576: Top of the West
The Grizzlies led the Thunder 3-1 and got the match point. Link scored 50 points in a single game, becoming the sixth player in the 21st century to score 50 points in a single game in the playoffs. At the same time, the 50 points also set a new career high for Link.
Although many people can't accept it for a while, the Memphis Grizzlies who are inconspicuous, have no superstars willing to join, and have never had a sense of existence. This time, it's really going to be the finals!
The Grizzlies' official website has begun to pre-sell tickets for the Finals, and the streets of Memphis are covered with small flags with the words "NBA Finals".
The Grizzlies are not blindly confident, after all, the NBA has only had eight comebacks from a 3-1 deficit so far. And only two of these eight occurred after 2000.
Moreover, the Thunder fell 1-3 not because of poor form, but because they tried their best, but still couldn't win.
Durant scored 44 points in his last game, so can you expect him to do more?
The difference in strength between the two sides is already quite obvious, so everyone is convinced that the next game is at home, and the Grizzlies can end everything!
Link thinks so too, and he even can't wait for the fifth match between the two sides to start sooner.
The Federal Express Arena, home of the Grizzlies, is known as the most literary arena in the league. However, the biggest difference between this arena and other arenas is that there is no honor showroom except for literature and art.
Because the Grizzlies have not won any team honors since the establishment of the team. So, naturally, there is no such thing as a showroom.
Unlike Staples, every new player who joins the Lakers has to go to the showroom to feel the so-called giants.
But this year, the Grizzlies' bleak history will officially turn over. It is reported that the Grizzlies have negotiated with the arena party to build an honor showroom. This summer, the Grizzlies' own showroom will be inaugurated.
And the fifth game between the Grizzlies and the Thunder is the day when the Grizzlies lift their first championship trophy!
The goal of the entire Grizzlies is highly unanimous – to lift the Western Conference championship above their heads and not allow any surprises to happen!
So in the two days between games, the Grizzlies players did not slack off because they had already led the Thunder 3-1. On the contrary, each of them is trying to stay in shape.
The fifth game lifted the trophy and could not afford to lose.
"Hey, Link. You say, if we do win, what are we going to do to celebrate cool? In between trainings, Randolph touched his chin and fantasized about winning the title the next night.
"Damn, and someone like you who wants to celebrate the action a day earlier? Let's wait until we win the game, Zach. I don't think the Thunder will give up easily, even if they have been cornered. ”
Link was speechless, and before the game was played, Randolph was already thinking about styling.
"There's no harm in preparing in advance, hey, otherwise you guys can carry me up, and let me show my face in the headlines after the game, hahahaha. Huh? What about people? ”
Before Randolph could finish speaking, he found that his teammates around him had "escaped".
Whoever can carry it, but Randolph...... The fat man has a few pounds and a few taels, and he doesn't have any points in his heart.
Overall, the Grizzlies' mindset right now is both serious and light-hearted. They didn't put too much burden on themselves, but they also didn't have the peace of mind that victory would come 100 percent.
This kind of mentality is probably the most perfect.
Finally, under the watchful eye, on May 27, 2013, at the beginning of this wild summer, the fifth game of the Western Conference Finals between the Thunder and the Grizzlies was played at the Federal Express Arena!
Today, when reporters see Durant again, he has no more of the frustration he had since lost the last game. The guy's eyes were still bright, as if it was thunder who got the match point.
"We're going to try to bite the next win at the Federal Express Arena, it's a series, unless we win four games, we won't be able to decide the winner." When interviewed by reporters, Durant's attitude was also very tough.
Link was right, and while the last game was certainly a huge blow to the Thunder, they just needed time to digest.
Once they accept that fact, they will work hard for the next game.
At first, reporters thought Durant was a dead duck with a hard mouth. But in the first round of the game, the Thunder showed their determination.
Those guys really want to do something at the Federal Express Arena!
As soon as the opening scene, Sergi. Ibaka hit a three-pointer! The Congolese have range, although they have made very few three-point shots, and have only made 57 shots in the regular season this season. But a 35.1 percent shooting percentage from beyond the three-point line is enough for a defensive power forward.
It's better than nothing.
The three-pointer boosted the Thunder's morale, and then Durant and Westbrook hit shots to beat the Grizzlies to a 7-0 start.
"Is it possible that the Thunder are really going to get revenge on the road? The Grizzlies have all won the Western Conference championship, so you can't be careless! "Hubby. Brown was on the commentary stand, as if he was more anxious than the Grizzlies players.
Link also found that the Grizzlies were a little loose at the beginning, so during the timeout, he snatched the role that belonged to the head coach.
"The Western Conference Championship Trophy is here, at the Federal Express Arena. The league has given us the trophy and the planks for the podium. There's no reason for them to move those things to Oklahoma again! ”
Link pointed in the direction of the tunnel and yelled, which was clearly more effective than tactics at this point. One by one, the Grizzlies players gritted their teeth, and their morale was boosted.
Subsequently, the grizzly bear launched a Jedi counterattack! Today, Link did not continue to fight with Durant to score, because Durant is no longer entangled in individual singles, and the two teams have teamed up.
The Grizzlies' multi-point performance finally allowed them to pull the score back before the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Grizzlies' performance continued to heat up. And the scoring of the Thunder's second team was broken.
Kevin. Martin's hand was cold, and Fischer was no longer as brave as he once was. Reggie. Jackson, a young man, was also overwhelmed by the cunning South American defender of Vasquith.
At half-time, the difference was eight points. The Oklahoma City Thunder now has only one hand left, still hanging over the cliff.
In the third stanza, there is a small interlude. I don't know if it's because Ibaka is too unwilling, Ibaka made a very rough block to Iguodala's layup, and directly knocked Iguodala out of the bottom line!
In the air, Ibaka has a clear deliberate ramming motion. To put it bluntly, there are some meanings in it.
This time, before Link could rush forward, Gasol was the first to walk up to Ibaka and roar.
After five games in this series, the Grizzlies have a tough defense, but it's clean. Whether it's Link, Tony. Aaron is still Iguodala, black and white, they are the kind of players who are effective defensively but clean.
On the contrary, it is Thunder, sometimes under the guise of "upper strength", doing something infuriating.
Even Gasol, who has a mild personality, can't help it now. There was no need for Ibaka's shot to hit so hard.
Iguodala fell to the ground and did not get up immediately, and the temperature between Gasol and Ibaka also rose sharply. In such a situation, the referee watched the slow-motion replay.
In the replay, it was clear to the referee that Ibaka did have a deliberate downward movement of his arm. The referee then gave Ibaka a malicious foul, which was considered justice to the Grizzlies.
Iguodala in Link and Tony. Aaron limped off the pitch with his help, and the team doctor took a look and said it was only a slight sprain.
Even so, the Grizzlies didn't want to risk Iguodala again. Eventually, with Tony. Allen came on for Iguodala and the game continued.
Tony. As soon as Allen came on the court, Link's scoring burden immediately became heavier. You know, Iguodala, who didn't play dead during the playoffs, averaged 16.3 points per game.
Now, the Grizzlies are suddenly missing a 16-point source.
50 points are cut, and this little thing naturally can't be difficult for Link.
In the rest of the game, Iguodala didn't play again, but the Grizzlies, led by Link, remained strong.
With 3 minutes and 10 seconds left in the third quarter, after Gasol made a steal, the Grizzlies launched a fast attack, and Link received a wonderful pass from Conley and domineeringly dunked through Ibaka, which was considered to be a recovery for Iguodala.
Of course, after this shot, the Grizzlies also led by 14 points, 60-46!
After the third quarter, the Thunder scored less than 50, and their state today can be described as high and low.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, the Thunder were still struggling. But Nick. After Young came on and hit two three-pointers, Link noticed that the Thunder's offense didn't seem to be as fierce.
The difference has been going around in the range of 7 to 10 points, and no one can pull it away, and no one can get close.
Originally, the Thunder did have hope of winning, but it was all to blame on Ibaka, what he did to Iguodala made the Grizzlies' long-suppressed energy completely explode.
At the last moment of the fourth quarter, the black and white bears won continuously on the inside! Faced with the forbidden area that was suddenly opened to flowers, Scott. Brooks had no idea what to do.
With the excellent play of the black and white bears, Link completely got rid of the defensive trap of the Thunder. In the last 1 minute and 34 seconds, Link scored 5 points in a row and completely ended the game!
With 23 seconds left in the game, the Grizzlies led the Thunder by eight points at 91-83. In the stands, Grizzlies fans have begun to stand and cheer. On the bench, all the Grizzlies players except Iguodala put their hands on each other's shoulders, ready to rush in as soon as the whistle blew.
Durant, on the other hand, stood where he was, with no intention of participating in this final offense.
Today, he has thoroughly accepted the facts.
“5......4......3......2......1!”
"Beep~~~~~~"
The moment the electronic buzzer sounded, all 18,000 fans raised their arms and cheered.
"Champions, we're the champions of the West! We're on top of the West! We're going to the finals soon! Old Huby yelled heartbreakingly, wondering if he would ever see a grizzly bear out of the West in his lifetime.
After today, he will surely feel that his previous worries are really ridiculous.
The moment the game ended, all the joy in Link's heart exploded. After today, he no longer has to worry about the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin. Durant is up!
Link excitedly rushed to Randolph, only to find that the guy actually had rosy eyes!
Randolph, who was still thinking about what to use to celebrate the championship yesterday, didn't make any moves today, but couldn't help but shed tears.
From a disliked cancer to a Western Conference champion, Randolph may have completed his redemption.
Durant looked at the Grizzlies players who were hugging each other and left the court gloomily. 0.9 seconds to beat the Grizzlies, the moment the Grizzlies won at home, it was like a dream.
After waking up, they still failed to conquer the place.
But today, no one cares what Durant is thinking. Now, it's time for the Grizzlies players to have fun.