Halftime ended with both teams scoring low.
Glory trailed the Celtics by 4 points with a score of 41:45 on the road.
Gan Guoyang had already scored 20 points in the first half, stepping in quickly after a mistake by Porter to rescue the team.
He personally accounted for most of the points, punishing the Celtics’ defense with his precise mid-range jump shots.
At the same time, upon returning to the Three Second Zone, Gan Guoyang solidified the area under the basket, giving the Celtics few easy scoring opportunities inside.
However, the Celtics really shone on the perimeter tonight, thanks to Steve Nash, who drove their offense.
Nash not only contributed 5 assists but also scored 14 points himself in the first half, making him the top scorer for the Celtics.
His mid-range jump shots, baseline fadeaways, and three-pointers became lethal weapons against Glory.
Stockton wasn’t wrong; to win against Ah Gan’s team, the point guard must explode.
In the position furthest from Ah Gan, under the least pressure from him, you’d better explode, or else, what’s the point of playing?
To defeat Ah Gan’s team, the Lakers had Magic Johnson, the Jazz had Stockton, and for the Celtics to win, Nash must step up.
On Glory’s side, Jordan’s performance in the first half was average. Seeing Ah Gan in good form, Jordan chose to hold back, saving his effort for the second half.
Other players, looking at the score, it’s clear their scoring and shooting percentages weren’t great; it was inevitable.
Offensive opportunities were scarce, with each attempt difficult, making successful shots feel like luck; missing was more expected.
This suffocating offensive and defensive atmosphere would only intensify in the second half.
"Haven’t played so exhausting and grueling in a long time, guys." During halftime in the locker room, Gan Guoyang kept drinking water and said to Jordan.
"That’s because you’re old, that’s why it’s so tiring."
"It doesn’t matter, tough is tough. You damn well need to score."
"I know, but as you said, it’s damn tough. I need to distribute my energy between offense and defense."
Jordan spoke candidly as well. Even these two former Basketball Gods felt tormented by this hellish tough game; needless to say, the others felt the same.
Sweat kept pouring down, soaking their jerseys. Gan Guoyang and Jordan both changed into a fresh set of backup clothes, socks, and shoes.
Porter paced back and forth in the locker room, regretting his faulty rotations in the first half, realizing he had taken too much for granted.
At this moment, Porter understood why coaches are often conservative in the playoffs—there are just too many unpredictable variables.
Stable superstars like Ah Gan, Duncan, and Jordan remaining on the court is crucial—one correct decision in a possession can change the entire situation.
Yet, Porter didn’t shrink back from making changes. He was all in, believing that with Jordan under heavy defensive pressure and Ah Gan reaching his limit, fresh forces must emerge for the team on offense.
His use of a double guard lineup was designed to break the team’s rather rigid offensive situation. Starting with Yao Ming and Gerald Wallace also followed this logic.
Both Gerald Wallace and Yao Ming were too young, suitable for holding the fort at the start, but unreliable in the crucial third and fourth quarters.
Moreover, both had heavy defensive assignments, and Porter had to find a solution.
He turned to Jon Barry and Malik Rose. The team signed them in the summer to serve as fresh forces.
Jon Barry, as a substitute, was competent. He was mediocre but made few mistakes, with solid tactics and fundamentals.
Malik Rose was the typical emotional player, often producing unexpected results inside.
Therefore, Porter decided to use these two players when needed, to help the team break through.
Glory, trailing by 4 points, relying solely on Ah Gan on offense was certainly not enough.
After setting the substitution strategy and tactical arrangements, Gan Guoyang asked Porter, "Terry, when do you plan to put yourself on the court?"
"Why would I go on? I’m the coach." Porter had already fully embraced his coaching role.
Halftime rest ended, the third quarter began, both teams returned to the green court of the Fleet Center.
Gan Guoyang looked up at the familiar banners and retired jerseys; he probably knew their distribution and details better than any Celtics player. They were the same as when at the Boston Garden.
So, how could he lose the match here?
Yet, just thinking about it isn’t enough—the game’s outcome must be fought for through hard effort.
As soon as the third quarter started, Duncan, holding the ball at the top of the arc, executed a solo play against Yao Ming, shooting from mid-range to increase the lead to 6 points.
Andre Miller drove strongly against Nash, failing to score on a layup after penetrating the basket, and Big Z grabbed the defensive rebound.
Miller couldn’t establish an absolute advantage over Nash tonight, as Nash, despite his weak defense, maintained a good attitude.
Moreover, this is the Eastern Conference Finals; Miller is not a super superstar, expecting him to overpower Nash every match is unrealistic.
Pierce’s long two-pointer from outside missed, Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, and Jordan’s one-on-one against Bowen with a stop-and-go jumper also failed.
The main theme of the second half hadn’t changed with both teams missing shots, so Porter shouldn’t attempt to drive the game into an offensive rhythm.
If the surprise players can contribute two or three points, that is already a significant success.
In five minutes, both teams went from 41:45 to 46:50, each scoring 5 points, with the point difference unchanged.