The Bulls bench, Jackson questioned Jordan: "Michael, if you start playing like this, can your body support it? You disrupted our tactical plan."
Jordan sipped water and said, "With Ah Gan’s situation like that, can I play any other way? Do you think we have a chance if we fall behind in the first quarter?"
Jackson couldn’t refute. The Bulls were at a significant disadvantage in strength. If Jordan didn’t step up with his personal ability early on, it would be very difficult to try to seize control later.
There was no choice, so Jackson could only agree with Jordan’s style and simultaneously demand the team to strengthen their defense, closely targeting Ah Gan with stricter defense tactics.
On the other side at the Trail Blazers bench, Bird sat expressionless, instructing Carl and Dick Hart on tactical arrangements, while sitting next to Gan Guoyang, saying: "Fack you, Sonny. You’ve made your own decisions again, what are you trying to do?"
"We won the game at that time, Larry. So what? I know it doesn’t fit your plans, but this is my plan. Trust me, we’ll definitely win this game. I feel great."
Gan Guoyang wasn’t reckless in his initial plays; he repeatedly attacked to test his touch and form.
If he couldn’t score and felt off, he wouldn’t stubbornly play alone.
Yet he was in great form tonight, so he wouldn’t waste it, not even slightly.
"Hope your feeling is right," Bird said helplessly.
Bird was never the type of controlling coach who insisted players play strictly according to his plans.
Moreover, for a player like Ah Gan, no coach could make him entirely follow their ideas.
Bird knew that Gan Guoyang had been holding back all season long, playing as a perfect team player in all previous matches.
Creating opportunities for teammates, providing numerous screens, pick-and-rolls, and assist passes every game, boxing out for rebounds to push fast breaks, contributing considerable help-defense and rim protection defensively.
Of course, sometimes he’d go to the small forward spot, stand with hands on hips to watch the game, waiting for a fast break to swipe some baskets, but overall, the 1998 season for Gan Guoyang involved much more teamwork than any previous season.
Therefore, when reaching the finals against a nemesis, going all out was understandable.
The timeout ended, both teams returned to the court.
Before stepping on court, Gan Guoyang asked Bird: "In your Finals against Magic, why didn’t you score crazily to kill him?"
"I didn’t have that ability, alright?" Bird used a heavy "OK?" and a big eye-roll to urge Gan Guoyang onto the court.
He would rush to respond.
The fury between two Knights cooled down slightly as the game progressed.
For the Bulls, Toni Kukoc tried to score using his individual skills, but Gan Guoyang’s defensive barrier was too tough to break.
As soon as he received the ball, it was easily swiped away; Gan Guoyang was quick on his feet, even Malone struggled to hold the ball.
Kukoc tried twice to attack but did not score.
The Trail Blazers played relatively smoothly, but the Bulls’ opening defense was very tough, with heavy physical contact.
Sabonis made a mistake under Lang Li’s defense; Bulls counterattacked, and Brellock intercepted successfully in midfield.
Mu Lin received the pass and hit the first three-pointer of the match for both teams!
Quick ball movement, numerous precise three-point shots, are the Trail Blazers’ unique traits.
Phil Jackson, seeing Mu Lin hit the three, was heavily troubled.
Phil Jackson’s coaching career has a particular dislike for teams with precise three-point shooting.
The efficiency and spacing from three-point shooting often leave the Bulls’ compressed pressure defense at a loss.
Since the Bulls’ inside defense heavily relies on the outside help-defense from Pippen, Jordan, Harper, and others.
Once the space spreads too wide, the Bulls’ paint area easily falls into a state of emptiness.
For making trade-offs, Jackson often employs a strategy of shrink defense, letting opponents shoot threes and blocking the Three Second Zone.
This trick often yields miraculous effects, causing opponents to get lost amidst the clang of missed threes.
But it’s useless against teams with precise three-point shooting, isn’t that just gifting points?
The Bulls faced such trouble in the Eastern Conference finals where the Pacers’ three-point shot hit rates soared at 39%, hitting 39 out of 99 attempts, which was remarkable in the 1998 season.
Moreover, the Trail Blazers were much more daunting than the Pacers; against the Jazz series, their three-point hit rate soared to 46%, making 33 out of 70 attempts in the series.
Bear in mind, the Trail Blazers only played four games with the Jazz, yet their three-pointers number was approaching the Pacers in a seven-game run.
Facing the Trail Blazers, Jackson did not want their outside line to blossom; this team can indeed shoot you to death.
All five starting players could shoot threes and shoot well, who could stomach that?
After Mu Lin’s three-point shot, the Bulls still relied on Jordan, who received the ball, turned around, and used a fadeaway jump shot against Riddle, scoring.
If the Trail Blazers had a weakness, it was their subpar defense at shooting guard and small forward positions, having no solution against Jordan’s isolations.
As a counter, Gan Guoyang immediately received the ball in the low post, quickly turned and performed a hook shot scoring two points, maintaining a 4-point lead.
Clearly, both teams depended on superstars; after all, these two bosses opened by playing solo, leaving others with little play-feel.
But the audience didn’t care; during the first quarter, the cheers in the Rose Garden Arena were ceaseless, Jordan and Gan Guoyang unveiled an epic rivalry from the first quarter.
Gan Guoyang scored 16 points, collected 4 rebounds, and dished 1 assist in the first quarter; Jordan scored 14 points, made 2 assists, and achieved 1 steal.
The Trail Blazers led 22-18, holding a 4-point lead over the Bulls, seizing the advantage on the scoreboard, yet the Bulls held the tactical pace advantage.
The game was dragged into the Bulls’ familiar defensive, slow-paced, isolation-battle rhythm, and the Trail Blazers’ offensive edge was not fully revealed.
During break, Bird told Gan Guoyang: "Sonny, you play well individually like this, but it isn’t truly the Trail Blazers style."
Gan Guoyang took a big gulp of water, and said: "You’re wrong, Larry, this is the genuine Trail Blazers style. Watch, Michael can’t keep up with me."