Chapter 270: A Total Asshole.
116 to 103.
The Cavaliers managed to hold off the Lakers' second-half surge and secured a victory in the highly anticipated Christmas game.
From Kyrie Irving's god-like first-half performance, to the fiery trash talk between him and LeBron—the two supposed second options—and finally Han Sen's third-quarter takeover, where he single-handedly battled both No. 23 and No. 24, this game delivered everything the fans could've hoped for.
In the post-game stats, Irving stood out with 37 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, shooting 12-of-18 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Han Sen, who barely broke a sweat, quietly racked up 25 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.
On the Lakers' side, Kobe had 27 points, LeBron contributed 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, along with 2 blocks. Varejao chipped in with 15 points and 11 boards.
At the post-game press conference, Han and Kyrie sat side by side, facing a room packed with reporters.
Unsurprisingly, Kyrie, who had stolen the show, was the first to be bombarded with questions.
"Thirty-seven points on just 18 shots—your season-high. How did you manage that?"
"I just did what I was supposed to do. The coach and my teammates gave me their full trust," Irving replied calmly.
Another reporter quickly followed up. "There seemed to be some tension between you and LeBron during the game. Can you tell us what happened?"