The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 352 - 190: The Depressed Shaquille O’Neal_3

Chapter 352: Chapter 190: The Depressed Shaquille O’Neal_3

The outside world had been clamoring that the Pacers’ undefeated record in November wasn’t solid enough, but now, the real challenge had arrived.

The Spurs’ record in November might have been a bit inferior compared to the Mavericks and Lakers, but it didn’t stop them from being qualified to become a "whetstone" to test the strength of the Pacers.

They were one of the best defensive teams so far this new season.

If the Pacers’ three-point shooting could still perform like it did in November against them, it would prove that the Pacers’ three-point shooting this new season couldn’t be underestimated by any team in the league.

The Pacers were also rubbing their hands together in eagerness, and of course, it wasn’t because of those doubts from the outside world.

These media folks had nothing better to do, nitpicking like they were obsessed; if the Pacers took their words to heart, they’d do nothing but prove themselves all day long.

Having won "back-to-back championships", blocking out this noise from the outside world wasn’t a difficult task for them.

They were eager purely because they were facing the Spurs.

It was because of these bastards that they had to listen to the "championships are fought for" jab all season long, until they won the championship again, and only then did those voices quiet down. Now that the Spurs had restored their former lineup, and even with the addition of Battier, the team’s strength hadn’t diminished.

Beating them up was like venting for the frustration built up over the past season!

Alright, those were all excuses!

Who needs so many excuses to play against the Spurs? Just do it!

The relationship between the two teams was now so bad that "archenemies" was an understatement.

Listen to the booing from the crowd, look at the security personnel arranged for this game.

A full twenty of them, and all equipped with stun guns, tear gas, and other weapons, ready to quickly quell any disturbances.

Su Wan, amidst the boos of the entire arena, still swept his gaze leisurely over the Spurs, preparing to face Tony Parker, Michael Finley, Battier, Tim Duncan, and Francisco Elson.

Manu Ginobili, as usual, sat on the bench, rotated by Popovich.

As for Bruce Bowen, he would normally have been starting this season, but likely due to Battier’s arrival, he was sitting on the bench.

Bowen also noticed Su Wan’s gaze, the corners of his mouth visibly twitching.

It was an aftereffect from a slap to the face from Su Wan during the finals two years ago.

It wasn’t obvious when he first left the hospital, and he hadn’t paid attention to it, but over time, Bowen realized that whenever he got nervous, his mouth would twitch, and it was now beyond medical help.

Actually, for such localized facial paralysis, acupuncture was the most effective, stimulating the pressure points.

But Su Wan, seeing his sorry state, would rather he remained like this forever, so why would he ever tell him?

Bowen’s twitch was simple.

Now, whenever he saw Su Wan, he got nervous, and seeing Su Wan staring at him, Bowen thought Su Wan wanted to settle past scores.

It showed how deep the shadow Su Wan had cast over him was.

No wonder, the kind fear the wicked, the wicked fear the uncompromising.

Su Wan didn’t even need to be suspended for the "Conseco incident", the Pacers alone could annihilate them. Yet, Su Wan insisted on playing even under suspension.

Such a "hard-headed" guy, Bowen had never seen before.

How could he dare to provoke Su Wan?

The Pacers’ starting lineup for the new season was still the same as the last regular season.

Only, the "small lineup" was being used much more.

Mainly because no one on the current Pacers could play the low post one-on-one, and if the perimeter wanted more space, someone had to keep breaking through to the basket while pairing up with more three-point shooters.

So, naturally, the regular lineup’s minutes had to be reduced.

But, of course, the specific approach depended on the opponent’s lineup. With a team like the Spurs, whose interior players were all above 2 meters 10 and had a low-post player like Tim Duncan, Foster’s playing time was certainly going to increase.

At most, it was about reducing Tinsley’s minutes.

After all, Su Wan could replace everything he did on the court.

When space was too tight, it was better to let Anthony Parker play to expand the space on the court.

Thus, Tinsley had been seen smiling less during this period.

After Rick Carlisle noticed this, he often gave him more opportunities to play an enduring offense during the bench time, ensuring that his stats weren’t affected too much.

Fortunately, this was only the second year of Tinsley’s second contract, and he wasn’t too concerned about playing time and stats; otherwise, he definitely would have become a "locker room bomb" this season.

But the Pacers’ style of play was always evolving, and if Tinsley couldn’t keep up with the pace of evolution and got weeded out, there was nothing to be done.

Rick Carlisle did what he could, and as for the rest...

He wasn’t the general manager.

If Tinsley really made a fuss, how to handle it would be up to his former teammates to decide—Rick Carlisle had once won a championship with Larry Bird at the Celtics.

The game started.

The Spurs gained the first possession.

Tony Parker sped with the ball all the way to the frontcourt.

He hadn’t played for a season, but the Little Sports Car’s engine hadn’t rusted at all; Tinsley, caught off guard, let him zip right past—this was another reason Rick Carlisle was reluctant to use Tinsley, he couldn’t defend, but at least Calderon could organize, pass, and even shoot three-pointers.

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