This Is a War Between Men.

LeBron averted his gaze from Kobe and turned toward the sidelines, looking straight at Coach Byron Scott.

Han Sen was playing mind games—wasn't the coach supposed to step in and do something?

Scott had no idea that Han Sen and Kobe had crossed paths the night before, so he wasn't prepared for Kobe's reaction. But when he saw LeBron's look, he quickly called a timeout.

Kobe wasted no time walking up to LeBron. "Stick to your man. This is the Finals."

"I'm trying," LeBron muttered. "I can't guard him."

Kobe's eyes widened in disbelief.

This was LeBron's fourth NBA Finals. How the hell did he still not get it?

This wasn't about whether he could or couldn't stop Han Sen.

Nobody could stop Han one-on-one.

But that wasn't the point.

You fought anyway.

You didn't get this far just to shrug and say, I tried my best.

Kobe exhaled sharply, trying to contain his frustration. "Then what? You want to switch onto Kyrie?"

LeBron's face turned red.

That wasn't his job. He was supposed to be guarding P.J. Tucker.

Before the conversation could escalate, Scott finally stepped in.

"Delly."

He turned toward Matthew Dellavedova on the bench.

The moment Delly stood up, Deron Williams already knew what was coming.

He didn't even bother walking over to the huddle. Instead, he went straight to the end of the bench and sat down, not even pretending to listen to the game plan.

If he could do it all over again, he would have never signed with the Lakers.

When they recruited him, they promised him the starting job, promised him the ball in his hands.

But when he arrived?

They turned him into an off-ball point guard—something he was never built for.

It was like asking a sniper to fight with a sword.

He never had a chance.

Against the Warriors, he had already taken most of the blame for their 1-3 hole.

Now?

Another game, another round of slander.

---

Once Delly checked in, the Lakers' defense instantly stabilized.

He wasn't an elite, all-around defender.

But against guards like Curry and Kyrie—guys who relied on finesse and craft—his relentless, physical defense was a problem.

Most importantly, his presence meant the Lakers could shift everything back into place.

Kobe returned to guarding Han Sen.

LeBron?

He finally got his favorite defensive assignment—P.J. Tucker.

Corner duty.

Nobody loved guarding a spot-up shooter more than LeBron James.

---

With three minutes left in the first quarter, the Cavaliers led 25-23.

Michael Malone sent Han Sen to the bench for rest.

Current Lineups:

Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, Mike Dunleavy, Dante Cunningham, Tristan Thompson.

Lakers: Deron Williams, Jordan Clarkson, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, Kevin Love.

---

The Lakers' first possession after the substitution—Deron Williams ran a pick-and-roll with Kevin Love.

Williams used his signature hesitation dribble to draw Cunningham into the action before whipping a pass to Frye on the perimeter.

Three-pointer—cash.

Say what you want about Deron, but as Jerry Sloan's disciple, his pick-and-roll execution was still elite.

His time in Los Angeles had been rough—hell, people were already calling for his retirement.

But he still had something left in the tank.

By the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 30.

The Cavaliers had momentum, but the Lakers were still riding the high of their 3-1 comeback against the Warriors.

---

As the second quarter began, both teams rotated further.

The Cavaliers subbed in Mo Williams and Kevin Garnett for Kyrie and Tristan Thompson.

The Lakers?

Kevin Love took a breather—LeBron checked back in.

High IQ version: Scott wanted to use this stretch to build a lead.

Low IQ version: LeBron was avoiding playing full minutes against Han Sen.

But to be fair, his upgraded physique meant his endurance had significantly improved.

---

With LeBron back, Deron was once again forced into an off-ball role.

That part wasn't surprising.

What was surprising—was Cleveland's first offensive set.

Mo Williams called for a pick-and-roll…

…but it wasn't with Garnett.

It was Cunningham.

Most would assume this was to stretch the floor, but the real reason became clear the moment Williams attacked.

Because suddenly, he was going straight at LeBron.

For a split second, LeBron froze.

His mind flashed back to the past.

Mo Williams—his old backcourt partner.

One of the few guys in Cleveland 1.0 that actually fit next to him.

But before LeBron could react, Mo was already gone—blowing past him for a bank shot floater.

Even Channing Frye, who had rotated late, looked surprised.

It wasn't just that LeBron got beat.

It was how decisively Mo went at him.

---

As Mo celebrated, LeBron turned, frustration flashing across his face.

Han Sen had talked trash to him all game, but that was whatever.

Mo Williams?

That pissed him off.

After all, the only reason Mo ever made an All-Star team was because of him.

And now this guy was trying to stunt on him?

LeBron signaled for the ball and motioned for Deron to set a screen.

A point guard setting a screen for a small forward—it was unnatural.

Even Deron hesitated for a second before finally moving into position.

Once he got the switch onto Mo, LeBron immediately backed him down.

This time, he wasn't messing around.

Mo was giving up too much size.

LeBron drove him straight into the mid-post.

And just as he powered up for a finish—

Mo bailed.

He pulled the chair.

LeBron stumbled but managed to recover, using his absurd balance to get the shot off.

It might have worked—

If Cunningham wasn't already in the air.

BANG!

The chase-down block smashed the ball off the glass.

Truth was, Cunningham had been lurking the entire time.

LeBron had tunnel vision.

He was so focused on 'getting Mo back' that he didn't see the help defense rotating behind him.

Han Sen grinned from the bench, shaking his head.

"You'd think after all these years, he'd see that coming."

---

LeBron threw up his hands, looking at the ref, signaling that Mo Williams had grabbed him on that last play.

But the ref didn't care.

And by the time LeBron turned his head back to the court, Williams was already finishing an uncontested fastbreak layup off a full-court dime from Cunningham.

34-30.

Scott had subbed LeBron back in to stabilize the game.

Instead, the Lakers fell further behind.

LeBron was pissed.

He grabbed the ball, put his head down, and bulldozed straight to the rim—plowing through Cunningham before throwing down a vicious dunk and drawing the foul.

As he landed, he turned to the camera, smacked his chest, lifted his leg, and slammed both hands down, delivering his signature 'The Silencer' celebration.

The crowd erupted.

This was the LeBron they wanted.

The Chosen One.

The King.

LeBron stepped to the free-throw line, exhaling deeply.

Man, shoutout to Rich Paul.

But just as he prepared to shoot, the ref's whistle blew.

A substitution.

LeBron turned his head slightly.

Then turned back.

Then turned back again—this time with a full-blown look of disbelief.

Han Sen was checking back in.

Replacing Dunleavy.

Of course, he wasn't just going to sit back and watch the old Cavaliers fight alone.

After all, the teammates LeBron had just disrespected?

That included him too.

---

"This is poetic!"

Shaq nearly jumped out of his seat in the TNT booth.

Four former Cavaliers were now on the floor.

And the craziest part?

Three of them were still wearing Cavs jerseys.

The NBA Finals had turned into a Cleveland alumni civil war.

Nobody could've predicted this.

Han Sen didn't force an iso immediately.

Instead, he played decoy, spacing out on the weak side, keeping the defense occupied.

This wasn't Malone's original game plan—Han had checked himself back in.

But it was working.

Williams drove, kicked to Han, who attacked the closeout, forced LeBron's help, and swung it to Cunningham in the corner.

Splash.

Perfect chemistry.

Vintage Cleveland connection.

Cunningham, fired up, turned straight to LeBron and yelled—

"We made the Finals every year WITHOUT YOU!"

It was trash talk.

But also?

It was facts.

LeBron's face twisted.

Williams? At least he had been an All-Star once.

But Cunningham?!

A former benchwarmer?

Now he was talking?

LeBron clenched his jaw.

And when the Lakers pushed the ball up the court, and Han Sen switched onto him, his instincts kicked in.

He called for a screen.

But the problem?

The Lakers had nobody to screen Han.

Neither Channing Frye nor Richard Jefferson could hold the pick long enough.

Kobe, watching from the bench, was fuming.

"He's a forward! Post him up! Use your damn strength!"

But this was the difference between them.

Kobe's post-game had been elite since his early years.

LeBron's?

It had improved—but using it against Han?

That was like asking him to guard Han.

It just wasn't happening.

When the screen failed, LeBron bailed, passing to Deron Williams.

Finally, Deron got to be a point guard again.

He ran a pick-and-pop with Frye, got a clean mid-range jumper—

Clank.

Too much time on the bench.

Timing was off.

The ball bounced off the rim, straight into Kevin Garnett's hands.

Cavs ran the break.

Han and Williams, one left, one right, flying down the court.

LeBron sprinted back, locking in on Williams.

A chase-down block was coming.

Williams knew it.

He had played with LeBron for years.

So instead of forcing a layup, he waited.

Last second—kick-out pass to the right.

Straight to Han Sen.

Han gathered, took three steps, and took off.

LeBron turned—

Saw Han elevating—

And for a split second, he had a choice.

Meet him at the rim? Or get out of the way?

And LeBron James—

Chose to get out of the way.

---

BOOM!

A violent tomahawk slam.

Kobe, sitting courtside, clenched his fist.

He was fuming.

This Lakers squad—the way it was built, the way they played—

It reminded him too much of the Shaq-Kobe era.

The problem?

Back then, he was the one doing the heavy lifting.

If he had ever backed down the way LeBron just did—

The Lakers wouldn't have won a single damn ring.

Not one.

Back in 2000, Game 7 against the Blazers—

It was Kobe, not Shaq, who took over.

It was Kobe who carried them to the Finals.

And if the Lakers were going to win this one?

They needed someone who wouldn't back down.

Kobe shot up from the bench.

Signaled to Scott.

Marched to the scorer's table.

He was checking back in.

His presence alone changed the momentum.

He wasn't the same guy from 2009.

But in big moments?

He still demanded attention.

On defense, he took Curry out of games in the last series.

On offense, he wasn't afraid to take the biggest shots.

But the disrupted rotations came at a cost.

Kobe's legs weren't the same.

And when the Cavs went small, forcing a track meet—

The Lakers struggled.

This was why they fell into a 1-3 hole against Golden State in the first place.

If Kobe were even two years younger, they wouldn't have been in this situation.

---

End of the third quarter.

Cavs 82, Lakers 71.

The lead wasn't insurmountable.

But as the fourth quarter started, one thing became clear—

The Cavs were in complete control.

Game 1 wasn't over yet.

But the outcome was already set in stone.

On social media, the blame game was in full swing.

LeBron fans were in shambles:

"Love took six shots and has 11 points. THIS guy is on a max contract?"

"Deron Williams: 8 points, 3 assists… worse than Dellavedova. Why did we even sign him?"

"The Lakers LOOK stacked, but in reality? They're miles behind the Cavs."

"Byron Scott can't even call a proper timeout. This man is clueless."

"Where are the refs?! The Lakers attacked the rim all game and only got six more free throws?"

Excuses flooded the timeline.

But the reality?

Game 1 belonged to Cleveland.

---

In the end, the Cavaliers secured a 104-91 road victory over the Lakers, taking Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Final Stats:

Cavaliers:

- Han Sen: 29 PTS, 7 REB, 11 AST

- Kyrie Irving: 21 PTS, 6 AST

- Nikola Jokić: 10 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST

- Mo Williams: 9 PTS, 3 AST

- Dante Cunningham: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 BLK

- Delonte West: 2 PTS

Lakers:

- Kobe Bryant: 28 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST

- LeBron James: 23 PTS, 12 REB, 9 AST

- Kevin Love: 14 PTS, 10 REB

- Channing Frye: 10 PTS

---

Postgame Press Conference:

The tension in the room was suffocating.

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James sat side by side at the podium.

Kobe leaned forward, elbows on the table, his expression locked in stone-cold frustration.

LeBron sat back, arms crossed, eyes focused downward.

It didn't take long for the first question.

Reporter: "Kobe, what do you think was the biggest issue tonight?"

Kobe didn't blink.

Kobe: "We got outplayed. Simple."

No excuses. No sugarcoating.

Reporter: "Do you think this was just a slow start, or a bigger problem?"

Kobe exhaled sharply, then turned—right at LeBron.

Kobe: "LeBron needs to understand—this is a war between men."

LeBron's body tensed.

Kobe wasn't done.

Kobe: "Regular season? Fine. First few rounds? Fine. But this? The NBA Finals? You show up, or you go home. That's it."

The silence was deafening.

Reporter: "LeBron, how would you respond to that?"

LeBron's face remained neutral. His voice steady.

LeBron: "I showed up."

A short pause.

Reporter: "But the result—"

LeBron (cutting him off): "I showed up."

Kobe tilted his head slightly. That subtle, silent challenge.

"Did you?"

He didn't say it. But the way he looked at LeBron said everything.

LeBron looked ready to fire back—but he didn't.

Because he couldn't.

Kobe still ran this team.

He wasn't just the Lakers' leader—he was the Lakers.

And LeBron knew it.

Even after Kobe retired, his influence wouldn't just disappear overnight.

Right now? His word was law.

And the truth was—Kobe had tried.

He had spent two years alongside LeBron.

Tried mentoring him.

Tried treating him like a younger brother.

Hell, this season, he even softened—tried to be a guiding voice instead of the ruthless competitor he'd always been.

And yet?

LeBron was still like this.

Still passive.

Still uncertain.

Still needing to be pushed.

Kobe wasn't mad.

He was disappointed.

He wanted LeBron to succeed.

To rise up.

To be the killer that championships demanded.

And if this was the only way to wake him up?

Then so be it.

Because if LeBron couldn't handle this—if he couldn't take criticism from a five-time champion—

Then he would never, ever win a title.

This?

This was the lesson of a lifetime.

---

Over on Inside the NBA, the TNT crew wasted no time breaking it down.

The big screen played back the press conference bombshell—Kobe's words hanging in the air.

"LeBron needs to understand—this is a war between men."

Shaquille O'Neal sighed first.

"I know exactly what that was, Ernie. Kobe is testing LeBron. He's saying, 'Are you built for this?' Because, let's be honest, LeBron wasn't aggressive enough. He had 23, 12, and 9, but it wasn't an impactful 23. Meanwhile, Han was dictating the game. That's the difference."

The highlight reel rolled—Han Sen pulling LeBron into a switch, breaking him down, and hitting a cold-blooded mid-range jumper.

Charles Barkley shook his head.

"Man, I gotta say it—Kobe's right. If LeBron plays like this for the whole series, the Lakers are cooked. He's out here calling for switches, dumping the ball off, and letting Han Sen dictate everything. This is the NBA Finals! You either take the fight to your opponent, or you get exposed. And tonight? Han exposed him."

The next clip played—Han Sen throwing down a ferocious dunk while yelling toward Kobe:

"I told you—when LeBron ain't scoring, he ain't playing defense!"

The studio erupted.

Kenny Smith laughed.

"That's the thing about Han—he'll let you know he's busting your ass, too! But this is where LeBron can respond. Game 2 is gonna tell us everything. Either he comes out aggressive and meets the moment… or this series might be over before it even starts."

Ernie Johnson brought up the key question.

"So what now? What's the biggest adjustment the Lakers need to make for Game 2?"

Shaq: "LeBron has to take ownership. Stop being passive. Attack. If he don't show up next game, it's gonna get ugly."

Kenny: "They need more from their supporting cast. Kevin Love only got six shots? That's crazy. They gotta get him involved."

Chuck: "And somebody needs to tell Deron Williams he's allowed to play basketball. He out there running cardio!"

(The studio cracked up.)

Ernie leaned forward for one final question.

"Alright, let's say LeBron doesn't respond. Let's say Game 2 looks exactly like this. What happens then?"

The panel exchanged looks before Shaq answered first.

"If LeBron don't respond? It's a wrap. Series over. Han Sen ain't the guy you let build momentum. You let him get comfortable? It's over."

Chuck nodded.

"LeBron gotta take this personal. Because Han Sen already did. You saw him tonight—he wanted this. He played like a guy who's trying to end you. The Lakers better come ready next game, or they ain't coming back at all."

Ernie took a breath, looking straight into the camera.

"Can LeBron answer Kobe's challenge? Or will Han Sen push Cleveland one step closer to a championship?"

Because one thing was certain—

Because if tonight proved anything—

This wasn't a series anymore.

This was a fight for survival.