The Los Angeles Lakers were the defending champions, with a full roster, and had just put together a two-game winning streak.
The Memphis Grizzlies were ninth in the Western Conference. They had missed the playoffs last season, and their star player was playing through an injury.
On paper, these seemed like two teams in completely different leagues. The arrogant Angelenos even held up signs in the stands that read, "We're Bear Hunters," showing just how confident they were.
Yet the hero of Los Angeles, the guy wearing number 24, had a stern look on his face as he warmed up. He knew his opponent today would be a tough one. Tony Allen was one of the perimeter defensive stoppers Kobe, that basketball fanatic, admired most.
A star of Kobe's caliber had faced every kind of defense. Jalen Rose had once deliberately undercut him, and he had also "enjoyed" Raja Bell's rough, street-fighting style of defense.
But Tony Allen was different. His defense was clean, and that was precisely why Kobe liked him so much.
During warmups, Kobe kept glancing over at Tony Allen. But he noticed that Allen was discussing something with the Chinese-American rookie the Grizzlies had recently signed.
Kobe knew a little about Link's story. The rookie had been on fire lately; even if Kobe hadn't wanted to hear about him, it would have been hard to avoid. Every time he opened his phone or picked up a newspaper, he was bound to see something about Link.
Tony Allen rarely showed this much warmth toward a new teammate. Forget Link, an undrafted rookie—even O.J. Mayo, a prodigy if ever there was one, had once gotten into a fight with Tony Allen on a plane.
Was that fair-skinned guy really so special? Special enough to make Tony Allen, who