Yang Hansen embarks on his first playoff journey! Smiling as he boards the plane, will he have a chance to play in Game 1?

On April 19 Beijing time, the Trail Blazers official social media updated, sharing a moment of Yang Hansen boarding the plane with the team to fly to San Antonio. The official post stated: "Yang Hansen begins his first NBA playoff journey." In the image, Hansen is smiling as he boards the aircraft, starting his inaugural playoff trip in his NBA career. The Trail Blazers and Spurs' Game 1 will commence at, 9 AM on April 20.

For Hansen, this is also a completely new experience. Although he is not currently in the team's regular rotation and it would be difficult for him to play unless during garbage time, watching the playoffs from the sidelines, which feature higher tactical and technical levels, is itself a form of learning. This is a growth opportunity that cannot be gained through experience in the development league.

During this season's regular games, Yang Hansen played 43 games for the Trail Blazers, averaging 2.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 31% and a three-point percentage of 11.9%. Coach Splinter recently acknowledged Yang Hansen's progress in an interview and emphasized the importance of the upcoming offseason for him, hoping Hansen can seize this opportunity to achieve greater improvement.

Trail Blazers reporter He Jin also commented: "Yang Hansen's playing style in mixed sessions is quite similar to summer league games—basically initiating offense from the top of the arc and acting as a tactical pivot. His three-point shooting is becoming more consistent, and his defense is also improving. The Trail Blazers originally intended for him to play a full year in the development league, but due to too many team injuries, they had to bring him up to the NBA roster to fill numbers. However, the way they utilize him in the development league is precisely the long-term usage method intended for the NBA level, though he still has some distance to go before reaching that standard."

We look forward to young Yang learning more during the playoffs. It would be great if he could get a chance to experience playing on the court, but of course, everything needs to progress step by step. After all, over this past season, Hansen has seen the clear gap between himself and NBA standards; he needs to perform better to earn more valuable playing time.