The conflict was not a major one, as neither side resorted to physical violence, with the dispute confined to verbal sparring and pushing.
Consequently, the referee issued only a verbal warning to each player.
However, had this taken place on the Celtics' home court, Pierce and Gortat would likely have each received a technical foul.
This is because Pierce was a core player and the primary scorer for the Nets, while Gortat was merely the second backup center for the Celtics; their standing in the game was vastly different.
Not issuing technical fouls favored the Nets, while issuing them would have benefited the Celtics.
As this was the Nets' home court, not issuing technical fouls was the "logical" course of action.
Yao Ming did not participate in the altercation; he stayed by He Xi Meng's side, preventing others from approaching.
He Xi Meng, after being slammed to the floor, experienced a moment of concussion and dared not move.
By the time He Xi Meng recovered from his daze, the scuffle between Carter and Kidd, and Gortat and Pierce, had already concluded.
The referee made no special ruling on Kidd. The official deemed Kidd's foul to be an overly aggressive move during an attempt to steal the ball, not malicious, and thus also issued a verbal warning.
Coach Kerr initially intended to substitute He Xi Meng off the court, but after the team doctor's examination confirmed he was unharmed, He Xi Meng refused Kerr's suggestion to be taken out.
In the first round of the playoffs, He Xi Meng had a minor outburst in the first two games, but frankly, he hadn't truly unleashed his anger.
Whether the Celtics swept the series or not held no significant meaning for them.
However, since Kidd had acted this way…
"Vince, you run the point, and I'll go on the offensive!"
He Xi Meng immediately signaled to Carter.
"No problem!"
Carter readily agreed. In fact, even if He Xi Meng hadn't acted, Carter was prepared to help him. 138 Reading Network.
Originally, the outcome of this game was inconsequential to the Celtics.
As they were already leading the series 3-0, even if they conceded one game, the Nets wouldn't be able to alter the final result.
But Kidd's foul had also greatly displeased Carter.
Fouls that could potentially injure an opponent were frowned upon in the circle of top players.
Regardless of whether Kidd's intention was malicious or not, for a veteran player of ten years to make such a defensive play, it was hard not to suspect something more…
Thus, after the game resumed, He Xi Meng calmly sank both free throws, making no mistakes.
Subsequently, He Xi Meng and Carter switched positions.
Carter controlled the ball at the top of the arc as the point guard, while He Xi Meng roamed the wings, actively seeking off-ball screens from Ariza and Diop…
Kidd's earlier action had not only offended He Xi Meng. It had also led to the good-natured Ariza and Diop intentionally or unintentionally extending their elbows and legs while setting screens to impede Kidd, making his pursuit of He Xi Meng perilous.
Kidd, facing an almost certain playoff defeat in this series, didn't need to exert himself so much. If he could win, great; if not, so be it.
He didn't know what had gotten into him earlier; in a flash, Kidd made a mistake he shouldn't have, pushing himself into this awkward situation.
Now, seeing the Celtics setting traps for him both overtly and covertly, Kidd decided not to make a second mistake.
Therefore, while pursuing He Xi Meng, Kidd chose to "hold back appropriately."
Kidd's defensive stance in this "appropriately held back" state gave He Xi Meng considerable open space to shoot.
When the Emperor is enraged, thousands of bodies lie strewn across the land!
When Xi Meng is enraged, three-pointers fly with wild abandon!
In this G4 game, which was not particularly important, He Xi Meng delivered his most ferocious performance of the series!
Throughout the entire game, He Xi Meng hit an astonishing 12 three-pointers, scoring 51 points, single-handedly dismantling the entire Nets team and shattering Pierce's hope of avoiding a sweep…
After the game, media reporters focused their attention on the mid-game altercation, eager to gauge He Xi Meng's sentiments and see if they could brand Kidd and He Xi Meng as the league's next "arch-rivals"!
He Xi Meng was no stranger to these media tricks.
While he did harbor a surge of anger during the game, otherwise, he wouldn't have voluntarily switched positions with Carter and played the role of a passionate shooting guard.
However, after the game, the anger in He Xi Meng's heart had largely subsided.
Kidd's performance during the game had "proven" to He Xi Meng that he had no intention of intentionally causing injury.
He Xi Meng had felt Kidd's sincerity during the game. Therefore, this matter would end here.
You walk your single-plank bridge, and I'll travel my broad road.
After all, Kidd would be out of the playoffs soon anyway.
See you next season, we'll talk next season.
And this season, the Celtics still had a long road ahead to claim the championship.
Kidd's situation served as a reminder to He Xi Meng: even opponents who appear harmless and rational need to be watched carefully!
A cornered dog will leap over the wall, and a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone a human?
However, in front of the numerous media outlets, He Xi Meng remained composed: "I know Jason didn't do it on purpose! He explained the situation to me after the game. I understand his choices during the game. Sometimes games are like that; because they are too intense, players' emotions can momentarily get out of control… We are all professional players, and none of us want to see injuries occur…"
He Xi Meng skillfully downplayed the seriousness of the situation, managed to evade the main issue, and even spoke a few words in Kidd's defense.
He Xi Meng believed that with the veteran's intelligence and emotional quotient, there was no reason he wouldn't grasp the implied meaning in He Xi Meng's words.
As fellow top players, He Xi Meng's current influence in the league was far greater than Kidd's.
He Xi Meng did not wish to be enemies with Kidd, but he also wasn't intimidated by Kidd.
It's best if everyone is good to each other! If you don't want to be good… no one can guarantee they won't accidentally injure someone, right?
Injuries happen to every player; can you guarantee that you won't suffer injuries in future matchups against me and my players?
Of course, if the situation truly developed in that direction, it would result in a lose-lose outcome for both future He Xi Meng and future Kidd.
Beyond providing endless inspiration for the media's writing, what else could it achieve?
On the Celtics' side, Kidd did not attend the post-game press conference. He did not issue an apology or a clarification, choosing instead to let time heal all wounds.
Sometimes, silence is also a good way to resolve conflicts in the league.
Unable to find Kidd, the reporters could only turn their microphones towards Pierce, who had performed exceptionally well in this series…