Van Exel heard He Xi Meng's ill-intentioned suggestion and gave him a glare, saying fiercely, "In the next game, I'll still go head-to-head with you for points! It's just 3 points difference! In the next game, I'll definitely win them back..."
"Hmm... indeed! Speaking of which, scoring isn't really my forte... your choice is correct! Then, in the next game, we'll see each other in San Antonio!"
He Xi Meng quickly affirmed Van Exel's idea and stepped forward to shake his hand.
But shaking hands didn't feel enthusiastic enough for He Xi Meng, so he proactively gave Old Van a brotherly chest bump and hug, which made Van Exel's muscles tense up all over...
After bidding farewell to Van Exel, He Xi Meng shook hands and hugged Big Bus, reminding him to be prepared in the upcoming games, that Van Exel wouldn't target him anymore, and that he would get a fair and just opportunity... well, even a bit of special treatment!
Big Bus was a little surprised because he hadn't asked He Xi Meng to do anything, but from He Xi Meng's words, he sensed that He Xi Meng seemed to have reached some kind of agreement with Van Exel.
"Xi Meng, if the price is too high, then forget it. This favor, I might not be able to repay in the future..."
Although Big Bus was slow-witted, he could also tell that Van Exel and He Xi Meng were far from being friends. Let alone friends, their animosity seemed quite deep.
In the game that had just ended, Van Exel and He Xi Meng had been playing fire on the court!
If He Xi Meng wanted to persuade Van Exel to help Big Bus, he would probably have to pay a considerable price, which was why Big Bus was worried.
"Don't worry! There's no price! I just made a small bet with Nick. He lost and willingly accepted the bet, to look out for you a bit on the court in the future! But then again, he can help create opportunities, but whether you can seize them still depends on your own effort..."
"Of course! As long as Nick doesn't treat me like air, I think I can still show my abilities in the Nuggets team... Thank you, Xi Meng..."
"We're family, no need for formalities! I hope to see you play in the upcoming games! Look at Da Yao, you need to work harder..."
In today's game, because the Nuggets were not strong, Duncan and David played a bit in the first quarter and then called it a day in the third quarter. Yao Ming got a lot of playing time and shooting opportunities. By the end of the game, he scored 18 points and 8 rebounds, seemingly breaking his NBA career-high single-game scoring record again!
However, Big Bus also played well in this game and broke his NBA career-high single-game scoring record and rebound record: 6 points, 4 rebounds!
Although both were personal bests, the difference between their highest records seemed quite significant.
"Haha! I will! Da Yao's adaptability is faster than mine, so it's natural for his stats to be higher. However, I won't give up either. Just wait for my good news..."
While they were chatting, Yao Ming also finished greeting others and came over to Big Bus. After a few more casual remarks, Big Bus reluctantly bid them farewell.
This was goodbye for now, and they probably wouldn't meet again until next month?
For the last game of their three-game road trip, the Spurs returned to Texas to challenge their Texas brothers: the Mavericks!
In last season's Western Conference semifinals, it was Juwan Howard of the Mavericks who "crippled" Duncan in a mutually destructive way! This led to the Spurs' final failure.
Although with He Xi Meng's incredible performance, the Spurs successfully defeated the Mavericks and advanced to the Western Conference finals. However, He Xi Meng was fighting alone. Facing the peak OK combination, one man's strength was no match for four hands, and as expected, they were ultimately defeated, narrowly missing out on the championship trophy last year.
Although Duncan was relatively indifferent to these honors, including the championship trophy, indifference did not mean he didn't care. The Spurs had an excellent opportunity for a back-to-back championship, which was destroyed by the Mavericks, so should this grudge be avenged?
Don't let Duncan's dull appearance fool you; he was very clear-headed. Any grudge that needed to be avenged would be settled without hesitation!
Thus, before this highly anticipated Mavericks-Spurs showdown officially began, Duncan stepped forward and asked Popovich for the ball: "In this game, I want to shoot more!"
Duncan didn't state his reason, and Popovich didn't ask for it, but he agreed to Duncan's request.
Unlike those scorers who were always thinking about how to break through the coach's limitations and wanted to shoot unlimitedly every game, Duncan genuinely didn't have a strong desire for scoring.
If the team needed it, he would score more.
If the team didn't need it, he would just complete the required workload and call it a day.
Therefore, it was rare for Duncan to step out and ask for the ball, so Popovich naturally didn't need to ask any questions.
"What's there to ask? If Tim wants the ball, he has his reasons..."
After getting the coach's approval, Duncan then turned his gaze to He Xi Meng.
"No problem, I'll fully cooperate with your scoring. Just go ahead and score!" He Xi Meng shrugged. How could He Xi Meng refuse something he wished for?
Duncan, who usually slacked off and loafed around, finally wanted to get serious, so He Xi Meng naturally supported him with all his heart!
Thus, this showdown between the Mavericks and the Spurs gradually evolved into a scoring battle!
Duncan alone battled the Mavericks' Big Three!
In regulation time, Duncan had already scored 46 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks!
But the Mavericks' Big Three were not to be outdone. Finley shot 28 points, Nowitzki scored 26 points, and Nash scored 22 points!
Because the Big Three were firing on all cylinders simultaneously, the Spurs were trailing the Mavericks by 3 points in the final moments of regulation!
He Xi Meng used tactical positioning to hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to tie the game, helping the Spurs drag the match into overtime.
In overtime, Duncan fought on with even greater fervor, scoring 7 points on his own. Combined with He Xi Meng's 3 points, the Spurs finally, after a hard-fought overtime, defeated the Mavericks on the road 126:123!
Duncan scored 53 points in the game, shocking the Dallas fans and fans across the entire league!
The first 50-point+ game of the 2001-2002 season didn't come from Iverson, McGrady, Kobe, or Carter, but from the Spurs' Duncan?
That dull rookie wearing number 21, whose average points per game always hovered around 25?
Duncan's great revenge was achieved, and he returned to San Antonio with a five-game winning streak, content.
But the Mavericks, who had lost at home, would not back down, and their animosity with the Spurs would only deepen...
The Mavericks-Spurs showdown was destined to be a fierce one!