When Wang Yi hit seven three-pointers in a row, every Celtics player wore a grave expression.
As they headed to the bench during the timeout, they all had the same feeling.
They felt like they'd been duped.
Who the hell said Wang Yi was slumping?
What player in a slump could score 22 points in three and a half minutes?
What player in a slump could hit seven out of seven from three?
What player in a slump would pass up a fast-break dunk, stop at midcourt to wait for the defender to catch up and the double-team to arrive, then sink a leaning three-pointer from midcourt with one second left on the clock?
I really wanted to rip the mouths off everyone who said Wang Yi was slumping!
Coach Mazulla saw how grave the players looked. He paused for a moment, took two deep breaths, and finally managed a faint smile.
A good coach had to prepare for danger in times of peace. When the players were relaxed, the coach had to stay alert.
But he also had to remain calm in a crisis.
When the players were feeling down, he had to ease their spirits a little and reassure them.
So right now, Mazulla had to smile.
"Listen, don't look so miserable. Wang Yi is very good, but we're still up by five, aren't we?"
"Keep your spirits up. This is your home court. Tell me loud and clear: where are we?"
As Mazulla spoke, he clapped his hands forcefully.
The players all put their dejected expressions away and answered in unison:
"Boston!"
The coach clapped three more times and asked, "Tell me again: who are you?"
All the players answered together:
"The Celtics!"
The coach raised his voice by an octave. "Where are we?"
The players raised