The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball-Chapter 392 - 205 "I Think Guy is Stronger than James

By the end of the first half, the Grizzlies were tied with the Heat at 58.

Hansen had scored 30 points by halftime, putting on his strongest performance of the season.

Or rather, after coasting for a month, Hansen had finally exploded in one half of the game.

Into the third quarter, Spoelstra did not double-team Hansen, because he knew that letting Hansen orchestrate the Grizzlies’ offense would be more troublesome.

And when Wade was on the court, Spoelstra felt reassured.

Hansen indeed hoped the Heat would double-team him, because the power of a team always surpasses that of an individual.

But when the game situation resembled the first quarter, and the Heat team brought Ray Allen in again looking to widen the score gap, Hansen had to choose more individual offense.

It wasn’t so easy to play against Wade, but he could use pick and rolls with Little Gasol, exploiting Perkins as the weak point.

He continued his first-half form, his mid-range jump shots consecutively hitting the mark.

And when Spoelstra countered by bringing Haslem into the game, Hansen started exploiting Bosh.

Bosh’s weight gain couldn’t only bring benefits, as it had slowed down his mobility.

The Grizzlies players knew Hansen was hot that night and confidently set screens for him, creating opportunities.

Hansen put up another 16 points that quarter, and by the end of the third, the arena’s LED screen displayed Hansen’s stats.

With 46 points, he had tied McGrady’s 2002 record, ranking fifth highest in the history of NBA Christmas Day games.

And there was still a full quarter of game time left.

When teamwork isn’t enough to win, you have to rely on talent to solve the problem.

In the final quarter, Spoelstra finally decided to double-team Hansen.

And then he discovered he should have done it earlier.

Even though the Grizzlies played team-oriented offense and scored plenty, the Heat still took control of the game.

Clearly, when neither side could prevent the other from scoring, what it came down to was the power to score explosively.

And the Grizzlies’ low post game was inherently at a disadvantage against the Heat’s.

Or to put it another way, without Hansen, the Grizzlies would have been a very tough team, one that could really make you suffer, even skin you alive, but ultimately, you would still emerge as the victor.

It was Hansen who, with his individual ability, forcibly lifted his team’s ceiling.

When the game entered the last five minutes, the Heat team once again widened the gap to double digits.

They once more proved they were the better team.

That was when Joerger showed his adaptability as a coach, substituting Jamison for Randolph, opting not to play the positional game with the Heat.

Jamison’s entry greatly enhanced the Grizzlies’ offensive spacing, especially since he was in great form, hitting a three-pointer from downtown upon his arrival.

This significantly reduced the defensive pressure Hansen encountered on offense.

However, the downside was that it weakened the Grizzlies’ interior defense.

Although Joerger had Little Gasol switch to defend Bosh and had Jamison guard the less threatening Perkins in advance, this inevitably weakened the Grizzlies’ rebounding.

Or rather, this was a true test of Little Gasol’s defensive capabilities in the paint; he had to guard Bosh and still manage to protect the rebound.

And it turned out that Little Gasol held his ground!

In his fifth year as a professional and at 27 years old, he was clearly no longer the younger Gasol, but rather had entered the prime of his career.

On the offensive end, the Heat team tried to break through using Jamison, but instead found themselves mired in a bog, as the Grizzlies seized the opportunity to launch fast breaks time and time again.

With the last minute of the game upon them, the Grizzlies went on a tear, equalizing the score at 112 all over again.

Spoelstra called for a timeout.

This Christmas Day game was far too dramatic, with the Heat twice extending the lead only to be caught up twice by the Grizzlies.

After the timeout, it was the Heat’s ball possession.

"Defense! Defense!"

The chants for defense from Memphis fans filled the arena.

The intensity of the Grizzlies’ defense at this time was maxed out.

With their momentum from equalizing the score, and having overcome a deficit twice, they were determined not to lose such a game.

Spoelstra had arranged tactics for Ray Allen during the timeout, looking for a surprise but was unsuccessful under the Grizzlies’ defense.

With not much time left, the ball ended up in Durant’s hands out on the perimeter.

Durant motioned for a clear out and, after a large crossover against Guy, pulled up for a three-pointer.

Even though the crossover was wide, Guy wasn’t shaken off. Rising high, his long arms provided plenty of interference for Durant.

"Swish!"

But Durant displayed his historic level of strong shooting, scoring despite Guy’s tough defense.

The cheering in the venue stopped abruptly, and Durant, after making the shot, pounded his chest and roared.

The sweat he had shed on Christmas Eve, no, the sweat he had shed night and day since coming to Miami, was for moments just like this.

This three-pointer was devastating.

It wasn’t just about helping the Heat regain a 3-point lead; more importantly, it directly extinguished the Grizzlies’ momentum for a comeback.

The Grizzlies didn’t call for a timeout.

Hansen took the ball and pushed forward to the front court.

Spoelstra seemed to remember something, recalling last season when Hansen had made a half-court buzzer-beater against the Heat.

Under his signal, the defending Wade started an aggressive press.

But Hansen seized the opportunity, using a behind-the-back dribble followed by an acceleration to slip past Wade.