"What? A five-man trap?"
Coach Dako froze on the spot.
Usually, in the most crucial possessions, teams let the opposing star go one-on-one. They would never send a double-team.
Because once they did, it would inevitably leave one of the opposing players unguarded.
If the offensive player passed the ball to that unguarded player, it would be like practicing an open shot.
That would be a fatal mistake.
But now Wang Yi wasn't just calling for a double-team. He wanted a five-man trap.
That meant there would be no fewer than four unguarded players on the court.
This wasn't just playing with fire. It was playing with a nuclear bomb.
The players were all staring at their leader in shock.
Wang Yi smiled and said, "There's no time to explain. Just listen for my cue."
Meanwhile, Popovich spoke directly to his players:
"On this last possession, let X run down the clock. With five seconds left, give the ball to Wemby and let Wemby go one-on-one."
Popovich's coaching philosophy was that basketball was a team sport, and he preferred to see his team work together.
But the more passes a team made, the higher the chance of a turnover.
That was why coaches often told their teams, when the game was on the line, to give the ball to their star—to the best player on the court.
And let him take the defender on by himself.
For one thing, the star was usually better than the other players, so he was less likely to turn the ball over.
And with fewer passes in between, there were fewer chances for the other team to steal the ball.
Wemby raised a concern. "Coach, what if they suddenly trap me too?"
Most players wouldn't trap the opposing star in the final moments.
But