The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball-Chapter 213 - 134: The Authority of the Head Coach Allows Provocation_2

Chapter 213: Chapter 134: The Authority of the Head Coach Allows Provocation_2

His ability to navigate screens was also much stronger than Harden’s, and as soon as Hansen received the ball, he stuck close to him.

Hansen leaned against Westbrook, followed by a bending triple-threat sweep, and then he jumped to shoot.

Westbrook, with his height at a disadvantage, could offer only limited interference.

However, Westbrook’s reaction speed really was fast; the moment he saw Hansen’s move, he jumped immediately.

What he hadn’t expected was that Hansen’s move was just a feint, and as he was descending, Hansen leapt again.

Their bodies collided, and the referee’s whistle blew, signaling that Westbrook had violated the cylinder rule during the shot.

Hansen had drawn a foul.

Westbrook held his head in frustration, while Hansen nodded and headed to the free-throw line.

Westbrook’s physical condition at this time was approaching his peak, just as swift as his fast-break speed, but his experience was clearly lacking.

In other words, he was a greenhorn.

Brooks watched Hansen approach the free-throw line, feeling somewhat perplexed.

As the best coach of the previous season, he had done his homework on the Grizzlies’ top scorer before the series started.

He had not only watched the Grizzlies’ games from this season but also reviewed Hansen’s footage from the previous season with the Cavaliers.

Hansen’s performance against the Celtics in the playoffs had been shocking, so in Game 1, he had set up a lot of defensive measures for Hansen.

Who would have thought Hollins would play an offbeat game, hammering away at the inside, managing to break through the Thunders’ interior defense?

Out of necessity, he adjusted the focus of his defense in Game 2, only to find Hollins was still insistently attacking the inside, which naturally turned the tide of the match.

Only then did he realize that he had overestimated the old-school coach Hollins, so tonight he still went with a tightened defense.

The beginning of the game seemed to confirm that his judgment was correct.

But he never would have imagined that the Grizzlies had made another tactical adjustment at that moment.

So, had he underestimated Hollins after all?

Hansen made both free throws, scoring a personal 6-0 run that helped the Grizzlies close the gap to 10-12.

In a crucial moment, Durant showed his prowess again; he took a stand-alone shot from a high position, hitting a mid-range jumper in the face of Battier’s defensive hand in his eyes.

But on the return play, Randolph down in the post got the better of Perkins, his turn toward the free-throw line and subsequent shot went in for a 2+1 over him.

Once Hansen got going, his off-ball movement occupied the Thunders’ defense, keeping them from easily double-teaming in the low post.

So, as Randolph walked to the free-throw line, not only did he high-five the ball-feeder Conley, but he also bumped chests with an excited Hansen moving towards the side of the free-throw line.

Randolph made the additional free throw, bringing the difference to one point, and the teams then entered a deadlock.

Around ten minutes into the first quarter, both teams started to make substitutions.

At this point, Hansen was subbed out for a rest.

As he left the court, he looked at Hollins, ready for a confrontation, but even by the time he sat back on the bench, Hollins had given no indication of a response.

This left him feeling somewhat bored but also made him realize that Hollins only appeared tough on the outside.

At this moment on the court, Brooks chose to shorten his rotation.

In the two minutes Hansen was off the court, under the leadership of Harden and Westbrook, the Thunders built up a five-point lead.

Harden this season averaged 26.9 minutes per game, contributing 12.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals; although he didn’t win the Sixth Man of the Year, his efficiency clearly improved compared to his rookie season.

At this year’s All-Star Rookie Game, though he was a reserve pick, he played second fiddle to Hansen on the sophomore team, being the second-best performer.

This showed he had talent—it was just that the competition in the Thunders was much harsher for him than for others.

His 21 points in the last game were not a fluke, or it could be said that his 8 points in Game 1 were more of an anomaly. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

During the break between the first and second quarters, Hansen asked Hollins to let him back in to guard Harden.

Harden’s ball handling and control were excellent; when he was on the court, he was the ball handler. Allen was suited to guard pure scorers, not so effective against this type of player.

Moreover, the score from the first quarter indicated that even with tactical adjustments, the Grizzlies had not managed to pull away decisively.

The Thunders weren’t at their peak yet, but they already had the capability to contend for the championship.1

The Grizzlies’ win in the first game was partly due to Brooks’s tactical misalignment, and winning again wasn’t as simple as one might think.

If they let the Thunders pull away with the score at the start of the second quarter, it would be very difficult for the Grizzlies to catch up later.

Hollins instinctively wanted to refuse, as he was harboring a bellyful of dissatisfaction.

He was beginning to realize slowly, Randolph and Conley were his old subordinates; they wouldn’t disobey his orders.

Only Hansen, this guy had a history, and upon reflection, the change in playing style on the court also occurred after Hansen called for that "small meeting" with the players.

Such arrogance must not be encouraged, or else he would lose control over the team.

But before he could speak, Tois from the side had already spoken up, "Lionel, I think this is a good choice, we need to cling to the score."

Hollins was just about to say to shut up when Joerger, looking towards Hansen, asked, "Is your stamina okay?"

Hansen shook his head.

Ever since he obtained "Steel Bones," his talent for fatigue resistance improved, which allowed him to stay on the court for longer periods of time.

Especially after Guy got injured this season, his playing time unavoidably increased, and over half a season, his stamina had also improved.

Of course, more importantly, compared to stamina issues, the score mattered more now; if the gap widened early on, what use would saving energy be?

Hollins was stunned; his two assistant coaches didn’t think there was anything wrong with what Hansen was doing now.

"Lionel, let Han play, we need him," Joerger, also a defensive coach, knew that only Hansen could effectively limit Harden.

Clearly, at this moment, both Joerger and Tois were thinking about how to win the game, whereas Hollins cared more about his control over the team.

"Coach, trust Han, he can do it." Just then, Battier interrupted, "I can fight for a few minutes of rest for him in the second quarter."

Compared to the two assistants, Battier, for his "inflated version" of an unfinished business, was more eager to win.

Now, even if Hollins wanted to say something, he couldn’t, because the most influential people on the team all supported Hansen.

In the end, he nodded unwillingly and even without the mood to arrange tactics, he tossed the clipboard to Joerger and went back to sit on the bench.

He would never have thought that the person who had helped him out with Guy’s trouble initially was now the one causing him the most trouble.

After Hansen was on the court, he repeatedly limited Harden as expected.

Hansen was bigger than Harden, fast enough to keep up, and with sufficient defensive experience, it wasn’t easy for Harden to organize an offense.

Watching the situation on the court, Hollins grew increasingly dejected.

It was then that Joerger sat down next to him.

"Lionel, Han doesn’t have any issues with us," Joerger still had a way with words.

Hollins turned his head, puzzled.

"Do you remember that game in Cleveland when Zack lost control of his emotions?"

Hollins remained silent, but he still didn’t understand what had caused that.

"One day I was chatting with Chris (Wallace) about that, and he said that shortly after returning from Cleveland, Han had inquired about many things regarding Zack. It was after that, in the game against the Lakers, that Zack achieved his season-high. I think there must have been some exchange between Han and Zack."

Joerger was much better at managing relationships than Hollins.

Hollins pondered, he heard there was a conflict between Hansen and Guy previously, but Hansen and Randolph indeed didn’t have one.

It was at this moment, as Joerger watched Hansen on the court stealing from Harden and dashing towards the frontcourt, he said, "I think he was serious about what he said when he first came."

"What did he say?" Hollins didn’t remember much.

"He wants to bring a championship to this city, he wants to win."

Hansen concluded with a powerful and aggressive layup dunk, making his signature 77 jersey celebration gesture.

—Divider—

1The Thunders reached the Western Conference Finals in the 2010-2011 season, only to lose 1-4 to the eventual champions, the Mavericks.