Long-range threes, clever fakes under the basket, aggressive battles for rebounds, and dazzling passes.
With a string of eye-catching plays, Link had changed the Grizzlies' fortunes. With Rudy Gay out, Link's presence had helped the Grizzlies jump out to a 7–0 lead against the Jazz.
The Jazz called timeout, and Russia's Andrei Kirilenko was undoubtedly the most awkwardly placed player on the court. Before the game, he had confidently promised that the team wouldn't need to worry about the opponent's small forward. Now, though, the Grizzlies' small forward had become their biggest headache.
Jerry Sloan glanced at Kirilenko, anger bubbling inside him with nowhere to go. Kirilenko really had been trying hard, but it was already the first day of 2011. He was long past his prime.
At least compared with Deron Williams, Kirilenko had the right attitude. He had simply misjudged both himself and his opponent.
Sloan patted Kirilenko on the shoulder without saying a word. Then he turned toward the young white player on the bench. It was time to let the young solve the young's problems.
"Gordon, get ready to go in." The veteran coach Sloan waved him over.
※※※
"This definitely isn't the start the Utah Jazz wanted. They should've taken advantage of Rudy Gay's absence and pressed their lead. Unfortunately, Link has perfectly filled the gap Gay left behind, and in some ways, he's done even better than Gay."
"Right, but the Jazz aren't short on options at small forward. Don't forget, they also have this year's ninth overall pick, Gordon Hayward. I believe a younger small forward is the best choice for the Jazz if they want to contain Link."
During the timeout, both commentators predicted that Hayward would come in. Over the past few games, his minutes had been steadily increasing. Kirilenko was