After insisting on doing in-game coaching for three matches, Tomjanovich had to miss the fourth one and take a rest at home.
The whole Glory team visited Old Tang’s home to see the head coach. Old Tang was in good spirits and didn’t need to stay in bed.
But in-game coaching is indeed not an ordinary strenuous task; it drains a lot of physical and mental energy. Old Tang really couldn’t take it anymore.
In the first three matches, Tomjanovich pushed through the discomfort and endured from start to finish, but he was struggling by the third match.
Thus, at the MGM Hotel Center, the Glory lost to the Trail Blazers, partly because Old Tang was out of energy and misdirected the team.
In comparison, Carl was energetic and full of ideas; even when trailing 0-2 at home, he didn’t give up on making adjustments and successfully found a way to counter the Glory’s lineup and style, bringing suspense to the finals.
Although the Glory still holds an advantage and everyone predicts they will win the championship within six games, matches have to be played, not guessed.
The victory and defeat are on a knife-edge; once the fourth match is lost, the situation would become unfavorable for the Glory.
With Old Tang falling ill, the Glory is undoubtedly in trouble again, but fortunately, Porter stepped up.
"Terry, we are counting on you for the fourth match, don’t let us down."
"I know, we are going to win. As you said, coach, never underestimate the heart of a champion. I have ten hearts."
Everyone burst into laughter. Porter is undoubtedly The Ring King of the league, one of the big winners.
Gan Guoyang said, "Porter, can you increase your playing time a bit?"
"I only come on during the most crucial moments. Don’t take a break for the fourth match, Sonny, you need to play more."
"Your coaching strategy is just that."
"Isn’t that a great coaching strategy? Look at my rings, and you’ll know."
After visiting Old Tang, everyone went back to rest and prepare for tomorrow’s match.
Upon leaving, Tomjanovich specifically asked Yao Ming to stay behind, saying he wanted to talk to him.
Old Tang always takes good care of Yao Ming, providing a lot of support and help both on and off the field.
Seeing Tomjanovich like this, Yao Ming felt uneasy. Without his guidance, Yao Ming always felt uncertain.
Tomjanovich was there to give Yao Ming some confidence. He started by asking, "Yao, are you very tired?"
Yao Ming nodded repeatedly. Hearing the concern from Tomjanovich, a patient himself, Yao Ming was almost in tears.
He was far beyond just tired; he was on the brink of collapse.
This rookie season was exceedingly long for him.
Back in the CBA, the regular season had only 24 games, and after the finals, it would be just about 30 games in total.
Moreover, the intensity, level of confrontation, and density of the games could not be compared to the NBA at all.
So, at that time, after playing in the CBA, Yao Ming still had plenty of energy left to participate in the national team games.
But in the NBA, playing all the way to the finals, over 100 games, nearly made him spit blood.
In these finals, Yao Ming was out of breath right from the start, and while he could persist until the end of the game, playing for 20 minutes was truly his limit.
The decline in physical fitness led to mental stamina weakening, causing Yao Ming to noticeably lack competitiveness during the game.
In the contests against Trail Blazers’ interior stars like Little O’neal and Big Ben, he did not fully utilize his advantages.
Old Tang saw all this. He knew he couldn’t demand too much from Yao Ming, who is, after all, a rookie.
Moreover, a beast like Ah Gan is one of a kind globally; Yao cannot be compared to him.
"Relax, you need to feel the game more. At this stage, absolutely don’t push yourself, don’t put pressure on yourself."
"I know, I won’t pressure myself. People say if the sky collapses, those who are taller will hold it up. I’ll definitely lie down first."
"You’re right; if the sky falls for the Glory, Ah Gan will be there to bear it. You all need not worry. Moreover, with him there, it won’t collapse."
Old Tang first comforted Yao Ming, not putting pressure on him, while providing some guidance based on his performance in the first three games.
He believed Yao Ming was currently struggling on the offensive end due to his stamina and experience, and that he needed to make adjustments.
"Ah Gan’s positioning for you is correct, but he overestimates the energy and stamina of others. He’s a freak, can’t expect everyone to be a freak. You need to observe details on the court more. It’s already the fourth game. Against Big Ben, Little O’neal, and Kobe, have you gathered any insights or thoughts?"
Yao Ming nodded and said, "Yes. Little O’neal’s shooting stability is weak. I found that if he starts poorly, he doesn’t dare to shoot much. Big Ben likes to play his own game when there’s not much defensive pressure on him. As for blocking, one likes to use his left hand, the other his right..."
Yao Ming’s ability to observe was indeed good, and his game experience was quite rich. After three targeted games, he was quite familiar with many details about Little O’neal and Big Ben, if not completely expert.
Tomjanovich nodded. He discussed some of these details with Yao Ming and told him he needed to be more on point in both offense and defense.
"Even if you can’t become the arrow to pierce through the opposition, you definitely should not become a flaw in the fortress the opponent can exploit," Old Tang said lastly to Yao Ming.
Yao Ming nodded to indicate his understanding. The meticulous and detailed guidance from Tomjanovich and Gan Guoyang had a significant impact on his future development.
Yao Ming’s physique and style determine that he is a player with very obvious strengths and weaknesses; he has a few long planks, but not many, and his short planks are quite short.