Chapter 653 - 43 Yang’s Strategy

The game started on time.

As always, Bill Schonely sat on the sideline introducing the starting lineups for both teams.

Due to a cold and fever, Hornacek sat out this game, and Beelman boldly used the recently well-performing Petrović as a starter.

This was Petrović’s first time starting an NBA game, and his match-up was none other than Michael Jordan.

Besides Petrović, the Trail Blazers lineup still consisted of Ah Gan, Thompson, Porter, and Kossie.

The Trail Blazers had been in good health overall for the past few seasons, with players enduring through many games.

This durability stemmed from the team’s excellent injury management, new training programs, and the use of charter flights for away games.

The Bulls’ starting lineup included Michael Jordan, John Paxson, Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, and Horace Grant.

Compared to the frequently changing poor lineups of years past, since last season, the Bulls had steadily stabilized their starting five, building a strong, stable, and talented framework.

In last season’s matchup, Gan Guoyang experienced the power of this Bulls lineup—they were highly flexible and aggressive.

Pippen, Grant, and Jordan—the core trio—possessed extremely tough, skillful defense, versatile offensive tactics, and exceptional athletic talent.

In this facet, the Bulls resembled the three-time NBA champion Portland Trail Blazers, who had Ah Gan, Drexler, and Kossie at the time.

These three also combined flexibility with aggression, covering many positions on the court, and intensifying the game to an extent that opponents found hard to adapt to.

In some of the games played by the Trail Blazers in the ’80s, NBA teams simply couldn’t keep up.

However, once Drexler left, the Trail Blazers’ flexibility and aggression drastically reduced.

Whether they had taken a step back or were a step ahead of other teams would depend on the final outcomes.

Before the jump ball, Gan Guoyang patted Petrović, who seemed a bit nervous.

His gaze never left Jordan, probably calculating how to compete with him tonight.

"I’ll get the ball and pass it to you, then set a screen for you. Just go straight for the basket, don’t overthink it," Gan Guoyang told Petrović.

Petrović nodded, trusting Ah Gan.

Tonight’s game was highly anticipated, and it was an opportunity for Petrović to further enhance his reputation.

Having said this, Gan Guoyang walked to the center circle and exchanged a glance with the nearby Jordan.

Both expressions were serious; the jokes were over, and it was time to truly compete.

Bill Cartwright and Gan Guoyang jumped the ball, and the 32-year-old veteran center couldn’t outjump Ah Gan.

As expected, the ball was tipped to Petrović, who immediately started driving forward.

Jordan quickly followed, but Gan Guoyang came to help Petrović with a screen.

Gan Guoyang’s screens were always solid, and Petrović, using this screen, found an opportunity and launched a three-pointer from the arc!

It was a very audacious and surprising choice. The Bulls players hadn’t reacted yet, and the ball was already flying towards the basket and accurately hit its mark!

Petrović started the game by sinking a three-pointer, giving the Trail Blazers an early lead.

This rapid start with a three-pointer is a tactic currently unique only to the Trail Blazers.

Besides Petrović, Hornacek and Terry Porter often take the opportunity to shoot directly.

After scoring, Petrović high-fived Gan Guoyang and gave Jordan a glance.

Jordan, chewing gum expressionlessly, knew that the "newcomer" Ah Gan mentioned on the phone intending to "take him down" was this number 44 Croatian proclaimed as the "Mozart of Europe."

Of course, unlike Petrović, Jordan knew Ah Gan too well; he knew Ah Gan was likely setting a trap again.

The guy was deceiving both sides, saying on one end, "He’s going to kill you," and on the other, "You’re going to kill him," stirring up conflict between both parties.

After all, Jordan and Petrović weren’t familiar with each other and were opponents on the court; they wouldn’t ask each other, "Are you planning to take me down?"

If Petrović had asked, what could Jordan say? He would definitely say, "I’m definitely going to take you down."

Petrović would likely respond the same.

Thus, Gan Guoyang’s plot was an insoluble open strategy, akin to the Golden Knife Plan.

The only solution for Jordan was simple: to win the game.

Jordan didn’t go on the offense himself; he took the ball across the half-court and started organizing the Bulls’ first attack.

This season, under the guidance and advocacy of Phil Jackson and assistant coach Winter, the Bulls began implementing a comprehensive triangle offense strategy.

Unlike various tactical routines previously seen on the basketball court, the triangle offense didn’t follow a fixed pattern or preset movements and passing routes.

The triangle offense was a fluid offensive philosophy, its core idea being to allow players to fully utilize the space on the court, keeping an optimal distance between players.

This distance was such that opponents thinking of double-teaming you would find it slightly too far, yet not so far that it prevented passing plays between teammates.

On the strong side, the Bulls formed a fairly stable triangle with the ball, after which the offense was initiated from the low post, while the other players moved around the ball handler, looking for opportunities through positioning.

The ball handler had to decide how to distribute the ball, and the players moving had to keep in mind the distance and the triangle principle, finding opportunities through experience and reading the defense.

Overall, this was a strategy that encouraged equal opportunities and autonomy in offense.

Phil Jackson was quite enamored with this unconventional, distinctive tactical strategy.

Jerry Krause agreed with Jackson’s strategy, so he traded Oakley for Bill Cartwright, who had strong low-post offensive capabilities.

The purpose was to create a low-post offensive fulcrum for initiating the triangle offense.

After the season started, Jackson and Winter constantly pushed this strategy forward.

Honestly, Jordan initially struggled to adapt because the triangle offense emphasized equal opportunities.

In the regular season tactics, Jordan was just one part of the system, not the absolute core.

In the past few seasons, Jordan had supreme shooting authority; he played however he wanted.

Now, at the beginning of the game, the first thing Jordan did after dribbling past mid-court was to observe his teammates’ positions, then pass the ball.

He first pointed to the corner because John Paxson’s positioning was off; he was too close to the ribs, which would bring the defender over.

Even after more than a month of integration, everyone’s movements were still slightly awkward, and Jordan would correct them.

Once Paxson moved to the corner, Cartwright held off Gan Guoyang at the ribs, ready to receive the ball for a low-post isolation play.

In fact, if this had been previously, with Petrović defending him, not even Hornacek, Jordan would definitely have charged forward.

But now, Jordan didn’t; after directing the movement on the strong side, he suddenly passed the ball to Pippen, who came up on the weak side.

He knew that Cartwright against Ah Gan would be a mistake.

Instead, the ball went to the weak side, Pippen passed the ball to Grant who came up top.

Grant and Pippen executed a hand-to-hand pick-and-roll, and Pippen made a quick stop for a mid-range jump shot.

Both teams scored points that reflected their team’s characteristics at the start.

This showed that both teams were well-prepared for the game and didn’t play recklessly.

Jackson was pleased with the opening tactics.

The beginning of the season was quite challenging.

The team’s performance wasn’t good; the win rate hovered around 50%.

In several games, it all came back to the old way at the end—Jordan taking the ball himself to secure a win.

At that time, there were voices in the team hoping to abandon the peculiar triangle offense and return to the ordinary, familiar routines.

But Jackson was very stubborn, stuck to his beliefs, and he had Jordan’s support.

Because Jackson told Jordan that only the triangle offense could help him catch up with Ah Gan.

In fact, from a strategic perspective, the triangle offense and Trail Blazers’ previous strong side transitions and space expansion strategies were similar in essence.

They both belonged to the new era of tactical philosophy, like comparing "Secrets of the Furong Scripture" and "Evil-Repelling Swordsmanship"—different in form but similar in spirit.

Next, it wouldn’t be so easy for Petrović to hold and attack the ball as Jordan and Paxson decisively trapped him in the corner—Jordan intentionally lured Petrović there.

Petrović passed the ball to Kossie at the top of the arc, Kossie shifted the ball to the weak side, and Gan Guoyang called for the ball at the low post.

Porter passed the ball to Gan Guoyang.

After receiving the ball, Gan Guoyang, seeing Jordan coming from the baseline attempting a steal, quickly evaded and then made a behind-the-back pass to under the basket.

Petrović received the ball, cut to the basket, and scored, earning another point!

Petrović scored 5 points early on, and the Memorial Coliseum erupted in cheers for him.

Bill Schonely exclaimed "Rip City" for that pass.

Gan Guoyang taunted Jordan, "Hey Michael, you’re not really going to let Pete dominate you tonight, are you?"

Jordan disdainfully responded, "The game’s just started. Don’t bother trying to provoke me, it won’t work."

After saying that, on offense Jordan suddenly accelerated to shake off Petrović’s entanglement, cutting to the right side at a 45-degree angle.

Receiving John Paxson’s pass, Catch and Shoot, he shot the ball immediately upon catching it, and it went in.

The entire movement was done in one fluid motion, incredibly smooth, and by the time the ball went in, Petrović hadn’t even touched Jordan.

Jordan’s shooting was smoother and more accurate than before, and he no longer hesitated.

Immediately, Gan Guoyang responded with a precise mid-range shot from the top.

Both players were increasingly mature and calm in their play, unlike the past few years which were tumultuous and intense.

But their competition had actually become fiercer, extremely fierce.