Chapter 786: Chapter 786
However, it was obvious that for Hansen, his goal before the game was to win, and he achieved it.
Amidst the cheers of the fans, Hansen received his third All-Star Game MVP of his career.
It might sound a bit strange, but with 5 Finals MVPs and 3 MVPs, the All-Star MVPs are actually the fewest for him right now.
Hansen also shared his acceptance speech afterwards.
"This victory is dedicated to all the Cleveland fans."
Just as Hansen said he would pick Jokic first, he is straightforward in this regard.
But these are all true words, because the reason Hansen returned to Cleveland originally was because of the fans here.
After the cheers of the fans died down, Hansen also thanked those watching the All-Star Game on TV, as well as his teammates. Googlᴇ search 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚑𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚑𝙣𝙚𝙩
"This is my first time playing with James Harden, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Russell Westbrook...as teammates, but this is also the most enjoyable All-Star Game for me, because I chose the best teammates, this is a team victory, this is a trophy for all of us."
Teammates showed respect to Hansen, and Hansen was generous in his praises.
And not just with praises.
After the All-Star Game ended, Hansen took his teammates to the largest nightclub in Cleveland to celebrate.
The prosperity brought by sports has many effects, and naturally, places like nightclubs that release hormones have also risen.
So although Cleveland is small, the nightclubs now have quite a high status.
Harden was the happiest among them.
Initially left unpicked until the end, it was somewhat depressing, but who would’ve thought he’d not only have the ball in his hands in the final moments but also enjoy such benefits post-game; this trip to the Cleveland All-Star was indeed worth it.
"Han, it would be great if you were still in the West." Harden said with emotion.
"If I were in the West, wouldn’t we often meet in playoffs?" Hansen laughed and said.
Harden was momentarily stunned, as he only thought about having fun and forgot about this.
Considering that, it’s better for Hansen to stay in the East.
The All-Star Game ended, and the season moved into its second half.
The advance of the trade deadline has made the games after the All-Star Game a stage for teams to compete for playoff rankings.
On the West side, Cousins’ injury deprived the Warriors of continuing to hold the top spot in the West, and the number two and three, Rockets and Pelicans, began to compete for this position.
The race for the top spot in the East was also fierce.
The Cavaliers wanted to secure the top spot in the East to ensure they have enough advantage against the Celtics in the playoffs; the Celtics had the same idea.
Even if they looked stronger, losing the Christmas game and Hansen’s presence made them reluctant to easily give up this position.
Luck came to the Cavaliers’ side this time, as in mid-March, Irving suffered an injury and had to miss a month, resulting in the Celtics eventually giving up the top spot in the East.
It was also at this time that fans discovered just how impressive Hansen’s and Jokic’s attendance rates were.
No need to say much about Hansen, but Jokic was surprising.
Such a big guy, after gaining more weight this season, didn’t suffer injuries like most big men do.
If analyzed, Jokic’s rare dunking floor-style play puts less stress on his body, and his strong lower body from being overweight since a young age plays a role.
But in the end, it’s simply this: durability is indeed a part of talent.
Embiid plays like Towns but, unlike Towns, it’s mainly because of his glass build.
Drafted by the League in 2014, it wasn’t until the 2016-2017 season that he started playing, theoretically, players like him wouldn’t have a professional career.
In early April, the curtain for the 2017-2018 season fell.
In the West, the Rockets went full throttle in the second half, finishing with a 65-win best record in the League.
Harden performed exceptionally well, averaging 31.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game, making him a strong MVP candidate for the season.
The Pelicans ended up in second place in the West with 58 wins.
James averaged 27.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game, achieving the 27+7+7 for the first time in his career.
Davis averaged 26.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game.
The Warriors ranked third in the West with 54 wins.
Curry averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
These were the only three teams in the West with over 50 wins.
The Blazers ranked fourth with 49 wins.
The Jazz ranked fifth with 48 wins.
The Thunders ranked sixth with 48 wins.
The San Antonio Spurs ranked seventh with 47 wins.
The Clippers ranked eighth with 45 wins.
The Kings ended up with 42 wins, their best record since the 2005-2006 season, but ultimately finished ninth in the West and missed the playoffs.
Their 10th pick, Mitchell, produced a Rookie of the Year level performance, averaging 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals, with an average of 7 three-point attempts per game at a 34% success rate.
Who would become Rookie of the Year between him and Simmons was a major topic of discussion.
In comparison, Tatum’s rookie season could only be described as tepid, averaging 15.7 points, 6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, with a 40% three-point shooting as one of the few highlights.
There were also jokes about how the Kings seemed to have used their fifth pick to select Mitchell and their tenth pick to draft Tatum.
In the East, the Cavaliers ended their season with 62 wins.
Hansen averaged 33.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game.
Thanks to Malone’s tactical adjustments, Hansen’s average points per game reached a career high.
He and Harden are the top two MVP contenders this year.
Jokic averaged 23.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game.
Jokic also benefited from team tactics, achieving the best performance of his career so far.
Considering this is only his third season, the Cavaliers choosing Jokic is regarded as the most cost-effective draft pick in NBA history.
Gilbert might as well kneel several times to Hansen at this point, and it wouldn’t be too much.
The Celtics ranked second with 60 wins.
Durant averaged 26.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists;
Irving averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists;
Towns averaged 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks.
The Raptors ranked third with 58 wins.
The Bucks ranked fourth with 54 wins.
The 76ers ranked fifth with 51 wins.
The Pacers ranked sixth with 47 wins.
The Heat Team ranked seventh with 43 wins.
In last year’s draft, the Heat Team selected Lauri Markkanen with the seventh pick.
In his rookie season, he averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds, with a 36.2% three-point shooting percentage.
The Heat Team’s rebuilding speed was faster than expected.
The Wizards ranked eighth with 42 wins, and they would face the Cavaliers in the first round.
The overall strength of the Wizards didn’t decline compared to the past two seasons, and their record dipped mainly due to injuries.
One of their backcourt duo, and their absolute core, Wall, only played 44 games due to injury, especially hardly playing after the All-Star Game.
Fortunately, Wall made a return before the season ended, and his form wasn’t as bad as expected.
But regardless of whether Wall was injured or not, it’s very challenging for the Wizards to compete against the Cavaliers.
Especially on the inside, their starting center, the 33-year-old Gortat, showed a noticeable decline this season, averaging only 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds.
Additionally, their starting power forward Marquis Morris wasn’t an agile defensive player, giving Jokic a significant advantage inside.
This was eventually proven true.
The Cavaliers ultimately swept the Wizards 4-0.
In the 4 games, Jokic averaged 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, playing entirely like O’Neal.
There’s a famous saying in basketball: "He who controls the inside controls the world," and it certainly doesn’t lie.
After eliminating the Wizards, the Cavaliers then faced the 76ers in the second round.