The Supersonics were still too young, following the Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang’s lead, rather than "being led by themselves".
In the second half, the Supersonics had to shift into a frantic catch-up mode, but catching up to the Trail Blazers was incredibly difficult.
The margin for error was too low; Ah Gan was always ready to deliver a crushing blow at critical moments, forcefully suppressing the Supersonics’ momentum.
At the same time, fighting away from home, the referees’ calls favored the Trail Blazers, making it even tougher for the Supersonics.
Even so, the Supersonics managed to close the gap to just 5 points at one point in the second half.
However, in the fourth quarter, Petrović suddenly exploded, partnering with Gan Guoyang for successive pick-and-roll plays.
Together, they scored 14 points in five minutes, once again outpacing the Supersonics with their offensive efficiency.
107:115, the Trail Blazers claimed the second game with an 8-point advantage, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
After the second game ended, Karl left the court without saying anything to Gan Guoyang.
At the post-game press conference, Karl said: "See you in Seattle. Honestly, the Trail Blazers are still strong, but we don’t fear them. A week later, the series will look different."
Karl was as bold as ever, but what he said was indeed the truth.
Even though the Trail Blazers led 2-0, both wins weren’t easy.
In fact, those victories relied more on tactics and experience, rather than sheer strength.
Gan Guoyang still had a dominating performance, scoring 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in the second game, achieving another triple-double.
However, aside from Gan Guoyang, the performances of others became increasingly unstable.
After the second game, Terry Porter’s calf injury flared up again.
After examination, the team doctor confirmed that Porter wouldn’t be able to travel with the team to Seattle.
This left the Trail Blazers’ backcourt stretched thin, prompting media criticism that management should have signed another guard instead of acquiring the not-so-useful Bernard King.
The Trail Blazers could only take two point guards to Seattle, and unlike the regular season, in the playoffs, Beelman had to balance Petrović and Curry’s playing time carefully.
Moreover, Petrović was also injured; if he had to sit out again, the Trail Blazers’ backcourt would be in shambles.
In the past few years of pursuing the championship, the Trail Blazers had rarely been troubled by injuries.
The core players had always been healthy, partly due to good medical management and partly due to luck.
But luck always runs out; this year, the Trail Blazers were destined to go through the playoffs amid injury problems.
The Supersonics were different; they were very young, with not enough game experience to feel fatigued.
Returning to Seattle, they seemed recharged, accumulating the emotions of the first two games, launching a fierce attack on the Trail Blazers.
Seattle fans were as crazy as Portland fans; the two cities had always had a competitive relationship.
Fans at KeyArena shouted desperately, disrupting every offensive, free throw, and defensive play of the Trail Blazers.
In the third game, the Trail Blazers showed their vulnerability, playing in a disjointed manner without Porter.
Gan Guoyang had to shoulder too much responsibility in offense, defense, and organization; he couldn’t score 100 points alone in a game.
The Supersonics achieved a big win in the third game, 94:114, securing a 20-point victory at home.
When the game ended, the entire arena was cheering, assaulting the Trail Blazers players with crazy noise.
In an interview, Gan Guoyang said: "A terrible loss, rare in my career. But I’ll quickly forget it. Whether it’s a win or a loss, once it happens, it’s a fact, indisputable, no need to dwell on it. Next game, prepare for the next game."
Reporters had conducted many interviews with Gan Guoyang after wins, but very few after losses.
The media across the country extensively reported on the Trail Blazers’ rare big loss, attacking the weakness of the king.
The sports world always has this tendency; when the wins are impressive, there’s a lot of hype, as if they can sweep the opponent immediately.
But once a game is lost and weaknesses are exposed, it’s as if the sky is falling, immediately predicting a series of defeats.
In fact, when facing a strong opponent, quick wins or losses are both incorrect; one must be prepared for a prolonged battle.
In recent years, the Trail Blazers had achieved quick victories in the Western Conference, leaving opponents with no chance to fight back.
This season, the team declined significantly, encountering more back-and-forth, and even being beaten quite badly by opponents.
The fourth game was still in KeyArena; after winning the third game, the Supersonics were extremely motivated.
They had tremendous fighting spirit at home, losing just eight games at KeyArena in the regular season.
Their home win rate was 80%, 27% higher than their away win rate, typical of a team strong at home.
In this game, the Supersonics once again unleashed their full power, and at KeyArena, their offensive level automatically increased by 30%.
The Supersonics leveraged their strong momentum, continuously attacking the interior at the start.
With the support of the home whistle, they had already drawn two fouls on Ah Gan in the first quarter.
Gan Guoyang had to sit out early, collapsing the Trail Blazers’ offense and defense instantaneously.
At halftime, the Trail Blazers were trailing by 11 points again; the Supersonics’ relentless offense and defense were suffocating.
George Karl got smarter, deliberately slowing down the pace in the third quarter to conserve energy for the fourth quarter.
Gan Guoyang initiated a counterattack in the fourth quarter, repeatedly hitting mid-range jumpers, narrowing the gap to 1 point.
But Glen Rice hit two consecutive three-pointers at critical moments, which were devastating for the Trail Blazers.
Glen Rice hit four three-pointers in this game, setting his personal playoff record for three-point shooting.