"Hmm... that's more like it!" Popovich nodded with satisfaction. "If you're injured, you can't push yourself! Sit out a few games..."
"How many games do you think is appropriate?"
"At least two weeks!"
"Two weeks? That's seven or eight games... wouldn't that be a bit much? I'm afraid I'll lose my form if I rest for that long..."
"Then one week!"
"Three games?"
"Deal!"
Popovich readily reached an agreement with He Xi Meng on a rest period for injuries, then turned to Duncan and asked, "Have you thought it through? Are you injured?"
"Yes! Now that you mention it, I do feel a bit uncomfortable..." With He Xi Meng's example, Duncan knew exactly what Popovich meant.
"Very good! Where do you feel uncomfortable?"
"Where do you think I'm uncomfortable?"
"You were flying around the All-Star Game like a madman... don't your knees feel uncomfortable?"
"Yes, yes! My knees are uncomfortable..."
"Your injury is even more serious than Xi Meng's... you need to rest for at least four weeks!"
"Three days?"
"Two weeks!"
"Five days?"
"Deal!"
...
After the All-Star Weekend, the second half of the regular season kicked off.
The Spurs made no trade moves. Popovich was largely satisfied with the team's performance in the first half of the season. The current roster was sufficient for the team's tactical needs. Therefore, the second half of the season for the Spurs would focus on further integrating the lineup and developing new players. Trades were not within the Spurs' consideration.
However, Duncan and He Xi Meng, who had performed exceptionally well in the All-Star Weekend, were sidelined upon returning to San Antonio.
Duncan was experiencing knee discomfort and was expected to miss 3-7 games; He Xi Meng had wrist discomfort and was expected to miss 1-5 games.
The specific duration would be determined by the daily examinations from the team doctor.
"I regret that we have temporarily lost two core players. This will significantly impact our upcoming record, and we might lose our top spot in the league... but we have no choice. Injuries are like demons; you never know when they'll strike... Fortunately, we discovered them in time, and neither player's injury is severe. I believe that with the professional help of our team doctor, Tim and Xi Meng will return to the court soon..."
Tim turned off the TV in the training room and returned to his treadmill.
"It's so boring without games to play!"
"You brought it on yourself... You knew the coach didn't like you exerting yourself in the All-Star Game, but you just wouldn't listen..."
Duncan sighed, "I really didn't intend to exert myself... but the ball was right there, above my head. Was I supposed to just stand there and not jump, not dunk? I couldn't help it... Is being athletic a sin?"
"Stop talking, you're making me jealous!"
"What's 'Versailles'?"
"...I'm done running. I'm going to practice threes. You have fun by yourself..."
Due to the absence of Duncan and He Xi Meng, the Spurs' overall strength was significantly affected.
In the three games after the All-Star break, the Spurs suffered an uncharacteristic three-game losing streak.
It wasn't until He Xi Meng returned from his injury that the Spurs managed to break the losing streak.
However, the Spurs did gain some benefits during this losing streak.
Brad Miller, as Duncan's replacement in the starting lineup, performed exceptionally well, proving his capability to start.
On the other hand, Ginobili, as He Xi Meng's backup, lost his spark when he entered the starting lineup. Following set plays wasn't Ginobili's forte. Ginobili needed space to express himself, not just execute tactics.
With Ginobili moving from the bench to the starting lineup, Reed received more ball possession on the bench, and his scoring average soared.
In other words, during the period when He Xi Meng and Duncan were resting, two of the Spurs' three reserve players performed brilliantly, while one performed poorly.
With He Xi Meng's return, Ginobili, back in his sixth-man role, began to improve, while Reed's performance slightly declined.
As for Brad Miller, driven by He Xi Meng, his average stats increased again. This was because, compared to Ginobili, He Xi Meng gave more ball possession to Brad Miller to execute plays. David Robinson, on the other hand, received more rest.
It wasn't until Duncan returned from his injury layoff that Brad Miller returned to the bench, and his tactical importance and playing time decreased, causing his average stats to decline.
However, Brad Miller's eye-catching performances during this period had attracted the attention of many teams.
Some teams that had been watching Brad Miller for a long time made up their minds and submitted trade requests to the Spurs.
Given the generous compensation offered, Popovich was tempted.
"If our plan is still to contend for a championship, we can't trade Brad... anything can happen in the playoffs, and we need to ensure our lineup depth is sufficient," He Xi Meng's timely intervention dispelled Popovich's lingering hope.
Popovich understood the logic better than He Xi Meng, but people always had a strange self-confidence, especially the strong. Popovich had once believed that his rest strategy could help players avoid injuries. If the Spurs' core players hadn't been plagued by injuries, especially the twin towers in the frontcourt, even if Brad Miller were traded, Malik Rose could have stepped in... Most importantly, the chips offered by the opposing team were truly tempting...
Fortunately, He Xi Meng poured a basin of cold water on Popovich in time, allowing him to calm down. Not many people in the current Spurs team dared to challenge Popovich; He Xi Meng was the bravest.
In the second half of the season, the Spurs seemed to have "continuous injuries." Whether it was Duncan, He Xi Meng, or David Robinson, they all entered the injury list one after another. However, while they had minor ailments, they avoided major ones.
Duncan's performance this season was outrageously good. Without the interference of serious injuries, Duncan was uncontrollably "flying and dunking." He frequently made put-back dunks over opponents' heads on offense and sent blocks flying on defense. Accidentally, his personal stats were heading towards a quadruple-double... points + rebounds + assists + blocks...
Although Popovich repeatedly emphasized that Duncan should be low-key and control his strength, and Duncan always listened and tried to be low-key, once he was on the court, things always spiraled out of control.
With no other choice, Popovich had to constantly resort to the rest strategy for Duncan, even sacrificing some games, to ensure that Duncan could finish the season healthy.
By the end of the regular season, the Spurs still achieved a record of 58 wins and 24 losses, ranking first in the Western Conference and first in the entire league!
The Spurs wanted to be low-key, but their strength wouldn't allow it...