The poor start did not faze Blatt. He decisively called a timeout.
Before leaving the court, Sun Hao glanced over at the bench.
Blatt showed no signs of panic. He had already picked up his clipboard and was preparing to adjust the tactics.
You could tell a good coach from the details. There was a reason Blatt had grown into the coach he would become later on.
After the timeout, Calderon brought the ball into the frontcourt and immediately signaled for everyone to spread out.
Scola quickly settled into the low post, and the ball was fed inside soon after.
Gabajosa looked slightly excited at that moment.
It felt like his girlfriend had taken off her clothes and was just short of saying, "Come get me."
Still, his reaction was understandable.
Sun Hao had put it tactfully yesterday, but Gabajosa had taken it to mean that he was no good.
What man could stand being told he was no good?
Especially in front of someone he knew.
He could not wait to show Sun Hao what he was capable of.
Unfortunately, he wilted right away.
After receiving the ball, Scola leaned into him without using much force, simply shifting his feet left and right as he spun in place.
The instant Gabajosa tried to contest, Scola spun past him and lightly banked it in.
A stir ran through the sidelines.
Laso also looked surprised.
Those footwork moves... even Gasol could not pull them off.
This rookie named Scola might not have been much of a defender, but his footwork was genuinely excellent.
"Yorg..."
Sun Hao wanted to go over and remind him.
"Mistake. That was a mistake just now."
But before Sun Hao could speak, Gabajosa cut him off.
He was unwilling to give up.
Sun Hao caught the ball