Need Firefighters

The buzz around Link's 63-point explosion did not begin to die down until two days later, when the marquee matchup between the Spurs and Clippers, two of the West's elite teams, got underway.

But before the Spurs-Clippers game began, reporters still asked Leonard, who was known for his defense, "Do you think Link's offense is truly impossible to contain?"

Of course, Leonard was not the kind of player who liked to say much in front of the cameras. After replying, "No," he turned around and went back to warming up.

"How boring. Link isn't the only player in NBA history to score 60 points," Popovich muttered as he watched the reporters, who looked as though Link had brainwashed them.

In the Spurs' game against the Clippers, the Spurs ultimately took down the Clippers by four points behind Leonard's 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Aside from his outstanding offense, Leonard also held Jamal Crawford, who had finally gotten a start, to just 3-of-13 shooting and 10 points in 38 minutes.

Leonard had undoubtedly become the face of the Spurs. Although he had failed to win NBA Finals MVP last season, people had still seen the potential in the quiet young man.

After the game, Popovich was asked about Link once again during an interview. This time, however, the question also involved Leonard.

"Another beautiful win. Craig Leonard is becoming more and more mature, and he seems ready to shoulder the team. The next time the Grizzlies meet the Spurs, how many points do you think Link can score against Kawhi?"

"Boring. So boring. There are hundreds of players in this league, and those hundreds of players can create countless topics. Yet every day, all you discuss is the same person. Even an old-fashioned guy like me thinks you're incredibly boring." Rather