Link came up with two consecutive clutch defensive stops, Carter hit the game-winner, and the Grizzlies escaped Oracle Arena by the skin of their teeth. The series score became 2-1, and the defending champions had regained the advantage...
On the surface, it had been a perfect night for the Grizzlies. Every Memphis fan was immersed in the joy that followed the victory.
They cheered for Link, sang Carter's praises, and applauded Joerger's bold decision-making in the clutch.
But as the Grizzlies' head coach, Dave Joerger was deeply worried.
The moment the game ended, Link had gone with Moon to a local Oakland hospital. After finishing the press conference, Joerger had rushed over as well.
Now, he and Link were waiting outside the doctor's office for the examination results.
The image of Link clutching his chest and grimacing kept resurfacing in his mind.
Having worked with Link for so many years, Joerger knew his personality. The guy had achieved such tremendous success not merely because of his outstanding individual ability.
It was also because Link's toughness and willpower were unmatched!
Those qualities meant Link never feared any difficulty and was almost impossible to knock down.
Over time, the entire Grizzlies team had been influenced by Link's traits.
In Joerger's eyes, that was why this small-market team could challenge for a three-peat.
Their roster was not the best in the league, they did not have the most superstars in the league, and their owner was not even the richest in the league.
But their toughness and willpower far surpassed those of the other twenty-nine teams.
That was why Link normally would not grimace over a little pain.
Link had not suffered any major injuries in his career so far, but he had certainly taken his share of minor knocks. Not once had