Manu Ginobili had just nailed a buzzer beater to end the first quarter of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs now headed into the second quarter with a six-point lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the cheers inside the AT&T Center were deafening. After the arena lighthouse replayed Manu’s triple, the raucous applause echoed before organically blending with the early strains of Mobb Deep’s infamous anthem “Shook Ones (Pt. II).”
By now most hoops heads have seen the NBA’s instant classic Spurs playoff promo, which deftly pairs one of hip-hop’s timeless instrumentals with the selfless play of San Antonio’s big three. Originally released by Havoc and Prodigy in 1995, the testament to New York gun talk provides a perfect back drop to a Spurs cinematic universe where superstars stoically execute, jumpers are just as deadly as dunks, and “it’s the quiet guys you should fear.”
Riding Coach Pop’s mantra of “I want some nasty,” the Spurs go on to take Game 1 over the Thunder 101-98. Manu displays his unique brand of playoff heroics to spark his team to victory, while Stephen Jackson showcases his visceral mix of grit and swag on the defensive end. As the series moves on, players will emerge as either champions or Shook Ones. As San Antonio’s wins pile up, a Port Arthur laced Stak5 sequel track comes closer to reality.
