The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 1694 - 27: Urgent Need for Change (Part 3)
Even without the ball, you can organize an offense — is it directing traffic?
However, unlike those point guards who need the ball, Jide truly has the ability to organize without it.
He’s tall, quick with passing in set plays, and can swiftly find key points and pass the ball with minimal dribbling.
Thus, in the previous games, the common scene was Ron Harper dribbling past half-court, handing the ball to Tracy McGrady, with Jide lurking on the flank.
Upon receiving the ball, Jide thinks briefly and immediately passes, creating opportunities for players to finish the offense, fully grasping the essence of the Triangle Offense.
Harper hits a three-pointer from the outside upon receiving the ball, then McGrady cuts inside, receives it for a layup, only to have Gan Guoyang block it, but O’Neal follows up with an Offensive Rebound dunk!
This time Gan Guoyang no longer had the ability to turn and defend two players at once. The decline in explosive power and turn speed, even just 0.1 seconds slower, changed a successful block into self-humiliation.
Carl saw that the pause in offense wasn’t effective, it still came down to Gan Guoyang’s isolation plays, Kobe’s isolations, or Brellock’s pick-and-roll breakthroughs to break through.
Indeed, even in the NBA, a good tactical system still relies on good players to support it; once players’ form declines, even missing a couple of key points makes a big difference.
Fortunately, the Blazers still held up defensively, with Brellock successfully stealing twice, showing Harper to be somewhat aged against him.
Relying on Brellock’s counterattacks, the Blazers scored consecutively to slightly close the gap, ending the first quarter 25-20, trailing by 5 points.
Only 20 points in a quarter; lately against strong opponents, the Blazers consistently underperform offensively, leaving on-site fans somewhat dissatisfied.
Even veteran Bill Schonely complained, "Since 1984, our offense has rarely been this poor."
Carl faced immense pressure, deploying Barkley and Dell Curry in the second quarter, hoping these veterans could shift the situation.
Years later, Curry returns to Portland, having grown into one of the League’s best three-point shooters, and winning the Sixth Man of the Year award.
In his days with the Blazers, he often provided key shots in certain games, leaving a deep impression on fans.
Last season, Curry’s three-point shooting percentage reached an astounding 47%, leading the League as the most accurate shooter.
Returning to Portland with his wife and kids, the 36-year-old Curry started the season in good form, consistently contributing threes in each game.
At the start of the second quarter, Curry hits a three from Barkley’s pass, closing the gap for the Blazers.
However, Lakes’ Derek Fisher likewise hits a three-pointer upon receiving the ball, exposing the Blazers’ slow perimeter defense.
On offense, the Blazers still lacked options, passing to Barkley in the low post, who faced a double-team from Thorpe and Holi.
He distributed to the outside, Mu Lin receives the pass, hesitated to shoot, broke through, passed again, giving it to Curry for another three-point attempt, missing this time.
Barkley and Little O’Neal tried hard to fight for the Offensive Rebound, but McGrady secured it, advancing with no one to stop him, going coast-to-coast for a dunk and score!
The gap was widened to 7 points again, this stretch seemed to age the Blazers, lacking impact on offense, unable to keep pace defensively.
Carl paced anxiously on the sidelines, not having sat on the bench for even a second since the game began.
He’s under tremendous pressure from recent games, losing once the intensity ramps up against stronger teams, which increases doubts about Carl.
If they lose to the Lakers tonight, Carl will face the picky wrath of Portland’s media: they’ve been the top team in the Western Conference for the past decade.
Media and fans wouldn’t care whether the stars are aging, or their condition, Barkley arrived, Curry returned, with the original roster kept, why can’t the dish be made right?
The immense pressure even made Carl forget to call a timeout, resulting in the Blazers being run 12-4 by the Lakers over five minutes, widening the gap to 13 points.
"Call a timeout, Rick! Not calling one now won’t do!"
Gan Guoyang finally reminded Carl, noticing he seemed bewildered.
Awakening as if from a dream, Carl quickly called timeout to adjust.
But how to adjust? Various combinations seemed tried, with no good results.
Initially, the decision leaned heavily on defense this season, aiming to strengthen defensively.
Yet strategies set during training inevitably faltered during games.
Carl realized it was exceedingly difficult to change these veterans’ playing habits.
They achieved remarkable success with offensive basketball, and now you want them to defend?
No matter how good the relationships, no matter having won together twice, wanting change is impossible.
Two paths lie ahead: follow veterans’ habits, return to offensive basketball.
But with such perimeter accuracy and tactical movement enthusiasm, returning is out of reach.
The other path is letting energetic young players play more.
Sending out troopers like Ben Wallace and Little O’Neal to fight opponents.
The second path seems correct, but with so many veterans and achievements weighing down, how can Carl manage?
A timeout is just a temporary halt, unable to stop the team’s powerlessness against the Lakers.
This year’s Lakers are incredibly strong, visibly aiming for 60 wins from starters to bench.
Phil Jackson’s coaching indeed has a touch, O’Neal thrives under him, playing exceedingly diligently.
The Blazers’ main players returned to delay the Lakers’ speed, Gan Guoyang and Kobe’s goals seemed thin.
Sabonis with O’Neal in attack and defense showed fatigue, ultimately Gan Guoyang had to match up with O’Neal.
Once Gan Guoyang defended solo, O’Neal cleverly chose to cooperate and support with teammates, Triangle Offense demonstrated potential in slow-paced set plays.
Back when the Blazers defeated the Bulls thrice, none relied on defense to guard against Bulls’ offense, instead relying on invincible offense crushing the Bulls.
Regarding "evading Ah Gan’s basket defense," Triangle Offense showed distinct advantages, each final against the Bulls saw Gan Guoyang’s offense maxed.
Halftime ended with the Lakers leading 60-45, expanding to a 15-point lead, the Rose Garden Arena’s fans were very silent.
Watching the dejected Blazers players in warm-ups retreat to the locker room, fans continued clapping, hoping they’d rally in the second half.
They still trusted the Blazers, trusted Ah Gan, but this belief seemed less intense now.
The Blazers urgently need change; facing an emerging elite, being torn apart is their fate.
