight free throws.

With efficient shooting—seven attempts, four makes—his scoring output was scary.

The third quarter ended with the Heat holding a slim 103-102 lead.

When Wade missed a buzzer-beater, Pat Riley could be seen frowning from the stands.

The game was heading toward exactly the kind of scenario Riley didn't want to see.

The fourth quarter began with Spoelstra's plan finally clicking.

He had rested Durant late in the third to ensure he'd be fresh at the start of the fourth.

Gasol, who had rested early, was back on the floor, too.

Durant moved to power forward, giving the Heat a potent lineup.

Spoelstra had clearly learned from his mistakes in the first half.

The old Cavaliers couldn't handle this kind of firepower.

Durant attacked immediately, driving inside to draw a foul on Garnett.

He sank both free throws.

On the next possession, Thabo Sefolosha disrupted Mo Williams' shot, leading to a Heat fast break.

Gasol secured the rebound and pushed the ball upcourt, finding Durant on the wing for a pull-up three.

Splash.

Durant fist-pumped as he ran back on defense, roaring toward the crowd.

The arena exploded.

Durant had scored five straight points to give the Heat momentum.

The Cavaliers had Han Sen.

But the Heat had their own MVP.

Just then, Han Sen walked toward the scorer's table.

At the next dead ball, Han checked in, replacing Cunningham.

This substitution meant he would be directly matching up with Durant.

Clearly, this wasn't Malone's decision—it was Han's request.

As Han stood near the scorer's table, he gave Cunningham a quick fist bump before gently patting his head.

"The rest of the game is mine."

Cunningham and the rest of the old Cavaliers had already done more than enough tonight.

The Heat had possession.

The score was 108-102.

Durant hadn't expected Han to guard him, but he immediately began his off-ball movement.

Yet, no matter how he ran through screens or darted around the court, Han was right there with him.

Up to this point, Malone had tried to preserve Han's energy, just as he had asked PJ Tucker to guard Durant earlier.

But now, everything had changed.

Durant finally took the ball from Gasol on a handoff, but his shot was heavily contested by Han and bounced off the rim.

That's what happens when you face the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Kevin Garnett grabbed the defensive rebound and immediately saw Han streaking past the three-point line.

Without hesitation, Garnett launched a full-court pass.

Han caught the ball on the run, sprinted to the basket, and threw down a thunderous tomahawk dunk, leaving Chalmers in the dust.

The arena exploded in chaos.

The moment Han stepped back on the court, the Cavaliers' energy transformed.

Back on offense, Durant continued his off-ball movement, but he couldn't shake Han.

Finally, he gave up and started talking to Han during the play.

"Aren't you worried you'll run out of gas?"

Durant had a point. Chasing him on defense and attacking in transition would sap anyone's energy.

But, just like before, Han's response left him speechless.

"As long as you're still standing, so am I."

Durant cursed under his breath.

He wished he could slap himself for asking in the first place.

Han's impact was immediate and undeniable.

The Cavaliers not only held the scoreline during the rotation but, with Han's defensive intensity, they even tied the game.

The pressure now shifted to Spoelstra.

He realized one crucial fact: until Han left the court, he couldn't afford to rest Durant.

Because with Han running at full throttle, the Cavaliers might actually pull ahead if Durant sat.

And Han?

He showed no signs of wanting to sit out the fourth quarter.

By the time both teams brought their starters back, it was clear—Han and Durant were locked in for the entire final quarter.

With about five minutes left, Kyrie Irving drove hard to the basket, drawing Gasol's sixth foul, sending the veteran big man out of the game.

Gasol wasn't just an addition to the Heat's offense.

He was their core engine.

Without him, their offensive firepower dropped significantly.

But the Cavaliers couldn't capitalize right away, either. Han's earlier exertion began to show, and his shooting efficiency dipped.

The game shifted from a shootout to a brick-fest.

With a minute remaining, Durant finally broke the deadlock, nailing a jumper to give the Heat a 126-125 lead.

Malone immediately called a timeout.

It seemed early, but it was Tyronn Lue's suggestion.

The goal?

To give Han a breather.

Lue even handed Han a water bottle himself.

That's how Lue earned the respect of players.

"The Cavaliers have fought their way to a last-minute chance to win this game!" Barkley exclaimed, his excitement surpassing even Shaq's.

His initial prediction—that the Cavaliers might win one game in the series—now looked comically conservative.

And it seemed the Cavaliers might take Game 1 right away.

"The Heat are feeling the pressure now," Shaq added. "This isn't just about losing Game 1—it's about their confidence."

Han had beaten the Heat too many times before.

If he kept doing it, wouldn't that confirm he was unstoppable?

Out of the timeout, Cleveland had possession.

Kyrie brought the ball up the court and quickly passed to Han Sen, who stood just outside the three-point line.

Kyrie then moved to the weak side, clearing space for Han to operate.

Han squared up at the 45-degree angle, facing off against Dwyane Wade.

Seven years ago, Wade would never have imagined that the scrawny kid from a Division II college, who once worked as a ball boy for the Heat, would now stand before him as a rival.

Back then, Han was weak but fearless.

Now, he was strong—and terrifying.

The defense chants from the crowd rang out, but there was fear in those chants.

Han wasted no time.

Holding the ball in one hand, he took a quick step forward.

Wade tried to keep up, but Han's elite ball-handling skills—thanks to his [Uncle Drew] talent—were too much.

With a massive crossover, Han left Wade in the dust.

One-on-one, no one could stop Han Sen.

After taking one step inside the arc, Han pulled up for a mid-range jumper.

He had missed his last two shots, but the timeout had rejuvenated him.

The Heat's help defense was too slow, leaving only Wade's desperate contest.

Han's shot arced beautifully, the ball tracing a perfect curve through the air.

Swish!

The crowd fell dead silent.

The Cavaliers were back on top, 127-126, with 40 seconds left.

Spoelstra quickly called a timeout.

"That's Han!" Shaq roared from the commentary booth. "In the clutch, you can always count on him!"

Five years ago, Han had already earned his nickname:

The Scorer's Table Terminator.

Coming out of the timeout, Spoelstra drew up a play for Durant.

Durant shook off Tucker and got the ball in a prime shooting position.

But his jumper clanged off the rim.

Han's words echoed in Durant's mind:

"As long as you're standing, so am I."

Durant's legs were shot.

His stamina was gone.

TT grabbed the crucial defensive rebound.

Malone didn't call a timeout.

Han Sen took the ball and pushed it up the court.

Wade's heart sank as he recognized what was happening.

Memories of Han's past dagger shots flooded his mind. He lunged for a steal, but Han spun away with a behind-the-back dribble.

"Stop him!" Wade screamed, chasing Han down.

He even shouted at Durant, trying to get him to contest the shot.

But Han reached the three-point line before Durant could react.

Durant took a half-step back, expecting Han to drive.

It was the right call against most players.

But Wade knew it was over.

Han pulled up for a transition three.

Durant jumped to contest, but it was too late.

The ball sailed over his outstretched hand, dropping toward the rim.

Swish!

Game over.

Shaq couldn't contain himself.

He jumped out of his seat, tearing off his headset in the process.

"Cleveland, your true king has returned!"

(End of Chapter)