Iverson's health dictated the Philadelphia 76ers' strength. When he was unhealthy, they were weak. This kind of instability is highly undesirable for a truly strong team.
In the latter half of the second quarter, after a rest, Iverson returned to the court. He immediately hit a contested three-pointer over He Xi Meng, filling the Philadelphia fans with anticipation. Iverson's hot streaks often came in waves; when his shooting touch was on, he could seemingly make any shot and lead the team on a scoring spree.
However, to the shock of the Philadelphia fans, the Spurs immediately responded with a wing three-pointer of their own!
Duncan held the ball at the high post. He Xi Meng faked along the baseline, moving from the strong side to the weak side. Duncan, who had intended to pass to David Robinson in the post, saw He Xi Meng cut through and set a screen for David Robinson. Duncan instantly understood He Xi Meng's intention, controlled the ball, and passed it to him as he was about to get into position.
As Snow chased He Xi Meng, he was screened by David Robinson, leaving him helpless to watch as He Xi Meng caught the ball, turned, and calmly shot a wing three-pointer.
Iverson chuckled, "Alright, Xi Meng wants to go score for score with me? This is my favorite pace of play..."
Turning back, Iverson nailed another three-pointer from beyond the arc! Iverson's three-point shot was effective but inconsistent. In his previous three seasons, his three-point percentages were 34%, 30%, and 29%, averaging around 31%. This was generally his career average, which was not particularly high among guards. Therefore, when choosing his shot, Iverson's primary strategy was to drive to the basket. He would only take mid-to-long-range shots when he felt his touch was exceptionally hot.
Making two consecutive three-pointers in a single game was a sign that Iverson's shooting touch was quite good.
The only pity was that Iverson's decision to exchange three-pointers with He Xi Meng seemed unwise. It was akin to "attacking an enemy's strength with one's own weakness." Iverson's most potent scoring method was driving to the basket, not trading threes. But who was Iverson? Did he care about the method when he wanted to go head-to-head in a scoring duel?
The result was that they exchanged three-pointers for three consecutive possessions. Iverson made two out of three, with his last shot rimming out.
He Xi Meng also went two for three, with his last shot missing the rim.
This exchange was essentially a draw, with neither player gaining a definitive advantage.
On the fourth possession, Iverson decisively changed his offensive choice, opting for a layup instead of a three-pointer.
Meanwhile, encouraged by Duncan, He Xi Meng continued to shoot from beyond the arc!
Throughout this game, Duncan intentionally allowed He Xi Meng to showcase his abilities and leave a good impression on the Spurs fans. When faced with the option to pass or shoot, he generally chose to pass. And when deciding between passing to David Robinson or He Xi Meng, Duncan opted to pass to He Xi Meng.
Especially in the latter half of the second quarter, provoked by Iverson, He Xi Meng countered with his most potent weapon: the three-point shot.
Duncan capitalized on this, orchestrating a series of assists!
During this stretch, Iverson went 4 for 6 from the field, including 2 for 3 from three-point range.
He Xi Meng also went 4 for 6, with all of his made baskets coming from three-point range.
Iverson scored 10 points in the quarter, while He Xi Meng scored 12 points!
The Spurs fans had seen players score 12 points in a quarter before, but four three-pointers in a single quarter, or more precisely, four three-pointers in about half a quarter, was incredibly exciting for them.
The current Spurs team did not shoot many three-pointers. Last season, the team averaged only 10.4 three-point attempts per game, making just 3.4.
In this game alone, before the halftime buzzer, He Xi Meng had already attempted seven three-pointers and made five! He had individually made more three-pointers than the entire Spurs team had averaged last season. Considering this was only the first half, how could the Spurs fans not be thrilled and surprised?
At halftime, the home team Spurs led the 76ers by 10 points, firmly in control of the game's tempo.
During the halftime break, Popovich commended the Spurs' offensive and defensive rhythm in the first half. However, he did not endorse Duncan's constant passing. Popovich was aware of Duncan's intentions but still did not want He Xi Meng's scoring to be too high. The Spurs needed balance.
While He Xi Meng needed to perform, Popovich still wanted him to know when to hold back. Duncan, David Robinson, and He Xi Meng all needed to contribute and display their dominance; that was the strongest Spurs team, and the one Popovich envisioned.
He Xi Meng immediately understood Popovich's message. In the third quarter, he reined in his scoring ability and instead showcased his playmaking, constantly assisting Duncan and David Robinson.
The Philadelphia 76ers had intended to increase their offensive and defensive intensity in the third quarter, aiming to erase the first-half deficit before the fourth. However, the Spurs' focused inside attack yielded extremely high scoring efficiency. The 76ers' defense was in disarray, making any thought of a comeback impossible.
Ultimately, the Spurs secured the victory through three quarters, turning the fourth into garbage time.
He Xi Meng, Duncan, and David Robinson all sat out the final quarter. Under He Xi Meng's facilitation, all three players scored over 20 points but remained under 25.
Duncan was the team's leading scorer with 24 points and 16 rebounds.
He Xi Meng was second with 22 points and 12 assists.
David Robinson was third with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The Spurs' "DDS" trio of David, Tim, and Xi Meng, making their debut together, concluded their first game with all three recording 20+10 stats, a performance that was nothing short of perfect!
Even the formidable Allen Iverson, the league's top shooting guard after Jordan, was unable to retaliate under the overwhelming offensive pressure from the trio. Despite scoring a game-high 28 points, the game's outcome was decided by the end of the third quarter, with no suspense left for the final period.
Although the game lacked suspense, it provided an excellent opportunity for rookie and bench players to showcase their talents.
In the fourth quarter, new Spurs acquisitions Manu Ginobili and Brad Miller finally got their chance to play.