Manu Ginobili's debut lasted six minutes, during which he hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc and a driving layup. He shot 2-for-4, a 50% success rate, scoring 5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 turnover. Overall, he performed better than head coach Popovich had imagined.
He Xi Meng didn't offer much "guidance" to Ginobili. This was because "The Demon Blade" was already a special type of player, one with a highly individual and distinctive style. Ginobili's growth, He Xi Meng believed, required a stage for trial and error, allowing him to learn through exploration rather than being given fixed routines to follow.
At one point, Popovich himself had veered off course, trying to mold Ginobili into a conventional player, which proved to be an awkward fit. Later, as Popovich's coaching experience grew, he began to recognize the importance and advantages of "teaching according to aptitude." He timely shifted his approach, adjusting his tactical arrangements and giving Ginobili more space for creative freedom. This eventually led to the development of the league's most outstanding "super sixth man"...
What He Xi Meng needed to do now was, firstly, to get Ginobili into the league earlier, giving him opportunities to grow. Secondly, during Popovich's tutelage of Ginobili, he needed to offer "reminders" appropriately, helping Popovich to take fewer detours...
Brad Miller's performance was solid, with 1 three-pointer out of 2 attempts for 2 points and 2 rebounds. In the Spurs' original lineup, after experiencing the benefits of the "twin towers," Popovich became heavily reliant on Duncan. Duncan's average playing time once exceeded 40 minutes... It wasn't until Duncan suffered a major injury that Popovich began to re-evaluate more efficient ways to utilize him, such as controlling his minutes, avoiding back-to-back games, and implementing tactical rest...
The reason He Xi Meng wanted to reinforce the Spurs' bench interior was to try and see if he could prevent Duncan from suffering a major injury. While a "ground-level" style was formidable, if one could maintain the physique of a "flying" player and proactively conceal their strengths, transitioning to a ground-level style, and then unleashing their full potential when needed to further enhance tactics...
He Xi Meng's vision was perfect, but whether it could ultimately be realized was unknown. After all, this was an operation of defying fate. Success or failure, even with a cheat code, couldn't be guaranteed.
On the 76ers' side, Bowen, part of their third lineup, finally got a chance to play. During his matchups against Ginobili, Bowen was very active on defense. Ginobili's turnover was a result of Bowen's steal...
Sitting on the bench, wrapped in a white towel, He Xi Meng saw Bowen playing and performing. He specifically moved to sit next to Popovich and pointed at Bowen on the court, saying, "That kid's defensive attitude and fundamental skills are very good! When you have time, you can pay attention to him!"
"Which one?"
"Philadelphia's number 12! Bruce Bowen."
"You know him?"
"Not very well! I've heard about him from friends and watched a few clips of his games. He's a very inspiring role player. With proper guidance, he might become a good piece for a championship puzzle..."
"Hmm... I understand. I'll arrange for scouts to gather information on number 12 and see if his potential matches what you say..."
He Xi Meng reminded Popovich, "Defense! Focus on evaluating his defensive ability..."
In the past, Bowen was hated by fans of other teams for his "tendency to trip opponents." Since He Xi Meng now had the opportunity to "guide" Bowen, he naturally wanted to prevent him from taking the path of a "villain." Bowen's defensive skills, footwork, and mindset were top-tier in the league; he didn't need "tripping" to enhance his game... Besides, with He Xi Meng's coordination and cheat code reinforcements, would the future Spurs even need Bowen's "tripping" skill?
It was likely that in the future, the Spurs would only need to guard against other teams' "tripping" traps. After all, if some teams couldn't defeat you head-on, they might resort to underhanded tactics to weaken your overall strength. He Xi Meng was confident that he could guide the Spurs step-by-step into becoming a formidable silver-gray legion that all teams would fear...
Ultimately, the home team Spurs defeated the 76ers 92:78, securing an easy opening victory for the new season.
After the game, Popovich quickly walked to the center circle to greet his former elder brother, Larry Brown, the head coach of the 76ers.
He Xi Meng was no stranger to Larry Brown. In fact, in his previous life, Larry Brown had provided considerable help at the beginning of He Xi Meng's coaching career.
Therefore, He Xi Meng approached them uninvited. After Popovich and Larry Brown exchanged pleasantries, He Xi Meng also stepped forward to pay his respects to the veteran coach.
"Mr. Brown, hello! I am He Xi Meng, and I deeply resonate with your basketball philosophy. Playing the game the right way has always been my basketball creed... I wish you success with the 76ers and hope you can lead Philadelphia to reclaim its glory..."
"Thank you, Mr. Xi Meng! I'm glad you recognize my philosophy. Gregg has mentioned you to me more than once; he truly likes you! Of course, I also admire your playing style. I hope you can continue to play the game the right way and lead your team forward in the correct manner..."
When He Xi Meng was with the Lakers, he hadn't communicated much with Larry Brown. After joining the Spurs, He Xi Meng used Popovich as a stepping stone to establish contact with Larry Brown. Currently, He Xi Meng likely didn't need any further assistance from Larry Brown, but if there was anything he could do to help Larry Brown, He Xi Meng was very willing to lend a hand.
At the post-game press conference, Popovich highly praised He Xi Meng's performance: "I never worried about whether Xi Meng could integrate into the Spurs! With his basketball IQ and his abilities, he was bound to become an indispensable force for our team... However, I truly didn't expect that he wouldn't even need an adjustment period! In the first game of the new season, he played as if he had already played two or three seasons... He clearly understands the technical characteristics of every player on the Spurs and can utilize his point guard abilities to allow his teammates to play to their strengths... I like point guards like that..."
In stark contrast, at the Philadelphia 76ers' press conference, the veteran coach Larry Brown expressed his regret: "Allen's scoring performance was impeccable, but in terms of playmaking, he still needs further improvement and development. After all, basketball is a team sport, and we need more players to step up and score to achieve victory... In this regard, the Spurs did better than us, so the victory belongs to them..."