The Bulls’ league-best perimeter trapping is making it very difficult for Porter, leaving him unable to score over 40 points in a game like he did against Stockton in the West Finals.
At this point, Sabonis is in the low post, and according to the regular strategy, Gan Guoyang will come to the high post to receive the ball and coordinate, as the Trail Blazers run a Princeton offense.
Buck-Williams or Pippen will definitely stick close to Gan Guoyang, not giving him the opportunity for a surprise three-pointer, as Gan Guoyang’s three-point shot from the top of the arc is deadly.
Williams is indeed sticking to Gan Guoyang, and as expected, Gan Guoyang moves to the arc to receive the ball, and Williams sticks to him.
At this moment, Gan Guoyang spins, makes a clever step-back dribble, then suddenly accelerates with the ball, directly charging into the Three Second Zone!
An unexpected ball-handling breakthrough, his speed is very fast, with big strides, moving faster than the ball, catching up with it after two steps to the basket.
Cartwright couldn’t even fill the gap in time, and Gan Guoyang had already soared into the air, finishing with a one-handed slam dunk!
The Bulls’ defense is quite tight, but to prevent Gan Guoyang’s three-pointers, there is a gap at the top.
Just such a gap was sliced into like a knife by Gan Guoyang, succeeding in his breakthrough.
Fast, very fast, explosive, steps, unexpectedly quick.
On the court, the only one faster than Gan Guoyang in this move was Michael Jordan.
But Jordan knows he wouldn’t be so reckless; he’s a guard and needs to avoid the shot-blocking center.
Gan Guoyang doesn’t need that; he’s a spear, piercing directly into the heart of the Bulls.
Phil Jackson stood up; this was just the first attack, but he had a bad feeling.
The Bulls are still running their steady Triangle Offense, with Jordan receiving the ball at the 45-degree angle on the left side, still defended by Reggie Lewis.
Breakthrough with the left hand, middle lane, the Trail Blazers shrink in, Jordan opts for a pull-up jumper that misses.
Sabonis grabs the defensive rebound and passes it to Gan Guoyang, who receives it near the midline.
Upon receiving the ball, he immediately accelerates, again making a large stride forward, his dribbling as coordinated and vigorous as a guard’s.
He charges directly to the basket, looking to score against Pippen’s defense, and even draws a foul on Pippen! Plus one!
The Rose Garden Arena erupts in excitement, with Bill Schonely already starting to chant Rip-city, though Portland fans are also somewhat bewildered.
Is this Ah Gan? Although in past games he would occasionally perform such guard-like offenses, tonight’s consecutive plays seem a bit exaggerated, don’t they?
He makes the additional free throw, and Phil Jackson whistles from the sideline, reminding the players to tighten up, as those last few offensive plays were too relaxed.
Cartwright posts up against Sabonis in the low post, but after some shuffling, he ends up passing to Jordan at the baseline corner, who breaks through to the basket and scores with a banked floater.
The Trail Blazers quickly inbound the ball in the backcourt, passing it past half court and again to Gan Guoyang. He uses skillful dribbling to evade Buck-Williams’ interference, even using a behind-the-back dribble to tease Buck.
After shaking off Buck, the Bulls’ defense scrambled again, necessitating someone to step up to help. Pippen came over to assist, so Gan Guoyang made a bounce pass to the cutting Lewis, who charged into the basket and completed a two-handed slam dunk!
The Bulls are somewhat flustered. What’s going on? Isn’t Ah Gan playing the four position? Is he now playing the point guard?
But immediately, Gan Guoyang performed a one-on-two defense under the basket.
Pippen made a baseline drive, and Gan Guoyang came over to help defend.
Pippen passed to Buck-Williams under the basket.
Buck-Williams received the ball, intending to score, but Gan Guoyang knocked the ball away with a chops block.
Successfully stolen, without hesitation, without passing, Gan Guoyang once again initiated his fast-break attack.
Jordan and Pippen came over to stop him, but Gan Guoyang simply used his body to break through them.
The referee’s whistle blew, calling a blocking foul on Pippen, his second foul.
Game over, Jackson had to substitute Pippen out. In only three minutes, the Bulls’ rhythm was completely thrown off.
This guy Ah Gan, what kind of out-of-this-world basketball is he playing? Has he been possessed by the Magic?
Not even the Magic would be this decisive.
His offensive initiation is so high up, often starting once he crosses the half-court, if not before, catching the Bulls’ players off guard.
No time for respite, this doesn’t fit the current game rhythm version.
Basketball in the 80s wasn’t played this way; the 80s didn’t need to defend the three-point line, and centers weren’t this skilled at dribbling.
"Sonny, what are you doing." The Trail Blazers’ sideline ball, Jordan asked Gan Guoyang.
"I’m playing basketball, Michael." Gan Guoyang replied.
"You didn’t play like this before. Will you keep charging like this continuously? You’ll wear yourself out."
"Michael, you really don’t understand me anymore."
Saying this, Gan Guoyang received an inbound pass from Porter, positioned at mid-court.
This position generally wouldn’t be attacked, especially by inside players, it’s usually just a transitional pass.
Yet Gan Guoyang received the ball and accelerated forward, with Buck-Williams preparing for a defensive retreat.
Gan Guoyang suddenly stopped, made a beautiful between-the-legs move, and pulled back, causing Williams to stagger and sit awkwardly on the ground.
Gan Guoyang quickly aimed at the basket, jumped, and shot, making the two-pointer!
The whole process was seamless and exceptionally smooth, leaving Williams as the backdrop decoration.
After the score, Gan Guoyang shrugged at Jordan, saying, "I told you Michael, you don’t understand me anymore."
Jordan chewed his gum vigorously, thinking damn it, Ah Gan, did you steal my skill set?
But as the first quarter progressed and the game delved deeper, Jordan quickly realized that Gan Guoyang didn’t merely steal his guard-level offensive skills.
He was playing in a different, unconventional way, one that didn’t align with the current rhythm or mode of the game.
He and the other nine players seemed to not even be on the same plane.
Jordan remembered that before, when ten players were on the court, he and Gan were on the same plane.
Watching video replays, the two of them, whether in speed or movement, stood out distinctively from others.
Now, Ah Gan seemed to have moved to another plane, a place unreachable to anyone else.
Even he, Michael Jordan, couldn’t reach it.