Chapter 1999: Chapter 43: Familiar Formula and Taste (Part 2)

So Bobby Berman’s strategy is only used by a few teams, especially young and new teams.

The Glory Team is young enough, and Tomjanovich isn’t stubborn. He accepts everything that’s useful.

After a simple analysis of some shot choices, Tomjanovich mentioned the defense issue to the players: "The second half confrontation will be more intense than the first half. The Lakers will definitely retaliate with fiercer defense. While strengthening our own defense, the remaining thing to do..."

"Just give me the ball, in the third quarter if there’s a problem, give me the ball." Gan Guoyang’s calm voice came, like a reassurance pill to everyone.

The third quarter will still be Gan Guoyang’s domain, his condition is quite good.

The second half begins, both sides returning to the court, the atmosphere of the game is now even heavier.

There’s not a hint of relaxation on the faces of the players, especially for the Lakers, the pressure is tremendous.

The first game, at home, trailing by 6 points at halftime, and they must catch up in the third quarter.

But Ah Gan’s bravery in the third quarter is well-known, Jackson made a lot of arrangements at halftime, but he’s not sure if they’ll work.

What worries Jackson the most is that Ah Gan’s state tonight looks very good.

Despite resting a lot during the first half, he still scored high and led the team ahead.

Not taking advantage when Ah Gan was benched was deadly for the Lakers. The lack of guard against Van Exel was a preparation error by the Lakers coaching staff.

They couldn’t anticipate that this unpredictable player would be so accurate tonight.

Jackson already demanded Fisher, Brian Shaw, and Lindsey Hunter to strengthen their defense against Van Exel in the second half.

Early in the third quarter, Derek Fisher missed a three-pointer from the right corner, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound.

Honestly, whenever Gan Guoyang got the ball in the third quarter, the fans at Staples Center trembled in fear.

Especially the old Los Angeles fans, how many times have they played against the Lakers since 1985? How many times have they defeated the Lakers?

Gan Guoyang dribbled past half-court, making repeated screen plays with his teammates at the top of the arc.

An obvious difference between the Glory Princeton and Trail Blazers Princeton is that Gan Guoyang spends most of his time at the high post now, where Sabonis used to be.

Arenas returned the ball to Gan Guoyang, mid-range jump shot made!

58:50, the point difference is 8, and the Lakers are all feeling tense.

On defense, Gan Guoyang almost stole the ball from Tracy McGrady, but McGrady steadied it.

Then he dribbled and broke through, shooting a pull-up jumper from the top of the arc! Made it.

Guards of this era really love pull-up jumpers from mid-range, influenced by Jordan.

However, the true master of mid-range is Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang, originally a center, rarely uses stop-and-pop jump shots; his deadliest moves are sudden shots from a stationary position.

In a pick-and-roll with Arenas, Gan Guoyang shifted to the left side, 45 degrees, took a long 2-pointer, scored again!

Phil Jackson and the fans on the scene are a bit panicked, but it should be fine, just two shots, they can endure it.

O’Neal missed twice on single plays under the basket, and Gan Guoyang began increasing help-defense interference against O’Neal.

Glory’s perimeter three-point shots also missed, McGrady has the chance to help chase points, but his jumper hits iron.

Glory counter-attacked, Gan Guoyang at the free throw line with the ball, Arenas and Bell’s fake movements.

After attracting defensive attention, it’s another direct mid-range shot, third hit!

A few Lakers fans who experienced the 1987 and 1988 Western Conference Finals start to get a familiar feeling.

The shadow of being shot to death by Ah Gan’s mid-range is surfacing again, so many years passed, it’s still hard to let go.

Because the Lakers in 1987 and 1988 were incredibly strong, fully championship-level, just decisively killed by young Ah Gan, becoming a perpetual pain for older Lakers players like Magic Johnson and Jabbar.

By the time the Lakers advanced to the finals in 1989 after the Trail Blazers broke up, the Lakers overall had aged, Jabbar was in terrible decline, eventually losing to the Pistons.

Especially in ’87, hit by Ah Gan’s surprise attack, losing two straight at home, leading to a complete collapse of the situation.

Lakers fans with past experiences have PTSD, deja vu, some began praying nervously.

It’s only the third quarter, only three straight shots, it hasn’t even started yet.

But having PTSD is often justified, it doesn’t happen inexplicably without reason.

On the Lakers side, Fisher drew a foul, went to the free throw line, made both free throws, catching up slightly in score.

Gan Guoyang immediately received the ball at the left baseline, his sweet spot, only Robert Horry defending him.

"Just you? Really disrespecting me."

Gan Guoyang mumbled, then faked a shot, tricked Horry, and shot again.

The ball went in, another mid-range, the fourth consecutive one, giving Lakers players and coaches some chills.

The Lakers can respond on offense, O’Neal received and forcefully attacked, passed out of the double-team to Pippen, Pippen laid it in.

However, on Gan Guoyang’s fifth reception at the arc top, Lakers players are scared.

Three surrounded him, others left open, let them be.

But Gan Guoyang didn’t pass; only three surrounding, that’s an opportunity!

Dribbled to the empty left side, took another mid-range shot!

Makes it, scores 10 straight points, maintaining Glory’s lead at 8 points.

Jackson is in a dilemma now, speaking of score, it’s not too disparate.

The team’s offense is great, O’Neal is still dominant.

But on defense, Ah Gan is more unsolvable, allowing Ah Gan to keep shooting leads to known consequences.

Even at age 38, leaving him to shoot like this, scoring 50 points in one game is absolutely possible.

Already done that by Ah Gan in the first regular-season game, again in the playoffs?

McGrady and O’Neal finally completed a connection play, McGrady broke through from the baseline, then returned the ball to O’Neal, O’Neal’s layup caused Brad Miller’s foul, went to the free-throw line.

Made one of two, O’Neal’s free throws tonight are already good.

Pippen and Horry worked hard to grab the offensive rebound, yet Gan Guoyang collected it.

The first-ever rebound king historically, defending the basket tightly, on offensive rebounds, apart from O’Neal, others shouldn’t even think about it.

Afterward, both teams’ shooting percentages started to drop, Arenas missed, McGrady’s forced shot still missed, his efficiency too low tonight, Glory didn’t particularly focus defensively on him.

Both sides dragged four rounds, score stayed at 68:62 for quite a while.

O’Neal grabbed the offensive board, dunked and added two points, closing to 68:64, 4 point gap.

Gan Guoyang at the arc with Arenas, returned the ball, middle-range shot, fake move, tricked Horry.

Dribbled inside, but Gan Guoyang didn’t forcefully push to the basket, instead paused, stepped back, still a mid-range shot.

He’s highly confident in his shooting, sixth consecutive mid-range hit!

Yes, it’s him, the one who can in a certain quarter, make double-digit mid-range shots, fully destroying opponent’s defense.

Realized by the old Lakers fans live and on TV, familiar formula, familiar taste. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

First and foremost was the older Lakers fan Jack-Nicholson, holding his head, shouting at Phil Jackson: "You better think of something, you better think of something Phil! Like this, we’ll die, we’ll all die!"

Nicholson was sufficiently tortured by Ah Gan those years, last season he finally returned the favor, now this season again!

For diehard Lakers fans like him, how could they not collapse?

Now he resembles the protagonist of his movie "The Shining," somewhat losing his mind.

If he had an ax, he’d surely swing it at Jackson without hesitation, forcing him to think of a solution.

Why not directly swing at Ah Gan? It’s like O’Neal having a gun but won’t dare shoot Ah Gan.

McGrady’s one more turnaround jumper missed, Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, Glory counterattacked.

Since the third quarter began, other than giving the ball to Ah Gan, Glory’s other strategies haven’t really worked.

But the strategy of giving Ah Gan the ball works too well.

Again at the left corner sweet spot, still no double-team.

Fake shot raised Horry, this time Gan Guoyang broke through baseline, dashing to the basket.

O’Neal’s help defense was late, Gan Guoyang made a one-hand dunk successfully!

The Lakers called a timeout, Nicholson already dazed, thinking let it hit, hit, will scatter the Lakers again.