Carlisle’s steps back to the locker room were unusually heavy; for the third consecutive game, the team’s performance had significant issues.
The pressure on his shoulders was like a mountain. In the past, when the sky fell, the head coach held it up, and now he was the head coach.
So far, the Trail Blazers’ number one issue is the team’s inability to hit three-point shots.
This problem is more deadly than any other; missing shots is the most damaging.
For more than a dozen seasons, the Trail Blazers have always been the league’s best three-point shooting team.
They were among the first to discover the value of the three-point shot, leading the league in attempts, makes, and percentage.
Not only did they shoot a lot, but they also shot accurately, maintaining consistency in most seasons.
This stability gave the Trail Blazers a unique offensive logic and a wider offensive space than other teams.
From the Ramsay era, to the Bobby Berman era, and then to the Bird era, the Trail Blazers have always had a group of sharp, high-quality shooters.
Under Gan Guoyang’s leadership, from the occasional long-range change in the 80s to a main weapon in the early 90s, to the late 90s’ swift three-point assaults, the Trail Blazers have always led this era with three-point shooting.
But three-point shots naturally have instability; no matter how excellent a shooter is, they can easily fluctuate.
When the Trail Blazers’ overall roster was young, once their outside shooting went cold, they would immediately find other ways to solve their offensive issues.
In the Ramsay era, the forward line was strong, with unmatched fast-break abilities, and they could also rely on Gan Guoyang’s unparalleled one-on-one attacks on the inside.
Moreover, during that era, the Trail Blazers did not take particularly many three-pointers, averaging less than double digits per game, and could still win without them.
In the Beelman era, the core players reached peak condition, and with the Princeton System in place, three-point shooting was sometimes just icing on the cake.
It was the Bird era when, as the roster structure aged and players’ offensive capabilities waned, their reliance on three-point shooting grew heavier.
In the 98 and 99 seasons, the Trail Blazers shot a high volume and percentage of three-pointers, excelling at quick threes in transition.
During the 98 season, the Trail Blazers often started with Mu Lin pushing quickly on the break, finding no defender at the three-point line, and Mu Lin would shoot without hesitation.
That season was a new spring for Mu Lin’s career; the Trail Blazers often caught opponents unprepared in the first half, frequently sealing victories with threes by halftime.
By the 99 season, as Mu Lin declined, a batch of shooters dropped as well, yet riding the 98 season’s momentum, they still achieved impressive results.
But this season, Mu Lin, as the team’s three-point barometer, has completely declined. It’s not just issues like drinking and mentality; the rapid playing style of the past two seasons significantly strained his knees and ligaments.
For a shooter, the most important thing isn’t the arm or wrist, but the legs. Once the legs lose explosiveness and elasticity, shooting percentage under intense defense plummets.
The Trail Blazers players are not only experiencing Mu Lin’s decline; as they age past 35, many struggle with the deterioration of leg strength and speed.
Sabonis, for instance, played over two hundred games in two consecutive seasons, more than he ever did in four years in Europe. His knees can’t bear it anymore; you can almost smell the smoke from close by.
Gan Guoyang was no exception. A summer without proper training left him unable to correct issues promptly. He could feel his shooting form was unstable and needed substantial time to adjust.
Throughout the first half, Gan Guoyang scored 12 points with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, performing decently but failing to deliver a decisive turnaround.
The team’s best shooter turned out to be Charles Barkley. He lost over twenty pounds of weight and spent the entire summer training his leg muscles on treadmills and bikes. Though unable to regain his peak flexibility, it’s his best condition in three seasons.
With limited playtime in the first half, Barkley returned to the locker room and proactively approached Carlisle, saying, "Coach, let me play more in the second half; I can turn the tide!"
Barkley was confident in himself, but Carlisle was more inclined to field young players like Ben Wallace and Little O’Neal, as the Trail Blazers needed energy.
Phil Jackson, that old fox, noticed the Trail Blazers’ slowdown and shooting woes, trying to drag them into the mud. Carlisle believed they needed disruptive young players.
However, Carlisle didn’t want to offend Barkley. As a rookie head coach, he still lacked the authoritative presence to make unilateral decisions, placing him in a quandary.
At this moment, Gan Guoyang stood from the bench, approached the whiteboard, and said to Carlisle, "Let me make the decision. Believe in me."
Carlisle nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. It was wonderful that Ah Gan stepped up, bringing him much peace of mind.
Gan Guoyang knew that a young coach like Carlisle would inevitably feel restricted coaching a veteran, star-studded championship team.
If they could endure this season, many veterans would leave, whether by retirement or departure, giving Carlisle a chance to fully showcase his talents.
Blame Bird, that arrogant guy; he could have coached for another season, achieved a three-peat, and then retired in glory.
But sticking to his commitment of "only three years," he insisted on retiring, leaving this mess for Carlisle to handle.