The Supersonics started with three wins in three games, quickly finding their rhythm.
With Kobe around, He Xi Meng couldn't keep the Supersonics from showing their true strength even if he wanted to. Kobe didn't really believe in holding back; if you have the ability, why not show it?
He Xi Meng couldn't persuade Kobe to coast along with him, but he could enjoy coasting by himself.
As the games progressed, the veteran players in the Supersonics' second lineup began to suffer from recurring old injuries. If He Xi Meng's plan had been fully implemented, with a 12-man rotation, the veterans' injuries might have been better managed. However, with Kobe, the "competing king," on the team, the veterans found it difficult to resist the urge to push themselves, even if they wanted to learn the art of coasting.
Francis, who had the highest competitive spirit, was the first to be sidelined by injury. Then came Webber, followed by Hardaway. The oldest player, Mutombo, having adopted a more relaxed attitude and poured most of his energy into "assistant coaching," helping the coaching staff develop Gasol Jr. and Davis, remained healthy and energetic. Old Curry spoke highly of him, clearly indicating to He Xi Meng and John that after Mutombo retired, they planned to bring him into their assistant coaching team. "No problem! The selection of an assistant coach just needs to follow the procedure, we all agree..."
After the veterans were successively sidelined, the younger players in the third lineup gradually got their chances to play. Tucker and Sefolosha, known for their excellent defense, were the first to be moved up to the second lineup, followed by Davis and Sun Yue. Bellinelli, with his offensive strength but defensive weakness, couldn't find a suitable position in the second lineup centered around Durant. Thus, the Supersonics' second lineup gradually became Davis, Durant, P.J. Tucker, Sefolosha, and Sun Yue. Durant drifted between the three and four positions. He Xi Meng often had Tucker, who was guard-sized, play against opposing power forwards, allowing Durant to return to the small forward position and exploit mismatches. Although this adjustment seemed awkward, it yielded quite good results.
During this transition between new and veteran players, the Supersonics inevitably lost a few games. Too many new players meant inconsistent performance. Kobe, at times, would transform into a "blacksmith," having games where he shot poorly. He Xi Meng, accustomed to coasting, felt that losing occasionally was healthier; winning too much, he believed, was detrimental to team stability.
In this manner, the Supersonics didn't deliberately pursue an outstanding record, yet they steadily secured the league's best record of 68 wins, successfully clinching the regular season championship.
In the Western Conference, to avoid the eighth seed, the Nuggets, Hornets, and Jazz were locked in a fierce battle. Ultimately, the young Hornets fell short against the Jazz and Nuggets, regrettably finishing eighth in the West with a 53-29 record. In the first round of the playoffs, the Hornets were forced to challenge the Supersonics.
With a 53-29 record, the Hornets, if they were in the Eastern Conference, could have surpassed the Magic (52-30) and ranked third in the East. The top eight seeds in the Eastern Conference were the Celtics, Pistons, Magic, Cavaliers, Wizards, Raptors, 76ers, and Hawks. The top eight seeds in the Western Conference were the Supersonics, Lakers, Mavericks, Spurs, Suns, Jazz, Nuggets, and Hornets.
The Hornets' core lineup this season consisted of center Tyson Chandler, power forward David West, small forward Morris Peterson, shooting guard Peja, and point guard Paul! Their sixth man was Bonzi Wells. This was a lineup with clear roles and distinct positions. In the paint, they had "The Enforcer" Chandler as a defensive shield and David West as an offensive pivot. On the perimeter, they had Paul as the offensive and defensive core, Peja as a spot-up shooter, Peterson on the wing who could drive, shoot, and defend, and on the bench, former Trail Blazers scoring leader Bonzi Wells... If not for the extremely harsh and competitive environment of the Western Conference, this Hornets lineup, placed in the East, could have truly ranked among the top three and been a strong team in the upper bracket. However, unfortunately, being in the West, and in a season where "brotherhood basketball" was the norm, the poor Hornets, due to a slight misstep, were pushed into the eighth seed. Paul was forced to challenge the Mamba brothers!
Before the game officially began, Paul, as the soul and spiritual leader of the Hornets, delivered a lot of inspiring speeches to his teammates, but once the game started, Paul discovered that these motivational words were no longer effective. At shooting guard, Peja couldn't defend Kobe, but Kobe could defend Peja! The Hornets' important perimeter scorer was stifled, severely impacting their firepower. Tyson Chandler was originally the Hornets' most solid defensive shield; many teams that favored driving had faltered against "The Enforcer." However, the Supersonics perfectly bypassed the Hornets' strengths. In half-court sets, the Gasol brothers preferred to settle the score with post-up jump shots or floaters, avoiding direct confrontations with Tyson Chandler in the paint. On the perimeter, Kobe favored pull-up fadeaway jumpers. He Xi Meng, of course, preferred long-range three-pointers. Facing the Supersonics, two crucial aspects of the Hornets' offense and defense were rendered ineffective.
Paul was forced to dedicate more energy to scoring. Fortunately, David West, utilizing his jump-shooting ability, constantly engaged with Gasol in the mid-range, providing Paul with considerable support. Otherwise, the Hornets would have been swept by the Supersonics. Ultimately, Paul and David West put on a show together. Paul recorded 35 points and 12 assists, while David West had 23 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. With their joint efforts, the Hornets managed to secure a victory in Game 4, saving face and holding onto their last shred of pride.
In Game 5, returning to their home court, the Supersonics gave the Hornets no further opportunities. The Mamba brothers combined for 75 points! He Xi Meng had 37 points, and Kobe had 38 points! The Gasol brothers and Durant didn't get much chance to shine. The Supersonics had defeated the Hornets and successfully advanced!
In other Western Conference matchups, the Nuggets challenged the Lakers. This season, the Nuggets assembled a starting lineup of Camby, Kenyon Martin, Anthony, Carmelo Anthony Carter, and Iverson, with J.R. Smith as their sixth man. To put together this lineup, the Nuggets paid a luxury tax of 77 million dollars this season... Truly, foolish and rich! While the Nuggets' dynamic duo of Iverson and Anthony had potent offenses, they weren't strong enough to directly overthrow the Lakers' Big Three. This was mainly because their defense couldn't keep up with their offense. In contrast, the Lakers' Big Three—Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen—were all players who excelled on both ends of the court. Even among top-tier players, these three were known for being neither weak offensively nor defensively. Unlike the Nuggets' "golden duo," whose offense was strong but defense was weak. In such an imbalance between offense and defense, unless the offense was exceptionally strong, like Iverson in '01, or the defense had a distinct characteristic, like the '04 Pistons, it would be difficult to lead the team further. The Nuggets this season, facing the Lakers this season, clearly didn't have that opportunity. They managed to salvage some dignity by losing the series 1-4, but ultimately lost the game. The Lakers easily advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals.