Carter's words made He Xi Meng recall that it seemed to be the case.
Today, Carter only scored 8 points for the whole game, with 4 points from dunks, 2 points from layups, and 2 points from free throws. Not a single point came from mid-range or long-range shots.
This was in stark contrast to He Xi Meng!
He Xi Meng scored 22 points in this game, with 18 points coming from mid-range and long-range shots, and only 4 points from attacking the basket, all of which were ordinary layups. He didn't even attempt a dunk...
"There's nothing wrong with your shooting form, but your shooting percentage is unstable. It might be related to your excellent muscle condition... Simply put, your muscle explosiveness is too strong, which can lead to applying more force than you intend when you shoot... Next time, you can try to relax your muscles more before stepping onto the court, especially the muscles in your arms and wrists, to make them a bit softer..."
"Thank you for the reminder, Xi Meng, I'll try your suggestion..."
"Good luck! Get rid of the injury soon..."
"Good luck to you too! Don't get bothered by injuries..."
After leaving Toronto, the Spurs immediately flew to Philadelphia to challenge the 76ers!
This was a back-to-back game. The Spurs were expected to have a tough time, but Iverson was injured!
Just like the Raptors, the 76ers with Iverson and the 76ers without Iverson were completely different teams.
The 76ers with Iverson were a top team in the Eastern Conference, while the 76ers without Iverson were basically a borderline playoff team in the Eastern Conference, not comparable to the overall strength of the Spurs.
Iverson's injury problems had been getting increasingly severe after his peak last season. This was unavoidable. Iverson's playing style was destined to lead him to be entangled with injuries.
Stepping in for Iverson was Aaron McKie, the 76ers' best sixth man.
McKie played well in his sixth man role, but the gap compared to Iverson was significant. Even more critically, the 76ers' bench was not strong to begin with. Losing Aaron McKie left the bench even more devoid of reliable offensive firepower. The result was that the starting lineup couldn't beat the Spurs, and neither could the bench.
The Spurs easily defeated the 76ers, taking the victory in Philadelphia.
Iverson didn't even attend the game because he knew it was a foregone conclusion.
A significant consequence of Iverson's injuries was the drastic decline in the Philadelphia 76ers' record this season, a stark contrast to their dominance in the Eastern Conference last season.
This season's king of the Eastern Conference was the New Jersey Nets!
That summer, the Nets and the Suns completed a point guard trade!
The Nets sent away Marbury and acquired Kidd from the Suns.
Kidd had played well during his time with the Suns, but the team was unlucky. They always suffered injuries right before the playoffs, and couldn't break through the first-round curse in the Western Conference.
As a result, the management grew tired of Kidd and wanted a change, trading him for Marbury, who had stronger offensive capabilities.
Both management teams were trying to get a different type of point guard to bring some fresh energy to their respective teams.
The results were definite, there was definitely fresh energy!
The Suns' streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances in the Western Conference was thus ended.
And the Nets, after three consecutive seasons at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, suddenly leaped to become the leader of the Eastern Conference!
In the 11 regular-season games that had concluded, the Nets, with a record of 9 wins and 2 losses, were far ahead of the other teams in the Eastern Conference. In fact, in the entire league, the Nets' record was second only to the Spurs and the Lakers!
The Spurs were currently on an 11-game winning streak, undefeated.
The Lakers' current record was 10 wins and 1 loss. Their only loss was to the Suns! This was also one of the few highlight games for the Suns this new season, arguably their most brilliant performance.
The current lineup for the Nets was: Center Todd MacCulloch, Power Forward Kenyon Martin, Small Forward Keith Van Horn, Shooting Guard Jason Kidd (Kiddell's), and Point Guard Jason Kidd.
Kidd and Kiddell's, two top defenders, formed the strongest backcourt defensive combination in the Eastern Conference, and perhaps in the entire league.
And this was the most important reason for the Nets' rapid rise in performance this season.
Of course, Marbury's individual defense wasn't bad, but Marbury's control and organization of the Nets were at least a level below Kidd's.
This clash between the Eastern and Western Conference leaders attracted the attention of many league fans.
The Nets did not disappoint. Relying on their home-court advantage and led by Kidd, they battled the Spurs down to the final moments of the game.
In the final minute, Kidd used a screen to drive forcefully to the basket, drawing Duncan's help defense, and then made a brilliant pass to the trailing Kenyon Martin. Martin caught the ball and soared, using the timing difference to execute a powerful dunk, helping the Nets take a 97-96 lead over the Spurs by 1 point.
The Spurs countered. He Xi Meng, facing the double-team of the Nets' two defensive stalwarts, did not force a shot. Instead, he executed a small play with Duncan, passing to Duncan after a screen as he rolled to the basket!
Kenyon Martin attempted to block Duncan and was almost fouled for a 2+1!
Duncan, watching the seemingly sure-to-go-in shot rim out, shook his head in frustration.
He Xi Meng came over and patted his back, telling him to calm down.
"I should have dunked it!" Duncan explained, looking down. "If I had dunked it, there wouldn't have been a problem with it bouncing out..."
"It was just a small accident, don't worry about it! Just make your free throws..."
Stepping up to the free-throw line, Duncan was still somewhat emotionally affected. The first shot bounced out. After taking a deep breath, Duncan composed himself and calmly made the second shot.
97-97, the score was tied in the final moments.
For the next half-minute, it would depend on who scored first and who would gain the initiative in the game.
Kidd employed the same tactic again, using his driving ability to penetrate the Spurs' paint, then looking to pass to Kenyon Martin!
This season, in the Nets' offensive schemes, Kenyon Martin, as Kidd's bodyguard and pick-and-roll finisher, carried many tactical responsibilities.
However, on this play, because the Nets had just executed this tactic, the Spurs were prepared.
Duncan didn't mind being a supporting actor, but he strongly disliked being exploited by the same move repeatedly!
Therefore, on this play, when Kidd repeated the tactic, Duncan recovered quickly. As Kenyon Martin took flight, intending to dunk again, Duncan slapped the ball out of Kenyon Martin's hands!