Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 137 Memphis is ready

“Eli’s three-pointers have a kind of despairing magic!” Doug Collins exclaimed. “They always arrive when you least expect them. This shot will weigh on the Hornets like a ton of fat, making it difficult for them to move.”

A ton of fat.
This is perhaps the strangest comment Xu Ling has ever received for his shooting.

Although the score was 66 to 58, an 8-point difference was not enough to cause despair, the Hornets called another timeout.

Byron Scott continued to make substitutions, believing that someone would eventually step in to relieve the pressure on Paul.

However, if they cannot step up and score when they need it most, even if they successfully relieve Paul's pressure later, the result will not change.

The Hornets have only one problem: like the Grizzlies, they are playoff rookies, and once they get into trouble, they'll sink deeper and deeper into the mire.

After the timeout, the Hornets' offense remained sluggish, while the Grizzlies seized most of their counter-attack opportunities. Ultimately, the third quarter ended in a Hornets rout.

The Grizzlies established an advantage in this quarter that ultimately secured their victory.

In the fourth quarter, fueled by the remaining cheers from their home crowd, the Hornets launched a counterattack early in the quarter.

Paul regained some of his offensive rhythm, hitting mid-range jumpers using screens and repeatedly assisting substitute Bonzi Wells to score inside. This brought the deficit to within 5 points at one point.

In the crucial moment, it wasn't Xu Ling who stepped up, but Josh Howard. This forward, who delivered a stunning performance at the power forward position tonight, first scored with a back-to-the-basket move against Wells in the low post, then made a key defensive play, stealing a pass from Paul to West, initiating a fast break, drawing a foul, and making both free throws. He scored 4 consecutive points, acting like a dam, firmly blocking the Hornets' comeback momentum.

"Josh Howard! His performance tonight was phenomenal! He not only successfully limited West on the defensive end, but also provided consistent output on the offensive end!"

Kevin Harlan didn't hold back in praising Josh Howard's performance, saying he finally looks like he's back to his best, which is definitely good news for the Grizzlies.

As time dwindled, the Hornets grew increasingly impatient, committing more turnovers. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, played steadily, with Kidd controlling the tempo. Xu Ling hit a game-winning three-pointer with three minutes remaining, widening the gap to 10 points and effectively extinguishing the Hornets' last hope.

When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard showed a final score of 98 to 89.

The Memphis Grizzlies endured a dramatic and hard-fought battle on the road, ultimately defeating the New Orleans Hornets by 9 points to secure their first playoff victory in franchise history.

When this historic moment arrived, the entire Grizzlies team displayed an unexpected calm. The players themselves didn't even realize they had just rewritten the team's history.

Xu Ling, who scored 24 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, was interviewed by TNT on the sidelines and asked about his feelings on setting a team record.

"To be honest, I don't have any particular feelings." Xu Ling's words were intermittent, and he was still breathing heavily—for a rookie, playing 37 minutes in his playoff debut is undoubtedly a heavy burden. "Those who wanted this victory the most, Pau Gasol and Mike Miller, they couldn't witness this moment as part of the team."

After answering several questions from the on-site interview, Xu Ling turned and walked towards the players' tunnel.

Tonight was a perfect victory for the Grizzlies.

Not only did they secure their first playoff win in franchise history, but they also stole a victory from the home court of the second-ranked Hornets, who were the seventh seed in the Western Conference.

It's worth noting that even the most optimistic Memphis media outlets before the series began only thought that making it to a sixth game would be an exceptional performance.

The Grizzlies have now taken the lead.

Besides Xu Ling, other players on the Grizzlies also performed well, but the most crucial player was undoubtedly Josh Howard.

This relatively unknown Grizzlies player played a team-high 41 minutes tonight, spending the entire second half mismatching David West. His fronting defense caused West a lot of trouble, and his help defense and defensive rotations were also impeccable.

As an athlete in his prime, he certainly performed at the expected level.

Putting aside his perfect defense, Howard also had 20 points and 8 rebounds. It's fair to say that he and Xu Ling were both indispensable players for the Grizzlies tonight.

Then there's Kidd, who racked up 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists.

In the first half, it seemed like they were about to be completely outplayed by Paul, but in the second half, they "avoided" their own lane and went to defend Maurice Peterson. As a result, the team's adjustment worked, and a lot of counter-attack opportunities allowed Kidd to regain his feel for the game.

Finally, there's Ariza, whose performance in the second half was also outstanding.

The Grizzlies started the second half with a lineup of one big man and four small men, with the focus on the four small men. They possessed height, strength, athleticism, and defensive intensity, which caused the Hornets fatal trouble.

Some are starting to doubt that if the Hornets can't break down the Grizzlies' defense, the next game will likely end the same way. When a reporter asked Paul, "After losing the first game at home, are you still optimistic about the series?"

Paul smiled, his eyes resolute, and said, "Of course, this is only Game 1. We'll go back and watch the film, and find a solution. This is a series, and we're confident we can respond."

As the MVP of the night, Xu Ling naturally received more attention after the game.

When Xu Ling and Howard appeared in the media interview room, the focus naturally fell on the former.

ESPN's Marc Stein asked, "You were very effective at guarding Chris Paul in the second half. Can you talk about how you prepared and executed that strategy?"

“It’s very simple,” Xu Ling said seriously. “Just try to make him play awkwardly. For example, keep humming ‘Stand Up and Get Crunk!’ (the Hornets’ home anthem) in his ear, and it seems to be working.”

This answer drew laughter from the audience.

Then Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski (WOJ) asked: "Eli, you scored 24 points tonight, which is quite good for a rookie, but your performance on the defensive end was even more surprising. How did you coordinate your offense and defense?"

“Scoring isn’t important,” Xu Ling shrugged. “Winning is the most important thing. Besides, we have Josh, who was fantastic tonight, and Jason, who makes my job easy. I just did what the team needed me to do.”

Then came another reporter's question: "Did you decide before the match that you wanted to cause CP3 a lot of trouble?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Ling gave an expression that was somewhere between innocent and cunning: "Trouble? I'm always a kind person, maybe your perception is a bit off."

In the eyes of the media, Xu Ling does indeed have two faces.

When he has experienced an emotional game or failed to enjoy it, he often leaves reporters with a series of barbed responses.

But when he's having a good time, he instantly transforms into the most ideal interviewee in the world—kind, humble, and witty; all the desirable qualities that media professionals aspire to possess shine through him. That dazzling personal charm seems to reach straight to the heart through the microphone.

This is why Josh Howard, another key player for the Grizzlies, was unexpectedly "ignored" in the media room. All the reporters were staring at the microphone in front of Xu Ling, each hoping to get more insightful answers from him.

In the end, it was the Memphis Commercial Daily that rescued Howard from the embarrassment of being ignored. Reporter Frank Murtaugh asked an easy, official question: "Josh, your performance at the power forward position tonight was crucial, especially on the defensive end. How do you view your role?"

Howard beamed, "I just tried my best to do everything I could to help the team win. The coaching staff and my teammates trusted me and let me guard David (West), so I was going to give it my all and live up to that trust. It feels amazing to be a part of this historic victory!"

The interview ended in a relaxed yet fulfilling atmosphere.

The Grizzlies secured a crucial road victory, stealing home-court advantage from their opponents. More importantly, they broke their franchise record of zero playoff wins.

Those who are in it feel as if they are creating some kind of history.

It was only at this point that Josh Howard felt like he was part of the Grizzlies, rather than an appendage of Xu Ling and Kidd.

Marc Jafaroni received widespread praise for his adjustments in the second half.

This rookie coach seems to have finally been able to temporarily silence the criticism from the outside world.

However, despite the favorable situation, some people still thought about defeat before they even considered victory.

It was still Frank Murtaugh from the Memphis Business Journal. This local Memphis sports reporter had long covered Memphis basketball and was already an authority on the Grizzlies before their dramatic comeback season this year.

After such a victory, Murto, in his delight, couldn't help but ask Jaffaroni a question: "Coach, this is a great win, but the Grizzlies' rotation seems very tight. Eli, Josh, and Jason Kidd are averaging 37 minutes of playing time. Will this become a problem as the series progresses?"

Mark Jaffaroni was like a wise leader.

“Frank, haven’t we overcome enough difficulties this year?” Jafaroni said excitedly. “Bring on the storm! We’re ready!”

"Let it come"—this is not only Jaffaroni's declaration, but also the entire Grizzlies' challenge to the doubters.

This stance is less a well-thought-out strategy and more an extreme declaration of conviction. You can't delve too deeply into it, or you'll only fall into deeper anxiety—a thin rotation isn't a problem, nor is the overexertion of key players. Let it come; the world needs to know that Memphis is ready.

(End of this chapter)