When Chen Yu saw Nazr Mohammed was still starting, he couldn’t help but laugh.
’That Popovich... he’s just too smart for his own good.’
And smart people always overthink things.
The impact was limited, though. No matter what moves the Spurs made, the Suns were just going to play their game.
Right from the tip-off, Hardaway drove and dished the ball, assisting Nowitzki on a mid-range jumper.
Soon after, Nowitzki drove with the ball and was double-teamed near the baseline. He made a behind-the-back pass, and Hardaway drove for a successful reverse layup.
Compared to the last game, the only adjustment the Suns made was to enhance their teamwork.
Inside-out plays, screens, and pick-and-rolls.
The Suns had always played this way.
The only difference was that Nowitzki had become a more reliable scoring threat.
And unlike the last game, they weren’t mindlessly letting Nowitzki go for iso plays; their offense was much more sound.
As for the Spurs’ "Ham tactic," Skiles had also implemented a targeted strategy to limit perimeter drives.
The Ham tactic required a player with a significant driving threat to draw in the defense.
Beyond paying extra attention to wing defense, there wasn’t much else they could do.
You can’t expect to completely shut down an opponent’s strategy.
Many factors influence the outcome of a 48-minute game, but the most important ones are always the players’ skill and team composition.
Especially for two championship-contending teams, it often just comes down to which side’s players are in better form.
And today, the Suns were clearly in better form.
Or rather, Nowitzki was in better form.
As the half was about to end, he suddenly found his touch.
First, on a mismatch against Bowen at the three-point line, he pulled up and sank a three. Then, he drove with the ball, came to a sudden stop, and hit a fadeaway jumper.
And he wasn’t done. He made a cut back to the free-throw line, caught the ball, and put up a lightning-quick shot that went in.
Nazr Mohammed hadn’t lost his defensive position at all, but when a seven-footer shoots a fadeaway jumper, what can you possibly do?
A 7-2 run instantly widened the gap.
After landing, Nazr Mohammed shot Duncan a wry smile, as if to say, ’How is anyone supposed to defend a shot like that?’
Standing on the sidelines, Popovich was starting to feel stumped.
He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Horry at the end of the bench.
For the entire first half, he had been wondering what kind of targeted strategy the Suns had prepared, knowing he would eventually put Horry in the game.
But watching the first half unfold, he hadn’t seen any special preparations.
’Or does Horry have to be on the court for their plan to actually work?’
But he couldn’t imagine what plan the Suns could possibly have.
’The Suns have no one viable at the four position.’
’The aging Clifford Robinson? Or that player from China?’
’Neither of them is a match.’
As he was lost in these scattered thoughts, the half ended.
54-48, the Suns held a six-point lead.
Coming back for the second half, the Spurs were the first to change their lineup.
Chen Yu raised an eyebrow. ’Just as I expected, they’re putting Horry in.’
’But is Horry really up to the task?’
On the court, Horry immediately got physical with Nowitzki.
Chen Yu took one look and cursed under his breath, ’That wily old bastard.’
Having entered the league in the early nineties, Horry truly carried the marks of that era.
For example, he used a lot of subtle dirty tricks on defense.
The angle of his propped elbow, the placement of his off-hand, his foot positioning, a subtle jab to the back of the knee.
It was all as quick and light as a dragonfly skimming water; in the tangle of bodies, it was difficult for the referees to see clearly.
When you moved, he moved. He’d lean into you just a moment early, or secretly tug on your jersey.
And of course, there was no shortage of trash talk.
Chen Yu could see Horry’s mouth moving nonstop. He was probably taunting Nowitzki, calling him soft or something similar.
Nowitzki stumbled, quickly secured the ball, and turned to complain to the referee.
Just then, Horry instantly adopted an innocent look, raising both hands with an expression that made him seem like the one who’d been wronged—the unluckiest man in the world.
The referee didn’t react at all.
But the harassment continued.
Chen Yu frowned. Nowitzki was clearly affected and was growing impatient.
On some of his shot attempts, it would have been better to pass the ball.
Skiles called a timeout to give Nowitzki a chance to cool down.
His face was tense as he simply nodded in acknowledgment, but back on the court, he still couldn’t escape Horry’s interference.
You had to admit, Horry was incredibly experienced.
He not only toyed with your mental state, but when you tried to retaliate, he would decisively commit a hard foul and send you to the line.
He made you feel constantly bottled up with frustration, letting negative emotions build.
All Chen Yu could say to that was that Horry’s defensive experience was simply too vast.
Nowitzki, on the other hand, was still somewhat lacking in emotional control.
Fortunately, the Suns were still holding onto their lead.
No.
The Spurs were making a push, slowly clawing back the points.
At the end of the third quarter, Ginobili hit a crucial three-pointer, and the score was 76-75. The Suns were actually trailing by one point.
As the players came off the court, Popovich immediately embraced Horry, excitedly patting him on the back.
"Robert, that was beautiful! That’s how you do it! That guy’s a softie. Shut him down, and we’ll win!"
As excited as Popovich was, he couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
’Chen Yu totally played me.’
’The Suns didn’t have any special strategy for him. I should’ve just started Horry from the beginning.’
The media always called him an old fox, but he felt that Chen Yu was the true master of psychological manipulation.
Still, it wasn’t too late. As long as Nowitzki’s performance was compromised, this game was in the bag.
For a star of his caliber, Skiles had no choice but to give him opportunities to shoot.
This was why, a lot of the time, even when a star player was playing poorly, the coach had to leave him on the court to keep bricking shots.
The head coach had no choice. The guy’s a star; if you don’t let him play through it, he’ll hold a grudge.
The fourth quarter began quickly.
Horry was still provoking Nowitzki, the stream of trash talk never-ending.
Nowitzki was still scoring, but his efficiency had plummeted.
Chen Yu could see it clearly: Nowitzki was extremely frustrated.
He wanted to answer back by scoring, but sometimes, the more you try to score, the less your shots fall.
Moreover, Horry’s antics were getting more and more blatant.
Chen Yu’s frown deepened as a bad feeling suddenly washed over him.
In that fleeting moment of distraction, a sharp whistle blew on the court.
He snapped his head up.
It was Nowitzki. Like an enraged lion, he was being held back in a death grip by Chandler, all while pointing and yelling nonstop at Horry, who was on the floor.
Horry lay on the ground, a look of bewilderment and wronged innocence on his face.
The referee rushed over and, without hesitation, pointed him out of the game.
Nowitzki was ejected!
The furious Nowitzki instantly cooled down, his face turning pale. He chased after the referee, explaining that Horry had said something vile that he couldn’t tolerate, and that he had only lost his temper for a second and given Horry a small push, not expecting him to just flop to the ground.
But once the call was made, it couldn’t be changed.
Skiles stood on the sideline, hands on his hips, a look of complete helplessness on his face.
He had a feeling it would come to this, but with so little time left in the game, he hadn’t expected Nowitzki to ultimately lose his cool.
"Sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose."
Walking off the court, Nowitzki was in a complete panic, apologizing over and over like a child who had misbehaved.
This wasn’t just a regular season game; it was the playoffs. He knew full well that the Suns were gunning for the championship this year. If they lost this game—or were ultimately eliminated—because of him, others might not mind. A player like Hardaway already had three championship rings.
But he would never be able to forgive himself.
Jim Boylan immediately came forward and escorted Nowitzki back to the locker room.
"Chen."
Skiles found Chen Yu. At a time like this, he was exactly the kind of "psychologist" they needed.
"He’ll be fine," Chen Yu said, not concerned in the slightest.
’It’s not that big of a deal. He’s not some rookie; he’ll be able to get his head straight.’
"What’s crucial now is you, Scott. You have to win this game."
If they lost, that’s when Nowitzki’s mental state would truly become a problem.
Skiles was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.
Just then, Horry, as if his mission was accomplished, was subbed out and sat down on the bench.
Duncan shifted back to the four position.
Chen Yu shook his head to himself.
’What can you even say?’
’The Spurs are just that kind of team, and Popovich is just that kind of coach. If you want to beat them, you have to be able to endure all of this.’

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