Bird’s adjustments were swift and decisive.
Of course, this is the regular season, where the main rotation usually involves 9-10 players.
Coaches use this time to test lineups and train newcomers, often making large-scale substitutions in a short period.
Moreover, traditional coaches prefer to evenly distribute playing time among players for a more team-oriented approach.
The coach who influenced Bird the most has always been Bill Fitch. During Fitch’s tenure with the Celtics, Bird’s playing time was always kept below 40 minutes.
When KC Jones became the head coach of the Celtics, Bird’s playing time increased steadily, second only to Gan Guoyang in the ’80s.
KC Jones was more conservative with personnel, especially in the playoffs, where a 6-man rotation was common to maintain stability in form and intensity.
As a player, Bird had no issue with this style of play and rotation. He had incredible endurance and enjoyed staying on the court for tough games.
However, as a coach, Bird did not appreciate Jones’s rotation method. He preferred Fitch’s balanced approach, striving to activate the energy of every team player.
This is not an easy task for a new NBA head coach, as there is immense pressure to perform. Some coaches, for the sake of results, do not focus on developing newcomers and avoid large rotations, excessively exploiting main players instead.
Even Bobby Berman, a fairly excellent coach, initially wished Gan Guoyang could play 48 minutes per game without a break when he started coaching the Trail Blazers.
But Bird is Bird. He feels the pressure, yet he has enough confidence. He trusts his own judgment of situations and player abilities.
If he sends in newcomers like Kobe and Little O’Neal in the second quarter directly, the situation might still fall apart, as there’s no one to guide them.
He chose to first field a conservative lineup of veterans, and when the situation turned unfavorable, he quickly sent in reinforcements, as a psychological strategy.
Reinforcements are not suited for stalemates; they are better at attacking the opponents when at a disadvantage.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed on the basketball court. Every shot attempt carries the possibility of missing, regardless of how good the opportunity is.
Not letting Ah Gan play early and instead using young players like Kobe and Little O’Neal made Bird feel anxious and unsure.
Especially Kobe—can he really disrupt Pippen? It’s not expected that he can limit Pippen, just cause some trouble for him.
If this rotation doesn’t work, the Trail Blazers might be massacred in this quarter, rendering them powerless in the second half, effectively losing the game.
Bird thought, if only he could take off his suit and get on the court now. The Trail Blazers really needed a player who could assist in orchestrating the offense and defense.
The players returned to the game, with Kobe chewing gum and throwing himself into the match, striving for positioning and opportunities, but he was never the focus in offense.
Van Exel seized the chance after a pick-and-roll to take a strong shot, scoring a much-needed basket for the Trail Blazers.
Van Exel’s ability to score under pressure was what the Trail Blazers needed now, but defensively he was a liability.
The Trail Blazers adjusted their defensive strategy, letting Kobe defend full-court, while Little O’Neal and PJ Brown stepped up to extend their defensive line.
Continuously shrinking back under the basket gave the Bulls too little perimeter pressure, allowing their Triangle Offense to operate too smoothly.
Pippen faced full-court pressure with composure; he was much stronger than Kobe—Pippen had the nickname "Wild Bull."
The time spent with Jordan in the gym wasn’t wasted. At 6-foot-7 as a small forward, he was stronger than many power forwards in the League.
Pippen could even brag that in tonight’s game, if it purely came down to strength and confrontation, no one but Ah Gan would be a match for him.
Especially not someone like the young and brash Kobe. While Kobe was continually gaining weight and muscle, achieving strength doesn’t happen overnight—not even in multiple years.
Pippen had taken ten years to evolve from a skinny rookie to the Wild Bull. Kobe would need ample time to train similarly.
And so, Kobe’s disruptive defense did not affect Pippen much. Pippen easily crossed half-court and organized the attack from the center.
Pippen effortlessly fed the ball to Toni Kukoc in the low post, then moved to the weak side without the ball, spreading the Trail Blazers’ defensive line.
Little O’Neal guarded Kukoc, who backed in. Little O’Neal held firm, but Kukoc spun up the line, and PJ Brown was there for the help defense.
The Trail Blazers’ inside was open. Kukoc made a beautiful pass to the weak-side cutting Pippen, who was ready to dunk upon receiving the ball.
Yet Kobe hadn’t lost him, delivering a karate chop to knock the ball out of Pippen’s hands. The ball went out of bounds, still Bulls’ possession.
"Great defense, great defense!" Dick Hart applauded Kobe’s defense from the sidelines. Hart had been coaching defensive principles to everyone on the team.
He noticed that Kobe had a natural talent for defense: excellent physicality, quick reaction speed, and a competitive nature—essential traits for a top defender.
The possession remained with the Bulls; Kobe’s defense was only half successful. Pippen received the ball again and scored from under the basket with a powerful turnaround bank shot.
Kobe couldn’t do anything about this one. He was outmatched in power, height, and wingspan, and Pippen’s release was quick.
Gan Guoyang shook his head on the sidelines; this play should have defended the pass, not allowing Pippen to easily receive the ball so close to the basket.