The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 782 The Truth is a Quick Knife
Bird's adjustment was swift and decisive.

Of course, this is the regular season, and the main rotation players in the regular season will be 9-10 people.

Coaches may make large-scale changes in a short period of time in order to adjust the lineup and train new players.

Furthermore, more traditional coaches prefer to distribute player playing time more evenly, leading to a more team-oriented style of play.

The coach who had the most profound influence on Bird was Bill Fitch. During Fitch's tenure with the Celtics, Bird's playing time was consistently kept below 40 minutes.

When KC Jones became the Celtics' head coach, Bird's playing time increased again and again, and in the 80s, his playing time was second only to Gan Guoyang.

KC Jones is more conservative in his personnel decisions, especially in the playoffs, where a six-man rotation is common in order to maintain the stability of form and intensity.

Bird had no objection to this style of play and rotation when he was a player. He was a person with great stamina and liked to stay on the court for tough games.

However, after becoming a coach, Bird did not appreciate Jones's rotation method. He respected Fitch's balance and strived to mobilize the energy of every player on the team.

This is not an easy task for a rookie head coach in the NBA, because the pressure to achieve results is enormous. Some coaches, in their pursuit of results, simply don't bother developing new players or implementing a large rotation, instead relentlessly exploiting their key players.

Bobby Bellman is already considered a very good coach. When he first took over as coach of the Trail Blazers, he wanted Gan Guoyang to play 48 minutes a game, preferably without resting for even a minute.

Bird is Bird after all. He was under pressure, but at the same time, he had enough confidence that he believed in his judgment of the situation and the players' abilities.

If rookies like Kobe or Jermaine O'Neal were brought on in the second quarter, the situation might still fall apart because there would be no one to mentor them.

He chose to field a more conservative lineup of veteran players first, and then immediately bring in fresh talent if things went wrong—this was a psychological strategy.

Fresh troops are not suited for stalemates; they are better suited to attacking the opponent when at a disadvantage.

Of course, nothing is certain on the basketball court; any shot could miss, no matter how good the opportunity.

Bird was also uneasy and uncertain about not letting Forrest Gump play early, and instead bringing on young players like Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal.

Especially Kobe, can he really disrupt Pippen? I don't expect him to limit Pippen, just to cause him some trouble.

If this rotation doesn't work, the Trail Blazers might collapse in this quarter, leading to an inability to recover in the second half and the game being over.

Bird thought, "If only I could take off my suit and play right now. The Trail Blazers really need a player who can help organize the offense and defense."

Both teams returned to the game, and Kobe, chewing gum, threw himself into the game, trying to make runs to find opportunities, but he was never the focus of the offense.

Van Exel capitalized on a screen and made a tough shot, helping the Trail Blazers recover some ground.

Van Exel's ability to score with his strong drives is exactly what the Trail Blazers need right now, but he's a liability on the defensive end.

The Trail Blazers changed their defensive strategy, having Kobe Bryant lead the defense full-court, while Jermaine O'Neal and PJ Brown moved up to extend their defensive line.

The Trail Blazers' constant retreat to the basket resulted in insufficient pressure on the Bulls' perimeter, preventing their triangle offense from running smoothly.

Pippen remained remarkably composed despite the constant pressure from the crowd. His physique was far superior to Kobe's, and Pippen had a nickname: "The Buffalo."

The time spent with Jordan in the gym was not wasted; at 6'7", he was stronger than many power forwards in the league.

Pippen could even say that if it were purely a matter of strength and physicality in tonight's game, he wouldn't be afraid of anyone except Forrest Gump.

Not to mention a hothead like Kobe. Although Kobe had been gaining weight and strengthening his muscles, Rome wasn't built in a day or two, or even a year or two.

Pippen spent ten years building his career, transforming himself from a scrawny rookie into a beast; Kobe also needed enough time to hone his skills.

Therefore, Kobe's harassing defense had little effect on Pippen, who easily crossed half-court and organized the offense in the middle.

Pippen easily fed the ball to Toni Kukoc in the low post, then ran towards the weak side off the ball, spreading out the Trail Blazers' defensive line.

The player guarding Kukoc was Jermaine O'Neal. Kukoc backed down and tried to squeeze in, but O'Neal held him off. Kukoc then spun around and went to the baseline, where PJ Brown provided help defense.

The Trail Blazers' interior defense was open, and Kukoc made a beautiful pass to Pippen, who was rushing up on the weak side. Pippen caught the ball and was about to dunk.

Kobe didn't lose track of the ball; with a swift chop, he knocked the ball out of Pippen's hands, and the Bulls regained possession.

"Great defense, great defense!" Dick Hart applauded Kobe's defensive play from the sidelines. Hart had been coaching everyone on the team on defense.

He discovered that Kobe had great defensive talent; he was physically gifted, quick-witted, and competitive—essential qualities for an excellent defender.

With the ball still in the Bulls' possession, Kobe's defense was only half successful. Pippen received the ball again, used his strength to turn around and bank shot under the basket, making the layup.

Kobe had no chance on that play; he was outmatched in strength, height, and wingspan, and Pippen's release was quick.

Gan Guoyang shook his head on the sidelines. He said that the defense should have been on the receiving end of the ball, and that Pippen should not have been allowed to receive the ball so easily in such a deep and close position to the basket.

In this respect, the Bulls did a much better job than the Trail Blazers. Once a Trail Blazers player gets the ball close to the basket in the three-second zone, he will encounter many difficulties and obstacles.

However, the unpredictable Van Exel immediately hit a three-pointer on offense, his shot was quick and powerful, and even though Kerr was on his best to defend and almost fouled him, he still couldn't stop him.

Van Exel's introduction was the right decision. Steve Kerr had no advantage against Van Exel, not even in height, making him a perfect target for the madman.

The Bulls continued their steady play, with Kobe Bryant maintaining full-court defense on Pippen, who easily crossed half-court.

As he continued to orchestrate the offense at the top of the key, Jermaine O'Neal suddenly pulled out from the middle and double-teamed Pippen with Kobe.

Pippen was caught off guard by the double-team and could only hold the ball to defend against the pressure, then pass it to Kukoc who came over to receive it.

Little did anyone know that Riedle would launch a surprise attack from the side and steal the ball from Kukoc's hands!
The Trail Blazers stole the ball, and Kobe and Jermaine O'Neal charged towards the frontcourt, passing the ball to Van Exel.

Kobe had driven to the basket, with Pippen close behind. Kobe waved to Van Exel, indicating a fast break opportunity in the paint.

But Van Exel had just made a three-pointer, so he would definitely be taking a three-pointer next.

Sure enough, Van Exel pushed the ball up the court himself and took another three-pointer from the left 45-degree angle, and it went in again!

Van Exel scored 8 consecutive points, helping the Trail Blazers quickly close the gap.

Kobe still couldn't get a fast break dunk opportunity, but he immediately got into defense, sticking close to Pippen.

Pippen was quite annoyed that Kobe had intercepted his passes twice. When Kobe tried to get close to him again, Pippen rolled his eyes and pushed Kobe away.

"Temporarily put the rookie on hold, don't get too carried away," Pippen complained, then walked off the court.

The Bulls called a timeout, and Bird's adjustments paid off, as the new lineup's energy regained the initiative.

In particular, the defensive coordination between Kobe, Jermaine O'Neal, and Riddell caught the Bulls off guard.

After honing his skills for half a season, Kobe realized that defense is a team effort, and when you can't handle a problem on your own, you need to call for support in time.

He communicated well with Jermaine O'Neal, and Riddell's behind-the-back steal was a testament to their excellent teamwork. The three of them high-fived each other as they left the court.

"You played very well, beautiful defense, beautiful three-pointers. If you could have passed the ball just now, I think our performance would have been even more perfect." Bird encouraged his players while also reminding Van Exel.

Although he made the shot, as a point guard, he can sometimes be a bit selfish.

Moreover, this habit of always shooting a three-pointer on the next possession after making one makes it makes one vulnerable to being targeted in the playoffs.

Van Exel muttered, "Three points is one more than two points."

Bird pretended not to hear him. He didn't make any adjustments, but instead told the players to maintain their current form and playing style.

Gan Guoyang remained seated on the sidelines, while Michael Jordan had already taken off his jacket and was preparing to enter the game.

Kobe realized that Jordan would be on the court, and he said to Riddell, "Let's switch. I'll guard Jordan, and you go and deal with Pippen."

Ryderba had to go up against Jordan, but he still asked, "Does the coach agree?"

"That's not important, as long as you agree, just hand him over to me."

Riddell nodded. Although he was arrogant off the field, he knew his own limitations on the field.

Defending Jordan one-on-one is the second toughest job in the league after defending Forrest Gump one-on-one. It's one thing if you can't stop him, but being constantly subjected to mental attacks is the most devastating thing.

Unlike Gan Guoyang's cunning and comprehensive psychological attacks, Jordan's attacks were a wide-ranging, dense barrage with no deeper meaning; they were simply meant to humiliate and demoralize you.

This is also one of the joys of Jordan playing basketball; like Forrest Gump, they both enjoyed tearing their opponents apart.

Kobe was not intimidated. When both sides returned to the court, Kobe set his sights on Jordan, preparing to defend the greatest shooting guard in history one-on-one.

Before Kobe set his sights on Jordan, Jordan had already been keeping an eye on Kobe. During a timeout, Jordan asked Jackson to substitute him in, saying that he would be guarding Kobe.

Before the game, there were numerous articles claiming that "Kobe will be the next Michael Jordan," a statement that Jordan found extremely distasteful. He wanted to teach Kobe a lesson and show people that the idea of ​​him being the next Jordan was utter nonsense.

After the inbounds pass, Jordan immediately used his agile movement to create an opportunity on the perimeter, received a pass from Pippen, and pulled up for a jump shot that went in!

Kobe tried to keep up with Jordan, but Jordan skillfully used tactics and screens from his teammates to easily shake off Kobe's defense.

Gan Guoyang, seeing Kobe's defense, cursed, "It's no good if you didn't go to college. This defense just follows people around like a headless fly!"

Bird, standing nearby, said, "I never had him guard Jordan, that overly ambitious guy."

Bird said that, but he didn't stop Kobe from going up against Jordan.

In Bird's view, it didn't really matter who guarded Jordan; apart from Forrest Gump, no one on the Trail Blazers roster could truly contain Jordan.

In that case, it would be better to let Kobe play against him, toughen him up, let him know where the gap is, and make him more grounded.

In the ensuing offensive and defensive battles, Kobe was naturally no match for Jordan; the gap between the two was comprehensive, especially in terms of experience.

Jordan originally only intended to have a casual chat with Kobe, just to get by, but Kobe's three sentences completely enraged Jordan.

When Jordan was matched up against Kobe, he kept saying to Kobe, "This is the second me, this is me? I wasn't like this in my rookie season." While saying this, he still scored four points and had an assist over Kobe, helping the Bulls regain the lead.

Kobe got annoyed by the comments and retorted, "I have no desire to become the second you. Don't flatter yourself."

Kobe's words left Jordan speechless. Kobe then added, "My goal is to surpass Forrest Gump, not you. What's so great about being number two?"

This statement infuriated Jordan. "I'm second? I'm just a secondary GOAT?"

What truly broke Jordan's defense was Kobe's third sentence.

Kobe received the ball and made a mid-range shot, despite Jordan's defense.

After scoring, Kobe said, "You are just a stepping stone for me to surpass Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump told me to become Jordan first, and then think about surpassing him."

Jordan was furious. On the next offensive possession, he had everyone spread out and relied solely on his strength and speed to drive to the basket, dunking the ball over Jermaine O'Neal and drawing a foul, forcing him to the free-throw line.

After scoring, Jordan's eyes flashed with anger, and Kobe's words pierced Jordan's pride like a knife.

At this point, Gan Guoyang finally stood up from the bench, replaced Jermaine O'Neal, and returned to the court to play the final stage of the second quarter.

With Jordan making the free throw, the score reached 40-47, with the Bulls maintaining a 7-point lead. Both teams' starters had returned to the court.

At this point, Kobe remained on the court, clearly indicating that Bird was satisfied with his performance.

After Gan Guoyang entered the game, he touched the ball in the low post for the first time, and Jordan pounced on him like a mad dog to double-team him.

Gan Guoyang immediately passed the ball to Kobe, who dribbled and drove to the basket, but Pippen knocked the ball away.

Gan Guoyang retrieved the ball, and Jordan pounced on him again, his defensive intensity was astonishing, touching him all over.

Gan Guoyang thought to himself, "It's only the second quarter, Michael, what's wrong with you?"

It's not like it's the finals, why would a dog bite you?
However, this time Gan Guoyang didn't pass the ball again, instead protecting it and pushing it inside.

He shoved Jordan aside, then used his skillful footwork to create space, and scored two points with a layup.

Kobe watched from the outside; Forrest Gump's ball-handling skills were something he could learn from for a while.

Jordan, Pippen, Longley, and six other players kept interfering, but they managed to keep the ball very secure.

Moreover, with such a strong body, while relying on strength, he ultimately used his footwork to dodge out of the space.

In Kobe's eyes, Forrest Gump was a treasure trove from which there was no end to learning, and there was so much room for improvement in the future.

As for Jordan? Kobe still remembers watching the two of them play for the first time when he was 8 or 9 years old in Italy.

His memories of Forrest Gump remained vivid in his mind, while he had completely forgotten Jordan's.

"Great shot, Forrest Gump!" Kobe couldn't help but exclaim.

"Fuck Kobe, who the hell let you lose the ball? You can't even protect the ball, what kind of basketball are you?"

"I will protect you."

"Talk less, compete more."

Next, Jordan once again charged to the basket, challenging Gan Guoyang's rim protection in the three-second zone.

Jordan's speed was incredibly fast and his impact was immense. Gan Guoyang knew it was difficult to defend against, so he chose to give up.

With a powerful one-handed dunk, Jordan scored consecutive points after entering the game, helping the Bulls maintain their lead.

Seeing Jordan playing so hard, Gan Guoyang asked in disbelief, "Are you fucking crazy, Michael? It's only the second quarter, why are you playing so aggressively?"

Jordan said, "Didn't we always give it our all in every matchup?"

"You're right."

Gan Guoyang thought Jordan was going to play at a high intensity early, which was perfect since he had rested enough on the bench.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang also started his aggressive attack, launching a frontal assault on the next ball.

Wearing a Harper badge, he drove to the basket and made a floater, scoring two points and getting a free throw.

The free throw was made, and then on defense, Gan Guoyang double-teamed Pippen in advance, putting pressure on him.

Pippen tried to dribble past his opponent, but Gan Guoyang stole the ball and launched a counterattack.

The Bulls surrounded and blocked him, but Gan Guoyang was not afraid at all. He drove to the basket with two people on his body and made a successful layup.

Gan Guoyang's speed and explosiveness are not as good as before, but his weight and strength have increased further, making his attacks unstoppable.

They just push the ball in with force, and several people can't stop them. If they do, they either commit a foul or watch the ball go in and then commit another foul.

With two consecutive three-point plays, the Trail Blazers narrowed the gap again near the end of the second quarter.

Gan Guoyang's powerful playing style drew cheers from Portland fans at the Rose Garden.

Phil Jackson stood on the sidelines, feeling a headache coming on. If Rodman wanted to keep up with this kind of aggressive play, he might be able to disrupt him.

Rodman didn't care at all, while Michael, for some reason, got a little carried away and attributed the foul to Jordan.

Jordan committed two fouls in the first half, which was not good news, while Forrest, as the Trail Blazers' defensive anchor, only committed one foul.

As a head coach, you absolutely cannot focus solely on the score or only consider whether you are leading or trailing in the first half of the game.

Taking a lead and getting complacent, or falling behind and becoming anxious, is absolutely unacceptable; playing like that will most likely result in a loss.

A comprehensive assessment is needed, considering the form of both your own and the opponent's key players, the performance of their substitutes, and whether there are any unexpected surprise players.

Also, keep in mind the players' foul counts, and observe the players' injuries and physical condition, as well as the opponents' physical condition and rotation status.

Make plans and adjustments as early as possible to prepare for the final sprint.

Just like a movie, a two-hour movie, the first hour and 50 minutes of buildup is often just for the final 10 minutes of ending.

If the ending isn't handled well, the excitement of what came before can easily be wasted, leaving the audience disappointed.

A well-executed ending can turn seemingly casual or nonsensical details into strokes of genius.

In Jackson's view, the Bulls still held the advantage, especially in the final moments of the second quarter when Jordan hit a buzzer-beating mid-range shot.

The Bulls and Trail Blazers were tied 57-53 at halftime, with the Bulls leading by 4 points at the end of the first half. The team continued to control the game and had everything under control.

In the third quarter, the Bulls will step up their game and show both the Trail Blazers and the Bulls who the strongest team in the league is right now.

However, with Kobe's return to the court, Van Exel's consecutive three-pointers, the intense confrontation between the two sides in the final moments of the second quarter, and Jordan's several rash decisions, Jackson sensed some variables, some variables that were not very favorable to the Bulls.

What makes a football match more exciting than a movie is that even as a player on the field, you can't completely predict how it will end.

Back in the locker room, Jordan was still furious. He told Phil Jackson directly, "If that kid in number 8 comes on the court again, I'm going to smash him."

Jackson asked curiously, "What did he do to you? What did he say? Did he insult you?"

At this point, Jordan fell silent. Sometimes, it's not the insults that make people angry, but the truth that breaks down their defenses.

Regardless, the feud between Jordan and Kobe has been established.

Meanwhile, in the Trail Blazers' locker room, Gan Guoyang sensed something.

He asked Kobe, "Did you say something to Jordan?"

Kobe neither confirmed nor denied it. He shrugged and said, "I said he's a big bald guy."

"A bald head? How can you make a fuss about someone's physical defects?" Gan Guoyang criticized Kobe.

“You should say that you scored 5 points in the three-point contest and lost to Forrest Gump twice in the Finals. You didn’t win a single championship by beating Forrest Gump!” Then, Gan Guoyang gave Kobe some more advice.

Kobe covered his face with a towel and chuckled, while Bird chimed in, "Call him Mickey Mouse, this guy has big, protruding ears."

Everyone in the locker room laughed. Bird liked to see this; the Trail Blazers were a team that wasn't afraid of Jordan.

The 15-minute halftime break has ended, and the real showdown between the two teams will begin in the second half.

Unlike the Trail Blazers of the past, the current Chicago Bulls are better at finishing their opponents in the fourth quarter.

Whether in the regular season or the playoffs, they have had many games where they were trailing by a large margin in the third quarter, but turned the tide in the fourth quarter.

The Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang were better at finishing the game in the third quarter. It wasn't that Gan Guoyang played poorly in the fourth quarter, but as an inside player, he liked to establish a sufficient advantage in the third quarter when he was more comfortable receiving the ball.

Jordan was different. He often didn't play as well in the third quarter as he did in the fourth. It seemed that he could only unleash his greatest energy when he was completely pushed to the brink.

In the past, when the Bulls were not as strong as the Trail Blazers, they often trailed after three quarters, and Jordan would lead the team to catch up in the fourth quarter, but they could not catch up.

Jackson didn't want the Bulls to repeat their mistakes; he knew all too well how steady and devastating Forrest would be once in the lead.

"In the third quarter, we need to step up our game and pull ahead to a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter. That's our goal."

"Of course, you all understand that the most important thing is not to score points for ourselves, but to prevent them from scoring."

"Get moving, lads! Let's see who the real king of the third quarter is!"

(End of this chapter)