He said Seattle was a great place one moment, the next he said he didn't feel quite comfortable here, then said he'd perform well tonight, and then changed his tune, saying young players should be given more chances.
After both sides finished warming up and before the game began, Tomjanovich asked Gan Guoyang, "Hey Sonny, how are you feeling? Your focus seems off. What are you thinking about?"
"I'm not thinking about anything. I'm thinking... this goddamn arena is too old, it needs to be replaced."
"That's not your concern, focus on the game, the game! Remember our tactics for tonight!"
"I understand!"
The KeyArena may be old, but the crowd noise was extremely loud.
Because this was yet another Gan-Jo showdown, although after being hyped too many times, people had grown a bit tired of it.
But since the 1997-1998 season, this new Gan vs. Jordan duel, there aren't many matches left to watch between these two veterans.
The TV camera showed the two of them: Gan Guoyang in a gold and red jersey, and Michael Jordan in a white and green jersey.
No longer people's classic imagined black and red duel, time has indeed taken away and changed many things.
No one would have thought Jordan would one day wear the Supersonics jersey, while Gan Guoyang simply established a new team.
Apart from Jordan and Gan Guoyang, the Supersonics also had Payton and Ewing, and in terms of lineup strength, the Supersonics were clearly superior.
Currently in the Western Conference, the Supersonics' record confidently sits at fourth place, second only to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Northwest Division.
As long as they stay healthy overall, they are definitely a very powerful force in the playoffs.
The head coach of the Supersonics is Nate McMillan, a former Supersonics player and teammate to Payton and Ewing.
He is a typical traditional coach who values defense and mid-to-long range shots, with less of George Karl's madness and more of a steady demeanor.
He has inherited and improved coach Kloppenburg's SOS defense system, appropriately weakening its pressure because the Supersonics' lineup is no longer young, and overly aggressive pressure led to persistent problems with the team's backcourt rebounding, often causing upsets in the playoffs due to rebounding issues.
Meanwhile, on the offensive end, the Supersonics have perfected the delicate execution of slow-paced, half-court offense.
Jordan, Ewing, and Payton are all experienced veterans; Ewing has become more of a blue-collar player but still has a solid mid-range shot.
Jordan returned after a three-year hiatus, underwent short-term intensive training, and his form remains quite good, reliably scoring over 20 points.
Externally, people thought there would be conflicts between Jordan and Payton, but surprisingly, despite their arguments, their on-court chemistry is good.
As the saying goes, the more contentious the relationship, the longer it lasts; what appears harmonious on the surface might break down unexpectedly someday.
Their defense in the backcourt is particularly formidable, generally silent during regular minutes but able to stifle the opponent's perimeter offense at crucial moments.
Therefore, the Supersonics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the season opener, and in the final moments, it was precisely Jordan and Payton's combined effort that strangled Kobe's crucial play, securing a narrow victory for the Supersonics.
Logically, Gan Guoyang should really like this slow-paced confrontation; all three players are ones he has defeated before, giving him an advantage both mentally and tactically.
Yet when the game began, Gan Guoyang's performance was average, missing both of his shots.
The third effort earned him a foul, resulting in free throws, but he only made one of two, which is rare for Gan Guoyang.
When he missed the second free throw, Gan Guoyang shook his head repeatedly, and Jordan ran over and said, "Sonny, missing free throws from the start, you're finished tonight!"
In past confrontations with Gan Guoyang, whenever Gan stood at the free-throw line, Jordan would assume two or three points were lost.
No need to think about it, no need to vie for the rebound, this guy is too accurate, and the more critical the match, the more precise he gets.
From his impressions, they've played against each other many times, and Gan Guoyang has missed free throws no more than three times, yet tonight started off with one.
In the first quarter, Gan Guoyang shot 1 for 5, made 1 of 2 free throws, scoring only 3 points, with 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
The overall performance was very mediocre, just enough to complete the task, yet personally, it was considered a poor showing.
During the quarter break, Porter asked Gan Guoyang, "Sonny, Ugly Lady's Night?"
This term was now only understandable to Porter and Gan Guoyang on the team, an invention of Kenny-Carl.
Gan Guoyang took a sip of water and said, "Maybe, I'm not in form."
"Even Michael can't get you into the zone? You've grown tired of him."
"Fack, what are you talking about."
"That's what it is, you must be thinking about going to Portland tonight, right?"
Gan Guoyang didn't reply, he just looked up at the score; the Glory Team was already trailing by 6 points in the first quarter.
Playing against a team like the Supersonics, being 6 points behind in the first quarter is not a good sign, especially with this slow pace.
In the second quarter, after Gan Guoyang returned to the court, he reminded the players to pick up the pace and not linger too long in the half-court.
Currently, the Glory Team's style borrows from the Celtics of the '80s, with Gan Guoyang really considering himself like Bird.
The team requires speed without chaos, attacking before fully settled, avoiding delays, aiming to shoot quickly when opportunities arise.
Everyone must be able to pass and shoot, reducing one-on-one challenges, and frequently use basic tactics.
Gan Guoyang and Brad Miller's high-post ball-handling and facilitating abilities are gradually developed, becoming the cornerstone of the team's operation.