The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball
Chapter 246 - 147 Desperate Situation_2

Chapter 246: Chapter 147 Desperate Situation_2

The Mavericks certainly weren’t about to let Hansen have his way; they were in rotation.

Hansen seized the opportunity, pulling up for a mid-range jumper.

"Swoosh!"

The shot went up, the ball came down.

The American Airlines Center stirred with unease.

It was hard to count just how many times that night Hansen had stepped up to save the Grizzlies!

At this point, they could almost understand why it was the Grizzlies and not the Thunders standing before them.

This sophomore player might not have Durant’s strength, but his presence in the game was unmatched.

Hansen turned back around and continued to guard Nowitzki in the low post.

This time he chose to actively confront Nowitzki, disrupting his shooting rhythm.

This approach was quite similar to how he previously guarded Durant.

Nowitzki found it difficult to take a shot, so he opted for a post-up play.

Although Nowitzki and Durant played similarly, one was an inside player and the other an outside player. Hansen was forced to sink his weight to hold his ground.

After holding his position for a few moments, Nowitzki turned and went into his signature Golden Chicken Stance to shoot again.

Hansen successfully anticipated Nowitzki’s release, using his agility and physicality to make a strong defensive leap from the side to disrupt the shot.

Nowitzki was once again forced to raise the arc of his shot.

It had to be said, presently, Hansen was the Grizzly player who guarded Nowitzki the best.

The ball sailed over Hansen’s fingertips, tracing an extraordinarily high parabola in the air.

"Clang!"

The ball hit the front of the rim, rebounded off the backboard, then after bouncing around the rim a couple times, it fell through the net.

"Damn it!"

Hansen swore at the sight.

He truly understood the meaning of "divine intervention."

Nowitzki’s skill wasn’t to such an overpowering extent, but his form and perhaps luck that night were excessively good.

Hollins called for a timeout, and after the break, both teams put their starters back in.

Hansen played excellently in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points, matching Nowitzki’s quarter score.

But due to the hole the Grizzlies had dug themselves earlier, they ultimately lost to the Mavericks with a score of 112 to 121.

After the game, the stats showed Hansen with a team-high 38 points, Randolph with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Conley with 18 points and 6 assists, Little Gasol with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks, and Crawford with 12 points.

Nowitzki made 12 out of 15 shots, sinking all 24 free throws, scoring a new playoff career-high of 48 points. Terry added 24 points, Baria 21 points, and Jide with 3 points and 11 assists.

After the game ended, Hansen was seen encouraging Little Gasol.

The Grizzlies tried many players on Nowitzki that night, but most of the time it was Little Gasol guarding him.

Little Gasol attempted everything, but nothing proved effective.

The most representative moment came in the fourth quarter, where he put in all his might, only to watch Nowitzki sink a relaxed fadeaway shot.

Nowitzki had killed his spirit.

"We tried everything, but we couldn’t stop him from scoring, we were helpless," Hollins expressed candidly in front of the reporters.

No reporter thought his words were soft because even Van Gundy used exaggerated language towards the end of the game: "I am in awe of his toughness. I’m going to name my first son Derk!"

Nowitzki’s performance that night began to make some people remove the label of softness that had long been unfairly stuck to him.

"Yes, we were helpless against him. In all my years in the League, I have never seen such a crazy performance," Randolph was won over by Nowitzki.

"Han, what is your view on Derk’s performance tonight?" a reporter finally threw a similar question at Hansen.

"I should have gone to guard him earlier. If I had realized that sooner, things might have been different," Hansen’s response differed from Hollins and Randolph’s.

Although he was also shocked by Nowitzki’s performance, he didn’t believe they were completely out of options.

"I’m curious, with Derk performing so incredibly, how did you manage to keep your confidence in the game the entire time? What I mean is, most people would tell themselves, ’Okay, tonight’s his night, just let it be, we’ll win back the next game.’"

All the reporters turned their attention to Hansen.

Besides Nowitzki’s godlike performance, what left the deepest impression that night was Hansen’s repeated rescues of the Grizzlies.

"I can accept defeat, but I absolutely cannot accept giving up," Hansen stated firmly.

Nobody can win forever, but losing and giving up are two different things.

It was at that moment that reporters fully grasped Hansen’s competitive spirit.

Perhaps they should have known earlier, because in last season’s playoffs, Hansen fought for the Cavaliers until he was out for the season.

But back then, with James still on the Cavaliers, the reports on Hansen were limited.

"They played better than us tonight, but that doesn’t mean they will every night. We still have an equal chance," Hansen added.

The Mavericks’ strength was indeed greater than that of the Thunders and Spurs, teams they encountered earlier, but in a series, no one knows the outcome until the very last second.

After the Grizzlies’ press conference ended, Nowitzki and Terry arrived at the media area.

"His performance was incredible, the tenacity he showed during the game made me think we couldn’t win,"

When asked about the difficulties he faced during the night, Nowitzki voluntarily mentioned Hansen, praising him profusely.