It always seemed sunny there, the sunshine delightful, the breeze gentle and the days bright, every shot would go in...
Thinking of this, Gan Guoyang finally fell asleep, with a sense of unease and uncontrollable anxiety.
However, the next day everything was fine, a calm day passing without games, Portland didn’t rain, it was a bright sunny day.
The team organized a simple practice. Holding a 2:0 lead and back at home court, everyone was relaxed.
On the game day of June 14th, the Trail Blazers players came to the Rose Garden Arena full of confidence.
This playoffs, they’ve remained undefeated at home, including the Western Conference finals where they beat the Phoenix Suns twice in Portland.
Those two games shattered the Suns’ resistance, and the subsequent victories just followed naturally.
When the players from both sides took the court, Drexler was booed loudly by the crowd, the boos lasting until the game started.
Even now, many Portland fans consider Drexler a traitor, his betrayal ruined the Trail Blazers’ chances for an eight-peat.
Imagine if Drexler hadn’t left, in 1989 they wouldn’t have lost to the Lakers, and in 1990, the Trail Blazers, with Sabonis and Petrović, would have been so powerful.
Moreover, with Drexler there, the Trail Blazers wouldn’t have traded Hornacek and Divac to get Lewis, making the lineup more rational and deep.
It could be said that Drexler’s departure changed everything, they could have been the Boston Celtics of the 80s and 90s, consistently winning championships.
Of course, the current situation isn’t bad either, Drexler got what he wanted, he faced the Portland fans’ criticism with a calm smile.
Before the game, Drexler had a deep conversation with Olajuwon, who mentioned the 1986 Western Conference finals.
Back then, the Trail Blazers had a 2:0 lead over the Rockets, Olajuwon and Sampson decided to join forces tightly, and as a result, they won three consecutive games, almost toppling the Trail Blazers.
It was the most thrilling series on the Trail Blazers’ championship journey, also a series that almost changed history, after that the two players and the two teams went on different fates.
"Now, we also need to unite closely, home or away is not a problem, we can win in Portland."
Olajuwon had already recovered from the painful defeat in the second game, he was sure he wasn’t as good as Ah Gan, but it didn’t mean the team couldn’t win.
Olajuwon’s determination inspired Drexler, before the game Drexler said, "I don’t know if we’ll win or lose, but in Portland, I will never leave myself with regrets."
This calm and determined mindset allowed the Heat to withstand the Trail Blazers’ tidal wave of attacks at the start of the third game.
Returning to their home court, the Trail Blazers were spirited, they seemed a bit anxious, wanting to quickly defeat the Heat and establish an early advantage for the win.
After all, winning this one would mean a 3:0 lead, leaving no suspense over the championship, crowning would be just a matter of time.
But the Heat withstood the Trail Blazers’ offense with a tough defense and a desperate fight, and led in the first quarter.
Drexler, once criticized for not defending, contributed outstanding individual defense and rebounding, treating himself like a power forward constantly rushing inside to grab offensive rebounds.
In the first two games, the Heat suffered greatly on rebounds, facing the Trail Blazers’ Twin Towers, Drexler played fearlessly in the third game.
By the second quarter, the Heat gradually took the upper hand, Beelman called a timeout to make adjustments.
"The series isn’t over, what the hell are you playing? Is the championship already in hand? How many casual long shots did we take! Get it together! I’ll repeat again, defense, and efficiency, the Heat haven’t surrendered, they’re playing much better than us! You sons of bitches think you already have the rings in hand, look at your shots, it’s like a damn rookie in a bathhouse!"
Beelman was so anxious he started swearing, then he pointed at Reggie Lewis and said, "Reggie, what were you doing in the first quarter? Letting Clyde rush inside and grab so many rebounds? Are you crazy about going to China? If you let Drexler rush in and grab offensive rebounds when you get back on the court, I suggest you spend your summer riding the carousel in Portland Children’s Playland!"
Lewis was matched against Drexler tonight, but Lewis’s performance seemed soft and lifeless, completely suppressed by Drexler.
Facing Beelman’s rebuke, Lewis nodded, his face expressionless, eyes showing neither anger nor passion, appearing somewhat hollow.
Everyone thought Lewis was tired, at this stage of the season, anyone would be fatigued, if not this game, then the next.
Beelman felt a little regret, wondering if he had spoken too harshly, but this was the finals, they didn’t want to miss any opportunity for victory.
In fact, Beelman could feel the team’s fatigue, everyone was persistently dragging their heavy bodies and spirits.
If not for Ah Gan’s divine performance in the second game, the Trail Blazers might have dropped a game in Miami, turning the series into 1:1.
If that happened, the pressure on the Trail Blazers would be greater, ending the series early would be better for everyone.
Reaching this point, the championship is both joy and enjoyment, as well as pain and torment, Beelman always believed they were just a step away from falling, but they managed to hold on.
But this time Beelman was wrong, one minute after the timeout ended, Beelman deliberately patted Lewis on the back, the Trail Blazers’ turn for offense.