The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 920 One Second
The three fouls in the first half were a huge problem for Gan Guoyang, especially for an inside player like him.

Once Gan Guoyang gets his fourth foul in the third quarter, he'll be on the bench for a long time.

Even if he controls his fouls, he will inevitably have to restrain himself on the court, especially on the defensive end, where his rim protection will definitely be less effective.

When Gan Guoyang returned to the locker room during halftime, he glanced at the stands. David Stern was sitting in a front seat, with a half-smile on his face that made it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

Gan Guoyang is certain that the league hopes the Celtics can win this game and tie the series 2-2, forcing a decisive Game 5.

With a score of 3-1, the championship is pretty much decided, and if it comes to 4-1, they won't be able to return to Boston, which would mean selling one less ticket.

Forrest Gump has announced his retirement, so he'll play as many games as possible, as the ticket revenue and advertising fees will be a significant source of income.

David Stern hopes to squeeze every last bit of value out of Gan Guoyang on the court, which is what the league commissioner should be doing.

The referees ignored the boos from the fans in the stadium. A seasoned veteran like Javi was technically indefensible.

There will definitely be no problem reviewing the video; it was definitely a foul. It's just that the standards were enforced a little too strictly.

Conversely, things were a bit more lenient with the Celtics. Pierce and Nash often double-teamed players in ways that could be considered fouls or illegal defense, but they were often overlooked because the fans couldn't understand it anyway.

Both teams made adjustments during halftime, but the situation was unfavorable for the Trail Blazers. The Celtics played really well tonight, and their young players are very quick to learn, making up for the losses they suffered earlier.

After three matches, Berman gradually overcame his fear and began to command freely, boldly using tactics. He was ready to give it his all in this match.

At the start of the third quarter, the Celtics knew the Trail Blazers were good at exerting themselves in this quarter, so the players were fully focused and dared not relax for even a moment.

Defensively, the Celtics resolutely collapsed their defense, resulting in poor perimeter pressure. In the playoffs, they had the worst record in the league in terms of forced turnovers and steals.

Their main defensive strategy is to solidify their interior defense, prevent open shots, and not to pursue dominance in individual possessions, but rather to suppress the opponent's overall offensive efficiency.

This was Bellman's signature move during his time with the Trail Blazers: using data analysis to outperform opponents in both offense and defense, until they found themselves falling behind.

The Trail Blazers were well aware of this, and Gan Guoyang and Kobe led the charge in the third quarter, tearing apart the Celtics' solid defense – it was time to go all out.

The two players took turns driving the ball from the perimeter, easily breaking through the Celtics' weaker perimeter defense and penetrating the core area to challenge Ilgauskas and Duncan.

Ilgauskas and Duncan were certainly not so easy to challenge. After breaking through Nash Pierce's defense, they would have to face Rick Fox's entanglement, followed by Duncan or Ilgauskas's protection. It was a triple defense, each layer more difficult than the last.

Most teams' offensive players would be rendered helpless by this loose-on-the-outside-tight-on-the-inside defense, giving the Celtics' twin towers blocks.

But Kobe and Gan Guoyang are clearly not included in this category; one is agile, fast, and sharp, while the other is powerful and heavy like a dump truck.

The two players took turns attacking with the ball, going 4-for-6 in five possessions, sparking a 9-3 run for the Celtics and narrowing the score difference to just 2 points.

The Celtics called a timeout, and Bellman immediately changed his strategy. He first substituted Steve Nash out of the game. Nash had been quite disastrous defensively in the last few possessions and had been heavily targeted.

Furthermore, Nash expended a lot of energy on offense in the first half, so Bellman decided to let him rest for a while and bring him back in to revitalize the team's offense in the latter part of the third quarter and the fourth quarter.

Nash sat back on the bench. He looked stronger than he had been with the Suns, and still had short hair. He actually wanted to grow his hair long, but Bellman wouldn't allow it and insisted that he keep it short.

He has tried very hard to develop in the direction of the balanced offense and defense that Bellman asked for, but his weaknesses in lateral movement and wingspan have resulted in a serious lack of pressure on the perimeter.

In the first few possessions, Kobe and Gan Guoyang made consecutive drives to the basket. As the outermost defender, he had a hard time even delaying or interfering with them, allowing them to accelerate freely.

The finals are completely different from the regular season. Everyone has to be involved, and every player on the court must do their best in both offense and defense.

Just because you're a point guard doesn't mean you can completely ignore the responsibilities of a center, and just because you're a center doesn't mean you can completely neglect the duties of a forward.

For a championship-caliber team, it's essential that the players perform beyond their usual level and responsibilities. Guards running to the basket to block shots and centers running to the perimeter to steal the ball are scenes that are bound to occur when the game gets really heated.

In this respect, Nash fell short. While ability is one aspect, a lack of experience and accumulation is a more important reason. He still has a lot to learn and think about.

Bellman replaced him with veteran Dee Brown, whose defense is much better than Nash Brown's. In his best season, he averaged 2 steals per game, and as a point guard, he averaged 0.5 blocks per game at his best, which is already a very good performance.

After Brown entered the game, the Celtics scored on offense. Fox received a pass from Duncan on the outside and hit a three-pointer from the right corner.

Next, Dee Brown made a significant contribution on defense: while helping defend Gan Guoyang, he "voluntarily" bumped into Gan Guoyang's arm, then stumbled and fell to the ground, covering his mouth.

Brown rolled on the ground in pain. The team doctor came over to check on him. Brown let go of his hand, and blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth. The referee saw this and immediately blew his whistle, calling an offensive foul on Gan Guoyang!
Fourth foul!

Gan Guoyang quickly stepped forward to explain: "He bumped into my arm, he hit my elbow with his mouth!"

That sounds like a sophistry; it's like slapping someone and then claiming their face bumped into your hand.

The problem is that Gan Guoyang wasn't making excuses this time; he genuinely didn't actively brace his elbow or exert any force. He simply raised his hand to prevent being dispossessed.

Little did anyone know that Dee Brown would stick his head out and bump his mouth into Gan Guoyang's elbow, which led to him falling to the ground and vomiting blood.

Steve Javey and the other two referees, Hugh Evans and Tim Donaghy, discussed the matter together.

Donaghy is very young, and his main purpose in joining the referee team is to learn and prepare for the future.

The two experienced referees, Javi and Evans, exchanged a glance. Javi said, "Anyway, there's blood."

Evans nodded and said, "He's bleeding, so we have to call a foul on Forrest. I'll go comfort him."

There was a replay of the incident, but the referee did not intend to review the video and instead firmly ruled that Gan Guoyang had committed an offensive foul.

Boos erupted from the crowd, and shouts of "referee-suck" began to ripple through the crowd.

Tim Donaghy's eyes showed some panic as he asked Evans, "Can we go back to the hotel tonight?"

Evans said, "Don't worry, this is the Finals, Forrest will hold back."

Evans and Gan Guoyang had a good relationship. He patted Gan Guoyang on the shoulder and said, "Sonny, Brown is bleeding. There's nothing we can do. We have to call a foul on you."

"Bleeding is a foul? Can I go and punch him again since I'm already bleeding?"

"Calm down, Sonny, calm down. The game isn't over yet, and there's another one. This is your last performance."

"You are ruining my final performance."

"We were just doing our job."

Gan Guoyang didn't know whether Evans' "duty" meant refereeing or something else.

He knew that he was in great shape and was about to join forces with Kobe to turn the tide.

As a result, he committed four fouls and had to sit on the bench to rest, and the Trail Blazers' offense and defense immediately collapsed.

The Trail Blazers, who had narrowed the gap to just 2 points, were immediately overtaken by the Celtics who scored again.

With Gan Guoyang gone, Tim Duncan was no longer a force to be reckoned with, and Jermaine O'Neal was still a bit inexperienced on the defensive end when facing Duncan.

Duncan turned and made a hook shot, which missed, but he immediately drove in and used his height and wingspan advantage to put the ball back in and score.

Both O'Neal and Duncan are officially listed as 6'11", but in reality, O'Neal is shorter than Duncan, and O'Neal's shoulder width and wingspan are much worse than Duncan's.

Duncan is 23 years old this year and is technically at his peak, while O'Neal entered the league a year earlier but is only 21 years old because he is a high school player and has not yet reached maturity.

On the defensive end, Jermaine O'Neal has done a very good job. His rebounding and blocking are above average in the league. His average stats are only because Forrest Gump takes up his spot.

However, on the offensive end, O'Neal's efficiency is not high. In high-intensity offensive and defensive confrontations, he relies too much on close-range pull-up jump shots, and his emotions fluctuate greatly, making him unpredictable and unstable.

When he's with Forrest Gump, O'Neal does a great job, but when Gump is off the court and O'Neal has to take the lead, he gets a little flustered, misses shots on offense, and fails to grab rebounds when he tries to fight for them.

The Celtics' slow defensive transition gave them another chance to counterattack. Paul Pierce received the ball and drove hard to the basket, drawing a foul from Henderson. Pierce went to the free-throw line and made both shots.

The Celtics widened the gap again, forcing the Trail Blazers to call a timeout. The deficit returned to 8 points, and the efforts of Agan and Kobe to attack and score were all in vain.

With just over five minutes left in the third quarter, the Trail Blazers must hold on on both offense and defense while Gan Guoyang is out.

The Celtics won't play it safe like they did in the first and second games; they'll definitely go all out on offense and try to extend their lead as much as possible.

At this point, Rick Carlisle still wanted to trust the veterans and wanted to bring in Charles Barkley and Chris Mullin to control the situation.

Gan Guoyang stopped him, saying, "Rick, tonight is the young players' game. Let Jermaine and Ben play; they can control the paint."

Gan Guoyang had already sensed that, at this stage of the series, the veterans were really running out of steam.

Mullin, Curry, and Barkley all lost their games on the first one; they need a break before they can perform well in the next game.

On the contrary, young players like Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, and Henderson will get better and better as the series progresses.

Carlisle has always been open to suggestions, but the fact that the Trail Blazers have too many players who can play is also a problem, and how to allocate their resources has always been a headache.

Listening to Forrest Gump is always the right thing to do. If you're wrong, don't blame the coach; Forrest Gump will take the blame.

So, Ben Wallace stepped up, replacing Gan Guoyang, and formed the frontcourt with Jermaine O'Neal.

In fact, the two played together for a considerable amount of time during the regular season, exceeding Sabonis's time.

But in the playoffs, veterans like Sabonis are still more effective.

The hardware of the base is still too poor, and his offense is too weak and too easy to target.

But at this stage, if the Celtics want to extend their lead and quickly tear open the Trail Blazers' wounds, then a dynamic and versatile defender like Ben Wallace comes in handy.

After Ben Wallace entered the game, he immediately began to exert a significant influence on the defensive end. Every time he returned to the backcourt to defend, he would actively pressure and delay the ball handler, creating trouble for the Celtics.

In the paint, he pays great attention to blocking driving lanes, often positioning himself in advance on potential driving routes, making Celtics players think twice before attempting a drive.

His problem is that he's too short, especially compared to Ilgeskas, who is a head shorter.

Ilgauskas received the ball in the low post and backed down Ben Wallace, like a mountain pressing down on people, making it impossible for those in front to see Ben Wallace behind them.

However, Ben Wallace did not give in. He defended with all his might, and Igorskas attempted three back-to-the-basket attacks, succeeding only once. The other two attempts were blocked.

Jermaine O'Neal's main task was to keep an eye on Duncan. After all, he was Forrest Gump's protégé and learned a lot about defense from him.

Under immense pressure, Gan Guoyang constantly encouraged Jermaine O'Neal from the sidelines, teaching him how to take the initiative and not just passively defend.

"Make your opponent make a choice, instead of letting them give you a choice. Whoever can set the question holds the initiative."

This is the defensive approach that Gan Guoyang often taught to Jermaine O'Neal. Mastering this, and then refining the details, will make you a defensive master.

The Trail Blazers held on, and the Celtics tried to extend their lead in the latter part of the third quarter, but the Trail Blazers kept the score close with their defense.

However, at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter, the score difference between the two sides was still 8 points, and the Celtics maintained their lead.

It must be said that they were in great form tonight, scoring several goals that were quite lucky.

Rick Fox, in particular, went 4-for-4 from three-point range tonight, a perfect three-point shooting percentage, making him the Celtics' biggest surprise weapon.

To win the Finals, a surprise player must step up. The Celtics have Rick Fox, while the Trail Blazers are waiting for Forrest Gump to make his appearance.

However, Gan Guoyang is not invincible. His foul troubles in the first three quarters prevented him from finding his form.

You finally get into the game and get into a rhythm, then a foul gets you called out.

Hands that have warmed up and feet that have become nimble will cool down after sitting on the bench for a while and need to be restarted.

While objectively speaking, this gave Gan Guoyang enough rest time, the feeling of a player voluntarily leaving the field to rest and adjust according to the plan is completely different from being called off the field when he was playing well and having to passively accept rest.

So, right at the start of the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang attempted a mid-range shot from the outside, and as soon as he took the shot, he knew he had missed; the ball bounced off the front edge of the rim.

"Damn, my hands are getting cold from sitting... I need to get back into shape as soon as possible."

It seems a bit late for him to get back into form in the fourth quarter, especially since Gan Guoyang still had four fouls on his record.

With an 8-point lead, the Celtics proceeded with their offense at a leisurely pace.

Both the Portland fans at the stadium and those outside were extremely nervous; judging from the situation, the Trail Blazers looked to be in serious trouble.

Of course, Portland fans have been through a lot, so they're not too worried; they believe the Trail Blazers will be the ultimate winners.

Whether they can win this match is hard to say; they need to find a way to turn things around.

Gan Guoyang's shooting touch was still average, so he chose to force his way to the basket and score.

However, having lost his explosive power and his weight has also decreased, Gan Guoyang's breakthroughs are not as powerful as they used to be.

The third quarter was his peak, but the referee suppressed it, and it wasn't so easy for him to make a comeback in the fourth quarter.

Moreover, Gan Guoyang had to be careful of his fifth foul, as Steve Javey was watching him like a wolf.

Both teams' shooting percentages declined in the fourth quarter, with both sides missing shots repeatedly, a situation that favored the Celtics.

After three minutes of scoreless play, Steve Nash suddenly forced a three-pointer during the offensive possession.

An unexpected three-pointer, but it went in perfectly. In a relaxed state, Nash made the shot that widened the gap.

11 points! The Celtics are now up by 11 points, and the Rose Garden arena has fallen silent, making the situation even worse.

Carlisle paced back and forth on the sidelines, not pausing abruptly, but waiting to see Forrest's reaction.

Gan Guoyang did not call a timeout. He dribbled the ball across half-court himself, drawing the Celtics' defense.

After missing three consecutive shots, Gan Guoyang needed to take a break.

He first passed the ball to Kobe, and then suddenly cut quickly to the basket.

Kobe dribbled the ball, understood perfectly, and lobbed it to the basket. Gan Guoyang caught the ball, faked a layup, and went for the basket.

Duncan was tricked into jumping, and Gan Guoyang followed up with a layup, scoring and drawing a foul from Duncan.

Duncan was extremely annoyed at being tricked. He clenched his fist and cursed, something he rarely did. This time, he was genuinely remorseful.

Standing at the free-throw line, Gan Guoyang slowed down, took a breath, and made the free throw, bringing the score difference back to 8 points. The score remained unchanged, with the Trail Blazers unable to mount an offensive surge because they couldn't completely shut down the Celtics on the defensive end.

The Celtics were in good form and had made ample preparations before the game, making them much more composed in the face of the Trail Blazers' suddenly intensified double-team defense.

After a timeout by Bellman, the Celtics even executed the Princeton offense, with Ilgauskas orchestrating from the high post and Fox and Nash repeatedly cutting to the basket for scoring opportunities.

One was a direct layup, the other was Nash coming out and passing the ball to the baseline, where Duncan received the ball and made a mid-range jump shot—Duncan rarely shoots from the baseline, but this time he actually made it.

This shows that the Celtics players are truly in form. They played better and better, their game became smoother and smoother, and their confidence grew. For them, this may be a game that will lead to a transformation.

The fans in the arena grew increasingly agitated, but no matter how dire the situation became, no one left the court; the Trail Blazers fans would never leave early.

The TV cameras kept focusing on Gan Guoyang, whose performance in the fourth quarter was mediocre. His shooting touch was off, but he kept trying to keep the score close using various methods.

Other players also struggled offensively, with Kobe and Blake starting to miss shots. Their outside shooting, which was incredibly accurate in the last game, plummeted in this game.

That's how the game goes; every game brings new problems and situations. Of course, the main reason is that Gan Guoyang's fouls disrupted the team's offensive and defensive plans.

If one link in the chain goes wrong, everything else will go wrong.

With two minutes remaining in the game, the Celtics led the Trail Blazers 91-83, still an 8-point advantage.

Tim Duncan received the ball in the low post, turned and attacked Gan Guoyang, looking for physical contact, and twisted his body to shoot!

The ball didn't go in, but Steve Javier blew his whistle again! This time, Gan Guoyang was called for a defensive foul!
At this point, the referee's decision wasn't problematic; Gan Guoyang, whose stamina was waning, was indeed struggling defensively.

The saying goes that youth has its advantages. Duncan was 23 and Gan Guoyang was 36. In the fourth quarter of the fourth game, Duncan gained some advantage.

Gan Guoyang's problem wasn't his physical fitness, but rather that his rhythm was completely disrupted; he spent the entire fourth quarter trying to find his rhythm.

It looks like we're going to lose this match. But it's not a big deal if we lose; it'll just be a bit of a joke from Bellman.

The boasts you make will eventually come true, and in the pivotal Game 5, the Trail Blazers still held the advantage.

However, such self-comfort could not convince Gan Guoyang. He looked up at the timer and saw that there were only 1 minute and 48 seconds left.

Duncan made both free throws, making it 93-83. The Celtics had extended their lead to 10 points, and it seemed like the Trail Blazers' fate was sealed.

Many fans inside and outside the stadium were holding their heads in their hands, trying to accept defeat, but even more were praying for a miracle.

Rick Carlisle called a timeout to rearrange things, but there wasn't much to rearrange.

Kobe stepped forward and said, "Give me the ball, I'll handle this!"

Gan Guoyang threw him a towel to shut him up; it wasn't his turn to speak yet.

Everyone was looking at Gan Guoyang; he had already committed five fouls and was on the verge of being ejected.

Despite such unfavorable conditions tonight, he still managed to score 20 points, grab 11 rebounds, and dish out 3 assists.

But this is far from enough to win; 20 points is a completely unacceptable performance for Gan Guoyang.

Everyone was waiting for Gan Guoyang to speak, including Rick Carlisle. With just over a minute and 10 points, should they continue fighting or surrender and prepare for Game 1?
Gan Guoyang was silent for a moment, then said, "I need your help. I will have possession of the ball, but I need everyone's help. Tactics, screens, rebounds—we still need to unite. We must strive for victory. We will not give up; giving up means the game is over."

Gan Guoyang spoke the above words in a very calm tone. For the Trail Blazers players, they no longer need any grand words to motivate them.

As long as the leader is willing to work hard and try, they will certainly do their duty without hesitation.

Everyone was in poor condition tonight, with many veterans enduring pain and discomfort to persevere.

Sabonis's knee was starting to feel hot, and some fluid was even seeping through the bandage.

Mullin, Brelock, and AC Green were all exhausted, with every joint aching.

For Terry Porter, the Finals were torture; on the defensive end, facing Nash, he felt like a wooden stake.

Their ankles are definitely swollen. Most of them have played 100 games, another season of torture.

The torment accumulated year after year over the previous ten-plus seasons, and as the series progressed, this torment would surface.

Persistence is key; there is no other way to alleviate this. The young Celtics will eventually realize this, but not now.

After the timeout, both teams returned to the court. The Celtics remained vigilant, with Bellman repeatedly reminding them not to make any mistakes.

Berman was both excited and nervous. He knew they had a chance to win, and it would be great if they could bring the series back to Boston.

But there was Forrest Gump on the other side. He kept telling himself that even Forrest Gump wasn't invincible. He wasn't a god.

The game restarted, and Gan Guoyang inbounded the ball from the sideline. The Trail Blazers executed a classic cut-and-push play.

After Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, Sabonis passed it to him. Gan Guoyang turned around, double-teamed, and immediately passed the ball to Kobe, who was cutting to the basket.

Kobe received the ball and easily dunked! The Celtics' defense was to surround Gan Guoyang, and let Kobe score two points if he came in.

The Trail Blazers immediately fouled the Celtics, and Nash went to the free-throw line, making both shots. 95-85.

Nash has a very high free throw percentage, so letting him shoot free throws is basically giving away points, but the Trail Blazers need time.

Unusually, the Trail Blazers had Sabonis dribble the ball across half-court in the middle, and when he reached the top of the key, Gan Guoyang came over to receive the ball.

Using Sabonis's massive frame as a screen, Gan Guoyang took a three-pointer from a step outside the arc!

This was a shot that would decide the fate of the game. If it went in, the Trail Blazers would still have a chance; if it missed, it would be game over.

As a result, the ball drew a beautiful arc and hit the target accurately! Goal! 95:88, the score difference is now 7 points.

The Celtics weren't in a hurry, and the Trail Blazers continued to foul, this time sending Paul Pierce to the free-throw line.

Pierce also had a big heart, making both free throws.

97-88, a nine-point difference. The Trail Blazers need time and speed.

Sabonis dribbled the ball across half-court, and the Celtics came to double-team him. The Trail Blazers couldn't afford any mistakes.

Sabonis immediately passed the ball to Kobe, who drove through the middle to draw the defense and then passed the ball to Blaylock.

Brelock passed the ball again to Gan Guoyang in the left corner, a position Gan Guoyang rarely plays.

He received the ball and shot directly over Fox's defense! The ball had a beautiful arc, but it bounced off the edge of the rim after falling.

Gan Guoyang's heart tightened; if this didn't go in, it would be all over. But because of the high arc, the ball still fell downwards and into the basket!

Goal! Another three-pointer! 97-91, the gap has been narrowed to only 6 points.

The Rose Garden arena erupted in cheers, and Bellman immediately called a timeout, saying they couldn't let Forrest Gump keep shooting like that.

One minute, six points, the hope of victory reappeared. Gan Guoyang went off the court to drink water and breathed a sigh of relief.

Honestly, the second shot was pure luck; corner three-pointers are not Gan Guoyang's forte.

He can no longer have the same level of confidence as when he was younger, saying, "I can definitely score this ball."

Now he can only guess and shoot, and when he makes a shot, he thinks to himself that he's lucky.

The good news is that he realized his shooting touch was back, finally back.

The pacing was excellent; in just three rounds, everyone quickly rallied and worked hard to create a miracle.

Bellman repeatedly emphasized defense, which meant marking Forrest Gump, while Rick Carlisle devised tactics to create opportunities for Forrest.

Then, after the timeout, the Celtics inbounded the ball, and the Trail Blazers stopped fouling and instead focused on defending one player.

The crucial defense had everyone on edge.

Nash received the ball, and after a series of passes on the perimeter, it eventually reached Tim Duncan in the low post on the left.

This play could be the game-winner, Duncan drives hard to Gan Guoyang in the low post!
Duncan was in great form. He dribbled and turned repeatedly, found an open shot, and made a half-hook, half-float shot with his right hand!

He aimed for the white rim of the backboard and his shot felt good. Gan Guoyang, having committed 5 fouls, didn't dare to put in much effort to defend.

However, Kobe came to help defend from the side and rear, jumped high, and blocked Duncan's shot once again!

Duncan reacted quickly, managing to catch the ball in mid-air, but Gan Guoyang was just as quick, managing to grab it as well.

The two players scrambled for the ball, and the referee immediately blew his whistle, signaling a contest for the ball.

Duncan was very frustrated, as Kobe had blocked the shot from behind again.

In the free-throw line, Gan Guoyang and Argan were battling for the ball. They touched the ball almost simultaneously, but Gan Guoyang's finger strength was stronger, and he flicked the ball towards Sabonis.

Sabonis used his height to get the ball, controlled possession, and then passed it to Kobe, who quickly crossed half-court.

Duncan also stopped going to the basket and stayed close to Gan Guoyang the whole time, preventing him from receiving the ball beyond the three-point line.

Gan Guoyang made a full effort to shake off Duncan, received the ball two steps outside the three-point line, and then immediately rushed inside.

Duncan stayed close behind, and at that moment, Gan Guoyang suddenly stopped, stepped back, and forced a shot from a step beyond the three-point line!
Duncan took a difficult shot and tried his best to block it, but he couldn't stop and crashed into Gan Guoyang.

The referee immediately blew his whistle; the foul was too obvious, and Steve Javey was trying to get his revenge. He might get beaten up by the fans after the game.

Duncan committed a three-point foul, but the ball still flew precisely towards the basket, piercing through the rim! It's in! A three-pointer, plus a free throw!

Gan Guoyang had a chance to score four points, and the crowd went wild again. Amazingly, Gan hit three three-pointers in a row and scored four points!

Duncan looked helpless. He closed his eyes and reflected, "What kind of situation is this? Why did I commit a foul?" Even the usually calm Duncan lost his composure.

Gan Guoyang stepped to the free-throw line and made the shot, making it 97-95. The score difference was reduced to two points with 26 seconds left in the game.

At this point, the Celtics had no timeouts left, while the Trail Blazers had one. The Celtics had to score, otherwise they would definitely give the Trail Blazers time to counterattack.

Berman was giving loud instructions from the sidelines, telling Steve Nash to pass the ball to Paul Pierce, but the arena was too noisy and Nash didn't seem to hear him.

He dribbled past half-court and waited on the perimeter. Even if he ran out of 24 seconds, it wouldn't work. If he left 2 seconds, the Trail Blazers could call a timeout and win the game.

They absolutely must score a goal. If they score a goal, the Celtics will have a sure win, and the advantage will still be in their hands.

With only 7 seconds left on the clock, Duncan set a screen, and Nash drove to the basket, only to be surrounded by Brellock and Gan Guoyang, causing the ball to bounce off his foot.

The ball rolled out of bounds! The Trail Blazers have possession! The referee gave the Trail Blazers possession without hesitation. Nash made a fatal mistake at the last moment, leaving the Trail Blazers with 5 seconds left.

Carlisle immediately called a timeout. The entire Rose Garden and Portland were on the verge of exploding with excitement. They had a chance to pull off a stunning comeback in the final moments!

Everyone's hearts were pounding, but all the fans believed that Forrest Gump could score, he definitely could, just like he had done so many times before.

Time ticked by, and everyone knew who would make the final play. The Celtics would be on high alert, but Carlisle still had to find a way.

“I’m going to use this tactic…” Carlisle began drawing on the tactics board.

The timeout passed quickly, and the game entered its most exciting and thrilling moment.

Will this game decide the series' outcome? It'll be 2-2 or 3-1. It all comes down to this final point.

Surprisingly, Gan Guoyang's throw-in left the Celtics' defense somewhat bewildered.

When Forrest Gump throws the ball in from the sideline, isn't Forrest Gump the one who gets to make the final play?

There was no time to think it through; the referee had already blown the whistle. Gan Guoyang inbounded the ball, Kobe came out of his way, and Blake came out of his way, but Gan Guoyang didn't pass it to either of them.

Finally, it was Sabonis again. The towering figure received the ball, and Gan Guoyang served a high ball, avoiding the Celtics' interception!
At this moment, Kobe had already circled around the perimeter and was heading straight for the basket. Sabonis received the ball and, without hesitation, made a beautiful through pass to Kobe under the basket!

Kobe had a chance to go for a layup and tie the game, but Duncan had already realized this. He had rushed to the basket and joined Pierce in chasing and blocking Kobe. Kobe did not force a layup, but instead went around to the basket.

This was part of the tactical plan. The real finishing touch was that Gan Guoyang, who had already run to the right 45-degree angle and was ready to receive the ball and shoot, was delivered to that position by Kobe with a cannonball-like through ball.

With no one watching Gan Guoyang, the Celtics' man-to-man defense system was in disarray. They didn't expect Gan Guoyang to inbound the ball, and they certainly didn't expect Kobe to pass to the outside instead of seizing the opportunity that was right under the basket.

The closest player to Gan Guoyang was Steve Nash, who desperately rushed over to try and disrupt the shot, but it was all in vain.

Gan Guoyang received the ball smoothly and launched a three-pointer from a very comfortable position and with a very comfortable rhythm. The ball flew towards the center of the basket with an undeniable spin and arc.

As the ball flew through the air, the whole world seemed to freeze. Everything stopped; people's breathing, heartbeats, blinking, speaking, and even the rotation of the sun, moon, and stars temporarily gave way to this ball.

The entire city of Portland was encased in a one-second time capsule, a one-second stripped from the timeline, a one-second dedicated solely to the fate of this ball's ascent and descent.

One second later, the ball descended in a high arc, and the fans near the basket heard a pleasant "swish" sound. The ball went in cleanly and crisply, as if time had stopped.

The Rose Garden Arena, Portland, and indeed the entire city of Oregon erupted in cheers, an unimaginable roar echoing through the sky as Gan Guoyang sank the game-changing three-pointer.

The Trail Blazers led 97-98 with one second remaining, and the Celtics had no timeouts left.

They could only make a desperate inbound pass, and then Rick Fox launched a completely unpredictable long-range three-pointer, breaking his 100% three-point shooting percentage record for the night, though he didn't seem to care much.

The ball landed, the buzzer sounded, time was up, and the game ended.

The Trail Blazers, with a one-point lead, miraculously reversed the game at home to defeat the Celtics.

Leading 3-1 in the finals, they are just one win away from the 2000 championship!
The championship was not yet in hand, but the fans in the stadium could not contain their excitement and rushed onto the field.

Gan Guoyang was swallowed up by the crowd, and soon he was lifted up.

Soon, his jersey disappeared.

Soon, his pants were gone too.

(End of this chapter)