The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 820 The Three Young Masters of Portland

Pippen's absence left the Bulls with an incomplete starting lineup.

Facing the Portland Trail Blazers, who were on a winning streak, Phil Jackson, knowing that his roster was inferior on paper, started to use his cunning again.

Jackson was a very clever and cunning coach. He was exceptionally shrewd, and his cunning on the court was comparable to that of Gan Guoyang.

The difference is that Gan Guoyang can directly execute his will on the court, while Jackson has to rely on the players.

This is where the Bulls fell short against the Trail Blazers in 91 and 92.

When the Bulls and Jackson reached their full potential, Gan Guoyang and the Trail Blazers failed to reach the Finals for various reasons.

The Bulls have once again fallen into difficulties and trouble this season, and Jackson knows that this will be his last season in Chicago.

However, like Jordan, Jackson did his best to stand firm until the very end, determined to lead the Bulls to a three-peat.

But when the Portland Trail Blazers "violated regulations" and re-signed Sabonis in the summer, Jackson knew things were going to get bad.

Of all the teams that protested at the time, the Bulls were the loudest, because they knew all too well what Sabonis' return meant.

A fully unleashed Forrest Gump would be lawless. Like in 1992, if it weren't for Sabonis, Forrest Gump wouldn't have been able to fight so freely and achieve both internal and external prowess.

Sabonis is the key to unlocking Forrest Gump's potential and an amplifier that greatly enhances the Trail Blazers' strength. His return will undoubtedly bring the Trail Blazers back to their peak.

When the Trail Blazers later acquired Chris Mullin and Brellock in a trade, Jackson knew that his dream of a three-peat was likely to be shattered.

Once the season starts, look at the Trail Blazers' current momentum. Barring any major injuries, no team in the league will be a match for them.

Even so, the Bulls still have to fight and keep playing, because no one knows what will happen until the very end.

At the beginning of the season, with his team's roster incomplete, Jackson benched Dennis Rodman.

Starting Randy Brown and Jason Caffey was intended to bolster the bench depth, but the effect was mediocre.

Jackson then made adjustments, bringing Dennis Rodman back into the starting lineup and moving Toni Kukoc into the starting position.

With Jordan increasing his individual offensive efforts, the Bulls' record improved, and they resumed their winning streak.

Facing the Trail Blazers' strong interior defense, Phil Jackson made a slight adjustment, assigning Dennis Rodman to small forward to defend Chris Mullin.

The starting power forward was changed to Bill Wennington, who was matched up against Agan, and the interior consisted of a white double center duo of Longley and Wennington.

With Toni Kukoc removed from this starting lineup, it's fair to say that Jordan was the only offensive option left.

The entire Bulls' frontcourt consists of defensive players, none of whom have the ability to attack with the ball.

Jackson has given up hope on the offensive end and is focusing all his offensive resources on defense.

The best use of Rodman is to match up against Mullin instead of Agan.

Sending him to guard Forrest Gump would be a waste, but Mullin is a much more valuable player for the Trail Blazers' offense, and Jackson saw that out.

Rodman started his career as a small forward, so he would have no problem defending Mullin at the three position.

Bird, watching the Bulls' rather strange starting lineup from the sidelines, thought: "Phil Jackson is trying to take a passive approach with all-around defense, trying to stifle our offense on the defensive end and then rely on Jordan's individual ability to slowly build up the offense."

Bird is familiar with this strategy; the Trail Blazers played this way in many games last season.

When the lineup is incomplete and the team is generally on the defensive, it's a good idea to first huddle in defensive positions and then wait for an opportunity to counterattack.

Moreover, the Bulls' bench is not without offensive resources; Kukoc and Kerr, two long-range shooters, could erupt at any time in the second unit.

Whether the Bulls' defensive formation can withstand the Trail Blazers' mobile offense is something that viewers at the stadium and those watching on television are eagerly awaiting.

In the jump ball, Sabonis tipped the ball to his team, and the Trail Blazers took the lead, beginning the 1997 Christmas Day game.

Blaylock dribbled the ball upcourt and smoothly passed it to Mullin on the wing. Mullin has been a key ball-handling hub for the Trail Blazers on the perimeter this season.

Mullin chose to pass the ball to Sabonis, who received it at a 45-degree angle in the low post. Sabonis held the ball and observed the situation, but the Bulls did not employ any double-teaming strategy.

So he took the ball, turned around, and backed down Langley, releasing a slow but smooth hook shot. The ball bounced twice on the rim before falling into the net.

Sabonis helped the Trail Blazers score their first point of the game. Sabonis has been attacking in the low post a lot this season, and he is often the first to score at the start of the game.

For the Bulls, Harper drove to the basket with the ball after a screen, but was blocked by Gan Guoyang. On the next possession, Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, turned and made a jump shot.

The Trail Blazers got off to a good start and quickly took the lead.

The Bulls' triangle offense was in motion, with players maintaining appropriate distance and constantly passing the ball.

While this offensive system may not create many open shots, it provides plenty of one-on-one opportunities.

In the increasingly tight defense of the 90s NBA, creating one-on-one opportunities was already a very good tactic.

Jordan took his first shot, turning and jumping with his back to Ridley, but it missed, and Rodman grabbed the offensive rebound.

The ball was passed back to Ron Harper, who took another shot, but missed again. The Bulls' shooting touch was a bit off at the start of the game.

Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, the Trail Blazers launched a counterattack, and Sabonis received the ball at the top of the arc and immediately launched a three-pointer!

Unfortunately, the ball didn't go in, but Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound again, squeezed past Wennington under the basket, and dunked with one hand!

The Trail Blazers quickly took the lead with a 6-0 run to start, but the Bulls didn't seem to be in a hurry.

This season, the Bulls are a typical slow-starting team, and not just slow, but extremely slow.

He often goes half a day without scoring, trying to find his rhythm, and only starts to find his offensive touch midway through the first quarter.

But tonight you're facing the Portland Trail Blazers. If you're this slow, the Blazers will beat you so badly you'll question your existence.

Jordan remained outwardly calm, but in reality, he began a quick run and received a pass from Harper on the right side, hitting a mid-range shot.

Following that, the Bulls began to apply pressure on the ball defensively, with Harper taking full-court lead to disrupt Blaylock's dribbling rhythm.

Chris Mullin came over to assist, but was entangled by Dennis Rodman and almost made a mistake.

If the first pass in a positional attack turns out like this, it means that the tactical initiation has already failed halfway.

Mullin regained possession of the ball and found Gan Guoyang, who had run to the top of the arc to receive the pass. He immediately passed the ball to Gan.

But Wennington and Rodman immediately double-teamed Gan Guoyang – a very strong double-team, which Jackson had arranged before the game.

Starting to double-team so early shows that Jackson has made careful preparations for this game. Gan Guoyang quickly passed the ball back to Mullin.

The right side had opened up a path for Mullin to break through, and Mullin had no choice but to drive. The veteran dribbled the ball and drove inside, challenging Langley under the basket.

Jordan came over to help defend from the side, and Mullin didn't force a move but instead tried to pass the ball to Sabonis on the other side, but Jordan's presence blocked the passing lane.

In the crowded paint, a passing error occurred, Jordan stole the ball and scored, initiating a Bulls counterattack.

The Bulls certainly wouldn't let such a good scoring opportunity slip by, launching a fast break down the court with all three lines, while Jordan drew the defense down the middle.

Finally, the ball was passed to Ron Harper on the wing, who made a mid-range jump shot.

The Bulls narrowed the gap to 4-6, and Gan Guoyang immediately came out to support during the positional attack.

He then received the ball after a pick-and-roll at the top of the key and made a mid-range jump shot, making it 4-8, maintaining their lead.

As with every previous "Ganjo-Joe battle," the Bulls and Trail Blazers got into the game very quickly.

Because both sides know that in a confrontation of this level, a slow start is death, and there are not many opportunities to warm up or make mistakes.

When you're on the field, you have to fight for every ball and compete for every ball. Otherwise, as time goes on, the damage from missed opportunities and mistakes will only increase.

Neither side scored on the next two attacks, and the score remained 4-8 for two minutes before the game was paused, with both teams going to the bench for a short rest.

The Trail Blazers' offense was met with a strong response from the Bulls' defense. The Bulls' defense was well-structured, disciplined, and the players were very capable defenders.

Simple passing and screen plays are unlikely to break down the Bulls' individual defense and rotations, let alone create many open shot opportunities.

The main purpose of the twin towers of Wennington and Longley in the paint was not to shut down Agam, but to prevent Mullin and Blake from scoring under the basket.

The Bulls are also top-notch at creating defensive traps, and Jackson successfully identified Chris Mullin's importance and his weaknesses.

Mullin is the key to the Trail Blazers' smooth offense under normal circumstances. He has accurate shooting skills, skillful passing, and can play both inside and outside.

With multiple strong players drawing the defense, Mullin fully utilized his liaison skills, connecting the inside and outside lines and orchestrating the entire team's offense.

Jackson recognized Mullin's importance to the Trail Blazers and used Dennis Rodman to contain Mullin.

Mullin is 34 years old after all, and his true form is no longer at its peak. His comeback with the Trail Blazers is actually a system boost.

Once targeted, they immediately encountered obstacles, and their offensive capabilities were hampered.

The Trail Blazers must call a timeout. If they don't, the Bulls' offense will get going and the score will be tied very quickly.

Bird noticed the problem and reminded the players during a timeout: "We need to be more careful and patient, and not assume that offensive opportunities will come easily."

In many of their previous games, the Trail Blazers played too easily because no team could match the Bulls' level of defense.

This is still the Bulls without Pippen. If Pippen returns and performs normally, the Trail Blazers' offense will be even more difficult.

After several rounds of competition in the first quarter, Jackson felt that while the Trail Blazers were strong, they didn't seem to be that strong.

With a little targeted effort, the Trail Blazers are still in the lead, but they are showing signs of weakness. Will Forrest Gump have to make another big play next?
Jackson was a little apprehensive, thinking, "It's impossible that just by suppressing Mullin, the Trail Blazers' offense will be locked down and they'll be able to rely on Forrest to overpower them again, right?"
The individual scoring and duels of the core players will definitely not begin until the end of the third quarter or when the fourth quarter is crucial; it's too early now.

The Trail Blazers definitely have some tricks up their sleeves, and Jackson wants to see if he can force them to use even more in this game. After the timeout, the Trail Blazers made adjustments, with Mullin going to the bench to rest and Bird bringing on Kobe Bryant early.

The Bulls also made a substitution, with Toni Kukoc coming on in place of Bill Wennington.

Rodman returned to the power forward position to match up against Forrest Gump.

"Sonny, I heard you like to shut out your opponents."

Rodman was not afraid of Gan Guoyang, and no matter how many times he was beaten, he never gave in.

Gan Guoyang glanced at Rodman and said, "What, you think I'm going to shut out you? What's so surprising about shutting you out?"

Rodman laughed and said, "I'll try my best to score over you."

Gan Guoyang rolled his eyes again, thinking that not being able to score for Rodman was no achievement at all.

Gan Guoyang was too lazy to argue with this stinky bastard.

On the other side of the court, Kobe, who had just entered the game, was also talking to Jordan.

Kobe was quite excited about being able to face off against Jordan so early in the game.

Other guards in the league were nervous and underperformed when facing Jordan.

Kobe, however, had been eagerly anticipating showcasing his new technology to Jordan.

People often regard Kobe as "the second Jordan," and in terms of physique and technical characteristics, Kobe is indeed very similar to Jordan.

"I'll score 30 points on you," Kobe bluntly stated, shocking even Jordan.

Damn it, where did this brat come from, saying he wants to take 30 points from me as soon as we meet?
Oh, it's that bastard Kobe, Forrest Gump's little brother, the one who said "I'll surpass Jordan first, then I'll surpass me"—the league's number one born.

"I'll beat you to a pulp, kid." Jordan didn't hold back with Kobe either.

The title of "the next Jordan" was enough to annoy Jordan.

What's more, Kobe is such a cocky jerk, he definitely needs to be taught a lesson.

The game continued, and after Mullin left the court, the Trail Blazers' offensive style changed.

Gan Guoyang and Sabonis are increasingly moving to the high post to set screens for their teammates – the Trail Blazers have the most interior screens in the entire league this season.

The play between Blake and Gan Guoyang involved Gan receiving the ball and looking inside, while Kobe had already cut to the basket with the help of Sabonis' screen.

A precise through ball to the basket, Kobe received the ball and forced a layup, battling with Jordan, not only scoring but also drawing a foul from Jordan!

This play had the essence of the Trail Blazers' Princeton offense back in the day, but the key was Kobe's strong layup against Jordan's defense.

Kobe was very excited after scoring the goal and gave Gan Guoyang a high-five. Gan Guoyang patted Kobe on the head and said, "Well done! The best goal of the night."

Jordan was a bit annoyed. He had just finished speaking when he got hit with a 2+1 play. It was really hard for him to save face.

Kobe made the free throw, and Gan Guoyang reminded him, "Michael is definitely going to go one-on-one, so be careful."

"I know, you don't need to remind me!"

Kobe was getting a little carried away, so Jordan naturally had to come back and beat him.

Receiving the ball at a zero-degree angle, and facing Kobe's defense, Jordan drove straight to the baseline!

Kobe was a step too slow and closed in on the defense, resulting in a blocking foul.

"It's too slow, Kobe. Actually, it's fine if you let him in, I'm inside," Gan Guoyang "reminded" Kobe.

"I know, just shut up!" Kobe said impatiently.

Jordan inbounds the ball from the outside, passes it to Kukoc, and then makes an off-ball movement.

"Is that guy annoying?" Jordan asked.

“It’s annoying, but I can handle you,” Kobe replied.

You're dreaming.

After saying that, Jordan suddenly moved to the outside and used Longley's screen to block Kobe.

He received a pass from Kukoc and made a mid-range jump shot!

"I'll see how you deal with me!" Jordan shouted after scoring the goal.

Kobe then received the ball at the top of the key, and Sabonis came over to screen for him.

"Get out of the way, I don't need a screen!" Kobe actually told Sabonis to move aside.

Seeing this, Sabonis moved inside, giving up the high post to Kobe and Jordan for one-on-one battles.

In a head-on confrontation, Kobe used his speed to break past Jordan and drive to the basket for a layup.

As a result, Jordan guarded him tightly and blocked his floater. The ball went out of bounds, and the Trail Blazers regained possession.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang came over and reminded Kobe: "Make good use of your teammates' screens and help. You can't beat Jordan one-on-one. If you refuse to help and try to fight on your own, get off the court right now."

Upon hearing Gan Guoyang's tone, Kobe knew he wasn't joking and nodded to indicate that he understood.

Kobe often dared to be disrespectful to Gan Guoyang, but once Gan Guoyang became serious, Kobe knew he should listen to him.

Kobe then waited for his opportunity on the perimeter. After receiving a pass from Gan Guoyang, he took a three-pointer from the 45-degree angle and made it!
Kobe was a more dynamic finisher than Mullin, and Bird's decision to bring Kobe on the court quickly revitalized the Trail Blazers' offense.

However, it also revitalized Jordan's offensive desire.

Jordan immediately received the ball on the wing and scored against Kobe one-on-one.

With a realistic feint, Kobe, like a virgin who gets easily aroused, immediately jumped up.

As a result, Jordan made a beautiful step-over and then jumped up to easily score with a layup.

Rodman cleverly grabbed Gan Guoyang's clothes under the basket, preventing him from going over to help defend.

Of course, Gan Guoyang didn't intend to help defend; he just wanted Kobe to try defending him one-on-one, so he could learn his own limitations after experiencing some hardship.

Last season, when Kobe was on defense, he would still call for help from his teammates. But when facing Jordan, he would get carried away and do everything himself.

However, near the end of the first quarter, Kobe took advantage of Gan Guoyang's pass, cut along the baseline to receive the ball, and then made a fadeaway jump shot!

This basket helped the Trail Blazers take a 29-22 lead over the Bulls at the end of the first quarter, with Kobe scoring 7 points in the first quarter alone.

He was really in good form tonight, hitting both mid-range and three-pointers. You could tell he was going to make a shot as soon as he released it, so he was clearly in great shape.

At the start of the second quarter, Gan Guoyang sat on the bench to rest, but the situation on the court began to change—the Bulls' second unit couldn't withstand the Trail Blazers' second unit.

Within the basic framework established by Bird, in addition to the starting five, there were also reserves Ben Wallace, Kobe, Jermaine O'Neal, and Terry Porter, making it a core lineup of nine players.

These nine players are Bird's core rotation for the team over the next three years, just like the nine-man lineup of the Detroit Pistons.

Bird always ensured that there was a playmaker on the court to open up the team's offense, while always keeping a rim protector in the paint.

Gan Guoyang and Sabonis went to the bench for a rest, while the young frontcourt duo of Jermaine O'Neal and Ben Wallace entered the game. Kobe Bryant remained on the court, and Terry Porter also joined the team.

If there's anything lacking about these nine players, it's that the small forward position is a bit weak. Mullin is getting old and his defense isn't good, and there aren't any substitutes on the bench.

Kobe sometimes had to play the small forward position at the three, but his height and weight were more suited to the shooting guard position.

However, the Trail Blazers' interior strength remains as abundant as ever, with the young duo of Jermaine O'Neal and Ben Wallace showing increasing potential on both ends of the court.

Shortly after the start of the second quarter, the two players began to block out the three-second zone, making it difficult for the Bulls to penetrate the paint.

Wallace and O'Neal blocked shots one after another, and once they got a shot on target, they immediately launched a counterattack. Kobe seized the opportunity to charge forward like a mad dog.

This kid has exceptional physical abilities. He plays like a madman on fast breaks, charging straight to the basket as soon as he receives the ball, and he'll dunk if he can, never going for a layup.

In just three minutes, the Trail Blazers went on a 7-0 run against the Bulls, forcing them to call a timeout. The point difference had reached 14 points.

Phil Jackson's initial clever tactics were quickly neutralized by the gap in sheer strength.

Jackson ultimately didn't have many cards left, so he immediately called a timeout to readjust his lineup.

The Bulls' bench is decent, but the absence of Pippen leaves them vulnerable on both offense and defense, and their rotation is even more strained.

The Bulls' second unit mainly relied on Kukoc and Steve Kerr, but they couldn't withstand the onslaught of the Portland trio.

The reason why the Trail Blazers won many games by such large margins is because their second unit had such strong offensive and defensive consistency.

Some strong teams, even with their starting lineup and the Trail Blazers, can hold their own, but once their second unit comes on, they are immediately overwhelmed, and the point difference widens instantly.

If the starters are brought back in at this point, how could the Trail Blazers' starters, who are as solid as a rock, possibly catch up and turn the game around?

Jordan returned to the game, while Gan Guoyang continued to sit on the sidelines watching.

In past battles between Gan and Jordan, Gan Guoyang was always on the court whenever Jordan took to the court.

If it had been even a little later, and Jordan had seized the opportunity to close the gap, the situation might have been beyond saving.

But this season, Gan Guoyang can sit on the sidelines and watch Jordan struggle.

(End of this chapter)