When He Xi Meng sank the first step-back three-pointer of the second quarter, the Mavericks didn't react much. This was because Nowitzki immediately responded with a three-pointer of his own from beyond the arc, matching the Spurs' shot.
But then, He Xi Meng, from a similar position, hit another step-back three-pointer. Coach Old Nelson, who had just started to relax, felt his heart begin to race again. He called for a switch on defense from the sidelines. He thought it was a problem with Howard Eisley's height and speed. However, after Finley switched to cover, He Xi Meng still made the shot, hitting his third step-back three-pointer of the second quarter!
At this point, Coach Old Nelson started to panic! He quickly brought out a double-team strategy to prevent He Xi Meng from going on a scoring spree. Even so, He Xi Meng successfully helped the Spurs extend their lead to 15 points!
Once the Mavericks started double-teaming, He Xi Meng began to lie low, switching his mode from scoring to playmaking, involving his teammates in the offense.
It took the Mavericks a full quarter to narrow the 15-point deficit to 10 points before halftime.
At halftime, He Xi Meng had already recorded 16 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals, reaching the verge of an explosive performance.
Popovich was quite satisfied with the Spurs' performance in the first half, encouraging the players to continue playing at the same pace, to attack boldly when needed, and to defend diligently when required.
As for when to attack and when to defend, everything was to be decided by He Xi Meng's command on the court. The guiding principle was that when He Xi Meng started his scoring run, everyone had to fully cooperate! No one was to fight him for shots, and they were to focus on crashing the offensive boards…
On the Mavericks' side, Old Nelson was frazzled by He Xi Meng. In the first half, He Xi Meng constantly changed his playstyle, staying one step ahead of the Mavericks and exploiting their weaknesses, which made Old Nelson very uncomfortable! What was even more critical was that the Mavericks' offense was performing very poorly today.
This Mavericks team, since its inception, was never known for its strong defense. From the point guard to the center, the Mavericks did not have any top-tier defensive players. More often than not, the Mavericks relied on team defense, such as double-teaming, to improve their defensive quality.
The Mavericks' victories relied more on their offense! Once the offense faltered, their probability of winning dropped significantly. In the first half, He Xi Meng had consumed too much of the Mavericks' energy and diverted too much of Old Nelson's attention.
"That He Xi Meng… he can't possibly carry the team alone, can he?"
"The Spurs have He Xi Meng, but we have Michael, we have Dirk, we have Steve! We don't lack three-point shooters. Can our three top shooters not outscore one player from the Spurs?"
"In the end, we are being led by the opponent! Why should our defensive strategy change just because the Spurs' offensive tactics changed? This is too passive! We need to turn passive into active, take control of the game ourselves…"
"Exactly! We need to play at our own offensive tempo, forcing the Spurs' defense to adapt to our rhythm. If we do that, we can turn the tide, erase the deficit, and defeat the opponent…"
During halftime, under the subtle reminders of his assistant coaches, Coach Old Nelson began to reflect on his strategy from the first half: "Was I overthinking by focusing so much on He Xi Meng?"
After repeated deliberation, Old Nelson decided to adopt his assistants' suggestion and shift their focus back to the Mavericks' strongest area – offense!
Therefore, at the beginning of the second half, the Mavericks displayed strong aggression!
Nash immediately collaborated with Nowitzki for a catch-and-shoot three-pointer!
Then, Finley stole the ball from David Robinson, turned it into a fast break, and drove to the basket for a layup.
The Mavericks scored 5 unanswered points, instantly shrinking the 10-point halftime lead to 5. This looked like the start of a scoring run… Coach Old Nelson, after Finley’s fast break, slammed his fist and exclaimed, "We should have played like this long ago… Attack fiercely, until the Spurs stop with all their tricks…"
Nash and Finley's consecutive baskets indeed boosted the Mavericks' morale. However, the home team, the Spurs, were clearly not going to let the Mavericks easily reverse the situation.
On the Spurs' second possession of the second half, He Xi Meng took matters into his own hands! He called for a screen from Brad Miller, shook off Finley’s tight defense, drove past Nowitzki, and attacked the basket. In the face of a double-team from the two German big men, he used his hang time and a reverse layup after a mid-air adjustment to score!
It had to be said that this was a risky choice, but it was incredibly tough! The Spurs fans in the arena immediately responded with thunderous applause for He Xi Meng.
He Xi Meng instantly shattered the Mavericks' hope of erasing the first-half deficit with a run.
He Xi Meng wanted to use this tough play to tell the Mavericks: this is whose home court it is!
The Spurs had responded, but could the Mavericks' offense continue?
Nash brought the ball past half-court but hesitated to shoot, passing it to Finley. Finley was willing to shoot, but Bowen’s tight defense made him uncomfortable, limiting his space for mid-to-long range shots. When he drove to the Spurs' basket, David Robinson, though old, still possessed defensive intimidation. Coupled with a highly active Brad Miller, Finley wasn't confident he could find a scoring opportunity after driving to the basket.
So, after a moment of hesitation, Finley passed the ball to Nowitzki on the perimeter.
In comparison, the German tank's scoring efficiency was the most stable. And Nowitzki didn't betray his teammates' trust, turning and shooting a fadeaway jumper. Brad Miller’s desperate defense was ineffective, and the ball dropped straight into the net!
The game seemed to be entering a phase of offensive exchanges. The next crucial moments would depend on whether the Spurs could deliver another tough response to the Mavericks, and all eyes of the fans were focused on the Spurs' number 4 player, He Xi Meng!
From the Lakers to the Spurs, He Xi Meng had rarely faced such a situation. This was because the Lakers had two top scorers in O'Neal and Kobe, rarely requiring He Xi Meng to personally take on the scoring burden against opponents. And with the Spurs, Duncan, an unstoppable interior force, was usually present, so He Xi Meng's role was simply to get the ball to number 21…
"It seems like there's quite a bit of pressure…" He Xi Meng thought to himself, then calmed down and signaled his teammates to spread the floor…