45° Assassin: No Look, No Doubt.

"I'm winning it this season," LeBron said, removing his mouthguard and glaring at Han Sen.

"I believe you," Han replied with a smirk that practically begged for a punch.

LeBron clenched his jaw. "You don't actually think you can succeed in Cleveland, do you?"

"What do you think?"

Han's amused expression left LeBron speechless.

Thankfully, the referee's whistle interrupted their tense exchange.

---

The Lakers had a sideline inbound with little time on the shot clock. Kobe ran through a screen, caught the pass, and took a contested fadeaway jumper.

Tucker was right there with solid defense, but Kobe's shot still swished through the net.

LeBron's explosive performance wasn't the sole reason the Lakers were a top team in the West. After announcing his retirement, Kobe had found another gear, pushing himself to the limit.

As the Cavs brought the ball upcourt, Kobe and Dellavedova switched defensive assignments.

Kyrie had already scored five points early on, and Kobe was never one to back down from a challenge — even if it meant putting himself in the crosshairs.

The Cavs swung the ball to the weak side, and Han received the pass from Kyrie.

He called for a screen from Tucker.

This time, LeBron didn't hide behind Dellavedova or try to force a switch. He stepped up to defend Han directly.

Every drug has side effects. Han smirked to himself.

The crowd sensed the tension and began to stir as Han dribbled toward LeBron, isolating him at the top of the key.

Their previous exchange was now playing on the arena's giant LED screen.

This was LeBron's chance to prove himself.

Han sized up LeBron, taking a deliberate dribble step back. LeBron, fully focused, stepped forward to close the space.

That's when Han made his move.

He blew past LeBron with a lightning-quick first step. LeBron recovered quickly and chased him down, ready to block Han's shot.

Han had anticipated this.

As he soared toward the rim, he twisted his body mid-air, avoiding LeBron's outstretched hand and delivering a reverse windmill slam.

BAM!

LeBron's block attempt swiped through nothing but air.

Han, a man who had committed to participating in the dunk contest, made sure the entire arena knew what he was capable of.

After hanging on the rim for a moment, Han dropped down and casually spread his hands toward LeBron.

"That boost doesn't seem all that effective."

The crowd erupted.

LeBron had started the game strong, dominating early. But in back-to-back plays, Han had stolen the spotlight.

The Lakers' next defensive possession further emphasized the shift in momentum.

Han ran a pick-and-roll with Tucker, forcing a switch that left LeBron guarding him again.

Instead of facing up, Han turned his back to LeBron and went into a post-up.

The arena buzzed with anticipation.

A physical showdown between two giants? Yes, please.

LeBron relished the challenge, his eyes locked on Han. The size difference favored LeBron, especially given his enhanced physical state.

But Han had something else in mind.

He hit LeBron with a smooth spin fake, causing LeBron to bite hard. Then Han quickly pivoted back the other way, leaving LeBron out of position as he finished with an easy layup.

Han had figured out the side effects.

LeBron puffed out his cheeks in frustration, a telltale sign of his rising anger.

Han widened his eyes in exaggerated surprise. "Damn, this stuff has more side effects than I thought," he said with a smirk, his words dripping with sarcasm.

By the nine-minute mark of the first quarter, the Lakers led 30-26.

Han had already racked up 12 points — his most aggressive first-quarter performance of the season.

But despite Han's strong start, the Lakers' overall strength was undeniable.

Both teams made substitutions, with Han taking a seat on the bench.

LeBron, however, remained on the floor.

Despite his intense early effort, LeBron showed no signs of fatigue.

Looks like that boost enhances stamina too, Han thought, genuinely intrigued.

During the starter's rest period, LeBron's aggression kicked up a notch.

After a pick-and-roll with Kaman, LeBron charged toward the rim for another signature tomahawk dunk.

He didn't even register Jokić standing in his path.

Why would he? The European rookie was just another big body to muscle through.

SMACK!

The unexpected happened.

Jokić met LeBron at the rim and stuffed his dunk attempt.

But what shocked everyone even more was Jokić's reaction.

"MY HORSE!"

The bench went wild.

They had never seen Nikola that fired up — and certainly hadn't expected that outburst.

"What horse?" the players whispered, bewildered.

Han, momentarily stunned, burst into laughter.

Even the most laid-back personalities have their passions. For Jokić, it was all about that horse.

Fueled by dreams of owning the best horse in Serbia, Nikola was playing with newfound intensity.

The Lakers retained possession, and LeBron quickly called for another pick-and-roll, forcing Jokić to switch onto him.

This time, LeBron waved everyone off.

Han's trash talk was one thing, but Jokić's outburst? That stung.

"What did he mean by 'my horse'? Does he think I'm his ride?" LeBron fumed internally.

LeBron went into isolation mode, determined to punish the rookie.

Nikola, knowing he couldn't match LeBron's speed, sagged back toward the paint, anticipating the drive.

LeBron tried to fake him out, but Jokić stayed grounded, using his size and smarts to disrupt LeBron's rhythm.

Forced to take a contested shot, LeBron's jumper clanked off the front rim.

Jokić secured the rebound with ease, raising the ball high above his head in a classic big-man move.

LeBron jumped, trying to swipe it.

Too late.

Jokić immediately looked upcourt and launched a pinpoint outlet pass.

JR Smith caught it in stride, sprinted downcourt, and delivered a stunning 360-degree dunk.

32-32.

Despite LeBron staying on the court, the Cavs' bench unit had erased the deficit and tied the game.

By halftime, the Cavs led 61-60.

The season opener against the Warriors had been a Han-centric victory. But tonight, it was clear the Cavs were evolving.

This wasn't the same team as last season.

They were becoming something more.

---

After halftime, Malone made an adjustment to the starting lineup, subbing in JR Smith to roll out the Cavs' small-ball lineup.

However, unlike last season's traditional 'Death Lineup', this wasn't a pure five-out approach. Instead, it was a four-out, one-in formation — with Nikola Jokić at the five instead of Tristan Thompson.

It was clear this was another experiment by Malone, specifically designed with the Warriors in mind.

After last season's failure to outmatch the Warriors with small ball, Malone knew he needed a new strategy.

The Cavs opened the second half with possession.

Kyrie Irving ran a pick-and-roll with Jokić, who popped out to the perimeter after setting the screen.

Unlike Thompson, Jokić had a reliable outside shot, forcing the Lakers into a difficult defensive situation.

Mozgov couldn't step out to contest Jokić's shot, leaving it to Delly to close out. But that created a mismatch for Irving, who drove into the paint, drawing the defense.

The Lakers' weak-side help rotated, and Irving found a wide-open PJ Tucker in the corner.

Splash!

Tucker nailed the three-pointer, and just like that, the Cavs' offense started to look eerily similar to the Warriors' unstoppable five-out system.

The challenge, of course, was defense. Jokić didn't have Draymond Green's mobility to switch across positions and provide rim protection.

Fortunately, against the Lakers, that wasn't much of a concern.

Mozgov had no shooting range, allowing Jokić to camp in the paint.

On the perimeter, Kyrie's improved defense prevented him from being an easy target, while Han and Tucker formed a solid defensive network.

Faced with this setup, the Lakers' best option was to run post-ups for Kevin Love.

---

It's time to give Love his due.

Often overlooked in LeBron's shadow, Love's ability to dominate in the post had been questioned ever since his Minnesota days.

Back with the Timberwolves, he had played at a hefty 275 pounds (about 125 kg), using his bulk to compensate for his relatively short wingspan (6'11" or 211 cm).

When he joined LeBron in Los Angeles, he slimmed down to around 245 pounds (about 111 kg) to improve his mobility for spacing purposes.

But that weight loss came at a cost — his post-up game wasn't as dominant as it used to be.

Still, against Tucker? Love had enough size to work the low block.

On one possession, Love backed Tucker down, forcing Han to sag off LeBron to help.

Love spotted the double team and kicked the ball out.

LeBron, left wide open from three, fired.

Clank!

Jokić boxed out Mozgov and grabbed the rebound.

This is where Jokić's value over Thompson became even more apparent.

Jokić wasn't just a big body; he had elite court vision and passing ability.

He launched a quarterback-style outlet pass down the court.

Han caught it on the run, blew past LeBron, and finished with a gliding windmill dunk.

The Staples Center erupted in a mix of gasps and boos.

The Cavs had opened the half with a 5-0 run.

Malone's two-year-long experiments had finally borne fruit — Cleveland's version of the small-ball lineup was taking shape.

---

Byron Scott quickly subbed in Channing Frye for Mozgov, matching Cleveland's spacing with his own stretch lineup.

On the court, Kobe Bryant took charge.

The Lakers couldn't afford to waste possessions. They needed efficient offense to slow Cleveland's fast-break opportunities.

Kobe ran a pick-and-roll with Mozgov, stopping at the free-throw line for a mid-range jumper.

But Han left LeBron to help, forcing Kobe to pass.

LeBron found himself with another wide-open three-point look.

This time, however, he hesitated.

Watching from the weak side, Han shook his head.

Drugs can enhance performance, Han thought. But they can't change who you are.

LeBron's hesitation allowed Han to recover and contest.

The Lakers scrambled, with Kobe eventually bailing them out by taking a rushed shot off a Mozgov screen.

Clank!

Jokić snagged another rebound.

The Lakers' transition defense was faster this time, so Jokić didn't see an immediate outlet opportunity.

Instead, he handed the ball to Han, who pushed the tempo.

As Han approached the three-point line at the 45-degree angle, he found himself face-to-face with LeBron.

Han repeated his signature move — a hesitation dribble followed by a gathering step.

LeBron didn't fall for it this time, taking a small step back to avoid being blown by.

So, Han pulled up.

Straight into a logo-range three-pointer.

LeBron lunged forward, trying to contest, but it was too late.

Han didn't even hold his shooting form.

Instead, as soon as the ball left his fingertips, he turned around and raised his hands, celebrating before the ball even hit the net.

LeBron turned, just in time to see the ball swish through the hoop.

Splash!

The Staples Center crowd gasped in shock.

Han's back remained to the basket, arms still raised in triumph.