Chapter 882 - 51 Too Long_3

His height disadvantage was magnified by the Trail Blazers’ tall forward-guard lineup and their quick defensive rotations. The only thing he could rely on was his speed.

As the Suns narrowed the score gap, Sabonis stepped up for the Trail Blazers, using his playmaking to help Petrović and Lewis attack the basket and score.

Then, midway through the second quarter, Sabonis worked with Curry on the left side at the 45-degree angle, setting a screen, cutting outside, catching the ball, and hitting a three-pointer!

This pivotal three-pointer in the first half extended the Trail Blazers’ lead over the Suns back to over 10 points, stabilizing the game’s momentum.

After this three-pointer, the Suns called a timeout, and Gan Guoyang re-entered the court, substituting for the excellent-performing Sabonis.

Sabonis, with a calm expression, sat back on the bench, quietly drinking water while closely observing the action on the court.

Sabonis is a low-key player, but he’s been through big moments.

The Olympics and World Championship games may not reach the NBA’s level, but their atmosphere and intensity are absolutely top-notch.

In such games, Sabonis cannot turn the tide with outstanding scoring like Gan Guoyang can, but he endures pressure and does everything a center can do on the court.

Rebounds, defense, playmaking, passing, and some key scoring—the Soviet Team’s success relied heavily on Sabonis’ pillar-like presence on both ends in the paint.

On the Trail Blazers, Sabonis often seems overshadowed because of Gan, with his standout performances frequently eclipsed by Lewis and Petrović. This is because his scoring explosiveness is not strong, and he often contributes through intangible support that doesn’t always show up in the stats.

In fact, this season, Sabonis’ role within the Trail Blazers ranks second, something Bobby Berman knows very well.

Especially with Mychal Thompson aging, Divac traded away, and Davis, Bryant, and Pinkney temporarily unable to shoulder heavy responsibilities, Sabonis’ importance has become even more prominent.

After Sabonis left the court, the Trail Blazers, now without an axis and playmaking presence, shifted their style, playing faster and leaning heavily on quick transitions, avoiding prolonged battles against the Suns in half-court settings.

Porter, Lewis, and Petrović pushed the pace rapidly, while Gan Guoyang and Cliff-Robinson paired up inside, both capable of scoring from multiple angles. The game evolved into a fast-paced exchange of blows.

The Suns were happy with this shift. Barkley, Johnson, Marley, and others began to run more, engaging in rapid-fire exchanges with the Trail Blazers. Both sides increased the scoring tempo significantly.

By halftime, the Trail Blazers led the Suns 66-58, up by 8 points. This score drastically contrasted with the relatively low-scoring games of the Eastern Conference Finals—the West Coast teams clearly preferred offense.

The decisive third quarter saw the home-court Suns launch a furious counteroffensive, with Barkley leading the charge in a relentless attack against the Trail Blazers.

Barkley and Kevin Johnson continuously drove to the basket, forcing defensive fouls from Gan Guoyang and Sabonis, tilting the momentum toward the Suns.

Crucial fouls and physical drives are always effective ways to turn the tide.

The Suns once narrowed the deficit to just 4 points, seeing a glimmer of hope for tying the game.

At this moment, as the Suns focused all their attention on Ah Gan, Gan Guoyang delivered a deceptive three-pointer to stabilize morale.

Then on defense, while single-covering Barkley, he feigned being deceived by Barkley’s fake moves before spinning around for a massive block, denying Barkley’s floater.

The Trail Blazers counterattacked, and Gan Guoyang received the ball at the 45-degree angle, feigning a three-point attempt before threading a sharp pass to Reggie Lewis under the basket. Lewis finished with a powerful left-hand dunk!

The 4-point gap immediately stretched back to 9 points, cooling the Suns’ burning momentum and forcing them to regroup.

Each time the Suns chipped away at the lead, Gan Guoyang immediately responded with an answer ball.

The saying goes: Strike while the iron is hot; falter the second time; collapse the third time.

Failing to push past the 4-point margin left the Suns struggling to mount another significant comeback.

Moreover, since the Suns engaged in direct shootouts with the Trail Blazers, the Trail Blazers’ players found their rhythm and shooting touch.

Porter, Petrović, Curry, Sabonis, Robinson, and Ah Gan—everyone from beyond the arc seemed unstoppable, firing on all cylinders.

The Suns’ strategy in Game 3 of concentrating forces on Ah Gan to disrupt the rest of the roster clearly didn’t work tonight, as Sabonis and Porter orchestrated the offense splendidly.

In the fourth quarter, the Suns began to collapse. The Trail Blazers opened with a 7-0 run, forcing the Suns to call a timeout. The Suns looked exhausted and outmatched.

Barkley barely rested tonight because Ah Gan hadn’t rested either, so Barkley stayed on the court throughout.

Two consecutive games of high-intensity battles with Gan Guoyang had pushed Barkley to his limit—Gan Guoyang’s suffocating defensive play demanded full focus and effort.

Winning Game 3 was already a miracle; for this game, despair began to seep into the Suns’ mindset.

Aside from Barkley, the Suns’ other players couldn’t keep up with the game’s pace and intensity.

Kevin Johnson, Marley, and the younger players on the bench were not experienced enough.

Only An Ji, the veteran, served as a seasoned hand, but he was ineffective under these circumstances.

While defending Petrović, An Ji was completely outmatched by Petrović’s abrupt stop-and-shoot jumpers.

Fitzsimmons urged the players not to give up, and Barkley dug deep, encouraging his teammates to fight until the end.

Fitzsimmons wanted Barkley to take a break, but Barkley refused—because Ah Gan was still on the court.

"Ah Gan’s stamina isn’t human; you shouldn’t keep tussling with him," the coach warned Barkley.

But Barkley ignored it. After the timeout, Barkley forcefully drove inside, and Gan Guoyang deliberately created an opening, baiting Barkley into cutting to the basket.

Then, swooping from behind, Gan Guoyang swatted Barkley’s dunk attempt with a massive block, sending Barkley tumbling heavily to the ground—his exhaustion led to slower reactions and weakened footing.

The referee didn’t call a foul on Gan Guoyang. Securing possession, Gan Guoyang launched a long pass to the frontcourt. Jerome Kossie and Lewis executed a give-and-go play, finishing with another dunk! The Suns’ defense completely disintegrated.

Gan Guoyang remained in the backcourt and extended his hand to help Barkley up, but Barkley refused, waiting instead for his teammates to assist him.

Gan Guoyang playfully patted Barkley’s rear and said, "Relax, Charles, it’s almost over. Soon, you’ll get to rest."

"Screw you, Sonny! F*** you!" Barkley retorted furiously, desperate to win and unwilling to accept defeat.

Gan Guoyang could sense Barkley’s eyes welling up with tears. A loss tonight meant the Suns would head back to Portland doomed to face certain elimination.

But that’s the cruelty of the NBA—there can only be one winner. Even if they were good friends, Gan Guoyang had to crush Barkley and the Suns.

By the late fourth quarter, the Trail Blazers decisively defeated the Suns 133-118, securing a 15-point victory and taking a 3-1 series lead, leaving them one game away from the Finals.

Like the Bulls, both teams were only one win away from meeting in the Finals.

Fans had waited far too long for this moment—far, far too long.