This trash talk that had spanned over more than a season left Kobe both amused and exasperated.
Then, when Kobe moved to the frontcourt to actively receive the ball, Hansen also took the initiative to switch his defense onto him.
Hansen had not only matured but also, as before, dared to take responsibility at crucial moments.
After the strong side cleared, Kobe chose to play back-to-the-basket, and after continuous footwork, he executed the signature turn-around fadeaway shot.
Hansen’s defense was on point, and he could clearly feel Kobe’s pace was slower than before.
Finally, under Hansen’s intense interference, Kobe’s fadeaway clanged off the rim.
Kobe was about to turn 34, and while he could still play the full game, the fact that he wanted to handle both offense and defense in the fourth quarter meant a decline in efficiency was inevitable.
Hansen brought the ball up front then passed it to Randolph. This time he didn’t cut in. Randolph, on the low post, turned to shoot and missed with Big Gasol defending, but Little Gasol slammed in the rebound.
With 3 minutes left in the game, the Grizzlies had extended the lead to 4 points.
The Lakers had the advantage of experience that came with age, but as the war of attrition wore on, the younger Grizzlies team began to show their edge.
Hansen began to limit Kobe’s receptions, and Paul, unable to pass the ball over, ended up running a pick-and-roll with Big Gasol but missed the fadeaway mid-range shot against Randolph’s pressure.
Guy soared high to snatch the defensive rebound, with the game’s momentum clearly shifting to the Grizzlies’ side.
"The Grizzlies tonight make the Lakers look old!" O’Neal seemed to care nothing for his impending shave.
Conley still passed the ball to Hansen, who this time motioned for the strong side to clear before signaling Little Gasol to come up high for a pick-and-roll.
In terms of pick-and-roll quality, the Grizzlies’ best was actually Little Gasol—the pick-and-roll is the staple of European big men.
Kobe was screened off, and Hansen quickly broke past Big Gasol.
Pressed back again and again, Big Gasol could only retreat as Hansen pulled up for a mid-range jumper.
But just as he rose to shoot, he sensed someone charging from the weak side.
A glance with the corner of his eye revealed it was Kobe, who had been blocked by Little Gasol.
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Hansen leaned back in mid-air to adjust his angle and avoid Kobe’s block.
This wasn’t his preferred shooting method, but excellent core strength allowed him to maintain perfect form even while leaning back.
The ball arced higher than usual before starting to fall.
Hansen made the highly difficult shot!
Adequate stamina allowed him to still have quite a good touch at the end of the game.
The venue erupted into a frenzy once more.
After Hansen hit the mid-range jumper, the Grizzlies had their largest lead of the night at 6 points.
The scales of victory were almost entirely tipped in favor of the Grizzlies.
Kobe fiercely bit into his jersey.
Then, he directly dribbled the ball up court and signaled for a spread.
The Lakers’ roster along with the best record in the league made them look invincible.
But now the Grizzlies were shattering that illusion.
And once they did, they would become the Lakers’ most troublesome opponent in the West.
So Kobe didn’t want to lose, and he couldn’t afford to.
He opted for a face-up drive and then, upon reaching the free-throw line, used his signature move: a stutter-step followed by a quick turn-around fadeaway.
As Hansen lunged forward, Kobe met him and completed the shot, scoring.
The crowd stirred, Kobe’s basket pulling the Lakers back from the brink.
Upon landing, Hansen became even more determined to improve his footwork in the summer.
Skillful footwork could compensate for the impact of a decline in physical conditioning.
Hansen continued to work the pick-and-roll with Little Gasol at the front court, but this time, when he penetrated, Kobe quickly got back into a defensive position.
It was the footwork again, Kobe’s "Little Dog Steps" allowing him to handle the pick-and-roll well.
Hansen didn’t call for another pick-and-roll, instead, he took advantage of a momentary lapse.
Even with Kobe circling around so well, with such intricate footwork, he was always in motion; his center of gravity was shifting.
Using this to his advantage, he hung the ball with his left hand, and just as his right hand looked as though it was about to shoot, he suddenly made a wide crossover to the right.
After hitting a wall with "Uncle Drew," Hansen was now able to execute dribbling moves he couldn’t before.
Kobe made a jumping gesture, but even though he quickly realized and tried to pull back, it was already too late.
Hansen blew past Kobe and drove into the lane; seeing Big Gasol nearly under the basket, he released a pull-up floater.
The lead was back to 6 points!
With just two minutes remaining, the Lakers called a timeout.
Brown saw Kobe’s fatigue problem, and he was a professional at using timeouts to let his star player recuperate.
Of course, a two-minute timeout couldn’t really restore much energy, and after the break, Paul led an offensive push for the Lakers.
Paul continued going after Randolph’s defensive weakness. This time, after the pick-and-roll, he had a great opportunity.
But yet again, he failed to make the basket!
And when Little Gasol secured the defensive rebound, he saw Hansen break past the three-point line.
The Lakers were unable to adjust to this change in rhythm, and Little Gasol sent a long pass.
Hansen caught the ball and sped off on a fast break, with the cheers in the arena becoming unstoppable.