Two Hundred and Ninety-Five: To Be the Core of the Attack

Rudy Gay's shoulder injury eventually flared up.

Gay has been playing in two thick shoulder pads this season. He rejects physical confrontation more than before. I don't know if it has something to do with the injury. These details may show that Gay's shoulder has not been 100% healed. In other words, his shoulder has been very fragile since the operation.

There is one thing to say, although Gay has gradually lost his core position this season, his performance has not been considered bad.

Averaged 17 points per game and shot 45.5 percent overall. Except for some occasional games that are rough, there are basically no major problems, and generally speaking, the flaws do not conceal the advantages. This year, when Link and Gay are connected to each other, the Grizzlies usually play a very strong offense.

It was hard to see that Link and Guy could basically coexist, but something like this happened suddenly.

A 17-point-per-game scorer is gone again. It's just that compared with last year, Gay's injury this year puts more pressure on Hollins and the Grizzlies.

Last year, Randolph had the best season of his Grizzlies career. After Gay was injured, Randolph transformed into a super insider, 20+10 is as easy as chopping melons and vegetables for him. Even in the playoffs, Randolph was unstoppable.

Hollins also relied on a system dominated by black and white bears to pull the Grizzlies to the Western Conference Finals without Gay.

But this year, Randolph's decline due to poor physical condition is visible to the naked eye. It is difficult for you to ask him to stand up and kill the Quartet like last year.

To put it more bluntly, relying on Randolph this season has become unreliable. If the Grizzlies want to continue to go far, they must find another fulcrum outside Gay and Randolph!

Therefore, as the ESPN report said: "The burden of the Grizzlies is now on Link's shoulders."

Link is the key training object of the Grizzlies this season, but he has not been too core in his style of play. Randolph, Gay and Link, it's hard to tell who is the core. When it comes to the Grizzlies, people think of the lineup that "makes you peel off" rather than one individual.

But it's different now, and Link has no way to "thrive" behind Randolph and Gay. He must stand up now and accept the most severe test before he has fully matured. Especially on the offensive end, at this stage, Link can be said to be the only scorer for the Grizzlies.

Randolph's decline, Gasol's defense is greater than offense, Tony Allen's skill tree is completely crooked, Conley has never been a scoring point guard... only Link, he will serve as the core of the offense in every game.

What does it mean to be the real centerpiece of an offense? It means that a player will suffer the tightest defense and the most vicious fouls. Of course, you will also bear the greatest pressure.

This is different from occasionally scoring 40-point triple-doubles and occasionally scoring 30+ points. Being the core of the offense means that you must ensure a strong firepower output in every game. In other words, those games where Link only scored more than 10 points this season are all unqualified under the current standards.

This is the difference between being the core and not being the core.

If the Grizzlies encounter Waterloo this year, Link will undoubtedly become the object of people's scrambling.

The strength of a player is not just based on the data. His team leadership results are the hard indicators to prove his strength.

Love is 30+20 in the Timberwolves, but no one still thinks he is a super insider. Why? Because the Timberwolves can't even make the playoffs. The team's performance is not good, and your data is not convincing no matter how good it is.

The same is true for Link. When everyone is good, he can make the All-Star starter and he can be praised.

But now you are suddenly given a team to lead and put all the pressure on you, can you still play?

If the Grizzlies can go further, then Link's status in the league will be further improved. But if the Grizzlies end up getting out early, he will suffer all the consequences.

This is competitive sports,

No matter how much honor and praise you get, you have to endure how much test.

What you give and what you get are directly proportional.

It's just that under the pressure of such public opinion, most people are not very optimistic about Link.

"The fantasy bubble of the Grizzlies has burst, and Rudy Gay's repeated injuries will be the last straw that crushes the Grizzlies."

"Let Link lead the team to make a big difference in the West? Come on, he's only been so good this season because he played next to Zach and Gay."

"Now the whole world will know how absurd Link's status as the All-Star starting forward is actually!"

"Zach and Guy helped Link block most of the pressure and trouble, but now when Link has to face it all alone, I honestly don't think he can withstand it."

After practice, Link sat in the locker room after taking a shower, his phone full of these self-doubting reports.

But Link didn't just grit his teeth and stomp his feet and say I'm going to slap you sabbis in the face.

Because he does have pressure, he doesn't know how far he can go. This season, Link scored only 10 points in his lowest-scoring game. With Gay and Randolph sharing the scoring pressure, there is nothing wrong with Link scoring only 10 points.

But if an offensive core only scored 10 points...you can imagine how big a disaster it would be. It's like Durant only scored 10 points in a game, do you think he performed well?

"What's the matter? You won't be scared by the spray, right?" Tony Allen came out of the shower room, saw Link sullen, and sat beside him.

"Scared? Of course not. You know, I never cared what the media said about me. But..."

"but what?"

"I'm afraid that the team's performance will decline because of me." Link clenched his fists tightly, his joints turned white from the exertion. It is not easy for a man to confess his fears in front of others.

"Stupid."

"Huh!?" Link was stunned, why is it different from the script? At this time, as an old man, shouldn't you give an impassioned inspirational speech? Shouldn't we go hand in hand to the pinnacle of life? How come you are an idiot and it's over.

"Even if the team's performance really declines, it's not your fault alone. Also, I trust your ability. Not only me, but all of us are willing to put the ball in your hands and let you handle it Offensive. You think about it from another angle. On the one hand, Rudy’s departure increases your scoring pressure. But on the other hand, you also get more resources and more shots. Don’t think so much, kid . Work hard to do what you should do, and the rest will naturally have results."

After speaking, Tony Allen changed his clothes and left. In the empty locker room, Link was left alone.

It's not that Tony Allen doesn't care about Link, but he knows very well that one day a man has to let go of other people's hands and find his own way.

Link is already in the second grade. According to Tony Allen's expectations of him, it's time for him to let go of other people's hands and learn to move forward by himself.

The All-Star starting forward is not that vulnerable.

At 9 o'clock that night, when the security guard of the FedEx Arena patrolled, he found that the "bang bang" sound produced by the collision of the basketball and the hardwood floor was still in the training hall.

The security guard smiled, and he believed that the Memphis Grizzlies would not just die. Randolph stood up last season, this season, Link will not let them down......