Like Tang Tian had thought, there wasn't much technical content to the tactic of double-teaming the ball handler. It was a gamble on whether the outside shots would fall.

Generally speaking, there are two choices when you can't make shots: keep shooting until they fall, or pass the ball out of fear.

But regardless of the choice, the Heat could quickly launch a defensive counterattack, as the score in the previous period proved.

But now that the Spurs had put in these two guys and they'd hit two three-pointers, the situation on the court was completely different.

Spoelstra hesitated for a moment, but still didn't adjust his tactics.

He wanted to see a little more.

In the Heat's offensive end, Bosh pulled out to the arc this time to create space for James to post up.

But the Spurs didn't care and continued with their 2-3 zone.

James passed the ball to Bosh, who took a three-point shot.

"Clang!"

The shot was way off after it left his hand.

Bosh hadn't developed a stable enough three-pointer at this point, and this spacing was a bit like self-deception.

Duncan turned around and grabbed the rebound.

The Heat hadn't scored in a while.

Parker dribbled the ball forward. With the same tactic, Splitter was the one receiving the pass this time. He directly flicked the ball to Tang Tian in the corner.

After playing together for a long time, the two had developed a considerable level of understanding on the court.

James hesitated this time. If he went to defend, Leonard would be left open again.

Because of this hesitation, Tang Tian had already taken a quick shot after receiving the ball.

"Swish!"

Another wide-open three-pointer!

10 all!

The Spurs had hit three consecutive three-pointers to tie the score!

Spoelstra called a timeout.

"Nice job!" Ginobili came over and slapped him on the butt as Tang Tian walked off the court.

Tang Tian was stunned.

Duncan likes to pat heads, and Ginobili slaps butts. Are they taking advantage of me?

When the timeout ended, the Heat made a substitution, replacing Joel Anthony with Battier.

This was pushing Bosh to the center position, playing a small-ball lineup!

From the opponent's lineup, Tang Tian sensed something. It seemed that Spoelstra didn't want to give up on his tactics yet.

On the Heat's possession, Wade drove to the basket and hit a pull-up jumper.

The Spurs' defensive formation forced him to use unconventional weapons.

12 to 10, the Heat regained the lead.

Parker dribbled the ball across half court.

Sure enough, the Heat was still double-teaming the ball handler.

Parker passed the ball, and Duncan received it.

But unlike before, the Heat's small lineup had a very fast rotation speed, and both Tang Tian and Leonard were cut off and had no chance.

Duncan turned around and faced James in the high post, but his high-arcing shot missed.

"The Big Fundamental" was still very effective in the low post, but after all, he was getting old, and his high-post threat was far less than in his prime.

Bosh grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Heat attacked the frontcourt. Wade continued to try to beat Tang Tian with a crossover, but Tang Tian anticipated it this time and extended his hand to provide enough interference.

"Clang!"

Wade's shot also missed.

Duncan boxed out James, and Splitter secured the defensive rebound.

After an exchange of offense and defense at the start of the game, the situation on the court began to become tense.

Popovich called Green over again.

Duncan drew a foul on James in the low post, and Green came on to replace Splitter.

This was using a small lineup against a small lineup.

Duncan made both free throws, and the Spurs tied the score again.

Back on the other end, James passed to Battier, but Battier's corner three-point attempt was deflected by Tang Tian, who recovered in time.

Duncan boxed out Bosh and grabbed the defensive rebound.

Spoelstra turned around and called Mike Miller over.

Chalmers committed an off-ball foul, and Miller came on to replace Chalmers.

The two sides were making substitutions like a game of chess between Popovich and Spoelstra.

In the Spurs' frontcourt possession, the Heat continued to double-team the ball handler.

Green passed the ball to Tang Tian, who waited for Miller to close out before shooting, drawing a three-point foul.

When Miller was young, he was an all-around swingman for the Grizzlies, but as he got older, his foot speed slowed down a lot, and his defense was relatively weak.

The whistle sounded continuously at the scene.

Tang Tian's performance against the Heat tonight was a bit eye-catching.

Ginobili nodded silently on the sidelines at this time, as expected, his pre-game hunch was right.

Everyone knew that Tang Tian had only participated in a workout with the Heat before the draft and hadn't been selected. Tang Tian looked very mature, but he was holding back his energy in this game.

Tang Tian had three free throw attempts.

"Shane, keep an eye on him." James pulled Battier aside to say, as he had mentioned in the locker room yesterday.

Battier nodded.

Tang Tian made all three free throws, and the Spurs took the lead again, 15-12.

Back on the other end, in the Heat's frontcourt set, Wade passed to Battier, who passed to Miller. Miller hit a three-pointer from the outside.

Miller's outside shooting percentage was over 45% this season, and his touch was red hot.

The two sides were tied once again!

Popovich and Spoelstra, tactics and substitutions, the Spurs and the Heat, this was a true matchup of evenly matched opponents.

In the Spurs' frontcourt positioning, Battier guarded Tang Tian.

Parker passed the ball to the frontcourt. Tang Tian moved from the corner to the 45-degree angle, but Battier stayed close to him, not giving him any space to receive the ball.

The intention on the court was clear at this point: anyone else can receive the ball, but Tang Tian had already scored 9 points and wouldn't be given any more chances.

Green's three-pointer from the outside missed. His touch hadn't recovered from the slump of the five-game road trip.

But Duncan boxed out Bosh and scored on a tip-in.

Although "The Big Fundamental" was old, he still had the upper hand against the soft-style Bosh!

"This game..." The commentators on the sidelines felt a pressure in their chests.

The two sides exchanged blows, and the game had become completely white-hot.

On the Heat's possession, James passed to Miller, who hit another three-pointer from the right wing at the 45-degree angle.

Every tactic has its focus. The Spurs' 2-3 zone protected the paint, which would inevitably give the opponent opportunities on the outside. Like Spoelstra's double-teaming, this was also testing the Heat's outside scoring ability.

In the Spurs' frontcourt opportunity, Leonard's three-point attempt from the outside missed.

The Heat strengthened their protection of the basket at this time, and Duncan was unable to get the rebound.

James grabbed the rebound and launched a counterattack. Wade caught the ball in the frontcourt and finished with a big up-and-under layup.

The Heat had built a 3-point lead.

At this point, there were only three minutes left in the first quarter, and the two sides began to make substitutions.

On the Heat's side, James and Wade went off to rest, while on the Spurs' side, Parker and Duncan were also substituted.

The head-to-head contest in the first quarter had come to an end.

During the bench period, Bosh and Norris Cole performed very well on the Heat's side, while Jefferson and Blair were also playing well on the Spurs' side, and the situation on the court remained deadlocked.

Tang Tian was sitting and resting when Popovich suddenly turned around and sat down next to him.

"If I ask you to shoot catch-and-shoot threes, are you confident?" Popovich asked directly, getting straight to the point.