Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 151 No Longer Missing

May 4, AT&T Center, San Antonio
Some people think that the 2007-08 Spurs were probably the weakest of their past title-winning seasons. Compared to the 2000 and 2004 champions who were hampered by injuries and unable to develop further, the 08 Spurs were healthy but were rarely considered championship contenders.

Because the West has the calf, and the East has the Celts.

The Spurs are at best one of the four best teams in the Western Conference.

Power forward GOAT actually had a lot to say about this, but he didn't say anything.

Just like before the semifinals against the Grizzlies, when a reporter from New York asked him for his opinion on the rising star Eli Xu, this silent wise man pondered for a moment.

"Well, I have some thoughts on this," Duncan said, shaking his head. "But I'm not going to say anything."

Perhaps Duncan wanted to thank Xu Ling, because the Grizzlies helped them defeat the Hornets.

Although they are ranked similarly to the Hornets (second and third in the West, respectively), the Hornets' pick-and-roll offense, spearheaded by Paul and West, is extremely damaging to the Spurs.

If we encounter them, it will surely be a tough battle.

On the contrary, the Grizzlies have a better personnel configuration than the Hornets.

The Hornets lacked reliable forwards, while the Grizzlies had a wealth of talent on the wing, and they did indeed defeat the Hornets with the athleticism of their forwards.

The same forward line would still be an advantage for the Spurs, but the advantage wouldn't be as significant.

Because the Spurs still have Bowen to fill in, they don't rely on Bowen to make any contributions on offense like the Hornets rely on Peja. As long as he plays a role on defense and steals a few corner threes on offense, that's enough.

Duncan will dominate the Grizzlies' interior defense just like David West did.

Moreover, the Spurs also have two All-NBA Third Team selections: Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

The Grizzlies surprised the Spurs at the start of the game.

Especially Xu Ling.

Bowen had done his homework on him, thinking that Xu Ling, having passed the first round, would frequently attack with the ball like he did against the Hornets.

As a result, Xu Ling played exceptionally intelligently. He not only avoided forcing one-on-one plays, but also made more use of screens to cut in, and made quick decisions after receiving the ball, either taking a mid-range shot or passing the ball to a teammate cutting to the basket.

His composure and efficiency rendered most of Bowen's petty tricks, which were on the verge of fouls, futile.

The result was that the Grizzlies got off to a surprising start, taking the lead on the road.

It just didn't last long.

Duncan turned the tide in the low post, Ginobili started the offense, and the Spurs' outside shooting gradually opened up, while the Grizzlies gradually lost their rhythm as the opponent's defensive intensity increased.

The Spurs launched a counterattack and easily widened the score gap to double digits.

Before the end of the first half, Xu Ling chose to play singles as usual.

However, just like his performance in the first round, if he is in good form, he will naturally be as fierce and unstoppable as in the decisive battle, but if he is not in good form, it is easy for the disadvantage to become even greater.

Tonight, his shooting touch was initially strong but then faltered. He started well, but his rhythm faded as the game progressed, and eventually he stopped shooting altogether, heading straight for the basket whenever he got the ball. Unfortunately, Duncan's rim protection was also top-notch.

The Grizzlies failed to gain any advantage in their first away game, and their plan to use a surprise encounter to catch their opponents off guard, as they had in the first round, failed.

The Spurs won Game 1.

The subsequent G2 game followed a similar script, with the only change being that Xu Ling's performance improved.

However, individual attacks alone cannot turn the tide of the battle.

When the Grizzlies needed offense the most, no one could help them.

Kidd went 2-for-10 from the field, and Howard went 7-for-16. Their overall inefficient offense rendered Xu Ling's 30 points useless, and the Grizzlies lost even more decisively than in the first game.

"I believe Memphis will find their rhythm at home, but they must relearn how to win on the road," said ESPN commentator Jeff Van Gundy. "The Spurs have more home games, and they don't care about losing on the road."

After the game, Xu Ling was surrounded by the media. Reporters were clearly hoping to hear him criticize his teammates, with one asking directly, "Tonight, only your shooting percentage was above average for the whole team. Do you think that was the main reason for the loss?"

“I don’t think so,” Xu Ling replied.

and then?
There is no more.

Xu Ling has become a de facto "uncooperative" interviewee. This universally acknowledged "villain," on a night when he played exceptionally well while his teammates collectively underperformed, refused to utter a single critical comment? What kind of villain is this?
Moreover, Xu Ling unusually refrained from saying anything offensive to his opponent.

Even more unusually, he didn't utter a single disrespectful word about the Spurs throughout the entire event. His Twitter account remained silent, and the atmosphere on and off the court was completely still.

People can't help but wonder: Was Xu Ling replaced? Why has he suddenly become so ruthless, someone who never hesitated to stir up trouble?
This kind of public opinion left Xu Ling feeling helpless. Why would outsiders think that it's abnormal for him not to cause trouble? The Spurs guys value games, training, and going home to sleep. Bowen, who has always liked to cause trouble, is now getting old, and besides, his playoff record is relatively "clean".

While others may have engaged in some minor misbehavior, it all falls within the realm of competition. The Spurs, known for their ugly tactics, suddenly changed their ways this year, winning both of their home games without any friction between the two sides.

Then, the Grizzlies returned to their home court.

The third battle is crucial.

If they lose, they will be down 0-3, which would be a complete dead end.

Therefore, this game is a do-or-die battle. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley chose the front row instead of a VIP box tonight. In a pre-game interview, he said, "I believe in these guys' abilities. They will not give up easily. The Spurs will have a lot of trouble here!"

Behind Heisley was a sea of ​​blue, as Grizzlies fans snapped up all the playoff merchandise, even the expensive home cheering T-shirts were sold out, making Heisley a fortune.

To be honest, he no longer cares about winning or losing in the playoffs, because the team has already achieved its biggest goal since the relocation—turning around the deficit and then making a profit.

Xu Ling not only transformed the Grizzlies from an unknown team to a global sensation, but also ensured the team's profitability since March, culminating in huge profits during the playoffs. With such a cash cow in hand, Heisley has no intention of selling the team and is solely focused on the books, cheering on the team.

Then comes tonight's game.

Scott Foster's name appeared on the referee list.

At this time, Foster was not yet Paul's arch-rival, but he had already appeared in the Grizzlies' series against the Hornets, and that was exactly Game 5, the game in which Xu Ling had a breakout performance.

The referee for tonight is Scott Foster.

At this time, Foster had not yet earned the nickname "The Extender"⑴, but his subtly biased refereeing style had already begun to spark discussion in the league.

(1) Use the whistle to forcefully drag out the series.

“Mr. Foster, it seems victory is within our grasp tonight.” Xu Ling took the initiative to greet him.

Foster glanced at him expressionlessly: "What makes you say that?"

“You were the referee in New Orleans last time, and we won,” Xu Ling said. “You’re like our lucky star.”

Foster merely sneered: "Perhaps this time I will personally end your good luck."

It seemed that Xu Ling's enthusiasm had been met with a cold shoulder, but he didn't expect to win the other party's goodwill by saying a few nice words anyway; he was just going to say hello.

The match then began.

Back on home court, Xu Ling was like a god descending to earth, hitting three-pointers in a row and leading the Grizzlies to a devastating start.

After the Spurs called a timeout, Bruce Bowen attempted to increase the defensive intensity with his signature subtle moves. However, every stealthy pull and bump was precisely caught by Foster's whistle.

It's hard to say whether this is related to Xu Ling's pre-match greeting. Whenever Xu Ling looked at the referee, Foster always had a stern face, his expression as cold and hard as if he were demanding repayment of an old debt.

Therefore, Xu Ling guessed that perhaps this person was born with a penchant for provoking others?
Regardless, the officiating tonight certainly favored the Grizzlies. Xu Ling astutely seized the opportunity presented by the Spurs' reluctance to apply excessive pressure, unleashing his offensive firepower and maximizing his individual threat.

In the end, the Grizzlies easily defeated the Spurs by 16 points, successfully defending their home court.

Two days later, in Game 4 of the semifinals, Xu Ling, who had exploded in the previous two games, finally encountered the law of conservation of luck, and his shooting percentage began to decline. The team's outside shooting was also not good, but thanks to the perimeter defense built by Xu Ling, Howard and Kidd, coupled with the perfect home-court advantage, the Grizzlies maintained control of the game's pace.

Everything is just right.

The Grizzlies are set to tie the series at home, and another thrilling Game 5 is about to begin.

However, the sword hanging over the Grizzlies' heads has fallen.

Josh Howard, who has averaged 40 minutes per game in the playoffs so far, sprained his ankle again halfway through the third quarter.

He fell during the start-up, and it looked extremely serious.

When Howard was carried off the court, the fans at FedExCare were all wailing and clutching their heads.

The Spurs immediately launched a full-scale counterattack.

With Howard gone from the wing and Trevor Ariza, whose performance has been inconsistent, the Grizzlies' offense and defense immediately became unbalanced.

At the end of the third quarter, the Spurs tied the score.

In the fourth quarter, Xu Ling tried three-pointers but still couldn't find his rhythm, so he gave up on outside shooting and started to actively drive to the basket to draw fouls.

However, in a poor offensive environment, one person's scoring ability is not enough to win the game. Kidd couldn't make his shots, Ariza was also out of sorts, and Milicic and Warrick had a hard time making an impact in this kind of space.

Jaffaroni, who used only a seven-man rotation in the semi-finals, had no room for adjustment.

Xu Ling fought until the very last moment, but the Spurs still managed to turn the tide in this hard-fought battle, taking a 3-1 lead in the series.

"Injuries are part of the game," Xu Ling told ABC reporters at the scene. "The Spurs were the better team tonight. It's not over yet, we want to come back, that's our goal."

However, anyone who has followed the Grizzlies this far knows that Memphis, who has been burning the energy of his core trio at a high intensity, is already exhausted.

The diagnosis came back the following day: Josh Howard suffered a grade 3 sprain in his right ankle with a torn ligament. This is the highest grade of sprain, just one step away from a devastating injury.

This result may signal the end of the Grizzlies' season.

This diagnosis essentially sealed the Grizzlies' season. Howard may not be the team's number one or two player, but since the four-team trade was finalized, the Grizzlies' offensive and defensive systems have heavily relied on the stable framework built by Xu Ling, Kidd, and Howard. Losing any one of them completely stunted the machine. Without Howard, the Grizzlies are no longer the team capable of defeating the Hornets.

Two days later, in a do-or-die game, the Grizzlies struggled through three quarters, trailing by double digits throughout, before collapsing in the fourth. Jaffaroni, seemingly in "injury-free" mode, forced Xu Ling to battle for 43 minutes. Xu Ling persevered to the end, avoiding further injury, and scored a game-high 33 points, but ultimately couldn't turn the tide with a 97-105 defeat.

The season is over.

Xu Ling probably won't miss it in the short term.

(End of this chapter)