Eight Hundred and Thirty-Four: Dominoes

Latest website: "The Memphis Grizzlies are the perfect team."

After the opening game of the new season, David Blatt's words went viral. After all, it is a very rare thing to have the head coach of your biggest competitor admit that you are perfect.

Of course, Blatter's words still caused some controversy. According to internal sources, some Cavaliers players were very disappointed with the head coach's remarks.

As a head coach, if you immediately praise the opponent's strength without comforting your own players, this is undoubtedly a very demoralizing thing.

Although I don't know whether this rumor is true or not, at least people did see David Blatt's shortcomings. And sometimes, once cracks appear, they get bigger and bigger.

The combination of the Big Three + Europe's meritorious coaches is far less beautiful than everyone imagined.

Cleveland's championship aspirations were cast a shadow from the beginning, and Link and the Grizzlies finally got rid of those doubtful voices.

People are beginning to believe that the Grizzlies are indeed what Link said, and there should be 6 to 7 people who can be selected into the top 50 superstar rankings. Because Tobias Harris performed better than Love yesterday, and even Jimmy Butler performed better than James.

In just one game, the Memphis Grizzlies changed their reputation. Now, almost the whole world believes that the Grizzlies can win this year's championship. If even the Cavaliers can't do it, then there won't be another team in the league that can stop the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies did indeed play their devastating offensive. After the opening game, they successively defeated the Pacers, the second strongest team in the Eastern Conference last season.

On October 31st, the Grizzlies played their first away game of the new season in Indianapolis against the Pacers.

This game was originally a highlight. After all, the score-boosting battle between George and Link was also very eye-catching.

But due to the absence of Paul George due to injury in preseason training camp, this game also lost its greatest appeal.

Speaking of which, George really can't escape bad luck.

In the original history, in the summer of 2014, George suffered a horrific 90° fracture of his calf during a training match of the Dream Team.

However, in today's time and space, George did not suffer such a devastating blow. George was safe all summer.

Link was originally complacent about this, thinking that his arrival might allow George to escape. As a result, George was injured in preseason training camp.

Although the injury was not as serious as the original 90° fracture of the calf, George still needed to rest for half a season.

In addition to George, another Pacers general David West is also absent due to injury. Coupled with the transfers of George Hill and Stephenson this summer, the Pacers are now in pieces.

Without George, without Hill, without West, without "No. 1 LeBron James" Stephenson, Hibbert alone cannot support the team.

Therefore, the Indiana Pacers' prospects this season are very worrying.

Facing the Pacers, who lost four of their five starters last season, the Grizzlies won the road game 99-82 without any blood.

Seeing the desolate look of the Pacers fans, Link sighed.

Who would have thought that this team, which had been fighting against the Heat's Big Three for two consecutive years, would suddenly fall?

Four of the starting five were suddenly missing due to injuries and transfers, which is a huge blow to any team.

After the Grizzlies won the Pacers, the new NBA season has started for four days, with a total of 26 games. All 30 teams have also appeared one by one.

However, this season seems to be cursed. In just 4 days and only 26 games, each team suffered injuries of varying degrees.

The worst among them is the Thunder. Originally, they were still aiming for the championship this year, but unfortunately Durant fractured his right metatarsal a week before the start of the season and would not be able to return until December to January.

If that's all it is, it's actually not that bad. Relying on Westbrook, the Thunder can survive 2014.

Little did they know that Westbrook failed in the second game of the new season.

Yesterday, in the game between the Thunder and the Clippers, Westbrook only played 9 minutes before he was injured due to a fractured right hand. Durant, Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb and other players have already been on the injured list before, and now Westbrook has been injured again. The Thunder instantly only has 8 players available to play.

To do this, they had to go gold hunting in the G-League. The Thunder's record is unlikely to last until Durant returns.

The Thunder is just a reflection of this year's serious injury problems. After entering November, the Grizzlies faced basically no opponents with a complete lineup.

On November 1, the Grizzlies played against the former Bobcats, which was renamed the Charlotte Hornets, and allowed only 69 points. The Hornets scored so low not only because of their own lack of strength, but also because the Hornets' Al Jefferson, the team's leading scorer, was absent due to injury, so the Hornets' offense was in a mess and could not be organized at all.

Boss Joe looked worried off the court. This summer, he introduced powerful players such as Stephenson and Gary Neal to the team, and coupled with the two core players of Jefferson and Kemba Walker, he thought he could compete in the competition. The weak Eastern Conference successfully made the playoffs.

But because of Jefferson's injury, the Hornets have now lost all 3 games! As soon as the game started, it was hit hard.

During the game against the Pelicans on November 3, Holiday, the Pelicans' leading guard, was absent due to a fractured right leg. Although Davis attacked fiercely, after all, the "thick eyebrow" is not complete yet. The Grizzlies easily won again. Before I knew it, I had already won 4 consecutive games.

But this time, even Link himself wasn't very excited. Because in these 4 consecutive victories, except for the Cavaliers in the opening game, the Grizzlies have never played against a team with a complete lineup.

Such a 4-game winning streak is indeed not very valuable.

And this large area of ​​injuries also made Link a little worried.

After the game against the Pelicans, ESPN also reported on the widespread injuries this year. According to statistics, it has only been a week since the start of the 2014-15 season. The total number of injured players of all teams, large and small, is close to 100!

Injuries are like dominoes. After the first one falls, the next one cannot stop at all.

Looking at the entire NBA history, it seems that no season has experienced such a cruel start. What is the concept of an injury list approaching 100 people? This is the number of players for 7 teams!

Although some of these 100 people are just short-term players with 10-day short contracts, even if these unconventional rotation players are put aside, the injury problem is considered very serious.

"If this continues, the NBA may be disbanded before the All-Star Game."

"The league should reduce the number of regular season games or lengthen the game time! Facts have proved that the current competition system is very harmful to players' health!"

"The Thunder and Pacers have basically been ruined by injuries this season. I hope other teams will not follow in their footsteps."

Fans also began to worry. After all, what charm would there be in the NBA without stars to play?

The Grizzlies are also paying close attention to the physical problems of their players. In the past two years, the reason why the Grizzlies have been able to dominate the league is not only because of their own strength, but also because the Grizzlies miraculously have not encountered any problems in the past two years. What major injury issues.

In the past two seasons, all the Grizzlies' main rotation players have played more than 70 games, making them the healthiest team in the league. In the playoffs, there were almost no injuries.

Health means everything, and if a team can't stay healthy, it won't matter how strong the roster is on paper.

However, even with great attention and caution, the defending champion also received bad news after two years of good luck.

On November 5, the Grizzlies played away against the rebuilding Suns. There was originally no suspense or excitement in this game, but Randolph's rebound fight in the second quarter changed this calm game.

After grabbing the board, Randolph suddenly fell to the ground without warning. At first, Link thought that the "big black bear" just slipped his foot, and was about to pull him up. He also complained that he was getting heavier and heavier. body of.

But when Link saw the painful expression on Randolph's face, Link's heart suddenly "thumped".

The scourge finally came to our door.