Chapter 899: Chapter 55: Killer Move_5
Gan Guoyang only took a rest for about 3 minutes in the first half, played the entire third quarter, and now it looks like he’s going to play the entire fourth quarter, or take a short rest in the middle of the fourth quarter.
This dealt a significant blow to the Bulls’ confidence, as no one dared to venture into the Three Second Zone guarded by Ah Gan.
Tonight, Gan Guoyang has already contributed 7 blocks and has only 2 fouls.
He is very smart and deliberately lets some balls go to prevent himself from getting into foul trouble.
At the same time, Sabonis acted as a backup, helping Gan Guoyang avoid at least two fouls, allowing Ah Gan to always stand firm on the court.
Jordan, who took a break in the third quarter, led the team in a final counterattack, showing no sign of giving up.
He scored 6 points with mid-range jump shots, helping the Bulls reduce the deficit to 5 points—Jordan has already scored 37 points.
But Gan Guoyang immediately responded with mid-range and turnaround jump shots, and in the paint, he continuously drew fouls from Horace Grant and Will Purdue.
Stepping to the free-throw line, Gan Guoyang hit them steadily. He hasn’t missed a free throw tonight; he doesn’t allow himself to make such mistakes.
What’s more terrifying is that as the fourth quarter further progresses, the Bulls can feel that Ah Gan’s energy is becoming more abundant.
In a critical defensive play, Gan Guoyang and Lewis coordinated, one on top, one with a block, thwarting Jordan’s floater.
Grant picked up the ball, turned, and got blocked again! Gan Guoyang’s ninth block of the game!
This block stat set a record for the most blocks in a single Finals game since block statistics were recorded.
Beelman sighed on the sidelines, saying that during the regular season, Ah Gan held back his blocks, otherwise he would have been the block king too.
Gan Guoyang’s shot-blocking strength is not solely based on his height, wingspan, and explosiveness, but more on his anticipation and the psychological fear he imposes on opponents.
It’s said that when Gan Guoyang blocks, he neither looks at the attacker’s eyes nor the ball, but remains in a state of mental blankness.
This makes the attacker think they can shoot, only to be ruthlessly blocked as soon as they do.
Because Ah Gan relies entirely on peripheral vision and intuition rather than focused gaze to judge, which would always put him a step behind.
This blocking method further increases the mental pressure on the opponents, making them more hesitant and easier to block.
The two blocks elevated the Trail Blazers’ momentum to a high point, and they launched a counterattack after gaining possession.
Gan Guoyang quickly settled into a low position, and Porter made a decisive lob pass. Although Gan Guoyang was immediately triple-teamed by Jordan, Pippen, and Grant, he quickly passed the ball to Porter, who caught it and shot decisively, hitting a three-pointer!
This was the defining shot for the Trail Blazers’ victory in this game, widening the lead back to 10 points, leaving little time for the Bulls.
The Bulls were exhausted, both mentally and physically unprepared for the Finals.
Pippen was nearly invisible in the third and fourth quarters, and the others became mere assistants to Jordan.
Actually, the Trail Blazers were much the same, but the thing is, the Trail Blazers had always played like this, and everyone was comfortable with it.
Jordan still didn’t give up. In the final moments, he hit a three-pointer and then stole the ball from Porter to make a layup, scoring 5 points in succession, making the crowd gasp.
Jordan scored 42 points, and at this moment, he felt confident that if given another two minutes, he could turn it around, but time was running out.
Ah Gan once again managed to draw a foul under the basket, hit both free throws, and tallied 38 points, 20 rebounds, 9 blocks, and 8 assists, bringing the score to 93:99.
The Trail Blazers led by 6 points, the Bulls made a last-ditch effort, but Parkson’s and Armstrong’s three-point attempts both missed, and Sabonis secured the defensive rebound and tossed it to the frontcourt.
Porter took the ball, shrugged off the defense, and didn’t attack anymore, waiting for the time to slowly tick away. The fans at Memorial Coliseum could finally stand up and clap in relief.
The cheers grew louder, reaching a climax when the final buzzer sounded.
The score stood at 93:99, with the Trail Blazers defeating the Chicago Bulls in the Finals opener at their home court, leading the series 1:0.
In this first tentative encounter, both sides played fiercely, sparks flying everywhere.
Although the score was close, in reality, the Bulls were suppressed by the Trail Blazers from start to finish, never seeing daylight.
The Bulls lost this game feeling very aggrieved, yet convinced in their hearts, as the Trail Blazers, from any perspective, were the better team.
Especially Ah Gan, who controlled the game throughout, playing with Jordan, and the entire Bulls team, as if they were in his palm.
In a situation where he had the advantage, he exploited a minor mistake by the Bulls to strike at their soft spot and deliver the fatal blow.
At the end of the game, Jordan came over to shake hands and embrace Ah Gan; he wouldn’t be as rude as the Detroit Pistons.
"Sonny, thank you for letting me experience the Finals, thank you, I’ll remember this for life. But next game, I will definitely win."
Gan Guoyang patted Jordan and said: "Michael, although the Chinese-Americans here all call me ’Gan Zu,’ wishing on me won’t help. Go back and rest well; you need to have enough energy first."
At this moment, Jordan’s feelings towards Ah Gan were extremely complex, and in the end, he could say nothing, merely smiling before leaving.
