Mike Malone crossed his arms over his chest, frowning deeply. Although he had expected a tough battle, the Spurs' relentless offense was more than he had anticipated. As he scanned the Spurs' bench, his eyes locked on a bald, expressionless guard standing up and removing his warm-up pants. It was Ginobili, already preparing to check in, and it was only the first quarter. Malone took a deep breath—Popovich wasn't messing around.
After a quick glance at Jake on the sidelines, Malone turned to his own bench. "LaVine, Jokic. You two, get ready!" If his starters couldn't withstand the Spurs' assault, it was time for a more aggressive approach.
Soon, a dead ball allowed for the substitutions. Ginobili replaced Parker, while LaVine and Jokic replaced Ben and Cousins. Cousins walked to the bench dejectedly, draping a towel over his head but keeping his eyes glued to the court. "I should be stronger," he muttered to himself, feeling the sting of being subbed out so early. His ball usage had been gradually reduced, with more shot opportunities given to perimeter players, leaving Cousins feeling sidelined.
LaVine stretched his limbs and gave a subtle signal to CJ. The point guard immediately caught on, and after a quick exchange of glances with the other players, the Kings started moving like a well-oiled machine.
"Oh? Are they changing formations?" Popovich muttered to himself from the sidelines, taking a sip from his thermos. "Finally, some real competition. Winning too easily would be boring."
Malone's tactical shift involved speeding up the ball movement, using quick passes and a lot of running to open up space. His strategy aimed to exploit the Spurs' aging core, hoping to tire them out over time. Though Leonard had taken on more responsibilities, the Spurs still leaned heavily on the "Big Three" of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. But Malone's gamble was risky—excessive running could also drain his own players' stamina.
Popovich, being the savvy tactician he was, immediately saw through Malone's intentions. "So, you're trying to wear us down with youth, huh?" Popovich thought to himself. The battle of the benches was on.
As Ginobili passed the ball to Leonard for a tough shot under the basket, LaVine wasted no time retaliating with an explosive dunk on the other end. The score continued to alternate. Ginobili and Duncan anchored the Spurs, while CJ and Jokic orchestrated quick passes for the Kings. The teams went back and forth, and as the first quarter ended, the scoreboard read 37-23 in favor of the Spurs, who held a 14-point lead.
The studio commentators quickly chimed in during the break.
"I said it from the start—the Kings might be exciting, but there's still a significant gap between them and the Spurs," one analyst said. "It's not just talent, but experience and system mastery. They're getting outplayed in almost every aspect."
"But what Coach Malone did in the second half of that quarter threw me off a bit," Kenny Smith remarked, noticing something different. "It looks like Malone is challenging Popovich on team depth. But isn't that just playing to the Spurs' strengths? They're known for their bench depth, more than any team in the league."
"Could Malone be hiding something on the bench?" Smith speculated. "If so, this could get interesting."
In recent weeks, the Kings had continually surprised fans, with Jake and Mike Malone conjuring up new strategies almost every game. But as the season wore on and Christmas approached, Smith wondered if the Kings still had some tricks up their sleeves.
As the commentators debated, the camera panned to the Kings' bench, revealing a massive figure sitting quietly at the end—Cousins, watching every play intently.
The second quarter began without any major adjustments from Popovich. GDP (Ginobili, Duncan, Parker) and Leonard were all on the court, looking to put the game out of reach with their strongest lineup. But Malone remained calm and showed no signs of bringing Cousins back in.
Popovich chuckled from the sidelines. "This kid's got guts," he said with a smirk. "He's sidelining Cousins." It was clear that Malone, along with Jake, was deliberately lowering Cousins' role, sticking with the trio of Jokic, CJ, and LaVine.
This young trio moved the ball beautifully, with Jokic and CJ displaying impressive passing skills. LaVine lingered on the perimeter, ready to strike. For a moment, the Spurs seemed unable to crack this lineup, and the game tightened as the Kings held their own against one of the league's greatest dynasties.
"If you can't stop them, then double-team? Are we really going to let a bunch of rookies make us practice more?" Popovich muttered sarcastically. As soon as he finished, the well-oiled machine of the Silver and Black Army kicked into high gear again.
Jokic, positioned near the free-throw line, had just received the ball when two giants—Splitter and Duncan—closed in from both sides. Though Jokic was a promising rookie, he was still too inexperienced to handle such seasoned veterans. His nerves got the best of him.
"Bang!" Duncan's long arms slapped the ball away from Jokic, making a clean steal. Leonard, who had been lurking near the three-point line, noticed the commotion and reacted instantly. He left his defender in the dust, scooping up the loose ball with his massive hands. Parker and Ginobili were already sprinting down the court.
Despite Casspi and LaVine's desperate attempts to recover, the Spurs had a three-on-two advantage. Parker, upon receiving the ball, didn't even bother to dribble. He immediately passed it to Ginobili, who then swiftly returned it to Parker, who passed it back once more to Leonard. The young star took three long strides for an effortless layup.
It had all happened in under five seconds. What was even more remarkable was that throughout the entire fast break, the ball changed hands three times, but no one dribbled.
"It's a textbook fast break," Malone muttered to himself, rubbing his bald head in frustration. No coach could resist admiring this kind of play—using the most efficient, logical approach to execute a flawless transition. Everyone knew that passing the ball was faster than dribbling, yet most fast breaks involved a player driving solo while the others trailed behind. The uncertainty of live gameplay usually made quick decisions difficult, but the Spurs were different. A team built on precision, discipline, and tactics, they always found the smartest solution, and under Popovich's iron hand, they had mastered this team-oriented style of play.
This sequence seemed to ignite the Spurs' offensive firepower. Their ball movement was seamless, and their defense stifled the Kings, who were young and still learning the ropes. The Kings' energy began to wane, and by halftime, the scoreboard read 69-48 in favor of the Spurs. The defending champs had amassed a 21-point lead.
"Is this the pressure of facing a champion team?" Malone whispered, looking around the locker room at his exhausted and demoralized players. He stroked the stubble on his chin, trying to think of a way to rally the troops. "We need to change our approach in the second half, or we're done."
At some point, Jake had silently walked over and stood next to Malone, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. He looked uncharacteristically intense, the easygoing demeanor replaced by a seriousness Malone hadn't seen before.
Malone glanced over at Jake, momentarily surprised by his colleague's focused expression. In the few months they'd worked together, Jake had always seemed a bit too carefree, even playful. This was new.
"How exactly do we adjust?" Malone asked, testing the waters. After all, Jake had come from the Spurs' system and knew them better than anyone on the Kings' staff.
"In the second half, they'll bring in Boris Diaw to slow the game down, control the tempo, and give their starters some rest," Jake explained, his voice steady and confident. "That's our window. If we can disrupt their rhythm during that stretch, we might be able to chip away at the lead."
Malone listened carefully, nodding as Jake continued.
"Play Oden," Jake said, locking eyes with Malone. His tone was resolute.
Malone blinked, slightly taken aback. "Oden? You think he's ready for this?"
Jake didn't waver. "He's our best chance. Oden's size and physicality can match up with Diaw and throw them off their game in the paint. We need to make them uncomfortable, and Oden can do that."
For a moment, Malone weighed his options. The plan was risky—Oden hadn't seen much action and was a wild card. But Jake's conviction was undeniable.
"Alright," Malone agreed. "Let's do it."