Actually, the two have played together quite often in the regular season, already surpassing Sabonis.
But when it comes to the playoffs, veterans like Sabonis are more effective.
Big Ben's physical stats are still lacking, and his offensive deficit is severe, making him easy to target.
However, at this stage, the Celtics want to expand their lead, try to play quickly to tear open the Trail Blazers' wounds, and a dynamic, versatile defender like Big Ben has a role to play.
After Big Ben took to the court, he immediately began exerting significant influence on the defensive end. When he returned to the backcourt for defense each time, he'd actively press and delay the ball handler, creating trouble for the Celtics.
Also, inside the paint, he was very focused on blocking breakthrough lanes, often positioning himself in potential routes in advance so Celtics' players would have to reconsider before breaking through.
The problem is, he's too short, especially compared to Ilgauskas; the height difference is substantial.
When Ilgauskas caught the ball low and backed down Big Ben, it was like a mountain overbearing a person, obscuring Big Ben from view.
Nevertheless, Big Ben did not succumb. He defended with all his might, and Ilgauskas' three post-up attempts only succeeded once, the other two were defended successfully.
Little O'Neal's main task was to keep an eye on Duncan. Despite everything, he's a protégé of Ah Gan and learned a lot on defense.
Under enormous pressure, Gan Guoyang continuously encouraged Little O'Neal on the sidelines, teaching him how to take initiative and not just defend passively.
"Make the opponent face multiple-choice questions, instead of letting them give you the questions. Whoever poses the questions holds the initiative."
This is often what Gan Guoyang taught Little O'Neal about defense. Master this, and with some refinement, you could become a defensive master.
The Trail Blazers held their ground on the court. The Celtics tried to expand their lead in the latter half of the third quarter, but the Trail Blazers bit down on the score with their defense.
By the end of the third and the start of the fourth quarter, the gap remained 8 points, with the Celtics still leading.
It must be said, they've been in great form tonight, sinking several fairly lucky shots.
Especially Rick Fox, tonight he hit 4 out of 4 three-pointers, a hundred percent three-point shooting rate, becoming the biggest surprise for the Celtics.
To win the finals, you need surprise players to stand out. The Celtics have Rick Fox, while the Trail Blazers are waiting for Ah Gan to step up.
But Gan Guoyang is not omnipotent. The foul trouble in the first three quarters prevented him from finding his rhythm.
As soon as you start to get a feel, a foul sends you off; finally gaining momentum, another foul takes you out.
The hands warmed up and the feet nimble, but sitting on the bench cools them off, requiring a restart.
Although it objectively gave Gan Guoyang plenty of rest time, the feeling of voluntarily stepping down for rest and adjustment versus being taken off when playing well and having to rest is worlds apart.
So, at the start of the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang tried a mid-range shot from outside, and just knew it was off—it banged off the front of the rim.
"Damn, my hands are cold from sitting... I need to get back in form quickly."
Trying to regain form only in the fourth quarter seems a bit late, and Gan Guoyang still carries four fouls.
The Celtics, with an 8-point lead, attacked at a leisurely pace.
The Portland fans, both on-site and off, were very tense, and the situation looked grim for the Trail Blazers.
Of course, the Portland fans have been through a lot; they aren't very worried and believe the Trail Blazers will ultimately be victorious.
Yet, whether they can win this game is hard to say; they need to find a turning point.
Gan Guoyang's feel was still mediocre, so he opted to force a break to the basket and go for a score close to the rim.
But having lost explosiveness and weight, Gan Guoyang's drives weren't as powerful as before.
The third quarter was when he shone the brightest but was suppressed by the referees. Trying to push forward again in the fourth was no easy task.
Moreover, Gan Guoyang had to be cautious of a fifth foul, with Steve Javie watching him like a hawk.
In the fourth quarter, both teams' shooting percentage began to decline; they kept missing shots. This situation favored the Celtics.
Three minutes passed with neither team scoring, when suddenly Steve Nash, during an attack, forced a three-point shot.
An unexpected three-pointer, yet it went in accurately. In a relaxed state, Nash extended the lead.
11 points! The Celtics led by 11, and the Rose Garden Arena fell silent; the situation became more dire.
Carl paced on the sidelines. He didn't call a hasty timeout but wanted to see Ah Gan's reaction.
Gan Guoyang did not call a timeout; he brought the ball up himself, drawing the Celtics' defense.
After missing three consecutive shots, Gan Guoyang needed to make adjustments.
He first handed the ball to Kobe, then suddenly made a quick cut to the basket.
Kobe dribbled, seemingly on the same wavelength, lofted a pass beneath the basket. Gan Guoyang caught the ball, faked a layup.
Duncan was deceived and lunged upward. Gan Guoyang leaned in for the layup, scored, and drew a foul on Duncan.
A frustrated Duncan, not one to react often, clenched his fists and cursed—a rare show of regret.
Standing at the free-throw line, Gan Guoyang slowed his pace, regulated his breathing, and made the free throw, cutting the lead to 8 points.