The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball-Chapter 433 - 223: The Modern Jordan

After the timeout, Hill took the court, replacing Chalmers.

The significant disadvantage at the beginning forced Spoelstra to make a choice; he had to sacrifice some defense for offense.

The moment Hill took the court, the arena erupted in overwhelming cheers.

Previously, with Hill’s indispensable contribution, the Heat had eliminated the Pacers, not to mention his maximum performance needed in the Finals.

Hill’s entry had an immediate impact; his ball-handling at the top of the key meant Conley dared not collapse to help defensively, and when Durant created an opportunity through a screen, Hill’s pass got there promptly.

Durant took his mid-range shot before Randolph could get into defensive position.

"Swish!"

As the basketball went through the net, the Heat finally broke their scoring drought since the game started.

The crowd went wild, feeling as if they had been submerged underwater and finally came up for air.

However, when the camera panned across the faces of the Grizzlies’ players, their expressions were undisturbed.

You can’t expect the Heat to stay scoreless, forcing the Heat to make offensive choices they don’t want to make is also a defensive success.

Conley signaled Little Gasol to a high pick and roll as soon as he got to the frontcourt.

Now that Hill was on the floor, the Grizzlies couldn’t help but target him.

He was playing the point guard spot, matching up against Conley.

Perkins didn’t dare come out to defend, and with a secure mid-range shot after the screen, Conley scored with ease.

Defense led to offense, and the Grizzlies’ performance on the offensive end was equally impressive.

But turning back, Durant received a pass from Hill and nailed another three-pointer from the outside.

After scoring, Durant pounded his chest and roared towards the sidelines.

Cheers filled the arena.

Disregarding his lack of playmaking abilities, Durant’s personal form this season was incredibly hot.

It’s noteworthy that despite the Heat lacking a proper playmaker for quite some time, he was still able to average over 27 points a game in a team with The Big Three.

Just one Hill made him this comfortable; had he really teamed up with James or if the Thunders had traded for James with other assets, without saying anything else, Durant’s scoring average would be at least 30 points as a baseline.

to 5.

After Durant scored 5 points in quick succession, the atmosphere on the court immediately changed.

When the Grizzlies advanced to the frontcourt again, defensive chants thundered throughout the American Airlines Arena.

The Heat’s defensive intensity was clearly on the rise.

Conley continued to target Hill, but this time, Bosh’s help defense provided interference and Perkins managed to defend the paint against the Grizzlies’ big men, securing the defensive rebound.

It was Durant again; after receiving the ball, he penetrated the paint with his signature turnaround, drawing a foul and getting to the free-throw line.

As he stepped to the line, chants of "MVP" resonated in the arena.

Durant was the regular season MVP this season, so the chants were well-deserved.

Durant made both free throws, scoring 7 points in one go.

His scoring spree was reminiscent of Hansen’s performance against the Spurs.

With defensive shouts rising again, the momentum began to tilt in favor of the Heat.

Despite being down in the score, it was, after all, the Heat’s home court.

After reaching the frontcourt, Conley gestured for a new tactical signal.

Hansen went to run a pick and roll at the one-two spot, and after the defensive switch, Conley passed the ball to Hansen.

The 9-point deficit quickly narrowed to 4, and the Grizzlies needed to score to stabilize the situation.

The intention behind the pick and roll was still to target Hill.

Hansen, with the ball, directed the others to spread out for the isolation play.

The Heat’s defensive aggressiveness was high, pick and rolls could easily lead to double teams; isolation was the best option.

Hill’s expression remained unchanged; being traded by the Grizzlies didn’t affect him emotionally, after all, he had been injured for a while and was like a salary grab from the Grizzlies.

But the Heat’s fans didn’t see it that way, many were starting to jeer.

In their eyes, this was the perfect opportunity for Hill to exact "revenge."

Hansen bypassed Hill with a single step, coming to a sudden stop for a mid-range jumper near the free-throw line.

As Hill followed, he could only look up to see Hansen shoot.

"Swish!"

The sound of the net snapped the defensive chants to a halt.

Thanks to Popovich, one playoff series not only brought Hansen’s Illusion Step to its peak but also honed his mid-range touch perfectly.

Spoelstra was a bit troubled at this point.

Previously, the Pacers only had Paul George, but they could still exploit Hill.

The Grizzlies had Hansen, and Hansen could really turn Hill into an ATM.

Fortunately, Hill was still effective on offense.

Just as Durant’s screen drew the Grizzlies’ defense, Hill’s pass sliced through the defense, a bounce pass to the cutting Bosh underneath, who drew the foul on his layup, earning two free throws.

Hill was the kind of small forward who could rack up 21+9+7 in the 90s; his play was perfectly suited to connect this Heat team.

While Bosh stepped to the free-throw line, Hansen gathered the Grizzlies.

"We’re playing well; keep an eye on the passes, communicate, and stick to our game."

Hansen first stabilized his teammates’ mental state with some encouraging words, then signaled to Guy for a defensive switch.

He was walking the talk; the Grizzlies were focused on defense tonight.

"Defend Wade’s drives, you can ease up on his shooting, work more with Mark," Hansen advised Guy, reminding him. While Guy might struggle to guard Wade one-on-one due to speed differences, defense isn’t a one-man job.