The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball-Chapter 219 - 136 Grizzlies Locker Room Motto (Seeking Daily Votes for Monthly Tickets!)_3

Chapter 219: Chapter 136 Grizzlies Locker Room Motto (Seeking Daily Votes for Monthly Tickets!)_3

The sixth game of the playoffs found both teams back in Memphis to compete.

Even though the Grizzlies still held a game point, but because the Thunders had home-court advantage, if they couldn’t wrap up the series at home, then the seventh-game decider would be on the Thunders’ turf, where their chances looked grim.

The variables in the playoffs were right here—the Grizzlies had lost just one game but were already pushed to the edge of the cliff.

On that cliff edge, Hollins made his choice; he likewise decided to trust his instincts and was resolute in focusing the strategy on the inside game.

This time he ignored the players’ reactions and even took a page out of Popovich’s playbook, making sweeping five-man substitutions.

He was obviously trying to prove that losing Game 5 meant that the previous methods were ineffective and that if they wanted to win, it would have to be his way.

As a result, the Grizzlies played their worst game of the series, hammering away with a heavy maul against a steel shield, resulting in nothing but dull echoes without any response.

This led to their ultimate 71 to 99 loss to the Thunders with a wide margin.

The teams were set for a do-or-die Game 7, and with a crushing defeat in Game 6, the Grizzlies’ morale could not have been lower.

This point was vividly demonstrated on the plane to Oklahoma the next day after the conclusion of Game 6. freewebnσvel.cøm

Despite team General Manager Wallace accompanying the team to the away game, the plane was eerily quiet.

Upon arrival in Oklahoma City, instead of granting the players rest, Hollins immediately organized a team practice.

He intended to use this method to boost the players’ sense of urgency but quickly discovered Hansen did not show up.

Just as he was about to explode, Joerger hurriedly whispered to explain that Hansen had taken leave due to feeling unwell.

"Why didn’t he come to me?" Hollins asked loudly, feeling he had been too indulgent with Hansen. Did Hansen really see him, the head coach, as someone to ignore?

"Should I contact him again?"

"Don’t bother with him, practice!" Hollins turned and hollered at the Grizzlies’ players.

A few minutes into the practice, Hollins’ phone rang. After a short conversation, he handed over the practice session to Joerger and took a taxi to the team’s hotel.

It was Wallace who had called, but when Hollins knocked on Wallace’s hotel room door, he didn’t just find Wallace—Hansen was there too.

Hansen looked full of energy, clearly not suffering any physical ailment.

He knew it!

Before he could start rebuking, Wallace had already spoken, "Lionel, I think you and Han need to have a conversation."

Hansen obviously wasn’t physically unwell, but he was emotionally uncomfortable because he didn’t want to lose to the Thunders in such a shitty way.

Plus, he knew Hollins’ personality. Since the approach of convincing him through Battier did not work, it had to be a "fight fire with fire" situation.

Although Hollins was the de facto coach, he was still just a coach at the core, not the type like James who could influence or even decide management decisions.

This point was further proven by Hollins’ reactions after Game 3.

Not happy but with no choice, Hollins clenched his teeth and sat down opposite Hansen.

"Before we start, I hope this conversation can be conducted in a calm manner; I don’t want to end up in an argument, which would be meaningless," Wallace said, but he didn’t leave after saying this. Instead, he sat on the couch in between.

"Persisting with the inside game can’t beat the Thunders. Game 1 was just a fluke. Games 2 and 6, and even Game 3, have all proven it," Hansen spoke bluntly.

"The team lost Game 5 as well," Hollins countered.

"It must be acknowledged that the Thunders played well in Game 5, but that’s just one game. Games 3 and 4 proved that only by coordinating inside and outside plays do we stand a chance to win," Hansen replied.

"Can you assure that we will definitely win Game 7?" Hollins asked back.

"No one can guarantee victory, but I know that with your methods, we have no chance in Game 7."

"Why do you make such conclusions? How long have you been in the league? I’ve been here for 20 years!" Hollins responded, getting a bit angry.

"Only losers use tenure as their argument," Hansen had had enough of Hollins’ style of tough on the inside but meek on the outside.

"Shut your mouth!" Hollins stood up, slamming the table.

"The one who should shut up is you. If we end up reversing from a 3-1 lead to being knocked out in the first round, do you still have the face to sit in this position?" Hansen also stood up, unapologetically.

"Lionel!" Wallace frowned and looked at Hollins; he had just said not to argue.

Hollins’s face turned red, but he could only sit down in displeasure.

"Han, watch your tone. Lionel is the head coach," Wallace then turned to remind Hansen.

Before the trade for Hansen, he had a conversation with Ferry as they were on good terms, and Ferry mentioned Hansen’s character issues, and it truly was a case of seeing is believing.

After sitting down, Hollins didn’t speak again. Hansen’s words had struck a nerve.

The team had won 52 games this year, even with Guy absent, and they had broken the record for playoff wins. Even if they lost to the Thunders, he could still explain himself to the management.

But the problem was, the Grizzlies’ performance had exceeded expectations, leading with a big score of 3-1, completely whetting the fans’ appetite, and some even started to fantasize about winning the championship.

If they really ended up with a 3-4 reversal, he, as the head coach, could not escape responsibility.

He wasn’t Doug Rivers, he didn’t have a championship as a ’get out of jail free card,’ and would be the first to take the blame when things went south.

"I’ve never felt that we were inferior to the Thunders team. Even without Rudy, we still managed a 3-1 lead, and even now that we have to play a game seven away, I still believe we can win."

Seeing that Hollins hadn’t taken over the conversation, Hansen continued to suggest,

"If you’re afraid of losing game seven, you can suddenly fall ill, letting Dave (Joerger) lead the team."

Hollins’s face flushed. He seemed to know why Hansen was "unwell" and had missed training, as the excuse was already thought out for him.

He looked at Wallace; Hansen was being too bullying, but to his surprise, he found Wallace looking at him curiously too.

This seemingly absurd suggestion seemed to be something Wallace was really considering.

"I don’t have any health issue!" Hollins immediately spoke; of course, he could not accept Hansen’s suggestion. If the Grizzlies won, how could he still hang around the team?

It’s not scary to win; it’s embarrassing to be the one left out!

"I will switch back to the previous game plan." In the end, he conceded.

Hansen shrugged. His previous judgment was correct after all. Hollins was like his appearance, appearing tough, but only that, an appearance.

"Chris, why do you support a player who disobeys management like this?" After Hansen left, Hollins stayed behind to talk to Wallace.

Hansen had only been with the team for one season, but the two of them had worked together for over three years and were old friends.

"Lionel, Han wants to win games."

Hollins furrowed his eyebrows. Battier, Joerger, and now Wallace, this was the third person he had heard this from.

"He actually left you some face," Wallace also didn’t realize until now just how poor Hollins was at handling relationships.

Hollins thought he had heard wrong.

"In fact, you should have known in G3, he had already won the support of his teammates. If he really wanted to target you, he could have completely taken a players vs. coach approach, but he didn’t do that. Not because he didn’t dare, but because he knew that by doing so, the Grizzlies’ season would be over."

In an evenly matched confrontation, any internal problem would lead to a downfall first. The Thunders had verified this in G4.

"Why do you believe he can do it?" Hollins was still reluctant, after all, they had lost G5, and that was a fact.

At this point, Wallace smiled.

"Do you know? When he came to me, I asked him the same question, and his answer is still fresh in my memory."

Hollins stared intently at Wallace.

"He said, ’When brave men meet on a narrow path, the braver one wins. Facing a mighty opponent, even knowing you might be defeated, you must draw your sword resolutely. Even if you fall, you must strike fear into the heart of your enemy.’"

After finishing, Wallace touched his chin and turned around,

"What do you think about writing it down and putting it up in the locker room? Like the people of San Antonio and their ’101 Knocks’?"

It was at this moment that he realized Hollins was standing there, stunned.