At different stages of his life, Gan Guoyang would adjust himself to the best state in different ways to cope with the most important games.
In his twenties, Gan Guoyang chose to focus, immersing himself completely in the game, with every action from the moment he woke up in the morning linked to the game that night.
He would practice shooting at the gym, tuning his touch to perfection so that when the game began, he was on fire until the end.
During regular-season games against the Lakers or finals against the Celtics, the young Gan Guoyang would melt opponents with his focused intensity.
At his peak around 30, Gan Guoyang embraced passion. Technically, he was impeccable and evolved, and at that point, what he needed was the right mindset.
He would summon his most intense emotions, his desire for victory and aversion to defeat, channeling them into the fiercest confrontations and performing like a sky god.
Back then, he could take on an entire series alone; for example, in the 1992 finals against the Bulls, it was entirely his personal showcase.
Scoring 50 points in consecutive finals games, averaging over 40 points per series, excelling in offense, defense, and organization, he delivered unprecedented and unmatched performances, defeating the strong Bulls to win the championship.
Now, at 36, whether it be focus or passion, it's challenging for Gan Guoyang to get his body to its peak state.
What he needs most is relaxation, to let his tense nerves and tired body unwind.
A spring that's been too tight for too long will eventually lose its elasticity or even snap.
Proper relaxation can alleviate the fatigue of the spring and make the next rebound more powerful.
So, from the day the game seven was confirmed, Gan Guoyang barely touched the ball.
Relaxation, complete relaxation, staying at home with his kids and wife, sleeping in at the hotel when in Los Angeles, watching movies, doing yoga, soaking in hot baths, and bowling with Michael Jackson.
Avoiding any intentional thoughts about game seven, he temporarily detached his mind and body from massive pressure and long-term fatigue to achieve an extraordinary state.
Of course, this method only works for him. With over ten years of hard work and countless experiences, at this critical moment, relaxation is the best awakening.
The consecutive hook shots in the first quarter were the best proof. Like a Pegasus soaring, his graceful wind-like hook shots made Shaquille O'Neal and the doubles from the Lakers look exceptionally clumsy.
The relaxed and effortless scoring not only changed the score but also dismantled the Lakers players' strong fighting spirit. As the game progressed, they slowly felt fear because they simply couldn't stop Ah Gan.
Phil Jackson realized this and tried to disrupt Gan Guoyang's hot hand with a timeout, urging his players to focus and secure this victory.
But when the timeout ended and they returned to the court, the Lakers' situation did not immediately improve. The camera constantly focused on Shaquille O'Neal, whose mouth was slightly open, eyes a bit vacant, and head sweating profusely.
So far, O'Neal hadn't scored a point from open play. When Gan Guoyang started defending him, even receiving the ball became difficult. Were his previous six games of dominance merely because Ah Gan wasn't defending him?
Once this thought took hold, it was hard to shake off. O'Neal tried to post up against Gan Guoyang, but Gan Guoyang's active three-quarters front made the passing difficult.
The ball rotated to the other side, to Tracy McGrady, who received it, turned, and took a jump shot. The shot missed, and O'Neal tried to fight for the offensive rebound.
However, Gan Guoyang quickly adjusted his position and grabbed the rebound ahead of O'Neal. As the Trail Blazers fast broke, Joe Crawford blew the whistle and called a pushing foul on O'Neal going for the rebound.
O'Neal did not protest; indeed his hands were moving, while Gan Guoyang was dissatisfied because the Trail Blazers had a fast break opportunity, and Crawford's whistle blew away the chance to extend the lead.
But Gan Guoyang did not complain. Such minor referee actions were mild, after all, O'Neal had incurred another foul, which was also something to take advantage of.
Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, the Lakers doubled him, Gan Guoyang passed, Sabonis then passed inside again, and Gan Guoyang, who had a deeper position, received the ball, turned, and took an evasive hook shot.
This shot by Gan Guoyang was clearly aimed at drawing a foul from O'Neal. O'Neal knew he couldn't foul again, so he let it go; Gan Guoyang effortlessly scored another two points!
The fans at the scene were all shaking their heads, how could peak Shaq be so easily scored on in the low post by 36-year-old Ah Gan?
O'Neal was larger, taller, and heavier by a wide margin compared to Gan Guoyang, especially after Gan Guoyang had slimmed down significantly from his peak.
Yet in the battle for position in the low post, Gan Guoyang held his ground against O'Neal. The consecutive hook shots that found their mark left Lakers fans in despair.
One major reason is that O'Neal simply didn't know how to defend against Gan Guoyang's classic hook shots. This kind of non-contact single-hand shot made O'Neal very uncomfortable.
In many past confrontations between the two, Gan Guoyang seldom used hook shots. In his early peak, Gan Guoyang would go head-to-head with O'Neal under the basket. In recent years, Gan Guoyang appeared more at the power forward position, using mid-to-long-range shooting to punish O'Neal.
Ancient techniques like hook shots, especially those of Gan Guoyang and Jabbar's classic style, really caught O'Neal off guard.
Another reason is that with age, the strength of 36-year-old Gan Guoyang is the only physical attribute that hasn't declined and continues to increase.