"D.W. on the court is a respected opponent, I hope he’s not seriously hurt, looking forward to continuing our confrontation in G6."
After the press conference ended, Hansen imdiately called Wade.
Wade’s injury status was definitely confidential, Hansen didn’t ask too much, just a friendly consolation.
The Arican Airlines Arena during G6 was still packed.
This was the Grizzlies’ match point ga, and it could also be the last ga for the Heat.
League President Stern, his assistant Silva, and other league staff were also present.
Besides the outco of the ga, the focus was on whether Wade would continue to play.
During the pre-ga warmup, although Wade was in his training gear, he just sat at the sideline without warming up.
By the ti of the opening ceremony, the answer was revealed, Wade appeared in the Heat’s starting lineup!
When Wade took the court with his thick knee pads, the whole arena erupted.
ESPN reported before the ga that Wade might play in G6 with an injection, but Miami CBS dia later denied this report, stating Wade wouldn’t risk ending his career.
It turned out that CBS was just throwing a smoke bomb.
After entering the ga, Hansen and Wade hugged briefly.
Wade is submissive when it cos to his teammates, even yielding to the top player, but he is also really tough on himself.
It’s his character, two seemingly opposite behaviors, both essentially to win.
Although Wade played with an injection, unlike Curry, he heavily relies on breaking through. When Hansen defended him, his offensive threat was clearly not as good as in the first two gas.
But this is just one facet, perhaps even just surface-level.
Another aspect, and perhaps the most significant, of Wade playing injured was morale.
The Heat’s morale was sky-high, Durant went crazy at the start.
He could be inspired by Westbrook’s passion and naturally by Wade’s as well.
Joerger first tried to use double teams, but Durant’s offense was incredibly decisive, always managing to shoot or drive before the double-team took effect.
Joerger then continuously tried Battier and Carter to guard him, with no avail.
The downside of trading Tony Allen in the sumr was apparent that night.
Finally, having no choice, Joerger had to switch Hansen to defense.
As soon as that happened, Wade began playing pick-and-rolls with Bosh, Bosh frequently scoring from mid-range after the split.
Throughout the first half, due to Wade’s return, the Heat’s morale was exceptionally high, slamming down 58 points by halfti.
The Grizzlies, on the other hand, were defensively passive, struggling to cope, scoring only 45 points by halfti.
After Wade’s injury, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the Grizzlies would win the championship in G6.
But now the outco was completely unexpected.
However, this was the significance of Wade playing injured.
The Heat already had strong capabilities; combined with this boosted morale, any other team might have collapsed by halfti.
"DW is Miami’s GOAT," O’Neal wiped the sweat from his forehead in the comntator’s booth.
Before the ga, Barkley was already considering whether to set up a swimming pool in the studio for Smith to take a bath live.
This guy, usually suppressed by his championships, was now holding back to take revenge.
During the halfti break, the Grizzlies’ players returned to the locker room seeming sowhat despondent.
Following this rhythm, the Heat had a great chance to take G6, leading to a ga seven decider.
The decider would still be in Miami, and it was uncertain whose deer would fall.
After Joerger ca in, he also gave the players a pep-talk.
Right after Joerger’s pep-talk, Hansen stood up and said:
"Leave the defense to you, the offense to ."
Brief words, but more reassuring than any others.
Returning from halfti, the crowd’s enthusiasm remained high.
With one last push to take G6, then going all out to fight for G7, just as most fans predicted before the ga, the Heat would ultimately lift the trophy in a 4-3 victory.
The process was tortuous, but the result was glorious.
In the second half, the Grizzlies launched their attack first.
Hansen caught the ball with his back and post-up, made a crossover step to quickly stop Wade and scored with a mid-range jumper.
The cara focused on Hansen, his expression as calm as during the Heavenly King Mountain battle.
This triggered so agitation in the arena.
Though the Heavenly King Mountain battle was in mphis and they hadn’t seen it before, it still made them uneasy.
Moreover, looking back, the Grizzlies’ defense intensity visibly increased.
Durant was clamped down even before he could receive the ball, with the double-team in place by the ti he got the ball.
The Grizzlies suffocating defense from the third quarter reerged.
The Heat’s offense was finally held off.
Feeling sothing was amiss, Spoelstra stood up signaling to double-team Hansen.
Hansen did not hesitate, imdiately setting up an off-ball pick-and-roll with Little Gasol.
But even after catching the ball, he was double-tead, the Heat’s defense against him was quite extre.
However, just before the double-team, Hansen bounced the ball to Little Gasol.
Little Gasol executed a classic fiery tomahawk dunk.
Clearly, unlike the Heavenly King Mountain battle, although Hansen took over the offense, he still played the Grizzlies’ team basketball.
Different nights, different choices, tonight the Grizzlies didn’t have that tense posture.
The Grizzlies’ bench erupted, Sacre and Livingston crazily waving their towels.
It was palpable, after the halfti, with two offenses and one defense, the entire team’s morale also rose.
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