Basketball's No. 1 Anti-Fan

Chapter 137: Grizzlies locker room motto

The game isn't really over yet.

Hansen's three-point shot was very decisive, but because of his decisiveness, he left the Thunder with 5.8 seconds.

This time is enough for the Thunder to complete the counter-attack.

The key to victory lies in the last round.

Hollins arranged a defensive tactic and provided assist defense for Durant, an aspect in which he was good at.

After the timeout, the Thunder made a lineup adjustment, and Brooks replaced Perkins with Daequan Cook.

The Thunder's lineup at this time: Westbrook, Harden, Cook, Durant, and Ibaka.

This looked like adding a space point on the court, but after seeing this change, Hansen pulled Conley before going on the court.

Thanks to their frequent communication, the two completed the communication in a very short time.

The Thunder had the ball in the frontcourt and Harden was serving the ball on the sidelines.

Durant came out with the help of Ibaka's screen, which seemed to be a very routine running tactic.

But after Durant ran out, he did not reach out to catch the ball, but set up a screen on the spot.

Westbrook took advantage of his pick-and-roll to quickly cut into the basket, and Harden also faked a shot and threw the ball that was originally passed to Durant to the basket.

Brooks' tactical design is extremely clever, and it focuses on taking the opponent by surprise.

But it doesn't seem surprising, because Westbrook was clearly in better shape than Durant tonight.

Moreover, the Thunder are now trailing by 2 points. A three-pointer is certainly the best option, but that will also be the Grizzlies' defensive focus.

On the contrary, as long as you score 2 points, you can go into overtime, so naturally the closer you are to the basket, the higher the success rate.

What's more, with Westbrook's breakthrough power, even if the Grizzlies react under the basket, there is a high probability that they can cause damage and go to the free throw line.

Brooks showed his best coaching abilities.

However, the ball did not reach Westbrook.

The ball was intercepted by Conley!

Conley predicted Harden's pass and completed this fatal steal!

After stealing the ball, Conley spotted Hansen, who had already rushed out of the three-point line, and threw the ball directly to him.

Han Sen took the ball and started running forward.

He was not trying to fast break, but to avoid the pursuit of the Thunder players.

The steal happened so suddenly that the other Thunder players didn't react immediately, and by the time they reacted and wanted to chase after him, it was too late.

Because Westbrook, who had the best chance of catching up, was arranged with an open-cut tactic, he only completed the brakes now.

In the end, a short whistle sounded on the sidelines and the Thunder failed to foul Hansen.

The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 105-103 after overtime and won Game 3, which was also the first home victory in team history!
After the whistle blew, Han Sen threw the ball hard into the air and ran to the technical table.

This scene made Barkley in the commentary booth stand up excitedly.

Here it comes, here it comes, the technical desk terminator!
Han Sen jumped onto the technical platform, pointed at the field below and shouted:

"This is our house!"

This is our territory!
Unlike when he was in Cleveland, Hansen did not say "my" but "our", because tonight was not about his personal heroism, but also a victory of team basketball.

The cheers at the FedEx Center were deafening.

Then gradually, the slogan unique to Memphis began to ring out at the scene.

"Whoop that trick!"

The sound of cheers, coupled with Hansen's raised fists, marked the moment of victory celebration for the people of Memphis.

Hansen and Conley attended the post-match press conference together.

韩森今晚贡献了35分4板2助攻2抢断，康利有18分8助攻进账。

"You chose to pass to your teammates in the final moments of G1, but tonight you hit a key three-pointer in both regular time and overtime. Where did this change come from?"

Because of Hansen's outstanding performance tonight, he became the subject of reporters' questions.

Han Sen took a look at the reporter, who was from NBC. He wanted to ask the staff to kick out their reporter next time for asking such stupid questions.

As the core of the team, who would choose to pass the ball when given the opportunity to finish the game?

Even when passing the ball, there is a difference between active and passive. If you are trapped and know that your teammates are in an open position and pass the ball, that is called a great pass. If you break through and find that there is no chance and pass the ball passively, that is called passing the ball.

"I'm not LeBron, nor am I Kobe." However, Hansen chose the most controversial answer.

There was an immediate commotion in the audience; Han Sen's pair of black and white looked so fitting.

"The Grizzlies played very passively at the beginning tonight, but then turned the situation around. Did the coaching staff make any adjustments?"

Han Sen was speechless. Why ask Hollins such questions?
He directly signaled to the NC reporter that he could sit down.

"I noticed that you had a conversation with Conley at the end of the game. What did you talk about?"

Han Sen looked at the reporter from TNT. Wouldn't it be more interesting if he didn't ask this question?
"We discussed the tactics they might use, and Mike then made an incredible steal. He may be the guy with the highest basketball IQ on the planet." Hansen's ability to blow people's balls is no less than that of the black man.

Conley, who was standing by, felt a little embarrassed after hearing this and picked up the microphone in front of him:

"Actually, it was Han who discovered this, and I just did what I could."

When the two were communicating in the final moments, it was Hansen who brought up the idea that Brooks might arrange for Westbrook to make the buzzer beater.

He was just agreeing at the time because replacing Perkins meant giving up offensive rebounds, which was very unusual and more likely to create space for Westbrook to cut into the paint.

However, there was nothing wrong with Hansen's praise, because he just asked Conley to try his best to stop Westbrook. Unexpectedly, Conley completed a clean steal and even threw the ball out immediately after the steal, without giving the Thunder a chance to foul. He can be regarded as completing his self-redemption.

"Han said to lead us to win the game, so you saw what happened," Conley added before putting down the microphone.

Han Sen not only led them to victory, but he led them to victory twice.

This caused the reporters in the audience to be surprised, and they began to record quickly.

"Russell Westbrook scored 40 points tonight. What do you think of his performance?" The next reporter who stood up continued to ask Hansen.

Han Sen's eyes brightened.

"Man, I have a different opinion of Russell." He said with a smirk on his face.
"In the eyes of the outside world, the Thunder belongs to KD, but I think Russell is underestimated. He can bring endless energy to his teammates. He can definitely become the star player of a team."

Hansen's post-match interview was reported by the media, and Kalil also launched a publicity campaign at this time.

"Not once, but twice, Han Sen defeated Thunder"

"No. 77 shines throughout the game, KD pales in comparison"

"I'll lead you to victory!"

God wore the No. 0 jersey, and then Hansen beat him

Just like Randolph was ignored by fans and coaches, a team like the Grizzlies, with little team history and a small market, is the kind of team that no one will pay attention to unless it makes the playoffs.

Therefore, after a game like this, this must be done in order to attract attention from the outside world and increase Han Sen's popularity.

After the game, Hansen returned home and made a video call with Swift. Swift has been busy producing a new single recently, and the two have not seen each other for some time.

While he was on the phone, Han Sen saw the black fan value of +1.5 constantly popping up in the black fan system.

After the call, he checked social media and found that there were many "new black fans" attacking him.

"You know nothing. The league conducted an unfair selection. KD was willing to do this just to support his teammates!"

"You don't know how great KD is, because of the joke he made earlier (bath water), you just want to see him make a fool of himself now."

"Han is no match for KD. KD can beat him one on one. He just relied on better teammates."

Han Sen couldn't help but laugh at the comments.

He just said one sentence at the press conference, and Durant's defense was broken like this. It was a real performance.

But this kind of defense breaking is good.

Although the Grizzlies are now leading 2-1, the strength of the two teams is very close. At this time, whoever has internal problems may fall first.

Two days later, the Grizzlies continued to host the Thunder at home.

The two sides were still evenly matched, but when it came to the decisive moment, some details on the field became the decisive factors of the game.

Durant chose a tough stand-up singles at the last moment, but he was often beaten by Allen and Battier, and his efficiency was not high after his physical strength declined.

Hansen's attempt to sow discord was too obvious, and Durant would not go so far as to create a conflict with Westbrook.

But the absence of conflicts does not mean there will be no impact.

Especially Durant's true character, which was clearly revealed in the comments from those small accounts after the game. It will become an instinct at critical moments and affect the players' choices.

On the other hand, the Grizzlies are still playing their team basketball.

Hansen didn't have a good touch in this game, so he tied the defense on the weak side to create opportunities for Randolph and Gasol Jr. in the interior.

In the end, Randolph and Gasol Jr. scored a combined 50 points and 31 rebounds in the interior, and the Grizzlies won another game at home 101-93, leading 3-1 and looking very likely to advance.

Earlier, the Hawks also beat the Magic 88-85, also leading 3-1. According to this trend, the upsets in the East and West are irreversible, and Stan is highly respected.

The next game of the series will be in Oklahoma, and before leaving, the Grizzlies will conduct daily training in Memphis.

The content of the training was no different from usual, focusing on low-post tactics. The only difference was that Gay went to the sidelines to do bicycle riding.

Although he cannot play in the game, he still needs to maintain his body shape, and now that he has recovered as expected, he has been able to do some off-ball training.

During the halftime break in the training, Guy got off the bike and came to Hansen.

"You said the game isn't played like this, so why do we continue training like this?" Guy looked puzzled.

Han Sen was about to answer when he heard a cough.

Hollins sat behind them at some point.

Guy's move was a direct attack on the face.

Guy looked back and said nothing. Was he wrong?
Han Sen was about to say something when Hollins got up and left.

Han Sen couldn't help but pat Guy on the shoulder and said, "Why don't you just ride your bike properly?"

Two days later, the Thunder got back on track by defeating the Grizzlies 111-102 at home.

In this game, Durant only took 17 shots, hit 11 of them, and scored 26 points. It seems that he did not have a strong desire to attack.

But Westbrook and Harden both scored 20+, and even Ibaka scored 15 points.

The Thunder had been playing superstar basketball before, but after being forced into a desperate situation in this game, they started playing team basketball.

And this result also shows that what Durant said on his trumpet was pure nonsense. When it comes to teammates, no one can beat this Thunder team except the Heat.

In the sixth game of the series, the two sides returned to Memphis to compete again.

Although the Grizzlies still hold the match point, the Thunder have the home-court advantage. If they cannot end the series at home, the seventh game will be played at the Thunder's home court, and they will be in great danger.

This is where the variables of the series lie. The Grizzlies only lost one game, but they have been pushed to the edge of the cliff.

On the edge of the cliff, Hollins made his choice. He also chose to trust his instincts and tactically played inside.

This time he ignored the reactions of his players and even imitated Popovich's five-up-five-down move.

He obviously wanted to prove that losing G5 meant that the previous method didn't work, and that if he wanted to win, he still had to rely on his way.

The result was that the Grizzlies played their worst game of the series, like they were hitting a steel shield with a sledgehammer, getting no response other than a dull thud.

This led to their eventual 71-99 loss to the Thunder.

The two sides will face a decisive seventh game, and the Grizzlies lost Game 6 in a crushing defeat, and their morale has also hit rock bottom.

This was vividly demonstrated on the plane to Oklahoma the day after G6.

Although the team's general manager Wallace traveled with the team to the away game, the plane was eerily quiet.

After arriving in Oklahoma City, Hollins did not give the players time to rest and immediately organized team training.

He wanted to increase the team members' sense of urgency in this way, but soon discovered that Han Sen did not come.

He was about to lose his temper when Jorgel beside him whispered in his ear that Hansen had asked for leave because he was not feeling well.

"Why don't you look for me?" Hollins asked loudly. He felt that he was too indulgent towards Han Sen. Did Han Sen really not take him as the head coach seriously?

"How about I contact him again?"

"Don't worry about him, just train!" Hollins turned around and yelled at the Grizzlies players.

Not long after the training started, Hollins' cell phone rang. After he picked it up and chatted for a few words, he asked Joerger to lead the team to continue training, and then took a taxi to the team hotel.

The call was from Wallace, but when he knocked on Wallace's door, he saw Han Sen besides Wallace.

Han Sen looked energetic and apparently had no physical discomfort.

He knew it was so!
But before he could scold, Wallace spoke up: "Lionel, I think you and Han need to have a conversation."

Han Sen certainly wasn't feeling physically unwell, but he was feeling mentally unwell because he didn't want to lose to the Thunder in such a shitty way.

He also knew Hollins' character. Since Battier's previous method of persuading him was useless, he could only use the method of "one thing conquers another".

Although Hollins is a powerful coach, he is still a coach at heart, not someone like James who can influence or even determine management decisions.

This was further confirmed by Hollins' reaction in G3.

Although Hollins was unhappy after hearing this, he had no choice but to sit opposite Hansen.

"Before we start, I hope this conversation can be conducted in a peaceful manner. I don't want to see an argument, which is meaningless."

After Wallace finished speaking, he did not leave, but sat on the sofa in the middle.

"We can't beat the Thunder by sticking to the inside attack. G1 was just an accident. G2, G6, and even G3 can prove the problem." Han Sen said directly.

"The team lost in Game 5 as well," Hollins retorted.

"We have to admit that the Thunder played well in Game 5, but that was just one game. Both Game 3 and Game 4 showed that only by combining internal and external forces can we have a chance to win the game."

"Can you guarantee that you can win Game 7?" Hollins asked.

"No one can guarantee victory, but I know that with the way you play, we have no chance in Game 7."

"Why do you make such a conclusion? You have only played in the league for a few years? I have been in the league for 20 years!" Hollins was a little angry.

"Only the weak would use seniority as an excuse." Han Sen was fed up with Hollins's heavy-handed attack internally and his submissive attitude toward external parties.

"Shut up!" Hollins slammed the table and stood up.

"You should shut up. You were leading 3-1 but were defeated and eliminated in the first round. If that was the result, would you still have the nerve to continue sitting here?" Han Sen also stood up and said bluntly.

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

Hollins' face turned red, but he could only sit down angrily.

"Han, be careful with your words. Lionel is the head coach." Wallace then turned to look at Han Sen and reminded him.

Before trading Han Sen, he had communicated with Ferry because they had a good relationship. Ferry told him about Han Sen's character problems. Seeing is believing.

Hollins sat down and said nothing more. Hansen's words touched his pain point.

The team won 52 games this year, even without Gay, and broke the playoff unbeaten record. Even if they lose to the Thunder, he can report to the management.

But the problem is that the Grizzlies' performance exceeded expectations, leading by a big score of 3-1, which completely whetted the appetite of fans, and some even began to fantasize about the championship.

If the team is really defeated 3-4 in the end, he will be blamed as the head coach.

He is not Doc Rivers. He does not have a championship as a get-out-of-jail-free card, so he will be the first to bear the brunt of the blame.

"I never thought we were worse than the Thunder. Even without Rudy, we still managed to lead 3-1. Even if we have to play a tiebreaker away from home, I still believe we can win."

After seeing that Hollins hadn't responded, Han Sen continued to suggest,

"If you're afraid of losing in a Game 7, you can get sick and let Dave (Joerger) run the team."

Hollins' face flushed. He seemed to know why Hansen missed the training due to "physical discomfort" and he even thought of a reason for it.

He looked at Wallace. Hansen was going too far, but he found that Wallace was also looking at him curiously.

Wallace seemed to be really considering this seemingly absurd suggestion.

"I don't have any physical problems!" Hollins said immediately. Of course, he couldn't accept Hansen's suggestion. If the Grizzlies won, how could he still stay in the Grizzlies?
Winning is not scary, but it will be embarrassing if someone is missing!
"I'll go back to my old style." He finally gave in.

Han Sen shrugged. His previous judgment was indeed correct. Hollins only looked tough like his face, but it was just an appearance.

"Chris, why do you support such a disobedient player?" After Hansen left, Hollins stayed and chatted with Wallace.

Hansen has only been with the team for one season, but the two of them have worked together for more than three years and have become old friends.

"Lionel, Han wants to win."

Hollins frowned. This was the third person he had heard this from, from Battier, Joerger, to Wallace.

"He has actually saved your face." It was only now that Wallace realized that Hollins was not good at handling interpersonal relationships.

Hollins thought he had heard wrongly.

"In fact, you should have known in Game 3 that he had won the support of his teammates. If he really wanted to target you, he could have used the player-versus-coach approach, but he didn't do that. It's not that he didn't dare, but because he knew that if he did that, the Grizzlies' season would be over."

In a evenly matched match, any team that has any internal problems will fall first, and the Thunder has already verified this in Game 4.

"Why do you believe he can do it?" Hollins was still unwilling to accept it. After all, it was a fact that they lost in Game 5.

Wallace laughed at this time.

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

Hollins looked Wallace straight in the eye.

"He said: When two people meet on a narrow road, the brave prevail. When facing a strong opponent, even if you know you may not win, you must still draw your sword resolutely. Even if you fall, you must make your opponent tremble in fear."

After Wallace finished speaking, he stroked his chin and turned his head.
"What do you say? How about we write it down and put it in the locker room? Like the '101 knocks' in San Antonio?"

It was at this moment that he noticed Hollins standing there in a daze.

(End of this chapter)