Antetokounmpo looked at Link in front of him and felt utterly powerless.
Though he was more than twice Link's size, basketball was not a game of comparing body mass.
Back then, Jason Kidd had been able to defend James in the post. Now, Link was giving Antetokounmpo all he could handle.
And he knew Link was not his only problem. The moment he drove inside, a swarm of defenders would collapse on him.
But Antetokounmpo had no other choice. Even knowing what would happen, he could only do it.
What else could he do? It was not as if he could rise up for jumpers from beyond the three-point line.
As Grizzlies fans chanted, "Defense!" Antetokounmpo dribbled toward Link, then floored it and accelerated!
Antetokounmpo's drives had always been straight-line attacks, with barely any turns involved. He rarely used technical moves like crossovers to beat defenders.
Against most opponents, Antetokounmpo's stiff, direct drives were more than enough.
But against Link, Antetokounmpo had barely taken one step before he was firmly stopped!
In last season's Eastern Conference Finals, Leonard had already tortured Antetokounmpo badly enough.
In this year's Finals, Link's defense was no weaker than Leonard's—if anything, it was stronger.
Still, relying on his physical advantages and natural talent, Antetokounmpo forced Link backward and into the paint.
Though he had not been able to build up momentum because of it, as long as he got to the basket, Antetokounmpo had ways to score.
But the moment Antetokounmpo drove in, he saw JaMychal Green and Jokic both coming over to trap him.
Just as he had expected, the moment he drove, the Grizzlies sent a double-team!
With no other option, Antetokounmpo had to pass the ball to Brook Lopez.
As one of the first traditional centers in the league to transition his