Kenyon Martin, unable to retract in time, let the basketball slip from his grasp. He yelled, hoping for a foul, but the referee saw nothing. Duncan's block was clean, not a brute force shove, but a skillful flick that sent the ball from Kenyon Martin's palm!
Having successfully blocked, Duncan immediately jumped again, securing the ball firmly before the Net players rushing in could grab it.
From the sidelines, Popovich immediately called a timeout to strategize for the final offense.
The teams were tied, but the ball was now with the Spurs.
With only 26 seconds left, theoretically, the Spurs had enough time for a full possession and no need to rush.
However, after the Spurs' play, the Nets would still have at least 2 seconds. Therefore, the Nets didn't need to rush either and wouldn't risk a foul strategy. Instead, they would patiently let the Spurs complete their possession… successfully defending it would be the best outcome for the Nets!
After a brief deliberation, Popovich decided to milk the clock and go for two points!
Thus, the opportunity for a game-winning shot fell again to Duncan in the paint!
The old man had a genuine soft spot for Duncan, wholeheartedly aiming to mold him into an invincible player during regular play and a decisive finisher in crucial moments – a flawless, top-tier player!
But honestly, precisely because Duncan was so invincible in regular play, his success rate on clutch shots wasn't as high. Otherwise, there wouldn't be the saying, "In desperation, look to the 'Demon Blade.'" This had a lot to do with a player's style.
Duncan was a foundational player, steady and expansive, suited for direct confrontations and tough battles, ideal for securing victory before the final decisive moments. Once dragged into overtime by opponents, Duncan's advantage dwindled compared to more erratic players.
Yet, Popovich hadn't given up, still working to cultivate Duncan's game-winning ability.
Frankly speaking, in terms of clutch shots, He Xi Meng's execution was actually superior to Duncan's!
On one hand, He Xi Meng possessed numerous built-in game-winning plays, capable of selecting the most advantageous strategy based on the opponent's defense.
On the other hand, He Xi Meng's current psychological resilience was top-tier in the league. Clutch shots tested not skill, but mental fortitude above all else.
In life-or-death moments, the ability to remain cool, possess a big heart, and maintain stability wasn't a common trait among players.
He Xi Meng lacked neither strategy nor mental toughness, and certainly not skill.
Therefore, rationally speaking, He Xi Meng was the player in the Spurs' current lineup best suited for executing game-winning plays.
But Popovich habitually chose Duncan, perhaps due to his favoritism for the "21 rookie," or perhaps because Popovich firmly believed that the closer to the basket, the higher the scoring efficiency. 138 Reading Network.
He Xi Meng didn't object; if Duncan missed this shot, they would simply go into overtime with the Nets.
The Spurs' current roster depth didn't fear a prolonged game.
He Xi Meng initially dribbled to run down the clock, passing to Duncan when about 10 seconds remained. Duncan received the ball on the right low post, preparing to back down Kenyon Martin!
But the Nets denied Duncan a one-on-one opportunity. Van Horn abandoned Bowen and immediately rotated back, joining Kenyon Martin to contest Duncan's shot!
Seeing the situation, Duncan didn't wait for the last 10 seconds to expire. He turned and attempted a fadeaway jumper!
The ball was released, but the aim seemed slightly off. It hit the backboard, spun around the rim, and bounced high. It looked unlikely to fall...
Beneath the basket, four big men – McLoch, Kenyon Martin, Duncan, and Yao Ming – all focused on the airborne ball.
"Big Yao!"
From beyond the three-point line, He Xi Meng called out to Yao Ming while moving, and Yao Ming, immediately understanding, jumped with all his might, swatting the ball directly towards He Xi Meng at the three-point line!
Kidd heard He Xi Meng's shout and was the first to react, but Yao Ming's pass was incredibly powerful, like an arrow released from a bow. In an instant, the ball was in He Xi Meng's hands!
As the game neared its end, He Xi Meng had no time to adjust. He caught the ball and shot quickly!
The buzzer sounded almost simultaneously as the ball left He Xi Meng's hands!
Kidd, attempting to block He Xi Meng in mid-air, saw his block fail and immediately yelled, "Overtime!"
Kidd's mind was truly sharp, spinning incredibly fast.
"Good shot! Game winner!"
He Xi Meng retorted, shouting at the referee.
However, based on He Xi Meng's years of experience watching the clock, this shot was not overtime.
But this was New Jersey, the Nets' home court, and anything could happen.
If the referee ultimately intervened and ruled the shot invalid due to being too late, He Xi Meng wouldn't be unable to accept it.
After all, the referees represented the league and held the final interpretive authority.
Duncan had already planned to rush over and ruffle He Xi Meng's hair in celebration of his game-winning shot.
But Kidd's shout forced the Spurs, who were already celebrating, to cool down.
Popovich called all the players to the sideline, comforting them, "Regardless of the final result, whether the three-pointer is valid or not, we must be prepared for overtime… In overtime, we will play like this…"
At the scorer's table, three referees gathered, repeatedly reviewing the instant replay and conferring. Finally, they ruled: the three-pointer was valid!
He Xi Meng hit a buzzer-beating shot to defeat the home team, the Nets, saving the Spurs from an unnecessary overtime.
Kidd was quite displeased with the loss. In this game, he had recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. The Nets, with their strong backcourt defense, had successfully limited He Xi Meng's individual stats to 18 points and 8 assists.
Unfortunately, their efforts were ultimately in vain.
Without the final game-winning shot, He Xi Meng's stats would have remained at 15 points and 8 assists, far below Kidd's triple-double. The Spurs would have been dragged into overtime by the Nets, and it was possible they could have defeated the Spurs, keeping the victory in New Jersey…
After defeating the New Jersey Nets, the Spurs returned to their home court to face the Wizards, led by Michael Jordan!