The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball-Chapter 155 - 111 "I Allow You to Call for a Pick and Roll"_2

Chapter 155: Chapter 111 "I Allow You to Call for a Pick and Roll"_2

The classic NBA "highlight battle."

Hansen too, experienced the NBA’s most beautiful vistas.

All he could say was that sometimes reality was more thrilling than fiction.

The half ended with the teams at 43 to 41, the Grizzlies holding a slender lead.

At halftime stats showed Wade with 13 points, James with 10, and Bosh picking up 7 for the Heat.

That’s how deceptive stats can be; those not watching might think Wade and James were neck and neck in the first half.

For the Grizzlies, Randolph, as the main offensive weapon, scored 14 points, Guy had 9, and Hansen made a three-pointer to contribute 7 points.

During the halftime break, after Hollins finished laying out the strategy, Hansen pulled Guy aside for a chat.

Although James performed as poorly as he had expected, Wade and Bosh secured the Heat’s foundation.

Plus, with Spoelstra’s excellent command, the Heat weren’t the pushover Hansen had thought they’d be against the Grizzlies.

"You’re saying let James through?" Guy didn’t understand Hansen’s request, especially since Hansen had told him to exert full force before the game.

"Then, I’ll double-team him, and we’ll give him a cheese in a sandwich press," Hansen tried to keep it simple. He didn’t mention that Spoelstra might adjust for a better starting lineup in the second half.

"But then, who will guard DW?" Guy didn’t get Hansen’s idea, but a double team would inevitably leave someone open.

"I’ll fall back on defense, trust me."

Seeing Hansen so confident, Guy could only nod.

After all, he had enjoyed scoring easily in the first half.

Coming back after halftime, the Heat indeed adjusted their starting lineup.

Chalmers and Ilgauskas replaced Alroyo and Joel Anthony.

In the season’s first game, Spoelstra was still exploring the team’s lineup, but his in-game adjustment skills were leagues beyond Mike Brown.

The Heat took the offensive first after halftime, with Wade taking charge.

But he quickly felt a change in Hansen’s defense, which was far more intense than in the first half.

Wade failed to execute a successful pick-and-roll with Bosh twice.

Wade returned to the three-point line with the ball, looking at Hansen baffled. Did you get a shot of adrenaline during halftime?

That was, of course, out of the question. Hansen’s relentless defense was meant to force Wade to give up ball-handling.

The effectiveness of this approach was due not only to his minimal energy consumption in the first half but also to the physical training provided by Grover.

The scene fit perfectly with the saying: Taught by the same master, their defense couldn’t be cracked!

With the shot clock at half, Wade didn’t continue to try but passed it to James instead.

The starting lineup in the second half had larger offensive spaces, and with James’s old partner Ilgauskas on the floor, James should be able to perform.

James called for a pick-and-roll with Ilgauskas right away. With Guy’s slow lateral movement, he couldn’t stop James from breaking inside, even if he wanted.

James, miss-matched against Little Gasol and gearing up for revenge on the early foul call, suddenly saw a figure streaking towards him.

Before he could identify the figure, his hand felt light.

[Star Catcher], activated!

Hansen’s attack was abrupt because he attacked from behind and beside Little Gasol, where James hadn’t noticed him at all.

That’s the benefit of being former teammates; Hansen was familiar with James’s attacking habits.

By the time James realized that Hansen had stolen the ball, he was almost grinding his teeth in frustration!

But Hansen didn’t have time to worry about James’s reaction because he had hit the turbo button, sprinting forward.

His speed was definitely faster than the previous season!

James was too late to chase him, and the only one from the Heat who reacted in time was Wade.

The two chased towards the Heat’s backcourt.

Though Wade’s shot-blocking prowess was not as good as James’s, as one of the best shot-blocking guards in NBA history, his defensive presence was not to be underestimated.

But Hansen was well aware of Wade’s style. Upon entering the frontcourt paint, he leapt high for a two-handed slam dunk, leaving no chance for a block.

Wade didn’t attempt to jump, instead shaking his head in resignation as Hansen landed.

The Grizzlies were not a team known for their fast breaks, but that didn’t matter as Hansen came from the Cavaliers.

The dunk also sent the Grizzlies’ bench into an uproar; it had been a while since they’d seen such a steal and breakaway slam dunk sequence from their team.

Even Swift, seated in the front row of the stands, got pumped up, standing and pumping her fist in support of Hansen.

Because of the unique number 77 Cavaliers jersey she wore, her figure was quickly displayed on the LED big screen, causing a stir among the audience.

And because of her jersey, many people were reminded of the enmity between Hansen and James during their time with the Cavaliers.

Hansen’s furious denunciation of James as a coward after being eliminated by the Cavaliers still echoed in people’s ears.

Especially after James left the Cavaliers, that statement was magnified and became known to even more people.

Was Hansen now starting to prove his words with actions?

Hansen, retreating on defense, had already seen his "black fan" value skyrocket.

Good, this was the effect he wanted.

"The Decision" had made many LeBron fans unfollow, but the community was large enough, and thanks to Nike’s publicity, new LeBron fans were added every year.

Wade continued to hold the ball in the frontcourt, with Hansen still applying intense pressure.

However, this time Wade didn’t pass but chose to force his way to the basket, only to be thwarted by Hansen’s close defense and Little Gasol’s help defense.

Randolph secured the rebound.

The Grizzlies moved the ball into the frontcourt to play a set offense, with the ball still in Hansen’s control, then prepared to lob it inside to Randolph.

Bosh demonstrated his mobility and chose to defend by moving in front.

Hansen couldn’t find a good angle for the lob pass and suddenly drove left for a breakthrough.

The muscles that Grover had strengthened for him included the hamstring group, which is directly related to leg explosiveness. freewёbnoνel.com

In other words, Hansen’s explosiveness in his breakaway had also improved compared to last season.

The last time Wade and Hansen had trained together was before free agency started, so this change in Hansen caught him off guard.

By the time Wade reacted, Hansen had already swiftly moved towards the free-throw line.

At that moment, James quickly came to help on defense. As a former teammate, he was equally familiar with Hansen; he knew passing was not Hansen’s strong suit.

Especially with James and Wade, the Heat’s defensive rotation was very strong.

Indeed, after Wade was beaten, he didn’t chase after Hansen but instead went straight for Guy.

James and Wade showed their defensive understanding.

But Hansen had no intention of passing at all.

Especially when he saw James come to help, he was even less likely to pass.

He sped up to meet James, then came to an abrupt stop, glanced at the basket, and as James jumped, he quickly stepped wide to the right, then released a sidearm floater.

This had become one of his signature moves, but compared to last season, it was faster and more stable.

James was completely faked out and could only watch in midair as Hansen shot the floater.

"Swish!"

The ball fell through the net with nothing but net.

After the ball went in, Hansen spread his hands out to James.

James simply turned his head, pretending not to see.

Hansen scored 4 consecutive points, bringing the score to 47-41.

"I remember when Hansen first came to Memphis, he boldly claimed he would help the Grizzlies contend for a championship. It seemed like a joke at the time, but it seems, it wasn’t just a joke."

Such performance elicited a sigh from commentator Mike Brin.

Facing The Big Three without any fear, Hansen’s potential, as seen in last season’s playoffs against the Celtics, might just be the tip of the iceberg.

The Heat were somewhat passive on the court at this point.

At this moment, Wade tried to play a pick-and-roll with James, hoping to use a mismatch to break through Guy.

But Hansen chose to drop back and not switch.

Wade bounced the ball to James, who was cutting after the screen.

But Hansen quickly switched to defend James again.

If you said there was no personal grudge involved, no one would believe it.

Hansen’s ball denial forced James to retreat to the top of the key.

With little time left on the shot clock, James was left with no choice but to isolate with the ball.

It was then that Hansen, looking at James, spoke up, not giving him a chance to dodge:

"I’ll allow you to call for a screen."