The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 917 The Obvious Gap
The intense atmosphere and overwhelming enthusiasm at the Rose Garden Arena put immense pressure on the entire Celtics team.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas was called for a violation for jumping too early during the jump ball at center court, and possession was awarded to the Portland Trail Blazers.

On the Trail Blazers' first possession, Gan Guoyang received the ball at a 45-degree angle, faced Tim Duncan's defense, and launched a mid-range jump shot, which went in!

A simple, unassuming mid-range shot earned him the first point of the game, and the cheers from the crowd were so loud they seemed to lift the roof off; anyone who didn't know better would have thought it was a game-winning shot.

For the young Celtics players, they need to adapt to this fervor as quickly as possible.

They were clearly not used to it at the start. Steve Nash found Pierce on the wing, and Pierce missed a mid-range jump shot against Kobe.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Tim Duncan battled for an offensive rebound under the basket. Duncan got the ball, but his floater was blocked by Jermaine O'Neal.

Gan Guoyang got the ball, and the Trail Blazers launched a fast break. Blaylock got the ball and quickly advanced the ball.

Kobe had already rushed to the frontcourt. Facing Pierce, Kobe's biggest advantage was his explosiveness and speed.

He shook off Pierce's entanglement, caught the ball, crossed the baseline, and scored with a flip-over dunk!

The temperature at Rose Garden Arena rose further, and the heat spread outward from the arena throughout Portland.

The Celtics failed to score in the first three minutes, falling behind 8-0 to the Trail Blazers, prompting Berman to call a timeout.

Actually, the Celtics made some changes at the start, and the players worked very hard.

Before the game, Berman requested an increase in offensive rebounding efforts in order to leverage the advantages of the twin towers and force Gan Guoyang to move from the small forward position to the inside.

Unexpectedly, although they managed to grab the offensive rebound, Jermaine O'Neal thwarted their two attacks under the basket.

Once the second attack fails, it will be difficult to stop the Trail Blazers' fast break once Gan Guoyang gets the ball on the perimeter.

This is what they mean by plans not keeping up with changes. The Celtics wanted to get off to a strong start, but they didn't expect that playing away from home, the Rose Garden's momentum would overwhelm them.

Bellman had no choice but to adjust, reverting to a regular offensive strategy and requiring Duncan to break the deadlock with strong attacks in the low post.

Was this the right choice? Yes, it was the right choice. Trailing 0-8, it was indeed reasonable to let the team's core players launch a strong attack.

However, the right choice may not necessarily lead to a positive outcome, and may even make the situation worse.

Because basketballs are round.

Unlike against the Lakers, in the Finals, Gan Guoyang spent most of the time on defense guarding Duncan one-on-one.

After all, although Duncan is a well-rounded player, his offensive destructive power is not as great as O'Neal's. Defending against Duncan is a manageable drain on Gan Guoyang's energy.

Besides, it's already the finals, so let's not hold back.

After the timeout, Duncan faced Gan Guoyang in the low post, and his teammates spread out to let him score one-on-one.

He tried to squeeze in with his back to the basket, but as always, he couldn't get through. He could only manage a turn, struggling to find space to shoot, hoping to get a good touch and put the ball in.

But in the instant he turned around, Gan Guoyang acted incredibly quickly, knocking the ball out of Duncan's hands.

Duncan reacted quickly, not losing possession, but regaining control of the ball and launching a fast-paced floater.

The ball bounced twice on the rim, but unfortunately it didn't go in. Ilgauskas came over to put it in, but Gan Guoyang still managed to grab the rebound.

Gan Guoyang immediately made a long pass to Kobe in the frontcourt. Kobe received the ball and charged forward. Blaylock got an opportunity in the right corner. Kobe passed the ball to Blaylock, who then took a three-point shot.

hit!

Blake's outside shooting percentage has significantly improved in this Finals.

Because Steve Nash's defense was really mediocre; he had the attitude but not the intensity, he had ideas but not the execution, he tried hard but wasn't effective.

Nash didn't even have time to help defend, unaware of the wide-open space on the right side, giving Blaylock an easy shot opportunity.

11-0, the Trail Blazers further extended their lead.

The Celtics desperately needed points, so they passed to Duncan, but Duncan still had to face Gan Guoyang's defense.

To be honest, the shadow of almost being shut out by Gan Guoyang in his rookie season still lingers in Duncan's mind.

For three seasons, Duncan has been improving his skills and experience, but to be honest, the improvement has been minimal because he has too little potential.

At the same time, players like Duncan, whose shooting range and shooting ability are average and whose offensive strengths are not particularly outstanding, would find it particularly difficult to take on Gan Guoyang one-on-one.

Shaquille O'Neal is incredibly strong. Once he overcomes his mental barrier, it will be very difficult for Gan Guoyang to stop him on offense. Therefore, Gan Guoyang should avoid his strength in the Western Conference Finals.

Duncan is a player who is very well-rounded in all aspects, but if you encounter Gan Guoyang, who is even more well-rounded and has many strengths, even if it is an older version, it will be very difficult.

If Duncan had used his youth and energy from the very first game to wear down and pressure Gan Guoyang, and kept him entangled with him throughout the entire series, then his advantages of youth and stamina would have become more and more obvious as the series progressed.

Unfortunately, Bellman and the entire Celtics team were too focused on playing it safe. The victory in the first game reinforced this mindset, resulting in a loss in the second game, and the momentum of the series shifted to the Trail Blazers.

Duncan attempted a strong attack on Gan Guoyang in the low post for the second time. Both players were full of energy and had not experienced too much exertion.

Duncan still struggled to move Gan Guoyang, who was considered the strongest player in the world, and finally ended the attack with a difficult turnaround jump shot, but it still missed.

Jermaine O'Neal grabbed the rebound, and the Trail Blazers launched another counterattack.

This time, the Celtics got back on defense in time and protected the paint, with Duncan disrupting Sabonis's floater.

The Celtics grabbed the rebound, Nash initiated a fast break, and Paul Pierce drove and dished the ball to Rick Fox in the corner.

Fox received the ball and launched a three-pointer, finally hitting a crucial three-pointer and scoring the team's first point of the game.

This crucial three-pointer stabilized the Celtics' situation, but an eight-point gap is not so easy to close.

The two sides entered a stalemate in the first quarter. Apart from the opening mid-range shot, Gan Guoyang did not take any other shots, but focused on defense and playmaking.

Anyone with eyes can see that Gan Guoyang is conserving his energy for the second half, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter.

If the Celtics can't establish an advantage in the first half, or even fall behind, they can forget about turning things around in the rest of the game.

Duncan finally scored a basket despite Gan Guoyang's defense, a turnaround floater followed by a bank shot from 45 degrees.

But for the Trail Blazers, Kobe also found a way to deal with Paul Pierce: speed and the use of screens.

Kobe no longer focused on battling the physically strong Pierce on the perimeter, but instead used his superior athleticism to run and create good opportunities to receive the ball.

Next, using Sabonis and Gan Guoyang as cover, they looked for an opportunity to make their move.

Pierce has an advantage in strength, but speed and experience are his weaknesses.

The Trail Blazers intentionally focused their offense on Kobe at the start of the game.

Kobe performed his task very well, and his shooting touch was excellent at the start of the game.

With mid-range shots, floaters, layups, and drives, Kobe scored consecutively, completely dismantling the Celtics' loose-on-the-outside, tight-on-the-inside defensive formation.

At the end of the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Celtics 31-21, a 10-point advantage. The 31 points proved that the Celtics' defensive strategy had completely failed.

Starting in the second quarter, the Celtics stopped having Paul Pierce guard Kobe one-on-one, and instead used Rick Fox and Bruce Bowen to deal with Kobe.

Paul Pierce was mismatched to guard Jermaine O'Neal, or occasionally had to face Forrest Gump, or Charles Barkley.

This is a defensive weakness for the Celtics, or rather, a major offensive advantage for the Trail Blazers.

When Gan Guoyang and Barkley move to the three position, they inevitably create mismatches to attack their opponents, leaving gaps in the opponent's defense. Barkley, after entering the game in the second quarter, faced Pierce's defense twice on offense.

The ball was passed to Barkley in time, and Barkley, with his big butt, pushed against Pierce and rammed into him, showing Pierce who the real king of buttocks in the NBA is.

Two offensive possessions: one resulted in a strong drive to the basket, and the other drew a foul from Pierce, sending him to the free-throw line.

Bellman had to substitute Pierce with Cliff Robinson to deal with the Trail Blazers' tall frontcourt at the three and four positions.

In fact, the Celtics' frontcourt combination is quite formidable. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers, the Celtics' frontcourt players played a huge role in both offense and defense, and it can be said to be decisive.

Cliff Robinson, in particular, is an all-around player on both offense and defense as the sixth man. He is tall and agile, and the Pacers couldn't find a player to match up against him.

He performed exceptionally well in the crucial Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, becoming a key figure in determining the outcome of the series.

But when he had to face Forrest Gump at the three and four positions in the finals, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

Forrest Gump can be considered Clive Robinson's mentor. Although Robinson did not stay with the Trail Blazers for long, it was the most important initial stage of his career.

He went through the toughest rookie training camp, was coached by the greatest player in history, won the championship, gained valuable game experience, and also experienced the beatings of Forrest Gump.

When facing Forrest Gump in the Finals, it's impossible not to feel nervous. If Robinson gets the ball and is guarded by Forrest, he will most likely pass it out and won't dare to take a shot.

He lacks confidence on defense against Forrest Gump and is hesitant to make moves, which has prevented the Celtics' best sixth man from performing at his best in the last few games.

With their outside shooting failing and their defense ineffective, the Celtics' second unit struggled to keep up, coming across as a complete liability.

Robinson missed both of his three-point attempts, and Barkley grabbed the rebound inside. The Trail Blazers were in no hurry and slowly ground up the game.

Even if they couldn't score, the Trail Blazers controlled the tempo, and the Celtics couldn't find a way to close the gap.

At this point, Rick Carlisle expanded the rotation, with veterans taking to the court one after another, including Dell Curry, A.C. Green, and Chris Mullin, each of whom could play for a few minutes.

This change is exactly the same as the second game, which is to allocate playing time, give the main players more rest, and prepare for the second half.

The Celtics knew the Trail Blazers were conserving their energy, but there was nothing they could do; they were the trailing team and had to seize the opportunity to catch up as soon as possible.

Bellman made substitutions, bringing back key players Duncan and Pierce to the court. Taking advantage of this window of opportunity, they used Duncan's low-post advantage to launch a 7-2 run, narrowing the gap to 6 points.

When Duncan wasn't facing Gan Guoyang's defense in the paint, his offensive success rate was quite high.

His height, wingspan, and touch are all top-notch, and he is very good at cutting into the paint for a second chance after an offensive play.

Defenders often manage to stop the first shot, but if they can't stop the second, they'll still concede points. Only a center like Forrest Gump, with lightning-fast reflexes and top-notch rebounding ability, can contain Duncan.

Carlisle called a timeout, but he didn't rush to substitute his starters. He simply put Kobe and Ben Wallace in first, letting the young players take the lead on both offense and defense.

Veterans like Gan Guoyang and Sabonis remained on the bench to rest until three minutes remained in the second quarter, when Gan Guoyang finally returned to the court.

At this point, the score was 55-51, with the Trail Blazers leading the Celtics by 4 points. The Celtics were about to catch up when Gan Guoyang entered the game and immediately received the ball at the top of the arc and hit a mid-range jump shot.

Steve Nash and Tim Duncan executed a high pick-and-roll, with Nash passing the ball to Duncan, who then finished with a left-handed layup!
Gan Guoyang defended this ball to the extreme, but his legs were indeed slow. If he were in his prime, he could have blocked it.

But back on the offensive end, Gan Guoyang received a pass from Kobe at the top of the arc, took a three-pointer from the front, and made it again!
The point difference has widened to 7 points again, and the Celtics are still looking to use the pick-and-roll combination between Nash and Duncan.

Duncan set an excellent screen, of extremely high quality, and then it was a roll to the basket; this time Nash went to the left.

Gan Guoyang defended two players, and Nash hesitated between attacking or passing, making a pass that looked like a shot.

As a result, the ball was intercepted in mid-air by Gan Guoyang. After receiving the ball, Gan Guoyang made a long pass to the frontcourt, where Kobe received the ball and quickly made a layup.

The point difference widened again.

Gan Guoyang's defensive pressure remains as strong as ever. After all, he is recognized as the league's greatest defender in history, a defensive prodigy who can guard two defenders at once.

Nash still lacked experience; he hesitated after the pick-and-roll. He was supposed to be setting the problem for Forrest Gump, but instead, Forrest Gump set the problem for him.

He couldn't decide which one to choose, and as a result, the ball was stolen. The Celtics' comeback attempt in the second quarter failed, and at halftime, the Trail Blazers led by 8 points, 63-55.

The situation is very bad for the Celtics. They can't find a good way to deal with the Trail Blazers and can only struggle to hold on without any chance of a comeback.

In the third and fourth quarters, the situation only worsened, as the Trail Blazers were clearly conserving their energy, but the Celtics couldn't find a way to cope with the wear and tear.

During halftime, Berman realized that his strategy might have been wrong from the start; their tactics were too conservative.

The Celtics are clearly the young and energetic team, so why don't they take advantage of their youth to challenge their opponents?
However, it is very difficult to immediately reverse a strategy and mindset in a match, so this battle can only be fought on despite the difficulties.

At the start of the third quarter, just when the Celtics thought the Trail Blazers would do what they did in the previous game, pushing the game to the fourth quarter and then overwhelming the Celtics with increased intensity, the experienced Trail Blazers suddenly found their rhythm in the first half of the third quarter.

Gan Guoyang delivered a powerful block to Paul Pierce in the paint, continuing to assert his dominance in the three-second zone.

Then, during the counterattack, Gan Guoyang faked a shot from beyond the 45-degree three-point line, but instead made a direct pass to the basket, where Sabonis received the ball and easily scored a layup.

The two old partners had developed a perfect teamwork; a single glance or gesture was enough for them to know what the other was going to do.

In most cases, Sabonis feeds the ball to Gan Guoyang, but occasionally Gan Guoyang will also deliver an assist with a beautiful pass.

The two players' previous cooperation was a mix of feints and deceptions, leaving no trace and confusing the defending side.

That's why it's said that Gan Guoyang can't truly unleash his full potential without Sabonis by his side.

Back on the defensive end, Sabonis and O'Neal guarded the paint, and Gan Guoyang stopped standing with his hands on his hips and began to provide extensive help defense and double-teams.

Nash was surrounded again, but managed to pass the ball out. However, the initiative in the half-court offense had been lost, and the ball could only be passed to Duncan for a one-on-one score.

Duncan's turnaround jump shot was blocked from behind by Kobe, who came over to help defend! Another block!
The Trail Blazers launched another counterattack. Kobe drove the length of the court down the middle to the basket but missed the layup. Jermaine O'Neal followed up with a putback but also missed, and Duncan blocked the shot.

Gan Guoyang bent down to pick up the ball and walked out. Suddenly, he made a hook shot, taking the ball by surprise and scoring two points!
This move, reminiscent of an old man's hook shot on a pickup basketball court, is truly unpredictable. Only Gan Guoyang dares to use this seemingly unorthodox move under the intensity of the finals, because it is his signature move.

The Celtic players were in a state of impatience. The composure they displayed in the first game, where they built a solid defense and played a slow, methodical style, had long been forgotten. As the score gap widened again, they became anxious and frustrated, desperately trying to score and close the gap.

However, the more anxious one is, the more likely one is to make mistakes. Steve Nash was subjected to intense pressure from Blaylock, and the two got into a physical altercation near the center line.

The referee called an offensive foul on Nash. Nash was very unhappy, but he didn't dare to yell at the referee. He could only complain because he was too inexperienced and getting a technical foul would be a loss for him.

Possession returned to the Trail Blazers, and Bellman paced anxiously on the sidelines, sensing that this play would end the Celtics' offense and they would have to call a timeout.

It felt so familiar, this feeling was all too familiar, except that in the past, Bellman was on the Trail Blazers' side, and now he was on the opposite side.

Is this what it's like to face Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers in the playoffs? You know what he's going to do, but you're powerless to stop him.

Sure enough, Gan Guoyang received the ball, dribbled skillfully in the middle, faked, and changed direction to drive into the basket from the middle.

This was a classic guard move: he blew past Duncan, drove to the basket, faced Ilgauskas directly, and outmuscled the 2.21-meter-tall Ilgauskas for a layup! He even drew a foul from Ilgauskas!

The Trail Blazers are indeed a seasoned team. In the last game, I only started to exert my strength in the middle of the fourth quarter, and they took the lead and turned the game around.

In this game, I was in the lead, so I started strong right at the beginning of the third quarter, widening the gap to a point where it was impossible to recover.

Gan Guoyang stepped to the free-throw line and made the free throw, completing a 2+1 play. The crowd erupted in cheers. This man is still the best basketball player on the planet.

With no other option, Bellman called a timeout, and the Celtics were hit with a 7-0 run, bringing the deficit to 15 points. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the Celtics to win.

The gap between the two teams in the Finals was obvious. The Celtics were not lacking in talent and ability, but the problem was that they did not play to their full potential.

After making the free throw, Gan Guoyang knew that Berman was going to call a timeout. Back on the bench, he wiped his sweat and thought to himself, "Damn, this high-intensity run is a bit tiring. I'm really getting old."

(End of this chapter)