The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 1526 - 16: The Ultimate Trump Card (Part 3)
Riddle receives the ball, bursts into the basket, and easily scores with a two-handed dunk!
The Trail Blazers’ offensive play has traces of the old Princeton.
But it’s not entirely Princeton, since the formation at the start of the offense isn’t in the Princeton offense manual.
This is the Trail Blazers integrating the Princeton concept into fluid offense, using smooth coordination to break through the toughest defenses.
Jordan quickly responds offensively with a strong mid-range shot, but the Trail Blazers immediately counter with the Twin Towers high pick-and-roll.
The Bulls choose to collapse, resulting in Gan Guoyang receiving the ball from afar and hitting a super-long three-pointer!
Gan Guoyang’s ultra-long-range shooting is unmatched in the league, providing the Trail Blazers with a versatile approach in tactics.
Later, Gan Guoyang joined forces with Riddle to double-team Jordan defensively, forcing Jordan to pass to Rodman, who lacks offensive skills.
In the end, Rodman could only attempt a long shot, which missed completely, and Sabonis grabbed the ball as the Trail Blazers patiently transitioned to positional play.
Continuous high pick-and-roll, Brellock breaks through, passes, Mu Lin receives, breaks again, passes again, Riddle gets the ball for the third time and breaks through before passing.
After successive breakthroughs and passes, the Trail Blazers’ formation remained stable, whereas the Bulls’ resilient defensive system showed signs of cracking.
Gan Guoyang receives Riddle’s pass on the flank and scores with a mid-range shot again!
At this point, the Bulls’ defense was on the verge of collapse, but the first half was nearing its end, giving the Trail Blazers no chance to widen the gap.
The halftime score was 65:51, with the Trail Blazers leading the Bulls by 14 points. If it weren’t for Jordan’s buzzer-beater two-pointer at the halftime, the difference would’ve been greater.
The Trail Blazers scored 36 points in the single quarter, all from positional plays rather than many fast breaks, yet they dismantled the Bulls’ notoriously tough defense.
Of course, part of this was due to Pippen’s absence, as he sat on the sidelines in a suit throughout the first half, his somber expression unclear of his inner thoughts.
Without Pippen, the Bulls’ offensive and defensive system lacked a significant piece, but would having Pippen solve anything against the Trail Blazers’ offense?
During halftime in the Bulls’ locker room, Jordan was unusually silent, neither motivating teammates nor loudly discussing how to turn the game around.
He only sat there, contemplating numerous matters he wouldn’t have considered before.
Jerry Krause came to the locker room in an attempt to uplift the team’s spirit, but Jordan openly displayed an expression of disdain.
He stood up and passed by Krause without saying anything, fully ignoring him.
Krause felt extremely awkward, as the Chicago Bulls were now completely out of his control.
Krause originally thought that, given the team’s situation, perhaps strengthening the team to contend with the Trail Blazers was the answer.
Seeing Jordan like this, Krause changed his mind; he decided to do nothing and let the Bulls continue on this path.
"I don’t believe you can outdo Ah Gan, Michael Jordan!" Krause thought bitterly.
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Halftime quickly ended, and in the first half, the Trail Blazers played according to their strategy.
In the second half of the second quarter, the Trail Blazers had hit their stride, attacking smoothly with unstoppable momentum.
The Trail Blazers have consistently been adept at utilizing "space" better than all others in the league.
Since the time of Jack Ramsay, they possessed an outstanding understanding and usage of space.
With Gan Guoyang’s shooting as a foundation, the Trail Blazers maintained high offensive standards for over a decade.
No matter how many lineup changes took place, with Gan Guoyang present, the Trail Blazers never lacked offensive space.
The Bulls’ stable defense and precise rotations would still reveal gaps when spread wide open in large spaces.
Once the third quarter began, the Bulls intensified, particularly enhancing targeted steals and pressure on ball handlers.
The Bulls excel at aggressively double-teaming and pressuring ball handlers in the front court, disrupting opponents’ offensive rhythms and first passes, fundamentally interfering with opponents’ offenses.
But unlike the Supersonics, the Bulls’ inside rarely extends outside, Lang Li and Wennington remain firmly under the basket, with Jordan, Pippen, and others excelling at interior help defense.
Thus, the Bulls’ defense typically tightens outside and inside, with slight looseness in between.
Previously against such defenses, the Trail Blazers often relied on Gan Guoyang’s individual prowess to break through.
Especially when Gan Guoyang is in form, his close- and mid-range battles can sink the Bulls.
Tonight, the Trail Blazers differed; they went toe to toe tactically, using pure strategy to wear them down.
This showcased the Trail Blazers’ strong tactical confidence, using rapid and steady passes against the Bulls’ tense defense, neutralizing the Bulls’ efforts.
Mu Lin, targeted in the first quarter, completely shifted to a C&S route, no longer holding the ball for primary or secondary passes, transforming into a finisher, offering pinpoint vigor on both wings.
Gan Guoyang and Sabonis set up a high tower in the middle, and the Trail Blazers incessantly engaged in high-low pick-and-roll coordination around them.
This type of offensive collaboration was rare in the NBA at the time; most teams lacked both such configurations and tactical philosophies.
Facing Jordan’s unleashed offensive scoring spree, Gan Guoyang blended into the Trail Blazers’ offensive system, utilizing collective power to steadily overtake.
Double high receives, Brellock cuts towards the basket, Gan Guoyang threads a direct pass to the rim, Harper struggles to block the shot from behind.
