ABC TV Station provided the halftime statistics for both teams.
On the Celtics side, Tim Duncan shot 1 for 8 in the first half, scoring only 2 points, and Yao Ming’s defense was unexpectedly effective against him.
Whether Duncan was underestimating his opponent or just in poor form is unclear—his performance against Gan in the previous two games wasn’t this poor, yet facing Yao Ming, he seemed completely off his game, committing several basic errors.
Steve Nash scored 7 points but only had 2 assists; moreover, on defense, he was relentlessly targeted by Andre Miller, which was likely a key reason the Celtics were suppressed by Glory in the first half.
Compared to his college days, Nash’s defense has improved significantly.
After joining the Celtics, Bobby Berman spent considerable time correcting and developing Nash’s defensive skills.
Unfortunately, Nash really lacks defensive talent—his physical condition isn’t bad, but his strengths are all tied to offense.
Defense requires reach, lower body strength, and Nash isn’t quite there, especially since he has issues with his lumbar spine and often cannot bend down.
This is fatal for defense—how can you, as a defender, lower your center of gravity to deal with breakthroughs if you can’t bend down?
Thus, Nash’s defense has always been a problem, but luckily his offense is excellent; he’s very smart and fits Beelman’s system perfectly.
He is the offensive engine on the Celtics’ perimeter; as long as he contributes significantly on offense, it compensates for defensive deficiencies.
After all, the defensive value of the point guard is originally the lowest; having a defensive powerhouse in that position has far less impact than an all-around attacking guard.
However, the playoffs are different; when you have a flaw and your opponent exploits it to tear you apart, the wound gets larger and affects other areas.
Andre Miller targeting Nash drains Nash’s energy on offense, simultaneously invigorating Glory’s offense and reviving their half-court game.
Matchup changes, Duncan unable to break Yao Ming’s constraints, Gan’s perimeter defense—these led to the Celtics’ first-half breakdown on both ends.
The Celtics still have a chance; back in the locker room, Beelman continuously comforted the players and adjusted the strategies, requesting more high pick-and-roll cooperation.
Especially between Nash and Duncan, Nash and Ilgauskas cannot let Duncan wait inside and take Yao Ming head-on, it’s a total waste.
On defense, it’s difficult to hide Nash anymore; other players need to interfere with Andre Miller’s passing lanes to prevent Miller from easily receiving the ball, while double-teaming should be timely.
Miller is still a point guard, not a big center; if he tries to force through using his back, his passing vision will be limited.
The Celtics aren’t short of good perimeter defenders; with such adjustments, the situation in the second half will definitely improve.
But the issue, as Michael Jordan mentioned, is how to deal with Gan?
The Celtics played well in the first two games, forcing Gan and Jordan to exert themselves early.
By the third and fourth quarters, the two veterans seemed to be at the end of their rope.
This half, Jordan dominated, and Gan hardly took any shots, indicating he’s prepared to take over in the second half.
59:43, a 15-point gap, and now they have to face Gan’s firepower—how can they play like this?
"No, we can’t be afraid, we’re already 2:0, we must be confident."
Beelman motivated himself and his players, regardless of the score gap, never surrender at halftime.
Even if they can’t achieve a comeback, they need to demonstrate their momentum and find solutions; otherwise, they’ll lose in the fourth game as well.
In Beelman’s view, the series’ control is still in the Celtics’ hands.
His thinking wasn’t wrong; Glory’s strong rebound is typical, appearing in many series.
After falling 0:2 in the first two games, upon returning home for the third game, the home team will usually bounce back, catching the opponent off guard.
Even if the teams’ strengths are mismatched, the weaker side will have a much higher chance of winning when boosted by morale, referees, and fans at home.
The league doesn’t want to see a one-sided series; from 2:0 to 3:0, there’s no suspense or attraction.
Two evenly matched teams often slap each other’s faces in the first four games, reaching 2:2, and the fifth game at the summit of the hill genuinely determines the series’ trend.
Thus, returning to 2:2, the fifth game in Boston, the Celtics still hold the advantage.
Losing these two games isn’t a big deal; discover the issues and solve them, find Glory’s weaknesses and make countermeasures.
Beelman originally never expected to eliminate Glory and Gan in four games; six games are the minimum.
Upon realizing these, Beelman encouraged his players to play seriously in the second half, not overly concerned with winning or losing, but solving problems.
Beelman had a good plan, but tonight the Celtics were truly in poor form, worsening as they played.
At the beginning of the third quarter, the team immediately made mistakes on offense; Duncan and Nash’s pick and roll ended with Nash passing to Bowen at the left corner, then Bowen passed to Ilgauskas up high, only to have Gan Guoyang snatch it away.
Glory didn’t rush for a fast break; with a 15-point lead, they patiently wore down their opponent.
Repeated ball movement, passing to Gan Guoyang in the low post, who made a turnaround hook shot over Duncan’s head, scoring two points!
Jordan was right; the first half belonged to Michael, the second half to Gan, the King of the Third Quarter returns!