Even if we lose, we should lose on our feet, not on our knees!
These were the words many head coaches used to encourage their players when victory was out of reach.
They only said them when they had no other choice and there was not the slightest hope of winning.
Yet today, the Hawks' head coach, Snyder, had said those very words after just one half. It showed how powerful Wang Yi was—and how utterly hopeless he could make people feel.
Hearing his coach say that, Trae Young managed to put on a brave face.
His short goatee bobbed up and down as he spoke:
"Actually, as the team leader, I shouldn't say something like this. But the truth is, everyone knows it. We knew this game would be incredibly hard to win from the moment we set out for Sacramento. That guy Wang Yi is just too strong—so strong it's frightening."
After he said this, the others stared at him in surprise.
They'd only played one half, and he was already saying this. Even if an ordinary player said it, it could hurt the team's morale. But he was the team's star, and he'd said it anyway. How could they not be surprised?
Trae Young continued:
"I know I shouldn't say this, but it's the truth. If we can win, of course we should give it everything we've got. But if we just can't, we shouldn't lose heart. After all, that guy is Wang Yi. There's no shame in losing to him. So let's keep our heads up and give it our best for the rest of the game."
"Against other teams, we care about the result, not how we get there. But against the Kings, what matters is how we play. Whatever the result, nobody needs to