He couldn’t guard Hansen head-on, but help defense was his specialty!
This time, he was determined to make Hansen taste a solid block.
Looking up at the basket, James had already leaped up from the side.
However, the next second, James found he had no ball to block.
Hansen made a no-look pass that didn’t even require feinting, sending the ball to Battier in the corner!
Battier was supposed to be guarded by James, but after James went for Hansen, Battier was left wide open.
Bosh saw this and desperately lunged out, but it was clearly too late.
You could believe in Battier’s corner three just as you would trust Jordan’s mid-range.
Without any suspense, Battier’s three-pointer hit the mark.
The roaring of the crowd abruptly stopped.
to 14, the gap was back to one ball.
Spoelstra rubbed his forehead vigorously. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱
Hansen had indeed shown improvement in passing in previous games, but that could also be explained by the Grizzlies’ complete roster.
Guy’s return greatly enhanced the Grizzlies’ starting offensive power.
But tonight, with Randolph out, the Grizzlies temporarily adjusted their tactics to revolve around Hansen, and Hansen truly stood his ground.
In other words, during tonight’s game, Hansen proved he could support the tactical core of a team, without having to rely on Randolph’s low-post play like last season.
James continued to post up, but now his defender had switched from Guy to Battier.
Battier was not as heavy as Guy, but his defensive skills were much stronger.
Facing a stronger shield, James’s low-post techniques suddenly looked clumsy.
In the end, he elbowed Battier to the floor, and Battier was called for a defensive foul.
Battier lay on the ground looking innocent, was pulled up, and tried to explain to the referee, even mimicking James’s elbow swing, but the referee didn’t explain much.
James shook off his hands and walked to the free-throw line with an air of authority.
Another reason for his confidence this season was that his whistle had returned.
Don’t forget that Stern was also a businessman at heart, and after punishing James for a season, he wasn’t likely to break with a major sponsor like Nike.
"I need to apologize to KD," Hansen said, standing on one side of the free-throw line, turning to talk to James.
James was taken aback by this seemingly unrelated comment.
"I once said he could only stand in the League with the help of fouls called for him. He snapped back not to compare him with you. I guess he was right."
James gritted his teeth, Hansen sure had a knack for trash-talking.
His first free throw went astray.
"Tsk! KD is indeed better than you, at least he can make his free throws."
James’s second throw also missed.
Strangely enough, James had a career-high three-point percentage this season after putting on a significant amount of weight, but his free-throw percentage had dropped to a new low in recent years.
Two misses were as good as a turnover.
Little Gasol secured the defensive rebound for the Grizzlies, giving them another chance to tie or even take the lead.
Hansen continued to handle the ball and played pick-and-roll with Battier.
James rushed up this time.
Hansen pulled a hat trick, once again bypassing James.
The heavier James didn’t just look clumsy, he truly was.
Seeing that McRoberts was coming to help, Hansen tossed the ball into the air.
Guy, who was cutting to the basket, was led by the ball to soar into the air.
There it was, the Hansen-Guy alley-oop!
After the alley-oop, Guy circled around the rim and, upon landing, excitedly chest-bumped with Hansen.
Guy’s style of play had subtly changed this season; he might not have even realized it himself, but he was now playing the "cut to the basket and off-ball movement" strategy that Hansen had once suggested to him.
The reason was simple; both were worth two points, but who would choose to push through with the ball grunting and grinding when they could score easily? Or dribble around only to take a highly difficult shot?
It was like beating the rush hour; only those who have experienced it know the benefits.
Of course, all this was predicated on Hansen’s improved passing skills.
This was a bit different than Conley’s or Little Gasol’s impact because Hansen himself posed a significant offensive threat. So as long as Hansen could distribute the ball amidst a double-team, he would unquestionably have an opportunity for an easy score.
The Grizzlies had tied the score again!
The atmosphere at the venue was restless.
The LED screen at the venue also displayed Hansen’s stats for the night.
minutes played, 2 out of 3 shots, 4 points, 4 assists.
A new king of the Grizzlies was born!