Just moments ago, Philadelphia fans could still console themselves by saying that being down by a mere point was nothing to fear.
But now, the atmosphere inside the Wells Fargo Center instantly grew tense.
The fans were no longer jumping and cheering. One after another, they clutched their heads in both hands.
First, Link had posterized Simmons, then in a single possession, he had shaken both Simmons and Embiid off their feet...
All that buildup made Link's thunderous dunk feel like a heavy punch to the chests of Philadelphia fans, suddenly leaving them short of breath.
Embiid climbed up from the crowd of bodies, and the arena camera gave him a close-up.
Embiid's expression looked utterly ferocious. On the sideline, the assembled combat sports superstars whistled.
Was Embiid finally about to get serious?
On the next possession, the Philadelphia 76ers desperately needed a basket to steady themselves.
Simmons and Embiid continued running the pick-and-roll, but this time, Embiid did not pop out after setting the screen. Instead, he rolled toward the basket.
At the same time, Simmons was looking to drive.
As a result, the two were practically crammed together. Counting the Grizzlies defenders, four huge men were now squeezed into the tiny paint.
According to the play, Embiid should have popped out to create space for Simmons.
But he did not. He had had enough of that bullshit floor-spacing style of play.
He wanted to score wildly in the paint. He wanted to personally turn the tide.
Simmons had no choice but to hand the ball to Embiid.
But what came after that? Simmons was at a loss.
If he drifted out beyond the three-point line, he would effectively disappear on offense.
But if he stayed inside, he could not create space for Embiid either.
In the end, Simmons