On January 6 at 7 p.m., the Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit was about to host the Detroit Pistons against the Boston Celtics.
"Beep, beep." As the whistle sounded, the game officially began.
From the opening tip, the Detroit Pistons showed off their hard-nosed defense.
The Boston Celtics' two leading scorers, Paul Pierce and Vin Baker, found it very difficult to get anything going against the defense.
Half a quarter in, the Boston Celtics had scored just six points.
Fortunately, the Detroit Pistons' offense was only so-so, and they had managed just ten points.
6–10. The Boston Celtics were trailing by four.
"Timeout." At that moment, Doc Rivers decisively called for a timeout.
They had to make an adjustment. If they didn't do it quickly, then once the Detroit Pistons players started making their shots, the game would get away from them.
"Goodwin, get ready to go in."
Shut the door and let Goodwin out.
"Yes, Coach." Goodwin took off his warmup jacket and started getting ready to go in.
On the Detroit Pistons' bench:
"Prince, when you go in, shut Goodwin down." Larry Brown had predicted that Doc Rivers would definitely bring in Goodwin, who had played very well in the previous two games.
A player like Goodwin could do serious damage to the Detroit Pistons if he got hot.
What's more, if they devoted too many defenders to Goodwin, that would open the door for the other Boston Celtics players—especially Paul Pierce.
Given the circumstances, Larry Brown wasn't about to give the Boston Celtics any opportunities.
So Larry Brown chose Tayshaun Prince, the team's best perimeter defender, to guard Goodwin.
As a forward, Tayshaun Prince had some offensive ability. He could drive to the basket and finish, and he was reasonably efficient. He could also shoot from the perimeter. He wasn't a three-point specialist, but if they needed him to hit a few, he could do it. In the low post, Tayshaun Prince had very solid footwork and could use his height advantage to score. Overall, though, Prince wasn't an especially outstanding offensive player in the NBA. His defense was what made him elite.
At 206 centimeters, Tayshaun Prince was tall for a wing. His shoulders weren't broad, making his already long arms look even longer, and helping him slip around screens. His 218-centimeter wingspan was a huge asset on defense. It let him put more pressure on opponents and make it harder for them to dribble. He was also particularly effective at stealing the ball and cutting off passing lanes. And long arms weren't his only advantage.
Tayshaun Prince was quick on his feet. He could keep up with big or small opponents, using his long arms to smother them. He didn't have a particularly bulky build and looked a little frail, but he was no pushover; he even liked getting physical and making opponents uncomfortable. His defensive awareness was top-tier, too. He knew exactly when to help and when to rotate, and he reacted immediately.
Tayshaun Prince was like a magnet, sticking to his assignment and putting pressure on him every moment. It was his defense that had made him a name in the NBA and turned him into the team's defensive anchor and perimeter stopper. Whenever the Detroit Pistons faced elite scorers like Kobe or McGrady, Tayshaun Prince was the one they sent to handle them.
When the timeout ended, Doc Rivers saw Tayshaun Prince guarding Goodwin and began to worry. What if Tayshaun Prince shut him down? If Goodwin couldn't make an impact, then...
Come on, Goodwin!
Doc Rivers went right to the sideline, folded his arms, and watched every change on the court with tense anticipation.
Unlike Doc Rivers, Goodwin was clearly excited.
The stronger the defender guarding him, the more that proved he was good—and the more the opposing coach valued him. That was a good thing.
Tayshaun Prince saw the smile on Goodwin's face and said irritably, "Rookie, tonight I'll show you what NBA defense is like."
"Oh, I can't wait!" Goodwin replied with a grin.
Tayshaun Prince: "..." His irritation kept rising.
As the two ran, Tayshaun Prince deliberately slammed into Goodwin.
Thump!
Muscle crashed into muscle!
Tss, tss, tss... That hurt a little.
This guy looked so skinny, but damn, he was strong!
Looks like 65 strength isn't enough these days.
Thump, thump, thump... Tayshaun Prince kept going after Goodwin, and Goodwin's "frail" body felt like it was about to fall apart.
At long last, they reached the corner, and Tayshaun Prince stopped attacking him.
"Rookie, you're not much of a physical player," Tayshaun Prince taunted.
Goodwin: "..."
A rush of anger shot to his head. Goodwin was about to show Tayshaun Prince what was what. Who was he calling weak?
A thread of reason held him back!
No, he couldn't go straight at him. He had to stay away from this guy.
Goodwin quickly called for a screen, and Mark Blount came over from the paint.
A screen?
"Won't help, rookie." Tayshaun Prince spotted Mark Blount coming over immediately, slipped around him, and chased after Goodwin.
He caught up in no time and slammed into Goodwin.
Goodwin nearly went flying.
Damn! Goodwin's steps slowed as he steadied himself. Then he pivoted off his left foot and went the other way.
Tayshaun Prince quickly changed direction and chased after him, trash-talking as he ran. "Rookie, you're as slow as a turtle. You're not getting away from me."
"Shut up!" Goodwin couldn't help snapping. Damn, how could someone talk so much? It was driving him crazy.
Goodwin's words didn't make Tayshaun Prince shut up. If anything, they turned his trash talk up to full blast. "Rookie, who do you think you are? What, are you getting impatient? Don't worry, I'll take my time playing with you tonight..." He kept going on and on.
Goodwin used the screen to change direction, but still couldn't shake Tayshaun Prince.
At the top of the key, Mike James saw what was happening and had no choice but to pass the ball to Paul Pierce on the other side.
Paul Pierce caught the ball and didn't hesitate. He used a series of fakes to create room for a shot.
Clank! He missed.
The Boston Celtics' possession after the timeout had come to nothing. Doc Rivers shook his head on the sideline. This was going to be tough.
Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound. Once he landed, he passed it to Chauncey Billups. Chauncey Billups saw Richard Hamilton sprinting downcourt, but chose not to pass to him. Instead, he leisurely dribbled across half court.
That was the slow-paced style of the Detroit Pistons' offense.
Chauncey Billups dribbled to the top of the key and watched his teammates move.
Richard Hamilton came out of the low post using a screen.
Chauncey Billups flicked his wrist and sent him the ball. Richard Hamilton caught it, jumped, hung in the air, and shot!
Swish! The ball went in.
6–12.
The Boston Celtics' timeout had been pointless. It hadn't helped at all—in fact, the Detroit Pistons had scored. They'd only tried to steal a chicken and ended up losing the rice.
Before you continue