On fire! Yang Hansen records his first double-double! The strongest performance in the NBA G League

Despite recently recovering from illness and feeling somewhat drained and less energetic, Yang Hansen certainly handled the level of competition in the G League with ease,starting for 31 minutes, shooting 8 out of 11 (1 out of 1 from beyond the arc), with an outstanding shooting accuracy close to 73%, delivering 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, securing his first double-double in his NBA career across both regular season and G League appearances.

Here are the stats for the City Rip Mix:

Here are the statistics for the Stockton Kings:

Speaking of the pace in the G League, it’s actually faster than the NBA regular season; every possession feels like a hundred-meter sprint, turning the game into a track race. Yang Hansen, as a big center, struggles when facing speedy guards on fast breaks.

On December 17th Beijing time, City Rip Mix will face the Stockton Kings again, and Yang Hansen is expected to play. Fortunately, he was a DNP (Did Not Play) in the Blazers’ 136-131 win over the Warriors a couple of days ago; otherwise, he would have had to play not just back-to-back games but three consecutive days.

Actually, it’s quite beneficial for Yang Hansen to play more in the G League, as it helps him regain confidence and build endurance through ample game experience. However, as a 16th pick in the first round, he is destined to appear only occasionally in the G League, spending most of his time with the Blazers’ main roster, even if it means sitting on the bench or playing limited minutes.

If all goes as expected, Yang Hansen will soon be recalled by the Blazers to play in the December 19th game against the Kings. This will give him a chance to face his idol Sabonis directly. Unfortunately, Sabonis has been sidelined for 12 straight games due to a partial left knee meniscus tear.

After Sabonis returns, he might no longer be wearing a Kings jersey...

So far this season, the Blazers hold an 11th place in the Western Conference with a 10-16 record, tied with the 10th place Mavericks. The Kings have a 6-20 record, placing just above the Clippers (6-19) in the Western Conference standings, while the Pelicans (5-22) remain at the bottom without change.