Basketball System: Hate Makes Me Unstoppable-Chapter 384: The 2017-18 Season Comes to a Close.

LeBron's team needed a miracle.

Curry darted around screens, looking for a three-point opportunity.

But then—something bizarre happened.

LeBron had the ball wide open at the top of the arc.

A clean look for a three.

But Team Han didn't even bother closing out.

Except for Han, who was glued to Durant, the rest of the defenders chased Curry relentlessly.

Curry couldn't break free.

LeBron dribbled, adjusted—but the passing angles were gone.

With no better option, he took the three himself.

Clang.

The ball bounced off the rim.

Davis, who had sagged inside to rebound, snatched it effortlessly.

40 seconds left.

Davis spotted Han streaking downcourt.

He launched a full-court pass.

A bit off-target—not quite on Jokić's level of precision.

But Han?

He readjusted mid-stride, leaped, and secured the ball.

As he turned upcourt—he saw him.

LeBron.

The chase was on.

LeBron's face twisted in pure determination.

His mind replayed Han's words at the free-throw line.

At the time, he thought Han was just messing with him.

Now?

It was reality.

LeBron had kept the ball instead of feeding Curry.

And now?

His team was finished.

Han elevated—and so did LeBron.

A final duel in mid-air.

LeBron gritted his teeth, going all in for the chase-down block.

If he could swat Han's shot, he wouldn't walk away from this game feeling like a loser.

His hand reached out—

But the ball vanished.

LeBron swatted at empty air.

Han had already adjusted.

Gliding. Twisting. Extending.

And then—

BOOM!

A gliding windmill dunk.

LeBron?

The perfect background for the poster.

For a split second, silence.

Then—absolute chaos.

Han brought the dunk contest to the All-Star Game.

A "50-point dunk" in real time.

Han landed, turned—and spread his arms at LeBron.

"It's not your fault."

"You did your best. My teammates were just better."

LeBron's eyes darkened.

He huffed in frustration but didn't argue.

They had been outmatched.

Size, defense, spacing—everything.

LeBron knew it.

Han shrugged.

"But hey— you picked this team."

That hit different.

This wasn't an East vs. West matchup.

LeBron chose these guys.

He could've picked Davis first.

He could've built a stronger team.

But he didn't.

Han walked away, leaving LeBron standing there, stunned.

135-145.

18 seconds left.

The game was already over.

---

LeBron snapped out of it, furious.

He stormed back and demanded the ball from Draymond Green.

And that's when it got awkward.

Draymond... refused to pass.

Instead, he dribbled along the baseline, avoiding LeBron.

Then—he whipped the ball to Curry instead.

LeBron stood there, fuming.

Curry hurried upcourt and chucked a rushed three.

Miss.

Han secured the rebound effortlessly.

10 seconds left.

LeBron lunged forward to strip the ball.

Han?

He stopped.

Planted his foot on the ball.

The crowd lost their minds.

He literally put the game under his foot.

"BZZZZT!"

Game over.

Team Han defeated Team LeBron.

The arena exploded in cheers.

This wasn't just an All-Star Game.

It was a statement.

And LeBron?

He had been completely outplayed, outcoached, and outmaneuvered.

---

MVP Ceremony

There was zero suspense.

Han had 45 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.

If he had chased stats, he could've broken the All-Star Game record.

But Han didn't care.

He came here to win.

As Adam Silver handed him his third All-Star MVP trophy, Han grinned.

To some, it was just an exhibition game.

To Han?

It was a message.

He took the mic.

"This win is for Cleveland."

The crowd roared.

Han was never fake humble.

He said what he meant.

Cleveland's fans were the reason he came back.

And tonight?

They got their show.

He turned to the squad behind him.

"This was my first time playing with James Harden, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Russell Westbrook..."

"And it was the most fun I've ever had in an All-Star Game."

"We won this together. This trophy belongs to all of us."

His teammates clapped—but the respect was mutual.

Han wasn't just a superstar.

He was a leader.

And he had made them better.

---

The game ended.

The trophy was lifted.

And then?

Han took his teammates to Cleveland's biggest nightclub.

The city had leveled up in every way.

Even the nightlife was elite now.

And nobody was enjoying it more than Harden.

Earlier in the draft, he was the last pick.

Now?

He had the ball in crunch time and the best afterparty.

"Han," Harden grinned, sipping his drink.

"You should've stayed in the West, man."

Han laughed.

"If I was in the West, we'd be seeing each other in the playoffs way too much."

Harden blinked.

Ah.

Good point.

Maybe Han staying in the East was a good thing after all.

---

With the conclusion of the All-Star Game, the season officially entered its second half.

The earlier trade deadline meant that post-All-Star break games became an all-out battle for playoff positioning.

In the West, DeMarcus Cousins' injury dealt a major blow to the Golden State Warriors, stripping them of their claim to the top seed. This opened the door for the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans to fiercely compete for that No. 1 spot.

Meanwhile, the race for the Eastern Conference crown was just as intense.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were determined to secure the No. 1 seed, ensuring home-court advantage against the Boston Celtics in a potential conference finals showdown. The Celtics, despite boasting a strong roster, also feared relinquishing the top spot—especially after losing the Christmas Day matchup and with Han Sen's presence looming over them.

However, luck was on Cleveland's side.

In mid-March, Kyrie Irving suffered an injury, sidelining him for a full month. That setback ultimately forced Boston to surrender the top seed to the Cavs.

As the season progressed, fans and analysts started noticing something shocking—both Han Sen and Nikola Jokić had ridiculously high availability.

Han's durability was already legendary, but Jokić?

Given his size and recent weight gain, many expected him to suffer the usual big-man wear and tear. Yet, he remained injury-free all season.

Breaking it down, Jokić's below-the-rim playing style minimized physical strain, and his strong lower-body base—developed from a lifetime of carrying extra weight—gave him an edge.

But at the end of the day, there was one simple truth: durability is a talent, just like athleticism.

It separated the greats from the injury-prone.

Take Joel Embiid, for example. His skill set resembled Karl-Anthony Towns, but the real difference? His body couldn't keep up.

Despite being drafted in 2014, Embiid didn't play a full season until 2016-17. Players like that usually don't last long in the NBA.

---

Final Regular Season Standings:

Western Conference:

1. Houston Rockets (65-17) – Best record in the NBA

- James Harden: 31.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 7.8 APG (MVP favorite)

2. New Orleans Pelicans (58-24)

- LeBron James: 27.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 8.6 APG (First-ever 27-7-7 season)

- Anthony Davis: 26.9 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 2.6 BPG

3. Golden State Warriors (54-28)

- Stephen Curry: 27.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 6.7 APG

These were the only three teams in the West to hit 50+ wins.

4. Portland Trail Blazers (49-33)

5. Utah Jazz (48-34)

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (48-34)

7. San Antonio Spurs (47-35)

8. Los Angeles Clippers (45-37)

Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings (42-40) missed the playoffs but recorded their best season since 2005-06.

Their 10th overall pick, Donovan Mitchell, averaged 20.5 PPG, playing at a Rookie of the Year level.

Mitchell vs. Ben Simmons became one of the biggest debates of the season.

By contrast, Jayson Tatum's rookie year was solid but unspectacular:

- 15.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 40% 3PT

Fans joked that the Kings "drafted Mitchell at No. 5, then drafted Tatum at No. 10"—a hilarious twist on reality.

---

Eastern Conference:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (62-20)

- Han Sen: 33.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 9.1 APG (Career-high scoring due to Malone's system)

- Nikola Jokić: 23.4 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 6.6 APG (Best season yet)

Cleveland struck gold with Jokić.

Considering this was only his third NBA season, his selection might go down as one of the greatest draft steals ever.

At this point, Dan Gilbert owed Han Sen more than just a thank-you—he should've been down on his knees in gratitude.

2. Boston Celtics (60-22)

- Kevin Durant: 26.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.4 APG

- Kyrie Irving: 23.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.4 APG

- Karl-Anthony Towns: 18.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.2 BPG

3. Toronto Raptors (58-24)

4. Milwaukee Bucks (54-28)

5. Philadelphia 76ers (51-31)

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6. Indiana Pacers (47-35)

7. Miami Heat (43-39)

The Heat's rebuild moved faster than expected.

Their No. 7 overall pick, Lauri Markkanen, impressed with:

- 15.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 36.2% 3PT

8. Washington Wizards (42-40) – Cavs' first-round opponent

Despite an injury-riddled year, the Wizards still had John Wall and Bradley Beal.

Wall missed a huge chunk of the season (only played 44 games), but returned just before the playoffs—giving Washington some hope.

---

However, hope was short-lived.

Cleveland steamrolled Washington in four games.

Jokić was the biggest reason why. He played like a prime Shaq, averaging 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists per game.

There's a saying in basketball: "Whoever controls the paint controls the game."

Jokić proved that to be 100% true.

Washington had no answers. Marcin Gortat, 33 years old, averaging just 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds, was helpless. Markieff Morris wasn't a defensive stopper either. Jokić bullied them both.

After the sweep, Inside the NBA wasted no time breaking it down.

"Alright, fellas," Ernie Johnson started, setting the stage. "Cleveland sweeps Washington—four games, total domination. Nikola Jokić? 26 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists per game. Han Sen? 29 and 10, barely even breaking a sweat. The Cavs made it look EASY."

Charles Barkley leaned forward, shaking his head. "Listen, man... the Wizards? A dumpster fire. John Wall comes back, and what happens? He gets OUTPLAYED by Jokić! And you know how bad that is, Ernie? The other team's center had more assists than their All-Star point guard! That ain't a good look."

Shaq let out a deep chuckle, then jumped in. "Man, forget Wall. What was Gortat doing?! That boy was out there lookin' like a TRAFFIC CONE. Couldn't stop a nosebleed, couldn't guard a parked car, couldn't even contest a Jokić layup. He got bullied."

Kenny Smith was the only one trying to be fair. "Yeah, but let's be real—this wasn't just about Washington being bad. It was about Jokić being NEXT UP. He's only in Year Three and already DOMINATING the playoffs. The Cavs don't even need Han to drop 40 anymore. That's scary."

Barkley scoffed. "And guess what, Kenny? Cleveland about to SWEEP Philly too."

Kenny raised an eyebrow. "You really think so?"

Shaq didn't even hesitate. "YES. Listen, I love Embiid. But the Cavs got a BETTER big man. And guess what? Cleveland also got Han Sen. And you know what that means? SIXERS IN FOUR."

---

The battle for the Eastern Conference throne was heating up. Cleveland had handled Washington with ease.

Now? Philadelphia was next.

But while the playoffs were in full swing, another war was being waged off the court.

The MVP race.

With the regular season officially in the books, sports media was on fire. Every talk show, every debate table—it was the only thing people were talking about.

ESPN's First Take wasted no time jumping into the argument.

Stephen A. Smith: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are looking at one of the tightest MVP races in recent memory. James Harden has had an outstanding season—31.4 points per game, 7.8 assists, 5.8 rebounds. He's led the Rockets to 65 wins, the best record in the NBA. He's been box office all season long. I can't take anything away from him."

"BUT THEN... there's HAN SEN. 33.6 points, 9.1 assists, 6.7 rebounds. Not only did the man lead Cleveland to 62 wins, not only did he make JOKIĆ a superstar in his THIRD YEAR, but he was out here playing defense too! I mean, come on, Max! This brother was LOCKING UP Durant, shutting down Giannis, playing all 82 games!"

Max Kellerman: "Look, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend Harden didn't have a phenomenal year. But if we're being honest, the MVP should go to the best player in the world. And right now, that's Han Sen. PERIOD."

"You can give me Harden's stats. You can give me the Rockets' record. But in a playoff series? You'd take Han Sen 10 times out of 10. He does EVERYTHING. He scores. He facilitates. He plays defense. He makes his teammates better. He's out here turning Jokić into PRIME SHAQ! Harden? He's great, but he's not that guy in the playoffs!"

Kendrick Perkins: "Look, I respect what Han Sen is doin'. I really do. But y'all gotta stop disrespecting Harden, man. The dude been HOOPIN' all year long. You see how the Rockets play? They got one offensive system: 'Give the ball to Harden and get the hell out the way.' He's making HISTORY. I don't wanna hear 'best player' arguments. The MVP is about who had the best regular season, and Harden been cookin' everybody."

Stephen A. Smith: "Perk... PERK. Let me remind you of something. WHO has to play defense against KD, Curry, and Giannis in the All-Star Game? WHO has to guard the BEST players every single night? WHO is making his center look like a goddamn MVP candidate? It ain't Harden. It's THE EMPEROR, HAN SEN."

Max Kellerman: "Exactly! And by the way, let's not forget, if the Cavs and Rockets meet in the Finals? We all know what's gonna happen. Harden's gonna be exhausted, and Han's gonna be hunting him every damn possession!"