After enduring the intense battles of the Eastern Conference Finals, Yao Ming is nearly burnt out. It’s said that after the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals, he cried from exhaustion in the locker room.
For a rookie, reaching this stage of the season, the body truly can’t handle it anymore.
Even for the legendary endurance monster Gan Guoyang, his rookie season ended in the Western Conference Finals due to exhaustion.
Before the finals, Yao Ming had substantial rest, but some fatigue can’t be recovered in just one or two weeks.
It’s not just physical; more importantly, it’s mental. The tension in his mind simply can’t unwind.
With his mental state unable to relax, his body only grows more weary. Thinking about the finals, Yao Ming felt very repressed and hadn’t made enough adjustments.
But he didn’t dare to say anything. This is an important big match. He couldn’t just tell the coach or Ah Gan, "I can’t do it, I’m too spent."
He played with his teeth clenched and had to start aggressively, but Yao Ming made a mistake right at the start, losing the ball to Little O’Neal.
The Trail Blazers counterattacked, Kobe hit a mid-range jumper, kicking off the finals.
Then, Yao Ming failed to catch the ball under the basket, nearly making another mistake, but luckily the ball was grabbed swiftly by Gerald Wallace.
Gerald Wallace’s turnaround jumper was interfered by Big Ben coming over for help defense, and it didn’t go in. The Trail Blazers got the rebound and counterattacked again.
The Glory team’s first three attacks didn’t succeed, with Yao missing twice and Andre Miller’s driving floater not going in.
On the other hand, the Trail Blazers took advantage of counterattacks to gain a 4-0 lead, suppressing the Glory Team early in the game.
"How’s it going, everything alright?" Gan Guoyang asked Yao Ming about his condition.
Shortly into the game, Yao Ming was already holding his knees, a bad sign.
"Okay, I’m... a bit tired."
"The game just started. If the offense isn’t working, focus more on defense. Relax, it’s nothing much, the finals are just another match, don’t overthink it."
Gan Guoyang didn’t pressure Yao Ming, instead encouraging him to relax and treat the finals like a regular game.
He knew Yao’s fatigue was half due to mental pressure, and the more they progressed, the more fear of losing loomed.
Yao Ming nodded and threw himself into defense. The two teams played tightly, making every point hard to come by.
Kobe held the ball with his back against Jordan, and the entire Rose Garden Arena stood up and cheered, setting up a one-on-one duel.
Kobe suddenly spun, breaking towards the basket but was met by Yao Ming for rim protection. Twisting mid-air, Kobe missed the layup.
Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, and the Glory team counterattacked. Jordan said, "Give me the ball, Sonny."
It seemed Jordan was competing with Kobe from the get-go. Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Jordan, who dribbled past half-court.
At the top of the arc, it was Jordan versus Kobe. They were so alike, and though they had tension, they mirrored each other on the court.
Even their championship rings numbered three each, both tied to Ah Gan, and this year, one of them would definitely add another ring.
Jordan, too, backed in with his back, but his next move was simpler, turning and shooting a fadeaway jumper.
The fadeaway was significant; despite Kobe’s best efforts to contest, the shot went in smoothly, Jordan scoring the Glory Team’s first point.
The TV repeatedly replayed Jordan’s shot against Kobe, grand, graceful, beautiful—destined to be a classic moment of the finals.
For the audience watching the live broadcast on television, they were there for this, paying for the spectacle.
Kobe quickly retaliated, dribbling under his legs at the arc, breaking through, and hitting a high-difficulty fadeaway. Score!
It was equally beautiful, surprising how fast their battle began.
With Yao Ming struggling at this point, the Glory team quickly shifted their tactical focus, handing the ball to Jordan.
Gan Guoyang moved to the weak side to open up the defense for Jordan. A pick-and-roll between Jordan and Yao drove straight to the baseline and into the basket.
The Trail Blazers’ help defense and rotations were timely, with Little O’Neal already in the paint and Kobe quickly following.
But Jordan, with an aerial dodge, went beyond the baseline and finished with a reverse layup!
This was a classic move of peak Jordan; who would have thought he could still do this at 39?
Of course, it was a bit close to traveling by the end, almost landing on the ground.
Moreover, after landing, Jordan fell out of the baseline—in the past, he would have stood firm.
Gan Guoyang hurried over to pull Jordan up, scolding, "The game just started, what’s with the showing off? If you hurt your back, how’ll you play later?"
Jordan replied, "Right now, my stamina’s good and their defense is loose. Later, I can’t show off!"
"Get back to defense, quick, quick!"
Evidently, neither of them was too concerned about the finals.
They wanted a championship but were past the age of needing to prove themselves.
More than the cup or the ring, they were focused on playing the game well and making it beautiful.
Kobe was different; his thirst for victory was a blazing fire, so intense it scorched his teammates.
During a counterattack, Kobe drove straight to the basket, met by both Yao Ming and Gan Guoyang for a block, but his layup was swatted away.
Kobe, stubbornly grabbing the offensive rebound for another try, got blocked again by Gan Guoyang!
Nearby, Little O’Neal complained to Kobe, "I was open, pass the ball, man."
It was as if Kobe neither heard nor saw, playing far too ferociously from the start.