Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

The situation on the court was extremely chaotic, but Yu Fei fought hard to seize the ball.

Jackson wanted to pressure Yu Fei nearby, but his efforts proved futile.

Yu Fei's ball-handling skills were sufficient to resist the defensive pressure, allowing him to bring the ball safely to the frontcourt.

However, Yu Fei could feel the difference in the Spurs' defensive approach tonight compared to the previous games.

Yu Fei glanced at the main referee, Dick Bavita, wondering if he would get any calls today.

So, although Jackson defended tenaciously, he was still shaken off by Yu Fei's change of direction. The outside defense was out of position, and the Spurs' twin towers inside took their spots, jointly blocking the sky.

Yu Fei made basic contact with them and flipped the ball towards the basket with a crossover layup.

It didn't go in, and there was no foul called.

The referee's standard and the league's expectations became apparent after just one possession.

Especially if the referees wanted to make ticky-tack calls, they would let it be known in the first round.

Since there was no foul in this round, it meant that from now on, every similar possession would not get a whistle.

Therefore, Yu Fei's focus shifted from impacting the paint and drawing fouls in Game 5 to scoring every ball with all his might.

The defeat in the King of the Hill battle wasn't entirely without benefit for the Spurs.

At the very least, they realized that a team full of sharpshooters like the Bucks, when faced with enough intensity, could still hit a scoring drought.

So, for Game 6, the Spurs couldn't guarantee much else, but physical contact, defensive intensity, and the toughness of a fight would all be top-notch.

Defensive intensity is relative, just like how a couple well in sync in bed is more likely to reach a profound harmony.

As the Spurs increased their intensity, the Bucks had to raise theirs to cope.

Resulting in both sides playing fierce defense, the offensive efficiency naturally plummeted.

Sprewell scored a basket at the start, but it took another three and a half minutes for the second basket to light up the Bradley Center.

Popovich couldn't stand the continuous failures in the half-court battle. He stood on the sideline, stretching out his hand with his thumb pointing downwards at his eyes and shouting.

It was the Spurs' "Thumb Down 4 Ice" strategy—simple in nature: Duncan goes to the low post, and the others consciously spread out to create room for his one-on-one play.

This was like a religious ritual in Spurs' games—solemn, serious, and effective.
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Duncan received the ball from Parker and first looked around, in no hurry to attack.

The Bucks' zone defense and double teams had caused him a lot of trouble in previous games, so he had to ensure a comfortable one-on-one environment.

Seeing no signs of the Bucks tightening their defense, he boldly maneuvered inside.

Anthony Mason resisted fiercely but aside from maintaining his defensive stance, there was little else he could do.

Duncan backed him down three times before coming to a suitable position, received the ball, turned around, and hit a bank shot.

2 to 2

Yu Fei brought the ball up to the frontcourt; the past three and a half minutes of scoring drought demonstrated just how suffocating the Spurs' defense was, as his teammates continued to miss shots, their touch completely eroded by the relentless physical contact.

Stephen Jackson took defending Yu Fei as a matter of utmost importance. Though not a defensive stalwart, he gave it his all.

Yu Fei called for Sprewell's pick and roll to forcefully induce a Spurs' mismatch.

When Tony Parker became the defender in front of him, Yu Fei stopped short and took a three-point shot over the Frenchman's head.

"Swish!"

5 to 2

For the Spurs, that three-pointer ended not only the Bucks' scoring drought but their exterior defensive setup as well.

If Yu Fei were allowed to dictate the game, then it would be pointless even if they managed to contain all the other Bucks' players.

Having once scored 60 points in three quarters at D.C, Fei's scoring explosiveness was unquestionable.

Popovich made a decisive call, switching Bowen and Jackson to guard Fei.

After all, the other Bucks' shooting touch had already been somewhat depleted, focusing on putting pressure on Fei and preventing him from finding his rhythm was the key.

The Spurs' counterattack was led by Parker.

The Frenchman used his speed to get past Sprewell, his small frame seeming non-threatening as if a lamb entering a tiger's den, yet the Bucks' interior players were overly concerned with Parker.

Quietly, David Robinson moved from outside the paint to under the basket, and Parker, after penetrating deep enough, passed the ball directly to the veteran captain.

Robinson caught the ball and soared up for a powerful two-handed dunk.

5 to 4

Four minutes into the game, Fei realized there were no whistles for them, nor for the Spurs.

This was both good news and bad news.

The good was that the League wasn't planning to help the Spurs drag the series to a seventh game; the bad news was that if this level of play was maintained, the Spurs could continuously gain advantages.

Under such intensity, sharpshooters couldn't maintain their touch, and if playing inside was necessary, the Bucks lacked a rim protector, whereas the Spurs had two of the League's top rim protectors.

The Twin Towers' advantage was simply too significant!

Their dominance had to be challenged...

Fei made up his mind.

So who to challenge? Duncan was steadfast, not one to be easily shaken.

The answer was clear, as Fei looked with ill intent at David Robinson, performing his "Last Dance."

The veteran, who had spent his entire career with the Spurs, had sulked last season over his contract issues, frequently underperforming. Now realizing he didn't have many games left, he preferred to play his heart out instead, giving it his all for a chance to retire with two championship rings.

If he succeeded, it would be the best ending.

Fei called for a pick and roll with Dan Gadzuric, singling out David Robinson.

Despite his age, the Admiral still possessed impressive athleticism; it wasn't easy for Fei to outplay him in the paint where both men were headed.

Fei cradled the ball with both hands, powering up against Robinson's body.

Robinson, no longer concerned with anything else, swung his hand out to block Fei. A successful block would have severely dampened the Bucks' morale.

But the swing didn't hit the ball; instead, it forcefully struck Fei's shoulder with a smack that was crisply audible to those nearby. Enduring the searing pain in his shoulder, Fei roared and put the ball into the basket.

"Whistle!!!"

For such a blatant foul, the referee was bound to blow the whistle.

After landing, an enraged Fei shoved Robinson away and yelled, "Is that all you can do after playing for so many years, you old dog who only knows how to ride coattails?"

"No matter what...," Robinson didn't dare face Fei directly, "Vengeance is the Lord's; He will repay."

Fei shouted back, "The one to seek vengeance on you is me, go to hell with your Lord!"