The game ended with a missed, rushed three-pointer from Hardaway. Standing on the sidelines, Popovich let out a long sigh of relief, the tension on his face finally easing.
This game, and the next one, were actually quite important and could directly impact the standings in the West.
Fortunately, the Spurs came out on top in the end.
94-92. A two-point victory.
In the final three minutes, Hardaway suddenly erupted. Driving and shooting, he scored seven unanswered points and was simply unstoppable. For a moment, Popovich feared they were about to lose their lead.
He turned to watch Hardaway walk off the court, an unmistakable look of envy in his eyes.
'What a great player.'
'And this Phoenix Suns roster... it's beyond just good.'
They had Hardaway and J Kidd on the perimeter, and a super rookie in Marion at forward. That combination was top-tier, even across the entire league.
In today's league, having two All-Stars on one team was already considered a top-tier roster.
