Chapter 241: The 2013-2014 Season Comes to an End.
When someone challenges you, honor and status become meaningless; the only way to respond is to hit back directly.
You could see it in the expressions of Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony—Han Sen's dominance on both ends during the last sequence had taken the fight out of them.
Of course, the game didn't end there. After LeBron James' departure, there were no weak-willed players in Oklahoma City anymore.
The synergy between Carmelo and Westbrook this season was the key to OKC reclaiming a top spot in the Western Conference.
The two teams battled until the final moments.
Han Sen sounded the Grizzlies' defensive alarm with a crucial steal. They unleashed a suffocating defensive stretch reminiscent of their dominance last season, holding OKC to just three points in the final three minutes and sealing the victory.
As the buzzer sounded, the Grizzlies celebrated like they had won the championship, even though it was just a regular-season game.
Only they could truly understand the satisfaction of reclaiming something they had lost.
"We did everything we could, but they beat us. They were the better team tonight. We'll win the next time we face them."
At the postgame press conference, Westbrook accepted the loss with surprising composure.
Although OKC didn't secure the win, this was a different kind of defeat. Last time, they had lost while crawling; this time, they stood tall.