"After that, Wang Yi started coasting. He kept it up until the end of the second quarter."
"I figure he'll start pushing himself in the second half of the third quarter, or maybe wait until the fourth."
The Raptors returned to the locker room.
Head Coach Dako said to Wang Yi, "You're managing your stamina very well. You need to save your energy for the crucial moments."
Wang Yi knew the coach had misunderstood, but he couldn't exactly tell him the truth.
I'm not trying to save my energy. I'm just doing this so they'll praise me more enthusiastically.
All he could do was nod and say to the coach:
"That's right. I need to save my energy for when it matters most."
Meanwhile, in the visitors' locker room...
The Pistons' head coach offered words of encouragement to several of his players:
"Our strategy is working. Wang Yi hasn't been initiating many attacks in the second half of the second quarter."
"So you all did a good job out there. Keep it up when you take the court in the third quarter."
Bickerstaff then turned to the defensive coach, Scott, and said:
"Scott, if we win this game, you'll deserve a lot of the credit."
Scott smiled and nodded. "Let's win the game first. Then we can talk."
The Pistons players all thought it was incredible, too.
Sure enough, when they praised Wang Yi like that, he stopped attacking.
"Unbelievable!"
"This strategy sounds weird, but it really works."
"Wang Yi's always been one to stand up to force. Anyone who goes out of their way to oppose him gets crushed, but if you flatter and praise him, he'll let you off the hook."
"So let's use that weakness to our advantage and win this game!"
Long story short.
Fifteen minutes