Chapter 913: Chapter 60: The Morning of the Champion
There’s still an entire quarter of play left in Game 4, and the Trail Blazers trail the Bulls by just 1 point.
One point ahead might be a lead, but the Bulls’ psychological defenses have completely crumbled.
During the break between the third and fourth quarters, the Bulls’ bench was as silent as death, eerily quiet like a graveyard amid the raucous chaos of Chicago Stadium.
At this moment, even if Phil Jackson roared with all his might, his voice seemed like the creaking of bones in a coffin—frightening but utterly lifeless.
Even Jordan, who would usually lash out angrily and harshly scold teammates when they played poorly, had fallen silent now. He didn’t know what to say or what could be said.
Jordan could keenly sense the creeping wave of negativity spreading through the team, like last year’s Eastern Conference Finals in Game 7, when everyone seemed shackled, frozen, and utterly clueless about how to play.
The Bulls now looked just like the Trail Blazers in the first half—only this time, the roles had completely reversed in the second.
At this moment, Jordan deeply wished he knew what the Trail Blazers did during halftime to turn things around.
Was it Gan Guoyang delivering an electrifying speech, or did he just beat up all his teammates?
Jordan didn’t know; he had no clue, and the game wouldn’t wait for him to figure out how to revive team morale.
The brief two-minute intermission was barely enough for everyone to catch their breath before returning to the court to guard that 1-point lead, struggling to sustain it until the final buzzer.
In contrast to the Bulls, the Trail Blazers’ bench erupted like a long-restrained volcano; emotions were soaring as every player stood by the sidelines watching the game intensely.
When Gan Guoyang came off the court, every teammate eagerly stepped forward to high-five him. He grabbed a towel from Antonio Davis and wiped the sweat off his face.
Bobby Berman said: "Sonny, take a break at the start of the fourth quarter, come back after at least four minutes."
"Why? I can play the whole stretch."
"No, you need to rest. Trust your teammates. Save your energy for the critical moments at the end."
Berman’s tone was firm. In the previous three games, Gan had played the entire second half each time.
But tonight, in this pivotal moment trailing by 1 point and on the verge of taking the lead, Berman benched Gan.
It seemed like a risky decision, but Berman had enough confidence. He trusted every single player—not just Gan.
He believed his team had found their rhythm and that, whether Gan was on the court or not, they could turn the tide, hold their ground, and wait until Gan had rested enough.
Gan hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Thus, at the start of the fourth quarter, Jordan remained on the court, while Gan sat on the bench to rest.
The player replacing Gan was the veteran Mychal Thompson, who was playing in the final series of his career.
After a season-long lull, Thompson finally stepped up in the playoffs when it mattered most. Though his stats didn’t stand out, his wealth of experience made him the second "Sea-Calming Needle" on the court after Gan.
Under the basket, whether facing Cartwright, Grant, or Williams, Thompson held his own, executing his responsibilities of rim protection and rebounding with precision, allowing Sabonis to focus more on guarding Jordan and facilitating offense.
On the perimeter, Petrović, Lewis, and Dell Curry formed a three-guard lineup. Petrović, sharp as a blade, continually pierced through the Bulls’ traditionally solid perimeter defense.
On the Trail Blazers’ first possession of the fourth quarter, Petrović went one-on-one against Armstrong, pulling up for a jump shot and nailing it—two crucial points. The Trail Blazers had taken the lead!
Though Jordan responded with a lightning-quick crossover layup to retake the lead, the Blazers’ first taste of being ahead had shattered the inertia that had weighed them down all game.
The Bulls clung on desperately, relying on Jordan to carry them. The rest of the team seemed to regress from professional players to college kids or even high schoolers—their movements were warping under the immense pressure.
Horace Grant got easily faked in the low post by the old veteran Thompson, who seized the opportunity to score while drawing a foul. Thompson hit both free throws, reclaiming the lead.
Soon after, Grant committed a traveling violation while trying to attack. He was impatient, and the mistake only made the Bulls’ situation worse.
This wasn’t about skill, tactics, or ability—it was purely a mental collapse.
For a young player experiencing his first Finals, going from a 19-point halftime lead to being completely overwhelmed in one quarter was devastating.
Petrović drove into the lane again, drawing defenders before kicking it out to Curry on the perimeter. Curry attempted a three-pointer but missed.
Sabonis tipped the ball loose, and Lewis grabbed it in the frontcourt. Charging back into the lane, Lewis threw down a thunderous one-handed slam!
The Trail Blazers were up by 3 points. Chicago Stadium was growing quieter, and Bulls fans were visibly anxious.
A 3-point deficit wasn’t insurmountable—the Bulls had plenty of time.
But that 3-point gap felt enormous compared to the reality that they had once led by 19 points.
Armstrong fired a three-pointer from outside but couldn’t connect. Grant grabbed the offensive rebound.
After a few pump fakes, he forced a shot. The ball circled around the rim before finally dropping in—thank goodness.
Everyone’s nerves and muscles were stretched to their limits. Every shot was executed with extreme caution.
Jordan narrowly missed a steal on Petrović, giving Petrović another chance to attack the rim.
This time, Petrović unleashed a half-shoot-half-pass to a cutting Sabonis under the basket. Sabonis soared high and finished with a thunderous two-handed alley-oop dunk!
