Chapter 835: Chapter 835
After Tatum delivered a high-level performance, the fans saw the true strength of the Kings for the first time.
Or more accurately, they saw the long-range firepower of this Kings team. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥
Hansen, Mitchell, and Tatum took turns attacking the Warriors’ inside, putting immense pressure on their interior defense while also disabling their efficient defensive rotations.
Hield also seized the opportunity on the perimeter, hitting consecutive three-pointers.
However, there is a reason the Warriors managed to take the top spot in the West this season. The Splash Brothers plus George on the perimeter provide equally formidable firepower.
The fans who came to Golden One Arena tonight, including some who specially traveled from the Bay Area to watch this "derby", were in for a treat as they witnessed a high-scoring duel.
The third quarter saw both teams evenly matched, and by the fourth quarter, they were still neck and neck.
With just one minute left in the game, the score was tied at 135.
The emotions of the live audience reached their peak at this moment, with this derby being intensely exhilarating.
In this final minute, everyone present understood why Hansen is considered one of the greatest in history.
It’s not about how many points he scored or how many championships he won. It’s the fact that, at such moments in a game, he can secure victory through his personal ability.
Curry hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minute, but Hansen scored 7 points in the same timeframe.
A game-leading three-pointer, two free throws after breaking free and causing Green’s sixth foul, and a mid-range jumper to seal the game at the end.
When the final buzzer sounded, Golden One Arena erupted.
It was the first time they’d witnessed such a buzzer-beater game on home court, and the first time they truly felt Hansen’s dominance in critical moments.
Not to mention earlier games, when even as opponents, they couldn’t feel this way because the Kings couldn’t reach such stages!
The Kings’ players began celebrating around Hansen, and even Tatum seemed to have forgotten what happened during the game. He was there shouting excitedly.
At the post-game press conference, Hansen and Tatum attended together.
Hansen achieved a triple-double with 54 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists; Tatum scored 26 points, setting a new season high, with 18 points in the second half.
"Jason played an aggressive game. I’ve always believed he’s the best player of the 2017 class and will become an All-Star level player in the future."
When reporters asked about Hansen’s and Tatum’s performances, Hansen didn’t hold back on compliments.
This made Tatum’s eyes widen in surprise beside him.
It’s hard to imagine that just at halftime, Hansen had scolded him in an almost humiliating way in the locker room.
"I just realized I needed to be more decisive in my shots, play more aggressively, and most importantly, we won the game."
Afterward, Tatum talked about the reasons for his improved performance in the second half when facing reporters.
After the press conference ended, as Hansen left the venue, he noticed Tatum didn’t follow him, but he didn’t care.
Just like he had previously told Lue, he didn’t care what Tatum thought as long as Tatum performed as he should; he wasn’t concerned about anything else.
This also reflected a mindset change in Hansen.
When he first entered the league, due to limited ability, he needed to think about how to unite the team for good performance, even if they were troublemakers or scoundrels.
But now, with his extraordinary skills, he only needs to focus on winning.
That doesn’t mean he will become arrogant. He treats players like Jokic and Mitchell with kindness and respect.
As for others, even players like Tatum who aren’t fond of him, as long as they play well, he won’t hold back on praise.
However, he obviously won’t go and individually conduct "psychological counseling" like before; that’s something Lue needs to handle.
After this game, the external world had a field day reporting on it.
A primary rule of media reporting is exaggeration. The Kings, described the previous day as a team even God couldn’t save, overnight surpassed the Warriors, Pelicans, and Rockets to become the West’s most likely title contenders after defeating the Warriors.
Most fans just watched those reports, but one thing mentioned in those reports caught attention.
The Kings have played 5 games, Hansen appeared in 4, scoring over 50 in 2 games, one being a 60-point game, averaging 52 points per game!
Although the sample size of games is small and the non-continuous 50+ games may not make a strong impression, such statistical data is still astonishing.
As time flew to mid-December, the NBA season had been underway for more than a month.
During this month, many fan perceptions of basketball have been overturned.
One of the most shocking was the scoring explosion.
In the past, a 130+ game was rare and might be seen once or twice a season, but this season it became commonplace.
The 14-second reset for second-chance opportunities seemed to only increase the game’s pace, but invisibly it prompted coaches to simplify tactics.
In the earliest basketball rules, there was no 24-second shot clock. Even today, the NCAA still operates under a 40-second shot clock, meaning a 40-second limit per offense.