Bonzi Wells’ scoring spree momentarily shocked the Spurs fans, but only momentarily.
Because during Bonzi Wells’ surge, while no one on the Spurs stepped up to duel him, the Spurs’ overall offense was incredibly fluid with He Xi Meng’s orchestration!
All five starters scored. Even the quietest, Bowen, hit a pick-and-roll three-pointer this quarter, fulfilling his scoring quota for the game.
Others like David Robinson and Ginobili also chipped in with points.
When He Xi Meng returned to orchestrate, and Duncan moved to the high post for playmaking, that was when the Spurs’ overall offensive prowess was at its sharpest!
Everyone was a scorer, everyone was an offensive focal point!
The Trail Blazers, who had a rare chance to rally, were unfortunately suppressed by the Spurs’ collective strength.
At the end of the third quarter, the Spurs still led the Trail Blazers by 8 points! On the sideline, Cheeks couldn't help but sigh in frustration.
“Coach, the game isn’t over yet! We still have one quarter, and I can keep going on a tear!”
Bonzi Wells noticed his head coach’s dejection and, in turn, handed Cheeks the unfinished bowl of chicken soup.
Cheeks feigned determination: “Of course! No one can stop you today! You’ll definitely lead the team to victory in this game…”
But could the Trail Blazers really win?
Duncan and He Xi Meng, who were hot in the first half, didn’t exert themselves in the third quarter. Were they unable to, or were they deliberately conserving energy?
The Spurs, with their multi-pronged offensive strategy, weathered the Trail Blazers’ star scorer’s exceptional performance. Could Bonzi maintain his third-quarter heroics in the fourth?
…
Countless questions flashed through Cheeks’ mind.
Maurice Cheeks entered the league in 1978 as the 36th pick in the second round. His career spanned the Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and New Jersey Nets. He won an NBA championship with the 76ers in 1983, was a 4-time NBA All-Star, a 4-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection from 1983-86, and a member of the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1987.
In May 1993, Cheeks announced his retirement. As a player, he was a defensive master, retiring fifth on the NBA’s all-time steals list. As the 76ers’ all-time steals leader, his number 10 jersey was retired by the team.
After retiring, Cheeks served as an assistant coach for the 76ers, assisting John Lucas, Jim Lynam, and Larry Brown. Before this season, he accepted an invitation from the Trail Blazers to become the head coach of the team from Rip City.
Although he was a rookie as a head coach, as a former NBA star and a veteran with seven years of assistant coaching experience, Cheeks could clearly see that the situation on the court was very unfavorable for the Trail Blazers!
But the problem was that besides encouraging his players to increase their defensive intensity, Cheeks didn’t have many other options!
Conversely, the Spurs were sure to unleash one of their aces, either Duncan or He Xi Meng, in the final quarter. And either of these aces, if ignited, would bring an impact that the Trail Blazers would find hard to withstand…
As expected, the developments in the fourth quarter largely matched Cheeks’ anxieties!
Early in the fourth quarter, Popovich put Duncan on the floor, pairing him with Yao Ming to form a twin towers lineup, supported by Malik Rose, Stephen Jackson, and Parker.
Yao Ming moved to the high post, clearing out the paint for the Trail Blazers and creating space in the interior for Duncan to operate one-on-one!
Rasheed Wallace was on high alert, and the two forwards, after their first-quarter encounter, were set for a direct confrontation once again in the fourth quarter!
Duncan seemed truly fired up today, not needing any stimulation from Popovich or He Xi Meng. He started calling for the ball and actively scoring!
Duncan is ranked as the top among the "Big Four Forwards" precisely because when he gives his all, he is virtually unstoppable!
Even Rasheed Wallace, another of the "Big Four," found it difficult to contain Duncan, who scored with an endless array of offensive moves!
Duncan excelled at the turnaround fadeaway jumper from the low post, his front-facing jab step, his dream shake in the paint, and even Ewing’s “Mover” dribble – Duncan mastered them all and executed them with fluidity!
As long as Duncan wanted to learn, there was no low-post move in the league he couldn’t master!
As long as Duncan wanted to use a skill, his arsenal was never lacking in scoring prowess!
When a king is enraged, a thousand miles are littered with corpses.
Duncan was no king, but he was like one.
On the basketball court, when Duncan truly settled down and gave his all, even a strong player like Rasheed Wallace struggled to cope.
Not only on offense, as Duncan scored 10 points in just over four minutes! What was even more critical was his defense. Duncan delivered consecutive rejections, shutting down the Trail Blazers’ scoring. Even Rasheed Wallace’s straight-arm jumper was blocked by Duncan.
As for Bonzi Wells, it was even more telling. In the third quarter, he seemed to move through the Spurs' interior untouched, frequently scoring. In the fourth quarter, Duncan seemed to suddenly awaken and repeatedly sent Bonzi Wells’ drives packing with emphatic blocks!
Duncan’s dominance also spurred Yao Ming beside him!
Yao Ming began to emulate Duncan’s defensive style and attitude, unconsciously increasing his defensive intensity.
As a result, the Spurs’ paint in the fourth quarter became a true restricted area!
After half the quarter had passed, the Trail Blazers had only scored 5 points from outside jump shots, while Duncan alone had contributed 10 points for the Spurs. The team went on a 15-5 run, directly extending their lead to 18 points!
The outcome was decided, the victory secured!
Duncan, who had notched an impressive 29 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 blocks, happily called it a day.
Before heading to the locker room, Duncan even encouraged a dejected Rasheed Wallace: "Looking forward to our next meeting, I hope you can show your true strength..."
"True strength?" Rasheed Wallace shook his afro, feeling an urge to punch someone.
But this time, Duncan had truly shown off his prowess.
Rasheed Wallace was unconvinced, but the game was won by Duncan. Not only did Duncan win the game, but he also outperformed Rasheed Wallace in individual statistics.
Because by this point in the game, Rasheed Wallace had only scored 21 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, dished out 0 assists, and recorded 0 blocks. His four main statistical categories all lagged behind Duncan!
Perhaps this was the difference between fourth and first.