Chapter 377 - 81 No More.
(TL/n: Nvm gonna switch back since it felt odd.)
At the end of the third quarter, the Cavaliers led the Celtics 100-92.
One thing was clear tonight: Han Sen's scoring was directly tied to the Cavaliers' success.
When he had a high-scoring quarter, like in the first and third, Cleveland built a lead. But when his scoring dipped, like in the second quarter, their advantage evaporated.
This dependency highlighted the Cavaliers' reliance on their core. Whatever offensive production Nikola Jokić couldn't deliver had to be made up by Han Sen.
So, while the Cavaliers led by 8 points, the situation wasn't as favorable as it seemed.
From the first half, one pattern was evident: after a big quarter, Han's performance would drop significantly, as it did from the first to the second. If the trend continued, it could spell trouble in the fourth quarter.
Although coach Michael Malone had given Han a two-minute break at the end of the third, scoring 62 points in three quarters was a massive strain on anyone's stamina.
The camera frequently panned to Han on the bench. His face looked pale, his exhaustion apparent.
Scoring 62 points in three quarters without a stamina issue? Who are we kidding?
Michael Jordan once said scoring 30 points in a game was easy. Han had doubled that in just three quarters. For context, Jordan's career-high was 69 points.