No need to overstate how dangerous Kobe Bryant was. Though people jokingly called him the "Brick King," his career field-goal percentage of 44.7% was actually quite respectable. He just occasionally let himself go, firing away wildly and, as a result, bricking shots wildly.
In other words, he was a super scorer with solid efficiency, explosive scoring ability, a vast array of ways to score, and an incredibly strong mentality.
Link had played five games for the Grizzlies and had faced all kinds of opponents. But a super scorer? This was truly his first time encountering one.
Though he was still inwardly complaining about how Mayo had simply dumped Kobe on him, Link had already mentally entered a state of direct confrontation with Kobe.
Kobe caught the ball and assumed a triple-threat stance, his preparatory move before launching an attack. Kobe's triple threat was truly impossible to read, because he could score in any number of ways.
After two pump fakes, Kobe noticed that Link had not moved at all. There was not even the slightest sign that his center of gravity was about to rise.
Seeing this, Kobe really did pull up directly from beyond the three-point line. That was Kobe—his offensive choices always looked that unreasonable.
But in Kobe's eyes, there was nothing unreasonable about it. Since you truly thought I wouldn't shoot, then I'll shoot.
Yet when Kobe truly rose up to shoot, Link went up to contest him as well. Kobe was a little surprised. This rookie was not slow-witted; his read on offense was incredibly accurate!
Link already held a height advantage over Kobe, and his 2.18-meter wingspan allowed him to smother the shot right in Kobe's face.
The Black Mamba knew something was wrong the moment the ball left his hand. Sure enough, it clanked