Chapter 35

In San Antonio, Texas, on January 25, 2006.

At the SBC Center.

This arena, completed in 2002, became the pride of San Antonio and the new home of the Spurs.

Before moving to the SBC Center, the Spurs had long used the Alamodome as their home court. The Alamodome, originally designed as a football stadium, could accommodate up to 77,000 fans, which was far too many for an NBA game. Therefore, during home games, the staff would partition off more than half of the arena, opening only a portion for basketball use.

This compromise was not well-received by the fans. Due to the distance from the stands to the court and the vast, empty space, the Spurs' home games were often ranked at the bottom of the NBA in terms of atmosphere.

Against this backdrop, San Antonio invested $186 million in local sales tax to build the SBC Center at the beginning of the 21st century.

In the summer, the SBC Center serves as an NBA arena, and in the winter, it becomes a venue for ice hockey, one of the three major sports in the United States, with a capacity of around 18,000 fans.

Standing in the arena for a warm-up, Chen Mu felt as if he was being baptized by a mysterious basketball wisdom.

Although the Spurs have always been one of the top teams in NBA history, with only a few seasons where they failed to make the playoffs, they can be considered a traditional powerhouse.

However, the true rise of the Spurs and their transformation into a "dynasty team" began with the 1997 draft.

"TD! TD! TD!"

On the other side of the court, a tall, solid player was calmly practicing his signature move—the 45-degree bank shot—wearing a practice jersey.

The basketball seemed small in his hands, paired with his long arms and early career athleticism, which later evolved into a solid floor game.

Tim Duncan, the league's top power forward, known as "The Big Fundamental," was continuously refining his already extensive arsenal and contributing to the team.

Year after year, Duncan adapted to the changes in the league and the team. From forming the twin towers with David Robinson to the super-speed transition in the original timeline, the significant shift from a "defense-first, star-driven" approach to a "team-oriented, beautiful team basketball" style was closely tied to this quiet man.

"Swish"

Another bank shot, and Duncan never showed any emotion, except for his signature glare at the referee when an unfavorable call was made, with his hands slightly spread. Known as "The Stone Buddha" by Chinese fans, he indeed had an incredibly strong mind.

"SBC Center, you will change your name in a year..."

Chen Mu remembered that in a year, the naming rights of this arena would be bought by the American telecommunications giant AT&T, transforming it into the AT&T Center. The Spurs would continue their glorious journey in this newly named arena.

"Standing 6 feet 11 inches tall, playing power forward, averaging 18.6 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, and nearly 1 steal per game, with 3.2 assists that don't fully reflect his role as a playmaking beacon on offense."

Chen Mu recalled that starting this year, Duncan's stats began to decline, especially his points per game, which hit a career low.

The Spurs, who had just defeated the Detroit Pistons last season to win their third NBA championship, were for the first time considered old and slow.

But history always slaps those who think they know it all. The Spurs remained as solid as ever, dominating the league and educating the new "rookies" on how to play, taking on the role of the "Big Demon."

"Will you lose to the Mavericks this year and miss your best chance for a three-peat? Will everything unfold as it did in the original timeline?"

Chen Mu was very curious about all this. Last time, he was a witness to the grand historical events. This time, he was a participant, ready to change everything...

"SBC Center, ladies and gentlemen, the San Antonio Spurs are about to face the 76ers at home!"

Although San Antonio is not a traditional international metropolis, the fans' passion and loyalty to the Spurs are well-known throughout the league.

Since moving to the SBC Center, the Spurs' home court has become a nightmare for the entire league, a true "house of horrors."

"From 2002 to 2005, the Spurs lost only 27 games in this arena, winning 125 games! A win rate of 82.2%!"

The commentator loudly recited these well-known statistics, stirring up the emotions of the home fans.

"Today, we will host the 76ers, and I believe we will win a resounding victory! Fans, cheer for your Spurs!!"

"SPURS! SPURS! SPURS!"

The entire arena was filled with cheers, and everyone's emotions were at their peak, hoping to witness another victory for the team.

"Beep beep!"

The referee blew the whistle, and the game began. The Spurs' center, Nesterovic, had average skills and a jump no higher than a matchbox. Although the 76ers' starting center, Hunter, was not much better, his physical condition was solid, and he easily won the tip-off, giving the 76ers the ball.

"Chen, be ready."

Head coach Larry Brown said to Chen Mu, who was sitting at the front of the bench, "You'll come in halfway through the first quarter. By then, Duncan's stamina will have declined, and you need to stick to him tightly, not letting him dominate the paint!"

"Leave it to me, Coach!"

Chen Mu nodded confidently, carefully observing the game.

Over the past two days, Chen Mu had been repeatedly watching the Spurs' games this season. The core of the Spurs was the GDP trio, especially Manu Ginobili, who played a significant role as a starter this season.

At this time, Gregg Popovich was not yet the "Coach of the Ages" he would later become. Although the offense had improved, the basic tactics were still simple.

"Allen, go full speed!!"

Allen Iverson opened the game with full force, shaking off Tony Parker and hitting a difficult mid-range shot.

"Offensively, Duncan is the pivot, but his ball-handling and strong attacks have decreased, with Parker and Ginobili becoming the primary offensive points."

Watching the Spurs' offense unfold, Chen Mu carefully analyzed the key points.

"Out on the perimeter, there's Bruce Bowen, the ultimate 3D player. The small forward is the last link in the Spurs' offense. Parker and Ginobili will work around Duncan, using his increasingly accurate mid-range shooting as a decoy, constantly running around to create opportunities for Parker to cut and score, while Ginobili looks for weak-side isolation opportunities."

In fact, starting this season, the Spurs' offensive tactics began to evolve towards a modified Princeton system. The 76ers' starting power forward, Webber, was very familiar with this system, having used the "fake attack and backhand pass" to great effect during his time with the Kings.

"Swish"

While thinking, the Spurs had already scored a mid-range floater through Parker's movement.

"Ah..."

On the court, Webber sighed, patting his thigh, seemingly dissatisfied with his injured knee.

If he were at his peak, Webber might have been able to quickly move and interfere with Parker's shot, but the knee injury was too severe, and he could only watch as Duncan delivered a precise pass.

"If I were on defense, how would I stop this shot...?"

Chen Mu continued to analyze the game, lost in thought.

Soon, the familiar whistle sounded, and the game entered the first quarter's official timeout. After some adjustments, Coach Brown sent Chen Mu onto the court to replace Hunter.

The Spurs also made changes, bringing in the veteran Finley, who they had recently acquired from the Mavericks, to play a small-ball lineup.

The game resumed, and after a brief exchange with Webber, Chen Mu decided to guard Duncan, while Webber positioned himself on the other side of the key, forming a slightly modified 3-2 zone defense.

"TD!"

Chen Mu tightly guarded Duncan, constantly applying pressure. Iverson, Iguodala, and Korver guarded the perimeter, effectively cutting off the three-point line between the 45-degree angles, maximizing the suppression of the Spurs' outside shooting.

After some movement, Ginobili passed the ball from the weak side to the paint, where Duncan caught it on the left side of the basket and turned his back to the basket.

"45 degrees is your scoring spot, but I won't let you jump shoot here easily!"

Chen Mu was determined, sticking to Duncan and not giving him any space.

Duncan dribbled and looked around. Chen Mu had increased his strength, while Duncan had lost some due to his weight loss. After several attempts, he couldn't get much closer to the paint.

"PASS!"

From the three-point line, Parker quickly cut through the middle, an area and the corner three-point line that are blind spots in a 3-2 zone defense. The Spurs, clearly well-trained, made a targeted offensive adjustment from the start.

"No passing!"

Chen Mu moved laterally, extending his long arms to fully interfere with Duncan's passing route. Duncan faked a pass, but ultimately didn't take the risk, bringing the ball back to his chest and then pivoting to the middle with his right foot.

On the other side of the key, Webber left Finley at the weak-side corner and stepped up to join Chen Mu in the middle, trying to trap Duncan.

However, the Big Fundamental was not so easily defeated.

"Whoosh!"

Just as Webber stepped up but hadn't reached his position, Duncan suddenly extended his long arm and shot a hook shot.

The ball flew through the air, and Chen Mu jumped as hard as he could, but his fingertips were always a few centimeters away from the ball.

"Swish!"

The ball went smoothly through the hoop, and Duncan calmly returned to defense.

"Hmm... interesting..."

Behind him, Chen Mu sighed slightly, a smile appearing on his face. He muttered to himself, "It's only by facing such opponents that it becomes truly interesting...!"

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