He staggered and almost fell when he landed.
Clearly, the previous game’s explosion had drained much of his energy.
The Grizzlies launched another fast break; this time Hansen ran along the sideline and, after successfully holding Parker, Conley scored with a fast break layup in the middle.
The difference was just 1 point!
The FedEx Forum erupted.
The Grizzlies’ response in these two rounds was completely different from usual; they moved suddenly like a brown bear turning into a leopard.
Although it was strange, it was exciting!
Popovich was forced to call a timeout.
"Lionel Hollins is a genius! His adjustment has immediate effects," Barkley exclaimed from the commentary seat.
Turning a team that played set plays into one that ran was truly a stroke of genius.
The camera cooperated by focusing on Hollins.
Hollins’ face turned red.
He hadn’t done anything at all!
After the timeout, the Spurs substituted McDyess with Danny Green.
Clearly, being unable to ensure the success rate of set play, they had to opt for passive defense against the Grizzlies’ counterattack.
This adjustment also expanded the offensive space, as Parker drove into the inside and caused Little Gasol to foul him, sending him to the free-throw line.
However, with the distraction from the home fans, he made only one of his two free throws.
Luckily, the one he made was the second, leading both teams back into a set-piece contest.
Popovich stood in front of the bench, waving his hands.
Hansen’s off-ball running in the frontcourt was heavily guarded, and he ran a pick without getting the chance to receive the ball.
Seeing this, Conley passed the ball to Little Gasol, who played a pivot role in the elbow area, handing off the ball directly to Hansen, then effectively blocked Hill.
This time, Hansen played much more decisively than when Randolph was off the court; he received the ball and took a quick stop mid-range shot without dribbling.
The basketball went into the net again.
His hand was really hot tonight.
The Grizzlies, with their adjustments, had caught up with the score!
Parker passed to Jefferson in the corner; Jefferson’s three-point shot was off, and the rebound was secured by Little Gasol.
Little Gasol instantly raised the ball to check, but with the Spurs retreating quickly, the Grizzlies couldn’t break out in fast play.
The teams shifted again into set-piece plays; although the Spurs were still tightly guarding Hansen off the ball, he still received the ball after reverse running off a screen.
The difficulty in guarding off-ball players lies in their diverse movement patterns, making them unpredictable and harder to defend.
Seeing Duncan lunging out to defend, Hansen faked a three-point shot to deceive, then accelerated, plunging in hard.
Jefferson, who had retreated under the Spurs’ basket, was the defender.
With an expression wondering why it was always him, he leapt high to meet the soaring Hansen.
Then, he was turned into a background poster again.
If it had been before his injury, he definitely could have blocked Hansen; but reality doesn’t entertain hypotheticals.
Hansen, after accelerating, dunked over Jefferson’s hands, also drawing a foul for hand-checking!
During Duncan’s peak times, the Spurs would occasionally play a big four-small lineup, spreading the roster.
That was also one of the reasons Spurs fans called Popovich "Zhuge Vich."
But clearly, the current Duncan could not sustain that system.
Memphis fans were going crazy.
After Randolph’s ejection, anyone but the optimists knew the Grizzlies had slim chances tonight.
After all, they were facing the Spurs, not the Knight.
The subsequent game dynamics also proved this point; even after Ginobili got injured, the Spurs still held the upper hand.
However, what they hadn’t expected was that the Grizzlies could not only catch up but also surpass them! Follow current novels on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
Hansen stepped up to the free-throw line.
Just then, a uniform chant broke out from the crowd.
Even Hansen involuntarily halted his motion.
It was his first experience in Memphis, something he hadn’t heard even during the game seven against the Thunders.
Everyone has a different definition for MVP; some define it by statistics—27+7+7 is enough to be an MVP; others define it by records—a season with 60+ wins makes an MVP.
But for many, like the current Memphis fans and the past Cleveland fans, the ability to turn the tide in adversity makes one an MVP!
The Grizzlies played a 13 to 3 counter-offensive climax, with Hansen scoring 11 of those points.
If he wasn’t the MVP, who was?
Hansen, after adjusting his emotions, scored the additional free throw.
The MVP chants turned into a sea of cheers.
At a crucial moment, Green, on the outside, received a pass from Parker and hit a three-pointer.
Although young, he still showed the potential of a quality role player.
This three-pointer was critical, and even Popovich excitedly clenched his fist.
However, in response, aided by the massive defensive focus that Hansen’s off-ball running attracted, Conley also hit a deep response three-pointer on the outside.
Hansen’s performance was brilliant, but the rest of the Grizzlies were not far behind.
The cheers continued unabated.
You could clearly sense that the game’s momentum had shifted in favor of the Grizzlies!
In the end, amidst the cheers and support from the home fans and with Randolph ejected, the Grizzlies secured a 99 to 91 victory over the Spurs.
Post-game stats showed Parker scoring 23 points with 4 assists, Duncan with 16 points 10 rebounds 3 assists 2 blocks, and Jefferson and George Hill each had 12 points.