This has sothing to do with Jas’ lack of desire to help on defense, but more importantly, it was because of Westbrook’s absence.
Passion is an intangible thing, but when facing a stronger opponent, its presence or absence makes a completely different spirit for the entire team.
Hansen continued to double-team Jas, and after receiving the ball from Jas, Afflalo faked a shot and broke past the helping defender Guy, but his abrupt mid-range jumper was off.
Afflalo’s mid-range ability isn’t weak, his ntality clearly fluctuated.
Offense and defense on the court are interlinked, unless you’re playing run-and-gun with the determination of the old Suns and Warriors, or harboring the earnest mindset of stat-padding like Jas—otherwise, a defensive loss will inevitably affect the offense.
Conley once again got past Fisher, tonight he seed to have turned into Ross.
Facing help defense from Ibaka, Conley passed the ball to Randolph, and as Randolph saw Little Lopez coming to help, he tossed the ball into the air, and Little Gasol completed the alley-oop score.
The Grizzlies’ offense was fluid as rcury.
By now, so fans were getting restless.
Tonight’s Thunders were completely unrecognizable compared to the team they were familiar with.
Jas adjusted his offensive strategy.
Back-to-the-basket is a more static offense, more likely to draw double teams and create opportunities for teammates, but if the teammates miss, that amounts to a tactical failure.
Jas, holding the ball outside the three-point line, gestured for Fisher to co over for a pick-and-roll.
A classic mismatch pick-and-roll.
However, the Grizzlies didn’t switch at all, with Guy going around the screen and shrinking back.
Jas seized the opportunity to shoot a three-pointer from the outside.
"Clang!"
A resounding miss.
Little Gasol secured the defensive rebound, and the Grizzlies launched another fast break.
When Guy caught Hansen’s pass and completed another powerful dunk, the entire stadium was stirred into agitation.
to 3.
The feeling from the first two gas of the series reappeared!
No, it was even more intense because experiencing it live was much more impactful than watching the broadcast.
And an even more pressing scene occurred on the court.
When the Thunders advanced to the frontcourt, the man defending Jas beca Hansen!
In that mont Jas saw Hansen before him, he realized the Grizzlies weren’t going to make it easy for him tonight.
He was about to give up asking for the ball, but rembering the recent social dia storm over the Nike headlining controversy, he chose to tough it out.
He jumped to receive the ball with his back to Hansen, reset his pivot foot.
Don’t forget, he too was a student of Olajuwon, and by the ti of apprenticeship, he was actually Hansen’s senior brother.
But as Jas was gearing up to exert force, Hansen reached out for a steal.
To dodge that, Jas’ right foot subconsciously took a step.
Well, that was a wasted pivot foot reset.
But, Jas is still Jas. He continued dribbling and backing down Hansen as if nothing had happened.
In terms of theory, there’s a big weight difference between Hansen and Jas, and Jas could use his weight to force Hansen to lower his center of gravity.
But from his previous attempts to back down Hansen and being pulled off the bench, he didn’t dare apply full force this ti.
It resulted in Hansen constantly applying pressure on the ball.
Jas eventually opted for a turnaround to drive to the basket, and his move was aggressively authoritative—as he cleared the way with his elbows.
When he got to the basket and saw Little Gasol coming to help, he jumped preparing to find body contact.
However, just as they were about to make contact, Little Gasol tucked in his hips and dodged, slipping away!
This had beco an instinctive reaction from playing against Jas often.
With no leverage, Jas flew right past under the basket.
Yet, his physical abilities really were strong, for even as he lost balance, he managed to complete a little jelly layup with his right hand.
The arc of the ball looked like it would go in.
But before the ball reached its peak, a hand covered it.
Hansen, though jostled by Jas’ elbow, was still chasing from behind!
Plucking the moon from the sky, he directly snagged the ball with a block!
When Hansen landed, Jas, off balance, crashed into the press area.
Glancing down at Jas who had fallen to the ground, Hansen turned and swiftly initiated a fast break.
After Hansen sped past the Thunders’ defense and executed a dragon-like dunk, Jas finally got up from the floor.
When the cara panned back to him, the live audience could scarcely bear to watch.
It dawned on them late, but that play made them realize that the Grizzlies were targeting Jas tonight.
From a strategic standpoint, such an adjustnt was understandable, especially since Westbrook couldn’t play, leaving Jas as Thunders’ only ball-handler.
But the scene looked a bit too cruel.
Moreover, the Grizzlies’ style of play tonight was even more aggressive than in the previous two gas, seizing every chance to counterattack.
This also had sothing to do with Westbrook’s absence.
Because Westbrook was a guard with a very fast-paced approach, the Grizzlies wouldn’t dare to play so fast when he was around.
One couldn’t help wondering if Jas missed Westbrook at this mont,
especially when, once again, as the Thunders moved to the frontcourt, Hansen still stood in front of Jas.
Jas tried to tough it out but ended up getting his shot blocked and quickly quieted down.
He stood at the three-point arc maintaining possession, then directed his teammates in strategic movents.
For a mont, Hansen was almost bewildered, as Jas in front of him seed to truly beco Green.
Unfortunately for the Thunders, they had no Curry and no Durant; Afflalo’s catch-and-shoot was disturbed by Guy’s flying defense and missed the mark.
Getting two points for the Thunders tonight seed as difficult as the national soccer team scoring a goal!
Finally, the Grizzlies’ set offense failed to score, and turning back, Little Lopez’s cut to the basket after a pick-and-roll finally broke the Thunders’ prolonged scoring drought.
This granted so relief to the repressed mood of the fans in attendance.
But before they could fully recover, Hansen backed down Jas, and with a shoulder shimmy turnaround feint he successfully faked Jas out, and his one-two step floater off the backboard went in.
After the shot went in, Hansen spread his hands at Jas, his so-called senior brother.
The teacher leads you to the door, but personal practice is up to the individual.
The atmosphere at the venue was electric.
Jas’s expression turned so terrifying it was as if he was ready to kill.
And it was at this mont that Johnson walked towards the scorer’s table, ready to substitute in for Guy.
Right before the half was about to end, the Grizzlies led the Thunders with a score of 48 to 30.
That difference could take half a day to close.
Fans had already begun leaving early to avoid traffic.
At this point on social dia, those led by the dia started to lash back.
Not to ntion last ga, but during the past three gas when Westbrook was present, the Thunders at least had so back-and-forth with the Grizzlies.
But now that he couldn’t play, the Thunders had no chance from the start.
With such a comparison, how shaless were those dia outlets to claim that the Thunders would be better off led by Jas?
Had it indeed been Jas leading the team, the Thunders might have started fishing ten days ago!
Of course, more conspicuous than those was Jas’s stat line at the mont.
He had 2 out of 8, scoring just 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
If Hansen initially felt that Jas resembled Green when they were matched up, then by now, his performance was that of Big Green City.
Why had Jas only taken 8 shots in the half?
It was all thanks to the Grizzlies.
Because during the tis when the Grizzlies’ backups were in, they targeted him rcilessly—the more shots he took, the uglier his shooting percentage would beco.
As for why he hadn’t erupted in anger, upon seeing the familiar Johnson, he just felt his head buzzing.
The first half was nearing its end, with Hansen defending Jas.
Jas was already on the weak side, hands on hips.
After struggling for half the ga, he also realized he was outmatched by the Grizzlies tonight.
"Are you okay?" In that mont, Hansen looked at Jas with what seed like concern.
Jas glanced at Hansen and then turned his head away while biting on his mouthguard.
He wasn’t a fool; he didn’t think Hansen had any kind words to say after targeting him for an entire half.
Even though he was ntally prepared, Hansen’s next words still made him stop biting his mouthguard, his fists clenched and eyes glaring at Hansen as if he wanted to tear Hansen apart with his gaze.
"Does your groin not hurt? Do your feet not feel like cramping? The injury on your elbow should be acting up by now, right?"
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