Awesome! Yang Hansen blocks a shot on an NBA lottery pick! Finally establishes himself as the Trail Blazers' second center.

With Lowry and Grant both out, Yang Hansen, after being a DNP for five consecutive games, was finally given minutes against the Magic. He put up a strong stat line in roughly six minutes of the first half: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, and was the only player on the team with a positive plus-minus of +1.

In the third quarter, Yang Hansen continued to see court time, but when he was on the floor simultaneously with Avdija, they lost possession, forcing him to run back defensively. In about two minutes, he contributed almost nothing and was subbed out after being called for a screening foul.

In the final quarter, the Trail Blazers launched a strong comeback and even briefly took the lead, but ultimately fell short, losing at home 106-110 to the Magic.

Four Trail Blazers scored in double digits: Avdija had 25 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals; Sharpe scored 22 points with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals; Love added 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

The Magic's starting five all scored in double figures, with the team hitting 15 of 33 three-pointers, shooting an impressive 45%. Among them, Bane, a major offseason acquisition, knocked down 4 threes to lead the team with 23 points, along with 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.

Despite Bane’s short wingspan, he is a fierce shooter like a T-Rex, yet he still managed to block 7'2" Klingen.

Yang Hansen played about eight minutes in this game, ranking second in playing time among the Trail Blazers’ centers. He shot 1-for-1 from the field, made 2 free throws, and contributed 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, and 3 fouls.To some extent, he has already adapted to the pace of NBA regular-season offense and defense, and his stamina has clearly improved—hardly ever seen gasping for breath now. Any progress is a positive sign.

The Trail Blazers’ next game is on December 27th Beijing time, this Saturday, hosting the Clippers. During this three-day break, Yang Hansen might be sent back to the G League for further development or maybe take the chance to meet up with some fellow countrymen for a meal.

Recently, at the Trail Blazers’ home, Oregon University lost 82-91 to Gonzaga University. Lin Wei, watched by Yang Hansen, came off the bench for 16 minutes, shooting 3-for-4 and scoring 9 points with 2 assists.