: 295: It's time to be the core of the offense

Rudy Gay's shoulder injury eventually broke out.
This season, Guy has been playing with two thick shoulder protectors. He rejects physical confrontation more than before, not knowing if it is related to the injury. These details may indicate that Guy's shoulders have not healed 100%. In other words, his shoulders have been very fragile after the operation.
One thing is that, although Gay has lost his core position this season, his performance has not been considered bad.
Averaged 17 points per game, and the overall shooting percentage was 45.5%. Except for occasional competitions that are relatively turbulent, there is basically nothing wrong with it. Generally speaking, it is flawed. This year, when Link and Gay are connected to each other, the Grizzlies usually play a very strong offense.
It's hard to see that Link and Guy can basically coexist, but suddenly something like this happened.
A scorer averaging 17 points per game is gone again. Compared with last year, Gay’s injury this year puts even greater pressure on Hollins and the Grizzlies.
Last year, Randolph played the brightest season of the Grizzlies career. After Gay was injured, Randolph transformed into a super insider, 20+10 was as easy as cutting melons and vegetables for him. Even in the playoffs, Randolph can't stop.
Hollins also relied on a system dominated by the black and white bears, without Gay, pulling the Grizzlies to the Western Conference Finals.
But this year, Randolph's decline due to poor health is visible to the naked eye. It is difficult for you to ask him to stand up and kill the Quartet like last year.
To put it more bluntly, Randolph is already unreliable this season. If the Grizzlies want to go further, they must find another fulcrum outside Guy and Randolph!
So, as the ESPN report said: "The burden of the Grizzlies is now on Link's shoulders."
Link is a key training target for the Grizzlies this season, but his style of play has not been too core. Randolph, Guy and Link, you can hardly tell who is the core. When it comes to the Grizzlies, people think of a lineup that "makes you peel off", not a single person.
But now it is different. Link has no way to "thrive" behind Randolph and Gay. He must stand up now and accept the most severe test before he has fully matured. Especially on the offensive end, at this stage, Link can be said to be the only scorer for the Grizzlies.
Randolph slipped, Gasol defended more than offensively, Tony Allen's skill tree was completely crooked, Conley has never been a scoring point guard... Only Link will be the core of the offense in every game.
What does it mean to be the real offensive core? It means that a player will suffer the tightest defense and the most ferocious fouls. Of course, it will also bear the greatest pressure.
This is different from occasionally scoring 40 points and triple-doubles and occasionally scoring 30+ points. Serving as the core of the offense means that you must ensure that each game has a strong firepower output. In other words, Link's games that only scored more than 10 points this season were unqualified by current standards.
This is the difference between being the core and not being the core.
If the Grizzlies encounter Waterloo this year, Link will undoubtedly become a target for people to fight against.
The actual strength of a player is not just based on the statistics. His team performance is the hard indicator to prove his strength.
Love is 30+20 in the Timberwolves, but no one still thinks he is a super insider. why? Because the Timberwolves can't even make the playoffs. The team's performance is not good, and your data is not convincing no matter how good it is.
Link is the same. When everyone is good, he can make the All-Star start and he can be praised.
But now suddenly a team is given to you for you to take and take all the pressure to you, can you still play?
If the Grizzlies can go further, then Link's position in the league will be further improved. But if the Grizzlies finally get out early, he will bear all the consequences.
This is competitive sports. How much honor and praise it gets, how much test it must bear.
Your contribution and your gains are directly proportional.
It's just that under such pressure from public opinion, most people are not optimistic about Link.
"The Grizzlies dream bubble has burst. Rudy Gay's repeated injuries will become the last straw to crush the Grizzlies."
"Let Link lead the team to make a big break in the West? Come on, he's only so good this season because he played next to Zach and Gay."
"Now the whole world will know how ridiculous the identity of Link's All-Star starting forward is actually!"
"Zach and Guy helped Link keep out most of the pressure and trouble, but now when Link has to face it all alone, I honestly don't think he can withstand it."
After the training, Link was sitting in the locker room after taking a shower, and his phone was full of reports questioning him.
But Link didn't gritted his teeth or stomped his feet and said I was going to hit you Sabi in the face.
Because he is really under pressure, he doesn't know how much he can do. This season, Link scored only 10 points in his lowest scoring game. With Guy and Randolph sharing the scoring pressure, Link only scored 10 points.
But if an offensive core only scores 10 points...think about it, you know how big a disaster it is. It's like Durant only scored 10 points in a game, do you think he performed well?
"What's the matter? You won't be afraid of being sprayed?" Tony Allen walked out of the shower room, saw Link being unhappy, so he sat next to him.
"Afraid? Of course not. You know, I never care what the media say about me~EbookFREE.me~ but..."
"but what?"
"I'm afraid that the team's performance will decline because of me." Link clenched his fist, his joints turning white because of the force. It is not easy for a man to confess what he fears in front of others.
"Stupid."
"Huh!?" Link was dumbfounded, why is it different from the script? At this time, as a senior, shouldn't you give an impassioned and inspirational speech? Shouldn't we join hands to reach the pinnacle of life? How come your stupid sentence is over.
"Even if the team's performance drops, it is not your fault. Also, I trust your ability. Not only me, all of us are willing to hand the ball to you and let you handle it. Offensive. Think about it from another angle. On the one hand, Rudy’s departure puts you under pressure to score. On the other hand, you also get more resources and more opportunities to play. Don’t think so much, kid. . Try to do what you should do, and other things will naturally result."
After speaking, Tony Allen changed his clothes and left. Link was the only one left in the empty dressing room.
Tony Allen didn't care about Link, but he knew very well that one day a man had to let go of others' hands and walk his own way.
Link is already in the second grade, and according to Tony Allen's expectations of him, it is time for him to let go of others' hands and learn to move forward by himself.
The All-Star starting forward is not that vulnerable.
At 9 o'clock that evening, when the security of the Federal Express Arena was patrolling, he found that the basketball and hardwood floor collisions were still making a "boom" sound in the training hall.
The security guard smiled, and he believed that the Memphis Grizzlies would not fall. Randolph came forward last season. This season, Link will not let them down...