Chapter 681: Chapter 57 Mountain_3
Phil Jackson did not see himself as a mere passerby; he harbored great ambitions. He aspired to achieve success in the League with his basketball philosophy.
Compared to Doug Collins, Jackson places a greater emphasis on defense. While he did bring the triangle offense, the key reason for the Bulls’ improvement this season lies in their defense.
Phil Jackson’s full-court press and half-court trap defense always manage to exert immense pressure on the opponents at critical moments, causing them to make mistakes.
In terms of forcing turnovers, the Chicago Bulls increased their average forced opponent turnovers from 15 per game last season to 17 this season.
Their pressure on the perimeter is second only to the Detroit Pistons, but unlike the Pistons, who are known for their brute force, the Bulls rely on talent, discipline, and tactics.
The defensive iron triangle of Jordan-Pippen-Grant is displaying tremendous power.
Jordan no longer needs to be tested; Pippen and Grant’s defense still need to be challenged in the games.
Ah Gan is undoubtedly the best and most dangerous whetstone in the League; handled properly, he can rapidly improve your players.
Handled improperly, he can lead to your destruction.
Just before the game, Phil Jackson told Pippen and Grant, "In front of you is a towering mountain. Climb over it, and you will see a different landscape."
Pippen and Grant looked at Gan Guoyang, who was near the center circle chatting with Jordan, with both doubt and anticipation in their hearts.
Will they be able to hold back Ah Gan tonight?
If so, their confidence will see a significant boost.
If not, it’s not really a big deal, because that’s Ah Gan.
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Michael Jordan and Gan Guoyang chatted casually before the game, as usual.
Last time, Gan Guoyang used Jordan as a sharpening stone to hone Petrović.
After one game, Petrović learned the hard lesson that there are always higher skies and greater people.
Since that game, Petrović has become much more grounded, and the "Mozart of Basketball" is now embracing and adapting to his role.
This game, Jordan and Gan Guoyang alike want to implement the "Golden Blade Plan," with Jordan planning to reveal the team’s defense strategy to Gan Guoyang, to give Pippen and Grant a taste of the challenge.
"Tonight, you’ll face a triple-team. Pippen and Grant are going to come at you full force. You’re in trouble," Jordan said.
"Why don’t you come and trap me? Does Jackson underestimate your help defense capabilities?" Gan Guoyang retorted.
"No... that’s not it, because... to deal with you, there’s no need for me to make a move."
"That’s the best joke of the year, Michael. I know you want to take advantage of me. Don’t worry; I’ll show them a thing or two."
"You took advantage of me last time."
"I thought your brain wasn’t sharp enough to realize that."
"Go to hell. And tonight, I’m still going to blow past Petrović, so he better be ready."
"I’ll thank you on his behalf."
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The game went as people expected, with much greater intensity than the one in Portland.
From the first quarter, the Bulls displayed aggressive defense with their full-court press and half-court trap, constantly disrupting the Trail Blazers’ perimeter pass flows and severing Gan Guoyang’s connection with the outside shooters.
This was the first step in Phil Jackson’s defensive strategy.
The second step was to let Pippen and Grant engage in an all-out trap on Gan Guoyang.
These two young players might just be the best helping forwards in the League.
Initially, they were somewhat hesitant and lacked chemistry, but by the second quarter, they became more comfortable and increasingly confident.
Privately, Pippen and Grant shared a close relationship. They entered the League in the same year, lived and ate together during the confusing rookie season, supporting each other and enduring the toughest first year hand in hand.
They both admired Jordan, but also resented him. To aid Jordan, they sacrificed a lot of their own shine.
Their tight coordination on defense posed enormous problems for Gan Guoyang, who hardly had any good shooting opportunities in the first half.
The intensive triple-teaming trapped him, with the Bulls pushing him toward the perimeter, away from the basket.
Gan Guoyang’s mid and long-range shooting were indeed exceptional, but no matter how exceptional, they could not match the efficiency of the Three Second Zone.
The Bulls’ no-holds-barred trapping forced Gan Guoyang to continually pass the ball to his teammates, who were not performing well that night.
The Chicago fans’ high-intensity tight defense and the fiery atmosphere of the stadium made the Portland Trail Blazers seem isolated and helpless.
By halftime, the Trail Blazers were behind 47:59, trailing the Chicago Bulls by 12 points, with Gan Guoyang having only 6 points from 2 out of 5 shots.
Jordan, on the other hand, scored highly efficient 21 points from 9 out of 12 shots, helping the Chicago Bulls establish a decisive advantage.
During the halftime break, Jordan shouted at Gan Guoyang, "You’re letting me down, Sonny!"
"You know, I never disappoint!" Gan Guoyang responded.
However, back in the locker room, Gan Guoyang uncharacteristically punched a dent into his locker.
He indeed faced troubles in the first half; Pippen and Grant were very quick, their help defense timely.
Gan Guoyang’s passing was prompt as well, but the issue was that the Trail Blazers’ offense wasn’t feeling it tonight.
The Bulls came out strong from the outset, leading to the Blazers’ shooting going cold, repeatedly missing shots.
Moreover, Phil Jackson boldly decided to leave the outside open, giving the Trail Blazers the opportunity to take three-point shots.
He was betting that the Trail Blazers would miss their threes, then allocating all defensive resources on Gan Guoyang.
Because Phil Jackson knew, to face Ah Gan you have to take risks, as it’s impossible to cover all bases.
