Cause trouble, then walk away.
It sounded simple, but it was very hard to do.
After all, it was hard for people to keep their emotions completely in check during intense physical activity.
And when you were causing trouble, your own emotions were already running high. If the other person charged at you to throw a punch or started hurling abuse, it was hard to get away unscathed.
Most people would argue back or get into a fight.
But Bill Lambier and his son Doug could cause trouble and then walk away with a smile.
Both of them had committed plenty of unsportsmanlike acts during games, yet they were rarely called for fouls. Even when they were, it was usually just a common foul, rarely a flagrant one.
That was because they both followed the same principle: cause trouble, then leave.
Their whole purpose was to make the opposing team's key players—especially its stars—feel uncomfortable and frustrated.
After that play, when Doug guarded Zion on the next possession, Zion hesitated.
First, after that tug just now, he knew this guy really would go hard.
Second, this guy had once managed to take out three players with a single kick. Doug had just warned Zion to watch his feet, so naturally Zion was even more wary of him. He barely dared to jump when Doug was nearby.
That made it much easier for Doug to guard Zion.
Zion wasn't very tall to begin with. Inside, he relied entirely on his explosiveness and leaping ability.
Now that he didn't dare jump, it was easy to handle him.
So Zion's next two possessions both came to nothing against Doug.
Doug hadn't even done much on either play.
The main thing was the psychological pressure.
As Zion attacked, Doug kept up a steady stream