Throughout the entire first quarter, Wang Yi got only two uncontested chances to shoot.
Aside from his first shot, he tried a three-pointer with his only other opportunity.
But perhaps the Grizzlies' constant fouling had disrupted his rhythm. The shot didn't go in.
For the rest of the quarter, he faced double-, triple-, and even quadruple-teams, so all he could do was pass the ball.
As a result, he didn't score a single point from the field in the entire first quarter.
Of the eight points he scored in the first, six came from the free-throw line.
By then, all the Kings' players had seen what the Grizzlies were trying to do.
In theory, this strategy should actually have benefited the Kings as a team.
After all, when three or even four players double-teamed Wang Yi, he could simply pass to an open teammate, who would then have a chance to shoot without a defender in his face.
Of course, Gobert, a towering center, was guarding the paint. Even with space, it was hard to get an easy shot near the basket. But midrange jumpers and long-distance threes were wide open.
So as long as the Kings' players weren't shooting at an extraordinary level, winning shouldn't be difficult.
But there was one obstacle.
The promise Wang Yi had made before the game.
Everyone knew Wang Yi was a man of his word.
If he said he was going to score 60-plus tonight, then he would score 60-plus.
But if Wang Yi ignored the team's situation and forced his own shots, it would put the Kings at a serious disadvantage.
Thinking it over, De'Anthony hesitated, then said to Wang Yi,
"Wang, I have a couple of things to say to you."
All the players looked toward their head coach.
Rose had