The second half began, with Link, already holding 39 points, taking the ball for the first possession.
For the Grizzlies' second-half starting lineup, Joerger did not stick with the original five. Instead, he sent Dwight Howard onto the court.
Jokic and Gasol could not get up and down the floor today. Their three-point shots were off, and they could not protect the rim effectively, meaning they had lost the strengths they relied on to survive.
So rather than letting those two exhausted European centers keep struggling, it was better to elevate Howard, whose blue-collar attributes were strongest and whose stamina was most abundant.
At the very least, Howard could help Link shoulder some of the pressure on defense and on the boards.
In fact, back in the locker room, Howard had pounded his chest and promised Link, "Don't worry. I'll fight like hell for every rebound!"
Howard was fired up today, the only Grizzlies player who could still be fired up.
Link was grateful for Howard's words. With his teammates supporting him, he felt even more confident about the game.
On the first possession of the third quarter, Link ran a pick-and-roll with Howard.
After the screen, Link was just about to drive when he saw James and Danny Green both come up to trap him.
Although Frank Vogel had said there was nothing to worry about, his actions were much more honest.
In the second half, he had still arranged plenty of defensive schemes specifically targeting Link.
Seeing this, Link could only pass the ball to the temporarily open Dillon Brooks.
Brooks had never been a player afraid of taking responsibility. He knew every possession was crucial for the Grizzlies right now, but he still did not shy away.
But daring to shoot did not necessarily mean being able