Link's dunk from half a step inside the free-throw line stunned every fan watching the game.
It was as if he were deliberately showing off his physique. Forget comparing him to players in their thirties.
Even plenty of young players in their twenties were left jaw-dropped by Link.
A dunk from the free-throw line, and in an actual game at that.
That kind of highlight simply should not have appeared on a 32-year-old player.
Sam Smith was scared half to death. Even Jordan in his prime probably would have struggled to complete such a gliding dunk in a real game.
What was the difference between Link now and Link in his rookie season?
After thinking it over carefully, Sam Smith realized in shock that Link actually seemed faster and able to jump higher now than he had as a rookie!
Sam Smith swallowed hard. No wonder Bill Simmons had been so thoroughly put in his place by Link.
Link was powerful to an utterly unreasonable degree.
But Sam Smith quickly recovered. This was not a soccer match; one basket alone was nowhere near enough to determine the outcome.
Link's dunk had certainly been spectacular, but the real battle was only just beginning.
On the next possession, Kelly Irving chose to isolate against Conley.
Link might have managed to keep the marks of age off himself, but Conley clearly did not possess such a miraculous ability.
At 33, Conley was no longer the defensive stopper he had once been at the point guard position. Keeping up with the elusive Irving was indeed extremely difficult for him now.
Irving used a string of dazzling dribbling moves to shift Conley's balance, then completely blew past him with a Shamgod Dribble.
Irving's fakes were already highly deceptive, and with Conley's lateral quickness nowhere near