Kemp and Mourning were almost about to rush to the sidelines to cover Van Gundy’s mouth to stop him from talking.
Van Gundy’s verbal attack successfully enraged Gan Guoyang, who scored only 10 points in the first half but went all out in the second, racking up 31 points.
The Knicks’ so-called defensive trap didn’t seem like much to Gan Guoyang, as there were plenty of gaps between the three-second zone and the three-point line.
It’s inevitable; no defense can cover everything, and trying to cover everything often means no aspect is strong enough.
Many teams will appropriately relax their defense on mid-range shots because it’s a relatively inefficient way to score.
After Bobby Berman proposed "efficiency basketball," many teams in the ’90s began focusing on overall efficiency.
But for individual players, the mid-range is the best weapon, offering the most extensive space for performance.
Time and again, step-back shots, rhythm shots to find gaps, and senseless three-pointers in counterattacks.
In the third and fourth quarters, Gan Guoyang played so well that Madison Square Garden fans felt on edge, narrowing the score gap to 2 points at one point.
However, the Knicks ultimately held onto their advantage, and at a critical moment, the referee called Gan Guoyang for traveling.
Immediately afterward, PJ Brown was called for a foul on defense, sending Kemp to the free-throw line, who made both shots to stabilize the lead.
With the last strong three-point attempt missing, the Trail Blazers could only foul, eventually losing the game by 5 points.
At the end of the match, Gan Guoyang approached Jeff Van Gundy and said, "See you in Portland, Coach Van Gundy."
Van Gundy didn’t respond, a trace of anxiety appeared on his panda-like face with heavy bags under his eyes.
Back in the locker room, Van Gundy exhaled a sigh of relief, and Mourning asked, "Coach, are you okay?"
Van Gundy replied, "I’m fine. I thought Ah Gan would come to hit me; I was scared."
Mourning said, "He wouldn’t randomly hit people; Ah Gan follows the rules. But you were really brave to provoke him. The best part is, we won."
Van Gundy said, "I didn’t mean to provoke... okay, I did provoke him. I wanted to give you guys some motivation. We can’t always be afraid of him, right? If we can not fear Ah Gan, then surely, we won’t fear Michael Jordan either!"
For the Knicks, their biggest rivals in the East are still the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.
The locker room erupted in cheers, and the players recognized Van Gundy’s brave act of provocation.
Despite his short stature, looking like a dwarf among giants in the NBA, he truly possessed courage.
However, the Knicks soon had to visit Portland next week, where the Trail Blazers and Ah Gan would certainly respond.
Van Gundy nervously asked Mourning, "If I get into a fight with Ah Gan, will you help me?"
Mourning looked down at the pudding-like Van Gundy and said, "I’ll tightly hug Ah Gan’s leg to stop him from rushing over to hit you. That’s all I can do."
Younger inside players like Mourning grew up watching Ah Gan fight during their student days.
His takedowns and several bloody nights in the Silverdome are deeply etched in their minds.
Especially now, Ah Gan looked even stronger than before.
They wouldn’t dare to fight him, and holding onto a leg to save you would be enough.
-----------------
On the other side, the Trail Blazers, with a 2-2 record, ended their East Coast trip and flew back to Portland.
The entire team breathed a sigh of relief, as they could finally return to their home court to adjust properly.
This period had a packed schedule, with more away games and fewer home games, and back-to-back away games were exhausting.
Not only were the players physically drained, but the coaching staff also had no time to stop and properly recap.
Back in Portland, the players would get a day to rest, and the coaching staff would organize an important practice session to address the issues faced by the team during this time.
On the plane, Gan Guoyang was sullen over the loss to the Knicks.
Not just because of the loss, but also being mocked by Van Gundy as "unsuited for this era?"
In the time since his comeback, such comments had been emerging incessantly.
Gan Guoyang’s individual performance was impeccable, but the Trail Blazers were struggling, unlike their former glory.
The media and fans wouldn’t care if the schedule was tough, whether there were many rookies, or if the team was newly built.
A loss is a loss; after all, the Portland Trail Blazers’ dominance in the regular season back then offended nearly all the league’s fans.
When they were winning, no one said a word, but lose, and someone would jump out to criticize, saying Gan Guoyang shouldn’t have come back.
"Leaving with seven rings was the best ending; the comeback is just scavenging for leftovers."
"This is a new era, and Ah Gan can no longer call the shots in this era."
"Ah Gan’s return mostly provides those once wronged by him a chance for revenge."
In a place like New York, known for its sarcastic media, they wouldn’t miss the chance once it’s there.
At the start of the comeback, there were cheers everywhere; the king has returned, they celebrated.
But after two or three weeks into the season, it turned into "You shouldn’t have come back."
There’s nothing to do about it; public opinion always flip-flops like this, constantly slapping its own face as part of the daily routine.
Gan Guoyang could choose not to pay attention or respond to such things, turning a blind eye to avoid annoyance.
Time will provide the answers, and he has the patience to watch the newbies grow and enjoy the process of gradual improvement.