So, the media had originally predicted large numbers of empty seats at the EnergySolutions Arena for the fourth game. However, the fans in Salt Lake City showed up in force, and the arena remained packed! The fans expressed their support for the Jazz with their attitude, and the Jazz players lived up to their trust, managing to pull off a victory against all odds!
Through relentless defense, the Jazz successfully contained the Spurs' three key scoring threats, limiting the Spurs' score to under 90 points for the first time... As He Xi Meng's last-second three-point attempt bounced off the rim, the Jazz secured a narrow 88-85 victory, avoiding a sweep by the Spurs.
The Spurs returned to their home court with a commanding 3-1 lead. In San Antonio, they gave the Jazz no chance to rally, dominating the game from start to finish. To make up for his missed shot in the previous game, He Xi Meng went on a three-point barrage, hitting 8 shots and scoring a game-high 30 points.
With a final score of 91-78, the Spurs took another win, easily advancing to the Western Conference Finals with a 4-1 series victory.
After the game, Karl Malone shook hands with David Robinson, a look of resignation on his face. "You're lucky to have found two such explosive young players to help you..."
David Robinson was taken aback for a moment, then understood that the "explosive young players" Malone was referring to were Duncan and He Xi Meng.
But when he recalled how Duncan and He Xi Meng acted like seasoned veterans within the Spurs organization... if Malone hadn't reminded him, David Robinson would not have realized that these two guys were in their early twenties.
Nodding in agreement, David Robinson replied, "Whether they're young or not, I don't know, but their talent is certainly immense..."
Stockton shook hands with He Xi Meng expressionlessly, showing no regret, anger, or congratulations. Stockton was, in fact, a rather uninteresting player – low-key, calm, and silent. Only on the court would he reveal his intense desire for victory and his unyielding will. Once the game ended, he would revert to being that somewhat dull and serious middle-aged uncle, completely lacking the commanding presence he displayed on the court.
By personally eliminating Salt Lake City, He Xi Meng paid his final tribute to the grit and determination of that iron-willed team. The era of the Jazz's twin stars had ended; the future belonged to the Spurs' Duncan-He Xi Meng duo and the Lakers' Kobe-Shaq combination...
In the other Western Conference Semifinal matchup, the defending champion Lakers faced another formidable opponent: the Portland Trail Blazers!
The Lakers won the first game, but in the third quarter of the second game, they suddenly went cold, scoring only 8 points in the entire period! No matter what adjustments Coach Harris made, the Lakers players simply couldn't get the ball into the basket. At that moment, one couldn't help but wonder if Coach Harris missed He Xi Meng. If they had that "three-point sniper" on their side, would the Lakers have been pushed to this extent by the Trail Blazers?
With a dominant 28-8 run in the third quarter, the Trail Blazers successfully broke through the Lakers' home-court advantage! Even more damaging, this game revealed the Lakers' inconsistency from beyond the arc. Although the Lakers had no shortage of shooters, they lacked a player who could deliver the decisive shot, a top-tier marksman like He Xi Meng.
Consequently, in the subsequent games, the Trail Blazers focused on shutting down the paint and engaging the Lakers in a half-court battle, pushing the defending champions all the way to a Game 7.
In the deciding Game 7, the Trail Blazers, with an outstanding performance from Rasheed Wallace, held a commanding 73-58 lead over the Lakers entering the fourth quarter, a deficit of 15 points!
The Los Angeles fans in attendance were on the verge of despair, a bad omen creeping into their minds that the Lakers' season would end here.
However, in the final quarter, the Kobe-Shaq duo, along with Horry and Da Zhi off the bench, staged a miraculous comeback! Kobe and Shaq each scored 9 points in the fourth quarter, Horry and Da Zhi each hit two three-pointers for 6 points, and Harper added 1 point. The Lakers scored a remarkable 31 points in the final period!
Meanwhile, their opponents, the Trail Blazers, only managed 13 points! Pippen went 0-for-3, Steve Smith went 1-for-5, Bonzi Wells went 0-for-3, Brian Grant went 0-for-2, and only Rasheed Wallace shot 3-for-9...
Despite holding a comfortable 15-point lead, the Trail Blazers were outscored 13-31 by the Lakers in the final quarter, handing over the Game 7 victory and the chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals to the Lakers.
With a 4-3 series score, the Trail Blazers, after a grueling seven-game battle, were ultimately defeated by the Lakers and eliminated.
The defending champion Lakers, wiping the sweat from their brows after sending the Trail Blazers home, ascended to the Western Conference Finals stage!
And on that stage, He Xi Meng and the Spurs' twin towers had been resting for a full five days!
Well-rested and ready, the Spurs players looked with ill intent at the Lakers players, who had played a grueling 12 games through two rounds, and slowly drew their weapons...
With the Western Conference Semifinals concluded, the Eastern Conference Semifinals also produced their winners.
Iverson and Miller battled it out for six games. Iverson averaged 26.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Miller averaged 25.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, showcasing an evenly matched contest.
However, on the Pacers' side, besides Miller's 25.8 points, Jalen Rose contributed another 22 points per game.
On the 76ers' side, besides Iverson's 26.5 points, the second-highest scorer was the reserve Aaron McKie, who contributed 14.5 points.
The overall strength of the 76ers was still a notch below the Pacers. Without adequate support from his teammates, even if Iverson defeated Reggie Miller in individual matchups, he could only watch as Miller, with the help of his teammates, defeated the 76ers 4-2 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the other Eastern Conference Semifinal, the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks went to seven games.
Alonzo Mourning dominated Patrick Ewing, averaging 23 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. However, the Heat's perimeter offense was too weak; only Jamal Mashburn could consistently score in double digits, averaging 15.9 points.
In contrast, the Knicks, although Ewing was completely outplayed by Mourning, still managed to get 14.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks from him. However, the dynamic duo of Sprewell and Allan Houston, with Sprewell averaging 17.7 points and Houston averaging 16 points, combined with Ewing's contributions, were enough to counter Mourning and Mashburn...
Ultimately, in the deciding Game 7, with one minute left in the game, Larry Johnson's pass to Ewing for a powerful dunk helped the Knicks secure an 83-82 victory. The Heat, in the final minute, missed consecutive opportunities. Mashburn's jumper missed, Tim Hardaway's layup missed, and Mourning's turnaround jumper missed... In the end, the Heat suffered a narrow 1-point defeat on their home court, handing the opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals to the Knicks. 138 reading net.
For the second consecutive season, the Knicks and the Pacers met in the Eastern Conference Finals.
However, in the previous season, the Knicks, with the strong performance of Ewing, Larry Johnson, and Camby in the paint, defeated the Pacers 4-2 to reach the NBA Finals.
This season, Ewing and Larry Johnson are a year older. Can they still help the Knicks maintain their interior advantage?