Two Hundred and Sixty-Two: Career Bench

The Grizzlies eliminated the Thunder and Spurs in the playoffs last season. But this season, facing these two opponents again, it is more difficult than last season.

I have to say, this is the West. Your opponents get better every year, even as old as the San Antonio Spurs. In the West, if you think you're safe, you're wrong.

Last season's Spurs were an example. They were the No. 1 in the Western Conference and won a dreadful 61 games. Is the result stable? Not stable at all!

Link has now deeply experienced the malice in the West. Although the Grizzlies have had a near-perfect start this season, Link seems to have played more difficult than last season.

And the continuous injuries are afflicting the nerves of every team, and the Grizzlies are unavoidable. Under the shadow of the loss, Tony Allen was injured, which made Link's mood worse.

Fortunately, Tony. Allen's ankle injury is not serious, basically some strain injuries. But losing Tony Allen in one of the worst back-to-back rounds is really unfortunate.

After thinking about it, the elevator door opened and Link arrived at the hotel's gym. At this point, he and the Grizzlies were already in Boston. Tonight, they will face the Celts at the North Shore Gardens in the Land of Glory.

For fans and Celtic players, North Shore Gardens is a place of glory. But for Link and his teammates, it was hell. Link still remembers the experience of playing at the North Shore Gardens last season.

Endless abuse, rude fans, tough teams, impolite reporters... These are the dark sides of the Celtics' glorious history.

Without Tony Allen today, the defensive pressure on Link and others would definitely be a lot bigger. The playing time may also increase. Therefore, Link wanted to come to the gym to run first and move his muscles and bones.

However, in the training hall, Link ran into that guy unsurprisingly.

"Morning, Jimmy." Link stood in front of the treadmill and greeted Jimmy Butler, who was getting on the equipment.

"Morning, Link!" Butler was sweating profusely, but he didn't mean to restrain himself.

Jimmy Butler is probably one of the most physically fit players on the Grizzlies' roster, after all, he doesn't play most games at all.

He has made several requests to Hollins to get more playing time,

But all were rejected. The results of it? As a result, Jimmy Butler never gave up, but instead worked harder.

Since you can't play, put all your energy into training! Therefore, this season, Jimmy Butler also replaced Link and became the "player mouse" of the Grizzlies.

Although Butler has been waving a towel from the bench most of the season, and one swing is a whole game. So far this season, Butler hasn't even played half of his games. However, Link, who often played against Jimmy Butler in training, is very clear that Butler's defense is now above the league average except for his lack of experience!

Butler, as Link reminded, is very focused on defense. He's pretty much all about defense, whether it's games or training.

If Hollins needed a sapper who didn't have the ball, he might have been there. It's just that the Grizzlies have a better engineer, Tony Allen, so Butler doesn't have much playing time.

But now, with Tony Allen injured, Link thinks Jimmy Butler may have a few performance opportunities!

"I heard that after the game yesterday, you went to Coach Hollins again?" Link asked Butler curiously.

"Well, I found it."

"What did he say? Did he reject you again?"

This time, Jimmy Butler didn't answer Link immediately, but sat up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stared into Link's eyes, "No, Coach Hollins said this time, let me do it any time. Prepare."

Link smiled, the guy trained diligently, and it was finally time to reap the results.

"So are you ready?"

"I'm preparing every day, Link. I'm willing to do anything as long as I can play! I think I can do my part."

Butler has a good mentality, which is related to his high school and college basketball experience.

As we all know, players who can enter the NBA can basically be said to be geniuses in various regions. Even players who can only watch the water cooler after entering the league may be the stars of each team in middle school and college, living in the flash. Down.

Fredette of the Kings is like this. Although he didn't play well in the NBA this year, he was no less popular than some NBA stars in the NCAA last year.

But Jimmy Butler is different. Before he entered the NBA, he actually started as a role player and a bench player as he is now.

In the first three years of high school, Butler was a role player who averaged about 10 points per game, a blue-collar who worked hard behind his senior big brother. It was not until the senior year of high school that after getting through the seniors, Butler became the absolute core, averaging 19 points per game, and was selected for the best team in the region.

But unfortunately, scouts only have talent in their eyes, and they have no interest in players like Butler who rely on hard work to earn opportunities. So even with his outstanding performance, Butler's scouting report is still only a pitiful two stars, and he is not ranked in the top 50 among all Texas high school students.

So after graduating from high school, Butler did not receive any NCAA Division I scholarships, which is really similar to Link's situation.

So in the NCAA, Jimmy Butler's role player career began again.

In his freshman year, Butler didn't even play in the NCAA Division I.

After gaining attention in the second season, he transferred to Wade's alma mater, Marquette University, without a start, averaging 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. In that year, Derrick Rose, who was in the same class as Butler, became the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft...

In his junior season, Butler finally started, averaging 14 points and 6 rebounds per game. But his talent is still not so explosive, and the NBA is still just a dream for him.

Seniors, generally players who have not entered the NBA draft until their senior year, are considered untalented. Therefore, although Butler has turned from a bench player to the core of Marquette University, he has performed well and was nominated for the best player. But his draft prospects remain unclear. When he entered the draft, Rose was already the NBA MVP in his class...

So, Butler continued to play from the bench without any regrets. He had known for a long time that this kind of thing could not be rushed. There is no choice but to train hard.

Therefore, no matter how Hollins rejects him, no matter how many games he sits on the bench, Jimmy Butler's fighting spirit will not be affected in the slightest. Patience and hard work are essential for a low-draft senior to succeed.

Link is pleased with Butler's state, and he can't wait to let the Celtics and Spurs experience Jimmy Butler's rough and tough defense.

After all, you can't be the only one who suffers from his devastation... Being tortured by Jimmy Butler every day in scrims, now, it's time for another person to suffer for Link.

※※※

The game was tough, with the Grizzlies trailing the Celtics by eight points after the first three minutes of the fourth quarter.

Today, Garnett is in very, very good shape, and he asks for anything on Randolph. Pierce and Ray Allen also played normally, and the old three giants still played their residual heat.

On the Grizzlies side, the offense was really bad. Except for Link and Gay, no one has hit 30% in the starting lineup.

Randolph was 2-for-10, Gasol was 3-for-11, Conley was 2-for-7...

If it wasn't for Ponderset's outstanding performance on the bench, the Grizzlies would have collapsed long ago, and it would be impossible to bite until now.

At this time, it was time for the rotation, and the tired Gay could no longer focus on offense and defense at the same time. He had just let Pierce score 4 points in a row. Hollins will have to adjust the lineup, and send someone with energy to meet Pierce.

On Ponderset? No, he's okay off the bench and is an efficient scorer in the rotation. But if you mix with the main force, there is no advantage in ability. Shane? Shane has been showing his age this season. On the defensive end, the power is not as good as before. What's more, the aged Shane does not meet the requirement of being physically strong.

So, Hollins gritted his teeth and walked in front of Jimmy Butler, "Jimmy, tell everyone after the game, don't give up! Including you, understand!?"

Butler immediately took off his training uniform and stared intently at the court.

It was finally time to torture and torture players other than Link.