The Mavericks' next possession, Nowitzki changed his approach, choosing to post up Duncan head-on. Unfortunately, the ball still bounced off the rim.
Nowitzki fought hard for the offensive rebound, securing the ball. As he went up for the second-chance shot, He Xi Meng circled around from behind.
Nash loudly warned Nowitzki to watch out for He Xi Meng's steal!
Sadly, He Xi Meng's speed was half a beat faster than Nowitzki's reaction.
Before Nowitzki could gather the ball, He Xi Meng had already stripped it and turned to push the fast break.
Nash's first warning failed. As he retreated to defend He Xi Meng, Nash saw He Xi Meng preparing to change direction and gambled, hoping for a steal. Little did he know, this opening was precisely what He Xi Meng had intentionally offered, waiting to see if Nash would take the bait.
Under normal circumstances, Nash was quite rational and wouldn't easily commit.
But on this play, due to Nash's lapse in concentration, missing He Xi Meng, which led to He Xi Meng stealing the ball from Nowitzki and giving the Mavericks possession, Nash was eager to make amends. A sense of wishful thinking took over, and he went for the steal.
The moment Nash lunged, He Xi Meng suddenly changed direction into a fake, narrowly evading Nash's attempt. He then accelerated with his left shoulder leading, blowing past Nash in one stride.
Nash regretted it, but it was too late.
He Xi Meng chased the retreating Mavericks defense, quickly crossing half-court, then abruptly stopped a step beyond the three-point line and pulled up for a shot, sinking a "Nash-esque" transition three-pointer!
He Xi Meng had started making shots, and after the initial probing, the Spurs began to increase their offensive intensity.
On the Mavericks' side, Nash also attempted shots from beyond the arc, but his first attempt missed. Na Hula grabbed the offensive rebound and, in the post-up against Ginobili, hit a turnaround jumper!
The Mavericks players were fighting hard on offense, with players at every position actively seeking scoring opportunities. This was the greatest characteristic of this Mavericks team: constant movement and aggressive shooting!
The Spurs did not panic. Plays like Na Hula's were about scoring in chaos, which could be deadly at crucial moments but didn't inflict significant damage during regulation.
As long as the Spurs could successfully provide help defense on the front lines, in the face of drives from Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash, and prevent these core players from scoring easily, a few "lucky" baskets would not be a major concern.
Comparatively, it was more important for the Spurs to maintain their offensive rhythm and disrupt the Mavericks' defensive efficiency.
The Mavericks' overall defensive efficiency was already at the bottom among the four semifinal teams in the Western Conference. It was not too difficult for the Spurs to work hard and break through the Mavericks' defense.
On the Spurs' next possession, He Xi Meng called Duncan to the high post and ran a give-and-go.
The Mavericks were forced to switch. He Xi Meng accelerated and drove hard at Nowitzki. Nowitzki refused to give up, attempting to block from behind. He Xi Meng drove deep into the paint, passed along the baseline to Ginobili, who cut to the left corner.
It was a rather risky choice, but the chemistry between He Xi Meng and Ginobili was undeniable. The pass was risky but ultimately safe. Ginobili caught it steadily and immediately rose for a three-pointer from the zero-degree angle!
Having moved into the starting lineup this season, Ginobili had been forced to rigorously train his catch-and-shoot accuracy to adapt to his role.
While this wasn't the absolute peak Ginobili, after a season of integration, he had at least become a capable off-ball shooter.
After the Spurs hit two consecutive three-pointers, the scoring pressure on the Mavericks suddenly increased.
However, the Spurs maintained their interior presence, refusing to give the Mavericks direct opportunities to attack the basket.
Nash was forced to have La Frentz come out to the perimeter, attempting to pull the Spurs' big men out of the paint. But David Robinson remained unmoving at the free-throw line, leaving La Frentz open.
It must be said that La Frentz did possess a three-point shot, though its consistency was not high, often fluctuating. His career average was around 36%, making 0.8 shots on 2.3 attempts per game.
Of course, most of these were taken when opponents left him open. Big men who could shoot threes were still a rarity in the league at this time.
Most centers still preferred scoring in the paint; the three-point line was the exclusive domain of guards.
Therefore, David Robinson initially had no intention of stepping out, content to watch La Frentz shoot from the free-throw line and then prepare for the rebound. He wanted to see how La Frentz's three-point touch was that day.
Frankly, for a muscular big man like La Frentz, developing exceptionally soft hands and consistent outside accuracy was extremely difficult. This was precisely why David Robinson, despite knowing La Frentz had the range, chose to observe first.
And La Frentz, indeed, did not live up to expectations, missing this open shot.
If La Frentz had made this shot, David Robinson would have definitely not dared to leave him open again, and the Mavericks' plan to clear out the Spurs' paint would have gradually materialized. But since La Frentz missed, then unfortunately, the next time La Frentz received the ball beyond the arc, David Robinson would likely choose to leave him open again. It was a vicious cycle...
La Frentz's three-point attempt bounced far off the rim. Finley and Na Hula tried to fight for the offensive rebound, but Bowen and Ginobili were equally determined. The four battled just inside the free-throw line.
In the end, Ginobili, with his exceptional agility, broke free from the fray and passed the ball to He Xi Meng. He Xi Meng was not in a hurry; the Spurs held a slight lead and didn't need to rush or panic. They needed stability and to control the tempo.
On this possession, He Xi Meng patiently orchestrated his teammates with perimeter passes, stretching the Mavericks' defense through quick ball movement. Finally, seeing an opportunity, he drove to the basket.
The Mavericks, worried about He Xi Meng connecting with Duncan or David Robinson after his cut, panicked and collapsed, all converging to stop him.
Seeing this, He Xi Meng immediately executed a no-look pass to Bowen, who had cut to the wing. Bowen had a wide-open look. He controlled the ball for a moment, adjusted, and then calmly pulled up for the shot.
Another three-pointer, and it was good!