The Suns maintained a strong offensive presence throughout the entire game tonight, with the Trail Blazers unable to suppress them.
Fans who frequently watch games can tell that if several players on a team perform smoothly at the start, they often hit critical shots during the pivotal moments.
However, if they struggle initially, unless a few superstars manage to adjust in the final stages to redeem themselves with crucial shots, in most cases, they still miss under immense pressure during key moments.
This is because a player’s condition in a game is continuous, so the defense on a player throughout a game is often a systematic endeavor.
Once they are not contained at the start, it becomes increasingly difficult to control them as the game progresses.
The Trail Blazers’ strategy tonight proved ineffective, and the Suns’ situation is quite different from that of the Supersonics.
The Suns are a completely offensive team. They’ve decided to focus on offense rather than defense, unlike the Supersonics.
In the end, everyone had a great shooting touch. I am ahead, and I am better than you, making it increasingly difficult for Gan Guoyang to turn things around.
A risky three-pointer missed, and Barkley grabbed the rebound, immediately advancing to launch a counterattack.
He passed to Johnson, who returned the pass to Barkley. Barkley soared high, facing Gan’s defense, and scored a left-handed layup!
He also drew a defensive foul from Gan Guoyang. After scoring, Barkley sat on the floor, raised his arms, and roared, venting years of frustration against Gan.
But Barkley quickly calmed down, knowing the game wasn’t over yet, and that even winning tonight only makes it 1:0.
There’s still a long way to go to truly defeat Gan.
Pulled up by teammates, Barkley stood on the free-throw line and made the free throw.
With this basket, Barkley had already tallied 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists in the game.
The score wasn’t particularly high when facing Gan one-on-one, and it was difficult to tally high points.
However, Barkley was very efficient. He didn’t take many shots, only shooting when confident.
The rest of the time, he created opportunities for teammates, and his 6 assists were just data, with many efforts not reflected statistically.
His high-post playmaking, developed under Paul Westphal, was quite effective. In contrast, Sabonis’s only flaw was his shorter stature, affecting his vision.
Gan Guoyang shook his head. After scoring consecutively earlier without missing, a turnover led to a fast-break, and the three-point play increased the gap to 6 points.
This illustrates the issue of a small margin for error, making the whole game a struggle and grueling experience.
The Trail Blazers called a timeout, while the Suns, aware of Gan’s fearsome capabilities, substituted Salley and West back in.
Gan Guoyang had already scored 35 points, yet this seemed insufficient for victory.
After the timeout, the Trail Blazers aimed for a three-point play.
However, the Suns fully defended against the three-pointer, willingly leaving the paint open rather than allowing the Trail Blazers to shoot threes.
Gan Guoyang could only pass inside. Sabonis received Gan’s pass and scored a two-pointer under the basket.
The Suns were indifferent to this, as a 4-point lead was enough for them to maintain until securing the victory.
The Trail Blazers had to resort to fouling, and Kevin Johnson made both free throws.
The Trail Blazers ran out of time, as Gan Guoyang’s final three-pointer missed.
The game ended; the Trail Blazers lost their first Western Conference Finals match 113-119 to the Suns, trailing by 6 points.
After seizing the victory, the Phoenix media didn’t act smugly like Seattle’s.
Instead, their commentators and experts reported that "the series has just begun."
It’s apparent that the entire Phoenix team is fully prepared for this Western Finals.
From the lineup to tactics to mentality, the Suns showed little excitement over this victory.
Charles Barkley, unusually calm, said in an interview, "We’ve taken a small step, just a small step. It doesn’t mean anything. Of course, we played well tonight, showcasing our level, a culmination of a season’s accumulation, which is more commendable than the victory itself."
When a person undergoes numerous setbacks and hardships, they become humble and respectful.
It’s not because they become timid, but because they understand the cost of success.
As you climb upward step by step with that heavy burden on your shoulders, arrogance naturally departs from you.
On the other hand, things weren’t looking good for the Trail Blazers. Porter and Petrović’s leg injuries were worsening.
This consistently made them a step slower than their opponents during the game, whether on offense or defense, which was extremely detrimental.
The Suns are inherently a speed-oriented team, and when the guards couldn’t keep up, they were at a disadvantage on both ends.
In the first game, Kevin Johnson delivered 29 points and 6 assists, a rare outstanding performance by him against the Trail Blazers in the playoffs.
At night, after returning to the hotel, the Trail Blazers, as a whole, were filled with fatigue.
Calvin diligently performed his physiotherapy work, going from room to room to inquire about the players’ physical conditions.
Calvin eventually knocked on Gan Guoyang’s room door, but it was Beelman who answered.
It seemed like Beelman was discussing tactical issues with Gan Guoyang.
After entering, Calvin reported on the players’ conditions to both of them:
"Sabonis’s knee is somewhat swollen, and Petrović’s knee is in pain. I’ve given them both ice packs for a while and done massages and physiotherapy. Porter’s situation doesn’t look good. He’s been pushing himself too hard; I think he should play no more than 20 minutes in the next game. Curry’s ankle is feeling uncomfortable, an old issue. Reggie’s back is still sore, and I think he should have his heart checked; his heart isn’t great. Didn’t you notice his stamina issues in recent games?"