Gan Guoyang immediately made adjustments after being targeted; first opening up the game with a step-back shot and hook shot, then directing Little O’Neal to increase his help on defense.
He knew that after committing one foul, the Heat would attack even more aggressively, so he needed to be cautious to avoid getting into foul trouble early on.
Both teams had low shooting percentages, with the score remaining at 4:2 for two minutes, indicating that the players had yet to find their offensive rhythm and needed more time.
Kobe was the first to break the deadlock by hitting a mid-range jumper from the outside; the Heat missed again, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, allowing Kobe to attack the basket once more and score a layup on the fast break.
With an 8:2 lead, the Trail Blazers gained an early advantage, prompting Riley to call a timeout for adjustments.
After the timeout, Rashid Wallace posted up against Little O’Neal, turning around for a bank shot and scoring.
Both Rashid Wallace and Little O’Neal are listed at 6 feet 11 inches, but Wallace is noticeably taller and has a superior wingspan.
With this slight advantage and a high release point on his straight-arm shots, Wallace was able to shoot without being disturbed by Little O’Neal’s defense.
On the return play, Gan Guoyang orchestrated from a high position, setting Little O’Neal up to post against Rashid Wallace.
However, Little O’Neal’s left-handed layup after the turnaround missed, and Wallace grabbed the defensive rebound.
The Heat’s fast break was unsuccessful as Gan Guoyang deterred Tim Hardaway from easily entering the paint.
Wallace received a pass at the top of the arc, shooting a three-pointer and hitting it!
At 8:7, Rashid Wallace had scored 5 consecutive points, closing the gap to just one point.
Rashid Wallace is one of the few players in the league who takes frequent three-point attempts as an interior player.
As a rookie, he averaged 1.6 three-point attempts per game with a shooting percentage of 32%.
Though the three-point line has been extended, resulting in fewer attempts league-wide, Wallace, influenced by Gan Guoyang, continued to use the three-pointer as a regular weapon.
Since joining the Heat, he’s averaged three three-point attempts per game, consistently hitting them, so defenders must be aware of his shooting range.
Having struggled against Rashid Wallace for two consecutive possessions, Gan Guoyang asked, "Should I guard him, and you handle PJ instead?"
Little O’Neal quickly shook his head and replied, "No, I can handle him."
"Then hurry up and take care of him for me."
Gan Guoyang once again received the ball at the high post, facilitating for Little O’Neal, who demanded the ball in the paint.
This time, Little O’Neal positioned himself aggressively, engaging in a fierce battle with Rashid Wallace in the three-second zone.
Gan Guoyang delivered a timely and precise pass to Little O’Neal, who caught the ball, spun to leave Wallace behind, then faked and followed with a powerful one-handed dunk!
After scoring, Little O’Neal high-fived Gan Guoyang; his skills around the basket were becoming increasingly refined.
In terms of age, Little O’Neal is younger than Kobe, and over the years, he’s been closely following Kobe’s path, progressing step by step.
Whatever Kobe practiced, he practiced too; Kobe followed Ah Gan’s teaching, and so did Little O’Neal.
Off the court, as Kobe managed his endorsements and contracts, Little O’Neal learned to do endorsements and take up commercials too.
Of course, Little O’Neal didn’t imitate everything; when Kobe bought a team, he didn’t because he didn’t have enough money.
Subsequently, Little O’Neal and Kobe teamed up on the perimeter to trap Marley, who passed the ball to Rashid Wallace.
Wallace caught the ball and drove down the middle for a dunk, but Gan Guoyang blocked him head-on!
PJ Brown got the ball and attempted a layup, only to be blocked again by Gan Guoyang; then Marshon grabbed the loose ball and tried to charge in, but was blocked yet again!
With three consecutive blocks, Gan Guoyang demonstrated he is still the league’s best rim protector—undoubtedly the king of three-second zone defense.
On the sidelines, Riley spat in frustration and cursed, "This bunch of fools, why do they keep challenging Ah Gan?"
The young players were too eager, wanting to slam one over the old legend, only to be ruthlessly denied.
If Wallace or Marshon heard Riley’s words, they’d surely curse back, thinking, "Damn, you told us before the game to attack the inside and teach Ah Gan a lesson, and now you blame us for challenging him?"
With Gan Guoyang providing top-notch rim protection, the Trail Blazers slowly gained an edge.
However, they couldn’t pull away, as the Heat’s defense was also outstanding, with timely transitions preventing the Trail Blazers from executing effective fast breaks.
In the half-court set, the Heat’s strong double-teams and disciplined rotations forced the Trail Blazers into more one-on-one plays.
Kobe, Little O’Neal, and Brellock took turns going one-on-one, but their shooting percentages were low, while the Heat used solid defense to fuel their fast breaks.
Despite Gan Guoyang’s strong inside defense, the Heat quickly responded with accurate three-pointers and mid-range shots, causing the score to fluctuate back and forth.
Especially Marshon—this University of Kentucky graduate and Riley’s fellow alumnus—had well-rounded offensive skills, excelling in shooting, driving, posting up, and crossovers, along with a solid three-point shot hitting 40% with good volume.
He had initially performed well with the Mavericks but was soon enticed by Riley to join Miami.
As a seasoned alumnus of Kentucky, Riley loved to leverage his connections with the prestigious school’s talented players to recruit them to Miami.