Now that Kemp is off the court, the intensity of the Knicks’ offense and defense immediately drops a notch.
Although Kurt Thomas is also an excellent power forward defender, he is calm and solid, with top-tier low post defense skills.
However, Thomas’s strengths don’t stand out when facing Gan Guoyang. He also suffers from a disadvantage in size, standing only 6 feet 9.
Moreover, Thomas is a typical player with a focus on ground play, with average athletic ability; such a technical player will struggle against Gan Guoyang.
Thomas’s main means of offense is a mid-range catch-and-shoot, making him a typical utility player with less offensive vigor and creativity compared to Kemp.
Gan Guoyang’s consecutive two three-point plays slowly dampened the Knicks’ fierce momentum to catch up, as their three-point rhythm disappeared and their body’s adrenaline fell from a peak to a low.
The Knicks need to find their spirit again, discover a new rhythm, and before chasing the score, they need to consider how to prevent Gan Guoyang’s offensive wave from pushing the gap to an irrecoverable state.
Chais executed a pick-and-roll with Thomas on the perimeter, broke through the middle road and made a floater shot near the free throw line.
The ball bounced on the rim before rolling in, slightly stopping the Knicks’ bleeding.
Next on defense, the Knicks tried their old trick to double-team Gan Guoyang.
But Gan Guoyang obviously sped up his attack rhythm, turning and shooting instantly after catching the ball.
The shot didn’t make it, but Sabonis slapped the ball out, Gan Guoyang grabbed it, drove to the basket, and scored with a one-handed dunk!
Mourning didn’t dare to foul anymore. If he fouls again, he not only gives Gan Guoyang free throws but also risks getting his fourth foul and taking a rest.
The Knicks made a lot of fouls tonight; their disadvantage inside and the high degree of antagonistic double-teaming made them pay the price of frequent fouls.
This led to their defense starting to become timid at critical points in the second half, reluctant to confront too much.
In the last twenty-plus seconds, the Knicks ran down the clock, attempting to score one more to narrow the gap.
Then, Spree holding the ball collided with Kobe, and the two got into a head-to-head standoff.
Spree used his hand to shove Kobe lightly, and in response, Kobe elbowed Spree.
The referee called a defensive foul on Kobe, and Spree and Kobe exchanged passionate words, neither yielding an inch.
Both wearing number 8, to Spree, Kobe was just a young punk.
In Kobe’s mind, he hardly considered Spree to be a seasoned star.
The referee stopped the clash, giving Spree two free throws, both of which he made.
The Knicks tenaciously kept the score close, everyone hoping the third quarter would end quickly to catch their breath before entering the fourth.
In the end, the Trail Blazers’ last attack of the third quarter saw the ball handed to Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang dribbled quickly past half-court, and just past the midline launched a long-range three-pointer!
The ball flew toward the basket like a missile, precisely hitting the center of the net, beating the buzzer!
89:79, in the closing phase of the third quarter, Gan Guoyang alone launched a 11:4 run against the Knicks, widening the gap to 10 points.
The fiery comeback of the Knicks couldn’t be said to be completely extinguished, but it was severely hit.
They have one quarter left to turn the tide, but there was a sense of deflation among the Knicks.
In the most crucial third quarter where they had the hope of reversing the game, they lacked that extra bit, which Gan Guoyang suppressed.
Trying to muster momentum again is not easy.
A detailed 360-degree shot by the TV gave a scene of Gan Guoyang sitting court-side sipping water.
The number one is the number one, with unparalleled scoring explosiveness, nearly crushing the Knicks alone.
The fourth quarter begins, and although Gan Guoyang rests on the sideline, the 10-point lead provides his teammates ample room to squander.
For Kobe, whether leading by 10 points or trailing by 10 points, he dares to shoot boldly.
Just shoot.
You say my previous shots were bricks?
My earlier poor shooting doesn’t relate to this attempt at all.
Don’t you understand what an independent event is?
Kobe, who had been competing with Spree late in the third quarter, began to attack with full force in the fourth.
The more clumsy he was before, the braver he needs to shoot now; otherwise, how can he adjust his touch?
He started with a breakthrough, stopping for a mid-range jumper and scoring, then on the counterattack, drove to the basket and scored a two-pointer with a high arc.
The Trail Blazers extended the lead to 14 points, putting the Knicks under pressure.
Chais released another three-point shot from the perimeter, but missed.
After the intense momentum of the third quarter passed, the heat of their touch descended, unable to hit again.
Inside, Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound firmly, his talent and steadiness in rebounding are key to securing his time on the court.
If a young interior player loses rebounds while in play continuously, the coach will surely be hesitant to keep him on the court.
Wallace handed the ball to Kobe, who pushed it for a quick counterattack, smoothly cutting through the middle road, with the Knicks seeming a bit outpaced.
Kobe smoothly penetrated the inner lane but finally distributed the ball to the base where Terry Porter stood, with Old Porter left undefended and his three-pointer shot was made!
Van Gundy called a timeout helplessly; the game is losing suspense with the Knicks missing their best chance to win.
The gap extended to 17 points; such is the rapid scoring ability of the Trail Blazers, as Gan Guoyang still sits under the basket.