One Hundred and Thirty Two: Grind and Strangle

The Grizzlies finally maintained their advantage to the end by relying on tenacious defense, 95 to 89. The score between the two teams was not high, but the level of this game was not low at all.

At the end of the game, San Antonio fans booed in disappointment. So far this season, they have only lost 10 games in total, which is the 11th game.

Even the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and the young Oklahoma City Thunder have failed to win even a single victory over the Spurs.

However, the Grizzlies did. They had the last laugh with an extremely tenacious attitude.

The Spurs players were not so excited. The players on this team are all seasoned and battle-hardened veterans. They have won countless honors, and correspondingly, they have also experienced countless failures.

A regular-season loss is not enough for them.

However, Popovich is a little concerned. It stands to reason that he has coached the NBA for decades, and he is already used to winning and losing. But today's loss in this game was completely out of his control.

That Chinese No. 0 has broken his tactics again and again, broken his plans again and again. Seriously, if the Grizzlies don't have Link, Popovich is guaranteed to win this game. He had that confidence even though Parker and Duncan weren't in good shape today.

But there is no if in the NBA world. Popovich laughed at himself after the game. He was a dignified coach who was beaten by the undrafted. This may also be a rare experience in his coaching career.

His concern is that if the Grizzlies and Spurs maintain their current standings, they will likely meet in the playoffs. As the No. 1 player in the West, the Spurs didn't want to meet such a strong opponent in the first round.

First in the West, the Spurs definitely want to keep it. So now Popovich can only pray that the Grizzlies quickly surpass the Hornets and rise to a higher ranking.

While the old man was thinking, reporters had already gathered around. In every game with the Spurs, Popovich is always the favorite. After all, the old man runs the train with his mouth full, and even many young people feel ashamed.

"It's a really sad loss, pop. The Spurs are just a little short of winning." A t.nt reporter took the lead and put the microphone to Popovich's mouth, and the reporters looked at him expectantly. I don't know how Popovich will respond next.

"Isn't it regrettable that there is another loss?" Popovich did not disappoint everyone. His rhetorical question made the onlookers laugh.

"Tim and Parker weren't very good today,

Are they too tired? When are you going to start taking rotations this season? "

"Yeah, Tim and Parker are in a bit of a bad state. But what can I do? The trade deadline has passed, and I can't trade those two bastards. As for rest, the league prohibits rest without reason. So I never knew about this kind of thing, and I don't know what you're talking about."

"puff!"

The reporters couldn't help laughing. If Popovich hadn't been the head coach, he might have become a very successful talk show actor.

"Last question, pop. Link played really well today. He had a double-double with 24 points and 10 assists. This is the third triple-double in his career. You think, he's the Spurs. The team's biggest trouble today?"

The playful smile on Popovich's face disappeared instantly after hearing the question. He raised his head slightly and glanced at Link, who was also being interviewed by reporters. I can't help thinking that there may be another monster in the west in the future. This summer, it would be better to have an Eastern Conference team sign him.

"Link is a very good player, he is a well-deserved rookie MVP. To be honest, my tactics were messed up because of him today. If I play against the Grizzlies again in the future, Link will be my number one danger. on the target list."

Reporters thought that Popovich would continue to tease Link and continue joking haha. As everyone knows, the old coach gave Link a very high affirmation.

Popovich does joke around, but reporters know he never likes to brag. The old man has seen too many outstanding players, from David Robinson to Tim Duncan, from the No. 1 pick to the undrafted, everyone has seen Popovich.

So, unless it's a really good player, Popovich won't be allowed to speak compliments.

After Popovich finished speaking, he walked straight back to the player tunnel. Today, let's give the stage to that Chinese rookie.

※※※

After the game, Link was in a good mood. Being able to beat the Spurs, his heart instantly relaxed.

What's more, the main reason why the Grizzlies can beat the Spurs today is Link.

Today's game, Randolph and Gasol's performance can be called the scene of a car accident. Randolph shot 26.7%, and his only contribution was to prevent Duncan and only scored 8 points.

Pau Gasol shot 14.3%, and the Spaniard scored more points and assists than he scored today.

Others, the hit rate is also very general. Shane's hit rate is only 33%, and Brother Mayo's hit rate is "up to" 0%.

In the entire Grizzlies team, only Link and Conley's shooting percentages can be seen.

Although Conley hit a key three-pointer today, the 22-point data is not bad. But as a point guard, Conley only had one assist today. At this point, Link's role came into play.

Link can be said to have connected most of the Grizzlies' offense, and also swayed back and forth between the three, four and two positions. Basically, wherever he is needed, he will fill in.

On top of that, well done in all three positions. At the 3, he blew up Richard Jefferson on offense. Two and four, he was also very successful defending Bonner and Manu Ginobili.

Thinking that he had gone through so much today and let the Spurs suffer so much, Link was full of a sense of accomplishment.

It wasn't until Randolph sat down beside Link with a quizzical expression that he broke away from the joy of winning the game.

"Link, you did a great job tonight!"

"Uh..." Looking at Randolph's expression, Link knew that there was nothing good, "Speak, and then what?"

"And then, what else? I'm here to congratulate you sincerely! Of course, if you are willing to invite us to your house to celebrate, we will certainly not refuse."

"Damn it!" Link secretly despised in his heart, Randolph would never do anything that was not good for him.

"But tomorrow we'll have to fight the king back-to-back, Zach."

"It's okay, we can wait until the back-to-back is over and then celebrate slowly." He patted Link on the shoulder, and before Link agreed, Randolph had settled the matter.

Link is speechless, Randolph is probably thinking about how to trick himself every minute and every second! However, Link was in a really good mood to win this crucial victory in his own mind.

It's just a treat, no big deal.

※※※

The day after beating the Spurs, the Grizzlies returned to Memphis early in the morning. They will also play the Kings back-to-back at home tonight.

Although it is a back-to-back game, since the Kings are not strong, the players do not have much psychological burden.

The night's game attendance was not high, after all, this is not a focused battle. The only impressive scene is when Cousins ​​actually hugged Link before the game...

As we all know, the cooperation between Link and Cousins ​​in the All-Star Game turned them from enemies to friends. Except for John Wall now, Cousins ​​is the only one in the league who is so friendly to Link.

Although they were friendly before the game, in the game, neither of the two would let the other.

The Kings were suppressed throughout the game, and Cousins ​​was guarded to just 4 of 11 shots. He was really annoyed by the black and white bears later, so he lost his temper at the referee during a whistle blow, and by the way, he applied for a technical foul.

Seeing such a grumpy big man being so friendly to him before the game, Link felt a little admired by his affinity.

There is nothing to say about this game, the difference in strength between the two sides is too huge. The Kings played flamboyantly, and the dunks from Cousins ​​and Marcus Thornton made the game seem intense.

However, the operation was as fierce as a tiger, and at the end of the score, the Kings were 25 behind.

"Since Gay was injured and Mayo's playing time was getting shorter and shorter, the Grizzlies didn't seem to have much enthusiasm. There were no three-pointers like rain, no flying dunks. Good position to attack. But this dull style of play has allowed them to win game after game."

"Yeah, grind and strangle, that's the Grizzlies' play style and label. It's an old style of play, but old, not necessarily impractical. Look, the Grizzlies may have another game today. Great victory."

Hubby Brin used the words grit and grind to describe this Grizzly, and when he said these two words, his tone was extremely proud.

Old Brown may not know that the two words he said casually are about to become a label belonging to an entire era of the Grizzlies.

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