As Billups reached for the ball the moment He Xi Meng picked it up, attempting a steal, He Xi Meng, knowing that was the most dangerous moment, had already prepared his defensive hand for a block. He then dribbled with his right hand, holding the ball high...
Just as the Spurs fans in the arena started to suspect if He Xi Meng was putting on another act and would end up fooling them with a rim-level layup, He Xi Meng suddenly extended his arms, pulled back fully, and then powerfully slammed the ball into the basket...
"Wow~" The Spurs fans in the arena erupted.
"Was that a tomahawk dunk? Am I seeing things? Is that really Simon dunking?"
"What else could it be? He's a low-budget Carter! Even the dunk is a low-budget tomahawk..."
"Let's just enjoy what we see! Seeing Simon dunk is already worth the ticket price for today! Who cares if it's low-budget or high-budget?"
"I support Simon, after all, he's our own Carter from the Holy City..."
From the stands by the court, the fans of the Holy City began a lively and joyous banter.
David Robinson was strong, yes, but a bit old-fashioned, always gentle and dignified, and serious.
Duncan's playing style was indeed explosive, flying and diving, but he rarely smiled, appearing a bit stoic and aloof.
He Xi Meng was just right! Understated yet humorous, maintaining his composure while possessing a hint of rebellious arrogance... His playstyle carried a strong Spurs flavor, yet he occasionally displayed an unusual aura...
This was why, in just one season with the Spurs, He Xi Meng's jersey sales began to surpass David Robinson's and rival Duncan's, making him a highly popular player for the Spurs.
After the thunderous dunk, He Xi Meng's first action upon landing was to explain to Billups, "I'm sorry, I got a bit excited today, but I wasn't targeting you..."
Billups gave an awkward grin and said nothing.
Garnett pulled his face down and nodded, "So you were targeting me?"
Turning around, Garnett stopped passing and went one-on-one against Duncan, attempting to force the ball into the basket with a pull-up jump shot. However, Duncan's defense was solid, and his interference with Garnett was effective, resulting in Garnett's long-awaited shot attempt ending with a miss.
Garnett's offensive ability was not weak, but unfortunately, he encountered Duncan today, which made him play more cautiously. This was because Duncan was the only player in the league who could match Garnett in terms of strength, speed, footwork, height, and arm span.
And today, with no significant offensive pressure, Duncan could fully concentrate on defending Garnett.
After failing to make the shot, Garnett dashed to rebound, but Duncan was prepared and immediately blocked Garnett's path.
David Robinson under the basket seized the opportunity to grab the rebound and then passed it to He Xi Meng to advance the ball.
Billups quickly came over and immediately set up a screen in the frontcourt for He Xi Meng. He didn't want He Xi Meng to score over him again.
He Xi Meng's fast break failed, and he switched to a half-court offense.
Duncan moved to the high post to set a screen for He Xi Meng. This time, Garnett immediately alerted Billups, who navigated around the screen early, disrupting the pick-and-roll between He Xi Meng and Garnett.
Seeing his initial plan fail, He Xi Meng immediately initiated the second plan, turning his attention to David Robinson in the paint.
The Admiral immediately understood: it was time for him to contribute! He exerted force to box out Nesterović and reached for the ball!
Duncan agilely moved to the other side, helping David Robinson draw Garnett away. Garnett did not dare to hesitate and quickly followed Duncan. If Garnett didn't move, David Robinson wouldn't mind a post-up pass to assist Duncan in scoring.
After Garnett left, the paint became a one-on-one situation between David Robinson and Nesterović.
He Xi Meng roamed the perimeter, looking for space to receive a pass and shoot. However, the Timberwolves were closely guarding him. This was the main reason why David Robinson in the paint was able to get a one-on-one matchup.
Seeing this, the Admiral thought, "Well, the opponent has underestimated me, haven't they? They think this rookie from the '98 draft can handle this old man, huh? Do they think I'm a kitten when I don't show my tiger stripes?" If that's the case...
David Robinson began to drive inside. Seeing Nesterović repeatedly retreating and unable to withstand David Robinson's back-down, Timberwolves guard Terry DeMingo tried to sneak from behind to disrupt the play.
However, He Xi Meng, who had been observing the overall situation from the perimeter, immediately shouted a warning to David Robinson. The Admiral, having seen such sneak attacks many times, immediately gathered the ball and, with a half-turn, forced his way into the paint and shot over Nesterović.
Nesterović, pushed off balance by David Robinson, couldn't jump, but he wasn't willing to concede. He reached out and tried to swipe the ball from David Robinson's hands... But would an veteran like David Robinson be so careless?
As a result, Nesterović's attempt to steal failed, and he was called for an intentional foul.
David Robinson then stepped up to the free-throw line and made both shots, easily scoring 2 points.
7:2, the Spurs began to establish a lead. Garnett grew anxious.
On the ensuing possession, Garnett once again went one-on-one against Duncan, finally taking a shooting guard-like fadeaway jumper. The play was simple but resolute. The ball rolled around the rim before finally dropping, not disappointing Garnett. With two points scored, Garnett hadn't fully exhaled when He Xi Meng brought the ball up the court, used Duncan's high-post screen again, and hit a pull-up three-pointer from behind the arc!
This was He Xi Meng's second three-pointer of the game! With the Spurs' twin towers providing strong rebounding support, He Xi Meng was shooting quite recklessly from the perimeter...
This is how shooters are! When they shoot recklessly, their accuracy often improves. Because they have fewer worries in their minds, and they have teammates they can rely on for offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities. Even if the second chance doesn't work out, they won't be hit with a fast break by the opponent...
In short, He Xi Meng was taking advantage of the Spurs' strong and powerful lineup to unleash a reckless counterattack on Garnett. What was even more frustrating was that Garnett couldn't seem to find a good way to retaliate. This was because Duncan, a big man who might not be the league's best defender but was better than one, was staring intently at his every move, making it difficult for him to score...