Who's on the Cover?

Fans across the NBA had their eyes on the Grizzlies and Thunder, as if the two teams were battling in the NBA Finals.

Only the Thunder and Grizzlies could make a regular-season game feel like the NBA Finals.

Now the media across Oklahoma City were busy. With Link on the verge of his third ten-game winning streak of the season, they would spare no effort in cheering on the Thunder.

"The Grizzlies are incredible. They've put together another nine-game winning streak. Unfortunately for them, the Thunder stand between them and ten straight wins. Poor Memphis. They're destined to fall short."

"The Grizzlies already have 43 wins. What does that mean? The Milwaukee Bucks won just 38 games all last season and still made the playoffs. In other words, by February, the Grizzlies have won more games than a playoff team did in an entire season. But their shine will fade in Oklahoma City."

"The Grizzlies are unstoppable. Sure, they've been unstoppable all season—except in Oklahoma."

Once again, the Oklahoma City media belittled the Grizzlies before the game, projecting tremendous confidence.

But a closer look showed they weren't nearly as confident as they sounded.

Every Oklahoma City article first acknowledged how strong the Grizzlies were, then followed with a few mild jabs. That would never have happened before.

The media were leaving themselves a way out. If the Thunder lost, they could fall back on what they had already admitted.

In other words, even the Oklahoma City media didn't believe the Thunder were guaranteed to win. They might not have given them even a fifty-percent chance.

Link couldn't help laughing as he read the coverage. If you're going to trash us, go all in. Taking shots while hedging your bets is no fun at all.

So that afternoon, as Link boarded