Before Game 2 between the Spurs and the Warriors, the league officially handed down its disciplinary decisions regarding that "hot-blooded brawl" in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Bruce Bowen, whose career was already effectively over, got a three-game suspension and a $50,000 fine. Little Dunleavy, who broke Duncan's nose, was suspended for seven games and fined $50,000. Will Bynum, for that flying kick to Parker, received a three-game suspension and a $25,000 fine. And Foye, who sneaked a shot at Horry's groin, was suspended for one game and fined $15,000. As for Ron Artest, since his initial intention in tackling Popovich was merely to protect the opposing coach, the league only gave him a verbal warning for his accidental blunder and a $5,000 fine as a penalty. The players from both teams involved in the "hot-blooded brawl" would also have to attend a three-day league safety education course after the playoffs.
David Stern, with his "heavy on paper, light in practice" penalties, once again proved why he's been able to lead the league for so many years and remain standing tall.
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Two days later, Game 2 between the two teams continued at Oracle Arena.
Duncan, playing through injury for the Spurs with a specially made mask, initially wanted to check in on Zack's recovery before the game. But noticing the fiery intensity in Zack's eyes, Duncan eventually turned his gaze back to his own half of the court.
"Every great soul has endured suffering but never given up."
On TNT, Barkley offered praise for Zack, who was playing consecutive games with painkilling injections. In the NBA, Zack was far from the first, and certainly wouldn't be the last, superstar to play multiple games on injections. In January 2012, due to a severe wrist sprain, Kobe Bryant even performed the miraculous feat of playing consecutive games on injections and scoring 40+ points in four straight. According to the Lakers' team doctors, Kobe, who should have undergone surgery at the time, was forced to take injections for over ten consecutive games just to ensure the Lakers made the playoffs. And Kobe had many similar experiences throughout his career.
So, even though Barkley believed Zack should think about his future, since Zack had already made his decision, Barkley naturally had nothing but praise. After all, in the 80s and 90s, an era when players weren't exactly treated like people, which famous player didn't have experience playing multiple games on injections? Barkley knew very well that back then, let alone the coaches demanding it, even if they didn't, players would actively ask for injections to play through injuries. In the 1994-95 season, Barkley, suffering from a severe back injury that prevented normal movement, had to play the last three games of that famous Game 7 series against the Rockets on consecutive injections, playing 43, 42, and 42 minutes respectively.
"Rather die standing than lose lying down" – that was a famous saying in the NBA during the 90s.
But... on this journey of playing through injury, where the [Authority] quest spared him the usual side effects of injections, Zack's supposedly "dead" memories were stirred once again.
In the 2012-13 season, after unfortunately spraining his ankle in the first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Stephen Curry, wearing the Golden State Warriors' No. 30 jersey at the time, was forced to take his first painkilling injection. Afterward, in the subsequent semifinal series against the San Antonio Spurs, because Curry's injury still hadn't healed, he had to play through injury on consecutive injections until his ankle felt better.
In this life, although the cause of the injury is different from Curry's, Zack, also wearing the Warriors' No. 30 jersey, has to face the same opponent (the Spurs) and play consecutive games on injections. However, compared to Kobe, Barkley, or even Curry, Zack is undoubtedly lucky. Because the [Authority] quest allows him to avoid the negative effects of the injections, meaning he only has to endure the physical torment on this injured journey.
This kind of torment isn't pleasant. After all, a painkilling injection doesn't mean you won't feel any pain. It only ensures that during intense physical activity, especially in a high-level competition like the NBA, it can alleviate the pain caused by the injury.
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On the court, in the Warriors' first offensive possession, Zack used Murphy's screen to get into the low post and, in the blink of an eye, saw his senior who had transformed into "Masked Man." The next second, under Duncan's interference, Zack, still inevitably affected by his injury, went strong to the basket but missed. However, lead referee Dick Bavetta immediately blew his whistle for Zack.
Duncan didn't protest the call. He had indeed tried to lean on Zack. But on the sideline, Popovich realized something was seriously wrong after that whistle.
"Damn it, Dick never used to call a foul on Tim for that kind of defense!" Popovich muttered with a deep frown from the Spurs' bench.
Without a doubt, this was a warning to the Spurs: because of their flagrant fouls in Game 1, Duncan's star calls would be temporarily revoked. For the Spurs, who built their defensive system around Duncan as the defensive anchor, such a blow was simply unbearable.
Several possessions later.
Baron Davis, determined to ease Zack's offensive burden, drove into the paint and successfully drew the second personal foul on "Masked Man" Duncan. Popovich uncharacteristically didn't protest the referee's call. It wasn't that he didn't want to; it was that everything, from the previous disciplinary decisions to the current officiating standard, was reminding him just how angry David Stern and the bigshots behind Zack were about the Spurs' unsportsmanlike behavior in Game 1.
Oracle Arena.
This might have been the cleanest game the Spurs had played in recent years. Dick Bavetta didn't constantly favor the Warriors in the game. Even to Zack, who was playing through injury, Bavetta said, "I know it's not easy for you to play with an injury, but I am a fair and impartial head referee."
Bavetta simply temporarily stripped Duncan of his usual star calls and used these calls to warn the Spurs. Faced with Bavetta's warning, despite the context of the current era, Spurs players still used high-intensity defense to pressure the Warriors' offense. However, on the court, players like Horry and Ginobili, among others, put away their underhanded dirty tricks.
In the first quarter, during a Warriors offensive possession, Zack, displaying a one-handed triple threat from beyond the arc, successfully faked Horry off balance with a jab step. Then, after a quick dribble, Zack pulled up from the right mid-range and sank the shot.
On the Spurs' bench, watching Zack, who was still able to dismantle the Spurs' defense with his all-around offensive skills despite playing injured, Duncan's competitive spirit was greatly stirred as his emotions fluctuated wildly.
"I want to guard him," Duncan, who hadn't spoken a word to anyone since Game 1, suddenly said to Popovich. Seeing this, Popovich, who had been constantly worried about Duncan's emotional state, nodded repeatedly in agreement.
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In the second quarter, Zack, who had more rest than usual, re-entered the game with only five minutes left. At this point, the masked Duncan proactively stuck close to him. Although the two brothers didn't exchange any words, Zack's memory was instantly brought back to that sunny afternoon by Duncan's gaze, which finally no longer avoided his own.
In the low post, feeling Duncan's defense while backing down, Zack suddenly turned and hit a bank shot. This was a shot that brought great satisfaction to Tim Duncan. Although Duncan had been greatly surprised by Zack's understanding of the game three years prior, it was only now that Zack had completed a truly classic back-to-the-basket move in front of him.
The injury hadn't affected Zack's grasp of rhythm. In fact, the injury forced Zack to rely on an even better sense of rhythm to execute his offensive skills. Coming back down the court, Duncan actively demanded the ball on the left side. After receiving the ball, he took a deep breath and, with his barely perceptible footwork changes, successfully shook off Brown and hit a bank shot.
"Next possession, I'll guard him," Zack suddenly said as Brown prepared to inbound the ball under the basket. Hearing this, Brown was shocked, exclaiming, "You're playing injured tonight, though..."
Zack dismissed it, saying, "Injury can only torment my body, but my spirit will not be affected by it."
Warriors' offensive possession. Still a low-post back-to-the-basket, but this time, in the instant he tried to turn, Zack suddenly gathered the ball and spun around.
Bang, Swish!
"Look, what an elegant shot!" Barkley exclaimed, sighing on TNT.
Then, Spurs' ball. Looking at Zack, who had actively rotated to guard him, Duncan wasn't surprised or shocked. Because Duncan knew better than anyone that his junior always met challenges head-on.
Thump!
On the right side of the court, Duncan, with no intention of holding back, launched his offense with a fierce collision. And Zack? After going head-to-head with Duncan, Zack immediately readjusted his defensive stance. No matter how Duncan changed his rhythm, his ultimate goal was to find a shooting angle. Zack patiently observed Duncan's movements and, in an instant, made the correct read. For a moment, Duncan even felt as suffocated as if he were drowning under Zack's defense.
Fortunately, Duncan eventually surfaced and sank the ball with a side-step bank hook shot. This incredibly difficult back-to-the-basket move subtly reminded Duncan of the defensive progress his junior had made, unwilling to be just a stat-padder.
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At halftime, the score was 51-64. Zack, playing through injury, had 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block, while Duncan, also playing through injury, had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. On TNT, Barkley commented on the two star players: "In this battle of tough guys, the Messiah wins with his explosive offensive creativity. He's broken so many inherent limitations of traditional big men... he's undoubtedly a beacon for the new era. However, we still have to praise Tim Duncan by name. Despite being affected by foul trouble and only playing 15 minutes in the first half, he fully showed us the beauty of a classic big man."
The clash between Zack and Duncan was precisely the modern big man's challenge to the classic big man. While this series could have been even more exciting without that incident in Game 1, Zack, playing through injury, allowed the world to witness his historical-level basketball IQ tonight. Every offense, every defense, Zack fully utilized his advantages and combined them with his technical skills to exert his influence on the game.
Under his orchestration, the Spurs' usually proud zone defense and impenetrable "iron bucket" formation... became clear target practice in this series. They were perfect targets, ready to be shot at whenever the Warriors' outside shooters drew their bows and tightened their strings. Little Dunleavy's absence didn't affect the Warriors' offensive firepower tonight. Richardson shot 5-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three. Artest shot 3-of-7, but all of his makes were threes. And there were Murphy, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and Davis, 2-of-3. The Warriors, hitting a total of 11 threes in the half, practically shot through the Spurs' defense. In the game, the Spurs tried man-to-man defense and full-court pressure to stop the Warriors' offense, but their meager roster depth meant they simply lacked the personnel.
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Entering the second half, Parker and Ginobili both launched attacks. But under the powerful onslaught of the Warriors, the Spurs, in a rare clean game, could only be constantly pushed back by the Warriors. In the third quarter, Artest even started using his physicality to bully old Finley, who was forced to play small forward. Duncan, who had to strictly control his movements on defense, couldn't support his teammates as usual.
The game ended with a score of 102-119. The Warriors easily took Game 2, extending their series lead to 2-0.
Two days later, Game 3 between the two teams moved to San Antonio. At the Spurs' "coffin" home court, Zack, still in the most difficult initial stage of his ankle sprain, inevitably took another painkilling injection before the game. This injection, which hurt Zack's body but touched the fans' hearts, ultimately helped the Warriors win on the road, 114-106. Compared to Game 2, the Spurs, back home, finally got some favorable calls in free throws. Even though the Spurs were on Stern's blacklist, Stern's most principled quality is that, given the Warriors could win with their own strength, he didn't want to tarnish the Warriors' great victory, earned through Zack's pain and injections, by overstepping his bounds.
In the NBA, a star playing through injury is always the most touching topic. Zack playing through injury not only inspired Warriors fans but also greatly boosted the entire Warriors' morale. In Game 3, with the officiating favoring the Spurs, Davis charged forward from the first quarter to the last, tallying 38 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. After the game, Davis, who was named Player of the Game for Game 3, said, "Every one of us wants to win for him! We want to end this series in San Antonio, because only then can we get him more rest!"
Even Popovich couldn't find any excuses to defend his team after this Game 3. However, when asked about Zack, who played four consecutive games with injections and still put up 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 blocks for the Warriors in Game 3, Popovich's expression was noticeably sour.
"He played well," Popovich begrudgingly commented, holding back his resentment.
The Warriors led the series 3-0, just one step away from sweeping the Spurs. Meanwhile, in the other Western Conference Semifinals in Salt Lake City, Chris Paul and his "big brothers" secured a crucial victory for Warriors fans.
What does the Jazz winning have to do with Warriors fans, you ask? A lot, of course! Because every extra game Paul and his "big brothers" hold off the SuperSonics means more rest for Zack.
Come on, Chris Paul! Come on, Carlos Boozer! Come on, Andrei Kirilenko! And Okur, Millsap, Harpring, Brewer, Miles! After Game 3 against the SuperSonics, veteran coach Jerry Sloan humorously said, "We practically became the most popular team in the NBA overnight."
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On the 15th, Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Warriors and the Spurs continued in San Antonio. Having lost Game 3, Popovich had given up all hope of winning the championship this year. But before Game 4, clinging to the "spoilsport" mentality of wanting to annoy the opponent even if they couldn't win, Popovich still lectured the Spurs players: "We must avoid a sweep with a win! For yourselves, and for the fans here, you must treat this game like it's the Finals!"
Normally, Duncan wouldn't doubt Popovich's motivation to win. But for Duncan, whose emotions were incredibly complex at the moment, he couldn't shake the feeling that the slogan Popovich shouted tonight was simply to annoy the Warriors with a victory. In truth, even without that passionate pre-game speech, Duncan would have given his all in the game. It's just that after the first three games... how could the Spurs players, including Duncan, not feel how thoroughly the Warriors' style of play countered them, and the difference in roster talent between the two teams?
"Have you ever considered leaving San Antonio and starting fresh somewhere else?"
Before Game 4.
When that question, which Zack used to mess with his head, suddenly popped into his mind, Duncan, whose emotions had been fluctuating wildly since Game 1, felt as if he had already found his answer in a daze. This answer, though it still needed time to be solidified into a decision, whenever he recalled the image of Zack collapsing in front of him... Duncan, who still yearned for victory and longed to continue that modern big man versus classic big man rivalry with Zack, would secretly speed up the process of making that decision.
AT&T Center.
In what might be his farewell game, Duncan, still having to play with a mask, played a total of 40 minutes for the Spurs, putting up 29 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. He guarded the Spurs' paint like an ancient god, repeatedly assaulting the Warriors' restricted area, guarded by Zack, at crucial moments.
However, it all ended there. Because the Warriors, with a perfect performance of five players scoring in double digits and three scoring over twenty, mercilessly snatched the victory in the face of the San Antonians' agonizing wails.
Murphy scored 14 points and 8 rebounds, with 4 three-pointers. Richardson had 17 points and 4 rebounds, shooting 5-of-8 from three-point range. Artest stormed for 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, drawing 10 free throws on his own and making 8 of them. Davis was still in top form, shooting 10-of-17 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three, and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line, totaling 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Zack, whose injury had yet to pass its difficult phase and who had to play a fourth consecutive game on injections, finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 blocks.
On the court, as the buzzer signaling the end of the fourth quarter sounded, all the Warriors players immediately surrounded their undisputed leader. After sweeping the San Antonio Spurs 4-0, the Warriors would once again step onto the Western Conference Finals floor! Although he didn't have to suffer the negative effects of the injections due to the [Authority] quest, Zack, who had been physically tormented throughout this Western Conference Semifinals, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As he personally brought this Western Conference Semifinals to a close, Zack finally understood why those great players were considered great. To persevere through four games while injured, Zack was undoubtedly glorious. But compared to Kobe, Barkley, Curry, and all those other superstars in history who were forced to play through injury with injections, his glory was undoubtedly discounted. However, that doesn't stop Zack from moving from questioning greatness, to understanding greatness, to achieving greatness.
"In leading the Golden State Warriors to a dominant 4-0 sweep over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Messiah, playing four consecutive games with injections, fully showcased his dedication and thirst for victory. Next, he and the Warriors will enjoy a valuable period of rest." — ESPN News Flash
"Gregg Popovich said after the game that while this year's failure is heartbreaking, he believes he can rebuild a competitive team with the Spurs' front office this summer." — San Antonio Express-News
"When asked about the experience of playing on injections, the Messiah said that painkillers don't completely eliminate the pain, stating, 'You know, it's not a good feeling, but thankfully I got through it.'" — San Francisco Chronicle
"After battling with the Utah Jazz to tie the series 2-2, Chris Paul said in an interview that he never wins for anyone else. And when speaking of his good friend, he stated, 'I know what he (Zack) is going through in the playoffs this year, and I believe he definitely won't be broken by injury.'" — The Salt Lake Tribune
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