Fifty-Seven: Contempt From Salt Lake City

The victory of the Grizzlies and the Kings gave them a perfect ending to 2010.

The next time the Grizzlies are going to play is January 1, 2011, New Year's Day.

But at this point, Grizzlies fans and head coach Lionel Hollins were in no mood to celebrate their three-game winning streak. Rudy Gay's injury to leave the game affects everyone's heart, and they all know that if Rudy Gay has a big problem, the Grizzlies' chances of qualifying for the playoffs are very slim.

After Rudy Gay was injured, Rockets fans were undoubtedly the happiest. Because on the way to the playoffs, the Rockets are missing one of the most powerful competitors.

Also happy is the Utah Jazz. Although the Jazz currently ranks in the top eight in the Western Conference, their position is not stable. Both the Rockets and the Grizzlies are eyeing the Jazz's status. And in that game on January 1, the Jazz's opponent is precisely the Grizzlies.

"If we can defeat the Grizzlies in that game, I think we should be able to take the initiative in the playoff competition." Jerry Sloan, the meritorious coach of the Jazz, replied in an interview with reporters.

Indeed, Rudy Gay's injury put the Grizzlies in a bind. Although the last few games, Gay's efficiency is not high. But people can't ignore Gay's good side for the team because of this. His attacking power and his composure at critical moments are irreplaceable by the rest of the Grizzlies.

"It has been diagnosed, it is a partial dislocation of the shoulder. The good news is that his injury is not serious at present. If you need it, after a week of rest, Gay can return." In the hospital, the chief team doctor of the Grizzlies and Huo Huo Lyns discussed Guy's recovery strategy.

"What do you think of Rudy?"

"He?" The team doctor smiled, "Of course he hopes to play the game as soon as possible."

"Um...then just do as you plan and give Rudy a week off. Damn injury, that bastard Cousins ​​is crazy!" Hollins shook his head, of course he wanted Let Guy take a break, but his strength doesn't allow it.

The competition in the West is not comparable to that of the East. In the West, if you want to reach the playoffs without breaking the bank, that is a nonsense.

Without Guy, Hollins has no idea how much he'd be able to put the Rockets and Jazz under his feet.

Thankfully, Guy's injury wasn't serious. He will be back on the court with just a week off.

But will Link really be a starter this week? He's only played in less than 10 games in the NBA, and from the next game, Link's opponents are incredibly tough.

If Link starts in the next game, then tomorrow he will be one of the best defensive players in the league - Andrei Kirilenko.

Hollins felt a lot of headaches, and the injury problem was a nightmare that all head coaches didn't want to encounter.

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The news that Rudy Gay dislocated his shoulder and needed to be out for a week, instantly became hot in the basketball circle.

The Memphis fans were the saddest, and the Jazz folks were a little more gloating. As a defensive team, the Grizzlies lost their top scorer all at once. There is no doubt that this will further reduce the Grizzlies' already modest offensive firepower.

In such a big context, more than half of the commentators and pundits are more optimistic that the Jazz can win.

"If the Jazz win, they'll have a chance at sixth in the West. By then, the Jazz will be pretty safe."

"Jerry Sloan's goal this season is the Los Angeles Lakers, to beat the defending champs. So a mere Memphis Grizzlies isn't enough to capsize the Jazz gutter."

"I have to say, it's an unequal game. The Jazz have a stronger roster than the Grizzlies on paper, there's no doubt about that.

Especially after the loss of Rudy Gay, the Grizzlies are even worse. "

No one likes the Memphis Grizzlies, even if it's a team that just won three straight. But Grizzlies fans are not discouraged, as Memphis, they have long been accustomed to being looked down upon.

But they themselves know that the Grizzlies have been different this season. Their players have backbone and strength. Some neutral fans were not interested in the game whose result was already "destined", but the local Memphis fans were full of anticipation for the game.

For one, they were eager for the Grizzlies to hit everyone in the face at home. Second, this is also the first time that Grizzlies fans have come to see the Chinese rookie at the scene for more than ten days!

Link's debut at FedEx Arena was long-awaited by fans. In the first three games, Link has shown his great strength. All Grizzlies fans are eager to see him in action.

At this time, as the focus of fans' attention, Link is training with his trainer Will for tomorrow's game.

Will held a big pad to defend Link at the basket, and Link had to dribble past two dummies and then drive for a layup.

Every time Link made a layup, Will would go up with the cushion. Layup in confrontation, this is the project that Link and Will practiced more today.

"Well done, you need to keep your balance in the air, and the main thing is to keep the ball handler in shape. In the first few games, you were pretty good against layups, and even played a few hit-threes. But you only achieved the second point, not the first point. You can guarantee that the shot movement will not be deformed, but every time you encounter confrontation, you will fall because of the unstable center of gravity. This will greatly increase your injury. Risk is very dangerous.”

While practicing, Marcus Weir explained to Link. After working with Link for more than ten days, Will has become accustomed to staying and working overtime almost every night. But Will wasn't upset about it. In addition to overtime pay, Will also has a sense of accomplishment watching an undrafted pick become stronger and stronger under him.

And Link is also very happy with the extra practice. In addition to filling the little white bars early, he can also increase his basketball skills. Grant Hill in his twilight years is not a perfect player, and Link still has a lot of shortcomings to fill.

When Link scored the ball in the confrontation for the 50th time today and tried to maintain his balance. Will clapped his hands, signaling the end of the practice.

"You practiced well tonight, remember, don't just think about scoring goals, remember to protect yourself. Okay, that's it for today, let's go home."

"It's so early today?" Link looked at the electronic clock in the training hall, it was only eight o'clock now.

Usually, they will practice until after nine o'clock.

"The training for the layup in the confrontation is very physically exhausting. If there is confrontation, it must be exhausted. So today, your training should not be too much. Besides, you don't want to screw up tomorrow's game because of lack of physical strength. "

"That's right, speaking of tomorrow's game... I really can't wait." Link smiled stupidly, then clenched his fists.

Earlier today, Hollins announced his replacement for Rudy Gay in the starting lineup. Link stood out from Tony Allen and Sam Young with his outstanding performance in the past three games.

In other words, in addition to Link's debut at the Grizzlies' home court, tomorrow's game will also be his first appearance as a starter in the NBA!

And Hollins' tactics showed that Link wasn't a fake starter who went off the court after a few minutes. He is a serious starter, and his playing time is in the range of 25-40 minutes!

Starting, means greater responsibility. Of course, it also means greater exposure and more playing time.

Play well and Link will likely get a guaranteed contract. Of course, if he doesn't play well, it's not impossible for Link to roll back to the G League.

So for tomorrow, Will sees a lot. Therefore, he did not allow Link to use up his physical energy in advance. Usually playing as a substitute, Link has no problem practicing. But starting tomorrow for the first time is no joke.

Link and Will left the training hall, and tomorrow's FedEx Gym will be quite lively.

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Andrei Kirilenko, he has a very fierce nickname - "AK47". Because he happens to be Russian, the initials + jersey number can just form AK47. It can be said that the fit between this nickname and him could not be better.

As a "monster" with tall arms and long arms, Kirilenko's greatest strength lies in his versatility. Every game, he fills up his stat sheet.

After the serious injury, Kirilenko's data has declined, but his all-round skills are still the same. Moreover, this guy's skills on the defensive end have not diminished at all.

Before the game started today, Kirilenko was still a little nervous. Because he didn't know who the Grizzlies would use to replace Rudy Gay. Faced with an unknown opponent, it is understandable for Russians who cannot prepare in advance to feel nervous.

However, before the start of the game, when he saw the No. 0 Chinese striker taking off his training suit and preparing to start, Kirilenko suddenly laughed. The nervousness was naturally swept away.

Grizzlies start with undrafted pick? This is really in line with their usual garbage style.

"Today we don't have to worry about the opponent's No. 3 position." The Russian smiled confidently at Jerry Sloan, thinking that he was bound to win today.