CHAPTER 569: CHAPTER 279: UNPRECEDENTED, WITH SUCCESSORS TO COME_3

Noah may have been a bit of a big mouth before the game, but his attitude toward the competition is worthy of respect.

Before Rose’s athletic performance declined due to injury and Butler had not fully matured, Noah seemed more like the leader of the Bulls.

Looking back at what he said now, it’s not altogether unjustifiable when you put yourself in his shoes.

They once proudly carried the name of revival, but were ruthlessly destroyed by injuries. Now, it’s their chance to make a comeback.

As soon as Hansen got the ball in the front court, he was immediately double-teamed by the Bulls.

Thibodeau’s defense was becoming more and more extreme, but it was effective.

Hansen waited for the double team before passing the ball over the defense directly into Irving’s hands, who had an open three-point opportunity. He caught the ball and quickly shot.

The shooting rhythm, including the trajectory and everything else, was fine, but it just did not go in.

His body wasn’t that tense anymore, but his hands were still cold.

The Cavaliers’ performance in this game easily reminds one of the Bulls’ first entry into the finals in ’91 when, in the first game of the finals, only Jordan and Pippen scored in double digits.

Lue’s pep talk was high-level, but it’s not that easy to perform at a normal level on a stage they’ve never been on before.

Noah protected the defensive rebound, then turned around to push the counterattack once again.

The ball passed to Butler, who took a flying layup.

But just before he leaped, a figure had already caught up behind him.

The ball left Butler’s hand but didn’t fall into the basket because Hansen, after a jump, directly blocked it against the backboard!

The scene instantly erupted.

The sight of Noah’s reckless save was shocking and a huge morale boost for the Bulls.

If Butler had made that fast break, the Bulls would have gained momentum again.

But Hansen’s chase-down block stopped all of that.

Hansen grabbed the rebound and upon landing, turned around to push a fast break.

Butler tried to commit a foul right there, but Hansen dodged it with a behind-the-back dribble.

The fans saw only one figure sprinting from the backcourt to the frontcourt, unstoppable.

Noah had been in midcourt after passing the ball and was the last player of the Bulls’ fast break, but now he became the last line of defense.

The two players met at the Bulls’ free throw line, one following the other.

Because Han had scored with Noah defending on him just before, Noah’s defense was tighter this time.

Hansen seized the opportunity and crossed over right past him.

However, Noah’s confidence in his own abilities allowed him to press forward. Although he was bypassed by Hansen, he used his quick turnarounds and his height and wingspan to go for the block.

What he didn’t expect was that Hansen, sensing his move, took off and switched hands in mid-air for a left-handed layup.

Noah’s attempted block hit nothing but air while Hansen lightly placed the ball into the basket.

The cheers in the arena just wouldn’t stop.

Hansen truly went coast to coast, poking through from the backcourt all on his own to score!

Noah’s expression finally changed, as he realized that the playoff-mode Hansen was much stronger than he had imagined.

The Bulls’ set offense was stopped by the Cavaliers once again.

In "history," Big Gasol had joined the Bulls this season, becoming a pivotal point for the Bulls’ set plays.

Now without him, the Bulls’ offense relied on Rose’s drives or Noah’s playmaking, but with Rose’s threat on the drive diminished and Noah not being a scoring threat, the Bulls’ set offense wasn’t that strong.

In fact, the rise of Thibodeau’s Bulls was due to their system of defense and counterattack.

When they failed to contain the opponent’s offense, their strength was significantly diminished.

That was another important reason, apart from injuries, why the Bulls did not succeed.

Hansen continued to be double-teamed in the frontcourt, but this time he did not choose to pass. He sped along the other side before the double team could set up and broke through.

This time his drive was very determined, and he quickly broke through to the free throw line.

However, the Bulls’ defense was truly strong and closed in on him, with Noah raising both hands high and charging at the already-leaping Hansen.

Even if it meant a foul, he was not going to let Hansen continue to penetrate the Bulls’ zone.

The collision between the two was real; Noah was knocked down by Hansen, and Hansen was blocked from making a normal layup.

Unexpectedly, Hansen’s powerful body balance allowed him to switch from a layup to a scooping shot in mid-air.

"Swish!"

The shot was difficult, but Hansen still made the shot!

And the referee’s whistle blew, signaling the floor-bound Noah had committed a blocking foul.

The fans in the arena could no longer contain their emotions; many of them stood up, pumping their fists and cheering, as the decibel level exploded.

And Noah, still lying on the ground, looked up at the referee’s signal, and then lay back down.

In his mind, the image of the Jordan statue at the entrance of the United Center and the words inscribed beneath it surfaced:

The best there ever was, the best there ever will be.

Really, is there no one to follow?