The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 612 Iron Five
After a series of high-scoring games, the Trail Blazers struggled against the Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls were clearly well-prepared, both tactically and mentally.

The Trail Blazers have a relatively easy schedule right now, just like last season, with a lot of home games at the start of the season.

After consecutive home games, consecutive high scores, and consecutive big wins, the players have become somewhat complacent.

These games with scores of 150 or more have caused the Trail Blazers' players' stats to skyrocket, making scoring much easier under the Princeton offense.

In the past, Gan Guoyang and Sabonis would occupy space in the low position, but now they are giving up space and using their attractiveness to create opportunities.

A reverse run, a baseline drive, or a spin move to the basket can all create a very simple scoring opportunity.

As their teamwork became more and more refined, everyone's shooting touch improved, and their offense became smoother and smoother. The combination of fluid half-court sets and sharp fast breaks gave the Trail Blazers players the feeling that "the intensity of the league is nothing special."

But the Chicago Bulls' visit taught the Trail Blazers a lesson: some teams may not be so great, but their hypothetical rival, the Chicago Bulls, is definitely not.

The biggest difference between the Bulls and other teams is their defense, especially their defense against perimeter players.

The combination of Jordan, Pippen, and Buck Williams exerted such strong pressure on the perimeter players that the Trail Blazers players never expected it; they were even more intense than last season.

In the first quarter, the Trail Blazers were outscored 24-18 by the Bulls, managing only a paltry 18 points in the quarter, a stark contrast to the team that had previously racked up 150 points in every game.

Although the Bulls had a rough start to the season, their main problem was their offense. How to integrate Jordan and the triangle offense remained a challenge.

In this situation, the Bulls were still able to win some tough games, and the key was their defense.

Phil Jackson trained the Bulls' defense to be extremely tough and brought out the best defensive capabilities of the Jordan-Pippen duo, a pair of top-tier forwards and guards.

In one-on-one defense, no team, whether the Trail Blazers or any other team in the league, can outmaneuver players number 23 and 33 on the perimeter.

In terms of defensive coordination, both players are extremely fast and have great explosive power, making it impossible to shake off their entanglement with ordinary tactical positioning.

Terry Porter, Reggie Lewis, and Petrovic are all in trouble.

Neither Buck Williams nor Bill Cartwright could stop Forrest Gump, and on offense they were no match for Forrest Gump and Domantas Sabonis.

But the Bulls played smartly, avoiding Forrest Gump. Cartwright gave up on low-post offense, and Buck Williams only took some mid-range shots and easy baskets.

They only did the dirty work, focusing all their energy on defense and support, leaving the scoring responsibility to Jordan, Pippen, and outside shooters, in order to avoid the defense of Forrest Gump and Sabonis.

On the defensive end, the Bulls did everything they could to prevent the outside players from passing the ball to Agan, cutting off the connection between the inside and outside.

When the Trail Blazers wanted to play Princeton, it played right into the Bulls' hands.

Having Agan receive the ball at the top of the key and facilitate play poses a much smaller threat than having him back down in the low post.

The matchup quickly revealed the advantage of a team that focuses on the perimeter over one that focuses on the inside.

The core perimeter players have more initiative in their offensive choices; they don't need to be fed the ball and can initiate the offense directly.

A perimeter player like the Bulls, who excels on both offense and defense, can be devastating to the perimeter players of many teams.

Although basketball has long been touted as a game for giants, the center position, in particular, has produced many legends and is always the focus of the spotlight.

Once a team has a superstar center, it can instantly rebuild and become a strong team.

However, a careful study of NBA history reveals that having a strong perimeter core is essential for NBA championship teams.

Having a superstar center is ideal, but you can still win a championship even without one; a decent defensive center is sufficient.

Teams like the 1969 Celtics, the 1972 Lakers (by which time Russell and Chamberlain had degenerated into super role players, focusing on defense), the 1975 Golden State Warriors, the 1979 SuperSonics, and the 1989 Pistons were all perimeter-oriented teams.

Last season's Portland Trail Blazers were the closest to a championship team, having only a superstar center but no true perimeter core.

But the Trail Blazers are special. First, they have a very strong backcourt with plenty of rotation and are focused on offense.

Although they don't have an absolute core player on the perimeter, their ability to solve perimeter problems is very strong. Hornacek and Porter are a rare combo guard combination in the league.

In terms of offensive power, it is second only to Thomas + Dumars.

Secondly, Gan Guoyang, as a center, has the ability to play multiple positions. He has accurate outside shooting and can play both inside and outside, making him a very special player.

Even so, the Trail Blazers are still an inside-oriented team at heart, requiring their perimeter players to actively connect with the inside. Once the backcourt connection is cut off, their inside advantage cannot be utilized.

Phil Jackson capitalized on this, having made arrangements before the game to relentlessly press and defend the Trail Blazers' backcourt throughout the entire court.

In the second quarter, Porter faced strong defensive pressure from the Bulls' perimeter players, requiring him to be fully focused even when crossing half-court.

This caused his passing speed to slow down and the quality of his passes to decline. When the ball was given to Gan Guoyang, he was basically unable to launch an attack directly.

Gan Guoyang or Sabonis themselves need to make further adjustments, find their rhythm again, and think about how to pass the ball to the Princeton offense in the three-second zone.

The originally smooth positional warfare coordination was disrupted, and it was completely out of sync.

Forget about fast breaks; the Bulls' defense and marking of the ball handler are extremely tight.

Buck Williams and Horace Grant almost always managed to stop the ball handler from advancing on their defensive transitions.

This good habit prevented the Trail Blazers' backcourt from building up speed, and their fast breaks were particularly poor.

Buck Williams' arrival created a "catfish effect" within the Bulls.

His presence has spurred Horace Grant to play even harder, and recently he's been training almost as hard as Jordan.

Buck Williams set a benchmark for the Bulls' young big men; he wasn't about stats or standing out, but about the team and winning.

He couldn't stop Agan, but he helped the Bulls in other ways, forcing Gan Guoyang to spend more energy in the paint, especially on rebounding.

Buck's offensive rebounding ability was second only to Moses Malone back then, and he had to be taken seriously.

Furthermore, Jerome Kossie's absence has led to a decline in the Trail Blazers' ability to defend and rebound on the wing. No one can match up with Buck, so Agan has to step up.

The Trail Blazers had an exceptionally tough first half, even tougher than their opening game against the Rockets.

Later on, the Trail Blazers had to return to relying on Forrest Gump for one-on-one plays.

Faced with a disadvantage, Bobby Bellman changed his approach in the third quarter, strengthening his defense across the board and engaging in a war of attrition with the Bulls.

Gan Guoyang completely took over the offense, but he had difficulty receiving the ball in the low post, so he directly received the ball on the outside to launch the attack in order to avoid being double-teamed by the Bulls.

In the third quarter, Gan Guoyang hit two consecutive three-pointers and used his agile footwork and powerful breakthroughs to score points in the paint.

It also drew a foul from Buck Williams.

The Trail Blazers went on an 11-2 run, taking the lead in the game.

But the Bulls quickly adjusted, with Jordan scoring repeatedly against Reggie Lewis in one-on-one situations.

He seemed to be telling Jerry West, "Bringing Reggie Lewis is of no use to me."

Reggie Lewis could control Jordan in some possessions, but when Jordan was in top form, Lewis couldn't do anything about it.

In the fourth quarter, Jordan found his passing rhythm on offense. When Forrest Gump switched onto Jordan's defense, Jordan was able to pass the ball.

The triangle offense provided the Bulls with excellent passing space and offensive vision in half-court sets, allowing Pippen and Paxson to connect with Jordan's passes and score at the rim.

The Bulls regained the lead, and Jordan was pleasantly surprised to find that the helplessness he had felt against Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers in the past was gradually disappearing in this game.

The triangle offense really worked. It didn't make Jordan stronger, but it gave him more options: he could trust his teammates instead of going after Forrest Gump.

BJ Armstrong and Hodges hit consecutive three-pointers, helping the Bulls regain the lead. Basketball is a team sport, and Jordan understood this more profoundly than ever before.

Gan Guoyang, however, found himself in a dilemma.

Passing the ball? Tonight, the Trail Blazers' perimeter shooting was completely disrupted by the Bulls' defense.

Taking possession of the ball and attacking? That's one way to solve the problem, but the chances of winning are only 30-40%.

On the defensive end, Gan Guoyang was tied up with a lot of energy.

Sabonis was heavily targeted, and the advantage he should have established in the Bulls' paint was not significant.

On the defensive end, keeping Sabonis in the paint doesn't seem like a good option when facing the Bulls' triangle offense.

In short, the situation was not optimistic as the game progressed.

The Trail Blazers made targeted reinforcements and upgraded their tactics in the summer, but it seems they haven't achieved the desired results.

Jordan not only pressured Lewis on offense and defense, but also attacked him with a lot of trash talk, trying to break him down psychologically.

Of course, the Bulls, who had the advantage, dared not be careless at all. They knew that Forrest Gump had the ability to defy fate and change the situation on the court in an instant.

In the final stages, Gan Guoyang was still able to put the ball in the basket despite being double-teamed by multiple Bulls players.

But Jordan was able to respond, scoring against the Trail Blazers' tight and tough defense.

At this point, the Bulls, who had the advantage earlier, benefited from it, maintaining a lead of around 4 points.

With less than a minute left in the game, Gan Guoyang had to risk attempting a three-pointer.

After missing the shot, he rushed into the paint to grab the offensive rebound and passed the ball to Petrovic on the wing.

Petrovic hits a three-pointer!
Basketball Mozart hit a crucial three-pointer.

With the Trail Blazers trailing by only one point at 92-91, the Bulls called a timeout.

Phil Jackson was unusually seen pacing back and forth on the sidelines.

If the next attack fails, things will definitely be in trouble.

When the game was called out and Gan Guoyang left the court, he yelled at Jordan, "If you miss, I'll hit the game-winner!"

Jordan knew that Forrest Gump was a man of his word; if he missed the shot, he would make the game-winning shot to take the victory.

But Jordan withstood the pressure, and after the timeout, he used his skillful dribbling and explosive power to tear apart the Trail Blazers' defense.

Facing Forrest Gump's overwhelming defense under the basket, Jordan passed the ball to John Paxson on the wing.

Petrovic, who had just contributed an important three-pointer, made a mistake at this moment. His attention was drawn to Jordan, and he missed Paxson.

Paxson received the ball and made an open three-pointer!

The ball struck the heart of the Trail Blazers like a scimitar.

Gan Guoyang was really out of reach on this play. Michael, that kid, knows how to trust his teammates in crucial moments.

This made Jordan even harder to defend.

Jordan, who had just made the assist, shook his head at Forrest Gump, and for once, pretended to be serious, saying, "I didn't make the shot, but my teammate did, thanks to my assist."

Gan Guoyang could only helplessly say, "You're getting more and more spineless, Michael."

Jordan didn't care about this kind of attack that had no real threat.

Time was running out for the Trail Blazers, and they missed their final shot.

The Chicago Bulls secured a valuable victory in Portland, winning 95-91.

Michael Jordan emerged victorious in the 13th Gan-Jordan showdown, marking his third win.

After the game, he declared, "There will be more and more victories like this, Sonny."

Gan Guoyang, however, was very courteous and said, "You have indeed become better, Michael."

Jordan was very happy to receive praise from Gan Guoyang. When he returned to the locker room and faced interviews with reporters, he could hardly contain his smile.

On the way back to the locker room, Gan Guoyang put his arm around Petrovic and said, "Pete, next time don't just focus on Jordan. I'm enough to handle him. You have to trust me, understand?"

Petrovich nodded, his head drooping and his lips pursed.

He was the Trail Blazers' best outside shooter tonight.

Under the Bulls' tight defense, Porter, Curry, and Lewis all lost their shooting touch.

Only Petrovic showed no fear when facing Michael Jordan, scoring 17 points, including 2 of 3 three-pointers.

However, his defensive shortcomings cost the Trail Blazers in the final stages.

Losing the game against Gan and Joe was certainly frustrating, ending their eight-game winning streak, but it also gave the Trail Blazers an opportunity to adjust and improve.

After the interview, Bobby Bellman held a debriefing meeting with his coaching staff, trainers, and Jerry West.

Everyone spoke freely, raising the issues exposed in the match, and Berman said he would humbly accept them.

This is one of Berman's strengths; as a head coach, he is open to various opinions from his assistants and players, readily accepting good advice.
On the other hand, he stubbornly refused to build close personal relationships with his colleagues and teammates, turning himself into a cold-blooded basketball machine.

His only true friends were Forrest Gump and Rick Adelman, who could be considered half a friend.

Shalov and Weitzer actively offered their opinions, focusing on the perimeter players.

Porter, Petrovic, and Lewis – their offensive lapses tonight were the main reason for the team's loss.

This problem must be solved if we are to face the Bulls.

But then Adelman raised a different opinion, arguing that we were inherently an inside-oriented team.

"If we lose the game, it must be because our inside players didn't perform well enough."

Adelman's perspective on issues is indeed more accurate and insightful than before, and he proposed two important improvements:
First, Sabonis' role in playmaking and half-court ball movement must be improved to alleviate the pressure on the backfield.

Sabonis's screens, picks, and ball distribution are quite excellent. The Trail Blazers have focused on developing his passing and utilizing his defense, but haven't developed enough in other areas.

Therefore, Adelman boldly suggested that Sabonis should be moved to the power forward position to give him more room to maneuver, while Forrest Gump should return to his familiar center position.

As for pressuring the ball handler on the defensive end, Adelman believes that in some games it is no longer necessary because they have Reggie Lewis.

With Kossie returning for the next game, paired with Reggie Lewis, the wing defense is already very strong. Adding Agan would only create overlap and waste the opportunity.

It will leave Reggie Lewis bewildered. He's not Hornacek; he's a great defender, and he should handle things himself.

Furthermore, Sabonis's ability to extend his defense has been consistently underestimated; his mobility and defensive awareness are quite good.

Adelman's theory was widely accepted, and Bellman also believed that Sabonis should be used in a more flexible and diverse manner.

Regarding the second point, Adelman said, "I think 38 minutes is far too little for Forrest Gump. If he played 40 minutes, we would have won! 40 minutes is a piece of cake for him. He could play 45 minutes. Bobby, you can't spoil Sonny too much. One of Princeton's principles is, 'Ironman 5'!"

(End of this chapter)