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***
At the AT&T Center, San Antonio fans were treated to a "grand spectacle" on Sunday night.
Completely different from pre-game predictions, no one expected this game to be so "intense" that Bruce Bowen was stretchered off the court less than a minute into the game.
The crowd was furious, and Gregg Popovich's face turned red with anger.
The old man wished he could rush onto the court and deliver a combination of punches to Ron Artest!
The unexpected start led the game into a different situation.
After gaining an anger buff, the San Antonio Spurs' halftime score finally exceeded 50, but fans watching on TV were more concerned about the conflict.
58:51, the Big Three all performed well, and the San Antonio Spurs, back at home, kept the score tight.
Shouts, boos, and angry yells continuously echoed through the AT&T Center.
ABC's sideline reporter, Michelle Tafoya, didn't fan the flames when interviewing Lee, but instead continued to discuss the game:
"Lee, did Ron Artest's departure disrupt the New York Knicks' game rhythm, and will this affect the second half?"
Due to arriving too late, Lee had to actively warm up at halftime, playing a full 22 minutes in the first half.
Although he didn't score much, he had already dished out 9 assists by halftime.
"Ron is an indispensable member of the team, and his unexpected departure indeed affected the game."
"But I believe in my teammates. This is Game 3 of the Finals, and everyone doesn't want to miss match point. We will perform better in the second half!"
Lee spoke casually, but the boos from the San Antonio Spurs fans behind him grew louder and louder.
They couldn't accept such a result.
"Boo!"
Braving the boos that echoed throughout the AT&T Center, Lee, wearing his away blue jersey, ignored the excited fans on both sides of the player tunnel and slowly returned to the locker room under the protection of staff.
The broadcast camera shifted, and the serious-looking black reporter Stuart Scott appeared in front of the San Antonio Spurs' locker room, speaking rapidly into the camera about the news he had received:
"After confirmation by the San Antonio Spurs' medical team, Bruce Bowen suffered a severe concussion and has been sent to the hospital."
"Ron Artest apologized for this, saying that his opponent shouldn't have been in his celebration. From what I understand, after being ejected, he tried to visit his opponent in the San Antonio Spurs' locker room but was ultimately expelled."
"Considering the protocol for head injuries, Bruce Bowen will miss Game 4, and the San Antonio Spurs players are very angry about this."
When Bruce Bowen was severely injured, the moment he rolled his eyes and fell was replayed repeatedly.
Stuart Scott was halfway through his report when the scene of Bruce Bowen being loaded into an ambulance also appeared before the fans watching on TV.
In the footage, Bruce Bowen was still being carried into the ambulance.
The heavy blow seemed to have caused the veteran to lose consciousness.
Anyone could see that this injury was extremely severe.
After reporting this news from the ABC studio, host Dan Patrick didn't know what to ask for a moment and could only say some platitudes:
"Best wishes to Bruce Bowen. He is an excellent perimeter Defense player for the San Antonio Spurs. I hope he can recover soon."
Michael Wilbon was in a state of schadenfreude.
Bruce Bowen's Defense was indispensable in the San Antonio Spurs' advancement.
The nearly 36-year-old veteran could even suppress most of his matchups.
However, this "borderline" Defense technique was criticized by many players.
Steve Nash was heavily impacted, and Alvin Gentry had complained about it.
"I don't think the San Antonio Spurs changing their defensive matchups can limit Clay Lee. I sympathize with Bruce Bowen, but it's impossible to expect a 36-year-old veteran to save the team."
"The San Antonio Spurs played well in the first half, but they are about to face a real test. The New York Knicks in the second half are the most terrifying. They don't have time to dwell on this foul anymore."
Hearing his partner's words, Jon Barry nodded solemnly.
Everyone knew the San Antonio Spurs' little tricks.
Considering this was their home court, they could only speak platitudes at this moment:
"Brent Barry played pretty well after coming on, but whether he can withstand the pressure remains to be seen in the second half."
"There's no doubt Robert Horry will get more playing time. I hope this nearly 36-year-old veteran can bring a surprise to San Antonio fans."
....
The three in the studio reacted indifferently to the reduced personnel after the opening, but the San Antonio Spurs players were furious at this time.
Even the staff were angered by Ron Artest's "goodwill."
It was simply too much bullying.
They didn't even bother to act anymore, going "all out" from the start.
Gregg Popovich, back in the locker room, had lost his voice shouting.
The old man didn't expect the opponent to so directly break through their carefully planned Defense strategy:
"Cheer up! Think about what Bruce went through. We must win this game. We must prove to everyone that dirty tactics cannot defeat the San Antonio Spurs."
Gregg Popovich yelled out words of encouragement.
Duncan, who had rested for less than a minute at halftime, took deep breaths and showed a determined expression.
Everyone stood up and clapped, high-fiving each other to cheer themselves on.
Robert Horry even excitedly yelled:
"Win the game, make them pay!"
Jacque Vaughn and Francisco Elson, infected by the emotion, also yelled loudly.
Only Beno Udrih, who wasn't getting playing time, remained silent in the locker room.
As the second half was about to begin, the director reviewed the core players' statistics for both teams.
Lee and Duncan both played almost the entire first half:
5-of-10 from the field, 1-of-3 from three-point range, 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover.
Clay Lee was just shy of a double-double.
4-of-10 from the field, 5-of-7 from the free-throw line, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover.
Tim Duncan's performance was mediocre, but thanks to his drawing power, Manu Ginobili scored 12 points in the first half, becoming the team's key player.
The two core players seemed to have performed ordinarily, but at the commentary desk, Mark Jackson disregarded this and again pointed out the San Antonio Spurs' hidden dangers:
"According to the offensive and defensive rhythm of the first half, the New York Knicks will have a greater advantage in the fourth quarter."
"The San Antonio Spurs cannot expect Clay Lee to remain in a slump. Once he finds his shooting touch from beyond the arc, they will face a huge test."
Jeff Van Gundy could feel the anger of the live audience.
He also didn't expect the game to develop this way.
He felt some disdain for Gregg Popovich's adjustments, but a smile was on his face:
"At this point, it's a battle of will. The desire for a championship might allow the San Antonio Spurs to achieve a better state."
"I believe Tony Parker will be key to the game. It's crucial whether he can have a breakout performance in the second half."
Mike Breen did not participate in their conversation.
No matter how much they analyzed, it was useless.
The series had progressed to this point, and the San Antonio Spurs hadn't even won a single quarter.
The gap was larger than what the commentators had imagined.
"Go San Antonio Spurs go!."
The AT&T Center once again echoed with unified cheers.
Patrick, who received the ball at the baseline, looked at Lee, who was guarding him, and gritted his teeth, charging forward, attempting to dribble past half-court as quickly as possible.
Unlike the emotional San Antonio Spurs players, the New York Knicks didn't react much.
The San Antonio Spurs were old rivals, and everyone was familiar with their tactics.
Pau Gasol continued to tightly guard Duncan, without any unnecessary movements, simply leaning his entire body against him, continuing his usual strategy of relying on his long arms for Defense.
Tayshaun Prince, who came off the bench, also didn't show much emotion.
Even though Manu Ginobili played well in the first half, he didn't hold back on Defense, sticking close to him early on.
This time, the San Antonio Spurs ran a double screen, with both big men coming to the top of the arc to set a pick for Patrick.
However, Oberto stepped up, while Chandler didn't follow out to guard.
Hill also observed the Defense in the right restricted area.
Brent Barry, his matchup, seemed to be left open, but in reality, Hill was confident he could interfere with this understated shooter at any time.
Facing the New York Knicks' suffocating man-to-man Defense, Patrick ultimately chose to dribble behind his back to his left hand, using Duncan's screen to accelerate horizontally to the left wing.
Moving with a pick-and-roll near the free-throw line, Duncan slowly rolled down, ready to receive the pass at any moment.
Lee, who had switched to guard him, squeezed in front of his old opponent, cutting off the passing lane while leaning his entire body against him.
The cheers grew louder.
Facing Pau Gasol, who had switched onto him, Parker on the left wing immediately pushed the ball and changed direction, accelerating with the ball in his right hand and a lowered shoulder.
Upon breaking into the paint, he noticed Chandler starting to retreat.
In motion, Parker smoothly passed the ball to the wide-open Fabricio Oberto on the right side near the baseline.
Brent Barry had already moved to the top to create space.
Oberto, who received the pass, faced no help Defense, but the big man from Argentina missed an open shot.
"Oh!"
Amidst sighs, Duncan desperately tried to squeeze into the paint, but Lee still boxed him out, watching helplessly as Pau Gasol tipped the ball away and Chandler jumped to secure the rebound.
The big-on-small half-court offense yielded no results, and all the anticipated tactics failed.
Duncan, unable to get past Lee, was somewhat frustrated.
While pushing, he glared and shouted at the baseline referee:
"Foul!"
Hill, who was coming to receive the pass, had almost crossed half-court.
The San Antonio Spurs players quickly retreated on Defense.
Parker matched up in time, staying close to Lee without even looking at the ball.
"Defense!"
Many San Antonio Spurs fans wearing white cheering T-shirts stood up and shouted.
Seeing Hill pass the ball early to Lee, who had back-cut to receive it, the roar of the crowd grew even louder.
Receiving the ball on the right wing near the top of the arc, Lee didn't rush to put the ball down under Parker's subtle tugging Defense.
He waited until Pau Gasol moved his feet, bringing Duncan to the top, before starting his offense.
Turning sideways, he put the ball down with his left hand, lowering his center of gravity.
Lee's non-dribbling hand swatted away Parker's interfering arm as he slowly moved towards the top of the arc.
Duncan, who had followed him out on Defense, noticed that the New York Knicks players were lined up across the baseline, immediately realizing it was likely another isolation play.
The shouts grew louder.
As Pau Gasol came to stand beside them, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, immediately exploded with a dribble, moving backward while quickly performing an In and Out, his body sharply faking to the right front.
Parker, preparing to squeeze past the screen, instinctively slid backward to the left.
Duncan immediately rushed to defend.
Just as he raised his left arm, he saw Lee explode with another dribble at his side.
Using the rebound force of the ball, Lee directly pulled up from his side, ignoring Duncan, who had raised his left arm and was rushing to defend.
After gathering the ball, he leaned back slightly and quickly shot a jump shot!
Seeing the ball swish through the net as Lee and Duncan fell to the floor, Mike Breen in the commentary booth instantly raised his voice, shouting:
"Clay Lee! From downtown! It's gone!"
"OMG! Unbelievable!"
61:51. Watching the difference widen to double digits, Gregg Popovich on the sidelines stood frozen in place.
On the other side, Mike D'Antoni was loudly complaining to the sideline referee, and several members of the coaching staff also gathered around, indicating it was a foul.
"Boo!"
Amidst the boos, the game continued.
Clay Lee, pulled to his feet by his teammates, did not complain to the referee.
Instead, he looked at Tim Duncan and loudly reminded him:
"Step-back jumper!"
Looking at his old opponent, who shook his head and retreated on Defense, Duncan couldn't maintain his composure for a moment, muttering a low curse.
He didn't even know how that shot went in, a shot over his face, and it still went in.
Again facing Lee's tight Defense in the half-court, Parker once again passed the ball early.
As Manu Ginobili received the ball on the left wing, with a cross-screen on the baseline, Duncan again came to the left block.
Chandler was a step slow, allowing Duncan to receive the ball in a deeper position.
After facing the basket, he quickly took a jab step, then put the ball down with his left hand and attacked the basket forcefully.
As he squeezed to the lower left of the rim, Duncan faked with the ball, but again faced Pau Gasol's help Defense.
Before the two could surround him, he twisted his body and shot a left-handed floater off the backboard.
The long-arm interference worked, and the ball bounced off the rim.
The New York Knicks players had already squeezed into the paint.
With no one helping Fabricio Oberto, he watched Lee dunk the rebound with a tomahawk jam in the paint.
After grabbing the rebound, he immediately dribbled and pushed the ball up.
The San Antonio Spurs players worked hard to retreat on Defense.
Parker had already established his defensive position early, immediately applying tight Defense near the half-court line.
When Lee slowed down, Pau Gasol had already charged across half-court.
While Parker was chasing on Defense, Lee suddenly stopped far from the three-point line.
Dribbling behind his back while in motion, Lee switched to his right hand, feigning a drive.
Parker squeezed past the screen in time but almost lost his defensive position, quickly and subtly tugging with his right hand.
Just as he grabbed the jersey, Lee suddenly stopped, exploding with a dribble and turning in one smooth motion.
As his left hand touched the ball, his non-dribbling hand also provided resistance.
Parker, who was still trying to squeeze past the screen, immediately took an elbow, his body leaning back and colliding with Pau Gasol.
He cried out, loudly alerting the referee.
"Ah!"
Lee's movements were too fast, and Parker's acting was too exaggerated.
The referee made no call.
Instead, Duncan almost misjudged.
He was desperately sliding to the right but found himself half a step behind.
Accelerating horizontally with the ball in his left hand, Lee was incredibly fast, reaching the left wing in the blink of an eye.
Before approaching the three-point line, he suddenly stopped, exploding with a dribble and taking a large step back.
"Oh!"
Watching Lee instantly move to a position near the left sideline, gather the ball, and shoot a fadeaway jumper, the San Antonio Spurs fans in the arena collectively gasped.
"Swish!" Duncan had no time to rush and jump on Defense, and the three-pointer swished through the net.
64:51. Clay Lee, who had flown out of bounds, stopped in front of the fans, patted his chest, and as he walked back on Defense, he laughed and loudly taunted:
"Where is Tim Duncan?"
The suddenly quiet AT&T Center soon erupted in boos.
The exaggerated step-back distance left Duncan speechless.
Gregg Popovich on the sidelines was still hesitating; the old man felt something was off.
Duncan's high-quality screen allowed Parker to shake off Lee at the top of the arc.
Facing Pau Gasol, who had switched onto him, he immediately took a step and shot a floater the moment he crossed the free-throw line.
Although the basketball swished through the net, Parker, upon landing, let out a long breath.
Lee had almost chased him down from behind.
When the New York Knicks were on offense, Tayshaun Prince immediately received the ball on the left wing.
Lee, who had completed the pass, first feigned a cut to the middle, then suddenly popped out beyond the three-point line at the top of the arc.
Tayshaun Prince immediately passed it back.
Facing Parker, who was chasing on Defense, Lee protected the ball on his left side while quickly taking a jab step with his right foot.
Parker, who was applying tight Defense, quickly spread his arms, trying to use body pressure to force Lee to the inside.
However, the moment he spread his arms, his opponent in front of him suddenly jumped.
"Oh!"
Amidst quiet gasps, Lee received the ball in front of Parker and immediately pulled up.
The latter didn't even make any defensive moves, only turning his head to look at the basket.
"Swish!"
As another three-pointer went in, the New York Knicks bench erupted in cheers, and Gregg Popovich immediately called a timeout.
67:53. The difference was still widening.
The inexplicable makes the old man only able to give pep talks.
As a result, in the first possession after the timeout, Duncan, who stepped to the free-throw line, suddenly missed both free throws.
When Chandler secured the rebound, the AT&T Center suddenly fell silent.
Many San Antonio Spurs fans seemed to sense something and stopped cheering.
In a semi-transition offense, Lee dribbled the ball up the left sideline, not fast.
Parker was still checking if there was a pick-and-roll to the side.
He stopped, just turned his head, and heard gasps again.
"30 feet?"
Parker's mouth dropped open, a thought flashing through his mind.
Clay Lee, who had just crossed half-court and taken two dribbles, gathered the ball in front of him and took a standard pull-up jump shot.
"God! Clay Lee's showtime! Unbelievable shot!"
Seeing the ball swish through the net, Mark Jackson also gasped.
This old-school guard couldn't comprehend such a play.
The outrageous offensive choice made the AT&T Center silent again.
Only the New York Knicks bench was celebrating wildly.
Clay Lee, with his left hand cupped to his ear, once again loudly reminded the fans:
"Where is Tim Duncan?"
"."
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