After a cut through the middle, a high-difficulty left-handed floater was released, avoiding Big Ben's block.
Swishing through the net, earning two points.
Sitting courtside watching the game, Bird couldn't help but scratch his head.
This guy Ah Gan, these moves, aren't they the ones I used in my youth?
Heard this bastard is spreading it around, saying, "I've already declined to the level of Bird."
Bird felt his reputation was being harmed, how did I become the scenery for your downhill journey?
But watching this game, the explosive power and speed of Ah Gan seemingly declining, indeed played more and more like himself.
Shooting, positioning, floaters, the feeling in the game, really just like Bird.
Bird had to admit, this guy is truly an unbeatable genius.
Pure NBA player strength, Ah Gan stands alone, then comes Michael, then Bird, Johnson, and others.
Calculating like this, Ah Gan has dropped three levels, that's quite a lot, no wonder he complains more than before.
In comparison, Kobe truly resembles Jordan, both are explosive and accurate shooting black guards.
The confrontation between the two reminds people of the past Gan versus Joe.
The previous real Gan vs Joe has become dull, whereas the replacement Gan vs Kobe is brilliant and exciting.
The scores of the two teams have become closely contested, 91:90, 91:92, 93:92...
Kobe once again charged into the paint, with defensive three seconds in place, breaking through the paint indeed became a bit easier.
Glory team did not use zone defense, at critical moments, still relied on man-to-man defense.
Using this opportunity, Kobe switched hands under the basket to avoid interference, a high-difficulty layup.
Man fell, ball spinning in the air, off the glass, into the hoop! Trail Blazers took the lead!
The roar of the Rose Garden Arena was finally all for Kobe Bryant.
But within a short ten seconds, Gan Guoyang broke free from the Trail Blazers' entangled defense.
Received a pass from Terry Porter at the horn position, faked to dodge Little O'Neal, mid-range shot, scored!
Glory team regained the lead, Trail Blazers called a timeout, only a few final rounds left.
Carl planned a tactic, requesting Kobe to attract defense, then pass to Michael Redd at the corner, allowing Redd to end the attack with a three-pointer, potentially reversing the score and widening the gap by two points.
However, executing after the timeout, Gan Guoyang did not come to the middle to assist in defense, but kept his eyes on Redd at the right corner.
Kobe made the decision, charged into the paint himself, regardless of being surrounded, he still used individual ability to score!
Glory team did not call a timeout, ball passed to Gan Guoyang, Gan Guoyang pivoted and cut into the paint, still smooth footwork.
Yet under the basket, Gan Guoyang slipped, as there were uncleaned sweat droplets on the floor, his footing was unstable, slipped out of bounds.
A rare mistake by Gan Guoyang, handing over possession to the Trail Blazers, 93:94, match ends in 25 seconds.
Trail Blazers could consume most of the time, Gan Guoyang sat on the ground for a while, and he slipped again.
Just like the slip against the Lakers in the 1985 Western Conference Finals, he was tired then, tonight he was also a bit tired.
Initially thought three quarters could finish off the Trail Blazers, but underestimated Kobe, his resilience rekindled Trail Blazers' hope for victory.
Teammates pulled Gan Guoyang up, the audience erupted in applause, Gan Guoyang wiped his sweat, thinking the match isn't over yet.
Trail Blazers possession, ball in Kobe's hands, he started clock management.
Gan Guoyang switched out to defend, matched with Kobe at the top of the arc, Little O'Neal positioned inside blocking Bell.
This was a good opportunity, but Kobe didn't want to pass, he wanted to forcefully finish Ah Gan, end the match.
Bell kept fronting, Little O'Neal had to step out of the three-second zone soon, leaving.
They missed a good chance to increase the lead, while Kobe forced against Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang was old, but like an old soldier yet capable, couldn't do an entire check, but could do one big defense over small.
A perfect defense, Kobe finally forced a fadeaway jumper, too difficult, didn't go in.
Gerald Wallace firmly controlled the rebound, called a timeout, 4 seconds left.
Both sides continuously called timeouts for final bidding, Gan Guoyang thereby obtained enough rest.
Sideline ball tactic, all eyes were on Gan Guoyang, he squeezed past the defense, ran to the top of the arc, then circled to the bottom left side, Trail Blazers players were all drawn by him.
As a result, the sideline ball was directly passed from Porter to underneath, Brad Miller set a screen for Arenas.
Arenas cut into the paint, received Porter's pass, drew defense, then passed to the screen roll-out Miller, Miller caught the ball at the right baseline, unguarded, a close-range jump shot, buzzer hits!
Brad Miller executed a game-winning shot against the Trail Blazers, 95:94!
After scoring, Glory team players all stormed the court, everyone embraced together.
Gan Guoyang was also among them, he vigorously patted Miller's head, this ball truly operated perfectly.
Everyone executed their task, those who attracted attention, those who passed, those who ran, and those who screened.
Quite complicated, one mistake in any link and complete failure, only allowing Gan Guoyang to force a shot, but they accomplished, surprised everyone.
Live Portland fans were extremely disappointed, lost the game, and it was a buzzer beater, not even by Ah Gan.
If it was him, they'd be a bit happier.
At this moment, they truly realized, Ah Gan was no longer a Trail Blazers player.
Gan Guoyang circled the court once, waved farewell to Trail Blazers fans, then left the tunnel.
["At the moment the game ended, I truly realized, no longer being a Portland Trail Blazers player. My heart was very sad, went back to the locker room, and cried. But I also felt relaxed, because I am still a basketball player, I can continue to play, enjoy the victory, no matter wearing any team's jersey. I will always love Portland, and I will always love basketball."]
————Excerpt from "The Story of Ah Gan", 2025, Wu Zhixiong