The game is about to begin.
The Celtics' starting lineup is Yao Ming, Marcin Gortat, Matt Barnes, Tony Allen, and He Xi Meng.
The Spurs' starting lineup is Fabricio Oberto, Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.
"Give up early, Xi Meng! You can't beat the three of us!"
During the player introductions, Duncan couldn't resist trying to persuade He Xi Meng to surrender and break his fighting spirit. He knew it was useless, but he enjoyed doing it.
"No way! Tim!" He Xi Meng replied with a smile, "You know me best. You know I'm good at creating miracles. Guess what new tactic we have prepared for you this time?"
"Impossible! If you had a good plan, wouldn't you have used it in the first six games? You're bluffing, aren't you?"
"We'll see! I promise you'll feel quite… exhilarated…"
Before the game had even officially started, the two leading players had already engaged in a verbal sparring match.
Of course, this was their unique way of competing.
They preferred verbal battles over physical ones.
After all, they didn't often have direct matchups on the court.
When the game began, Yao Ming, in an effort to boost his team's morale, went all out to win the tip-off, securing the first possession.
He Xi Meng brought the ball up court. Yao Ming didn't go down low but instead moved to the free-throw line for a high-post play.
After passing the ball to Yao Ming, He Xi Meng moved to the wing, initially looking for a screen from Matt Barnes, but Bowen anticipated and boxed him out, refusing to let him through.
He Xi Meng then moved inside, seeking a screen from Marcin Gortat.
This time, Bowen couldn't get around it and had to call for a switch with Duncan.
Once switched onto Duncan, He Xi Meng immediately executed a crossover and began to drift towards the three-point line.
Simultaneously, Yao Ming, holding the ball at the free-throw line, was passing it between Tony Allen and Barnes, waiting for the exact moment He Xi Meng broke free to pass it back to him at the three-point line.
The moment He Xi Meng received the pass from Yao Ming, he turned and shot over the pursuing Duncan's defense.
The ball had a high arc. Even the formidable Duncan couldn't interfere with the shot and could only watch as the ball swished through the net.
A perfect shot!
He Xi Meng's first three-pointer of the game was a precise hit, marking an excellent start.
The truth was, this court in San Antonio was incredibly familiar to He Xi Meng!
To put it hyperbolically, He Xi Meng was probably more familiar with this court than the TD Garden.
He Xi Meng took the lead with a strong three-pointer.
Duncan, not to be outdone, turned and executed a quick play with Parker in the paint.
After Parker successfully drew Yao Ming's help defense, he made an acrobatic pass back to Duncan amidst the crowd.
Duncan caught the ball and took flight!
In the final game of the season, Duncan shed all pretense and slammed the ball home with a powerful two-handed dunk, scoring the Spurs' first points and giving Yao Ming no chance to recover and defend.
The explosive start by both star players immediately ignited a frenzy among the commentators.
The league had heavily promoted this seemingly unfair clash of titans, building immense anticipation among the fans.
After the news of Carter's injury broke, in an effort to "weaken" the Spurs, whispers circulated: Duncan had an injury, then Ginobili was injured, then Parker was injured…
In fact, even the Spurs themselves were unaware of the extent of their core players' supposed injuries.
These rumors were unverifiable, appearing like a sudden gust of wind, only to be reposted by various media outlets, creating an atmosphere that suggested: Even without Carter, the Spurs weren't guaranteed a win!
Now, the game had indeed reached a Game 7, and none of the Spurs' "Big Three" were absent due to injury.
But that was irrelevant! The league's objective had been achieved.
For the final game, all the commentators needed to do was to hype up the atmosphere, urging the Celtics to play aggressively so the game wouldn't become a one-sided affair.
However, it seemed the commentators wouldn't need to exert much effort. He Xi Meng's touch was already hot from the very first shot.
On the Celtics' second possession, He Xi Meng again passed to Yao Ming at the high post and went to the wing for a screen.
Yao Ming suddenly turned, drove past Oberto, and went to the basket, catching the Spurs off guard!
Duncan's attention was initially focused on He Xi Meng on the wing, wary of him running the same play as before. However, Yao Ming's sudden drive forced Duncan to abandon guarding He Xi Meng and switch to defend Yao Ming instead.
Yao Ming made a point guard-like pass on the move, feeding the ball to He Xi Meng, who had cut to the baseline!
Upon receiving the pass, He Xi Meng stopped on the spot and shot a mid-range jumper.
His principle for this game was simple: if there's an opportunity, take the shot, whether it's a three-pointer, a two-pointer, or even a free throw!
The Celtics' change in strategy nullified some of the Spurs' pre-game defensive schemes.
However, coach Popovich on the sidelines remained unhurried.
The game had just begun, and this contest was destined to be a hard-fought one.
It was unlikely the Celtics could defeat the Spurs with these minor tricks.
As the game progressed, it would inevitably return to a stage of direct confrontation.
It was then that some of the Spurs' advantages would gradually emerge, such as home-court advantage and the strength of their "Big Three."
On the Spurs' second offensive possession, it was again a small play between Parker and Duncan. This time, however, Duncan helped Parker clear out the Celtics' defense, allowing Parker to forcefully throw up a floater over Tony Allen, scoring a close-range two-pointer.
On the Celtics' third possession, He Xi Meng again passed to Yao Ming but feigned going to the wing. Instead, he made a cut to the middle and executed a hand-off with Yao Ming. Driving into the paint, he faced Duncan and executed a standard floater, much like Parker's.
In that instant, Duncan felt as if he were facing Parker.
However, in this timeline, it was He Xi Meng who first introduced this type of floater to the league, and then Parker popularized it, eventually making it a signature move among point guards in the league.
This could be considered using the enemy's own tactics against them.
The Celtics' first three possessions all started with Yao Ming and ended with He Xi Meng.
He Xi Meng was three for three, hitting a three-pointer, a pull-up jumper, and a running floater. He had opened his arsenal from the very start, going all out!
This clearly indicated that He Xi Meng was in excellent form for this game.