Facing the easy and natural good state of the two, with their unstoppable offense, George Karl called a timeout.
But what good is a timeout?
These two old guys have dominated the League for twenty years, has anyone found a way to deal with them?
No, you can only wait for their bad form or for them to age.
Last season, Jordan showed signs of aging, and his offensive efficiency dropped a bit.
But this season, looking at his physique and his now light-footed steps, you can tell he is in great shape.
Perhaps you can wait until the end of the season, when 82 regular season games have worn him out, but clearly not now, as this is just the first game.
As Gan Guoyang and Jordan came off the court, they discussed some details of the game, especially regarding the pick and roll.
Both of them used the pick and roll very little in their prime, and starting this season, they have been training together on pick-and-roll coordination, needing to build chemistry.
"I just pointed to the right, the right side!"
"Your right is my left."
"Then go to your left!"
"I’m not used to going left-handed."
"And you claim to be the greatest shooting guard in history and you can’t use your left hand?"
"Bullshit, you know my left hand is as good as my right. But I’m telling you, for the pick and roll, going left doesn’t feel as smooth for initiating the offense. Also, don’t you think your positioning has issues? Your angle."
"My positioning is damn fine. My screening has always been the best in the League. You need to make quick judgments, Michael, listen to my direction. Of course, you can have the final say, provided you can control the situation."
"You’re doubting my ability to control the situation?"
"I’m doubting if you can understand English!"
The so-called exchange between the two turned into a quarrel, making Tomjanovich even hesitate to say anything.
In fact, it was just a matter of choice in the pick and roll. Gan Guoyang instructed Jordan to go left, but Jordan still chose the right.
The shot went in, but Gan Guoyang was not satisfied with this choice, leading to some debate between them.
From training to the game, the debate between the two never stopped, all on very detailed issues.
Jordan was also unhappy with Gan Guoyang being positioned too forward, and that his angle was not quite right.
On some of their small playing habits, they still need to slowly blend together.
However, in terms of understanding tactics, the two are aligned, agreeing that in the current environment, the power of the pick and roll is stronger than before.
With zone defense being allowed, isolating ball handlers has become more difficult, changing the logic of both defense and offense.
After the new regulations came out, Jordan hesitated about whether to make a comeback.
He publicly stated in an interview, "If the League allows zone defense, it would be a disaster for me. I can’t score like I used to."
The difficult scoring memories facing zone defenses in college and the Olympics made Jordan worried.
But Gan Guoyang quickly told Jordan, "Your worries are groundless. With three-second defensive violations in place, the so-called zone defense’s power won’t be that great."
Also, the NBA three-point line is farther than FIBA’s, creating more space on the court, making it harder for the zone defensive side to turtle up and defend tightly.
Gan Guoyang was right. Last season, Jordan still performed excellently in offense, not hindered by the zone defense.
Now, the two start picking and rolling offense, not only invigorating the whole team but also saving their offensive energy.
Quarrels set aside, once back in the game, they stop arguing and instead work together to confront their opponents.
The Glory Team made a substitution adjustment with Ewing and Jordan taking a rest, and Yao Ming and Raja Bell coming on as substitutes.
This is the new substitution pattern for the new season. Gan Guoyang no longer comes off midway through the first quarter but lets Jordan take an early rest.
At the end of the first quarter, Jordan goes back in, and Gan Guoyang rests, ensuring one of the two is always on the court leading the other players.
The standard rotation configuration for a team with dual cores inside and outside lets Jordan sit on the bench watching the game, feeling more at ease than ever.
In the past, whether with the Bulls or the Wizards, whenever back on the bench, Jordan’s heart felt uneasy because he was off the court.
For a long time, Jordan did not trust his teammates until Phil Jackson’s coaching made it much better.
But essentially, he still distrusts others, especially after his relationship with Phil Jackson soured.
Jordan has suffered many betrayals in relationships throughout his life: Jackson, Jerry Krause, his sister, the Supersonics’ management, and now even his wife, who wants to take half of their property and the kids. It’s natural for him to distrust others.
However, with Ah Gan, whether on or off the court, Jordan highly trusts him, which feels truly great.
At this moment, Gan Guoyang’s attention on the court is focused on Yao Ming, reminding him that the regular season is different from the preseason, and every ball must be pursued with full effort.
"Opportunities will always arise, and you must seize them. I won’t say I’ll pass the ball to you, but I’ll pass it to whoever has the opportunity and is ready."
Yao Ming nodded as he engaged in defense.
The Bucks didn’t make any personnel changes, choosing instead to speed up and get their shooting opportunities.
In the 2000-2001 season, the Milwaukee Bucks were one of the few teams in the League that could average over 100 points per game.
George Karl’s teams have always been this way, excelling both inside and outside, brimming with firepower. Also, Karl likes to use mobile forwards paired with defensive centers, then nurture a group of players who can shoot, drive, and defend, but with a small guard as the core figure.
This configuration is basically George Karl’s career team-building template, and wherever he goes, he follows this routine to scout for talent.