The game has entered a white-hot stage. The Grizzlies are not easy to mess with, so why are the Spurs? After being suppressed for a whole game, the score difference was finally reached only 5 points. The Spurs' tenacity and toughness are also not weak.

This is the Western Conference semi-finals. None of the remaining four teams are willing to leave in shame. Those teams with slightly inferior strength and willpower have begun their holidays, and the rest are not weak!

"The game is at its most critical moment. I don't know if the Grizzlies can hold on. It's difficult for the Spurs to handle it. They are like a tumbler. The Grizzlies try to knock it down again and again, but the Spurs will soon stand up again. In today's game, the Spurs were at most 13 points behind, but now, they still have hope of winning." Cole is very clear about the Spurs' character. From Popovich to Bonner, everyone is not the kind of person who will give up easily.

"Link, don't be nervous, think about it before making a decision. In the playoffs, the winner is often just a matter of thought. Sometimes, the two teams compare to who makes fewer mistakes. Let's relax, we will support you." Bathir, as one of Link's mentors, said a few words to Link before the game started.

Link nodded and moved his body. Rookies have few opportunities to get such a game in the playoffs, and not all new players can grasp it.

Even a superstar like Kobe, who played against the Jazz in the Western Conference semi-finals during his rookie season, had three consecutive three-no-game winning streaks at critical moments.

Although these three non-touches have become a major turning point for Kobe to become a superstar, Link doesn't want to have such a bumpy journey as well. Why not do everything well from the beginning?

"Let's go, let's go!"

Conley, who was carrying the ball, shouted at Link. Link came to his senses and followed Conley to the frontcourt. From now on, you can't be distracted anymore.

The Spurs have made another substitution. This time, Popovich gambled Split. As the No. 28 rookie in 2007, Split didn't start his NBA rookie tournament until this season. This is mainly because Split and the Spanish Tawu club still have a contract in the draft, so they can only wait until the contract expires before signing the Spurs.

Split has not been abandoned in Europe for several years. He led the team to the championship twice. Before joining the Spurs last year, he had just won the Spanish League's regular season and finals MVP title. It is not an exaggeration to say that he was the No. 1 center in the European League at that time.

Split's physical fitness is not as strong as that of Brazilian compatriots, but his confrontation is stable and his movements are fast enough. His biggest function is to improve the Spurs' defensive system.

Because it was the first time playing the NBA, Split had few opportunities this season. But now, when McDyce, Bonner and Blair were obviously overwhelmed, Popovich had to take a step forward.

Both are first-year rookies and are also ordered at critical moments. Link and Split both ushered in a turning point in this round of series.

With Split's presence, the Spurs' inside defense has improved significantly. Duncan has made every effort to defend Randolph, and Gasol Jr. is also entangled by Split, who also comes from the Spanish League, and it is very uncomfortable.

Today, Randolph had already scored 30 points and 14 rebounds in the Spurs' interior, and Gasol Jr. also scored 12 points and 8 rebounds. Therefore, Popovich will no longer allow the Grizzlies to score in the interior.

Conley and Gasol Jr. made a screening, but the breakthrough failed. Split quickly defended the pick-and-roll, and he immediately delayed Conley's attack. And he quickly made up for Gasol Jr.

When he was a fan, Link didn't understand why Split was so important to the Spurs. This guy's data was mediocre and his scoring ability was average.

But now, Link has figured out the value of Split.

Seeing that the pick-and-roll was not done, Conley passed the ball to Randolph. But Randolph was also uncomfortable being pushed by Duncan. If it were before, Randolph would definitely have fought with Duncan. But now, at this critical moment, Randolph dared not do anything randomly.

Just when Randolph was at a loss, Link suddenly hit the right side of the court and asked Randolph for the ball.

The Big Black Bears didn't think much and immediately passed the ball. Seeing this, Richard Jefferson, who played in the third position, immediately helped Manu make up for the position! He knew that the opportunity to make up for the merits was here!

Link took a jump shot, but at the moment he was about to make a move, he turned his wrist and sent the ball to Bathier's hand diagonally!

Richard Jefferson turned around in despair, Bathir was ready in the bottom corner. So, it was messed up again!

"Link made a fake pass, Sean Battier took a decisive move! Good goal, scored! Battier's key three-pointer gave the Grizzlies an 8-point lead! At the critical moment, the veterans had to be calm! Link gave his 9th assist today, and he had the chance to win the first double-double in the playoffs!" On the commentary stage, Cole praised Battier and Link.

When the Spurs locked the Grizzlies inside, Link could still find a way to score, which is his value.

"Just like this, keep this calm! We are almost winning, the Spurs are no longer able to do it!" Bathir shouted excitedly in Linker. It was so comfortable to play with this guy!

In those years with the Rockets, the Rockets basically had no good point guards. So, Bathir hadn't experienced this comfortable offense for a long time.

As long as you run out of space, you don’t have to worry about not being able to send the ball. Who doesn’t like this feeling?

The Spurs struggled even more in the subsequent attack. Split is a typical type of people who struggled to hit him, but he struggled to hit others. His attack power was completely incomparable to Bonner, who brought the Spurs back to life.

Link defended Ginobili, who averaged the highest score per game this season, which seemed to make Manu's anxious hairline rise a few centimeters again.

Ginobili was exhausted by Tony Allen, and now he still had to fight against an energetic Link. It was a bit unbearable.

The Argentine ran a few times, but Link followed him like a shadow. In the end, Manu simply used the ball to break through with a cover, and then made a layup in Europe.

In the past, Manu used this "snake-shaped breakthrough" to fight the world invincible. After the breakthrough, he often took a wonderful dunk. However, now, since the speed is not so fast and the explosive power is not so good, it is no longer easy for him to break through. Link gave him a little confrontation and followed Manu's pace.

Afterwards, Link also judged Manu's time to jump and jumped to block it just right. With neither height nor wingspan, Manu's European layup finally hit the box.

"Not making the game, Link's defense in the second position maintained his level! Gasol Jr. won his 9th rebound today, and the Grizzlies are about to kill the game!"

This time, Gasol Jr. did not hand the ball to Conley, but made a long pass in the backcourt and looked for Link!

When Link received the basketball, Richard Jefferson was the only one in front of him. Jefferson regretted it. He just wanted to actively retreat, but he didn't know that he just ran into Link again.

Link has become Jefferson's nightmare, a nightmare he never wants to touch again. But unfortunately, Nightmare came to him on his own initiative.

Link's layup style is more like Hill, without fancy European steps, but in confrontation, it can ensure the stability of shooting. In addition, Link has strengthened his layup practice with Will this season, so Link's layup in slight confrontation is very stable.

Jefferson was scored again before he even had time to jump. He was going crazy. After finally Link played the second position, he still had to torture himself.

"Successfully made a layup! Link never ruthless at critical moments! He scored 25 points and 9 assists. Although Link did not score as much as Randolph, I think his overall performance on the offensive end was better than Randolph!"

At this time, the first player in the history of the Grizzlies to score a double-double in the playoffs in the rookie season is only 1 assist away!

Link didn't know this record, so he didn't deliberately try to beat it. He only knew that it would be good to get a double-double, but first of all, you have to ensure that the team won. If the team loses, it would be useless to score a triple-double. This is also the reason why Westbrook is still criticized for being averaging triple-doubles many years later.

This time Duncan wanted to take action himself, but he encountered double-teams of the Black and White Bears at the low post. Split was completely empty, and the Grizzlies were not afraid of his offensive threat. When Bonner was on the court just now, Duncan didn't have to worry about being double-teamed. But now, without Bonner opening up space, Duncan was forced to pass the ball again by the tough defense of the Black and White Bears after the combination.

But Duncan's hasty pass was seen through by the experienced Battier! Before the basketball fell into Jefferson's hands, Battier intercepted the ball in the middle! This gave the Grizzlies a 38 seconds left in the game and obtained the ball rights!

As long as this quick counterattack is done, the Grizzlies will definitely win! Think about it, winning the first away game is a key victory for the entire series!

Link flew wildly as always, hoping to rush to the front and help the Grizzlies charge. This is a rare opportunity to be the protagonist in the playoffs. Link doesn't want to end with three moves like Kobe.

Because it started early, although Link was not happy, he rushed to the basket first. Seeing this, Bathier also passed the ball directly in the backcourt, and the ball did not pass through Conley's hands.

But the ball was passed a little too high, and long passes were not Bathir's advantage.

Link had to jump up to catch the ball on the right side of the basket, and Link had to straighten his arm and spread his five fingers to catch the ball, so there was no possibility of aerial relay!

"It's so anxious, but fortunately Link received the ball, what will he do?"

After Link jumped up and received the basketball, he hugged the ball down, and before he landed, he returned to Bathir in a bowling position.

At this time, Battier happened to be in position outside the three-point line! It was equivalent to a basketball circle and returning to Battier's hands!

"Leading the ball without landing, Link made the best decision in the shortest time!"

Since Link just now jumped up to catch the ball, and the position was still at the basket. So the Spurs' defense has shrunk in. The Spurs' players' strategy is right. If Link is given pressure near the bottom line of the basket, the Grizzlies' offense will basically stop.

Little did he know that Link actually completed the pass in the air, so what Bathir got at this time was an open opportunity!

Bathir admitted that his pass just now was a little frigid. As a senior, I was really embarrassed. So, this three-pointer was considered a chance for him to make up for his merits!

The former Rockets captain was not ruthless. He withstood the pressure and made this key shot steadily!

Finally, basketball was hollowed into the net in the desperate eyes of Spurs players!

"Link, he used his tenth assist in this game to help the Grizzlies completely kill the game! Battier made 2 of 2 three-pointers at the critical moment and contributed a steal! From a young man to a veteran, the Grizzlies performed very calmly at critical moments!"

Link waved his fists excitedly, not because of his first double-double in the playoffs, but because he calmly completed the task assigned to him by Hollins and successfully ended the game.

Now there are only 29 seconds left in the game, and the Spurs are 13 points behind, so they are powerless to make the day come true.

Seeing Hollins celebrating wildly off the court, Link smiled and signaled.

He didn't know yet that he had made history.
Chapter completed!