Chapter 822: A Winning Start to the Finals
Leonard converted the free throw to complete the 3 point play, but New York still firmly controlled the game.
Curry could not consistently contain Parker on defense, but he answered with accurate shooting at the other end.
Ginóbili, meanwhile, had been held in check by Battier over the past several minutes and had struggled to make an impact.
After Leonard's and 1, the rookie disappeared from the offense again.
Chen Yan stayed attached to him and gave him almost nothing.
No clean shot.
No comfortable catch.
Barely any room to dribble.
The pressure was suffocating.
With 4 minutes and 37 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter, Popovich finally decided Duncan had rested long enough.
By then, New York's lead had already reached 18 points.
Duncan immediately went to work.
He attacked DeAndre Jordan in the post, drew a foul, and calmly made both free throws.
After such a long rest, Duncan had plenty of energy.
On San Antonio's next possession, he attacked again.
This time, New York sent help.
Duncan immediately recognized it and kicked the ball outside.
Ginóbili caught it.
3 pointer.
Swish!
The moment Duncan returned, San Antonio's entire offense seemed to wake up.
Interior scoring.
Perimeter shooting.
Cuts.
Screens.
Ball movement.
Everything began connecting.
This was where Popovich excelled.
His offense relied on constant movement to search for the best possible shot.
Screens.
Pick and rolls.
Cuts.
Extra passes.
Again and again until the defense made a mistake.
San Antonio pursued team basketball almost to its extreme.
That philosophy had been built through Popovich's strict system.
There was no designated hero on every possession.
There was no player who automatically had the right to dominate the ball.
If someone was open, he shot.
If someone forced a reckless attempt, Popovich would let him hear about it.
Duncan's influence was not limited to offense.
If anything, his value became even more obvious defensively.
He could handle David West by himself while also discouraging New York's perimeter players from attacking the paint.
Through 15 NBA seasons, Duncan had already been selected to the All Defensive Team 13 times.
8 First Team selections.
5 Second Team selections.
His athleticism was never his defining trait.
Nobody questioned his defense.
Whether guarding his own man or rotating to help, Duncan had everything required.
Length.
Strength.
Positioning.
His long arms altered shots without requiring spectacular jumps.
His powerful lower body allowed him to absorb contact from almost anyone.
Most importantly, Duncan understood defense.
He rarely chased meaningless blocks.
He simply appeared where he was supposed to be.
That intelligence separated him from big men who relied entirely on athleticism.
Popovich also made another adjustment.
San Antonio began deliberately using almost the entire 24 second shot clock.
Fans immediately recognized the idea.
Slow everything down.
Reduce possessions.
Prevent New York from turning the game into a track meet.
It was basketball at a crawl.
And to a certain extent, it worked.
By halftime, the Knicks led 59 to 47.
The 18 point gap had been reduced to 12.
The giant screen inside Madison Square Garden displayed the leading performers from both teams.
For New York, there was no surprise.
Chen Yan.
24 points.
6 assists.
6 rebounds.
2 steals.
1 block.
For San Antonio, Tony Parker had been the best player.
16 points.
6 assists.
2 rebounds.
Ginóbili had struggled despite scoring 9 points.
He needed 8 shots to get there.
Duncan had simply played too few minutes during the 1st half to carry the offense.
As a result, much of San Antonio's creation had fallen on Parker.
Inside the visiting locker room, Popovich slapped the whiteboard.
"12 points!"
His players looked toward him.
"Only 12 points. That is nothing."
He pointed toward the board.
"We have been in worse situations than this. Stay with what we do. Play our basketball."
Then he turned toward Ginóbili.
"Manu, you are staying aggressive in the 2nd half. Forget your shooting percentage."
Popovich pointed directly at him.
"If you are open, shoot."
Then his eyes moved toward Leonard.
"Kawhi."
Leonard looked up.
"You stay on Chen."
Popovich's expression hardened.
"You are making it too comfortable for him. Why is he catching the ball so easily? Why is he getting into his shots so comfortably?"
He shook his head.
"Even your fouls are too soft. Be more physical. The officials are not handing out awards for being nice."
At that moment, Popovich probably missed Bruce Bowen more than ever.
If San Antonio still had a defender willing to make Chen's night physically miserable, the matchup might have looked very different.
Bowen had carried a reputation for dirty defense throughout his career.
But a player could hardly operate that aggressively for years without support from his coaching staff.
Popovich had always been willing to search for advantages beyond conventional basketball.
Now he wanted Leonard to bring more edge.
The 2nd half soon began.
Both teams adjusted their lineups.
New York opened with Curry, Chen Yan, Battier, Al Harrington, and David West.
Nelson had sacrificed some size for shooting.
The objective was clear.
Create more space.
Hit more 3 pointers.
Push the lead back out during the 3rd quarter.
San Antonio was one of the most experienced teams in the league.
Allowing the Spurs to remain within striking distance entering the 4th quarter would be dangerous.
San Antonio countered with Parker, Ginóbili, Leonard, Diaw, and Duncan.
It was one of Popovich's strongest groups.
Duncan and Ginóbili had both been carefully managed during the 1st half.
Now their preserved energy could be used when it mattered.
The Spurs had the opening possession.
Parker received the ball in the backcourt.
Curry did not pressure him heavily.
Parker crossed half court without trouble.
Once he entered the frontcourt, Duncan came up.
Pick and roll.
San Antonio's machinery started moving.
Parker took 1 dribble and passed to Ginóbili.
Ginóbili attacked while using Diaw's screen.
San Antonio's offensive principles were easy to describe.
Screen.
Move.
Screen again.
Keep moving.
Simple words.
Difficult execution.
The system demanded timing, discipline, awareness, and complete trust between all 5 players.
New York could not play exactly the same way.
The Knicks were far more accustomed to giving Chen the ball and allowing him to create something.
Ginóbili drove left.
Near the free throw line, he suddenly gathered.
His eyes shifted toward the left side.
Battier stayed disciplined.
He recognized the fake.
Ginóbili held the ball.
Battier lunged forward.
That was the real trap.
Ginóbili did not shoot.
He passed to Duncan.
Then immediately cut toward the basket.
Duncan returned the ball with a bounce pass.
Ginóbili caught it in stride.
Layup.
Good.
59 to 49.
Barkley nodded.
"That is San Antonio basketball. Nobody holds it too long. Screen, pass, cut, and suddenly you have a layup."
Kenny Smith agreed.
"They have been running actions like that for years. Simple basketball becomes extremely difficult to defend when the timing is that precise. Stockton and Malone built a career around the same idea with the pick and roll."
New York came back down.
Curry used a screen before passing to Chen.
Chen caught it.
Jab step.
Leonard reacted.
Chen immediately attacked the opposite direction.
Simple.
Effective.
Leonard could not stay with him.
It was not because Leonard lacked defensive ability.
Chen simply gave defenders too much to process.
Drive?
Pullup?
Pass?
Fake?
Every movement forced another decision.
And sometimes, thinking too much was exactly what caused a defender to lose.
Ginóbili slid across the lane.
He wanted to draw an offensive foul.
Chen saw him.
Gather.
Ball raised above his head.
Pass.
Battier caught it.
He paused just long enough to draw Diaw toward him.
Then moved it again.
Al Harrington was open.
3 pointer.
Clang!
Miss.
The possession had been executed correctly.
The shot simply did not fall.
Duncan secured the rebound.
Without changing expression, he scanned the floor.
Then suddenly launched the ball forward.
New York had not expected it.
Everyone assumed San Antonio would slow down and set up another half court possession.
Parker caught the long outlet.
Straight to the basket.
Layup.
Good.
59 to 51.
Single digit deficit.
Nelson hesitated briefly.
Then called timeout.
The Knicks gathered around him.
"Hold them off."
Nelson repeated the message.
"Get through this stretch. Stay composed."
He looked around the huddle.
"Victory will come."
And his confidence proved justified.
After the timeout, New York responded to San Antonio's surge with its greatest weapon.
3 pointers.
One after another, the Knicks stretched the floor and punished the Spurs from outside.
By the end of the 3rd quarter, New York had restored a double digit advantage.
The Knicks still had not been particularly impressive defensively.
Their lead existed largely because their offense was simply too powerful.
Chen entered the final quarter with 35 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Only then did San Antonio finally begin sending consistent double teams toward him.
The reaction from the broadcast booth was immediate.
The adjustment had come far too late.
Popovich had trusted his defensive system for too long.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, he refused to rest Duncan, Parker, or Ginóbili.
San Antonio's veteran trio stayed on the floor.
The Spurs were making their final stand.
But the game quickly slipped back into New York's preferred rhythm.
Halfway through the 4th quarter, the Knicks had pushed their advantage beyond 20 points.
Popovich had seen enough.
Duncan came out.
Parker came out.
Ginóbili came out.
The white flag had been raised.
Popovich remained visibly irritated on the sideline.
He was deeply dissatisfied with San Antonio's performance.
Ginóbili had struggled throughout the night.
Parker had been excellent during the 1st half, but his efficiency dropped noticeably after halftime.
In the end, Duncan remained the most dependable veteran on the roster.
The final minutes had little drama.
New York slowed the pace and used its half court offense to drain the clock.
San Antonio no longer showed any desire to mount another charge.
The game quietly reached its conclusion.
110 to 91.
New York had defeated San Antonio by 19 points.
Game 1 belonged to the Knicks.
The opening victory of the NBA Finals was theirs.
Chen smiled as he moved through his teammates, exchanging high 5s with each of them.
1 win.
Only 3 more remained.
Their ultimate goal was getting closer.
…..
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Frieren: The Demon Who Learned to Love