Hansen was quickly pulled up by his teammates this time.
After he got up, he took a long breath and then showed a smile.
Despite using up all his strength, such an outcome was worth it!
Hansen stepped up to the free-throw line.
The familiar chant rang out once more in the venue.
Hansen had already scored 39 points, second only to the first-round Game 7 battle with the Thunders.
But tonight’s performance wasn’t just about the numbers; he played for 44 minutes, the most of all players on either team.
Especially in the latter half of the fourth quarter, he managed to create a winning momentum for the Grizzlies with very little energy left, which was more important than the points he scored.
MVP, leader—he deserved all these titles.
Amidst the fans’ chanting, Hansen’s free throw hit its mark, sealing the game’s fate.
The final score on the court was fixed at 105 to 101; although Terry scored a last three-pointer, there wasn’t enough time left.
After the game’s statistics were tallied, Hansen had 40 points, Randolph 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, Little Gasol 17 points and 9 rebounds, Conley 11 points and 5 assists.
Nowitzki scored 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, Terry 15 points, Kidd 13 points, Baria 11 points.
After the game, the audience cheered in unison, with some even shaking signs that read "This is our home court."
This comeback from dire straits preserved hope for the Grizzlies and rekindled their confidence.
But at this moment, Hansen was sitting on the bench, lacking even the strength to stand.
It was only for the post-game handshake that he let Randolph pull him up from the bench.
"You played well and deserved this victory," Nowitzki conceded to Hansen’s performance that night.
"But next game, I’ll put on an even better performance."
"See you next game," Hansen replied with a smile.
He knew that Nowitzki would indeed play better in the next game, but after experiencing such a match, the Grizzlies’ morale was also high.
Continuing to triumph on home court?
"The Great Sage Equalling Heaven captures the Silver Horned King."
Because of Zhang Weiping’s comment at the commentator desk, the new issue of "Basketball Pioneer News" used it as its front-page headline.
It was very East University culture, and it didn’t feel out of place at all.
Because up to this point in the series, it was evident that the Mavericks were the team with a better lineup and stronger capabilities.
Yet, Hansen’s performance in Game 3, especially his display of pushing until exhaustion, resembled that monkey greatly.
"Hansen has already scored 40 points or more twice in this year’s playoffs. In the games against the Mavericks, he’s averaged 31 points over three games! We have to realize, Hansen is just a sophomore!"
On the latest TNT program, Barkley started hyp-s mode.
Nowitzki’s performance in the playoffs this year has been incredible, but it still couldn’t overshadow Hansen’s brilliance.
"I think right now someone in Cleveland must be having sleepless nights because they let go of the future of their team." In the end, he didn’t forget to tease the Knights’ management.
Although most of the media were promoting the Heat vs. Bulls game, since The Big Three versus Chicago’s rise clearly had more talking points, Hansen’s hard-fought performance won him the attention.
In this year’s playoffs, he truly made a name for himself.
After two days of rest, Game 4 between the Mavericks and the Grizzlies continued in Memphis.
Carrying the morale from the last game, the Grizzlies came out with an aggressive defense from the start.
This sudden increase in defensive intensity also made the Mavericks a little uncomfortable.
The Grizzlies finished the first quarter scoring 26 to 15.
This quarter showcased what a young and vigorous team looked like to the home fans.
However, as the second quarter began, the course of the game started to shift.
Or rather, after a strenuous first quarter, the Grizzlies faced energy issues in the second quarter.
Fortunately, the Grizzlies displayed their typical tenacity and, thanks to the lead they built in the first half, kept the lead at half-time at 51 to 46.
Because the Mavericks had started closing the gap early, not just Hansen, but Little Gasol also played the entire first half.
Then in the third quarter, after a halftime break, the Grizzlies once again built an advantage through their defense.
In the opening segment of the third quarter, they led the Mavericks by as much as 15 points.
The teams began to rotate their players, and Hansen finally had a chance to rest.
But before long, he had to re-enter the game because under Terry and Baria’s lead, the Mavericks began to fiercely close the gap.
By the fourth quarter, the Mavericks had narrowed the deficit to single digits.
And it was at this point that the Grizzlies were facing a significant energy problem.
Which ultimately led to them losing the match.
The game was a steep learning curve for the entire Grizzlies team.
It involved intricate issues about stamina distribution.
Young teams can easily overexert at the start due to overexcitement.
Hansen, even as a transmigrator, was also late to realize this; some things just require the accumulation of experience, and you won’t become aware of them without going through it.
Theoretically, this should have been managed by the head coach, but it appeared Hollins lacked that ability too.
Of course, it was also because the opponent was the Mavericks team; as O’Neal had said, they were this season’s best at turning the tables. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝓷𝓮𝓽
Being overturned, down 1 to 3, and with Game 5 away, the Grizzlies’ season was over.
Like the Lakers, in a similar scenario, their morale had completely collapsed, not only being swept but also losing the last game by 36 points.