With Jokić suspended, the Cavaliers couldn't hold down their second home game.
Despite Han Sen dropping 36 points through three quarters, the Cavs trailed the Warriors by double digits heading into the fourth.
Steve Kerr smelled blood, rolling out the Splash Brothers early in the fourth to force Han back onto the floor.
But with five minutes left and the Cavs still down by double digits, Malone made a surprising move—he pulled Han from the game.
Fans weren't happy.
It looked like he was waving the white flag.
Postgame, Malone addressed it in the press conference:
"Burning Han's energy in a game we couldn't win made no sense. We've got a war to fight."
His logic was sound. Some fans accepted it.
But others? Not so much.
To them, if there's even a sliver of hope, you fight to the last second.
Losing Game 4 meant the Cavs had handed home-court advantage right back to the Warriors.
Sure, Jokić would be back—but Game 5 was in Oakland.
A pivotal game, with everything on the line.
And if they lost that?
The Cavs' title defense was as good as dead.
Frustration boiled over.
Cavs fans. Han fans. Everyone took aim at the league.
"If they hadn't suspended Jokić, we'd be up 3-1!"
Comparisons flew in—fans brought up Draymond's suspension two years ago that led to the Lakers' infamous 3-1 comeback.
---
The Cavs landed in Oakland.
Han had barely stepped off the plane when his phone buzzed.
Kobe Bryant.
"I'm coming to Oracle tomorrow to watch you play."
They talked for a bit. Nothing long. Nothing deep.
But when Han hung up, he just sat there, staring at his phone.
Time moves fast.
It'd been a year since Kobe retired.
A whole year.
And in that time, Kobe had pretty much vanished—no courtside cameos, no media tours, no public appearances.
Long enough for people, even Han, to almost forget.
So yeah, the call hit different.
Kobe at Oracle?
For his game?
Weird.
The first two Finals games had been here.
Kobe hadn't shown up for those.
---
Oracle Arena was packed, the energy electric, like it always was when the stakes were sky-high.
When Kobe walked in with Vanessa and the kids, the crowd erupted.
Phones out. Cameras flashing.
Whispers buzzed through the stands.
"He's here for LeBron."
"Of course—former teammates, right?"
But then—
The players hit the court.
And Kobe?
He didn't even glance at LeBron.
Instead, he walked straight toward Han.
"Congrats on bringing Cleveland their second championship," Kobe said, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Han smirked.
"Is that a compliment… or a jinx?"
Kobe chuckled, pulling him into a firm hug.
"Long time, man."
When they broke apart, Han noticed something different.
Kobe felt… lighter.
Not in body, but in spirit.
Relaxed.
Free.
If this were the Kobe of old, he'd still be brooding over last season's Finals loss.
Holding onto it like a grudge.
But now? It was like he'd let go of something.
"So, what've you been up to?" Han asked.
He'd heard rumors—Duncan messing with cars in San Antonio.
But Kobe? Total ghost.
"Working on my training camp—Mamba Academy."
Of course he was. Kobe wasn't the 'retire and relax' type.
"First session's this summer. You in?"
Han raised an eyebrow.
"Is that why you're here?"
Kobe grinned but shook his head.
"Partly. But not the main reason."
His eyes shifted across the court, locking onto the Warriors warming up.
The grin faded.
His jaw tightened, just for a second.
A flicker of something—resentment?
Regret?
Maybe it wasn't just last season's Finals that haunted him.
Maybe it was LeBron walking away from L.A.
"I came to watch you win."
Han didn't say anything.
Just nodded.
"I'll be there," he replied.
But his eyes were already locked across the court.
This game?
No way in hell he was letting it slip.
---
Starting Lineups:
Cavaliers: Han Sen, J.R. Smith, P.J. Tucker, Robert Covington, Nikola Jokić
Warriors: Stephen Curry, Patrick McCaw, Klay Thompson, LeBron James, Draymond Green
Kerr had adjusted his lineup since Game 4, pushing Iguodala back to the bench to match Cleveland's depth.
The ball went up—Jokić won the tip.
And from the jump, he was locked in.
High screen for Han.
Quick roll.
McCaw couldn't hang.
Han found him.
Easy bucket.
Jokić wasn't just back—he was making a statement.
The fans could blame the league.
Malone could answer the media.
But Jokić knew the truth.
Game 4 was on him.
Now?
He was going to fix it.
Han kept feeding him—pick-and-roll after pick-and-roll.
And it wasn't just for Jokić's sake.
Han's legs were still heavy from Game 4, even after Malone's early pull.
Letting Jokić cook?
Smart basketball.
But the Warriors were back on their home floor, and it showed.
Shots were falling.
Ball movement crisp.
The lead swung back and forth like a pendulum.
When the benches checked in, Kerr unleashed Iguodala to hound Wade.
LeBron stayed in, anchoring the unit.
Cleveland didn't lose ground.
But they didn't gain any either.
Halftime score: 58-58.
Deadlocked.
The most intense game of the Finals so far.
---
Halftime ended, and the third quarter became pivotal.
Steve Kerr made his move, inserting Andre Iguodala back into the starting lineup—a clear signal he was gearing up for the Warriors' signature third-quarter blitz, hoping to seize control of the game in one burst.
But the Cavaliers weren't just going to roll over.
Malone was up from the start of the half, pacing the sidelines, micromanaging every defensive rotation.
This was offense versus defense.
Sword versus shield.
And in the end, the Cavaliers' defense proved sharper.
Han Sen locked onto Curry, Covington took LeBron, and those matchups turned into clamps.
The Warriors couldn't unleash their usual third-quarter frenzy.
It morphed into a defensive slugfest, a grind-it-out battle where every point felt earned.
LeBron struggled to find rhythm, and as his impact waned, the defensive load shifted squarely onto Draymond Green's shoulders.
Draymond's frustration was written all over his face—that constipated scowl betraying the internal monologue likely cursing out LeBron. But unlike the last game, there were no sideline blowups.
The Warriors' coaching staff must've had a talk with him, stuffing down his frustration.
And that's when Han Sen took over.
First, he devoured LeBron defensively—pressuring him from the three-point line all the way back near half-court. When LeBron finally tried to pass out of the trap, Han read it perfectly, leaping into the passing lane for a clean steal.
LeBron scrambled to recover, only to slip and fall as Han exploded in transition.
The arena buzzed.
Han soared down the court, finishing with a one-handed windmill slam that brought the crowd to its feet.
---
Next possession?
Half-court set.
Han blew past Iguodala, then twisted mid-air to avoid Draymond, finishing with a ridiculous acrobatic layup.
And that was just the beginning.
While everyone else struggled in the defensive grind, Han kept scoring.
On both ends, he was everywhere—steals, rebounds, blocks.
It was like he was playing on a different level.
Even Iguodala and Draymond's body language gave it away—they weren't just frustrated; they looked defeated.
Han felt it too.
Something was different.
His movements felt faster. The game slowed down.
He could predict defenders' reactions before they even moved.
It was his first time experiencing this.
If he had to describe it?
"Unstoppable."
Kobe noticed it immediately from the stands. Sitting beside his longtime trainer, Gary Vitti, Kobe leaned in.
"Han's in the Zone," he said quietly.
Vitti nodded.
The Zone.
If someone had told Han right then, "You're in the Zone," he would've probably laughed it off, thinking they watched too much Kuroko's Basketball.
But it was real.
A term Michael Jordan coined, later popularized in anime, but rooted in reality.
Jordan once described it as an "almost out-of-body experience," where shifting between scoring modes felt effortless, and opponents' movements appeared in slow motion, exposing every defensive gap.
Kobe had felt it too. He even shot a commercial about it: Enter The Zone.
After talking with MJ, Kobe learned the triggers:
1. Relentless training—mastering skills to the point they became second nature.
2. Peak conditioning—because the Zone often kicks in when the body is fully engaged.
3. Mental hunger—a subconscious desire so intense it manifests physically.
You can't force it.
But when it hits?
Unstoppable.
---
Han didn't know any of that.
All he knew was that the Warriors couldn't touch him.
He dismantled them possession after possession.
One sequence became an instant meme:
- Han scored an and-one on LeBron.
- He turned, palms up, staring at LeBron.
- LeBron turned to the ref, same palms-up gesture. Steve Kerr, exasperated, mirrored the gesture at LeBron from the bench.
Triple Shrug.
By the end of the third, the Cavs led 96-80.
Han's stat line for the quarter?
24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks.
A full game's worth of production—in 12 minutes.
Kerr slumped on the bench, waving the white flag.
What could you even do?
And for the Warriors, it got worse.
Because starting Iguodala had drained their bench depth.
Meanwhile, Han's dominance energized the Cavs.
Wade snapped back into Game 1 form, leading the charge as the Cavs pushed the lead past 20.
Game over.
LeBron, stubborn as ever, begged Kerr to let him play garbage time.
Didn't matter.
Final score: Cavs 121, Warriors 104.
Game 5? Secured.
---
"I have nothing to say about tonight. Our focus is on winning Game 6," Kerr said postgame, skipping the usual analysis.
What was there to analyze?
Han Sen wasn't human tonight.
"Han won us this game," Malone admitted bluntly.
Han's final stat line: 47 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks.
But even those numbers didn't capture his impact.
"Now," Malone added, "we're going home to win the championship."
Last year, Cavs fans missed the chance to see a title won on their home floor.
This time?
They'd get that moment.
---
TNT Postgame Show - Inside the NBA
[The screen fades in with the iconic Inside the NBA theme music. The panel—Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O'Neal—sits around the desk, reactions fresh from Game 5's explosive finish.]
Ernie Johnson: "Welcome back to Inside the NBA, presented by Kia. Gentlemen, I don't even know where to start. Cavs win Game 5, 121-104, taking a 3-2 series lead. But this wasn't just a win—it was a demolition. Han Sen with 47 points, 10 boards, 6 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks. Chuck, what did we just watch?"
Charles Barkley (laughing): "We watched a man turn into a damn supercomputer, Ernie. Han Sen was in The Zone—you can't teach that, you can't defend that. I've seen players get hot, but this? This was surgical. Like he downloaded the Warriors' playbook mid-game. I mean, he had Draymond lookin' like he needed GPS out there."
Kenny Smith: "It's not just the points, though. Look at the impact on both ends. Defense, anticipation, reading passing lanes, controlling the tempo—Han was everywhere. It reminded me of MJ in '92 against Portland, that 'shrug game' energy. You could feel it shifting. The Warriors weren't just missing shots—they were beaten."
Shaquille O'Neal (nodding): "Facts. And you know me, I love dominance in the paint. Han ain't even built like me, but his mentality? That's diesel-level dominance. He bullied LeBron, outsmarted Draymond, and embarrassed Klay. That fast break where he made LeBron fall? Man, that's going viral before the show ends."
Charles Barkley: "And let's talk about LeBron. He looked shook out there. Han had him second-guessing everything. The 'three-hand shrug'—Han to LeBron, LeBron to the refs, Kerr to LeBron—that's gonna live forever."
Kenny Smith: "You know what's crazy? The Cavs' energy flipped after that. D-Wade turned back the clock. Jokić, after that suspension, played like he owed Han rent. This wasn't just a win—it felt like a statement."
Ernie Johnson: "Speaking of statements, Shaq—what do the Warriors do now heading into Game 6 in Cleveland?"
Shaquille O'Neal: "Pray. Nah, seriously—they gotta regroup. This wasn't just an off night. Han exposed their defensive flaws. Kerr's rotations looked lost, Draymond's rattled, and LeBron… man, he's carrying emotional baggage. They need to find their identity fast or it's over."
Charles Barkley: "It is over. I've seen enough. Cavs are closing this in six. They smell blood, and Han Sen? He's the shark. You don't give a dude like that a lead this late in the Finals. It's done."
Ernie Johnson: "Strong words, Chuck. When we come back—highlights from Han's Game 5 masterpiece and the top plays of the night. Stay with us."
[The screen fades to commercial, the panel's laughter lingering as they continue debating off-mic.]