The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 881 The fight started again

In basketball, Gan Guoyang is someone who "realized the Tao" very early on.

In his early twenties, at the NBA Coaches Conference in Los Angeles, he grasped the ultimate basketball quote from Dr. Naismith: "The ultimate game is to start the offense wherever you have the ball, no matter where it is."

When Coach John Wooden asked Gan Guoyang, "Is Dr. Naismith's question really the ultimate goal of basketball?"
Gan Guoyang countered by asking Wu Deng what the ultimate goal was.

Wooden said it was a perfect system that could make you invincible.

Gan Guoyang shook his head in denial, saying that Dr. Naismith did not mean that.

He said at the time, "If one day there is an ultimate way of playing basketball that all teams use, it means the sport is about to die. When everything becomes the same and there is no difference, basketball loses its charm. Dr. Naismith is not saying that there is an ultimate tactic that can win, but rather telling people the basic principle of playing basketball: always keep offense in mind and get everyone involved. This is not the end of basketball, but the beginning of basketball."

Wooden was quite impressed by this interpretation.

For the next decade or so, Gan Guoyang continued to practice this philosophy.

He was the sharpest spear, leading his teammates to conquer cities and seize strongholds, maximizing the offensive potential in an era of strong defense.

He has a playing style that is ahead of its time. His philosophy, ability, and physical fitness are unmatched by other players.

He can act recklessly, combining offense and defense, dominating and controlling everyone, and even the referees cannot escape his clutches.

But as time goes by, Gan Guoyang is getting old, while the times are constantly progressing, and the generation gap is narrowing.

Once you lose your perspective from a high vantage point, things will look different.

Practicing the same principles is more difficult, more complex, but also more interesting than in the past.

During a timeout, sitting on the bench, Gan Guoyang asked Barkley, "Charles, what's it like playing inside at 6'6"?"

Barkley didn't understand what Gan Guoyang meant by asking this, and replied, "Great! I can see your butts the moment I turn around!"

Gan Guoyang thought about it and decided against it. Why waste time talking to this fatso?

"Sonny, when can I play?" Barkley was still more concerned about his playing time.

"I'm not the coach, why are you asking me?"

"Huh? Didn't you say I was part of the reserve team, a secret weapon?"

"Yes, a secret weapon should remain a secret. Why are you in such a hurry?"

Barkley was getting impatient as he watched the Trail Blazers turn the tide.

In fact, less than three minutes had passed in the third quarter, and it was still a long time before the rotation.

The Lakers made a quick adjustment, with Phil Jackson immediately replacing the offensively ineffective Rodman with Robert Horry.

As early as the 97-98 season, Rodman was already a pseudo-starter, often playing for only twenty minutes before being substituted for rest, giving more playing time to Toni Kukoc.

In some games, Rodman would simply sit on the bench, with Kukoc starting at power forward to support the Bulls' offense.

Rodman is 37 years old this year, and at the end of his career, his rebounding ability is still dominant, averaging 14 rebounds per game.

However, their offense has completely deteriorated. They could occasionally have flashes of brilliance when they were with the Bulls, but now even those flashes are gone.

If it weren't for the league's illegal defensive rules, which prohibit early double-teaming and zone defense, Rodman might have been left wide open every possession.

Jackson's true trump card on the wing is still Robert Horry, a clutch and versatile forward.

He made his contribution immediately upon entering the game, receiving a beautiful bounce pass from Kidd, cutting inside and scoring a layup to stop the Lakers' bleeding.

Subsequently, on the defensive end, Horry made more effective interference against Sabonis, getting close to him and touching him beforehand, preventing him from receiving the ball smoothly at the high post.

The Trail Blazers used an old tactic, with Gan Guoyang setting a screen for Brelock. However, Brelock's pass went awry and was intercepted by Kidd.

The Lakers launched a counterattack, with Ron Harper receiving a pass from Kidd on the perimeter and sinking a three-pointer!

With a 5-point run, the Lakers suppressed the Trail Blazers' fierce comeback, proving that veterans can indeed hold their own.

Phil Jackson brought in these veterans to help the Lakers stay in the game during crucial stages.

Gan Guo immediately drew a foul while attacking in the low post, and made a layup after turning around, also drawing a defensive foul from Holly.

Stepping to the free-throw line, he easily made the extra shot, a quick response to Harper's three-pointer.

During the most crucial third quarter, Gan Guoyang remained a reliable player, and the Lakers struggled to find a way to effectively contain his scoring inside.

However, Jackson was not in a hurry. He knew that Forrest Gump could no longer single-handedly defeat a team. If the Trail Blazers could not maintain their high-quality performance in terms of firepower or defense, the leading Lakers could keep the Trail Blazers in check and strangle them.

Neither side scored in the next two possessions, and the game entered a stalemate, with the Lakers maintaining an 8-point lead and sitting comfortably in the game.

Just when Trail Blazers fans were getting a little anxious, Carlisle made a substitution during a dead ball situation.

He replaced Sabonis and Dell Curry with Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal.

At this point, the third quarter was almost halfway through, and it shouldn't be time for substitutions yet.

But Carlisle strictly followed Gan Guoyang's plan; trailing by 8 points, it was time to bring in fresh players.

After Jermaine O'Neal and Ben Wallace entered the game, Kobe returned to his familiar shooting guard position.

Gan Guoyang moved to the small forward position to match up against McGrady, which means that Gan Guoyang can relax a bit on the defensive end and put his hands on his hips for a while.

Jackson realized the Trail Blazers' intentions and immediately yelled at O'Neal, "Opportunity! Drive in and attack Shaq!"

With Gan Guoyang moving to the small forward position, the player directly guarding O'Neal in the paint will be Ben Wallace—a rough-looking man who is only a little over 2 meters tall but has a very strong physique.

Over the past three seasons, Ben Wallace has only occasionally shown promise with the Trail Blazers, and he hasn't played in most of the important games.

In the Trail Blazers' fluid offensive system, his crippled offensive ability is such a huge weakness that playing him on offense is like playing five against four, and the offense can't move.

The management tried to trade Wallace several times for other assets, but Gan Guoyang insisted on keeping Ben Wallace each time. He said, "Ben is suited to this era. He just doesn't fit the current Trail Blazers. When the day comes that the Trail Blazers can no longer lead the era and have to adapt to it, Ben's defensive ability will be very important and very valuable. We can't lose him. Because one day you will lose me first."

The Trail Blazers' management has always respected Gan Guoyang's opinions, and since Ben Wallace, as an undrafted player, didn't have high salary demands, the Trail Blazers offered him a good contract extension.

Entering his fourth season, Wallace further developed his already well-developed muscles.

Wallace knew that height couldn't be built through training, but muscle could, and strength could make up for a lack of height.

Look at those shorter centers in the league, aren't they all making the greatest possible effort to compensate with strength?

Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson, and Gan Guoyang, at 6'10", are not outstanding among centers, but they have developed their strength to the extreme.

With such role models around him, Ben Wallace trained hard and spent a lot of time in the gym honing his physique.

His upper body size has now reached a terrifying level, enough to allow him to compete against most of the league's interior players.

Of course, given his height and weight, going up against Shaquille O'Neal remains an impossible task.

The Lakers immediately fed the ball to O'Neal under the basket, allowing O'Neal to overpower Ben Wallace in the low post. O'Neal squeezed in, turned around, and blocked Ben Wallace behind him, finishing with a beautiful one-handed dunk.

The Trail Blazers still have no intention of double-teaming O'Neal; they don't want O'Neal's passes to ignite the Lakers' offense.

Then, Kobe took on Harper one-on-one on the perimeter, dribbled in a different direction, and pulled up for a jump shot. Harper tried his best to contest, but the ball still went in.

Seeing Kobe's movements and shooting form, Harper couldn't help but think to himself, "This kid is just like Michael Jordan."

The Lakers still passed the ball to O'Neal, and the Trail Blazers still had Ben Wallace defending him one-on-one. Wallace used all his strength to try and block the ball.

During halftime, Gan Guoyang told Wallace that it was impossible to completely stop O'Neal one-on-one; the goal was to keep his success rate around 50%.

To put it simply, just don't let O'Neal dominate you, don't let him score on your head for four or five consecutive possessions, and make sure you have no way to defend against him.

This is a very high requirement and a huge test for Ben Wallace. If he gets beaten by O'Neal, then the team's strategy will have failed.

This time, O'Neal failed to score in a one-on-one situation because he pushed too hard and his footwork wasn't clean enough, so the referee called a traveling violation on him.

"Well done," Gan Guoyang praised Ben Wallace.

As long as Wallace doesn't collapse, Gan Guoyang can relax and put his hands on his hips a little longer, accumulating energy for a counterattack.

During a set offense, Gan Guoyang received the ball at a 45-degree angle, easily pushed past McGrady, and made a light mid-range shot.

The Lakers' defensive intensity is declining from its peak, which is a dangerous sign.

The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, had an inexhaustible amount of energy from Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal when they first came on the court.

When O'Neal tried to go one-on-one again, Jermaine O'Neal came over to double-team him, and O'Neal passed the ball to Horry who was cutting to the basket.

Horry attempted another layup, but this time he was blocked by a double block from Jermaine O'Neal and Ben Wallace.

Kobe got the ball, and Gan Guoyang immediately launched a counterattack. The advantage of having his hands on his hips is that the fast break is quick!

Kobe made a long pass to Gan Guoyang, who caught the ball and slammed it home with both hands!

The Trail Blazers narrowed the gap to 6 points again, but Jackson remained calm and collected.

Of course, he was already a little anxious. He hadn't expected that the Trail Blazers' short center number 3 could withstand O'Neal's impact.

Instead of passing the ball to O'Neal, Kidd chose to drive himself, circled around the baseline, and suddenly delivered an alley-oop pass to the inside.

O'Neal descended from the sky, caught the ball with both hands, and slammed it home with a powerful alley-oop dunk. With Gan Guoyang out of the paint, he was simply unstoppable.

However, Gan Guoyang also found his offensive rhythm. After warming up for most of the game, his shooting form had improved.

He received a pass from Jermaine O'Neal at the top of the arc, pulled up for a three-pointer, and sank it! His first three-pointer of the night!
The score difference narrowed to 5 points. Once Gan Guoyang started to catch up, Jackson finally got a little anxious.

At this moment, O'Neal received the ball in the low post and attempted a layup, but his attempt was blocked by Ben Wallace and missed.

Jermaine O'Neal grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Trail Blazers launched another counterattack. Gan Guoyang received the ball, made a feint, and passed it to Kobe under the basket. Kobe then made a stylish mid-air spin move and scored with a reverse layup!

The Trail Blazers played at a high quality on both offense and defense, narrowing the gap to just 3 points! Jackson called a timeout.

The Trail Blazers brought on Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal, and put Gan Guoyang at the small forward position, which completely revitalized the team's offense.

Meanwhile, the two young players withstood the Lakers' fierce inside attacks, their defense brimming with energy.

One one-on-one and one alley-oop, but O'Neal's punishment of the Trail Blazers' interior defense was far from enough.

With little time remaining in the third quarter, Gan Guoyang displayed his prowess as the "King of the Third Quarter," narrowing the gap in the score.

In the past, whenever the Lakers made any adjustments that went wrong, such as letting O'Neal rest, Gan Guoyang would have seized the opportunity to attack the Lakers relentlessly.

But now Gan Guoyang knows that he needs to rest. His scoring peak has passed, and he needs to make some adjustments to prepare for the fourth quarter.

It's really troublesome when your stamina isn't unlimited, especially during the regular season; you have to hold back.

Gan Guoyang offered to let Carlisle replace him and patted Barkley on the shoulder, saying, "Charles, it's your turn to play."

Barkley was already itching to score; he stood on the sidelines cheering passionately as the Trail Blazers were closing the gap.

As a veteran, his passion for the game has always been at its peak, which is much better than many veterans who are eager to retire.

Barkley immediately took off his sports jacket, warmed up a bit, and came onto the court with his teammates. At the same time, Terry Porter replaced Blake.

For the Lakers, O'Neal remained on the court. Jackson didn't dare let O'Neal go off the court too early to rest. Moreover, in terms of rotation, Jackson always liked to let the core player play the entire third quarter, rest a little more at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and then play the rest of the game.

In the backcourt, Jackson replaced Kidd with Brian Shaw, Rodman replaced McGrady, and Horry returned to the small forward position.

In the final minutes of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers tried to capitalize on the opportunity to close the gap, while the Lakers tried their best to maintain their advantage and enter the fourth quarter with a lead.

After the timeout, the Lakers' offense reorganized. They passed the ball to O'Neal in the low post, and O'Neal used his absolute strength and height advantage to overpower Ben Wallace. He then turned and hooked the ball for two points, regaining the lead.

The Trail Blazers' offense failed, and their backcourt was subjected to tight pressure defense from the Lakers. Near the midcourt line, their passing was disrupted, resulting in a turnover and a Lakers fast break, with Brian Shaw scoring a layup.

The Lakers' backcourt pressure defense is exactly the same as that of the Bulls back then, and Rodman's drives to the perimeter have been very effective.

The point difference is back to 7 points. Gan Guoyang sat on the bench and said to Dick Hart next to him, "The Lakers are much stronger than last year. They are very resilient."

If it were last year's Lakers, they probably wouldn't have been able to withstand two counterattacks, but now they have held on, keeping the team in check on both offense and defense.

“They’ve gotten stronger, but we’ve definitely gotten worse,” Hart bluntly stated.

Barkley received the ball in the low post, backed down Rodman, made a somewhat slow turn, and then drove hard to the basket for a layup, but missed.

Barkley grabbed the offensive rebound, went back up, and was still contested. He grabbed the offensive rebound a second time, this time using his footwork to turn and shoot a fadeaway jumper, finally scoring two points. Barkley, who had been holding back for a long time, unleashed all his energy, managing to score a basket and grab two offensive rebounds in the process.

However, during the battle under the basket, Barkley and O'Neal had intense physical contact, with Barkley elbowing O'Neal, which made the big man very unhappy.

“Watch your moves, Charles!” O’Neal warned Barkley as he ran forward.

This annoyed Barkley. Who do you think you are, daring to warn me like that?
“Watch your mouth, Shaq!” Barkley retorted.

Subsequently, the Lakers missed a three-point shot, and O'Neal grabbed the offensive rebound.

Ben Wallace blocked O'Neal's putback attempt, and O'Neal grabbed the offensive rebound in the same fashion.

When he tried to start again, Barkley pulled him down, and he almost fell flat on his face. The referee called a foul.

O'Neal glared at Barkley, who looked completely unconcerned and said, "I told you, watch your mouth, Shaq!"

O'Neal stepped up to the free-throw line and made the first shot, but missed the second. Barkley grabbed the rebound and quickly advanced the ball from the backcourt.

He made a signature behind-the-back pass in the middle to Porter on the wing, who then passed the ball to Kobe, who drove to the basket and drew the defense.

The ball was passed to Barkley, who cut to the basket. Barkley received the ball and was about to drive inside for a dunk. How could O'Neal just watch Barkley score again?

He shoved Barkley from behind, sending him off the baseline. The shove wasn't too hard; Barkley didn't fall, and he still had the ball in his hands.

But this cost Barkley a chance to dunk, and coupled with the physical altercation and verbal exchange between the two earlier, Barkley got angry and picked up the ball and smashed it at O'Neal's head!

O'Neal didn't expect Barkley to throw the ball at him, and caught off guard, he was hit squarely in the forehead.

Time seemed to freeze for 0.1 seconds. O'Neal couldn't believe Barkley would throw the ball at him, while Barkley waited for O'Neal's counterattack.

Of course, O'Neal had to retaliate. This guy values ​​his pride the most. Even when Forrest Gump was so good at fighting, O'Neal still pretended to rush up and take a punch, which instilled in him the confidence of a strongman.

Now that fat bastard Barkley dared to hit me with the ball? This was broadcast live across the US, and this scene will definitely be played repeatedly after the game. I have to get my revenge.

After a 0.1-second pause, O'Neal responded by lunging at Barkley and punching him in the head!

Barkley was prepared. He ducked to avoid O'Neal's punch, then charged forward like a wild boar. Taking advantage of his short stature and low center of gravity, he grabbed O'Neal and threw him to the ground!
Chaos erupted under the basket as two 300-pound men wrestled on the ground. O'Neal had the initial advantage, but lacking fighting experience, he was countered by Barkley and knocked to the ground.

Another fight broke out! Brawls and fights on the NBA court have become less frequent in the past two years.

"Barkley punched O'Neal! O'Neal punched him back! Barkley grabbed O'Neal's leg, and the two started fighting!"

The TV commentators were quite excited, noting that the NBA's appeal had declined considerably since David Stern tightened control over on-court violence in the 90s.

Players from both teams rushed forward to break up the fight, desperately separating the two large men, and the referee's whistle was practically smoking.

A few minutes later, the situation finally calmed down. Barkley's jersey was torn to shreds, while O'Neal looked completely bewildered, still a little dazed from the fall.

That damn Barkley, did he learn some wrestling secrets from Forrest Gump? Luckily Forrest was sitting on the bench, otherwise he definitely wouldn't have been able to take a punch.

The referee called a flagrant foul on Barkley, and after he took the free throws, Barkley was ejected from the game.

In just two minutes on the court, Barkley contributed 4 points and 2 rebounds, helping the Trail Blazers close the gap.

As he left the court to return to the locker room, the entire Rose Garden Arena erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Barkley left like a hero, his heart filled with immense satisfaction.

Ultimately, the score at the end of the third quarter was 81-78, with the Trail Blazers trailing the Lakers by 3 points.

As the two sides entered the decisive fourth quarter, it can be said that Gan Guoyang's midfield strategy was correct and effective.

The course of the match unfolded exactly as Gan Guoyang had anticipated, demonstrating his thorough understanding of both teams' players and tactics, and his ability to make rational adjustments.

Barkley's ejection did not affect the Trail Blazers' fighting power. Gan Guoyang got plenty of rest and scored 28 points and 12 rebounds in three quarters.

Phil Jackson made a similar mistake to Jeff Van Gundy, who lowered his guard in the Finals because he thought Forrest Gump had declined.

But even though Forrest Gump went from his peak self to becoming like Jordan at his peak, he was still a formidable force.

The same thing happened this year. Forrest Gump did decline, but he declined to become the peak Barkley.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the two teams' second units traded baskets for two or three minutes before Dell Curry hit a three-pointer and Sabonis made a hook shot, helping the Trail Blazers tie the game.

When Gan Guoyang returned to the field at 83-83, both sides were back on equal footing.

The 15-point deficit has been erased. The Trail Blazers not only orchestrated their offense well, but their defensive strategy of not double-teaming O'Neal and instead using strong contact to disrupt the perimeter defense also proved very effective.

Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal combined for 5 blocks in just half a quarter, leaving the Lakers' perimeter defense bewildered.

Especially Ben Wallace, whose lack of height in the paint makes him easy for opponents to overlook, only to find that a big block has already been delivered to him when he gets to the basket.

Both players are extremely capable in both help defense and defensive positioning. They alternate between guarding and defending, and their continuous double-teaming greatly reduced the Lakers' offensive success rate.

Of course, their defense of the inside line has an even greater significance: it frees up Gan Guoyang, allowing him to devote more energy to offense.

Playing defensively with hands on hips, failing to track back after losing possession, and other fast-break tactics are all viable options. They can save energy and allow you to quickly score points and catch up with the opponent.

After returning to the court in the fourth quarter, a fully charged Gan Guoyang immediately received the ball and drove hard to the basket from the middle, shooting a classic move hook over O'Neal for two points.

Kidd responded with a three-pointer, but Gan Guoyang immediately drove hard and scored another two points with a close-range floater. The Lakers' defense was as fragile as paper.

When Gan Guoyang was at his peak physical condition, even Pippen and Jordan couldn't stop him. How can Kidd and McGrady possibly stop him now?

Then, McGrady missed an open long-range two-pointer, and at a crucial moment, he actually made a ridiculously wide-open, airball.

Gan Guoyang, having secured the rebound, launched a counterattack, driving straight down the court to the basket and successfully scoring a layup after pushing past Robert Horry!

They scored another 6 points, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout. Phil Jackson knew that tonight's game was in danger.

His biggest mistake was not anticipating that the two young big men, Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal, would be such strong defensively.

If the Lakers continue with the frontcourt of Sabonis, Forrest Gump, and Barkley, they have nothing to fear. Even though Forrest Gump is a strong defender, given his current physical condition and form, it is difficult for him to give his all on both ends of the court and deliver a perfect score.

This would give the Lakers an opportunity to wear down the Trail Blazers in a back-and-forth battle, just like they did in the first half.

But the sudden emergence of the two young men changed the situation, not only freeing Gan Guoyang, but also allowing Sabonis to get more rest.

Jackson silently remembered this lesson, but this cunning fellow certainly wouldn't give up easily; he had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

Jackson saw the problem with Ben Wallace's poor free throw shooting. Didn't the Trail Blazers like to "hack-a-Shaq" back then? We can do that too.

After the timeout, the Lakers missed their shot and started using a fouling tactic, fouling Big Man and sending him to the free-throw line.

Ben Wallace lived up to expectations, missing both free throws, giving the Lakers another offensive opportunity. McGrady used a screen to shake off the defense and then drove to the basket for a layup.

Then McGrady immediately fouled Ben Wallace, sending Wallace to the free-throw line, which drew boos from the crowd. It was clear the Lakers were doing it on purpose.

Wallace was very nervous, and Gan Guoyang came over to comfort him, saying, "It's okay, even if you miss the free throw, I can grab the rebound, it's alright."

The first free throw was also missed. Wallace was never a good shooter to begin with, and after a lot of upper body muscle training, his touch became even stiffer.

He was on defense and battling physically throughout the game tonight, and didn't have a chance to adjust his shooting touch. It would be strange if he made the free throws now.

For the second free throw, Wallace's shot had a very high arc, the ball bounced high off the rim, and everyone craned their necks to see where it landed.

A shadow suddenly appeared from behind, weaving through the crowd, and with perfect timing, dunked the ball into the basket!

"A putback dunk from Sonny Gan! Rip-City!" Bill Shawnley yelled, igniting the crowd.

When Gan Guoyang focuses on offense, he can indeed have more and better energy.

Carlisle realized how prescient Larry Bird had been in developing Forrest Gump into the small forward position in previous seasons, letting him put his hands on his hips.

Gan Guoyang's putback dunk ruined the Lakers' fouling strategy, and the two sides returned to a head-to-head contest.

The Lakers still have a great chance to win this game, and they really want to win it to establish a good momentum for the new season.

In the final stages of the fourth quarter, the game became increasingly intense, with both sides' shooting percentages plummeting and shots frequently missing, while the physical contact became more and more intense.

The Lakers began to double-team Gan Guoyang with the tightest and most resolute tactics, even resorting to defensive violations and early double-teaming, just to prevent him from receiving the ball.

At this moment, Kobe, who had been struggling throughout the game and had not been able to make a consistent impact, finally stepped up. Taking advantage of the gaps created by Gan Guoyang, he hit a three-pointer, two mid-range shots, and assisted Jermaine O'Neal for a layup.

The Trail Blazers extended their lead to 4 points, 100-96.

At this point, the Lakers exposed a weakness: when it came to close-quarters combat, they lacked a reliable and sharp ball-handling attacker on the perimeter.

O'Neal was limited by his position and free throws, making it easy for him to miss the ball in crucial moments.

Both Kidd and McGrady's ball-handling offense was very inconsistent, especially their shooting, which was sometimes accurate and sometimes not.

McGrady has great potential; he can score with drives and shots in regular time, but he's not sharp enough in crucial moments, especially when it comes to drives. He's completely helpless against the ironclad defense of Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, and Gan Guoyang in the paint.

Kobe is different. He can miss shots at times, but when he needs to be accurate, he can fire away. Moreover, his skills are more refined, and he has a stronger ability to score high-difficulty points. This is the biggest difference between him and Kidd and McGrady.

The Lakers' offensive pressure shifted to role players like Horry, Fisher, and even Harper, who had to receive passes from Kidd and attempt three-pointers and drives to the basket.

There's no need to think about the inside game anymore. The Trail Blazers' two inside players are getting stronger and stronger. Gan Guoyang no longer puts his hands on his hips and throws himself into the basket. He can take down one player after another as soon as he gets in.

The Lakers have pinned all their hopes on three-pointers.

The Lakers were incredibly accurate with their three-pointers in the final moments, with Kidd, Horry, and Fisher all hitting threes.

Originally trailing by 4 points, they miraculously narrowed the gap to just 1 point after three rounds!
This Lakers team, under Phil Jackson's guidance, has shown an amazing tenacity that was not present in previous seasons.

The Trail Blazers recovered from their deficit, but they shouldn't expect to take the victory so easily; the game entered a tense final moment.

After Fisher hit a three-pointer, Carlisle called a timeout with 30 seconds left in the game.

The Trail Blazers lead 106-105 by one point. They must score, or the Lakers will have a chance to win.

Carlisle was setting up a play, still wanting to give the final shot to Gan Guoyang, but Gan Guoyang said, "Give it to Kobe, he's in better form. I'll draw the defense."

Carlisle was surprised by Gan Guoyang's comment. Had he really gotten old? He was different now; he no longer insisted on taking the final, crucial shot.

Since he said so, Carlisle devised a key tactic for Kobe's ball-handling offense, with Gan Guoyang responsible for drawing the defense and creating space for Kobe.

When he came on the court, Kobe felt the spotlight was on him. He even arrogantly said to Gan Guoyang, "Sonny, you're getting old."

Gan Guoyang smiled. He knew that Kobe was the kind of guy who would beam with joy if given a little encouragement, so there was no need to pay him any attention.

With the ball inbounded, Ben Wallace had already been substituted off the court, and Sabonis came on to receive the ball. Gan Guoyang slid along the baseline, drawing the Lakers' defensive attention.

Kobe receives the ball on the perimeter, dribbles past several defenders, and drives straight to the basket! Shaq comes over to help defend, but Kobe makes a high-arcing bank shot!

The ball hit the backboard, bounced off the rim, and missed!

But Gan Guoyang charged in from the weak side, and no one could stop him.

He leaped high and slammed home a two-handed dunk! He also drew a foul from Rodman behind him!
After being called for a foul, Rodman was extremely frustrated, yelling at the referee and even taking off his shirt.

"He pulled me first! He pulled me first! You son of a bitch, don't you have eyes?!"

Phil Jackson held him down to calm him down; he knew the game was over.

Gan Guoyang stepped up to the free-throw line and made the free throw, turning the point difference from 1 point to 4 points, and the Lakers basically had no hope.

Gan Guoyang used a little "trick" to score a three-pointer, and Jackson used his last timeout.

As Kobe Bryant left the court, Gan Guoyang patted him on the shoulder and said, "Precise rebounds and assists, I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

Kobe was furious, his face turning ashen. He pursed his lips and remained silent. He knew he should have made that basket; he deserved it.

Trailing by 3 points, there's still a chance; trailing by 4 points, with the final possession, the Lakers' chances are slim.

On his fourth attempt at a three-pointer, luck wasn't on the Lakers' side this time, and he missed. Gan Guoyang grabbed his 14th rebound of the game, signaling the end of the match.

The Trail Blazers narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 109-105 at home, ending their two-game losing streak and completing a remarkable comeback from a 15-point halftime deficit.

This was a significant victory for the Trail Blazers this season, marking the true beginning of their generational transition.

(End of this chapter)