The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 783 Good Pass

After becoming a championship coach, Phil Jackson received a great deal of adoration.

In particular, their record of 72 wins and 10 losses made history, and then they won the championship.

Like Pat Riley, he is someone who is good at packaging and marketing himself.

They just took different paths: Riley was a CBD elite with a slicked-back hairstyle, while Jackson was more like a mysterious mentor hidden in a gypsy caravan.

Jackson pioneered a new era in NBA coaching, incorporating team management, in-game coaching, psychological guidance, and even divination—all things that previously seemed unrelated to head coaches.

All of this is for control, for victory, for the championship.

He elevated the head coach to an unprecedentedly important and complex position, something Jackson certainly didn't initially anticipate would come to this.

At first, he just wanted to have a job in the league, get into the head coach circle, and never have to worry about work and salary again.

The NBA is a small circle, and the coaching circle is even smaller than the players' circle. Coaches introduce and recommend each other for jobs, study and vacation together during holidays, and exchange information about their respective teams. It's very difficult for ordinary people to get in without an introduction or guidance because there are so few positions available.

However, Jackson is not in this small circle, and he does not have a very close relationship with most of the other coaches in the league.

Traditional academic coaches didn't think much of him; he was like a hippie in a law school classroom wearing bell-bottoms and a silk shirt.

The player-coaches with strong personalities weren't interested in him either, because they didn't like each other to begin with. For example, Larry Bird, who had just become the head coach, didn't care about hanging out with the other coaches, and he certainly didn't expect to become close to them and get job recommendations in the future.

Jackson walked a path never before seen, a path that belonged to him alone.

He truly brought the Chicago Bulls together, inspiring Jordan, developing Pippen and Grant, and creatively introducing the triangle offense, leading the tactical trend in professional basketball.

But Forrest Gump and the Portland Trail Blazers slowed his path to success. From Jackson's perspective, Portland and Forrest Gump were the ultimate bosses in this game.

On many nights, Jackson would wonder what would have been different if the Chicago Bulls had won the championship in 1991.
In that case, the ultimate boss will definitely be the Chicago Bulls and Jordan, right?
Just like Jordan thought, Jackson believed that the championship was incomplete without defeating the real ultimate boss.

Like the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973, those two championships were the pride of all of New York.

But ultimately they couldn't defeat Bill Russell's Celtics head-on in the playoffs, which was a disappointment.

When Gan Guoyang retired in 1994, Jackson was different from Jordan; he did not feel regret because he knew in his heart that Gan would definitely come back.

Jackson was delighted to have Forrest Gump return, believing that the opportunity to settle things with him and reverse the score between the two teams had arrived.

In Jackson's view, it was never Gan vs. Jordan, but Gan vs. Phil Jordan.

Without Phil Jackson, Jordan's winning percentage against Gan Guoyang was pitifully low, and the two were not on the same level in terms of achievement.

It wasn't until Jackson took over the Bulls that Jordan truly got the chance to challenge Forrest Gump, and Jordan was getting closer and closer to him.

It's the combination of Phil Jackson's brain and Michael Jordan's physique and skills that gives him the ability to defeat the ultimate boss.

"If Michael had half the cunning of Forrest Gump, we wouldn't have lost in 1992."

Jackson had this thought deep in his heart, and it had tormented him for many years.

Jordan was too straightforward in his eyes, and he always came out on the losing end in his confrontations with Forrest Gump.

Jordan was also very stubborn; he stuck to his own style of play and values ​​and rarely wavered.

Sometimes he would compromise, but it was more like a form of tolerance than a real change.

Jackson often found this a headache, but upon reflection, he realized that this might be the reason why Jordan is Jordan.

He couldn't be Forrest Gump, nor did he want to be Forrest Gump; he wanted to surpass and defeat his opponents in his own way.

The point about "doing it his own way" is particularly important; otherwise, he should have followed Hakeem Olajuwon's example and joined the Heat, where it would have been easier for him to achieve his goal.

Of course, Jordan also told Jackson in private, "If I lose to Forrest again, I really need to consider going to Los Angeles or Miami."

Jackson thought to himself, "If it really comes to that, everyone will understand you. Forrest Gump is such a fucking monster."

Jackson made a good discovery in today's game: the current Trail Blazers team is very weak.

They haven't reached championship level in any aspect, and are far from the Trail Blazers team that won four consecutive championships.

The bad news is that Forrest Gump is almost exactly the same as before, showing no signs of decline.

This guy was even more cunning and shrewd. Every action he took and every word he uttered made Jackson suspicious, wondering if Forrest Gump was plotting something.

At the start of the third quarter, Jackson asked his players to clear their minds and use the most reliable defense, rather than the triangle offense, to gain an advantage over the Trail Blazers.

In the first possession, Jordan received the ball at the corner, backed down Ridley, and then turned and faded to shoot a jumper that went in.

Gan Guoyang immediately responded with a turnaround hook shot under the basket – this season, Gan Guoyang's hook shot count has reached a new high.

This ancient technique has been revitalized in Gan Guoyang's hands. Gan Guoyang discovered that after gaining weight and slowing down explosive power, the hook shot is a very energy-saving and effective offensive method.

The referee called a defensive foul on the Trail Blazers, then Jordan passed the ball to the corner, and Pippen's three-point attempt missed.

The Trail Blazers had a chance to close the gap, but their counterattack was thwarted by the Bulls, who secured the defensive rebound.

Jordan received a pass from Rodman, drove to the basket, and faced a double-team from the Trail Blazers' Gan Guoyang and PJ Brown, but his difficult floater missed.

Apart from Jordan's fadeaway jumper and Gan Guoyang's hook shot, neither team scored in the first few possessions of the second half.

Both sides visibly increased their defensive efforts, making the game sluggish and scoring difficult.

Van Exel, who was shooting like nothing in the first half, lost his accuracy under Harper's close defense, missing two wild shots.

After Van Exel missed two consecutive shots, the Bulls seized a fast break opportunity, with Jordan drawing the defense and passing the ball to the outside.

Langley received the ball, faked a drive, and passed it to Ron Harper in the corner. Harper took a three-pointer and made it!

The Trail Blazers' coaching staff sensed something was wrong after seeing this play; Van Exel had wasted too many opportunities.

At the same time, it was difficult to get the ball to Gan Guoyang. The Bulls were trying their best to cut off the passing lanes to Gan, making it impossible for him to receive the ball easily.

Rick Carlisle signaled to Bird that perhaps a short timeout should be called to adjust the team's offensive rhythm.

That's what NBA games looked like in the mid-to-late 90s, especially in the third and fourth quarters, when the pace slowed down, there was a lot of half-court offense, and a lot of missed shots.

It's possible that neither side will score for several rounds, and then suddenly one side will have a breakthrough, scoring five or six points in a row to take the lead.

Five or six points may not seem like much, but given the current pace and shooting percentage, it's a fairly solid advantage, and might even give you the upper hand for the entire game.

Bird shook his head and said, "It's not the right time. Trust the players' ability to adjust."

The Trail Blazers did make adjustments, with Gan Guoyang starting to dribble the ball across half-court himself.

Jordan and Pippen came over to surround Gan Guoyang, not giving him an easy chance to cross half-court and launch an attack.

Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Liddell, who, facing Jordan with his back to the basket, lacked confidence and opted to turn and shoot.

Although the shot missed, Gan Guoyang gained the upper hand in the battle for position against Dennis Rodman, grabbing the offensive rebound.

The long pass went to the other side, and Van Exel caught the ball and hit another three-pointer! This guy really dared to shoot, and he actually made it!
After scoring, Van Exel made a three-pointer gesture. He was on fire tonight and is a valuable asset the Trail Blazers need.

When Van Exel scored, the pressure on Gan Guoyang lessened, and the two sides began a fierce third quarter offensive and defensive battle.

At this point, the Bulls executed their signature full-court extended defense, directly pressing the ball handler from the backcourt.

The Bulls' perimeter players, Harper, Jordan, and Pippen, were all tall, strong, and extremely capable defenders.

Harper, in particular, replaced John Paxson as the Bulls' starting point guard. Originally a shooting guard, he appeared extremely oversized at the point guard position.

Jordan, with the physique of a small forward, played shooting guard, while Pippen, with the physique of a power forward, played small forward, making them a formidable trio of tall perimeter players.

Whenever the Bulls employ a full-court press, their opponents are prone to making numerous mistakes and becoming disorganized on offense.

The Trail Blazers were no exception; they made a series of mistakes in their backcourt, and even though Gan Guoyang came out to receive the pass, he was still a lone player.

The Bulls don't double-team indiscriminately. Instead, they use their size advantage on the perimeter to apply high-intensity pressure, forcing opponents into turnovers or making careless attacks, and then launching counterattacks based on that.

The Trail Blazers already had a serious problem with turnovers, and they lacked a playmaker on the wing.

Van Exel has no problem initiating attacks with the ball, but his short stature limits his vision, and his aggressive playing style often leads him to make wrong choices.

The Bulls unleashed a 6-0 run against the Trail Blazers, extending their lead to 11 points.

But Bird still insisted on not calling a timeout. He saw the players making mistakes, and like a stubborn parent, he insisted that the children recognize their mistakes and correct them on their own.

Dick Hart was getting impatient, saying from the sidelines, "We're down by 11 points, shouldn't we save the timeout for the post-game raffle?"

Bird nodded and said, "Yes, keep it for the raffle, the grand prize is the Larry O'Brien Trophy."

Hart had nothing to say and could only watch as the situation on the field became dangerous.

At this moment, the Trail Blazers players were also waiting for the coach to call a timeout, but they did not receive any instructions.

Van Exel wanted to call a timeout, but Gan Guoyang stopped him, saying, "Give me the ball."

After being repeatedly blocked, Van Exel obediently passed the ball to Agam.

Gan Guoyang dribbled the ball across half-court to organize an attack. Facing harassment from Pippen and Jordan, he used a clever behind-the-back dribble to get rid of them.

Then change direction in advance to create some distance from Pippen. After all, he is a center and cannot crossover as quickly as Tim Hardaway.

But a small gap was enough, because he was strong and charged straight in, using his strength to force his way through the middle on horseback and shoot arrows.

He scored two points and drew a foul from Pippen, who shrugged and shrugged at the referee, but it was of no use.

This is Gan Guoyang's fourth three-point attempt tonight. The Bulls' foul trouble is still accumulating, but it's not obvious yet.

The free throw was made, and the point difference returned to single digits. Gan Guoyang directed the defense, demanding a further tightening of the game.

"Don't leave the three-second zone, stay in the three-second zone, let them shoot three-pointers, abandon double-teaming, and guard the players in front of you!"

Gan Guoyang pulled PJ Brown back and instructed the whole team to strictly adhere to man-to-man defense and avoid double-teaming indiscriminately.

Gan Guoyang could sense that the team was at a disadvantage in all aspects, while the Bulls were in their peak rising phase.

It's like two boxers fighting. In the seventh round, the opponent's punches are getting heavier and faster.

At this point, as the weaker party, you don't have much power to fight back; all you can do is huddle up and defend with your hands behind your head.

The primary task is to avoid being defeated by the opponent, while simultaneously wearing them down, seizing opportunities to launch counterattacks, and then waiting for a chance to strike.

Wait until the opponent's peak period is over and they enter the decline phase, then the accumulated problems begin to surface, delivering a fatal blow to the opponent.

Of course, whether or not this opportunity will come is uncertain for the weaker party; all they can do is wait and not give up.

Even if your opponent doesn't reveal a major weakness by the end, or even if they do, you might not be able to land that fatal blow.

Gan Guoyang used to always have an easy time; once he gained a significant advantage, he would never be able to turn the tide.

In fact, he is better at fighting against the odds; he is a very patient person, which is also a strategic advantage of the Chinese.

By securing the paint, appropriately abandoning the middle, and almost completely foregoing the two corners and the three-pointers at the top of the arc, the Bulls began to bombard the Trail Blazers relentlessly.

Pippen hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc, Toni Kukoc, who came off the bench, pulled up for a mid-range jumper, and even Jordan made a three-pointer.

However, judging from the point difference, the Trail Blazers will still firmly keep the gap at around 10 points.

Playing at home, the referees gave the Trail Blazers some assistance, resulting in many free throws.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers did indeed penetrate more, with Riddell, Gan Guoyang, and Green all driving to the basket.

You have to charge towards the basket to get the referee's whistle.

When the lead was widened to 14 points, Gan Guoyang suddenly hit a three-pointer.

Then, Jordan missed a three-pointer, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound and passed it to Kobe, who came off the bench.

Kobe received the ball on the fast break, hesitated for a moment on the outside, and then shot a three-pointer, which also went in!

They scored six consecutive points, bringing the difference back to eight points.

Then, Pippen broke through the dense defense and was blocked by PJ Brown.

Gan Guoyang countered by cutting all the way from the middle to the basket and hitting a Moonhook, bringing the score to just 6 points!
In just two or three rounds, the Trail Blazers responded with an 8-0 run against the Bulls, with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

For a full nine minutes, Bird didn't call a single timeout, relying entirely on the players to adjust on their own.

They persevered, holding off the Bulls' continuous outside shots, and seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack.

With the score at 83-77, Phil Jackson called a timeout. The Bulls seemed to be playing with ease, as if they were punching their opponents in a boxing ring, making them run away in fear.

However, upon checking the points, the gap had not widened, indicating that the situation was not good and the opponent was more resilient than expected.

Jackson kept blowing his whistle at the players during the game, but it didn't do much good. During a timeout, Jordan complained, "Forrest Gump is like a pile of dried cow dung under the basket, smelly and hard, and you can't fucking get rid of him. The referees are on their side! And that little cow dung, PJ Brown!"

Jordan had a good shooting percentage in the third quarter, but all of them were outside shots; he didn't drive to the basket at all.

Gan Guoyang was somewhat limited on offense, but he also limited the Bulls' players' offense.

The league now encourages physical play under the basket, especially handchecks, and is very lenient about collisions in the paint.

When an interior defender is defending against a ball handler's drive, if he uses his elbow to bump the opponent's waist, the referee will usually turn a blind eye as long as it's not too excessive.

This is a huge limitation for the ball handler, and with PJ Brown on the court, the Trail Blazers' three-second zone is practically impregnable.

Without scoring in the paint, relying solely on outside shooting resulted in a lack of consistency and continuity in the Bulls' offense.

One slip-up and the Trail Blazers seized the opportunity to close the gap.

"And that Kobe number 8 was trash-talking me like a madman. Who the hell does he think he is? He doesn't even know who taught him some of those words. Am I supposed to argue with a high school kid like that? Shit!"

Jordan continued to complain, and he also suffered mental attacks from Kobe, which made Jordan very depressed.

Jackson told Jordan to calm down, "Calm down, calm down. Who taught him this? Who else but Forrest Gump? This is Forrest Gump's usual trick. He's trying to confuse you, using an 18-year-old. He's playing you, Michael."

"Forrest Gump is a real piece of trash, how could he come up with such a brilliant idea?" Jackson muttered.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Gan Guoyang was venting his anger on Bird.

"Why the hell didn't you call a timeout? Were you asleep? Or did you forget because you were watching the game?!"

"I hope you will solve the problem yourselves."

"Then what use are you!"

"I am responsible for hope."

"..."

For the Trail Blazers, things are getting better.

The problem is that they are still down by 8 points, not 1 or 2 points.

The situation was still quite dire; they withstood the Bulls' ferocious defense and offense, but the advantage and initiative remained in the Bulls' hands.

After the timeout, the substitutes from both sides battled it out, maintaining an 8-point gap.

With the score at 85-77, the two teams entered the final battle of the fourth quarter.
-
At night, in Hu Weidong's home in Los Angeles, Hu's mother went to bed early.

Hu Weidong sat alone in the living room, the lights off, the 21-inch color TV emitting a glaring fluorescent glow.

This TV was a gift from Bobby Bellman, which came with a VCR, so that Hu Weidong could watch more game recordings.

Hu Weidong rarely uses video cameras, not because he is not diligent, but because he doesn't know how to use them to improve his skills; such equipment is not available in China.

He also rarely watches NBA live streams, not because he's not interested, but because when you're an NBA player, you don't have time to watch live streams on game days.

Tonight, Hu Weidong was deeply engrossed in the battle between the Trail Blazers and the Bulls. He sat on the sofa with his chin in his hand, his eyes glued to the TV screen.

What impressed him most wasn't Gan Guoyang, because he already knew how good Gan was at basketball. It was Kobe Bryant, who wore the same number 8 as him and entered the league right after high school.

He was very thin, as thin as I am. He wasn't the key player on the court; the ball was always in the hands of Forrest Gump or Van Exel.

But he has a strong presence, a very strong presence. Whether it's defense or when he has the ball, your eyes will be drawn to him.

Hu Weidong wondered if this was his ideal goal on the field: someone who wasn't particularly noticeable, but had a strong presence.

When needed, he was able to step up and contribute to the team. Kobe was only 18, while I'm already 26...

Hu Weidong fell into deep thought, reflecting on his NBA career so far and whether he was on the right track.

On the television, Kobe got his chance to play in the most crucial moment of the fourth quarter and contributed a brilliant mid-air layup during a fast break.

His powerful core strength and graceful movements in the air drew cheers from fans in a Los Angeles bar.

Many white-collar workers and students gathered here to drink beer and watch the game. When the game was at its most intense, they also drank to their heart's content.

Zhang Weiping couldn't help but cheer when he saw Kobe score. He is usually a reserved person, and when he gets excited while watching a game, he will at most smile and rarely shout out loud.

Seeing Zhang Weiping's reaction, the owner of Barton Company asked, "So, you really like Kobe?"

Zhang Weiping smiled and said, "Um... how should I put it? It was the first time I watched him play, and he... look, he made a steal!"

Kobe successfully pressured Steve Kerr on defense, stealing the ball from him and launching a counterattack, assisting Jermaine O'Neal to drive to the basket and draw a foul from the Bulls.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Trail Blazers' second unit put immense pressure on the Bulls.

"This young man is good, very energetic, and he has a certain charisma." Zhang Weiping took a sip of beer.

What kind of aura is it? Zhang Weiping couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it's definitely very captivating.

"Isn't he a lot like you? You have this fearless, adventurous attitude. I've seen him nag Michael more than once; most young players wouldn't dare to do that," the boss added, trying to praise Zhang Weiping and persuade him to stay with the company and continue expanding.

But Zhang Weiping was lost in thought; his attention was completely drawn to the game and basketball.

Because the match was so intense, it had reached a fever pitch, and the referee frequently blew his whistle to cool down the anger between the two sides.

Jordan and Kobe were already exchanging insults, while Gan Guoyang was still making sarcastic remarks from the side, "Michael, why are you so petty?"

“Michael, how can you hold a grudge against a child? He’s still a child.”

"Michael, you need to be more magnanimous, you need to have some tolerance."

Jordan was very straightforward and gave Gan Guoyang a few fudge squid, which Gan Guoyang gladly accepted.

However, emotions are just a catalyst; what truly ignites the fire is solid substance.

Gan Guoyang was very anxious, as the score difference remained between 5 and 8 points, and he couldn't turn it around.

The Bulls are incredibly solid, extremely solid, with no major weaknesses in either defense or offense.

This resulted in the Trail Blazers only being able to keep the score close with the Bulls, but being unable to tie or take the lead.

They'd been held underwater for too long, and the seasoned bull had firmly taken control of the rhythm.

Gan Guoyang tried to break the deadlock with offensive rebounds, but Dennis Rodman was the only one who could compete with Gan on the boards.

Moreover, the Bulls' defense on second-chance opportunities was excellent, consistent from the first quarter onwards, and their help defense was extremely quick.

Time ticked by, and the teammates' stamina was dwindling. Just holding on was already exhausting, and the Trail Blazers couldn't find a way to turn the tide.

Jordan received the ball in the low post, and Gan Guoyang defended Jordan one-on-one. Jordan did not fight hard and passed the ball to Kukoc.

Kukoc drove to the basket but missed the layup, but Rodman followed up with a putback and scored, bringing the score to 94-87.

A crucial putback secured the Bulls' lead at 7 points with 4 minutes remaining in the game.

In the eight minutes that followed, both teams scored very little, with the Trail Blazers scoring 10 points and the Bulls only managing 9.

The intense competition caused both teams' physical condition and shooting touch to decline rapidly, while the Bulls tightly controlled the Trail Blazers' passes to Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang couldn't possibly dribble the ball from the backcourt all the way to the basket every time; he was conserving his energy for the final sprint.

But if you fall too far behind, it will be too late to catch up.

Kobe's fast break and steal were especially precious at that moment.

Bird called a timeout; he had three timeouts in hand.

After using this one, there are two left.

Kobe went to the bench for a rest, and Bird, unusually, picked up a tactical board and started drawing.

Most of the time, Carlisle drew up the play plans for the Trail Blazers, while Bird was responsible for giving orders.

Now, Bird had to step up, and he devised a double screen play on the perimeter.

PJ Brown and AC Green set screens for Van Exel, while Gan Guoyang lurked on the weak side.

The tactics are simple and straightforward. Van Exel is on fire tonight, so it's worth a gamble.

Sure enough, after the timeout, the double screen tactic worked, and Van Exel drew attention.

Rodman was focused on the three-second zone and somehow missed Gan Guoyang. Gan Guoyang received a pass from Van Exel and made a three-pointer!

He wouldn't waste such an opportunity. 94-90, the Trail Blazers narrowed the gap to 4 points, and the Rose Garden rekindled its hope.

With three minutes remaining, the two teams were locked in a fierce battle once again. Jordan's layup attempt missed, and Gan Guoyang's mid-range jumper also failed to find the net.

Pippen slowed down, then isolated Riddell at the top of the key, backing down him with a strong drive. His turnaround jump shot missed, and Rodman grabbed the rebound and went for a layup, only to have it blocked by PJ Brown.

Chaos erupted under the basket. Harper received the ball and passed it out. Jordan faked a shot but didn't actually shoot. He stopped to organize the offense and stall for time.

In the final minutes of the game, time flies by, and Gan Guoyang has no choice but to leave the defense to Aaron McGee.

As a result, Jordan made a quick change of direction, pulled up and shot, and made the shot accurately!
96:90, leaving the Trail Blazers with only 1 minute left.

Bird called another timeout, bringing Kobe back in and replacing Aaron McGee.

Bird then took out his tactical board and drew a tactic for Gan Guoyang to spread out in the low post.

Kobe was responsible for receiving the ball on the wing and facilitating passes; he was taller than Van Exel and Riddell.

"Get the ball to Forrest Gump, that's your job," Bird reminded him.

Kobe nodded, but he knew in his heart that he could do more than that.

After the timeout, Kobe still managed to pass the ball to Gan Guoyang in the low post.

The Bulls immediately double-teamed, and Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Van Exel at the top of the key.

Van Exel launched a three-pointer! It missed, but Gan Guoyang grabbed the offensive rebound.

He jumped and shot, not only making the shot but also drawing a foul from Rodman!

The referee blew the whistle, and Rodman was furious; he had already committed five fouls.

He was going to be ejected after another foul, and his argument with the referee was to no avail.

Finally, he took off his jersey, sat back on the bench angrily, and committed four of his six fouls on Forrest Gump.

He tried his best to defend tonight, but unfortunately, there was no way to overcome the size difference.

Gan Guoyang made the free throw, making all 15 of his free throws tonight, unstoppable.

96-93, only 3 points behind, the Bulls are entering a dangerous moment.

But this is often when Jordan's focus and fighting spirit are most ignited.

A seemingly effortless breakthrough down the middle lane, like a hot knife through butter.

He drove to the basket for a layup, drawing a foul from Gan Guoyang. The Trail Blazers' defense was careless on this play.

Jordan made both free throws, making it 98-93, another 5 points, with only 20 seconds left in the game.

Those two free throws were extremely crucial; the Trail Blazers had almost no chance to catch up because there wasn't enough time.

Bird used his last timeout.

"No matter what, we need to score quickly and then defend with all our might. We have to take a gamble!"

Bird didn't draw up any plays; instead, he handed the ball to Gan Guoyang to control and then quickly implemented full-court defense.

Gan Guoyang nodded to indicate that he understood. They had no way out; they had to fight for even the smallest chance of winning.

The Trail Blazers players were exhausted. The Bulls' intensity was completely different from that of a typical team, and this was only the regular season.

For the Bulls, Phil Jackson instructed them to allow two points and absolutely not give the Trail Blazers three.

"Two points! Let them get two points, absolutely no three points!"

If Jackson had received some advice, he would have opted for a penalty shootout to send the Trail Blazers to the free-throw line, which would have been the safest option.

Unfortunately, Jackson didn't receive guidance from a tactical mastermind, and unexpectedly, he still managed to pull off such a stunning move, seemingly giving away points but actually securing victory.

The Bulls absolutely refused to give up a three-pointer. They applied full-court press defense and focused all their attention on Gan Guoyang. As a result, the ball ended up in Van Exel's hands.

Van Exel dribbles past his opponent, stops abruptly at the top of the arc, and immediately launches a three-pointer, which goes in!
An incredibly simple yet incredibly effective offensive positioning.

Gan Guoyang's cover drew most of the attention, giving Van Exel the opportunity, which he seized.

The atmosphere at the scene was extremely tense, and the Trail Blazers still had a sliver of hope.

At this point, Jackson made a huge mistake: he didn't call a timeout.

The Bulls still have a timeout left, but Jackson doesn't plan to use it right away.

During the timeout, he outlined a strategy in case the opponent scored, while also expressing confidence in his players.

However, this time, they made a mistake against the Trail Blazers. It was Pippen again; the baseline inbound pass went astray.

Kobe darted over like a cat, intercepted the ball that Jordan was passing to, and then made a layup!

98:98! The score is tied!
The entire Rose Garden Arena erupted in cheers.

The bars in Los Angeles were buzzing.

In the apartment, even the usually introverted Hu Weidong, sitting in front of the television, shouted out loud.

Hu's mother came out of the room and asked her son what was wrong. Hu Weidong said embarrassedly, "Nothing, nothing, just watching the game."

After scoring, Kobe jumped and danced like a deer, overjoyed.

Gan Guoyang had to remind him: "Hehe, it's not over yet, it's not over yet!"

Kobe calmed down a bit, but he was still reliving the steal.

That was amazing! This was definitely Kobe's game that made him famous.

However, the game was not over yet. With 8 seconds left, the Bulls had a chance to win.

If Jordan had made the game-winning shot, Kobe's shot would have been much less impressive.

Of course, it was a brilliant strike regardless.

However, the Bulls are not prepared to let the game go into overtime.

The timeout Jackson had left in his hand came in handy at this moment.

He devised a clever screen tactic, allowing Jordan to receive the ball on the wing.

The moment Jordan received the ball, he immediately turned and walked to the baseline.

Before Gan Guoyang could come up to defend, he pulled up and took a fadeaway jump shot!

The ultimate backward lean, a smooth and graceful posture, completed in five seconds.

The ball traced a beautiful arc and swished into the basket!

The rose garden, which was bustling just a minute ago, fell silent.

After scoring, Jordan raised his right hand high, as if to declare who is the current king of the NBA.

The Trail Blazers had only a little over 3 seconds left, and they had no timeouts left, so they had to inbound the ball from the backcourt.

In a situation that was almost utterly hopeless, the Trail Blazers were even struggling to inbound the ball.

Gan Guoyang inbounded the ball from the baseline, and finally threw it to Kobe, who had run to the center line.

Pippen tried to harass Kobe, but Kobe didn't get a chance to shoot, and it was too late.

At this moment, Kobe passed the ball back to Gan Guoyang, who had just entered the court. Gan Guoyang didn't even run out of his own half's free throw line.

An impossible distance, the Bulls players didn't focus on him.

So, the moment Gan Guoyang received the ball, he threw a super long three-pointer directly towards the basket.

No aiming, no hand gestures, it's all about feeling and luck.

The ball flew over two-thirds of the field, and countless eyes were watching its trajectory.

The ball hit the backboard, bounced into the basket, and went in!
Everyone in the rose garden raised their hands, and the noise surged out like a giant wave.

Gan Guoyang experienced a moment of deafness, with tinnitus ringing in his ears, but nothing could be more wonderful than this.

"Damn, it actually went in! It's like a dream." Gan Guoyang smiled, while letting out a huge sigh of relief.

Including that three-pointer, he scored 42 points tonight. It was an incredibly tough and thrilling game.

Kobe rushed over like a child, hugging Gan Guoyang and laughing and jumping. Everyone else gathered around too; tonight was destined to be a big celebration.

Gan Guoyang remained calm as always. He patted Kobe on the head and said, "Good pass, good pass."

On January 4, 1997, I was in Hawaii preparing for the second of two consecutive concerts. During rehearsals, I was completely distracted because my attention was entirely on the Trail Blazers vs. Bulls game. I had my assistant turn on the radio and play the live broadcast.

I cared a lot about the result. I promised Forrest Gump that if we won, I would marry him; if he lost, I would leave. Good heavens, it seems crazy now, but Forrest Gump is always associated with crazy things.

His matches are a memory for a generation, and also a part of my own memories.

The game against the Bulls was very intense, with the Bulls leading for most of the game, until Kobe stole the ball and tied the score.

My heart was pounding, but Jordan hit a crucial shot to take the lead, leaving the Trail Blazers with only three seconds.

At the time, I thought another Michael had prevented my marriage. The concert was about to start, and I was about to turn off the radio. The Trail Blazers were out of the running.

But then, the radio suddenly blared, "Forrest Gump hit a 60-foot three-pointer! Forrest Gump hit a 60-foot three-pointer! The Trail Blazers won! The Trail Blazers won!"
Good heavens, I can't believe my ears. I asked everyone around me if it was real, but they didn't know either. They also thought they must have misheard.

Then the announcer confirmed the result: Forrest Gump had really made the shot! The Trail Blazers had won! I screamed like a madman, "I'm getting married! I'm getting married!"

Everyone thought I was crazy, and I really was crazy. Forrest Gump was too crazy, and life was too crazy.

As you all know, my marriage was not smooth and ended badly, but I love Forrest Gump and I am grateful for his victory, which is an indispensable part of my life.

Everyone was crazy about him.

—Excerpt from a 2003 interview in which Michael Jackson discussed his marriage and its connection to a game in 1997.

(End of this chapter)