Evening approached, and at Charlotte's Tuhang Stadium, the referee notified both teams' starters to take the court. The second game of the series between the Bobcats and the Hawks was about to begin.
Pierce gathered his teammates together. Standing in the middle with Bibby, Joe Johnson, Horford, and Pachulia, he delivered a motivational speech before shouting, "Take down the Bad Boys Legion."
The words Pierce spoke earlier might not have been fully absorbed by his teammates, but his final shout rallied everyone, even Bibby joined in with a shout.
On the other side, Felton observed the strong momentum of the opposing team. They hadn't lost their fighting spirit despite the 23-point blowout in the first game, and instead seemed angrier due to the crushing defeat.
Take Pierce for example; before Game 1, he was all smiles with his fellow star teammates. This time, he barely exchanged pleasantries and was devoid of any smile.
