This way, they can avoid the Trail Blazers for a bit longer, increasing the chances of reaching the West Finals.
George Karl was quite bold, openly stating that if they had to beat the Trail Blazers anyway, they might as well face them sooner!
The first game started quickly, and the Trail Blazers, having won possession, began their first attack.
They positioned themselves with dual-flank setup, with Gan Guoyang and Sabonis setting screens left and right in low-post positions.
Their plan was to use their height and strength advantage inside to overpower the Supersonics’ interior.
The ball was passed to Sabonis in the low post, and the Supersonics quickly double-teamed him with great speed.
Sabonis made a behind-the-head pass to the cutting Porter, tightly followed by Payton.
Porter had no chance, so he passed to the other side to Ah Gan, but the ball was intercepted by Payton!
Right from their first attack, the Trail Blazers’ offense was disrupted by the Supersonics’ defense.
"That’s illegal defense!"
Gan Guoyang shouted to the referee, putting pressure on him.
The Supersonics obviously had the intent to trap in advance.
Especially in the center, Derek McKey almost completely ignored his defender, keeping an eye on Sabonis and Gan Guoyang, ready to double-team at any time.
McKey’s excellent wingspan posed a significant defensive threat; he averaged 1.4 steals per game in the regular season.
From the first attack, it was evident that the Supersonics had put in quite the effort in preparation.
But Gan Guoyang immediately returned the favor on defense by giving McKey a big block.
Lewis deliberately left the middle open for McKey to break through, and McKey’s floater was firmly blocked by Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang’s mobility and exceptional defensive anticipation mean that the Supersonics’ forwards will not have an easy night.
Compared to last season, the Supersonics players have indeed matured a lot.
While their defense is still aggressive, they have significantly reduced reckless actions.
Against some of the Trail Blazers’ cunning tactical deceptions, the Supersonics stuck unwaveringly to their defensive strategy.
Gary Payton remained a faithful fan and friend of Ah Gan, but he refused to communicate with Gan Guoyang before the game.
He also kept the naive Kemp away, not allowing him to talk to Ah Gan.
"If you want to win, don’t talk to this guy. Let’s win the series first."
Payton was well aware of Gan Guoyang’s fearsome mental tactics and knew better than to fall into that trap.
Moreover, Gan Guoyang didn’t intend to apply psychological pressure; the series hadn’t progressed to that point yet.
Both sides showed low success rates in shooting during the first quarter, with defensive play being solid and cautious.
Both teams made every effort to disrupt the passing organization process.
The Supersonics employed swift switches and traps, exerting immense pressure on the ball handler.
The Trail Blazers’ main strategy was to set traps for the ball handler, leading them toward Ah Gan.
They eased off on the pressure against the midpoint ball handler, often allowing them to carry the ball into the Three Second Zone.
The result was that when an attempt was made to attack the basket, Ah Gan would ghost over and deliver a powerful block.
After the opening four minutes, the score was unbelievably tied at 2:2, with all points coming from free throws.
"Both teams are playing very cautiously and intensely, with a focus on defense far exceeding that of the regular season. Let’s see if Ah Gan can break the deadlock on the offensive end,"
Trail Blazers’ commentator Bill Schonely could feel the tight playoff atmosphere, completely different from the regular season.
During the regular season, the Trail Blazers often had defensive lapses, but tonight their defense was watertight from the start; it’s unknown how long this can be maintained.
The Supersonics did not opt for outside shooting despite suffering several blocks, refusing to give up on attacking the interior.
George Karl had made the strategy clear pregame: attack the inside on offense, and never avoid the Twin Towers out of fear.
"When you intentionally avoid an opponent’s strengths, you’re already halfway to losing the game!"
Karl’s strategy was the right one.
The Supersonics did not shy away from the formidable Twin Towers of the Trail Blazers.
Kemp received the ball from Perkins on the outside, with a chance to take a jump shot.
But he didn’t take the shot; instead, he faked a move, then drove with the ball down the middle, aggressively attacking Sabonis’s rim protection.
Kemp, with his powerful drives and deceptive moves in the air, scored a layup for two points.
A beautiful attack, showing the steady improvement of this high school player, Kemp, season after season.
For the Trail Blazers, Petrović’s three-point attempt missed, and the Supersonics launched a fast break.
Ricky Pierce received the pass and accelerated, driving for a layup against Ah Gan’s block.
The ball rolled off his fingertips, circled the rim, and fell into the net.
The Supersonics took an early 6:2 lead, and the Trail Blazers needed to score.
With an advantage, the Supersonics pressed on, trapping and pressuring Porter.
Payton switched to defend Reggie Lewis, while McKey subjected Porter to one-on-one high-pressure defense.
This season, the Supersonics have consistently employed a defensive style characterized by pressurizing the ball handler with bigger players, disrupting the opponent’s organization.
Gan Guoyang quickly came out to receive near the three-point line and suddenly made an inside pass to the cutting Lewis.
Lewis received the ball, shrugged off Payton, and drove to score a layup; inside, Payton was helpless.
Even with a full jump, he couldn’t block Lewis’s layup.
The first quarter was a neck-to-neck battle for both teams.
The Supersonics maintained about a 4-point lead throughout.
The Trail Blazers played steadily, with Gan Guoyang consistently controlling the pace.
The coaching staff, when formulating the strategy, hoped the team could minimize turnovers against the Supersonics.
Stress due to aggressive Supersonics defense could not cause impatience, as increased turnovers would provide the Supersonics too many counterattack opportunities.
However, the Supersonics also appeared to be playing very consistently, showing none of the recklessness they exhibited last year.