In the playoffs last season, the Grizzlies eliminated the Thunder and the Spurs. But this season, facing these two opponents has played harder than last season.

I have to say that this is the West. Your opponents are getting stronger every year, and even an elderly opponent like the San Antonio Spurs will become stronger. In the West, if you think you are stable, you are very wrong.

The Spurs were an example last season. They were the first in the West in the regular season and won a terrible 61 wins. Is the result stable? Not stable at all!

Link now deeply experiences the malice in the West. Although the Grizzlies started almost perfectly this season, Link feels that it seems to be more difficult than last season.

Moreover, the continuous injuries torture the nerves of every team, and the Grizzlies are inevitably unable to avoid them. In the shadow of losing, Tony Allen was also injured, which made Link feel extremely bad.

Fortunately, Tony Allen's ankle injury was not serious, and it was basically strained injuries. But losing Tony Allen in the most deadly round of back-to-back matches was indeed a coincidence.

As he thought about it, the elevator door opened and Link arrived at the hotel gym. At this time, he and the Grizzlies were already in Boston. Tonight, they were going to fight the Celtics in the North Shore Garden of Glory.

For fans and Celtics, North Shore Garden is a place of glory. But for Link and his teammates, it was a hell. Link still remembers his experience of playing at North Shore Garden last season.

Endless abuse, rude fans, difficult teams, and impolite journalists are all the dark side of the Celtics' glorious history.

Today, there will definitely be much more defensive pressure on Tony Allen, Link and others. The playing time may increase. Therefore, Link wants to come to the gym to run first and exercise his muscles.

However, in the training hall, Link met the guy without surprise.

"Year-time, Jimmy." Link stood in front of the treadmill and greeted Jimmy Butler who was on the machine.

"Going early, Link!" Butler was sweating profusely, but he had no intention of restraining himself.

Jimmy Butler is probably one of the most physical players in the Grizzlies, after all, he can't play in most games at all.

He had asked Hollins several times to hope to get more playing time, but he was rejected. What was the result? As a result, Jimmy Butler never gave up, but instead trained harder.

Since you can't play, then put all your energy into training! Therefore, this season, Jimmy Butler also replaced Link and became the "player rat" of the Grizzlies.

Although Butler waving towels on the bench most of the time this season, and it took a whole game with one stroke. Until now, Butler has not even played half of the game. However, Link, who often faces Jimmy Butler in training, knows very well that Butler is now not experienced enough, his defense is already above the league average!

Butler, like Link reminded, was very focused on defense. He almost only did defense, both in games and training.

If Hollins needs an engineer who does not take the ball, he might as well send him on the court. However, the Grizzlies have a stronger engineer, Tony Allen, so Butler has no playing time.

But now, Tony Allen is injured, and Link thinks Jimmy Butler may have several opportunities to perform!

"I heard that after the game ended yesterday, you went to coach Hollins again?" Link asked Butler curiously.

"Yeah, I've found it."

"What did he say? Did you reject you again?"

This time, Jimmy Butler did not answer Link immediately, but sat up, wiped the sweat from his head, and stared at Link's eyes, "No, coach Hollins said this time, let me be ready at any time."

Link smiled. The guy's diligent training was finally time to reap the results.

"So are you ready?"

"I'm preparing every day, Link. As long as I can play, I'm willing to do anything! I think I can do my job well."

Butler has a good mentality, which is related to his basketball experience in high school and college.

As we all know, players who can enter the NBA can basically be said to be geniuses from various regions. Even players who can only watch water dispensers after entering the league may be stars of each team in middle school and college, living under the flash.

This is how Fredette of the Kings. Although he didn't play well in the NBA this year, his popularity in NCAA was no less than some NBA stars last year.

But Jimmy Butler is different. He started from role players and substitutes since he entered the NBA.

In the first three years of high school, Butler was a role player who averaged about 10 points per game. He was a blue-collar worker who followed the older brother to work hard and tiring. It was not until the senior year that Butler became the absolute core, averaged 19 points per game, and was selected into the best team in the region.

But unfortunately, scouts only have talent in their eyes and have no interest in players like Butler who rely on hard work to earn opportunities. So even if they perform well, Butler's scout report still has only two pitiful stars, and no Texas high school students can rank in the top 50.

So after graduating from high school, Butler did not receive any scholarships from the NCAA First-level Alliance, which is really similar to Link's situation back then.

So in NCAA, Jimmy Butler's role-playing career began again.

In his freshman season, Butler failed to even play in the NCAA First Division.

After gaining attention in the second season, he transferred to Wade's alma mater Marquette University, without a single game, averaging 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. That year, Derek Ross, who was in the same class as Butler, became the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

In his junior season, Butler finally averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds per game. But his talent is still not that explosive, and NBA is still just a dream for him.

Senior year, players who have not participated in the NBA draft until senior year are considered to be talentless. Therefore, although Butler has changed from a substitute to the core of Marquette University, with outstanding performance and nomination for the best player, his draft prospects are still unclear. When he participated in the draft, Rose, who was in the same class as him, was already

So Butler continued to play from a substitute without regrets. He had known for a long time that such things were in a hurry. He had no choice but to train hard.

Therefore, no matter how Hollins rejects him, no matter how many benches he sits on, Jimmy Butler's fighting spirit will not be affected at all. A low-court senior player wants to succeed, patience and hard work are essential.

Link was relieved of Butler's condition. He could not wait to let the Celtics and Spurs players experience Jimmy Butler's rough and tough defense.

After all, you can't bear his destruction by yourself. You are tortured by Jimmy Butler in training games every day. Now, it's time to change someone to suffer from Tylink.

※※※

The game was difficult. After the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies were 8 points behind the Celtics.

Today, Garnett is in very good shape. He begged Randolph. Pierce and Ray Allen are also performing normally. The three giants are still using their remaining energy.

On the Grizzlies' attack was really bad. Except for Link and Guy, no one hits 30%.

Randolph's miserable 2 of 10, Gasol Jr.'s 3 of 11, Conley 2 of 7

If Pondsett hadn't performed well on the bench, the Grizzlies would have collapsed long ago and would not have been able to bite until now.

At this time, it was time to rotate again. The tired Guy could no longer focus on offense and defense at the same time. He had just made Pierce score 4 points in a row. Hollins had to adjust the lineup and send an energetic person to meet Pierce.

On the bench, he can play as a substitute, he is an efficient scorer in rotation time. But if he plays with the main players, he will have no advantage in ability. Bathir Bathir has shown his old look this season. The defensive end is no longer as powerful as before. What's more, the elderly Bathir does not meet the requirements of being physically energetic.

So Hollins gritted his teeth and walked to Jimmy Butler, "Jimmy, tell everyone after he goes on the court, don't give up! Including you, do you understand?"

Butler immediately took off his training suit and stared at the court intently.
Chapter completed!