Little Gasol won the jump ball against Bosh, and the Grizzlies took the initiative to attack. Read complete versıon only at 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝓷𝓮𝓽
The Grizzlies started the game with a high-low positioning, sending Randolph to play Bosh in the low post.
After bulking up, Bosh had enhanced his low-post defensive capabilities, but Randolph still dominated him, spinning and hooking the ball successfully against the board.
Since the Western Conference Finals ended, the Grizzlies had rested for about four to five days.
However, it was clear that the Grizzly’s intensity in the game was still present.
Thanks to the Warriors giving the Grizzlies that defeat, it proved to be more useful than any pre-game motivational talk.
Hansen didn’t participate in the first offensive play, focusing intently on guarding Wade as soon as they transitioned into defense.
The seven-game battle between the Pacers and the Heat not only drained the Heat but also provided Hansen with reference for the game.
After returning from his injury, Wade’s form had slumped somewhat due to initial mobility issues, but another reason was that the Pacers, with Tony Allen, had significantly limited his breaks.
Wade’s drives couldn’t draw help defense, disrupting the Heat’s system, hence the stalemate in the previous six games.
The turning point, Game 7, showed Coach Spoelstra’s tactical adjustments after watching the video.
Spoelstra strategically drew fouls on Hibbert early in the game; once Hibbert was out, he also swapped Perkins for Haslem and then had Wade play low against Allen.
Allen struggled to guard Wade in the low post, a fact confirmed during the initial matchups between the Grizzlies and the Heat.
Because the Heat also featured sharpshooters like Durant and Ray Allen, the Pacers found it difficult to double-team Wade in the low post, allowing Wade to overwhelm them.
Spoelstra’s late adjustments were likely due to Wade’s prior physical limitations.
But even now, with Wade fit, it wasn’t realistic for him to play low against Hansen.
Thus, as long as Hansen could restrain Wade, whatever the Pacers could do, the Grizzlies could too.
Wade’s first attempt to break through didn’t get past Hansen, so he immediately called Bosh out for a pick-and-roll.
Hansen chose to go around.
In a crucial detail, Bosh tried to use his body to pin Hansen, but he didn’t succeed.
Just as Wade thought to pull up, Hansen had already navigated around the screen to close in again.
Bosh’s first screen attempt had failed.
He then immediately initiated a second wave.
This time, after observing Wade’s direction, Hansen chose to slip sideways.
When Wade turned to face the basket again, Hansen blocked his path.
Hansen stuck to Wade like glue.
A stir arose from the crowd.
Wade also realized Hansen’s focused defensive efforts tonight.
The pre-game exchange between them was both a greeting and feeling each other out, none of Hansen’s words were true, it seemed.
With the offensive time running down, instead of forcing it, Wade passed to Chalmers to switch the play from the strong side to the weak side for Durant, who was running a no-ball play.
Durant used Perkins’s screen to run a pindown, but because Conley was pressuring the pass continuously, the pass from Chalmers wasn’t of great quality.
By the time Durant caught the ball, Guy had maneuvered around Perkins and was already up in his face.
Moreover, right after Perkins initiated a second pick-and-roll attempt, the Grizzlies immediately doubled Durant by letting Perkins go.
With little time left on the shot clock, Durant had no choice but to turn while being guarded and forced a shot.
The shot was incredibly tough, especially since Little Gasol also leapt to interfere, causing Durant’s final attempt to slam against the rim.
Perkins smartly crashed towards the rim in advance.
Randolph also retreated under the rim, saw Perkins, and directly backed into a boxing-out position.
When Bosh came over to grab the rebound, Hansen blocked his path forward, allowing Randolph to secure the defensive rebound.
In their first defensive sequence, the Grizzlies showed an intensity that slightly shocked the Heat.
Having just come from a seven-game slog against the Pacers, they faced an even more intense challenge.
When Randolph again took Bosh to the low post as the Heat started to collapse,
the Grizzlies began operating their offensive system.
Although the Heat’s defensive rotations were still quick, they weren’t like their smaller line-up before, and Conley seized the opportunity to feint a shot to get past Durant, then passed to Guy.
Guy had a good look and didn’t hesitate to shoot, but sadly, his attempt hit the rim.
Perkins secured the rebound.
Wade continued controlling the ball in the frontcourt, this time opting not to call for Bosh’s screen,