Fifty Is Not Enough.

The outside sentiment was grim, but aboard the plane to Miami, the Cavaliers were in surprisingly high spirits.

At Han Sen's suggestion, they even started a game of Texas Hold'em during the flight.

For this Cavaliers squad, forcing a Game 7 against the Heat was already a success.

They carried no pressure now. All that was left was to give it their all in this do-or-die showdown.

Losing would be expected. Winning would be a miracle.

As the Cavaliers headed to Miami, the Western Conference Finals had already concluded.

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, advancing to the Finals.

With that result, the Nike-backed Western strategy completely crumbled—only the Heat remained standing in the East.

Upon arrival in Miami, Malone led the Cavaliers to practice at the American Airlines Arena.

Their first order of business? Retrieving the cash stash hidden in the ceiling of the visitor's locker room.

But Tyronn Lue wasn't ready to give the money back just yet. Instead, he made the team a bet.

"If we win tonight, I'll give you ten times the amount. Are you willing to take that gamble?"

The stash amounted to $4,000, which meant $40,000 if they pulled off the upset.

Even for the most expensive assistant coach in NBA history, that wasn't pocket change.

But that was exactly the point.

If Lue, a mere assistant coach, was willing to risk that much for a win, what did the players have to fear?

That night, the American Airlines Arena was packed to capacity.

Despite this, Heat fans were visibly tense.

On paper, the Cavaliers had no chance tonight. But theory was one thing—reality was another.

In Game 1, Cleveland had already turned the impossible into possible.

As long as Han Sen was playing, who could say they wouldn't do it again?

Pat Riley was also in attendance. This time, he wasn't seated in the stands but right behind the Heat bench, alongside the team's staff.

Even Riley looked nervous.

"The Cavs have no real chance tonight," Barkley insisted. He had been firmly in the Heat's corner all series.

"I agree, but if they somehow pull it off, it'll be historic," Shaq countered, unable to hide his admiration for Han Sen's resilience.

Deep down, Shaq couldn't help but regret turning down Han Sen's comeback offer.

The starting lineups were announced.

Cavaliers: Delly / JR Smith / Han Sen / PJ Tucker / Tristan Thompson

Heat: Dragic / Wade / Durant / Deng / Gasol

With Kyrie Irving out, Malone made a surprising move by starting Matthew Dellavedova.

The strategy was clear—Cleveland's entire offense would revolve around Han Sen.

It was a straightforward and brutal game plan, but it also showed Han Sen's determination.

Even if their chances were only 3%, he was ready to give it his all.

The opening tip went to the Cavs.

From the outset, the Heat threw double teams at Han Sen. It was the obvious choice—shut down Han, and the Cavs' offense would collapse.

But on the very first possession, Delly hit a three-pointer off a Han Sen pass.

Dellavedova's talent was unremarkable. He wasn't even drafted into the NBA.

But as Cunningham once told Han, Delly worked as hard as anyone in the league.

Hard work couldn't improve his athleticism, but it allowed him to perfect the things he could control—defense and open threes.

Despite Delly's early success, Spoelstra didn't adjust the defense right away.

But when JR Smith nailed another three-pointer on the next possession, he started to waver.

After all, Game 4 had been decided by a Cavaliers' three-point explosion.

If it happened once, what was stopping it from happening again?

On the Cavs' third possession, Han Sen finally got a one-on-one opportunity.

Defender: Luol Deng.

Deng was a solid all-around defender, with size, experience, and technique. His only weakness? Age had slowed him down.

Han faced up, took a single dribble, then pulled up for a jump shot.

Swish.

Han's scoring spree had begun.

You could see Deng bumping Han at every opportunity. It was clear Spoelstra's strategy was to wear him down.

But Han had prepared for this. He chose simple, efficient attacks to conserve energy.

...

First Quarter:

Han Sen played all 12 minutes and scored 18 points.

The Cavs trailed 28-32.

But as the second quarter began, the Cavs struggled against the Heat's bench depth.

Despite Mo Williams stepping up, Miami pushed the lead into double digits.

When Han returned to the floor, the Cavs were already down by double figures.

Han wasted no time.

On his first possession back, he blew past Deng for a quick layup.

No matter how solid Deng's defense was, he couldn't stop Han one-on-one.

Han scored another 15 points in the quarter, reaching 33 points by halftime.

The Cavs trailed 52-58 at the break.

"We have every reason to believe Han will drop 50 tonight," Barkley predicted as the halftime buzzer sounded.

...

The second half opened with Han Sen immediately facing a double-team.

But PJ Tucker drilled a corner three off Han's pass.

Sure, $2,000 was no small amount, but the motivation that money brought far outweighed its monetary value.

They couldn't provide Kyrie Irving-level scoring, but they could do everything else to perfection.

On the next possession, Han wasn't double-teamed anymore.

Spoelstra tested the waters but stuck to his main game plan: wear Han down.

By this quarter, his strategy started showing results.

Although Han still scored 14 points in the third, his energy and efficiency began to wane.

This forced Malone to bring in Mo Williams earlier than planned to share the ball-handling duties.

The Heat capitalized and stretched their lead back to double digits.

...

47 points through three quarters.

Han Sen embodied the "fearless warrior" archetype that had defined his entire career.

Or, perhaps more fitting now that he was back in Cleveland, a relentless knight.

But this time, he wasn't facing opponents he could defeat with sheer bravery alone. His adversaries were armed with long spears, ready to pierce through any bold charge.

As the fourth quarter began, Han was on the bench.

He had to rest—his energy was completely drained.

Sweat poured from his face like a faucet. He wiped it away with a towel, but fresh beads immediately formed.

And that's when a voice inside his head whispered:

"You've done everything you can. Rest now. Losing to this Heat team is no shame—just like when Jordan lost to the Magic. No one will blame you."

That insidious voice grew louder.

Physical exhaustion inevitably brought mental fatigue. And as the Heat widened their lead, it became even harder to block out.

...

On the sidelines, Malone was tense, watching his team struggle during the bench stretch.

Suddenly, a whistle blew.

Mo Williams collided with Vucevic on a drive, crashing to the floor.

Malone's heart skipped a beat.

If Mo went down too, the Cavs were finished.

Thankfully, Mo got back up, stretching out his shoulder to signal he was okay.

Malone exhaled deeply in relief.

Then, a familiar voice spoke from behind.

"Coach, I'm ready to go back in."

Malone turned to see Han Sen standing there.

He hadn't even noticed Han approach—his focus had been entirely on Mo.

"Rest two more minutes," Malone suggested, noting Han's sweat-drenched face.

But Han shook his head.

"I'll have plenty of time to rest after the game."

Malone hesitated. But after seeing the determination in Han's eyes, he nodded.

The Cavs were down 13 points. If they didn't cut into the lead now, there would be no clutch moment to fight for.

A short whistle blew.

Han Sen subbed in for JR Smith.

When this moment appeared on the LED scoreboard, the arena buzzed with shock and murmurs.

"Already? Fourth quarter just started!"

Han had barely rested two and a half minutes.

Was Han Sen made of steel? How could anyone endure such intensity and still keep going?

Spoelstra sighed with relief.

He knew that if Han was subbing back in this early, there was no way his stamina would hold until the end.

Cavs lineup: Mo Williams / Han Sen / PJ Tucker / Cunningham / Garnett

Heat lineup: Chalmers / Sefolosha / Durant / Deng / Vucevic

Han walked to the free-throw line and fist-bumped Mo Williams.

The camera zoomed in on Han Sen, chewing gum.

In the 90s, chewing gum was a staple among NBA players. It helped with stress relief, focus, and keeping the mouth moist during games.

But over time, gum was replaced by mouthguards, as swallowing gum during intense play posed a choking hazard.

Han typically wore a mouthguard, too.

But just before re-entering the game, he took it out and asked Garnett for a piece of gum.

Now, on camera, he even blew a bubble.

It was relaxing, calming.

Maybe Curry's mouthguard-biting habit wasn't so strange after all.

...

Mo Williams sank both free throws, cutting the deficit to 90-101.

But on the next play, Durant hit a mid-range jumper.

A fully energized KD was still unstoppable.

Back on offense, Han saw that the double-team didn't come this time.

So, he attacked Sefolosha with a quick crossover, driving hard to the basket.

The interior help defense was late, and Han finished through contact.

No whistle.

It was obvious—the Silva system was in play tonight. The Cavs weren't just battling the Heat; they were fighting the league's balance-keeping agenda.

On the next Heat possession, Spoelstra called for a Durant iso.

At this stage, maintaining offensive efficiency was critical. All the Heat needed to do was hold the lead until Han ran out of gas.

Durant backed down PJ Tucker, then spun for a layup.

But Cunningham swooped in, using his quick feet and timing to block KD's shot against the backboard.

Durant was stunned—he hadn't expected Cunningham to be capable of that.

Tucker grabbed the rebound and launched a quick outlet pass to Han Sen.

The Cavs pushed the pace.

Han threw a full-court bounce pass, hitting Mo Williams perfectly in stride for a fast-break layup.

92-101.

The deficit was back to single digits!

Spoelstra couldn't sit still. He called for Gasol to check in.

Durant, looking for his signature mid-range jumper, was disrupted by Garnett flying in to contest.

The Cavs' energy had shifted completely with Han's return.

Han Sen was like a rallying flag, raising team morale the moment he stepped onto the court.

On the next play, Tucker secured the rebound and handed the ball to Han Sen.

This time, Han and Mo led a 2-on-1 fast break.

After a series of quick passes, Han received the ball from Mo and went for the layup.

Chalmers wrapped him up, trying to force a trip to the line.

But Han powered through, finishing the and-one despite the contact.

The whistle blew.

Han stepped back and fist-pumped, letting out an excited roar.

In Game 1, it had been the old Cavs veterans leading the charge.

Now, in Game 7, it was Han Sen leading them into one final battle.

As Han approached the free-throw line, the crowd's boos echoed through the arena.

Taking the ball, Han chewed his gum, exhaled deeply, and lined up his shot.

Swish!

The free throw dropped.

Score: 95-101.

The deficit was now just six points.

Seeing enough, Spoelstra called timeout.

On the LED scoreboard, Han Sen's stats were displayed:

52 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 3 fouls, 3 turnovers.

At that moment, Shaquille O'Neal couldn't hold back his excitement.

"If 50 points isn't enough to win, how about 60?"

The statement sounded simple, but it carried immense weight.

Because, in NBA history, there had only been two playoff games where a player scored 60+ points:

- Michael Jordan's 63 against the Celtics.

- Elgin Baylor's 61 in the Finals.

Han Sen was on pace to become the third.

-End of Chapter-