The Bulls attempted to start the game by having Grant go one-on-one in the low post.
Grant received the ball, used his footwork to face the basket, and bypassed Sabonis.
But his final hook shot was blocked by Gan Guoyang and went off target.
Gan Guoyang turned and grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Trail Blazers launched a counterattack.
Porter was blocked on the perimeter by the Bulls and passed the ball to the trailing Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang, holding the ball on the perimeter, organized the offense.
This was the strategy that defeated the Bulls in last year’s finals.
This season, Phil Jackson practiced defending it multiple times during training.
It basically requires Jordan, Pippen, and Grant, the three best defenders, to guard step by step.
But this time Gan Guoyang wasn’t in a hurry to attack, instead passing the ball to Sabonis in the low post.
Sabonis turned around and hooked the ball in for two points. The Trail Blazers took the lead, 4-0.
The Bulls couldn’t find their footing, and BJ Armstrong attempted a three-pointer from outside.
It missed, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the defensive rebound, providing another counterattack opportunity.
Petrović and Gan Guoyang performed a high pick-and-roll play, with Gan Guoyang rolling down.
Petrović didn’t pass but drove in from the middle and executed a jump shot, scoring.
Facing Jordan, Petrović played with great confidence.
This was his first shot since returning, and he made it.
It was clear that his focus was high, and his level of engagement was strong.
During the month he was sidelined due to injury, he never dropped his pace in training.
He practiced his shooting to maintain his touch, while also engaging in low-intensity contact training with teammates.
His sparring partner was none other than Mario Ely, with whom he previously hadn’t had a great rapport.
The two played similar positions and were of similar age; one attacked while the other defended, making them good training partners.
The mental barriers they once held dissolved as the season progressed.
Their mutual love of basketball turned them into good friends.
With another 2 points, the Trail Blazers were in a strong position and the Bulls urgently needed to score.
From the bench, Phil Jackson shook his head.
He detested such beginnings whenever facing the Trail Blazers.
Once the Trail Blazers gained momentum, no team in the league could overturn it.
Since Ah Gan joined the Trail Blazers, their games have seen very few comebacks.
Once they lead, they suppress firmly, making a comeback very challenging.
Any victory against the Trail Blazers demanded relentless effort and a stroke of luck.
This wasn’t the first confrontation between the Bulls and the Trail Blazers.
Pre-game advice was to seize the initiative and secure an early lead.
Now, after three exchanges, they dug themselves a small hole.
There’s no choice; that’s how games go, with plans never keeping pace with change.
Faced with this, Jackson refused to let it continue.
Known for allowing players to resolve issues independently, this time he called a quick timeout.
"We need to score, score, score! What the hell are you doing? Didn’t you listen to the pre-game XXXX?"
Jackson’s voice carried a hint of anger, and he started swearing.
This season, his temper with the Bulls had grown.
Forget all the Zen, forget Buddhism; without victory or a championship, it’s all nonsense.
Just look at Bobby Berman opposite him, who could practically compile a "Profanity Sutra" with his curses.
Clinging to Ah Gan’s coattail, he secured three consecutive championships and went along to Barcelona to snag a gold medal.
His luck truly was something.
Yet Jackson wasn’t aware that Berman had also begun exploring Eastern philosophy lately.
It just goes to show that people often recognize their own shortcomings in others.
After the timeout, Pippen cut to the basket and received a pass from Jordan.
But his layup was swatted out of bounds by Sabonis.
The Twin Towers remained a tormenting obstacle for the Bulls when facing the Trail Blazers.
The possession stayed with the Bulls, and after much effort, Pippen finally used his individual skill to score a floater.
Gan Guoyang didn’t come over to provide additional defense; during the regular season, he was no longer fixated on single play outcomes.
He quickly moved to the right corner and completed a pick-and-roll with Petrović, received the pass from Petrović, and made a three-pointer!
A fast and accurate three-point shot brought the score to 9-2. The Trail Blazers had the upper hand and aimed to widen the gap.
Jordan hadn’t attempted any shots so far; he was consciously holding back, preserving his firepower for later.
In the finals of ’91 and ’92, Jordan had been dragged into endurance duels by Gan Guoyang more than once.
Each time Ah Gan set up the pace and launched into a scoring frenzy, Jordan found himself unable to outlast Ah Gan’s energy.
It wasn’t that Jordan lacked stamina; his endurance was of the highest quality, seemingly endless.
But Ah Gan was even more advanced, his stamina appearing limitless.
He could maintain a rhythm and intensity from the first quarter to the last.
Who could withstand that? Who could keep up?
This time, Jordan calmed himself down at the start.
He didn’t rush into attack to level the game and continued to organize on the perimeter.
But the rest of the Bulls weren’t in great form tonight.
BJ Armstrong even tripped himself while dribbling.
If Porter hadn’t knocked the ball out of bounds, it would’ve been another turnover for the Bulls.
Armstrong soon received a pass from Jordan after a drive and made a mid-range jumper.
"Stay calm and sink the shots you’re supposed to make!"
Jordan used his organization skills to stabilize the situation, showing his maturity and growth from the past.
Right after, Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, was double-teamed, and passed to the cutting Porter.
Porter then passed to the wide-open Sabonis on the wing, who was about to go up for a dunk.
Jordan suddenly flew from behind and blocked Sabonis’ sure-thing dunk with a big rejection!