David Robinson secured the rebound and handed the ball to He Xi Meng to advance.
The Spurs' primary tactic last season involved their twin towers playing low post and the point guard feeding them from the arc.
There was nothing inherently wrong with this strategy, as the twin towers of David Robinson and Duncan provided a significant advantage in the current league.
However, the strategy was not perfect, and the pressure on David Robinson and Duncan was immense. In the early stages of the Spurs' rise, Popovich had not yet built a complete offensive and defensive system, often relying on the individual abilities and basketball IQ of the twin towers.
He Xi Meng's arrival could alleviate the scoring pressure on the twin towers, enhance the Spurs' offensive firepower, and thus reduce the risk of injuries for the twin towers. This was the overt benefit. The covert benefits included the selection and development of potential rookies, and the improvement and enhancement of tactics.
Of course, even without He Xi Meng, Popovich was a master in this regard. Now, with He Xi Meng as an "assistant," Popovich's transformation of the Spurs would be elevated to another level.
On the opening possession, Duncan, as usual, joined David Robinson in the low post. But He Xi Meng directly called Duncan to the high post, utilizing Duncan's high-quality screen to shed the capable defender Snow, creating a mismatch against George Lynch. He Xi Meng, after a pump fake, drove hard, using his speed to get past George Lynch and into the 76ers' interior. He successfully drew Tyrone Hill to rotate and defend.
Facing the 76ers' double-team, He Xi Meng made a no-look pass, utilizing the timing to lob the ball directly towards the basket.
At some point, Duncan had already cut through the middle and, with a leap over Tyrone Hill, easily threw down a one-handed dunk, showcasing the unparalleled chemistry between him and He Xi Meng.
Three years prior, on the NCAA court, He Xi Meng had repeatedly fed Duncan with alley-oop dunks using this high-low pick-and-roll tactic. This time was no different.
He Xi Meng and Duncan kicked off the new season for the Spurs' offense with a signature alley-oop dunk.
The Spurs fans in attendance were very supportive, offering enthusiastic applause and cheers without reservation.
Turning around, He Xi Meng continued his policy of strictly defending Iverson's drives, testing Iverson's pull-up jumper ability with his "eyes-closed" technique.
However, this second time, Iverson was mentally prepared. Even with He Xi Meng's hand blocking his eyes, Iverson didn't flinch and, under pressure, took the shot, successfully making his second long-range pull-up jumper and giving the 76ers their first points.
On the Spurs' second possession, He Xi Meng again called for Duncan's high post screen. After creating a mismatch, he appeared as if he intended to pass to the middle again, making Tyrone Hill hesitant to close in. He Xi Meng then took advantage of this, driving towards the basket and, at the last moment, passed underhand to David Robinson, who was behind Tyrone Hill.
David Robinson caught the ball, turned, and easily laid it in for 2 points.
Having the twin towers is amazing! After He Xi Meng's drive, there were at least three options. Whether passing to Duncan, David Robinson, or taking the shot himself, all were reliable choices when close to the basket.
On the 76ers' third possession, it was again an isolation play by Iverson.
This time, Iverson opted for a full drive, using his speed and changes of direction to power through He Xi Meng.
He Xi Meng held his ground, sticking with Iverson all the way to the basket, where he and Duncan, who had come to help, double-teamed Iverson.
Iverson found an opening amidst the coverage of He Xi Meng and Duncan and shot off the glass. It was an extremely difficult shot, but the ball circled the rim and eventually dropped in. Iverson scored another 2 points.
On the Spurs' third possession, He Xi Meng again called for Duncan. But this time, the Philadelphia 76ers changed their defensive strategy. Snow rotated early, attempting to cut off He Xi Meng's drive.
He Xi Meng went with the flow, stopping suddenly and stepping back, using Duncan as a screen to attempt a three-pointer, which he hit with precision.
The Spurs' first three possessions showcased their rich offensive arsenal with three different scoring outlets.
In contrast, the Philadelphia 76ers' initial possessions were all dominated by Iverson.
Having Iverson was the current advantage of this 76ers team, but it was also their problem: they were too reliant on Iverson.
In an era that increasingly relied on systems and player pairings, a lone hero would find it difficult to win a championship.
Even without the twin towers + He Xi Meng, there were the Lakers' OK combination, the still-strong Pacers in the East, and the Knicks undergoing a generational transition. For Iverson to break through these teams' defenses on his own was exceptionally difficult.
As expected, after Iverson's difficult shots in the opening possessions, the 76ers' offense began to falter. Other 76ers players could not provide much support to Iverson. Especially the interior players Tyrone Hill and George Lynch, whose attempts at post-up singles were blocked by either David Robinson or Duncan, significantly demoralizing the 76ers.
On the other hand, driven by He Xi Meng, the Spurs' twin towers scored consistently. More crucially, when facing the Spurs in the past, the 76ers dared to pack the paint and gamble on the Spurs' outside shooting.
In the era of twin towers, the Spurs' inconsistent outside shooting was a significant weakness. He Xi Meng's addition filled this biggest weakness for the Spurs, allowing He Xi Meng to rain down threes from outside whenever the 76ers packed the paint. Even if he missed, David Robinson and Duncan provided strong support on the offensive boards.
The result was that by the end of the first quarter, the Spurs held a 26-18 lead, an advantage of 8 points.
Both teams entered the rotation period. The Philadelphia 76ers fielded Larry Hughes, Aaron McKie, and Nazr Mohammed, while Bowen did not get any playing time yet.
During this period of scrappy play, both teams were evenly matched, with neither able to gain an advantage in the 3-on-3 exchanges.
To be honest, the 76ers never lacked talented players, but the styles of Iverson, Larry Hughes, and Aaron McKie were too similar. Even an experienced coach like Larry Brown could not fully maximize all their abilities, causing the 76ers' overall strength to remain limited by Iverson's health.