The victory against the Heat makes the Trail Blazers seem to be gradually getting back on track, as they’ve secured a four-game winning streak.
However, the Trail Blazers also showcased in this game a weakness they didn’t have in the past: offense becoming inconsistent.
Especially with the second lineup, even with Charles Barkley on the floor, the Trail Blazers still frequently have power outages.
This wasn’t the case in the past two seasons, where the connection between the starting and second lineup of the Trail Blazers was seamless, with the second lineup even being more aggressive than the starters.
Kobe’s transition from a substitute to a starter has played a significant role, along with the further decline of Mu Lin, Porter, and AC Green, further degrading the resources of the Trail Blazers’ bench.
While Little O’Neal and Ben Wallace have grown, as interior players, their main duty lies in defense rather than offense.
Especially for Ben Wallace, his offensive abilities are poor, with a free throw percentage even lower than O’Neal’s, without any independent scoring capabilities.
In this case, relying on a 36-year-old Charles Barkley and a 36-year-old Dell Curry makes it difficult to sustain the continuity of the second lineup’s offense.
Judging from the effects of previous games this season, the Trail Blazers’ substitutes have a certain explosiveness but also easily fall into scoring droughts, making matches more volatile.
Facing such a situation, the chances of the Trail Blazers sealing the game at halftime or locking it down after three quarters have dwindled, with games often requiring the fourth quarter crunch time to test the star players’ solid skills.
Luckily, this is the Trail Blazers’ strong suit.
This season, Gan Guoyang reserves his efforts in the first half, saving his stamina and scoring energy for the second half.
Meanwhile, Kobe enters his fourth season, having been tempered by the 1999 Finals, his personal abilities and mindset have qualitatively improved.
His dribbling, breakthroughs, shooting, and difficult scoring abilities are increasingly notable among peers, reminiscent of a young Michael Jordan.
In the game against the Heat, Kobe slashed consecutively in the last half quarter, scoring continuously and extinguishing the Heat’s counterattack.
After leaving Miami, their next game is in Orlando against the weaker Magic, where the visiting Trail Blazers are once again pushed to the final moments.
Both sides have low scores, and during the final stages, it’s Kobe and Gan Guoyang who step up, with Kobe scoring 5 consecutive points and Gan Guoyang 4, breaking the tie.
The Trail Blazers beat the Magic 94-90, a four-point advantage, achieving a five-game winning streak.
Since losing O’Neal, the Orlando Magic have been steadily declining, with Anfernee Hardaway struggling with injuries, soon dropping from the league’s elite player position.
In August of summer, the Magic finally decided to trade away Hardaway, sending him to the Suns, getting back only the equally injury-ridden Danny Manning, plus the 2001 and 2002 first-round draft picks.
If Magic had kept O’Neal, the team’s performance would certainly have been better and more stable, and Hardaway’s injuries could’ve been partially alleviated, reducing his burden.
With Hardaway traded away, the young Magic team’s first glorious era ends hastily. O’Neal is only 27, Hardaway 28, both in their prime, and the Magic management has paid the price for their stupidity, arrogance, and inexperience.
On November 20th, the Trail Blazers defeated the 76ers in a similar fashion in Philadelphia.
The teams battled fiercely until the final moment, ending in a 88-88 tie.
With 11 seconds left, the Trail Blazers have possession.
Allen Iverson just hit a mid-range shot to tie the score.
Philadelphia fans are going wild; this season, Iverson has grown into one of the league’s best scorers.
His breakthroughs, crossover dribbling, and sudden stop jump shots make him a benchmark player for the new era.
The iconic cornrow hairstyle and explosive afro bring street African-American culture to the NBA; baggy shorts, hip-hop style, big gold chains, diamond rings, various tattoos - he begins to lead a new era of fashion.
Just like how Gan Guoyang and Jordan led the basketball fashion in the ’80s and ’90s, now they are outdated relics; the fashion trend at the start of the 21st century belongs to Allen Iverson.
Of course, leading a trend requires more than appearance and attire; more importantly, it’s about prowess.
Since Larry Brown took over the Philadelphia 76ers, he began to build a tactical system completely around Iverson.
This season, Iverson’s average score reached a career-high of 28 points, officially entering the league of superstars.
With the team’s average total shots around 80, Iverson’s shots reach a stunning 24.
That’s 30% of the team’s total, showcasing his ability to handle ball possession.
In comparison, during the 1987 season, Michael Jordan averaged 27.8 shots per game, accounting for 31.9% of the Bulls’ total.
In this aspect, not even the 1987 Gan Guoyang can compare to Jordan or Iverson, because Gan Guoyang’s shooting accuracy was too high; he didn’t need as many shots to score more points.
Jordan, at a height of 198, was the pinnacle of height and physical talent among guards; Gan Guoyang at 209, naturally strong, with extremely long wingspan, both were uniquely gifted freaks.
Iverson also possesses exceptional physical abilities, yet at 183, even with real height barely at 180, he stands out in the NBA forest of giants like an ordinary man challenging the gods.
His scoring prowess and dazzling techniques have significantly increased his popularity among the general fan base.