Chapter 137: Memphis Is Ready
“Eli’s three-pointer carries a despair-inducing magic!” Doug Collins exclaimed. “It always arrives right when you least want to see it. This shot will weigh on the Hornets like a ton of fat, making it hard for them to move.”
A ton of fat.
This might be the strangest compliment Xu Ling’s shooting has ever received.
The score was 66 to 58, an 8-point gap not enough to cause despair, but the Hornets called another timeout.
Byron Scott continued to make substitutions, believing someone could always step up to share Pau’s pressure.
But if they couldn’t stand up to score when needed most, even successfully sharing Pau’s pressure later wouldn’t change the outcome.
The Hornets had only one problem: like the Grizzlies, they were playoff rookies, and once in trouble, they sank deeper like falling into quicksand.
After the timeout, the Hornets’ offense remained sluggish, while the Grizzlies seized most fast break opportunities. Ultimately, the third quarter ended in a collapse for the Hornets.
The Grizzlies laid the foundation for the final victory in this quarter.
In the fourth quarter, amid the remaining cheers from home fans, the Hornets launched a counterattack wave early in the period.
Pau regained some offensive feel, hitting a mid-range shot off a screen and assisting the subbed-in Bonzi Wells for inside scores. The gap was once narrowed to under 5 points.
In the key moment, it wasn’t Xu Ling who stepped up, but Josh Howard. This forward, who had a stunning performance at power forward tonight, first scored on a post-up against Wells in the low post, then made a crucial defensive play, stealing Pau’s pass to West and pushing the fast break to draw a foul, sinking both free throws. He scored 4 straight points like a dam, firmly blocking the Hornets’ comeback momentum.
“Josh Howard! His performance tonight is phenomenal! Not only did he successfully limit West on defense, he also provided stable output on offense!”
Kevin Harlan praised Josh Howard’s performance without restraint. He finally looked back in top form, which was absolutely good news for the Grizzlies.
As game time dwindled, the Hornets grew increasingly anxious, with turnovers mounting. The Grizzlies stayed steady, Kidd controlled the rhythm, and Xu Ling hit a three-pointer in the final three minutes that nearly sealed the game, widening the gap back to 10 points and extinguishing the Hornets’ last hope.
When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard froze at 98 to 89.
The Memphis Grizzlies, after a rollercoaster away game battle, defeated the New Orleans Hornets by 9 points to claim the first playoff victory in team history.
In this historic moment, the entire Grizzlies team showed unimaginable calm. The players involved didn’t even realize they had just rewritten team history.
Xu Ling, with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, stood courtside for a TNT interview, asked about his feelings on setting the team record.
“Honestly, I don’t have any special feelings.” Xu Ling’s words came in bursts; he was still breathing heavily—for a rookie, playing 37 minutes in a playoff debut was undoubtedly a heavy load. “The ones who wanted this victory most—Pau Gasol, Mike Miller—they couldn’t witness this moment as part of the team.”
After answering a few on-site interview questions, Xu Ling turned and headed to the player tunnel.
Tonight was a perfect victory for the Grizzlies.
Not just claiming the first playoff win in team history, but as the Western Conference Seventh seed, stealing a victory on the Western Conference Second Hornets’ home court.
Before the game, even the most optimistic Memphis media thought taking the series to six games would be exceptional.
Now, the Grizzlies struck first.
Besides Xu Ling, others on the Grizzlies shone too, but the most crucial was undoubtedly Josh Howard.
This unknown Grizzlies ugliest played the team’s most minutes at 41 tonight, guarding David West out of position the entire second half. His fronting defense troubled West greatly, and his help defense and rotations were flawless.
As an athlete in his prime, he indeed played at his expected level.
Beyond perfect defense, Howard had 20 points and 8 rebounds. It could be said he and Xu Ling were both indispensable for the Grizzlies tonight.
Then there was Kidd, with 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists for the game.
Looking blown out by Pau in the first half, he “avoided” the matchup in the second, guarding Morris Peterson instead. The team’s adjustment worked, with plenty of fast break opportunities helping Kidd find his rhythm.
Finally, Ariza, whose second-half performance was also outstanding.
The Grizzlies’ big-and-small lineup to open the second half focused on those four smalls—they combined height, strength, athletic talent, and defensive intensity, causing fatal trouble for the Hornets.
Now some are questioning if the Hornets can’t break the Grizzlies’ defense, the next game will have the same outcome.
When reporters asked Pau: “After losing the first home game, are you still optimistic about the series outlook?”
Pau smiled with resolute eyes: “Of course, it’s just the first game. We’ll go back, watch video, find solutions. It’s a series; we have confidence to respond.”
Xu Ling, tonight’s game MVP, naturally drew more attention post-game.
When Xu Ling and Howard entered the media room, the focus naturally fell on the former.
ESPN’s Marc Stein asked: “You primarily guarded Chris Pau in the second half with great effect. Can you talk about how you prepared and executed?”
“Simple,” Xu Ling said seriously. “Just make him as uncomfortable as possible. Like humming Stand Up and Get Crunk! in his ear the whole time《, the Hornets’ home hype song）. Seems it worked.”
The answer drew laughter from the room.
Then Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski（WOJ） asked: “Eli, you got 24 points tonight—as a rookie, that’s impressive, but your defense was even more surprising. How did you balance offense and defense?”
“Scoring isn’t important,” Xu Ling shrugged. “Winning is. Plus, we have Josh—he was great tonight—and Jason, who made my job easy. I just did what the team needed.”
Another reporter: “Did you decide before the game to give CP3 big trouble?”
Xu Ling showed an expression between innocent and sly: “Trouble? I’m always friendly. Maybe your feeling is off.”
In the media’s eyes, Xu Ling indeed had two faces.
When he went through an emotional game or didn’t enjoy it, he often gave reporters a string of barbed responses.
But when he played freely, he instantly became the world’s ideal interview subject—kind, humble, witty, all the qualities media people hoped for shining through. That radiant charisma almost transmitted straight through the microphone to the heart.
Because of this, the Grizzlies’ other hero Josh Howard unexpectedly got “ignored” in the media room. All reporters stared at the microphone in front of Xu Ling, eager for more gems from him.
What finally saved Howard from awkward obscurity was《Memphis Commercial Appeal》 reporter Frank Melton with an easy official question: “Josh, your performance at power forward tonight was crucial, especially on defense. How do you view your role?”
Howard beamed: “I just try to do everything to help the team win. The coaching staff and teammates trust me to guard David（West）; I give it my all, no letting them down. Being part of this historic win feels amazing!”
The interview ended in a relaxed, achievement-filled atmosphere.
The Grizzlies secured a crucial away victory, stealing home-court advantage, and most importantly, broke the team record of zero playoff wins.
Those involved felt they were creating history.
Only now did Josh Howard feel like a true Grizzlies member, not an appendage to Xu Ling and Kidd.
Marc Iavaroni received widespread praise for the second-half adjustments.
This rookie coach could finally silence critics briefly.
But despite the great position, some still thought of defeat before victory.
Still from《Memphis Commercial Appeal》, local sports reporter Frank Melton, who long covered Memphis basketball and was a Grizzlies authority before this turnaround season.
After such a win, amid surprise, Melton asked Iavaroni: “Coach, this is an incredible victory, but the Grizzlies’ rotation seems very thin—Eli, Josh, and Jason Kidd averaging 37 minutes. As the series deepens, will this be a problem?”
Marc Iavaroni was like a sage leader.
“Frank, how many hurdles have we overcome this year?” Iavaroni said inspiringly. “Let the storm come fiercer! We’re ready!”
“Let it come”—not just Iavaroni’s declaration, but the whole Grizzlies’ challenge to doubters.
This posture was less a calculated strategy than ultimate faith. You couldn’t overthink it, or you’d sink into deeper anxiety—the thin rotation wasn’t a problem, main guys’ heavy minutes weren’t. Let it come; the world needs to know Memphis is ready.
