TD Garden:
The marquee matchup of this season's Christmas Day games was about to take place here: the Boston Celtics versus the Chicago Bulls. It was also a battle for first place in the Eastern Conference.
So far, the Boston Celtics stood first in the East with a 21-4 record, while the Chicago Bulls ranked second with a 20-5 record.
If the Boston Celtics won this game, they would widen the gap over the Chicago Bulls. If the Chicago Bulls won instead, they would overtake the Boston Celtics and return to first place in the East.
At that moment, the arena was filled with a tense yet electric atmosphere as the players from both sides focused intently on their warmups.
Just then, Celtics assistant coach Wall suddenly strode briskly toward Goodwin, who was warming up.
Assistant coach Wall leaned down slightly and whispered a few words into Goodwin's ear.
In an instant, Goodwin's previously tense expression relaxed, and the corners of his mouth rose involuntarily into an unmistakable smile.
Then, he thanked assistant coach Wall gratefully. "Thanks, Assistant Coach Wall."
Assistant coach Wall waved casually and replied with a smile, "No big deal!"
Then he turned and leisurely returned to the bench.
It turned out that Goodwin had been closely following the outcome of the Miami Heat versus Cleveland Cavaliers game.
He had just learned from assistant coach Wall that the Miami Heat had ultimately defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even more unexpectedly, Danny Granger, who had once been injured after LeBron James undercut him, erupted in the pivotal fourth quarter and completed his final revenge in the most satisfying fashion.
The moment that news reached Goodwin's ears, joy surged through him like a tide, and the smile on his lips grew even wider.
At the same time, a thought flashed