A fierce foul left a bloody mark on Gan Guoyang’s face.
Gan Guoyang felt a sharp pain on his face, but he didn’t fall or cover his face. Instead, he threw the ball toward the basket, scored two points, and caused a foul!
Over the past few seasons, as Gan Guoyang has grown older, his temper has greatly improved, and it’s been a long time since he got into a fight.
Given his current status, it’s not good to get into conflicts with young players; it’s better to play the game peacefully.
Even in case of some on-court conflicts, Gan Guoyang’s presence generally makes situations calm down with just a stern glance.
But tonight, Kobe repeatedly provoked, elbowing and pushing while trailing in score.
Gan Guoyang understood Kobe’s frustration, but we are opponents. Your frustration is because of your abilities, not because I haven’t retired or because I’m better than you.
After already being beaten twice by opponents and teammates, you were shown pity. I didn’t hold it against you.
But you went too far, fighting with me, even maliciously fouling and breaking my face.
I’m someone who relies on my face, after all!
Gan Guoyang got slightly angry and went over and grabbed Kobe by the collar, pulling him straight in front of him.
Kobe is a heavyweight guard, and after muscle gain this season, his physique is very strong, but in front of Ah Gan, he was like a helpless chick.
Gan Guoyang pulled him directly in front, lifting him off the ground, and Kobe’s struggles were futile.
"Look into my eyes! If you can’t fight, then damn well use basketball!"
Before others could intervene, Gan Guoyang tossed Kobe aside.
Gan Guoyang’s strength was immense, leaving Kobe with no room to resist; he staggered and fell.
The referee called a technical foul on Gan Guoyang, but the scene wasn’t chaotic.
Everyone remained calm—both the Radiant Players and the Blazers players, even the fans.
Some parents explained to their wide-eyed kids, "In the past, in Ah Gan’s games, fights were like this—throwing people out, no one tried to intervene because it was pointless."
Many young fans only heard legends of Ah Gan, like the Silver Dome massacre, pounding of the Bad Boys.
Also the Salt Lake City anger throw on Karl Malone, making the whole Triangle Center tremble, with no one daring to intervene.
Now, they finally believe those stories aren’t false or made up, but real.
A 2-meter giant, Kobe, who’s had an MVP-level season, seemed as fragile as a scarecrow.
As he was lifted, he struggled desperately but was helplessly tossed out, like a rag doll.
This was a huge shock to the young fans, and a humiliation to Kobe, who almost wanted to leave the court.
Worse, no one rushed to help or pick him up immediately.
He felt abandoned by the whole Portland, a feeling that made Kobe resent for a long time.
It’s imaginable how this incident would be sensationalized post-game, with Kobe trampled by Ah Gan.
Rick Carlisle shook his head from the sidelines, thinking Kobe was beyond help.
Bird wiped his face, with a different thought, feeling it was impressive to leave a mark on Ah Gan’s face.
"Conflict between two former Trail Blazers teammates, Kobe’s fighting technique was insignificant to Ah Gan. Ah Gan controlled himself and merely lifted him aside instead of attacking. If Ah Gan were younger, Kobe might have been on his way to the hospital’s emergency room."
Bill Walton admired Kobe, but at this moment, he was undoubtedly an Ah Gan fan.
Feeling helpless on the ground, Kobe saw Jordan extend a hand, with Little O’Neal helping pull him up.
Jordan said to Kobe, "You don’t really know Ah Gan; he’s a frightening demon, did you feel it?"
Kobe nodded, admitting he felt it, saying, "Then why join him as a teammate on your comeback?"
"To win, you trade your soul with the devil."
Gan Guoyang took to the free-throw line, making the additional free throw, and then the technical foul free throw.
His act of lifting Kobe and tossing him, received only a regular foul.
Realizing more clearly the power of Ah Gan, Kobe felt akin to facing a demon.
This has nothing to do with character or virtue—like an elephant crushing a mouse on its path.
To a mouse, an elephant is a demon, but truly, the elephant is just walking and doesn’t see you.
Once again, facing Ah Gan, Kobe felt his insignificance, even though Ah Gan was already 38.
This sense of smallness allowed Kobe’s inflated ego over the season to gradually return to normal.
He calmed down, analyzing the game as a basketball player, observing the matchups intently.
Kobe suddenly realized his own folly—Ah Gan was so powerful, yet he meticulously prepared before each game.
During games, every choice, every strategy, he thoughtfully pondered, all for victory.
And what was he himself considering? Merely personal gain, glory, and position after victory, rarely the victory itself.
Reflection doesn’t happen overnight; it requires a process, but once it begins, personal growth starts.
In the ensuing game, Kobe couldn’t turn the tables, while Gan Guoyang smoothly scored 50 points, and Jordan 33 points.
Two superstars combined for 83 points in the game, setting an NBA record.
Previously, the highest combined score from the same team in the finals was Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, tallying 79 points in the 1985 Finals.
This match saw Gan Guoyang and Jordan raise that score by 4 points, a record difficult to break in the future.
The Radiant Players achieved victory consecutively in two away games, leading 2-0, and were heading back home.
At the post-game press conference, Kobe remained deeply disheartened, struggling to shake off the awful mood from losing.
His defeat wasn’t just the loss of the game but felt like losing his basketball dignity. The only good news was his reconciliation with Little O’Neal.
Kobe realized that at times like these, teammates are the most trustworthy. Without trust, things would get worse.
Moreover, he abandoned bragging, joining in preparations for the third game post-match, gearing up for the away challenge.
Even Bird conceded the Ah Gan therapy worked, making Kobe truly feel the discrepancy, allowing him to focus wholeheartedly on winning.
Throughout Gan Guoyang’s career, such events occurred often, as many players tried to surpass Ah Gan’s individual ability, challenging him head-on.
Ultimately, realizing they needed to return to being part of the team, leveraging the collective strength, with full focus and dedication, to have a chance to defeat Ah Gan’s team.
From Sam Bowie to Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, etc., all underwent a spiritual awakening.
Kobe has joined them, enough for him to rethink the personal and team relationship.
Two days later, in Las Vegas, the Trail Blazers prevented a series sweep by valiantly winning a game.
Indeed, Ah Gan is aging; after unleashing his powerful moves, he began cooling down, playing average in the third game at home, scoring only 21 points, with a 47% shooting rate, at Kobe’s level, making victory hard.
Kobe exceptionally performed tonight, notably changing his playstyle, increasing his three-point attempts.
In fact, this season, Kobe has already excelled in three-point shooting in terms of both accuracy and volume, reaching career highs.
And many of his shots were off-the-dribble threes, with a 38% accuracy, averaging 1.8 makes per game, quite outstanding.
This game, Kobe shifted from his usual mid-range shots to predominantly hitting threes off the dribble, making 5 of 9 three-point attempts, blasting open Radiant’s perimeter defense and helping the Trail Blazers clinch a 97-93 victory, winning by 4 points.
As they enter the fourth match, the Trail Blazers retain a slim chance of a comeback, while Radiant aims for a home victory, needing to clinch the fourth match.
Ah Gan, Jordan, Ewing, Willis, Porter, and other veteran players know the final sprint is upon them.