314: Defend against offense with offense
As soon as Wade narrowed the margin to single digits, Link pulled the score away again with a beautiful goal.
Again, at a critical moment when the situation could turn around, Link stepped up as the heart of the Grizzlies' offense.
That's what Hollins likes about Link, an offensive core that doesn't necessarily have to score high points every game. But when it mattered, when the team needed you, you had to step up and make the final move.
There is no doubt that Link did just that. When Wade started to go berserk, when the Heat started to close the score. Link stepped up and helped the team settle down.
Compared with crazy shots to brush up high scores, such an offensive core is obviously more beneficial to the team.
James and Wade, you look at me, I look at you. These two guys have a tacit understanding, but they didn't expect it to be so tacit that they would even be shaken together.
Of course, from another point of view, Link dangled James and Wade at one time, which will undoubtedly become one of the classic shots of the game.
Another classic shot that happened on the Grizzlies bench. Jimmy, who threw a in celebration of Link's goal. Butler booked almost one of the Big Five.
Hollins was really uncomfortable when he saw Butler fall, because he wanted to laugh, but it was his own player who fell, so he had to hold back, can it not be uncomfortable?
"It's just a goal, we're already on the ground, keep going!" Wade yelled at James, and the Heat woke up from the loss they had just scored.
Wade is not one to throw in easily, and he admits that Link's response ball just now is really tough enough. But the basketball game is like a marathon, and the occasional sprint is ineffective.
The Heat continued to fight back, and the entire stadium cheered for the Heat players with the most enthusiastic cheers, which was the only thing they could do.
This time, the ball-handler was James, and Randolph had to go out to defend. On the other side, Bosh also pulled up to the middle distance. As a player with a mid-range shooting rate of almost 50%, Gasol Jr. naturally can't let Bosh go.
As a result, the Grizzlies' proud interior line was emptied. Wade took the opportunity to cut in, and the back hand also secretly pushed Link.
James' well-placed pass gave Wade a direct opportunity to attack the frame, and although Link chased after Wade, Wade went on a rebound and used the basket as a barrier to avoid Link's block.
The whole court exploded again, and Wade scored 6 points in a row!
"Dwayne. Not to be outdone, Wade continues to score! The margin is back in single digits, and this time, can the Grizzlies continue to do so!? ”
The two teams have played a bit of-for-tat flavor in it, this kind of game, whoever drops the chain, who will fall behind, is a matter of perseverance and stability.
Link pouted helplessly, it seemed that the cheek gang was really angry. That guy's scoring momentum, where is he like a senior, he doesn't take care of Xiao Young at all.
But it doesn't matter, the Grizzlies still lead by nine points. And there's no chance to pull the score away.
"Defend! Defend! Defend! ”
The rhythmic shouting of the Heat fans filled the entire arena with the word "defense." That's home advantage, having fans shouting behind you can make the home team more excited and harder.
In such a situation, the pressure is usually doubled by the pressure of the visiting team.
But instead of a cry of passion, Link heard, it was the last scream of the Heat fans trying to hide their fear.
Link didn't be polite to Wade this time, and asked for the ball with his back directly near the free throw line!
Wade was ready to reach for Link to block Link's catch on several occasions, but they were all brutally knocked down. Link's playing habits don't look like a sophomore at all!
Conley hits the ground and passes the ball to Link, who has his back to Wade one-on-one! The Heat's defense is not afraid to wrap up, and they would rather trust Wade's defensive ability than give the Grizzlies a gap. After all, Link's passing threat was just too great.
Wade gritted his teeth, which made his cheeks even bigger. He didn't expect that Link would actually go head-to-head with him for the second round in a row.
suffered the loss last time, and this time Wade did not defend himself, but used his normal center of gravity to deal with Link's back hit.
The physical contact between the two sides is fierce, and every time they collide, it is almost a test on the edge of a foul. But even then, Link took two steps forward.
Seeing that the distance was about the same, Link rolled over and threw a jumper.
Link's movement of turning over and leaning back is not fast, but the movement is very smooth and calm. Wade desperately reached out to block, but he was just some distance away from basketball.
In the end, Link calmly made his move, without much interference. Wade felt unbelievable, Link's roll over and leaned back, and he actually looked a little like Kobe!
"Brush!" The sound of the Nets tumbling brought Wade back to his senses, and he turned his head to see that Bosh was already picking up the basketball on the ground.
I actually entered!
"Damn it!" Wade had to admit that Link had another surprise for him. Kobe-style turnaround jumper? How many people in the entire alliance can reproduce it?
But at this time, there was one standing in front of him.
Link responded to Wade again, it seems that the two are on the bar today! Link didn't flinch at all, Wade scored a goal and he scored a goal. In short, Link just doesn't let the Heat narrow the margin to single digits! The game is getting more and more exciting, Link fights James in the first quarter, and Wade in the second quarter, and none of them fall behind. Now, no one will question his status as an All-Star starting forward. ”
Mike. Brin was a little surprised, and Link's performance exceeded his expectations. Last time Mike. When Brin watched Link play, Link was still a smart, promising team player.
But what about now? Link is able to play the planet. Link is growing step by step, and at the same pace as a sports car on a German high-speed car with no speed limit.
Wade then used the cover to break through the interior and cause a foul on Link. Wade really started to fight with Link, and the lightning seemed to have come from 2006, unstoppable and unstoppable.
After hitting two free throws at the free throw line again, Wade has scored 8 points in a row in the second quarter! Compared with the first quarter score swallowing eggs + 3 turnovers, it was simply bottoming out.
However, after that, Link used his trademark cross-step pull-up mid-range shot that made Wade sweat on his forehead.
It's in again! He's got Link scoring again! Wade has competed with many people in his life, once exploded with James in the playoffs, and once played against Kobe Bryant in Staples.
But he never thought that one day, the person who was fighting against him would actually be a failed draft player!
"Link's signature offense, Wade can't defend against it! After Wade scored 8 points in a row, the Heat didn't pull the score! With the margin still at 11 points, Coach Spoelstra called a timeout again. Link leads by example, as the offensive core of the Grizzlies, he uses scoring to resist the fierce counterattack of the Heat! ”
In Mike. With Bryn's exclamation, Link stepped off the court. And around him, there were teammates who high-fived or touched his head.
Link's behavior of resisting the Heat's counterattack with practical actions undoubtedly further aroused everyone's fighting spirit.
So in the rest of the second quarter, the Grizzlies began their multi-point offensive performance.
After returning from a timeout, James hit consecutive shots, and Randolph still struggled to defend James.
But then, Xiaoli and Gasol Jr. scored one after another to pull the score away again.
At the end of the second quarter, Bosh bravely hit a three-pointer, as if the Heat would eventually enter the second half with a single-digit margin of points.
As a result, Randolph played James a 2+1 after passing and got the 3 points back.
In the second half of the second quarter, Link's shots dropped sharply, allowing him to focus more on blocking and defending. But the Grizzlies' offense has not been affected by this. As long as Link brings the momentum out, the Grizzlies' offense doesn't need him to do it himself.
In the end, after the second quarter, the score became 52-40. The Miami Heat, who have the Big Three, only scored 40 points in the half! And with Wade, James and Bosh all having great performances, the Heat are still trailing by double digits!
Link, who scored 15 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds in half the game, became the center of attention of the cameras. His battle with Wade at the beginning of the second quarter was the key to the Grizzlies' ability to stabilize their advantage!
Before halftime, Mike. Brin used one sentence to describe Link's performance in the first half of the game.
"He's a well-deserved offensive core, and if the Heat want to deal with the Grizzlies, then they have to send someone with more firepower than Link!"
The Big Three of the Heat heard it and said they wanted to cry, and today, a person who is even more horizontal than them came out.