Everyone wants to make an appearance in the Finals, so they can brag to their grandkids when they're old, saying they played in the Finals alongside players like Ah Gan, Duncan, and Kobe.
At halftime, the score was 60-54, with the Celtics leading the Trail Blazers by 6 points. The defense from both teams was average, but their offense was pretty sharp.
For fans who have been watching defensive battles in recent years, a game between the Trail Blazers and Celtics is quite a spectacle, win or lose. It's definitely not dull.
During the halftime break, when returning to the locker room, Gan Guoyang went to the commentary booth to embrace and greet the veteran coach Jack Ramsey, who held an irreplaceable position in Gan Guoyang's heart.
He was Gan Guoyang's real mentor when he entered the NBA, teaching him significantly more than Beelman, who often had to follow Gan's lead. Jack taught him many valuable lessons and instilled good habits.
Of course, Jackson Ramsey's basketball philosophy and fate were deeply influenced by Gan Guoyang as well. The mentor and disciple embraced tightly, with Ramsey's gaze no longer stern, but filled with kindness.
"Jack, do you ever feel like you retired too early and missed out on many championships."
"Missed a lot of championships, but I've gained more years in life, Sonny, hahaha."
The two joked with each other. Ramsey was in great spirits, radiant with a healthy complexion. It must be said that stepping down while on top was a wise decision back then.
Otherwise, with the intensity and pressure of confronting the Bulls in the 1990s, there was a real chance of dying in the job at such an age.
Fifteen minutes later, the third quarter began, and the Celtics scored another 4-0 at the start, extending their lead over the Trail Blazers to 10 points.
Just as Portland fans were getting a bit concerned, the Trail Blazers initiated a comeback; Kobe broke through for a layup, drawing a foul from Cliff Robinson and converting the additional free throw.
Then, the Trail Blazers began full-court press defense, continuing to apply intense pressure on Nash, disrupting his organization and passing.
The Celtics countered by involving Paul Pierce in ball-handling, but this time, Gan Guoyang suddenly intercepted and stole the ball.
Gan Guoyang long-passed to the front court, where Brellock caught the ball and made a fast-break layup, adding two more points.
The Celtics didn't call a timeout and continued to attack, with Tim Duncan receiving the ball for a post-up play, facing a double team.
Kobe came to trap, leaving Pierce open to shoot, but Pierce missed the jump shot from the top of the arc.
Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, and Kobe pushed for a fast break with tight offensive moves, as Gan Guoyang cut under the basket to draw the defense.
Kobe, however, passed to the wing, where Jermaine O'Neal was wide open, and he made a mid-range jump shot.
Little O'Neal was shooting well tonight, indicating the Trail Blazers were in great form, just not fully exerting themselves yet.
The Celtics were struggling a bit, unable to tighten up when the Trail Blazers started cranking up the pressure.
Beelman called a timeout to make adjustments, but there was no improvement. Even though Duncan continued to draw fouls under the basket, he missed both free throws.
Sabonis grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Trail Blazers counter-attacked again, with Kobe driving straight down the middle, dishing off to the baseline under defensive pressure.
Brellock passed to Little O'Neal at a 45-degree angle, who then passed to the top of the arc, where Gan Guoyang was ready for a three-pointer.
But it was a fake shot, a real pass inside, with Sabonis rolling to the hoop, catching the ball and making a light layup, scoring two points!
A single fast break, four passes, and the Celtics' already weak defense was left in disarray, without focus.
The arena erupted with cheers as the Trail Blazers reclaimed the momentum, but the game was far from over.
After an opening 4-0 run, the Celtics suddenly fell into a scoring drought. Players were dribbling and moving stiffly.
Nash, facing Brellock's tight defense, attempted a strong drive along the sideline, but collided, lost the ball, and the referee didn't call a foul.
Duncan and Fox, close to the ball, didn't move, assuming a blocking foul would be called on Brellock.
But there was no whistle, and Gan Guoyang immediately reacted, picking up the ball and sprinting towards the front court, with only Paul Pierce giving chase.
But what could Pierce do? He could only sidestep to avoid a collision, and watched as Gan Guoyang soared for a two-handed dunk!
After being hit with a 4-0 run, the Trail Blazers responded with an 11-0 run! In just a few minutes, they managed to take the lead!
The advantage the Celtics had built in the first half was completely lost in just a few minutes—a situation that repeatedly occurred in this Finals.
This kind of scenario is mentally crushing for players because it means you're completely under control, and the opponent can regain an advantage with just a little effort.
The previous equilibrium seemed like a play, performed for the audience, but the outcome remained unchanged, leaving Duncan, Nash, Pierce, and others deeply affected.
In their future accomplishments and autobiographies, they'll mention the profound lessons and invaluable experiences this Finals brought them.
Of course, that's for the future. The Celtics were still trying to struggle at that moment, but they were truly out of options, as the Trail Blazers were clearly on another level.
This kind of offensive performance had been a trademark for the Trail Blazers in past years, with seamless passing that easily broke through the opponent's defense.