Gan Guoyang and Jordan both fell asleep on the plane.
Both wore eye masks, the cabin lights were off, and everyone else was quiet, not disturbing the sleep of these two veterans.
The fourth game between Glory and the Celtics had just ended. The whole team didn’t stay in Las Vegas for long; they went to the airport that night, taking a flight to Boston.
The journey from Vegas to Boston is very far, and the flight takes a long time. The Eastern Conference Finals have only one-day breaks between games, so the team couldn’t afford to stay in Las Vegas for another night. They had to head to Boston immediately to prepare for the crucial Game 5.
Gan Guoyang and Jordan were exhausted. In the fourth game, they went all out, scoring a combined 88 points, providing fans with a true scoring feast.
The Celtics put up a strong resistance. Steve Nash, Duncan, and Pierce combined for 71 points, performing remarkably well.
But in the face of an explosive performance from the two stars, the Celtics still found it difficult to resist. In this battle, Glory didn’t suppress the Celtics tactically; it was purely a victory of personal ability.
In NBA games, sometimes personal ability explosions are needed. This is a characteristic of basketball games, where the charm of basketball lies.
And the price of this explosion was that the two old guys’ bodies couldn’t quite handle it. They fell asleep as soon as they got on the plane, seizing every moment to rest and recover for a solid foundation for Game 5.
The fifth game undoubtedly will be a tough battle, a real brutal battle. The unfortunate thing is, Tomjanovich couldn’t follow the team to Boston due to health reasons and had to stay in the hospital in Vegas, where he would provide remote guidance to the team while undergoing treatment.
So, the current situation is certainly better than when they were trailing 0-2, but the outlook is still not optimistic.
If they lose Game 5, the situation would take a sharp turn for the worse, whether facing elimination in Game 6 or going to Boston for a Game 7. Both are life-or-death challenges.
So Game 5 is a must-win, and both sides are well aware of this, making the 5-hour flight particularly agonizing.
Those who wanted to sleep seized the chance to sleep, while others who couldn’t sleep read books, listened to music, and waited for the game to come.
Before the plane landed, Gan Guoyang, who had also taken a nap to recharge, woke up first. Upon waking up, he kicked Jordan lightly, saying, "Hey, are you done for just after this one game? Exhausted, aren’t you?"
Jordan groggily opened his eyes, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Are we there yet?"
"Almost there. Get up, Michael. Want to go for a run?"
"Aren’t you worried Boston fans might run you over with a car?"
"That might be their only way to beat me."
After having enough sleep, the two started bantering, clearly in a good mood. The fourth game was indeed a classic one for the duo, showcasing their collaboration and personal skills to the peak. Despite the intense defense and confrontation, they still efficiently scored, offsetting the Celtics’ offensive surge.
Finishing such a game was exhilarating, but who knows if they can perform the same in the fifth game.
As the plane landed, Boston’s morning was misty as the team rushed to their hotel as quickly as possible to avoid external influences and disturbances. This is something any team playing a playoff game in Boston must pay careful attention to.
After all, Auerbach is still alive.
Glory even arrived in Boston a step earlier than the Celtics. The Celtics were affected by flight delays and their flight route, only returning to their home base around 10 am.
They were dismissed at the airport, with Beelman informing everyone that morning warm-up training would be at 10 am the next day to prepare for the night’s game. He told them to go home and rest well for now.
The series evolved, as Beelman predicted, into a 2-2 situation, fortunately with the tiebreaker happening in Boston.
After four games, Beelman was confident in the Celtics. He couldn’t predict the winner but knew that this Celtics team could stand toe-to-toe with Glory.
In the fourth game, Ah Gan and Jordan performed so well that it came down to the critical moments, and the Celtics’ big three also did not disappoint.
Nash adjusted his defense and offense, Duncan’s touch returned, and Pierce started attacking in the first quarter. These adjustments had good effects.
Of course, in the end, Ah Gan and Jordan brought out all their skills to finally kill the game and take the victory.
But in Beelman’s eyes, his players already did very well, and moreover, can Jordan and Ah Gan perform like this again in Game 5?
It’s unlikely. These guys are 38, 39 years old. It’s already a miracle for them to play like this now.
In the past, Ah Gan would endure old-timers. Now, it’s finally the young ones’ turn to endure him.
Over four games, Beelman has shed his fear of Ah Gan, seeing past Ah Gan correctly as the former and the current.
The past Ah Gan remains in the past. His glory is something Beelman will always cherish until his life’s end. He will remember the sweet times when they worked together to win championships.
He was so powerful, reliable, always trusted, and unbeatable.
The present Ah Gan is not as dazzling. They are great friends, even akin to family.
But on the court, he gets tired, makes mistakes. He’s more real, more human, more beatable.
So upon returning home, Beelman didn’t rest. He immediately started watching footage, strategizing for the fifth game in his mind.
He called the retired John Stockton, asking how to deal with Ah Gan.