Hansen received the ball right away, and he was beyond the three-point line.
Chalrs was completely at a disadvantage defending against Hansen, but his expression showed no fear.
Although he played a minor role on the Heat Team, as the forr leader at Kansas and the NCAA MOP, his psychological quality was quite stable.
You must know, in "history" he had dared to confront Jas and even called his play "trashy."
Although that didn’t really help him stop Hansen, he successfully forced Hansen toward the double team.
After Hansen broke through to the double team position, he pulled back to stop the ball, then turned and shot a fadeaway.
Chalrs and Bosh both lunged forward ferociously, but Hansen completely ignored their defense.
"Swish!"
The basketball netted against the defense of both players.
At the crucial mont, Hansen was relentless.
This instant caused an eruption of long-suppressed cheers in the FedEx Forum.
However, when the cara focused on Hansen, he was unexpectedly calm.
At this ti, Wade and Durant set up a screen.
After Durant split off, he received the ball and scored a mid-range shot against Conley.
The Heat Team was not outdone, and after transitioning from defense to offense, they began to double team Hansen.
Spoelstra reacted faster than Joerger, and his response was more thorough.
Hansen did not give up on the attack; amid the double team, he passed the ball to Conley and quickly cut without the ball.
The two executed a perfectly coordinated play, although Hansen was still double tead by Durant after receiving the ball.
At that mont, Hansen did not choose to pass but instead forced a shot while facing the double team, causing damage.
Confrontation on a narrow path favors the brave; Hansen began to emit that familiar aura.
Walking to the free-throw line, he made both shots confidently.
"Defense! Defense!"
The fans also sensed sothing; shouts of defense began ringing out from the stands.
Wade and Durant repeated their tactic, this ti Wade broke directly past Carter into the paint.
His adept Mysterious Steps successfully deceived Carter, but just as he shot, a figure erged from the side, leaped high, and directly blocked the ball against the backboard.
It was Hansen again!
Although he wasn’t assigned by Joerger to continue defending Wade, Hansen didn’t just stand idly on the weak side.
After grabbing the rebound, the Grizzlies launched a fast break, Conley shot against Chalrs and missed, but Hansen followed up with a dunk!
This play, worthy of the finals’ top five, instantly set the entire venue alight.
But more importantly, Hansen seed omnipresent on the court.
That aura influenced the spectators and obviously affected the Grizzlies players, greatly relieving the physical reactions caused by their nervousness.
It was like in the heat of battle, suddenly the chief commander of one side displayed their flag, quickly stabilizing the morale of their troops.
The Grizzlies kept the score close.
By halfti, the teams were tied at 48.
Hansen had scored 26 points by halfti, but he only had one assist.
The Grizzlies always played team basketball, but tonight they needed him to play more selfishly.
Returning from halfti, the Heat Team took the initiative, with Wade and Durant consecutively scoring to pull ahead.
But Hansen imdiately stood out, scoring continuously in response, and the Grizzlies quickly caught up again.
Moreover, by the familiar third quarter, the Grizzlies’ passivity was triggered; they began consciously strengthening their defense.
"Offense is often unstable, defense is relatively stable."
That phrase, resonating throughout this year’s finals, was validated once again.
This sudden change in defensive intensity also made it difficult for the Heat Team, and the Grizzlies not only regained the lead but also widened it.
"Whoop that trick!"
The ho fans also began to stand and shout, vigorously waving the towels in their hands.
The montum of the ga began to shift towards the Grizzlies.
"The current system is very unreasonable," said O’Neal from the comntary booth, glancing at Smith before starting to complain.
Having ho court advantage, yet having to play the crucial battle away, it’s absolutely against the norm, but you can completely tell he indeed didn’t want to drink Smith’s bathwater.
Facing the double-team by Chalrs and Durant once again, Hansen scored a mid-range shot, marking his 36th point of the night.
The cheers at FedEx Forum completely erupted.
They could already see the championship waving at them.
At that mont, Durant’s 45-degree three-pointer from the outside was off.
However, Wade grabbed the offensive rebound, charging the inside line and making a shot after a clash with Randolph.
The ball went in, and the referee blew the whistle.
It was a lifesaving 2 1.
The fans on site couldn’t help but hold their heads.
Wade had proved himself on the Finals stage!
But at that mont, an accident occurred on the court.
After scoring the 2 1, Wade did not stand up, still lying on the floor, his expression showing so pain.
Eventually, the Heat’s team doctor ca over, and after a brief exchange, helped Wade up.
When Wade stood up and stepped down with his bent knee, he burst out with a curse.
Unexpectedly yet logically, Wade was injured.
Wade, supported, moved to the sidelines, and the ga entered a technical tiout.
The LED screen at the venue started replaying what had just happened.
During his breakthrough, Wade’s knee collided with Randolph’s knee.
It didn’t look serious, otherwise Randolph wouldn’t have been unhard, who had suffered a ligant tear due to similar impacts last season.
Obviously, this impact was just a result, and the main cause was the fatigue from the season’s battles.
Entering the league taking everyone’s niscus, Wade’s career was destined to be shorter than others.
If the Heat had maintained their lineup from before, maybe his injuries wouldn’t have co so soon.
But two years ago, after Jas joined, especially last season, he only played attacking basketball, which multiplied the wear on his knees.
Then this season, after Durant joined, he had an easier ti.
But striving for 70 wins brought back that burden, turning his knee into a ticking ti bomb.
His absences in the previous two rounds due to injuries were already a warning, and Wade knew it, which is why he played conservatively after coming back.
But the last ga, in a bid to win, turned into a gamble, betting whether his knee could last through the Finals.
Clearly, he lost that bet.
Wade eventually got up and tried walking a few steps at the sidelines, limping, but eventually went to the locker room accompanied by the team doctor.
Seeing Wade leave, most Grizzlies players looked excited.
The strength of the Heat lay in The Big Three, but their Achilles’ heel was also The Big Three; an injury to one significantly weakened them.
Hansen, however, didn’t seem too thrilled, his look rather complex.
On one hand, there was his personal relationship with Wade, and on the other, Wade’s experience naturally made him think of his rookie season.
Back then, he was also overused during the regular season and got injured before the playoffs even started.
Then equally, after coming back during the playoffs and performing well, he ended up season-ending in the last ga against the Celtics.
They had both given their all for the team.
As the tiout was coming to an end, Hansen gathered his team before returning to the court to remind them.
Although Wade was out, the Heat still had Ray Allen; if they relaxed now, the lead the Grizzlies had barely established would vanish.
Hansen’s reminder was tily, as not long after the tiout, Ray Allen hit a difficult three-pointer.
In terms of ntal toughness, Ray Allen had historically saved Jas’s career.
But gradually, the Grizzlies took control of the ga.
Now, Ray Allen couldn’t be the offensive core of the team due to his age.
The key was that after Wade left, Durant wasn’t able to take control of the ga.
Although not as extre as Jas, Durant wasn’t known for his ntal fortitude.
You could say Westbrook was the best defender against Durant, but actually, Westbrook’s ntal attributes complented Durant well.
In "history," Green had more than once called Durant a softie, not only because of his treacherous actions in that tiline but also because of his competitive nature.
Jordan had an unbeatable domineering presence, Kobe a bone-chilling murderous intent, and Hansen had fearless courage.
But Durant, the premise for the Reaper swinging his scythe, had powerful teammates.
to 95, the Grizzlies ultimately defeated the Heat in their last ho ga.
Hansen scored 46 points, setting a new personal record in the Finals.
With the Heavenly King Mountain behind them, the Grizzlies were one step away from defending their title with a 3-2 lead.
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