The Supersonics, boasting the twin towers of Yao Ming and Kevin Garnett, were undoubtedly the side with the greater advantage.
The result of that night's game validated Carlisle's pre-game prediction.
Final score, 91 to 86.
With the "Northwest Three Giants" combining for 71 points, the Supersonics managed to claw back a victory on the road through a brawl-like matchup.
This defeat cost the Warriors their home-court advantage in this series.
"He (Qin Yue) truly is the most outstanding player in the league today. I deeply regret his inability to perform at his best due to injury, but in my opinion, this presents a perfect opportunity for us to beat the Warriors."
After the game, Carlisle candidly expressed that the reason the Supersonics switched to a defensive basketball strategy in the second game was precisely to exploit Qin Yue's injury.
Strike while the iron is hot.
