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Malik Rose · The 2003 San Antonio Spurs were a machine calibrated for championship basketball, and in Game 3 of the Finals against the New Jersey Nets, even the backup big men were operating at that frequency. Malik Rose received a Tim Duncan feed, met Dikembe Mutombo at the rim, and hammered the ball through with both hands, posterizing one of the most accomplished shot-blockers in NBA history in front of a sold-out SBC Center crowd. Mutombo had built his entire defensive reputation around moments exactly like this one; Rose changed the math on him. The Spurs pulled away 84-79 to take a 2-1 series lead, with Rose providing the kind of physical, unexpected highlight that only deepened New Jersey's understanding of what they were up against. His performance on June 8, 2003 was a portrait of what San Antonio's depth could do when the lights were brightest. · State of Mint