Basketball System: Hate Makes Me Unstoppable-Chapter 368: A Second Bloom.

(TL/n: Hey everyone,

First of all, I want to sincerely apologize for the sudden radio silence this past week. I've seen your messages, and I can't thank you enough for checking in and expressing your concern. It truly means a lot.

The truth is, I've been dealing with some personal issues that needed my full attention. Nothing overly dramatic or life-threatening—just one of those times where life throws a curveball, and you need to take a step back to catch your breath. I'm okay now, and I've been trying to get things back on track.

To be honest, this break gave me time to reflect not just on the story but also on the amazing support you've all shown. When life gets tough, what keeps me going is knowing there are people out there who enjoy what I create and are patient with me during these moments.

I'd like to ask for just one thing moving forward: if I ever need another short break, please know it's never because I don't care or am giving up on the story. Your support and enthusiasm are what keep this project alive, even during difficult times. All I ask is for your patience and understanding when I hit those rough patches.

Thank you for sticking around, for checking in, and for being such an incredible community. I'll be posting regularly again starting today, and I'm so excited to dive back into the story with all of you.)

With about three minutes left in the first quarter, both teams began making their rotations.

The score stood at 28-26, with the Warriors holding a slim lead.

The Cavaliers' role players had been disastrous so far, shooting a combined 1-of-6 from the field, with the only make being a Dwyane Wade layup. Their offense relied heavily on the two-man game between Han Sen and Nikola Jokic, who carried the team early. Jokic dominated with 14 points and 4 rebounds in the quarter, while Han added 10 points and 5 assists.

On commentary, Shaquille O'Neal couldn't help but compare Jokic's performance to his own prime. "This feels like the old Lakers—one big, one wing, dominating the game."

But for Cleveland, this reliance on their stars wasn't sustainable. With so much energy spent early, concerns grew about how they'd maintain this intensity for the full game.

The atmosphere in Quicken Loans Arena wavered. Memories of last year's ring ceremony being spoiled by the Celtics lingered. Was this déjà vu?

The Cavaliers' rotations hadn't helped. With JR Smith's form in shambles, Coach Michael Malone had moved Wade into the starting lineup, weakening the bench unit. It was a vicious cycle.

Current Lineups:

- Cavaliers: Derrick Rose, JR Smith, Kyle Korver, David West, Dewayne Dedmon

- Warriors: Shaun Livingston, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Jordan Bell, JaVale McGee

The Warriors struck first in this stretch. Thompson cut sharply, leaving JR behind, and converted a layup off a Bell pass to extend the lead.

Bell, the Warriors' second-round pick, had quickly earned Draymond Green's mentorship. With his similar build and fiery temperament, Bell was already being groomed as a younger version of Green.

The camera shifted to the Cavaliers' bench, where Malone and Han were deep in discussion. Despite the rough start, Malone's calm demeanor suggested he wasn't overly concerned.

Han and Malone debated the team's tactics. Over the past two seasons, the Jokic-Han pick-and-roll had grown into one of their most effective weapons, though it clashed with the Cavaliers' original "one star, four shooters" strategy. Historically, the pick-and-roll was a secondary option, saved for crunch-time adjustments.

This year, however, it was becoming their primary offensive scheme.

Malone expressed concerns about the toll this shift could take on Han and Jokic's endurance. Han, though, shrugged it off.

"Coach, no team makes it through a playoff run without adjustments. We're just staying ahead of the curve. If we mix it in gradually, it'll catch opponents off guard."

Malone nodded, impressed as always by Han's big-picture thinking.

Their conversation paused as a cheer erupted from the stands. On the court, Rose had just split a pick-and-roll, leaving McGee in the dust and finishing a layup over Bell.

The Warriors responded with a clever misdirection. Klay initially rolled after a screen, then abruptly cut back out. But David West, a former Warrior, read the play and contested Klay's shot, forcing a miss.

Dedmon secured the rebound, and Rose took off in transition. With Livingston in pursuit, Rose decelerated at the three-point line before bursting forward with a second gear, gliding to the basket for another layup. The crowd roared as the Cavaliers tied the game.

Some fans had questioned why Rose wasn't starting, given his stellar preseason form. But Malone's decision was calculated. Rose thrived with the ball in his hands, much like a prime Allen Iverson or Isaiah Thomas. On a team built around Han's playmaking, Rose's skill set was better utilized leading the bench unit.

Livingston responded with a vintage turnaround jumper in the post. But Rose, unfazed, attacked immediately on the other end, drawing a foul on Bell during another aggressive drive.

As Rose stepped to the free-throw line, faint chants of "MVP" echoed around the arena.

Han glanced toward Rose, his mind flashing back to when Cavaliers fans chanted the same for him. The difference, though, was clear. These weren't expectations but nostalgia—an acknowledgment of the youngest MVP's past greatness.

Rose sank both free throws, bringing his personal tally to six points since entering the game. On the sidelines, Malone flashed a knowing smile. Across the court, Warriors coach Steve Kerr furrowed his brow, clearly caught off guard.

The next time Rose attacked, the Warriors doubled him. Calmly, he fed Dedmon on the roll.

McGee, assuming Dedmon would miss, turned to box out for the rebound. Instead, Dedmon confidently launched a high-arcing three-pointer that splashed through the net.

The arena exploded. Even Kerr looked stunned. Dedmon, a career 0% shooter from deep, had just nailed his first-ever three in the NBA.

Commentators scrambled for stats, confirming Dedmon had taken only one three in his four previous seasons—and missed it. Kenny Smith joked, "Man, did Dedmon get a shooting coach in the offseason?"

The Cavaliers' bench roared, and Dedmon jogged back with a calmness that belied the moment. Clearly, this wasn't luck—his form and confidence hinted at real work put in.

As the first quarter neared its end, the Cavaliers, buoyed by Rose's aggression and Dedmon's surprise contributions, had taken the lead.

On the Warriors' bench, Kerr turned to his assistants, muttering, "Alright, how many more surprises do they have for us this season?"

---

By the end of the first and second quarter rotations, the score shifted to 41-36 in favor of the Cavaliers. Not only had they regained the lead, but they had also built a five-point cushion.

The Cavaliers' fans in Quicken Loans Arena were ecstatic.

Life wasn't all bad, after all. Even though the starting lineup, apart from Han Sen and Nikola Jokic, had struggled, the bench had stepped up in a big way. Their performance forced Steve Kerr to bring the Warriors' starters back earlier than planned.

Malone responded accordingly, reintroducing Han and Jokic alongside Kyle Korver, Robert Covington, and Dante Cunningham—Cleveland's best floor-spacing lineup. Malone's earlier conversation with Han wasn't just talk; he had meticulously crafted a tactical adjustment.

The idea was simple: surround the two stars with shooters to minimize defensive collapses and double-teams during pick-and-rolls. However, as the game progressed, the plan didn't pan out as expected.

The issue wasn't the players adapting to the new scheme—it was the Cavaliers' shooting woes. No matter the setup, the shots simply wouldn't fall.

Faced with this, Malone subbed Wade in for Cunningham and instructed Jokic to pop out to the perimeter more frequently, while Han focused on attacking the basket. The adjustment finally yielded results.

Jokic had clearly done more than just bulk up over the summer. His ability to stretch the floor and hit threes had become another weapon in his arsenal. For anyone else, bulking up and improving three-point shooting simultaneously might seem improbable, but with Jokic, it felt inevitable.

The strategy worked like a charm. Pulling Cousins away from the paint opened up driving lanes, leaving Draymond Green under tremendous pressure to defend both Han and Wade. Han capitalized, cutting to the rim to catch a Jokic pass. With Green rotating late, Han launched into a soaring dunk, hanging in the air for what felt like an eternity before slamming it home.

Green, realizing he couldn't stop the play, slowed down mid-rotation to avoid becoming a poster.

Han turned to Green after the dunk and smirked. "Where were you standing just now?"

Green's face flushed. Han wasn't just calling out his defensive lapse; he was reminding him of the trash talk Green spewed before the game.

Sure, Green was still with the Warriors. But on that play, he might as well have been invisible—neither here nor there.

Caught off guard by Cleveland's adjustments, Kerr's in-game response faltered. The Cavaliers seized the momentum, and by halftime, they had extended their lead to 58-46.

The Warriors refrained from using their signature small-ball lineup in the second half. Trading for Cousins had effectively shelved that strategy. Benching Cousins wasn't an option—his ego wouldn't allow it, and the team needed his contributions.

However, Kerr's halftime adjustments proved effective. The Warriors increased their use of Curry-Cousins pick-and-rolls. Unlike traditional bigs, Cousins set solid screens and timed his rolls perfectly, exploiting mismatches in Cleveland's interior defense. Covington, playing the four, couldn't handle the size and physicality of Cousins, while Curry's quickness allowed him to exploit Jokic on switches.

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At the same time, the Warriors had no answers for Han and Jokic's pick-and-roll. The third quarter turned into a shootout, with both teams refusing to rest their starters. By the ten-minute mark, the margin remained at ten points.

The Cavaliers knew the heavy minutes would wear on Han and Jokic, but maintaining the lead during bench rotations was crucial to avoiding another season-opening loss.

With a minute left in the third, both teams finally rotated their benches.

The Cavaliers initiated the quarter's final possession. Rose came off a David West screen, attacking the rim and drawing a foul on McGee.

Despite falling short of fans' early career expectations, Rose had grown into a more well-rounded player. His court vision, showcased earlier in the game, and his ability to bait defenders into fouls spoke to his years of experience.

Livingston answered with a textbook turnaround jumper over Rose in the post. But on the next possession, Rose's relentless drives forced the Warriors into transition defense, with West cleverly fouling Iguodala to prevent an easy layup.

Iguodala, never the most reliable free-throw shooter, split the pair. Dedmon secured the rebound, giving Cleveland the final shot of the quarter.

With the clock winding down, Rose held the ball at the top of the arc. The Warriors sagged off, daring him to shoot. Rose's poor three-point percentage had earned him this treatment, and he was left with no choice but to pull up from deep as the shot clock expired.

The ball arced high, the red light on the backboard flickered, and somehow, improbably, it swished through the net.

The crowd erupted. Rose, overwhelmed, tilted his head back and roared to the rafters.

From the bench, Han watched with a small, knowing smile. Rose's journey—marred by injuries, doubts, and countless challenges—resonated deeply. The youngest MVP in NBA history might never return to his peak, but on nights like this, it didn't matter.

Sometimes, life gives you another bloom.