Kobe was frustrated with his performance in the third game, but he didn’t think Gan Guoyang’s advice was correct.
Muay Thai? Wrestling? Fighting Skills? Kobe wasn’t interested; he firmly believed he was a basketball player, and nothing else.
Even though he was a fan of Ah Gan and got excited whenever he saw Ah Gan strike opponents in games, he still had his own persistence.
Of course, there was another possibility, which was that Kobe had no talent for fighting, and he didn’t like engaging in things he wasn’t good at.
This probably had to do with his upbringing; his life conditions were relatively privileged, and he rarely had physical confrontations with those around him.
He could retreat into his basketball world, using the means he excelled at to defeat himself; basketball was his weapon, the court was his battlefield.
And in more primitive violent scenes, Kobe was a complete novice.
After returning to the hotel, the TV repeatedly played the footage of Chais boxing Kobe from the third game.
In slow motion, Kobe looked like a helpless weakling, waving his fists in a meaningless counterattack after being attacked.
The harsh New York media ridiculed Kobe’s performance, saying he was clumsy like a helpless bear.
"The proud, fearless image that Kobe Bryant had crafted for himself vanished in that moment; under Chais’s iron fist, he looked like a clown searching for water with his pants on fire."
"Ah Gan might have used up all the fighting talent of the Trail Blazers, leaving their successor as a complete fool, which shows the fairness of God."
The late-night talk shows wouldn’t miss this opportunity either, taking this chance to mock and ridicule Kobe and the Trail Blazers.
It’s foreseeable that at least in the one day between the third and fourth games, Kobe would be under unprecedented pressure; New Yorkers would revel in mocking him.
If the Trail Blazers lose the fourth game again and the series moves into game five, the hill battle, Kobe’s troubles will be even greater, and people will call Chais’s punch the turning point of the series.
Faced with overwhelming pressure, Kobe appeared as calm as ever during the next day’s training after the third game, continuing to maintain his cold arrogance and channeling his energy into preparation for the fourth game.
Joe Bryant was very worried about his son’s condition; he and his wife came to New York to watch the finals, and after the discouraging failure of the third game, Joe tried to encourage his son to prevent him from sinking into distress.
Before training, Joe suggested to Larry Bird not to let Kobe receive media interviews, letting him focus on preparing for the game.
Bird, however, said, "No, he should do the interviews, he should say what’s on his mind, whatever he wants."
"I’m worried the media might ask tricky questions or mock him."
"Do you think your son would be defeated by such things? If he doesn’t have the courage to face criticism after failure, he can’t grow, Joe."
Joe Bryant and Bird were almost players of the same era, but their achievements were worlds apart.
One was a superstar of the league, an iconic figure, the greatest white player, while the other was Philadelphia’s "Sugar Bean."
In spirit, Kobe leaned more towards Coach Bird; they both had the temperament of superstars.
So when Bird told Kobe that his dad wanted him to refuse the reporter interviews, Kobe resolutely refused.
"No way, I won’t back down. Let those bastards come, I’m not afraid of their questions, bring it on."
Bird patted Kobe’s shoulder and said, "I think the same way; rather than keeping everything bottled up inside, it’s better to speak it out. But I also remind you not to make empty boasts; facing things bravely doesn’t mean putting on a false front. I believe in you, you’ll do well."
So, on the media open day after training, Kobe didn’t avoid the aggressive questioning from the reporters.
He said, "I will respond with basketball; I will win the game. We will win the fourth game and then win the championship at Madison Square Garden, I’m sure."
Oh boy, Bird’s advice was for nothing; he told you not to boast, and you directly came up with winning the championship at Madison Square Garden?
The reporters were thrilled; Kobe truly dared to say it, making the finals increasingly exciting.
On June 10th, the fourth game between both teams was about to start, and the NBA league announced penalties for both teams before the game.
Chais was penalized with a one-game suspension for boxing Kobe, which was indisputable.
But on the Trail Blazers’ side, Little O’Neal and Ben Wallace, both substitutes, were also penalized with suspensions for disrupting court order.
This was a significant loss for the Trail Blazers; they were important inside reinforcements on the Trail Blazers’ bench and key to keeping the team’s rotation lively.
Without these two, both Gan Guoyang and Sabonis lacked strong substitutes, and it was difficult for Gan Guoyang to play his full energy at the third position.
The Trail Blazers had many veterans, and Kobe, Ben, Little O’Neal were the youngest forces in the team; losing two young players left the Trail Blazers’ rotation in a tight spot.
They were again at the point of relying on Ah Gan a little; such situations had repeatedly occurred in the past, and Gan Guoyang had endured once more, but what about this time?
Gan Guoyang’s decline was gradually being realized by everyone; in the final moments of the third game, Gan Guoyang missed two crucial offensives, falling short by a narrow margin, causing significant errors.