Three-Point Drought
Before the double-team arrived, Wang Yi launched a backcourt three.
He took the backcourt three with great flair and decisiveness.
But the shot missed.
Wang Yi didn't mind.
After all, a 45% backcourt three-point percentage didn't mean every shot would go in.
Fortunately, Capela grabbed the rebound and tipped the ball back out.
Wang Yi organized another attack, eventually drove to the basket, and passed behind his back to Capela for the finish.
At the other end, the Lakers brought the ball over half court.
Westbrook drove into the paint but couldn't find room to shoot, so he dribbled back out and passed to James.
James was at the Logo, and Barnes hadn't expected him to shoot from there, so he was about a step away.
James went straight into a pull-up Logo three.
The shot had a flat arc and came off hard. It struck the back of the rim with a bang, then bounced into the basket.
Logo three-pointer!
After making the Logo three, James glanced back at Wang Yi.
But it wasn't meant as a taunt.
It was more like a friendly rivalry between brothers.
Like two friends playing one-on-one: you take a three and miss, then I take one and make it.
How about that?
In truth, James didn't dare actually taunt Wang Yi.
He knew all too well how good Wang Yi was from three. Taunting him about three-pointers would be just like that saying Wang Yi had once used: showing off a broadsword in front of Guan Yu.
Wang Yi was just about to respond to James when Monk, behind James, raised his chin at him instead.
"Wasn't it 'No Logo, no Kings'?"
Wang Yi turned to look at Monk.
The guy had once been a hothead, even called a locker-room cancer.