Danny Ainge says that former Phoenix Suns head coach Paul Westphal turned their 1993 First Round Playoff series around with a humorous halftime speech during Game 3.
(via Knuckleheads with Quentin Richardson & Darius Miles):
“In the First Round of the playoffs, we’re playing the Lakers. They’re the 8 seed, we’re the 1 seed, and it’s a five game series. We lose the first two games at home. We go to LA, and we’re down at halftime of Game 3 for them to clinch the series and beat the 1 seed. Westphal comes in the locker room at halftime and says, ‘Does anybody know any good jokes?’ That’s our halftime speech is the guy’s telling and sharing jokes. He’s just like, ‘You guys are too tense and too tight. You gotta loosen up, relax, and play.’ We end up winning that game, and then we go home and win Game 5. We made it all the way to the Finals, but it wasn’t a guarantee.”
