After three matches, the situation in the finals has reversed once again.
After the Celtics won the first game, Bostonians were already envisioning a Celtics dynasty.
However, by the end of the third game, people realized that this young team still had too many issues, with many details that needed refining.
As the series progresses, players' on-court status and instincts will play an increasingly decisive role in determining victory or defeat.
On this point, the veteran Trail Blazers have a much deeper understanding than their opponents. In these two games, practically everyone on the Trail Blazers contributed, and whoever was on the court made a difference.
The remarkable 11-player rotation showcases the advantage of having many veterans, each capable of causing trouble for the opponents.
Meanwhile, the Celtics have been playing around their regular structure, relying on the trio of Duncan-Nash-Pierce, with other players playing supporting roles. Their overall impact on the game is not substantial enough.
This level of team cohesion naturally stands no chance against the wolves of Portland.
However, the good news for the Celtics is that in the second half of the third game, they finally realized letting loose and leveraging their youth is the best way to counter the Trail Blazers.
After affirming this strategy, the situation for the Celtics is not entirely bleak.
If they can win the fourth game, the series will certainly go back to Boston, which would already be considered a victory for Beelman.
Even if the fifth game is played in Portland, dragging the series back to Boston would be a great confidence booster for the young players.
Moreover, if the finals drag into the sixth or seventh game, the Celtics' stamina advantage will become apparent, and the situation will change again.
Therefore, the fourth game is a must-win for the Celtics, who are already prepared to fight with everything they have.
On the other hand, for Gan Guoyang, as the series moves forward game by game, he has not only accumulated fatigue but also a reluctance to leave the court.
After the third game, he stayed in the arena signing autographs for fans for over an hour, fulfilling all requests that came to him.
Apart from that photo, there are many other memorabilia related to memories and past events, such as T-shirts or basketballs he once signed and past game tickets kept by fans. Most of all, it's the passion and support from the fans that's hardest to part with.
Although Gan Guoyang decisively signed 1984-2000 on the photo to express his determination to leave, it's impossible to say there isn't sadness and reluctance in his heart.
Especially in the dead of night when the whole city is asleep, Gan Guoyang lies in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep, asking himself from time to time, is everything really going to end like this?
The first time he retired, Gan Guoyang didn't have such a feeling because he really couldn't go on at that time, and his father needed treatment.
And he told himself he would definitely come back, it was just a temporary rest.
This time it's a little different, Gan Guoyang is not sure if he will come back, especially whether he will return to the Trail Blazers.
Gan Guoyang is not someone with heavy thoughts, and he is straightforward with feelings, decisive and forthright, a man of steel.
But even someone as strong as steel cannot suppress the emotions in the face of such a separation.
He didn't sleep all night, went out for a jog the next morning, played some basketball to exhaust himself before taking a shower and sleeping alone.
Gan Youwei, Wang Fuxi, and his son and daughter are a little worried about Gan Guoyang's state, but Gan Guoyang says he's fine, the championship is now his biggest concern.
The day of the fourth game arrived in the blink of an eye. Throughout the week, the entire state of Oregon was focused on one thing, the NBA finals.
In other states, the top news in the media was the verdict of the Microsoft antitrust case. Microsoft lost and was ordered to split the company, and Microsoft immediately appealed, leading to a prolonged legal battle, having a major impact on the current internet bubble.
But in Oregon, the focus of television stations was singularly on the finals and Ah Gan's impending second retirement.
On days without games, they continuously broadcast documentaries and video footage of the Trail Blazers' previous championships.
Each piece was aired daily without repetition for a week. After all, there were so many championships, each worth remembering.
Portland hosted various activities around Ah Gan daily. Unlike his sudden departure last time, this time people seemed to realize that Ah Gan might not return.
At 7:30 in the evening, the Rose Garden Arena was illuminated by bright searchlights. A helicopter flew over the arena again, passing through the giant portrait of Gan Guoyang.
The fans gathered around the arena raised their arms and cheered like believers, and the NBC commentator remarked, "Sonny is the faith of this city, Portland's yellow Jesus."
Inside the arena, after the opening ceremony ended, both teams were ready.
There were no changes in the starting lineups for both teams. The Celtics were still using the Twin Towers, with Nash and Paul Pierce in the backcourt.
The Trail Blazers continued with the stable combination of Sabonis, Little O'Neal, Gan Guoyang, Kobe, and Brellock.
After two games, especially being thrashed by the veterans of the Trail Blazers in the third, the young Celtics players experienced an emotional baptism.