After just two possessions, they called a timeout. Viewed positively, it showed Old Master Bo's quick reactions;
viewed negatively, it meant Old Master Bo was desperate.
No coach, if they had even the slightest alternative, would call a timeout after just two possessions and less than half a minute of play.
During the Spurs' timeout, Old Master Bo looked grave as he watched the five Spurs players who had just come off the court, panting heavily.
He knew that Wang Yi's first two possessions had left all five of them stunned.
What NBA player would be panting after just two possessions?
It was simply that Wang Yi's defense in those first two possessions had been suffocating, while his offense had been brutal.
That had placed enormous psychological pressure on the players, leaving them feeling like they couldn't catch their breath.
Old Master Bo watched the panting players and didn't speak right away. He waited for them to catch their breath before saying:
"That guy Wang Yi came out today looking like he intends to single-handedly take down our Spurs. Are we going to let him? Of course not! So what we need to do now is put five men on him!"
When Old Master Bo said that, every Spurs player was dumbfounded.
What the hell was a five-man trap?
They'd heard of a two-man trap or a three-man trap.
During Shaquille O'Neal's prime, four players could trap him in the paint.
But a five-man trap—and against a nimble perimeter player, at that—was practically suicide.
If five of you trapped Wang Yi, all he'd have to do was pass the ball out, and the Kings' other four players would be playing four-on-zero.
The assistant coach hesitated, then explained to the players:
"Popovich means to focus our defense on Wang Yi. He