Tonight's game had been a marquee matchup from the start.
And the controversy surrounding Link's all-time ranking only made it even more compelling.
So tonight, while the players were still warming up, the arena was already buzzing.
There were simply too many reporters there to film and conduct interviews—the most direct sign of just how much attention a game was receiving.
The reporters' courtside questions were all more or less the same, nearly all related to the newly released "Hall of Fame Pyramid."
"Link absolutely deserves the sixth spot. Have you all forgotten how he pinned Antetokounmpo to the floor and rubbed him raw yesterday? Who else besides him could have done that? Based on yesterday's game alone, he was fully qualified to rank sixth."
Facing the reporters' questions, Wade lavished Link with praise. He did not refuse to acknowledge Link's greatness just because the two had once been rivals.
"After tonight, Bill Simmons will realize just how big a mistake he made. All I can say is, good luck to Link."
DeAndre Jordan held a completely different view. But ever since he had stood up the Mavericks, DeAndre Jordan's influence around the league was nowhere near as great as before.
In terms of pure strength, the Grizzlies were widely considered stronger than the Clippers.
But the Grizzlies were playing the second night of a back-to-back today, and yesterday's opponent had been the troublesome Bucks.
As a result, people were very concerned about the Grizzlies' condition.
If fatigue kept the Grizzlies from playing at full strength, the Clippers could take the game with ease.
So before today's game began, Doug Rivers' plan was very clear.
"Push the pace as soon as we get on the court. Don't let them stop running for even a second! As long as we wear