In short, this is destined to be a troublesome season.
On the court, if anyone agitates Gan Guoyang, he can explode at any moment.
Damn it, I’m already bothered enough; I’m just trying to play ball, win or lose, so why are you picking a fight with me? Who are you yelling so loud for?
Rashid Wallace was in the wrong place at the wrong time; Gan Guoyang immediately intensified his defense and poked the ball from Wallace’s hands.
"You’re so slow, why play in the NBA?"
Gan Guoyang said to Wallace after the successful steal, then on the fast break, he cut through the middle, received Barkley’s pass, and stormed the basket for a layup.
Scored two points and drew a defensive foul from Rashid Wallace, 2+1, secured three points, and the Trail Blazers continued to widen the lead.
Wallace was furious; he shouted at his teammates to pass him the ball, but as soon as he received it and turned around, he seemed to bump into a wall.
A turnaround straight-arm high arc shot was entirely off mark; his power competition was too weak, completely losing balance, and the ball didn’t even touch the rim.
Luckily, PJ Brown grabbed the offensive rebound, scored on a second-chance bank shot, and saved some face for Wallace.
In the post skirmish, Little O’Neal still fell slightly short of the more seasoned PJ Brown.
But Gan Guoyang didn’t care; he quickly caught the ball at the top of the arc, and with his rhythm established, released a three-pointer!
A classic high arc line, the ball hit accurately! The third-quarter king asserted dominance in the third quarter, scoring 18 points in a single quarter.
Rashid Wallace was silenced, no more shouting or yelling; further yelling and shouting only lead to more intense play.
The Trail Blazers, who led by 5 points at half-time, extended their lead to 10 points by the end of the third quarter.
76:66, the situation seemed quite dangerous for the Heat.
If it were last season or the season before, in this position, the Heat could have surrendered.
The fourth quarter would inevitably lead to a crushing defeat.
However, this season, the Trail Blazers weren’t as invincible.
After Gan Guoyang rested, Riley seized the opportunity and initiated a wave of counter-attacks at the start of the fourth quarter.
Ben Wallace’s rim protection was indeed excellent after he came on, but his height disadvantage was truly something he couldn’t overcome.
PJ Brown and Weatherspoon continuously grabbed offensive rebounds under the basket and scored on second chances.
Meanwhile, on defense, the Heat boldly left Ben Wallace unguarded, double-teamed Barkley, forcing him to pass or make mistakes.
If Ben Wallace received the ball under the basket to attack, they’d foul and send him to the free-throw line or interfere slightly; Wallace’s offensive games were truly lacking.
With a 10:3 scoring run, the Heat pulled the score back, highlighting the Trail Blazers’ recurring offensive stagnation this season.
At this moment, Kobe stepped up; without waiting for Carl’s timeout, Kobe used his personal skills to score consecutively—once with a breakthrough layup and once drawing a foul for free throws.
The Trail Blazers re-established their lead; when Gan Guoyang returned to the court, the Trail Blazers maintained a 5-point lead, suppressing the Heat’s counterattack.
In the decisive moments, the Heat elevated their defensive intensity to the highest, reaching a brutal level, and the American Airlines Center plunged into a feverish atmosphere.
In the suffocating offensive and defensive environment, talent became the key to standing out.
Gan Guoyang attracted defense at 45 degrees, passed to Kobe, who received it and switched hands under the basket for a layup, scoring two points.
Tim Hardaway hit a three-pointer. Gan Guoyang screened for Kobe at the high post, Gan Guoyang cut outside, while Kobe accelerated into the basket for a dunk!
All game long, Kobe had been lukewarm until the fourth quarter when he showed his heroic spirit at the crucial moments.
When the Heat heavily guarded Gan Guoyang, Kobe, like a sharp blade, pierced the Heat’s interior.
As Kobe matured, responding to the Gan Guoyang threat would become the biggest challenge for each team.
Because of Kobe’s brilliant performance at the last moment, the Trail Blazers dampened the Heat’s final counterattack momentum.
In the end, 101:94, the Trail Blazers defeated the Heat on the road, kicking off their Eastern journey on a good note.
Gan Guoyang had 26 points and 12 rebounds all game, and Kobe with 19 points and 4 assists; the system built around them was gradually forming.
However, after the game back in the locker room, despite his excellent performance tonight, Kobe didn’t appear particularly happy.
He quickly wrapped up his interview with reporters and went inside to shower and change, looking troubled.
When a reporter asked Gan Guoyang what’s going on with Kobe, Gan Guoyang shrugged and said: "Maybe he’s in love, young people..."