When someone challenges you, honor and status are nothing but illusions; the only effective way to respond is to hit back hard.
From the expressions on Westbrook and Anthony’s faces, it was clear that Hansen’s performance in that round of offense and defense had left them somewhat short of temper.
Of course, the game wasn’t over just like that. After James left, Oklahoma City no longer had someone with weak knees.
Furthermore, the adaptability displayed by Anthony and Westbrook was key to their ability to climb back into the top half of The West this season.
Both teams battled until the final decisive moments.
Hansen sounded the defensive horn for the Grizzlies with a steal, replicating the high-pressure defense from last season’s third quarter, limiting the Thunders to just three points in the last three minutes and clinching the game.
When the game ended, the Grizzlies players celebrated wildly, as if they hadn’t just won a regular-season game but the championship itself.
Perhaps only they could understand the feeling of regaining something that had been lost.
"We did everything we could, but they beat us. They were the better team tonight, and we’ll win it back next time we meet," Westbrook candidly accepted the defeat at the post-game press conference.
Even though they didn’t win the game, there’s a difference in the way you lose.
Last time they truly lost on their knees, this time they definitely lost standing upright.
The reporter naturally brought up the shot by Anthony that Hansen had blocked.
Anthony was already smiling before the question was asked.
"Honestly, I score that shot 99 times out of 100," he said. "The one time you all saw was not something a normal person can block."
Anthony’s response was truly skilled, managing to both divert attention from the fact he’d been blocked and praise Hansen, while also subtly bragging about himself.
Of course, if Hansen heard this, he’d probably argue that the number should be 98, because there’s also one very long-named guy who could do it too.
Defeating the Thunders gave the Grizzlies a great start to the second half of the season.
They went on to beat teams like the Celtics, the Magic, and the Blazers in succession, achieving a four-game winning streak.
The Grizzlies had experienced a Justin Bieber-style life: bewildered and aimless, only to return and find that they were still that same young talent.
If they continued on this trajectory, the Grizzlies had a shot at the top spot in The West.
And at this point, the Grizzlies players were very keen on this idea.
Because this year, the Heat played a very health-conscious regular season strategy, and with the Bulls, Wizards, Raptors, and even the Bobcats performing unexpectedly well, the competitiveness of The East had increased, leading to a record that was neck and neck with the Grizzlies.
In such a circumstance, if the Grizzlies could secure the top spot in The West and with Hansen’s explosive stats this year – leading the league in both scoring and steals – he stood a very good chance of snagging the MVP.
After all, Hansen’s career thus far included 2 championships, 2 finals MVPs, and an All-Star game MVP from last season, with the regular-season MVP still eluding him.
What else could better embody "It’s not for the championship, it’s for Hansen"?
Time flew to late March, and the Grizzlies’ battle with the San Antonio Spurs for the top spot in The West continued.
At the same time, another interesting event was unfolding.
Hansen’s Scoring King title was under threat. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel※fire.net
The threat wasn’t coming from Durant or Anthony, but from James.
Since the last time the Grizzlies clashed with the New York Knicks, it had taken James most of the month to return.
And then, Nash was sidelined with a back injury.
This caused the New York Knicks’ record to slide significantly; not only were they overtaken by the Brooklyn Nets, but they even fell behind the Bulls, ranking fifth in The East.
By the time James recovered, it was somewhat too late.
Moreover, at the beginning of March, Nash announced his season was over due to a long-standing back injury.
At that point, the New York Knicks’ record was truly stuck.
Without the wins, even if Nike put in the effort, it was impossible to make James the MVP.
So, the question was, what did James have to fight for this season without the wins or the MVP, especially since he’d been runner-up for two consecutive years and this year might even be worse, as no one thought this Knicks team had more hopes than last season’s Thunders?
"Han, are you going to fight for Scoring King?" Guy asked Hansen after training had ended.
Competing for the Scoring King title wasn’t rare in the NBA.
The most famous incident was between David Robinson and O’Neal, where the San Antonio Spurs helped Robinson rack up 71 points to secure the Scoring King, leaving O’Neal to hold a grudge for a long time.
"Of course, I have to fight for it," Hansen’s stance was clear after hearing a brief outline from Guy.
He didn’t care about the honor of Scoring King; if he had, he could have chased it last season.
But knowing that James had his eyes on the Scoring King title, he couldn’t just stand by.
Because, according to the "Decapitation Plan," any opportunity to suppress James this season should not be missed.
And Hansen was also highly interested in this matter.
James had many famous quotes in his career, but there were two that were similar and particularly popular.
One was his proclamation that he would win the dunk contest he never participated in, and the other was the Scoring King title he could have but never pursued.