The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball
Chapter 329 - 180 Death of the Lakers_3

Chapter 329: Chapter 180 Death of the Lakers_3

Paul passed the ball up to the front court and handed it to Kobe, as the others spread out.

Kobe faced Hansen in a one-on-one at the high post.

Sweat burst from Kobe’s forehead; you could fully sense his physical condition.

However, Hansen’s jersey was drenched too, not much better off.

Kobe initiated the attack, choosing to stop abruptly and go for a jump shot after facing the basket.

Even though he had more options, his physical strength wouldn’t support him in performing more complex offensive moves.

Such a move did not manage to shake Hansen off.

Hansen pressured him to stop the ball.

He tried to use a feint, but consecutive movements only drew Hansen closer to him.

Such feints, like James’s glance-at-the-floor fake before a three-pointer, only fooled himself.

In the end, Kobe habitually selected a difficult fadeaway jump shot.

Hansen jumped along to interfere.

Forced to increase his fadeaway angle, he nearly formed a 45-degree angle with the ground and made an extremely difficult shot.

The ball barely passed over Hansen’s fingertips, almost getting blocked again.

After tracing a high parabolic path...

"Swish!"

It hit the basket!

The FedEx Forum was in an uproar.

Such shots, Kobe could make!

After shooting, Kobe slid and fell backward, and after his teammates pulled him up, he excitedly tugged at his jersey.

A classic Kobe moment, challenging, strong-armed, and successful!

The Grizzlies called a timeout.

There were still 40 seconds left in the game, and the Grizzlies still had a chance to tie or lead the game.

The FedEx Forum was utterly silent, and the next round would determine whether the Grizzlies’ season ended here.

Some fans with weak hearts were already covering their faces, unable to watch.

Had they not lost to the Mavericks in Game 6 last year? Would they lose to the Lakers in the same manner this year?

After the timeout, the camera focused on Hansen.

The message was clear: other than Kobe, only Hansen had been scoring. If anyone could save the Grizzlies, it was Hansen!

Conley dribbled the ball up to the front court and gave it straight to Hansen.

Hansen dribbled the ball, waited as the strong side cleared, then gestured with a hand signal for Little Gasol to set a high screen and roll.

After the split, Hansen swiftly moved out and stepped back to raise his hand.

"He’s going for the three!"

Brown shouted from the sideline, knowing Hansen too well. Given Hansen’s nature, he wouldn’t settle for a two-point shot in a situation like this!

Kobe and Big Gasol both rushed towards Hansen.

However, unexpectedly, Hansen’s raised hands dropped in a major bounce.

The basketball rocketed through between Kobe and Big Gasol at high speed, bouncing into Little Gasol’s hands.

Catching the ball, Little Gasol held it high and rushed towards the basket.

Okafor was already firmly blocked by Randolph.

"Boom!"

With an emotion of catharsis, Little Gasol slammed the ball into the basket with all his might.

With 28 seconds left in the game, the Grizzlies tied the score again!

Brown was not wrong in his prediction; Hansen indeed didn’t settle for the two-point shot but chose to pass.

Perhaps, these last two rounds were a reflection of tonight’s game for both men.

Kobe kept trying to solve problems on his own, while Hansen always had his teammates in mind.

This time it was the Lakers’ turn to call a timeout.

After the timeout, Kobe directly dribbled the ball forward.

Once they reached the frontcourt, the rest of the Lakers again spread out, leaving Kobe and Hansen in another high one-on-one.

The game hinged on this play.

Kobe pressed against Hansen, running down the clock. With about ten seconds left on the shot clock, he initiated his move.

He didn’t choose to face the basket, but rather trusted the deadliest weapon he had honed over his entire career: the post-up play.

After turning and breaking to a high position, he pressured Hansen with several fake moves, then spun towards the baseline for a fadeaway.

Hansen jumped along with him.

Both players soared, competing for height, and Hansen’s fingertips touched the ball!

Although both were completely drained of energy, Hansen was a bit younger, a bit lighter after losing some weight—those slight differences made a decisive impact at that moment.

The ball didn’t touch the rim, instead falling into a crowd below the basket.

After a scramble, Little Gasol got the ball, but before he could raise it up, Paul swiftly poked the ball away!

However, Paul poked his finger during the process, didn’t secure the ball, and it ended up going out of bounds.

It was a close call, but the possession was awarded to the Grizzlies.

They had the last 3.6 seconds left.

Joerger was about to call for a timeout when the referee gestured it was an offensive court ball.

That instantly caused an uproar.

It wasn’t just a bad call, it was blatantly unfair!

Since the "possession challenge" rule didn’t exist yet, this gave the referees a lot of leeway.

The Grizzlies players were visibly upset, and boos filled the arena.

The possession was crucial!

However, the referees didn’t overturn their decision, or rather, they couldn’t.

Since the Lakers had no timeouts left, Paul quickly shook off the pain in his hand and walked briskly towards the sideline, waving frantically to signal tactics for the inbound play.

"Stick to your man!" Hansen shouted loudly.

His yelling gradually calmed down the Grizzlies. This match had seemed like a 5 against 8, no one expected fair judgment in the final moments.

Kobe was moving around, and Big Gasol blocked Hansen.

Paul raised his hand ready to pass, but in the instant he was to release the ball, he spotted Hansen flashing to the side, ready to burst forward.

He wanted to hold onto the ball, but a sting in his finger made the ball drift as it left his hands.

"Watch out!"

"Snap!"

Following Paul’s warning, just before the ball reached Kobe, Hansen completed a steal!

The moment he touched the ball, it was as if a boundless force burst forth from within Hansen. He thrust forward, shaking off Kobe who was trying to defend him, and Paul too, who had run back onto the court.

The cheering from the crowd was unstoppable.

Hansen was like an arrow shot from a bow, unstoppable.

He was racing against time.

Hansen rushed past mid-court to the three-point line in the frontcourt.

There wasn’t enough time for him to drive inside for a layup, he had to opt for a desperate three-pointer at the buzzer.

Because of momentum, his body still moving forward, he made an unconventional, archer-like three-point shot in mid-air.

The ball left his hand, spinning towards the basket.

Before it reached its highest point, the red light on the side of the court had already lit up.

The breath of the fans in the arena was held at that moment, their hearts uncontrollably pounding.

Because he had drifted inside the three-point line when he shot, the distance was actually shorter than a typical three-pointer.

"Swoosh!"

Yet, it still pierced through the Lakers’ heart like an arrow!