Western Conference First-Round Outlook

"Iverson had really gone berserk! He eliminated Penny!"

"The Golden Generation of 1996 has produced its second core player to reach the second round!"

"The left-handed Magic Johnson conquered the league with his talent!"

With the first round over, the hottest news in the Eastern Conference was Philadelphia and Orlando's five-game war.

In the Western Conference, there had nearly been a seventh-seed upset!

Spurs versus Portland Trail Blazers! The Spurs' Twin Towers, who had been heavily favored by everyone, were pushed to the brink at 2-1 by the Trail Blazers!

The Trail Blazers' Twin Towers against the Spurs' Twin Towers!

This grinder of a series might have left ordinary fans struggling to get excited. But for many professionals and academically minded head coaches, Popovich and Dunleavy's tactical arrangements and defensive strategies in this series were simply intoxicating.

Damon Stoudamire dominated Avery Johnson!

Both were undersized point guards, but Avery Johnson's advantages vanished completely in front of Damon Stoudamire! Over the five-game series, Damon Stoudamire posted a career-best 23+6 per game!

Arvydas Sabonis was dominant throughout the series! His averages of 18+12+6 were a return to his prime, and he even suppressed Admiral David Robinson for a time.

This was still the Tower of the World, with both knees nearly crippled and relying entirely on his stationary physical gifts to play. It made people wonder: if Sabonis had entered the league in his youth, might he have become a legendary center no worse than the Four Great Centers?

From the moment Portland Trail Blazers took a 2-1 lead, everyone thought the Spurs would suffer a seventh-seed upset!

If the Spurs were upset by the seventh seed, Duncan and the Admiral would be nailed to the pillar of shame!

Even the ever-confident Popovich felt somewhat uneasy. Had he prepared too many tactical