LeBron James running away? He's going all in on Curry.

April 6, 2013, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland.

The curtain has officially risen on the NBA Finals, the highest stage of this season's NBA, in this city completely engulfed in burgundy fervor.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs.

This is not only the ultimate showdown between the new king of the East and the overlord of the West, but also, in the eyes of many old-school basketball experts across the United States, a battle to defend the "truth of basketball".

The Spurs represent a rigorous, collaborative, ball-sharing, and ultimate traditional team basketball system.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers, waving the heretical banner of "three-pointers" and "small-ball lineup," swept through the enemy with a run-and-gun style that subverted conventional understanding.

"beep--!"

With a long whistle from the referee, Game 1 of the finals officially began!

Because in this timeline, Kawhi Leonard was snatched away by Su Yang in the draft and sent to Cleveland, the Spurs, who should have had the strongest one-on-one defensive anchor on the wing at this time, had a fatal vacuum on the defensive wing!

From the very start of the game, the Cavaliers showcased their revolutionary small-ball style to the fullest.

Stephen Curry has the ball at the top of the key, and Anthony Davis sets a screen.

Faced with this pick-and-roll, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich adopted the most traditional defensive strategy – Duncan retreated to the pit, and the guards squeezed through the screen to chase and defend.

In traditional basketball philosophy, the closer you are to the basket, the higher your shooting percentage. Letting you shoot three-pointers while guarding the paint is the ironclad rule of defense.

However, when Duncan habitually took a half step back, preparing to block Curry's driving route...

Curry had just received a screen and was still a full meter and a half away from the three-point line, with his feet still on the edge of the center circle logo!

Without any hesitation, he pulled up and threw!

"What is he doing?! How can he shoot from that position?!" The Spurs assistant coach on the sidelines was dumbfounded.

"Whoosh!"

The crisp sound of the net swishing against the wall, like the death knell, echoed in the Spurs' half of the court.

Tim Duncan, who was standing near the free-throw line, had a rare look of surprise on his usually calm face.

Turning back, the Spurs showcased their precise tactical positioning, with Parker driving to the basket and dishing the ball to Duncan, who scored two points inside using his solid bank shot technique.

But the Spurs' classic aesthetics seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the Cavaliers' unreasonable barrage of three-pointers.

Without Kawhi Leonard's dominance on the wing, the Spurs' perimeter defense was simply unable to contain the Cavaliers' fluid off-ball movement!

When the Spurs tried to double-team Curry, the ball was instantly moved.

Klay Thompson hit a three-pointer from the corner, and Anthony Davis pulled up to the three-point line and easily made an open shot over Tim Duncan, who was slow to catch up.

Even Kawhi Leonard himself can punish the Spurs' collapsing defense with his accurate corner three-pointer.

After the first quarter, the Cavaliers had already hit an astonishing eight three-pointers, giving them a 12-point lead over the Spurs.

Sitting in the VIP box, Su Yang quietly watched the situation on the court. The ferocity he had shown when facing the Heat was gone from his eyes. Instead, there was a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection) about the ever-moving wheels of history.

"Tim Duncan is really getting old."

Su Yang sighed.

This greatest power forward in NBA history lost his peak mobility after suffering a severe case of plantar fasciitis in 2005.

He lost weight, changed his playing style, and with his historically high basketball IQ and fundamental skills, he extended his peak career by nearly ten years.

But today, facing the small-ball lineup with unlimited switching and extreme spacing created by Su Yang, Duncan's slow footwork became a weakness that the Cavaliers relentlessly exploited.

Unable to defend, when switching onto Curry's "small against big" defense, they can only be toyed with like wooden stakes.

On the offensive end, facing Marc Gasol's physical strength and Anthony Davis's exaggerated help defense coverage, the aging Tim Duncan is no longer as dominant as he was in his youth.

This has nothing to do with fighting spirit or football intelligence; it's simply the relentless passage of time and the brutal evolution of tactics.

Throughout the game, the Spurs played very tenaciously, with the GDP trio giving their all. Popovich roared from the sidelines, trying to change the lineup, but the generational gap in strength and the misalignment of tactics rendered all their struggles futile.

"drop--!"

As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard stood at 115 to 95.

The Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to a 20-point victory at home in Game 1 of the NBA Finals!

There was no exaggerated massacre of 30 or 40 points like when they swept the Heat, but this 20-point victory left all the basketball experts and commentators in the arena with a deeper sense of suffocation—a tactical crushing defeat with no hope of a comeback.

……

The atmosphere in the post-match press conference room was somewhat somber.

Spurs' star player Tim Duncan, dressed in a simple plaid shirt, sat down in front of the microphone with slightly heavy steps.

His face showed no anger or complaint, only the candor and self-reproach of an old-school player.

"Tim, the Spurs struggled defensively tonight. The Cavaliers made 18 three-pointers. Where do you think the team went wrong tonight?" a reporter asked quietly.

Duncan lowered his head, looking at his large hands that had battled in the paint for sixteen years, his voice low and calm:

"That's my problem. I have to take responsibility for it."

"I'm too old, and my footwork is too slow. I can't defend the three-point line, I can't chase Stephen after a screen, and I can't keep up with Anthony Davis's pop-out speed. On the defensive end, I've become a huge liability, and I've dragged down the entire team's defensive rotation."

This legendary power forward didn't make any excuses, nor did he complain about his teammates or the referee like some kings did. Instead, he took full responsibility for the tactical defeat on his aging shoulders.

"I'll go back and watch the tape and try to do better in the next game. But I have to admit, they played exceptionally well."

Following him at the press conference was Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

This veteran coach, known for his volatile temper and confrontations with reporters, was unusually quiet tonight.

His eyes revealed a complex emotion of witnessing the changing of the ages.

"Coach Popovich, how would you rate the Cavaliers' style of play tonight? It's unlike any opponent you've faced before."

Popovich took a deep breath, shook his head, and his tone unusually carried a hint of awe:

"We're not playing against a team tonight; we're facing something entirely new. They're playing a style of basketball that's never been seen in this league before."

The veteran coach's gaze was profound. "Did you see how Stephen Curry played? He'd barely crossed half-court, hadn't even entered our traditional defensive perimeter, and he'd already thrown the ball! And that shooting percentage... it's an absurd sight I've never seen in all my years of coaching!"

"This has revolutionized our generation's understanding of basketball. I have a feeling..." Popovich sighed, "Stephen Curry, and that young owner. They are using three-pointers to usher in a completely new era."

……

The Spurs' coaches and players' candor and magnanimity have earned them the respect of the entire American media.

Immediately afterwards, when Cavaliers owner Su Yang led Stephen Curry into the press conference room, all the reporters instinctively sat up straight.

Given Su Yang's arrogant personality of "always mocking the Spurs after a win" throughout the past half-season, who knows what shocking remarks he might utter to belittle the Spurs today in the face of a 20-point blowout.

"Mr. Su!" A reporter, always eager to stir up trouble, stood up. "The Cavaliers beat the Spurs by 20 points tonight. Tim Duncan took responsibility after the game, saying he was too old and too slow. Do you think the Spurs are too old and don't deserve to be a match for the Cavaliers?"

Upon hearing this provocative question, Su Yang's smile vanished.

Contrary to the reporter's expectations, he did not make any outrageous remarks. Instead, he unusually straightened his posture and his eyes revealed a serious expression.

"Stop your divisive tactics, Mr. Reporter."

Su Yang glanced coldly at the reporter, then addressed all the microphones in the room in a solemn tone:

"I must clarify one point: the Cavaliers won tonight not because we are greater than the Spurs, but simply because we are younger."

The entire audience was stunned by these words.

Su Yang, who scathingly criticized LeBron James and belittled the Heat's Big Three, actually showed such humility and respect when facing his defeated opponent?!

"My team and I have the highest respect in the entire league for the San Antonio Spurs, for Coach Gregg Popovich, and especially for Tim Duncan."

Su Yang's voice echoed in the quiet press conference room.

"Tim Duncan is the greatest small-market star in NBA history, bar none. He stayed in San Antonio for sixteen years and brought four championships. He never complained about his teammates. He witnessed the Spurs' highs and lows and never went to join a super team during his prime. Even though they lost tonight, he took all the responsibility on his own shoulders."

"His purest love for basketball, his calm yet unwavering focus, is the most valuable asset in this fickle, commercially driven league!"

At this point, Su Yang turned his head and glanced at Stephen Curry beside him.

"People have always been curious as to why I would give up most of the team's heritage to gamble on Stephen Curry, who has a problem with his ankle, right after I bought the team."

"That's because I see Tim Duncan in Stephen!"

"They are equally humble, equally selfless, equally willing to sacrifice their personal statistics for the team's victory, and equally possess the perfect leadership qualities to unite the entire team!"

Su Yang took a deep breath and gave his assessment of Tim Duncan's career:

"If we could turn back time and put all the number one draft picks in NBA history—including Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and any geniuses who were called the chosen ones—in the same draft class."

"If I had the number one draft pick, I would choose Tim Duncan with my eyes closed!"

"Because he can not only bring you a championship, but also a great team culture that lasts for twenty years!"

"So don't laugh at a veteran's slow pace," Su Yang concluded. "We're just benefiting from the passage of time today. This championship ring is something we need to climb over this great mountain to win; it's an honor for Cleveland."