With four points, the Bobcats' advantage vanished in an instant. The fans inside Time Warner Center Arena had barely finished celebrating before they grew tense again.
Link's arrival immediately changed the Grizzlies' spirit. This sluggish giant bear seemed to be showing signs of getting back on its feet.
Naturally, the Bobcats did not want the Grizzlies to rise again, because in terms of pure strength, they were no match for Memphis. What they needed to do was keep up the pressure and use their more energetic style to drag down this exhausted beast.
Stephen Jackson knew Link's abilities well and would never underestimate that undrafted rookie. But honestly, if they lost this game because of one of the other team's reserves, Stephen Jackson would not be able to accept it either.
Therefore, when the Bobcats attacked again, Stephen Jackson was no longer so reckless. He kept an eye on Link's position at all times. He had no desire to suffer that kind of help defense a second time.
But when Stephen Jackson had to split his attention to watch Link, Rudy Gay became extremely troublesome for him.
Link's two baskets had, to some extent, lifted the Grizzlies' morale. Rudy Gay certainly did not want to lose to Link. He wanted to prove that whatever Link could do, he, as the team's star, could do as well.
Stephen Jackson could clearly feel that the Grizzlies' defensive intensity had changed! At the very least, Rudy Gay's defensive intensity was completely different from before.
So when he received D.J. Augustin's pass again, Jackson no longer had the confidence he had at the start.
Gay stared Jackson down, as if he wanted to swallow him whole. He would not allow himself to need an undrafted rookie to clean up after him. That could never