Chapter 720: Chapter 720

Hansen received Jokic’s long pass at the front court, shook off Bradley’s defense, and jumped up.

Bradley wanted to take Hansen down like Horford did before, but he overlooked the weight difference between the two.

As a result, he ended up being carried by Hansen in the air, like Hansen’s cloak.

Hansen completed this "cloak layup," and the referee’s whistle followed.

The crowd was in an uproar.

Though saying this hurts our own morale, giving up defense when being outmaneuvered by Hansen one-on-one is the best choice.

Bradley, at this moment, helplessly shook his head while watching the replay on the LED screen.

Facing Hansen truly requires a very strong heart, otherwise, you might easily collapse. Googlᴇ search 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝙣𝙚𝙩

At this point, the whistle blew at the sideline, and Pierce, ready in his jersey, was preparing to enter the game.

A cheer erupted from the fans in the arena.

The biggest heart in Boston was taking the stage.

Pierce replaced Little Thomas.

Hansen turned around, saw Pierce entering, and couldn’t help but laugh.

The dead memories fully awakened at this moment.

When Pierce stood at the free-line side, Hansen politely said:

"Paul, so you haven’t retired yet?"

Hansen’s way of acting like the teams hadn’t met in the regular season, Pierce naturally knew it was trash talk.

Recalling past defeats, Pierce chose to snort coldly and ignore him.

"Sorry." Hansen received the ball from the referee,

"I wronged you. If you were to retire, you should have a sensational retirement tour like Kobe."

After speaking, Hansen made the additional free throw and turned to walk away.

Pierce turned green in an instant.

Last season, Pierce had an average of only 6 points, and his shooting dropped below 40%. Plus, he was 39 years old this season, making it actually his final season.

Witnessing Kobe’s sensational retirement tour last season, he originally planned to emulate it this season.

However, worried that he wouldn’t have enough status and no one would come, making it embarrassing, he finally chose to give up.

Who would have thought Hansen was like a spy in his mind, unexpectedly saying it out loud!

But Pierce always boasted himself as on par with Kobe, and even if Hansen wasn’t a transmigrator, it was easy to guess what Pierce was thinking.

After Little Thomas left the field, Cavaliers shifted their defensive focus onto Durant.

Under Durant’s double-team, he delivered a wonderful pass; Pierce, experienced, outmaneuvered JR with a cut, received Durant’s pass, and made a layup that drew TT’s foul.

"You ought to show some respect to a veteran."

Standing at the free-throw line, Pierce angrily spoke to Hansen.

Everyone grows old; doesn’t Hansen fear being treated that way when he’s old?

"No problem." Hansen, facing Pierce’s pleading tone, softened,

"Just tell me this is your final season, and I’ll respect you like I respected Kobe last season."

Respecting by rupturing an Achilles, like what was done to Kobe?

"You’re a real bastard!" Pierce cursed.

The referee’s warning whistle sounded.

Hansen shook his head.

Sometimes you must admit the influence of media, it’s like instantly everyone thought he was a bastard.

Pierce made one out of two free throws.

Coming back, Hansen signaled JR to screen for him, then brought Pierce face-to-face.

If you all think that way, what reason do I have not to show that side of me!

His move made the Cavaliers players’ hearts tremble.

Hansen bullied the old (Pierce) and the young (Towns), a rogue behavior, it was real evidence now.

Pierce clearly couldn’t keep up with Hansen’s pace; the Celtics chose to double-team.

However, Hansen accelerated past the first layer of double-team, and seeing Olynyk rushing over, quickly passed the ball to Jokic.

With no one defending under the rim, Jokic, who had just felt the surge, held the ball and delivered a two-handed slam.

Hansen turned around and spread his hands at Pierce.

"See, I keep my word."

Kobe disrupted Jordan’s All-Star game, viewed by Kobe fans as the utmost respect to Jordan, and thus Hansen also respected in the same manner in last season’s finals.

Since Pierce also wanted it, he gave it to him; he’s not a stingy person.

Stevens’ handsome face was now furrowed, and you could fit a pen between his brows.

Generally speaking, players have a stronger desire to play at home games than away games, but after Hansen arrived in Boston, it was as if he had added bloodthirstiness.

But you can’t blame him; seven years ago, Stevenson was still in the NCAA, and he wasn’t aware of the grudges between Hansen, the Celtics, and Pierce.

Durant, amid a double team, continued to showcase his ball-handling skills, slinging the ball to the far weak side to Bradley.

However, the Cavaliers’ players on the floor were even more aggressive on defense now, and Bradley’s shot was disrupted by Covington, causing it to miss.

TT boxed out Horford to secure the defensive rebound.

The Cavaliers advanced into the frontcourt territory, and Hansen continued to signal JR for a screen.

Bradley didn’t want to switch now, but JR’s speed after the screen and roll was too fast, and he eventually got taken away.

Hansen matched up with Pierce once again, holding the ball in one hand.

The boos filled the arena.

Hansen takes a step back, drives to the right, followed by a step-back to shoot beyond the three-point line.

As a master of the step-back, Pierce was all too familiar with this move, but even at this moment, he didn’t have time to leap forward.

Players age, and it always starts with the legs.

Hansen’s three-pointer was sharp and decisive.

After the Celtics started with a 6-0 run, the Cavaliers counterattacked with a 15-3 wave.

Hansen scored 13 of those points!

And this was only half a quarter.

When Hansen came to Boston, it felt like returning to campus after graduation; the memories surged, making it hard to control his body.

In fact, not just Hansen, even O’Neal at the commentary desk instinctively glanced at the technical desk with Pierce’s appearance.

Though they didn’t make it to the Finals back then, those memories were even more unforgettable than winning the championship with the Mavericks later.

After returning from the timeout, Pierce was substituted by Smart.

Stevens also realized that having Pierce on the floor only made Hansen more excited.

Smart contributed immediately, making a cut to receive a pass from Durant and finishing with a layup.

The Celtics’ passing and cutting system is their foundational asset.

The score felt satisfying.

But turning back, Hansen was already backing down Bradley, continuing his one-on-one play.

Stevenson’s judgment was both right and wrong, because what excited Hansen wasn’t Pierce or someone else, but the sense of immersiveness.

This destined that he would be different tonight from the past two games.

Bradley almost had the word "pain" written across his face; he’s a top 3-and-D player, but tonight, Hansen made him neither 3 nor D.

The Celtics’ strong side help defense came, and Hansen made a pivot jump shot from the free-throw line.

Bradley was half a step behind due to Hansen’s pressure, and when he lunged forward, he obviously couldn’t interfere.

Hansen’s shot went in again!

He hadn’t missed a single shot tonight.

Some fans in the arena couldn’t help but hold their heads in disbelief.

Hansen was simply unstoppable!

And this was completely different from the feeling seven years ago.

Seven years ago, Hansen performed well, but tonight Hansen was frighteningly strong.

The Celtics’ defense was completely ineffective in his eyes.

"Shaq, do you remember how Han’s ’terminator of the technical desk’ came about?" Barkley turned to O’Neal at the commentary desk to ask.

"Of course I remember, Han jumped onto Boston’s technical desk, shouting ’who is your daddy’!" O’Neal wouldn’t forget.

"No, no, you remember it wrong." Unexpectedly, his response was refuted by Barkley.

"Han indeed jumped on the Boston technical desk, but what he said wasn’t ’who is your daddy,’ but ’I am your daddy’."

O’Neal was stunned for a moment, then nodded his head.

Barkley was at the commentary desk back then, and since the nickname came from him, his memory of it was naturally deeper.

These two phrases are different because the first was chanted by Cavaliers fans back then, while the latter was an emotional outburst from Hansen after his game-winner.

Barkley continued, rubbing his chin, breaking into a fatherly smile:

"So you know, once a father, always a father."