"If the League President were still Stern," Durant might really have a chance to win this honor again.
But now, Silva has taken over.
Silva’s biggest trait is putting profit first, always looking towards money.
And to generate the greatest profit, there needs to be competition.
This is why, during his initial appointnt over the All-Star weekend, when faced with dia questions about Hansen surpassing Jordan, he was "very happy to see" such a scenario.
As Hansen rose, so did UA, and as president, he wouldn’t mind competing with Nike.
Not to ntion, the League’s jersey sponsorship is currently with Adidas, but that contract ends in 2017.
By then, Adidas, Nike, and UA, the three giants, will compete, and the ultimate beneficiary will be the League.
The owners will receive more dividends, making his position more secure.
Unlike Stern, who expanded territories, Silva got the job because he negotiated a new broadcasting contract for the League.
So although he won’t help Hansen, he also won’t assist Nike in undermining Hansen’s MVP.
After Hansen successfully secured the MVP, UA launched an overwhelming promotion.
Because by securing this MVP, in a popular sense, he has completed the MVP grand slam.
They even made another assumption beforehand; that Hansen really had a chance to surpass Jordan.
If Hansen could clinch the DPOY and also lead his team to a three-peat, he would be the first in NBA history to win the Scoring King DPOY MVP FMVP.
Jordan was just one DPOY short of this achievent, whereas Olajuwon lacked a Scoring King title.
Although this comparison seems a bit forced, since Jordan’s Bulls were a really poor team in his early years, unlike Hansen’s Grizzlies,
it’s certain that, if Hansen achieves this, UA will, just like Nike in the past, be elevated to a divine stature.
Even Nike would then be overshadowed.
Hansen didn’t care about UA’s publicity; more realistically, he now needed to defeat the Warriors in Ga 6.
Being forced into a Ga 7 would an the Warriors would no longer be just a warm-up opponent.
Ga 6 of the series, Oracle Arena.
The Warriors had no retreat.
The Grizzlies adjusted their lineup again, with Randolph returning to the starting lineup.
Then, back in the starting lineup, he demolished Green.
Joerger played this psychological ga interestingly; if you lack the desire to compete, then stir you up by putting you on the bench.
Curry was also continuously tightly marked by Hansen.
However, the Warriors were not crushed early on by the Grizzlies, unexpectedly due to Thompson performing exceptionally well in Ga 6.
He scored five three-pointers in the first half, totaling 20 points.
With his performance, the Warriors and Grizzlies were deadlocked at halfti.
If they could continue to hold the situation, pushing the ga to the final decisive mont, the Warriors stood a good chance.
Because Hansen, after an imnse exertion in the Heavenly King Mountain, was not fully recovered after just two days of rest.
The third quarter beca the decisive phase for determining the outco of the ga.
Joerger did not make changes to the lineup in this quarter, but he made significant tactical adjustnts.
Hansen stopped defending Curry and instead devoted his energy to offense,
while the rest of the team focused more on defense.
This strategy was very characteristic of the Grizzlies; last season, using this thod, they defeated the reigning champions Heat in G6, and this season, due to the overall team condition not being as good, it was used even more frequently.
Now, it again beca the Grizzlies’ decisive strategy for changing the ga’s dynamics.
Hansen scored 24 points in this quarter, turning the Oracle Arena from a defense-roaring frenzy at the start to utter silence by the end.
The Warriors couldn’t hold off defensively, nor break through offensively.
Many of the Warriors’ earlier three-pointers ca from seizing counterattacks and shooting before the Grizzlies’ defense was set.
Just shooting three-pointers in set positions didn’t provide as many opportunities especially when the Grizzlies used a lineup with one big and four smalls.
Not to ntion, after being guarded by Hansen for half the ga, Curry couldn’t find his shooting rhythm.
The Grizzlies ultimately surged in this quarter, outscoring the Warriors 36-21, and by the end of the third quarter, they had expanded their lead to 15 points.
In the opening segnt of the fourth quarter with substitutions, led by Gay, the Grizzlies also maintained this lead."
This made the Warriors start to panic.
After the main players returned, they began taking highly risky three-point shots on the outside, but the more they shot, the more they missed.
Finally, with only five minutes left in the ga, the Warriors were trailing the Grizzlies by more than 20 points.
Although Jackson was reluctant to accept it, he ultimately had to face the outco.
He called a tiout and took his main players off the court, hugging each of his players as they exited.
The Warriors fans at the scene also gave their team applause and cheers, just as the mphis fans had done for the Grizzlies in the past.
Although they couldn’t defeat the Grizzlies in the end, pushing them to this extent was already good enough.
More importantly, like the Grizzlies of the past, they had figured out a style of play that suited them.
Of course, the players felt disappointed.
Curry and Thompson, the backcourt duo, exited the court without saying a word, their eyes filled with dissatisfaction as they watched the scoreboard.
For them, having stopped in the division semi-finals last year, and with significant reinforcents this season, falling in the first round was hard to accept.
The final score on the court was fixed at 116 to 101, with the Grizzlies eliminating the Warriors 4-2 in the series.
After the ga, during the handshake ceremony, Hansen and Curry t again and exchanged those words.
"Keep it up, the future is yours."
This ti, Curry didn’t counter but instead embraced Hansen tightly.
The Warriors’ post-ga press conference was sowhat somber.
But in this heavy atmosphere, Curry echoed Hansen’s classic quote.
"No one will want to face us next season."
There’s no rule that wise words can only be spoken by one person.
Look at what Hansen said to Curry, it’s what Duncan told Jas after sweeping him in 2007.
Only, Hansen didn’t add that last part, "But now it’s my turn."
As the secondary face of UA, it’s only right for Curry to pay tribute to the primary figure, isn’t it?
Of course, just like Hansen back then, Curry faced much ridicule after saying this.
Who is Hansen, and who are you, Curry?
The Grizzlies team reached the Western Conference Finals back then, while your Warriors were eliminated in the first round!
Don’t forget, Curry and Hansen were drafted the sa year, Hansen led his team to the Conference Finals in his second year, you have a long way to go, Curry.
But after saying this, Curry must have been prepared to face the dia pressure.
The Grizzlies’ post-ga press conference followed that of the Warriors.
When Hansen sat there, a journalist brought up Curry’s tribute to him and asked for his take.
Hansen’s expression was intriguing because he recalled that in the history he knew, it was originally Curry who said those words.
Just like in "Charlotte Troubles," where Jay chou felt overshadowed by Charlotte, Curry might feel the sa.
But by choosing to pay tribute to him, it shows Curry is ready to elevate himself this sumr.
Perhaps next season’s Curry will be even more insane than he himself knows.
"Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger."
Hansen’s attitude has always been: failure splits people into various forms, but it’s character that determines the form.
Curry’s character, along with the way he played through pain last season, ensures his achievents in this era.
The Grizzlies were the first team from the West to advance, yet unexpectedly, they turned out to be the only team to advance ahead of ti.
Because the remaining three series all stretched to Ga 7!
Even Hansen hadn’t expected this, especially the Spurs and Mavericks, who had famously been upset in the first round years ago; this ti, they ca close to flipping the script.
But in the end, the Spurs dominated Ga 7 and walked away with a victory over the Mavericks, scoring 120 points.
That was the biggest difference in the Spurs this season; previously reliant on defense, this season, with the "Hamr Strategy," they also broke through their offensive limits.
In the other two Ga 7 deciders, the Thunders managed to eliminate the Blazers, despite Alderich playing insanely well, Westbrook and Anthony’s offensive prowess proved too much.
And on the Rockets’ side, after a fierce Ga 7 battle, they also succeeded in defeating the Lakers 4-3 and will et the Grizzlies in the Western Conference Semifinals.
It’s worth ntioning that Paul moving to the Rockets and ultimately knocking out the Lakers is quite a narrative.
And once again, he’s charging towards the floor of the Western Conference Finals.
Reviews
All reviews (0)