Objectively speaking, it wasn't that Harper didn't want to pass the ball to O'Neal, but rather that the Spurs' defense on O'Neal was indeed very tight.
The first hurdle was preventing O'Neal from receiving the ball comfortably.
The second hurdle was that even if O'Neal managed to get his hands on the basketball, Duncan's double-team would arrive very quickly, immediately disrupting O'Neal's dribble towards the basket.
So, even if Harper passed the ball to O'Neal, it wasn't easy for O'Neal to score. For instance, on this play, Harper managed to get the ball to O'Neal, who, under the double-team of the Spurs' twin towers, shot uncomfortably, and the ball bounced off the rim.
Elliot grabbed the defensive rebound, and He Xi Meng pushed the ball forward to continue the half-court offense, still looking for Duncan. This time, Duncan didn't force his way inside but leaned on Grant, executing a turnaround fadeaway bank shot after a half-spin…
Grant couldn't interfere in time and could only watch as the ball kissed the glass and went in.
Duncan's bank shot was remarkably consistent; truly second to none.
On the Lakers' side, O'Neal's post-up game continued to miss the mark, while He Xi Meng used Duncan's off-ball screen, back-cut around the weak side, and created distance from Harper, who was chasing him.
Bowen's cross-court pass was timely. He Xi Meng, at the left 45-degree angle, caught and turned for a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!
He Xi Meng scored again, making Kobe incredibly envious and eager to retaliate against the Spurs. But the annoying Bowen was relentless, sticking to Kobe like a burr, causing Kobe's mid-range turnaround jumper to bounce off the rim. Fortunately, O'Neal's positioning was excellent this time, as he successfully secured the first bounce and then, with all his might, shoved David Robinson aside. Facing Duncan's help defense, he powerfully rose up and slammed the ball into the basket!
Wow, O'Neal was furious on that play!
O'Neal's powerful slam dunk was met with thunderous cheers from the entire arena. O'Neal himself flexed his biceps, showing his muscles to Duncan. Duncan ignored him, picked up the ball, went to the baseline, and quickly inbounded it to He Xi Meng.
He Xi Meng immediately understood Duncan's intention and chased after O'Neal on the fast break, forcing O'Neal to keep running without stopping. Rushing back, he finally made it to his own paint. Before he could even catch his breath, He Xi Meng faked a change of direction, luring O'Neal to the right side of the basket. Then, with a no-look behind-the-back pass, he threw the ball to Duncan, who was cutting through the middle. Duncan caught the ball and took flight, completely ignoring Grant under the basket!
Grant, being old and wise, saw Duncan's momentum and knew his old bones couldn't withstand it. He wisely chose to get out of the way, leaving space for the airborne Duncan, and didn't even jump…
To the younger players, Grant's choice seemed cowardly; he should have at least tried. But to the veterans, Grant's choice was the smartest. How many players in the league could go head-to-head with Duncan in his current form? When Duncan was already flying, becoming a "flying demon," the best course of action was to avoid his storm…
This basket by Duncan was both a response to Grant's offensive foul call on him earlier and a retort to O'Neal's dunk over him in the previous possession.
From their play at the start of the game, it was clear that the Lakers' offense and defense still revolved around O'Neal and Kobe, and the triangle offense that the Zen Master had repeatedly emphasized during the offseason seemed to be nowhere in sight…
As for the Spurs, they continued with last season's offensive and defensive tactics. Duncan's role as a facilitator was becoming increasingly important, and Popovich's emphasis on ball movement and sharing was being implemented more smoothly under He Xi Meng's leadership.
The O'Neal-Kobe combination was truly no match for the Duncan-He Xi Meng combination. Not to mention, Duncan had the steadfast support of the Admiral by his side.
Even with the home-court advantage, the Lakers were trailing the Spurs by 3 points by the end of the first quarter.
Subsequently, both teams began their rotation.
The Lakers' bench unit consisted of center Greg Foster, power forward Wang ZhiZhi, small forward Horry, shooting guard Brian Shaw, and point guard Tyronn Lue.
With Fisher out due to injury, Tyronn Lue finally moved from behind the scenes to the forefront, becoming the Lakers' second point guard.
The Spurs' bench unit consisted of center Brad Miller, power forward Malik Rose, small forward Ginobili, shooting guard Speedy Claxton, and point guard Steve Kerr.
Kerr, as a point guard, was actually a pseudo-point guard; the ball-handling and organizing were primarily done by Ginobili, who played small forward.
Upon entering the game, Tyronn Lue attempted to exploit Kerr's age and speed past him. However, Kerr, having been a key role player for the Bulls dynasty, was not so easily bullied, even in his old age.
Kerr used his experience, anticipation, and a few subtle moves unseen by the referees to successfully impede Tyronn Lue's drive, forcing Lue to pass the ball to Horry.
Horry, without catching the ball, immediately passed it to Wang ZhiZhi, who had moved out to the perimeter!
Malik Rose was a half-step slow in closing out, and Wang ZhiZhi, with a quick shot, hit a three-pointer!
Ginobili, of course, would not be outdone. Holding the ball, he drove past Horry with speed, breaking into the Lakers' paint amidst the double-team… Just when everyone thought Ginobili, after all that effort, would surely take the shot himself, he flicked his wrist and delivered a ghost-like pass, which flew through the gap and went directly to Speedy Claxton, who had cut to the left corner!
Claxton's primary role with the Spurs was as a spot-up shooter!
This role perfectly suited Claxton's preferences and playing style, allowing him to seamlessly integrate into the Spurs' current offensive scheme and begin contributing his potential and strength!
On this play, Claxton wasn't expecting Ginobili to pass at the last moment, but as a shooter, he instinctively positioned himself in the right place!
Unexpectedly, Ginobili's unconventional play was far beyond Claxton's imagination.
On this play, Ginobili, who had fought his way through so much difficulty, surprisingly chose to pass to Claxton at the last moment!
Although Claxton didn't understand Ginobili's thought process, it didn't prevent him from cherishing Ginobili's exquisite assist! With a swift motion, Claxton hit his first career three-pointer, also his first three-pointer for the Spurs!
Claxton, who hit his shot immediately, seemed somewhat emotional. With a wide smile, he ran over to Ginobili and high-fived him in celebration.
Seeing Claxton's smile, Ginobili was instantly reminded of the joy he felt last season when he hit his first career three-pointer in the NBA… Come to think of it, that assist was from He Xi Meng, wasn't it?