The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball
Chapter 322 - 178 "Seeing Memphis

Chapter 322: Chapter 178 "Seeing Memphis

"Mike Brown, do something! You’re letting Han score too much!" Barkley was getting anxious.

"Charles, if you admit defeat now, I’ll let you wear shorts while you run away," O’Neal laughed heartily.

"The game has four quarters; you’re getting cocky too early," Barkley had already forgotten his own previous boastfulness.

"The Grizzlies are winning tonight, that’s the experience talking from five NBA champions."

Barkley’s face puffed up with annoyance; he couldn’t stand it when O’Neal acted like he’d die if he didn’t mention those five championships.

Kobe finally scored in the next round; he chose the simplest play, catching the ball in an off-ball movement and making a tough shot against Allen.

Allen was really strong at dodging screens, but even the strongest defenders have a timing mismatch, which gave Kobe the chance to shoot.

And Allen’s height limited his defensive capabilities, allowing Kobe to turn the offense into a direct comparison of talent.

Though caught off guard, Kobe showcased his ability to adjust as a top-tier star.

And when he turned around, as Hansen dribbled to break through, Kobe left Allen to double team him.

Barkley was about to boast, but what happened next on the court made him swallow his words back.

Seeing Kobe double teaming, Hansen didn’t retreat but advanced, pushing the ball forward and performing a basketball version of a dribble-split!

Such a move is very prone to losing control of the ball, but Hansen displayed perfect dribbling control; although the ball went ahead with a spin, he broke through the trap and regained control of it on time.

This technique, usually seen in point guards, drew gasps from the crowd.

Sideline, Brown finally resolved his confusion: Hansen had evolved again!

This was outrageous; who evolves in the middle of a playoff series?

Okafor helped in defense, Hansen leaped towards Okafor, then passed the ball under Okafor’s armpit to Randolph under the basket.

Randolph, completely unguarded, easily scored a two-pointer off the backboard.

Although Hansen didn’t explode in scoring like against the Mavericks in Game 1, his opponents still couldn’t contain him.

Paul and Big Gasol finally scored a mid-range after a pick and roll.

Turning back, under Brown’s signal, Barnes incredibly gave Hansen a big cushion.

That was being coerced by Hansen’s breakthroughs.

Hansen, without any hesitation, shot the ball.

The distance was such that Barnes’s approach was just about as good as no interference.

"Swish!"

The basketball netted perfectly.

He hadn’t shot much tonight, focusing on drives, but driving was effective in building his shooting rhythm.

Paul, after a pick and roll, deceived Randolph and scored with a floater in the paint.

Then, when Hansen got the ball again,’ Kobe switched to defend him.

From Brown’s expression on the sideline, this didn’t seem to be his call—as much as they needed Kobe’s offense, especially since it was only the first quarter. Using Kobe too early might result in fatigue issues like those seen in the regular season game they lost to the Grizzlies.

But Kobe clearly had his own considerations.

If they couldn’t suppress Hansen’s offense, the Lakers might fall behind during the starting period, and there might not even be a chance for a last-quarter comeback.

And since Paul had found his offensive rhythm, the Lakers’ offense hadn’t stalled.

Seeing Kobe, Hansen seemed undeterred, instead excited.

The Lakers had a strong lineup, but ultimately, it revolved around Kobe’s offense. If they could wear Kobe out in the first three quarters, the Grizzlies’ chances of winning would greatly increase.

As was fully demonstrated during the regular season game, Paul could play fantastically during critical moments.

But the Grizzlies were different; they played team basketball, especially confident after defeating the Mavericks, anyone dared to take critical shots at crucial moments.

Hansen received a pass from Conley, and Kobe aggressively pressed on defense.

Hansen didn’t rush his offense, holding the ball with his right hand and leaning forward.

Although Kobe’s defense had its flaws, it was negligible compared to James; his one-on-one defensive ability was strong.

To get past him, Hansen had to be clean and sharp.

Kobe’s gaze sharpened, what Hansen didn’t realize was that this one-handed holding was one of Kobe’s least favorite stances.

Hansen performed a triple threat sweep, then rapidly moved right for a quick break.

Kobe quickly kept up, his footwork both fine and brisk, allowing him to closely follow Hansen.

Hansen couldn’t shake Kobe; he pulled the ball back between his legs.

This move had previously thrown off Barnes, but Kobe clearly wasn’t Barnes; he pressed up again.

But this time, while looking at the basket Hansen kept his right hand close to the basketball, then quickly changed direction with his left hand in a fake shot.

Kobe didn’t jump, but his instinctive forward lean allowed Hansen to get past him.

[Uncle Drew], after reaching a bottleneck, not only found it easier to perform moves like the fake shot, but also improved his agility and coordination, enabling him to change direction faster.

This was essentially why he could shake Paul previously.

This was his biggest difference from Irving; Irving’s techniques, lacking explosive power, often ended up stationary, but he could quickly surpass his defender.

Kobe still didn’t give up, doggedly chasing from behind.

But Hansen didn’t give him the chance, accelerating straight to the basket and, facing Okafor, executed a slam dunk over him.