On the other side of the ocean, in China, the game between the Thunder and the Spurs garnered a lot of attention because it was the weekend.
For the first two quarters, fans watched in relative peace, but after the third quarter ended, the situation changed.
On the Hupu Forum, fans started to furiously complain about the officiating in the third quarter.
"What kind of officiating is this? You can drive in and get killed with no whistle. How can this game be played?"
"The Thunder just aren't good enough. Don't look at their 8-game winning streak; they're showing their true colors against a veteran powerhouse. Kayce's skill level is just so-so!"
"The one upstairs, what do you mean 'skill level is just so-so'? He's 7-of-12 with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and no turnovers for 15 points through three quarters. That's not good enough?"
"It's certainly a bit lacking. He was 1-of-5 in the third quarter, and his accuracy dropped when the physicality increased!"
"This is clearly a whistle problem, just like in last season's Western Conference Semifinals, the Lakers didn't get called in the fourth quarter at all. Kobe elbowed, and the referees didn't blow the whistle! The Spurs' physicality and foot-tripping are old traditions!"
"What do you mean Kobe elbowed? Didn't Antonio wrestle with Kobe in the paint too? If your skill isn't good enough, don't blame the defense. Look at how Kobe wins games!"
"Heh heh, he won by riding coattails, first O'Neal, then Gasol!"
"James fans upstairs, get a championship before you talk? How many championships does James have? Players who rely on physicality just aren't good enough; he'll decline by 30."
"Not having a championship is still better than riding coattails. The cancerous playstyle can only bully the Magic. Wasn't he crushed in '08?"
"Kobe has four championships. Get a championship first before talking about this. No, first make it out of the East. James definitely can't beat the Celtics' Big Three."
In the CCTV studio, during the break, host Yu Jia and Zhang Weiping were also discussing the officiating in the third quarter.
"Zhang, what do you think of the referee's officiating in the third quarter? Is it perhaps too lenient on physicality?"
"Actually, on one hand, it's the officiating, and on the other, it's a flaw in the Thunder's playstyle. The officiating is consistent for both sides; everyone uses their bodies, but the Spurs have Duncan."
"High-intensity physical confrontation affected the Thunder's shooting. When they drove in, Duncan would help defend. The period when the lead widened was when Duncan repeatedly scored with low-post offense, and the Thunder themselves got anxious!"
"If they couldn't shoot, they'd drive inside, which played right into the Spurs' hands. Also, the Spurs have a 10-man rotation, and their rotation was normal in the third quarter, while the Thunder's starters were forced to endure, so their stamina would definitely drop."
Zhang Weiping had never been particularly optimistic about the Thunder's roster. In the Western Conference, it's very difficult to achieve good results without an All-Star-level big man.
"Zhang, what adjustments do you think the Thunder should make in the fourth quarter, given they're already down by 10 points?"
Host Yu Jia posed another question.
"First, it's defense. They have to get stops, be more aggressive. Also, no turnovers; against the Spurs, turnovers are free points. Finally, they need to start making their shots again, otherwise, it will be very difficult to catch up by 10 points."
Zhang Weiping thought it was normal for the Thunder to lose, but he hoped Kayce could score more points to make his stats look better.
"Thank you, Zhang, for your commentary. The fourth quarter has begun, let's return to the game!"
Coach Brooks was going all out. In the regular season, losing by 10 points or 20 points makes no difference.
Therefore, in the fourth quarter, he directly sent out a small lineup of Russell, Kayce, Durant, Jeff Green, and Ibaka.
After Kayce came on, seeing that the Spurs were still in their regular rotation, with Ginobili leading George Hill and other reserves, he knew that Popovich considered the game decided.
"Russell, put full defensive pressure on Hill. Don't give him a chance to drive right; his left hand is a weakness!"
"Kevin, at the appropriate time, help Serge on defense. They'll definitely still attack inside. If we can get two stops, we can win this game back!"
Before coming on, Kayce began to instruct his teammates. In the previous few games, they mostly clocked out after three quarters. This was the first time they were playing in the fourth quarter while trailing in the new season, and they couldn't be the first to falter.
"No problem, Bro, I'll defend Hill so he can't score!"
Russell was full of fighting spirit, still at full strength in the fourth quarter. As a stamina monster, even playing the entire game wouldn't make him feel too tired.
On the first possession of the fourth quarter, after George Hill brought the ball across half-court, he was met with Russell's tight, physical defense, constantly bumping him and occasionally trying to poke the ball away.
Fortunately, Ginobili came over to receive the ball in time. The wily veteran sensed that the Thunder had increased their physicality again, and Kayce had also started to use some small tricks on him.
After a screen, the ball went directly to Antonio McDyess in the paint. The latter, facing Ibaka's defense, had just put the ball down to post up when Jeff Green rushed over to help defend.
Faced with this situation, Antonio McDyess immediately passed to Matt Bonner on the perimeter, but the Thunder's defensive rotation speed was very fast. Left with no choice, the ball was passed around the perimeter several times before returning to George Hill's hands.
Russell was still glued to him, not allowing a shot. Seeing that the shot clock was running out, George Hill quickly put the ball down and drove left, but he was defended perfectly!
The intense physical contact made George Hill's left-hand dribble unstable. Russell seized the opportunity, first poking the ball away, then diving for it, directly stealing it.
Seeing Ginobili coming to snatch the ball, Russell tossed it up from the ground. Kayce instantly galloped over, grabbed the ball, and furiously accelerated across half-court.
Michael Finley chased desperately from behind. While in motion, Kayce noticed the defense and also spotted Durant sprinting behind him. Without stopping the ball, he faked a layup and threw a high pass backward.
Michael Finley jumped with Kayce, and upon landing, he saw Durant behind him complete an alley-oop, a one-handed dunk!
"Slam!" A beautiful alley-oop.
"Ah!!! Wow ah!!!"
The atmosphere at Ford Center was reignited by this alley-oop dunk. Down by 10 points, the silent audience, after a quarter, once again let out enthusiastic cheers.
Russell, from the backcourt, seeing the successful offense, also started shouting loudly and constantly gesturing to the audience to get the atmosphere going.
"Nice job, Russell, keep up that defense!"
Kayce, on his way back to defense, thumped Russell's chest.
Russell was fired up by this point, yelling and defending with emotion. George Hill was pressed tightly as soon as he crossed half-court. The two were similar in height, but there was a bit of a difference in strength.
Additionally, George Hill's explosiveness couldn't match Russell's. After a screen, he was still bothered by the defense and couldn't shake it off.
Finally, the ball was again passed to Antonio McDyess. This time, the veteran learned from the previous possession and directly turned to the baseline, then smoothly made a hook shot.
But he underestimated Ibaka's quickness. There was no contact on the shot, and Ibaka easily took off, delivering a clean block against the backboard.
After the ball bounced down, Durant immediately secured possession. Seeing that the Spurs had all retreated on defense, he passed the ball to Kayce.
After Kayce brought the ball across half-court, he made a tactical hand gesture to his teammates and also called out to Russell:
"Russell, Number 1, be patient!"
Kayce knew that an emotional Russell might also have an offensive explosion, so he wanted Russell to take this possession.
This possession was crucial. After Russell, Kayce, and Durant exchanged two handoffs, Russell faced Michael Finley's defense.
Noticing the defender giving him a step of space, Russell dribbled between his legs several times outside the three-point line, then suddenly raised his center of gravity with the ball in his right hand, feigning a drive. This made Michael Finley's defense shift back a bit further.
It was at the moment the defense changed that Russell gathered the ball and shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line.
"Swish!" The ball went straight through the net.
"Roar ah!! Ah!!"
After the basket, Russell pounded his chest and roared. With that shot, the deficit was directly reduced to 5 points.
Popovich saw the atmosphere at Ford Center become boisterous again and immediately called a timeout. He was going to bring his starters back in; the victory they had in hand couldn't just slip away like this.
During the timeout, in the CCTV studio, Zhang Weiping also exclaimed:
"The Thunder's Westbrook's offense is unreasonable; he just pulls up and shoots. This is his first three-pointer of the game, and this game is really hard to call now!"
After the timeout, the Spurs' GDP was all on the court, and DeJuan Blair and Richard Jefferson were also back. With 9 minutes and 56 seconds left in the fourth quarter, both teams began their final showdown.
The Spurs' offense started with a Parker pick-and-roll. Seeing Duncan being aggressively fronted, Jefferson came over for a handoff to transition, then passed the ball back to Duncan.
The moment he received the ball, Jeff Green immediately came over to double-team. Duncan quickly passed the ball to the open DeJuan Blair on the perimeter, and the Thunder's defensive rotation instantly covered him.
But the ball moved even faster. After several continuous passes without stopping, Ginobili on the perimeter got an open look and immediately shot a three-pointer.
"Clank!" It clanked off the rim.
"Rebound!" Kayce quickly reminded his teammates to focus on the rebound.
Ibaka and Jeff Green in the paint desperately boxed out Duncan, not allowing him to get good position. Fortunately, the ball bounced a bit far, and Durant, with his long arms, secured the rebound.
"Be patient, guys, make this shot!"
After receiving the ball, Kayce gestured for everyone to slow down. If this shot went in, they would only be one possession away, and their morale would completely turn around.
After bringing the ball across half-court, Kayce signaled Ibaka and Jeff Green to come up for a screen. After a handoff to Russell, Kayce began to move off-ball, but Ginobili, the wily veteran, stuck to him like glue.
"Kevin!! Kevin!!"
Seeing he had no opportunity, Kayce quickly signaled Durant to receive the ball, while he and Jeff Green set an off-ball screen.
After some intense off-ball maneuvering, Durant successfully shook off his defender and received the ball, facing DeJuan Blair's defense.
He first protected the ball with his back to the basket, then used a half-spin fake to create some space.
At this point, Durant was facing the basket, ball in his right hand, and executed a quick cross-step dribble and pull-back. From beyond the three-point line, he leaned back slightly and shot a jump shot!
"Durant's shot here is unreasonable..." Zhang's words were just half-spoken.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went straight through the net.
"It's in! Durant just hit a three-pointer, the difference is only 2 points now! The Thunder started the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run!"
Host Yu Jia shouted excitedly.
"A tough shot made, his individual ability is too strong. The Spurs' defense was actually fine."
Zhang, seeing the shot actually go in, was also a bit speechless.
"Wow oh!!"
Durant was also very excited after the basket, yelling wildly. Kayce, however, broke into a cold sweat. He thought Durant would drive, but he didn't expect the guy to just throw it up.
At this moment, Ginobili noticed Durant had switched to Duncan's side and passed the ball directly inside. Kayce, seeing this, immediately abandoned his defense on Ginobili and rushed over to double-team.
Duncan quickly passed the ball out, and Ginobili, wide open on the perimeter, took a three-point jump shot.
The ball swished around the rim once before slipping out. Ibaka secured the rebound.
"F*ck!"
Ginobili, retreating on defense, cursed loudly, frustrated by two consecutive missed shots, especially wide-open ones. This really shouldn't have happened.
Russell dribbled past half-court and first ran a pick-and-roll with Ibaka. Parker, with his rich defensive experience and quick footwork, frequently reached in to delay during the screen, but the referees didn't call any of these actions in this game.
Seeing no good opportunity, he immediately ran another hand-off, but as soon as Durant received the ball, Jefferson and DeJuan Blair immediately came over to double-team.
Durant quickly passed the ball to Kayce on the perimeter. After receiving the ball, facing Ginobili's defense, Kayce instantly broke through, driving hard to the basket against the defense. Seeing Duncan come over to help, he circled around and moved back out.
At this point, there wasn't much time left on the shot clock. Duncan also followed him out. Kayce, seeing this, dribbled with his right hand, pulled the ball back between his legs, and then suddenly stepped back for a jump shot, firing from beyond the three-point line over Duncan's defense.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
After scoring, Kayce immediately raised both hands, signaling the crowd to get hyped!
"Ah! Roar!"
His teammates, seeing the shot go in and the score reversed, cheered excitedly. The Ford Center instantly erupted, with the crowd screaming wildly, releasing their Excited emotions.
"It went in! Kayce's shot was reasonable. He saw there wasn't much time, didn't rush, pulled up, and shot over you. The score is reversed now!"
The host, Yu Jia, listened, stunned, beside Zhang Weiping. Was that shot 'reasonable'? If it hadn't gone in, the Spurs might have launched a fast break.
Popovich called another timeout, the old man roaring in his heart: This game is ridiculous! Is this how basketball is played?
After the timeout, the Spurs returned, and Duncan scored over two defenders. For the rest of the game, both sides began to trade leads. The Thunder's strategy was to double-team Duncan, not giving him easy opportunities to score inside.
The Spurs, on the other hand, quickly double-teamed Durant whenever he received the ball in the low post. Popovich knew Durant's ball-handling wasn't his strong suit and wanted to force turnovers.
Both sides began to trade leads. At this point, both teams played very simply, giving the ball to the player with the highest offensive certainty on the court. The Spurs' GDP combination had played together for many years and had excellent chemistry.
For the Thunder, it was Kayce, Russell, and Durant — whoever had an opportunity would go for it. Ibaka and Jeff Green either stirred things up inside for rebounds or waited on the perimeter for easy shots.
Both sides were evenly matched. With 1 minute and 18 seconds left, the score was tied 95-95. Popovich called another timeout. This possession, they had to score.
During the timeout, Coach Brooks didn't give any specific tactical instructions. He just got everyone fired up:
"Guys, you're doing great! We need to maintain our current defense. We must protect the rebounds. We are just one step away from victory. Hold on!"
Durant's energy was already depleted at this point. He sat on the side, breathing heavily.
DeJuan Blair did nothing but relentlessly defend Durant after coming on, pushing and pulling, just to keep him from comfortably receiving the ball.
Coupled with Jefferson's occasional double-teams, Durant was forced into two turnovers in the fourth quarter. He had never experienced such a game in the previous two seasons.
Russell was still full of energy, and it was through his and Kayce's continuous drives and drawing fouls that they were able to keep the score close.
Jeff Green and Ibaka were also exhausted. On defense, these two constantly battled Duncan. Parker and Ginobili also drove inside. Every time they fought for a defensive rebound, it was like a brawl. To play like this, they had already given their all.
Kayce still felt pretty good at the moment. If there were another overtime, he'd probably get weak in the knees, but two or three more possessions wouldn't be a problem.
The short timeout quickly ended. The arena DJ started to rouse the crowd, urging them to cheer for the home team's defense:
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
The Spurs' veterans looked calm. It was still a hand-off between Parker and Ginobili. Duncan set a screen and rolled to the basket. Jefferson made a pass, immediately passing it to Duncan in the low post.
Jeff Green immediately came over to help and double-team. Duncan quickly passed it out to Ginobili on the perimeter. Then, with a series of quick passes, Jefferson got an open look from 45 degrees on the right wing of the three-point line.
After receiving the ball, he didn't hesitate and took a jump shot from beyond the three-point line.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in.
"Oh! Oh!"
The crowd at the Ford Center collectively gasped as the shot went in.
"Richard Jefferson! A three-pointer! With 56 seconds left in the game, the Spurs lead by 3 points, 98-95. The Thunder still have time!"
Host Yu Jia said with an excited tone.
"The Spurs executed their strategy very well on that play, going in and out, no rush at all. Finally, Jefferson capitalized on the open three-pointer. He's 3 for 8 in this game, and this is his only three-pointer."
Zhang Weiping marveled at the Spurs' smooth and flowing execution of their tactics.
After the Spurs scored, Coach Brooks immediately called a timeout. He knew this shot was actually due to fatigue, slowing down the defensive rotations, but there was nothing he could do, as the starters hadn't rested in the second half.
Seeing his players looking a bit dejected, Coach Brooks quickly offered encouragement:
"It's okay, guys, we still have enough time to tie the score. Patience, we must maintain patience, don't turn the ball over, and if you have a chance, shoot with confidence!"
This short timeout allowed the Thunder players to calm down and catch their breath. Kayce knew that if they didn't score on the next offensive possession, the game would likely be over.
Therefore, after the timeout, Russell dribbled past half-court, and Kayce immediately made an offensive gesture, while constantly shouting:
"Patience! Number 1! Number 1!"
The Thunder began to patiently pass the ball hand-to-hand on the perimeter. Jeff Green came up and set a fake screen. Russell instantly accelerated, driving straight into the paint.
His breakthrough speed was too fast. Duncan quickly came over to help, but as soon as the help defense arrived, Russell immediately passed the ball to Ibaka under the basket. DeJuan Blair, seeing the situation, came over trying to strip the ball.
But Ibaka directly flung the ball to Durant on the perimeter. The latter didn't stop the ball, passing it again to Kayce at the top of the arc.
Facing Jefferson, who had rotated over to defend, Kayce faked a shot, making the defender jump, adjusted, and then directly took a jump shot.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in.
"Ah! Ah!"
The crowd at the Ford Center went absolutely wild. This game was truly too exciting!
After scoring, Kayce immediately called his teammates back on defense. He didn't want the Spurs to get a transition offense directly.
The momentum was back with the Thunder. Russell was seeing red, relentlessly defending the ball!
At this point, nothing anyone said mattered; they were playing entirely on feel and instinct. Russell followed Parker, then Ginobili, then Jefferson—wherever the ball was, he defended there.
Perhaps due to Russell's intense defensive pressure, Jefferson mishandled the ball. Seeing Parker coming over, he tried to quickly pass it, but his pass was a beat too slow, and Kayce anticipated it.
As the ball was about to fly into Parker's hands, Kayce immediately abandoned his defense on Ginobili, rushed out, and stole the ball, charging with all his might towards the opposing basket.
Jefferson desperately tried to get back on defense but couldn't catch up. He could only watch as Kayce surged past the three-point line and threw down a one-handed dunk.
"Slam!" The steal and dunk were successful.
"Ah! Ah!"
The crowd roared wildly. This play virtually killed the game. With only 12 seconds left, the Thunder had taken the lead again.
"Kayce successfully anticipated Jefferson's passing lane. With this shot, the Thunder only need to defend against a three-pointer to at least ensure they don't lose! This was a very exciting game!"
In the CCTV studio, host Yu Jia couldn't help but exclaim. Their interior defense was exploited, but they ended up winning. This kind of situation was very rare.
Popovich used his last timeout. 12 seconds was enough time; the Spurs still had a chance.
Coach Brooks also secretly clenched his fist after Kayce's steal. This game, they could win!
"No fouls, guys, no fouls! Don't give Duncan a chance for a 2+1. You can let them have two-pointers, but we need to defend on the three-point line. Defend this possession, and victory is ours!"
Coach Brooks kept reminding his teammates. At this point, they couldn't make mistakes; victory was within reach.
"Russell, control your emotions, stay focused, and switch on screens!"
Kayce quickly reminded Russell before going on court. He couldn't afford to get carried away again at this moment. The previous possession was pure coincidence.
Russell nodded, indicating he understood. He also knew that he had disrupted the team's defensive plan earlier, but fortunately, the final outcome was good.
Ginobili inbounded the ball for the Spurs. Kayce raised his hands high, trying to interfere. The players on the court were squeezed together, pushing and pulling each other.
Parker, coming off a screen, received Ginobili's inbound pass and didn't rush. Duncan came up, continuing to set a pick-and-roll. Russell fought through the screen to defend, but then Parker made a behind-the-back bounce pass to Duncan beyond the three-point line.
The latter received the ball, took aim, and Ibaka only then reacted, realizing he had lost his man. He rushed over to contest, but Duncan had already released the shot.
Kayce was also a bit stunned seeing this scene. He just shot it?
"Clang!" It was a miss.
Durant directly secured the long rebound, and DeJuan Blair immediately fouled him.
"Whistle!"
The referee signaled two free throws, and DeJuan Blair also fouled out.
"Oh! Ah!"
The crowd at the Ford Center finally went wild! With only 4 seconds left, but the Spurs had no timeouts, the Thunder had won!
As Durant made 1 out of 2 free throws, the Spurs inbounded the ball from the backcourt with a casual toss, and time expired. Ultimately, the Thunder defeated the Spurs 101-98 at home.
With a 9-game winning streak to start the new season, Oklahoma City fans couldn't believe it. The underdog had truly turned the tables.
After the game, Kayce high-fived his teammates in celebration. This game was incredibly tough, especially that last three-pointer, which really startled him. He couldn't help but grumble in his heart:
"Popovich, that old geezer, always comes up with new tricks."