Chapter 908 - 58: Don’t Slap the Face_3

The Trail Blazers quickly felt the shift in the Bulls’ strategy. Their defense became noticeably more aggressive and proactive, with every player bending their knees, lowering their stance, and trying their best to disrupt every pass.

Porter was suddenly double-teamed by Pippen, leading to a passing error. Pippen grabbed the ball and passed it to Jordan, who sailed down the court for an effortless dunk!

The situation was completely different from the previous two games. Gan Guoyang realized that the player engaging him in the low post this time wasn’t Buck Williams—it was Pippen.

Pippen, Williams, and the bench players Horace Grant and Will Purdue rotated in front of Gan Guoyang, continuously circling to deny him the ball.

The Bulls were resolute in cutting off the passing lanes, even at the risk of Sabonis capitalizing on their gaps with an inside adjustment. Yet, they relentlessly fought for positioning.

Their goal was clear—prevent Ah Gan from holding the ball to draw fouls or wreak havoc. If needed, he could drive for layups; they just wouldn’t give him many possessions where he controlled the ball.

Although this defensive approach didn’t significantly limit Gan Guoyang’s scoring, it disrupted the Trail Blazers’ offensive rhythm, making their gameplay far less fluid compared to the first two games.

The away crowd noise and referee calls biased towards the Bulls quickly plunged the Trail Blazers into a disadvantage. An emboldened Bulls lineup performed increasingly smoothly, building an eight-point lead in the first quarter.

Relieved of pressure due to their lead, the Bulls players began to shine. During one sequence, Jordan received a pass for a layup and anticipated Gan Guoyang attempting a block. In an incredible moment, he executed a phenomenal mid-air switch.

Originally going for a right-handed layup, he changed to his left hand to evade Gan before skillfully placing the ball into the hoop.

This unparalleled, gravity-defying move stunned Gan Guoyang into silence, prompting him to exclaim, "Michael, I’d pay to see that again."

Jordan shrugged smugly and replied, "No chance. Once in a lifetime!"

After the match, Jordan explained that the move was purely instinctive—it wouldn’t have been possible if he hadn’t sensed Gan’s presence and tried to avoid him.

Back in Chicago, Jordan radiated brilliance, while Pippen fulfilled his role: enduring a beating throughout the entire game as Gan played aggressively against him.

Whether on offense or defense, Pippen was no match for Gan. Still, he successfully contained him, forcing Gan Guoyang to focus his attention entirely on this relentless opponent.

Despite one being a center and the other a small forward, Gan Guoyang’s relatively shorter stature among centers contrasted with Pippen’s unusual strength and interior skills for a forward.

Gan Guoyang had to rely on his strength to suppress Pippen while simultaneously dealing with Pippen’s versatile offensive tactics—all designed to disrupt rather than score.

Under Jordan and Pippen’s leadership, weaving through the opposition with surgical precision, the Trail Blazers’ defense showed more and more cracks. Though Gan Guoyang stubbornly kept the scoreline within reach, the gap remained around 10 points.

Heading into the second half, Jackson anticipated that Ah Gan would play the full game. Hence, Jordan didn’t rest even for a single minute during the third and fourth quarters.

Rested and recharged in Chicago, Jordan came prepared for an intense duel with Ah Gan tonight. Ultimately, the Trail Blazers couldn’t turn the tide and suffered a 101–109 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on the road.

The Bulls finally breathed a sigh of relief. After the game, Jordan commented, "This is the best game we’ve played all season so far."

He added, "Of course, the next one will be even better."

The Bulls adjusted the series score to 1–2, avoiding the nightmare of a sweep.

More importantly, they discovered the key to countering the Trail Blazers: rise to the challenge and use fresh legs to constantly pressure Ah Gan.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers faced their biggest challenge of the season. Aside from Ah Gan, the other players performed consistently well—but none stood out.

When Ah Gan showed signs of fatigue and became a focus of the Bulls’ strategy, no one stepped up as the second leader to rally the team and reverse the situation.

In the past, that player was Drexler. Now he was watching the game from his Houston home, likely thinking how, if he hadn’t left Portland, he’d be fighting Jordan in the Finals today.

Petrović, Sabonis, Lewis, and Porter were all excellent players, but none possessed the superstar-caliber abilities of someone like Pippen—a player capable of single-handedly flipping the narrative.

After the third game, Jerry West and Bobby Berman discussed this issue. West remarked, "Lewis, Petrović, and Sabonis all have the potential, but they still need time to grow. Pippen was outstanding in Game 3. We had no one to counter him, and he truly gave Ah Gan trouble."

Berman responded, "Trust Ah Gan. Believe in him wholeheartedly. He won’t let us down."

Despite his words, Berman felt a twinge of unease. If they lost the fourth game, the situation could truly spiral into a reversal.

The pivotal Game 5 was slated to be played in Chicago. If they lost that critical "King of the Mountain" matchup, returning to Portland would feel like retreating.

The cheers and happiness from the first two games would transform into heightened pressure for the decisive battle.

This was Berman’s greatest fear. In a best-of-seven Finals series, the tides between the weak and strong could shift in an instant.

Past victories could become burdens and sources of anxiety, while adversity and losses could instead ignite a team’s drive and help them reverse their fortunes.

NBA playoff series may lack the single-elimination thrill of the NCAA, but they demand far more wisdom, stamina, and mental fortitude. Success hinges not just on exceptional players but also on the collective strength of the team.

Berman spent an entire day meticulously striving to adjust and formulate new tactical plans, hoping for changes in Game 4.

But June 9 arrived, and after just one day’s rest, Game 4 commenced. Compared to Game 3, the situation showed little improvement.