The media widely publicized this as He Xi Meng's final three-point contest, whetting the appetite of fans. However, they glossed over He Xi Meng's statement that "three-pointers are enough to change the game," considering it merely the hopeful wish of a three-point shooter.
The prevailing basketball philosophy still revolved around the idea that "the closer to the basket, the higher the scoring efficiency." The understanding of three-pointers remained at the stage of "a supporting method to stretch the court."
Of course, some reform-minded, new coaches had begun studying the offensive power of three-point tactics. The rise of a new generation of three-point shooters like He Xi Meng, Ray Allen, and Nash had gradually elevated the status of the three-point shot in the league. However, this elevation was a slow process, requiring time to settle.
In the 2001 Three-Point Contest, the players challenging He Xi Meng's throne included old rivals Ray Allen and Nowitzki, and new opponents Peja, Nash, Rashard Lewis, Allan Houston, and Bryon Russell.
If Peja, Nash, and Lewis were joining the competition, He Xi Meng could understand.
But Allan Houston, a mid-range king, was also joining the fray?
He Xi Meng checked Allan Houston's three-point shooting percentage: a career average of 40.2%, last season 43.6%, and this season a slightly lower 39.3%...
My apologies! Although Allan Houston was known as the "mid-range king," his three-point shooting was actually top-tier! After all, how could a man who mastered the mid-range shot be terrible from beyond the arc?
"Ahem... sorry, Mike, I didn't mean to mock you. You are unique..."
Setting aside Allan Houston, who was this Russell? Could it be that because He Xi Meng had snatched Hornacek's two three-point titles in the previous two seasons, Russell was here to avenge his teammate?
Speaking of which, the Jazz and He Xi Meng had developed quite a bit of animosity.
On a team level, He Xi Meng had repeatedly defeated the Jazz in the Western Conference Finals while with the Lakers, preventing them from contending for a championship... Although even if they had reached the Finals, the Jazz wouldn't have beaten the Bulls, that wasn't a reason for the Jazz not to resent the Lakers.
On a personal player level, He Xi Meng had now caught up to and surpassed Stockton at the point guard position. Next, he had also taken two three-point contest championships that should have belonged to the "light gun," leading to his bitter retirement...
Now, Russell, with his 41% three-point shooting percentage this season, had entered the Three-Point Contest stage, directly targeting the defending champion He Xi Meng. Wasn't this revenge?
Despite He Xi Meng's low-key demeanor, his rise inevitably led to the decline of others... The sun rises and the moon sets, Yin flourishes and Yang wanes; it's all the same.
"Indeed, after this contest, I should retire and give up this stage... So, I should cherish this last opportunity."
Having made up his mind, He Xi Meng acted uncharacteristically. Instead of engaging in pre-game social interactions, he sat quietly on the sideline, adjusting his breathing and mindset.
The bigger the competition, the calmer one needed to be. Meditation and deep breathing were the best ways for players to stabilize their mentality.
Duncan had wanted to enter the court and give He Xi Meng a head pat of encouragement, but upon seeing He Xi Meng's unusually serious demeanor, Duncan wisely held back. Not only did he hold back, but Duncan also actively acted as He Xi Meng's bodyguard, blocking other players who wanted to greet him beforehand, preventing them from disturbing He Xi Meng...
Logically speaking, the All-Star stage was for performance, for excitement and entertainment. But facing challenges from so many skilled players, He Xi Meng wanted a perfect opportunity for his swan song and approached it with the attitude of a Finals game.
Perhaps He Xi Meng's attitude was contagious. Ray Allen and Nowitzki also returned to their respective preparation areas, checking their shoes, their jerseys, and stretching their wrists...
The battle was about to begin!
The first player to compete was the Yugoslavian sharpshooter Peja!
Peja was also a member of the talented 1996 draft class, selected 14th overall in the first round. However, he didn't debut in the NBA until the 1998-1999 season, joining the Kings. After two seasons, Peja successfully transitioned from a bench player to a starter, with his scoring average rising from 8.4 points to 20.4 points!
Perhaps Ray Allen hadn't realized yet that with He Xi Meng leaving the Three-Point Contest stage, Peja would become his biggest rival.
Peja, going first, felt a bit tight at the start. He only made two shots from the first spot, and a "flower ball" bounced out. However, from the second spot onwards, Peja began to showcase his true talent, his shooting percentage gradually increasing, ultimately scoring 19 points in the preliminary round! In an era where 30 points was the maximum, 19 points wasn't outstanding, but it was highly likely to advance him to the second round.
The second player was also a newcomer to the Three-Point Contest, Nash!
Nash was also a member of the 1996 draft class, selected 15th overall in the first round. He had already been in the league for four seasons, also starting from the bench and gradually becoming the Mavericks' starting point guard. His scoring average had increased from 3.3 points in his first season to 15.6 points this season. Nash didn't heavily rely on three-pointers for scoring. Throughout his career, Nash's average made three-pointers was only 1.4 per game, and most of these were fast-break threes! Compared to three-pointers, Nash still relied on drives and mid-range jump shots.
However, this didn't mean Nash's three-point shooting was subpar. Nash's career three-point percentage was a solid 42.8%, and in his highest season, 2007-2008, it reached an impressive 47%, far exceeding that of shooting guards who relied on their shooting for a living.
At one point, He Xi Meng had even wondered if, had Nash's playmaking ability not been so exceptional, it would have been a good choice for him to switch to shooting guard, like Iverson.
But given Nash's organizational talent, unless He Xi Meng retired early and took charge of a team, no coach in the league would be willing to give up Nash's playmaking ability to have him switch to a scoring role...
Nash's three-point shooting percentage in games was very consistent, but in this Three-Point Contest, his movements were somewhat awkward. Compared to that, he was better at finding shooting opportunities on the move after controlling the ball in live play, rather than excelling at catch-and-shoot spot-up threes.
In the end, Nash's score in his first Three-Point Contest was 17 points!