Black 7! Playoffs carry Yang Hansen! NBA announces penalty for Trail Blazers

Shams reports:Trail Blazers fined $100,000 for violating rules by contacting Yang Hansen before the draft, while assistant general managers Oliva and Schmitz were suspended without pay for two weeks.

Subsequently, the Trail Blazers official statement: After learning of this matter, they proactively reported it to the NBA, fully cooperated with the investigation, and accepted the league's decision.

American reporter Vorkunov revealed that the Trail Blazers illegally contacted Yang Hansen in December 2023, when Yang Hansen was not yet eligible for the NBA draft.

Returning to the G League, Yang Hansen led Rip City Remix to their first-ever playoff appearance, as the Western Conference seventh seed versus the Western Conference second seed Mexico City Captains.

In the first quarter, Rip City Remix fired up, hitting 7 out of 10 three-pointers, taking an early lead of 38-27.

In the second quarter, Rip City Remix's offense stalled and turnovers increased, allowing Mexico City Captains to seize the opportunity to counterattack and overtake the lead, ending the first half 55-54 ahead.

Since Yang Hansen had just been with the Trail Blazers for their away game against the Clippers the previous day and then flew from Los Angeles to Mexico City, travel fatigue and altitude sickness clearly affected his physical condition in the game against Mexico City Captains, making him prone to fatigue. This led to his playing time being fragmented in the first half, scoring 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block in about 15 minutes with 2 out of 4 shots.

In the third quarter, Rip City Remix adjusted timely, especially with Reese exploding and hitting consecutive three-pointers, outscoring Mexico City Captains 34-26 in the quarter, firmly establishing a lead.

In the fourth quarter, both teams played evenly, but Rip City Remix ultimately defeated Mexico City Captains 113-108 relying on their earlier advantage, successfully securing a upset victory as the Black 7. The team made 16 out of 24 free throws, with a shooting rate of only about 67%, somewhat below their usual standard.

In this game, Yang Hansen played only about 28 minutes, contributing 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks with 3 out of 6 shots, committing 1 turnover and 2 fouls, with a plus-minus of +5. He rarely relied on teammates to carry the win. He is expected to continue playing in the G League Western Conference playoff second round, though he might also be recalled by the Trail Blazers again.

Rip City Remix stats as follows:

Mexico City Captains stats as follows: