So, he called Wang Fuxi. His wife expressed support for all his decisions, and Gan Guoyang hastily held a press conference to announce his decision.
This is his style and also the most contradictory part of his character. On one hand, he's a control freak, planning every detail to the extreme. On the other hand, when it comes to major life decisions, he's as carefree as a child—like getting married or retiring.
After the probing stage of the opening, both sides were tied at 7:7 as the game entered the first official timeout.
Gan Guoyang scored a mid-range shot for two points, Kobe scored four points, and Sabonis got one point through free throws.
After the official timeout ended, the game continued, and the intensity slightly increased. By that time, Gan Guoyang's performance was not ideal.
Perhaps because he was too accurate in the last game, and according to the law of conservation of feel, Gan Guoyang missed several shots in succession.
Moreover, his shots were too casual. Apparently, the good hand from the last game didn't carry over to Boston. After all, that was in Los Angeles.
In contrast, with the Celtics playing at home, their morale was high. Auerbach, Cousy, and several other legends were present, significantly boosting the home advantage.
They exploited the Trail Blazers' offensive struggles and scored continuously on fast breaks. Pierce hit a three-pointer to start, followed by Steve Nash's successful mid-range jumper while riding his momentum.
Tim Duncan grabbed an Offensive Rebound during a fast break, and with a bank shot and hook, he scored, leading the Celtics on a 6:0 run, pulling the score to 13:7.
The young team was getting into the groove, but they didn't get overly excited and speed up the tempo; instead, they maintained a steady approach.
Beelman's coaching undoubtedly played a crucial role. This season, the Celtics were balanced in offense and defense, with very few turnovers and an excellent ability to control the game.
Clearly, these attributes are what Gan Guoyang and the peak Trail Blazers were known for: suffocating opponents without them even realizing it, leaving no room for resistance.
Beelman seamlessly integrated this into the Celtics' overall style, making it quite challenging for the Trail Blazers at the start—they felt like they were competing against their former selves.
This was especially evident to veterans like Gan Guoyang, Sabonis, Porter, and Curry, who could clearly feel the heavy Trail Blazers imprint in this Celtics team.
Their interior defense was exceptionally solid, with the Duncan + Ilgauskas combination, tall and strong with outstanding defense. Most importantly, they were young.
Even Gan Guoyang found his shooting percentage reduced when driving to the basket against these two, especially since his form was just average tonight.
The Celtics, holding onto the six-point margin, engaged the Trail Blazers in a detailed battle, and as the game progressed, the veterans of the Trail Blazers felt the difficulty.
Unlike the series against the Lakers, where the Lakers didn't excel in details but relied on outstanding talent and a bold style, leading to unpredictable results each game.
Although the Celtics were younger, their core players were mature beyond their years, from Duncan to Nash to Pierce to Ilgauskas. There wasn't a trace of youthful naivety in their faces; their playing style and demeanor exuded the vibe of seasoned veterans.
Pierce hit two three-pointers in the first quarter, but he didn't even raise his arms to celebrate; instead, he quickly retreated to defense.
If he was even slightly late in getting back, Beelman's curses would chase after him like bullets from a machine gun, right on Pierce's heels, leaving him no time to rest.
Clearly, Beelman drilled his team rigorously, training the young players to perform exceptionally well. They were an excellent team.
In contrast, the Trail Blazers, with their many veterans and a young, inexperienced coaching staff, appeared much more chaotic.
After the grueling game seven against the Lakers, the veterans were fatigued, and tonight their condition was evidently not as good as the Celtics', with certain details being even worse.
There were many turnovers, the hustle wasn't aggressive enough, and the three-point percentage was disastrously low. No one knew when they might suddenly find their rhythm.
The current state of the Trail Blazers was like opening a mystery box, full of uncertainty. Even the players themselves didn't know when they might suddenly explode.
The two teams, in sharp contrast, played increasingly intensely in the first two quarters, with the Celtics maintaining a lead of over five points.
Occasionally, they would accelerate, forcing the Trail Blazers to struggle to catch up, only to run out of steam, take a break, fall behind again, and begin catching up anew.
Evidently, the Celtics controlled the rhythm of the game. The young players ran confidently at the front, while the older players behind them struggled in every way possible, contemplating whether they needed oxygen or a wheelchair.
At halftime, the Celtics led 56:49, ahead of the Trail Blazers by 7 points as both sides entered the break.
Gan Guoyang watched the outstanding Celtics players gather in a circle around Duncan, encouraging each other before heading off to rest, and couldn't help but sigh once again: how wonderful it is to be young.
However, the best part about being young is that you can still learn many, many lessons. Many.