At the most critical, decisive moment of the game, abandon the double-team on the opponent's top star? That went against every defensive principle in the basketball world!
"Coach, that's too risky!" The assistant coach shot to his feet. "Leaving Li Fei open in the final moments—wouldn't that be the same as surrendering outright?"
"No, that's our only chance!"
Popovich's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority. "Think about it! A player who's been double-teamed and worn down for a full 43 minutes—what state will his body and mindset be in? Once he's grown used to looking for passing opportunities under double-teams, what will his first reaction be when he suddenly faces a one-on-one defender?"
"Hesitation! A disruption in his rhythm!"
"More importantly, his teammates!"
Popovich jabbed a finger hard against the tactical board. "After taking open shots all game, when the ball suddenly goes back to Li Fei in the most crucial moment, they'll instinctively stand there waiting for a pass instead of actively cutting and providing an outlet. That instant of stagnation is our window to win!"
"We'll use 43 minutes of madness to gamble on five minutes of normalcy. We'll use an unconventional tactic to bet on Li Fei making the 'conventional' choice in the clutch! This is a psychological battle—we're betting that he'll trust his own individual ability and choose to finish the game with a one-on-one duel!"
The entire meeting room fell silent. Everyone was stunned by Popovich's bold, nearly insane tactical idea.
They would spend the first three and a half quarters gambling on the Knicks' role players staying hot, then spend the final five minutes gambling on Li Fei's hero ball.
This was no longer a simple tactical arrangement. It was an earth-shattering gamble with the fate of their entire season on the line!