With 1 minute and 12 seconds left in the game.
The Kings decisively called a timeout.
Brown planned to draw up a play and have the players run an ATO, hoping to help the team claw back the score.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Chen grinned as he and his excited teammates freely used the timeout to celebrate.
Judging by their relaxed expressions, they seemed completely pressure-free, utterly unconcerned that the Kings might come back and surpass the score again.
Of course, he truly had the confidence to feel that way.
In tonight's game, Chen Xi had played a total of 38 minutes and already put up 42 points, 8 rebounds, 15 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks.
It could almost be said that he had single-handedly dragged the entire team forward, carrying along this group of teammates around him who were cold from the field and in mediocre form.
And now, they had completed the most important step—surpass the score.
All they needed to do next was maintain their intensity, stay focused, and steadily protect their lead over the final minute. That would be enough.
Moreover, in the eyes of the New York players, they had already erased a 16-point deficit. There was no reason they could not hold on for this last minute.
The shift brought about by the return of their morale was bound to be enormous.
By comparison, after leading by 16 points only to be caught and overtaken, the Kings players were obviously the ones feeling worse right now.
Being tied after leading by 16 points and trailing by 16 before fighting back were two completely different things.
The difference in mentality might have been the greatest gap between the two teams at this moment.
Soon, the timeout ended, and both teams returned to the