The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 1668 - 18: Rolling Thunder (Part 2)

When Bird was with the Celtics, that five-star Green Army relied on six players to conquer the Finals.

In the 1985 Finals, the Celtics starters logged the most minutes, with Dennis Johnson at 41.2 minutes and Danny Ainge the fewest at 33.8 minutes. The sixth man, Scott Woodman, only played an average of 17.5 minutes, just half the time.

The rest were role players playing under ten minutes, coming on to give the starters a breather for a few minutes, scoring 2 or 3 points and grabbing a couple of rebounds, which was considered job done.

In important games, maximizing the main players is inevitable; it’s all about how the coach adjusts and arranges things.

In the last two seasons, the Trail Blazers have had a tactical approach that dominates in strategy and shooting ability, with a long rotation that maximizes stamina advantages.

However, as some players declined and unexpected situations like suspensions arose, the deeper the season went, the more the Blazers’ rotation got compressed.

The game now tests the players’ adaptability and stress-handling abilities.

"You will play longer. Manage your stamina, Kobe."

Before taking the court, Bird reminded Kobe that his playing time would increase, and he needed to manage his stamina well.

Kobe nodded, understanding that tonight would be his time to shine, and he wouldn’t miss it.

As Kobe took to the court again, the boos from the crowd rekindled, though not as loud as at the start.

Shouts of "Stallion Kobe" were still there, but they were sparse; clearly, Kobe’s performance had scared some fans, and they were waiting to see what happened next.

If Kobe continued to play extraordinarily, many New York fans would shut their mouths, and if he faltered, the ridicule would return.

Kobe understood the logic in this, so he definitely wouldn’t hold back.

Immediately upon his return, Kobe took the ball on the wing and, with incredible speed, used a pick-and-roll to cut into the basket.

Facing Mourning’s defense, he deftly arced a high layup off the backboard; the ball spun around the rim twice before falling through the net.

Another two points for Kobe, continuing his superb shooting touch, as the Knicks’ perimeter defense clearly sensed that this blade of Kobe’s was much sharper than Riddle’s.

On defense, Kobe didn’t engage in desperate entanglement, relaxing slightly; Ward cut into the lane for a layup but missed due to AC Green’s interference.

Mourning grabbed the offensive rebound and tried a putback, but it was disrupted again by Sabonis. Kobe followed up to snatch the defensive rebound.

A fast break ensued, Kobe dribbling with rhythm and observing; suddenly, a quick stop and jump shot, another two-pointer!

The Madison Square Garden quieted noticeably, as Van Gundy called for a timeout.

He had to devise some strategies to contain Kobe; otherwise, if it continued like this, the game would slip away.

Having gotten plenty of rest, Gan Guoyang approached Kobe for a fist bump, encouraging the guy for his exceptional performance today.

Gan Guoyang said nothing, knowing this was Kobe’s moment, and maintaining his focus without disturbing him was the right approach.

Kobe sat on the bench, drinking water expressionlessly, lost in his own world.

He recalled Gan Guoyang once telling him to "feel the moon, not just look at it."

Kobe hadn’t felt it deeply before, but in this game amidst the cacophony of Madison Square Garden, in the midst of boos and jeers from over 20,000 people, he started to understand.

The basket is there; the ball is there; feel them, not by using some peculiar ability to seek their presence, but by focusing on your world, filtering out the irrelevant, leaving only what’s important that you need to do.

Gan Guoyang looked at Kobe’s expression, knowing he must have grasped something.

The timeout ended, and both players returned to the game simultaneously.

The Knicks made adjustments and their primary players returned.

Sprewell, Houston, and Kemp looked like they were ready for a last stand.

But Kemp’s next offensive play was blocked by Gan Guoyang.

Attempting to catch the ball for a dunk, Gan Guoyang precisely tapped the ball away.

Grabbing the offensive rebound for a second attempt, the ball was knocked out again by Gan Guoyang from behind.

With all his strength, Kemp seemed powerless in front of Gan Guoyang’s precise blocking, like a stuffed bear.

No matter how strong you are, if you can’t control and protect the ball, it’s useless.

Gan Guoyang, having secured the block, brought the ball up the court, and while drawing the Knicks’ defense, made a direct pass to the cutting Kobe for a two-handed slam dunk!

Van Gundy’s timeout seemed ineffective against their overwhelming offensive strength, and the entire Madison Square Garden fell silent, as Kobe pushed toward a 20-point half.

Soon after, the Knicks finally scored, as Alan Houston’s precise mid-range shots remained a crucial part of their perimeter output.

But Houston’s style dictated that he couldn’t absorb much of the ball possession and shooting responsibilities; the Knicks’ primary ball-handling pressure remained on Sprewell’s shoulders.

The Trail Blazers continued to insist on Kobe defending Sprewell one-on-one, with both players battling hard in the latter part of the second quarter.

With fierce physical confrontations and constant trash talk, the Knicks’ offensive efforts became increasingly fragmented.

Sprewell, although he performed well this season, had technical flaws and was rough in handling certain plays’ details.

This made the Knicks’ already unrefined offense more crude, relying increasingly on brute strength, while they were essentially a defensively focused team.

The Trail Blazers, conversely, played with increasing finesse, as Kobe showcased his strengths in detail, making careful decisions in ball handling and choosing his offensive timing well. When his shooting touch was hot, his control over the offense was every opponent’s nightmare.

No delays, lacking pointless passes; within a few possessions, he quickly made decisions, boldly choosing personal offense as the play’s ending when tactics failed.

In the closing stages of the first half, Kobe added several brilliant shots and assists, raising his halftime score to 24 points, with 4 assists, helping the Trail Blazers lead the Knicks 57-47 by ten points, ending the first half’s battle.

Kobe had his best half of the postseason, with the TV camera fixed on him, this young face already delivering an astonishing performance in the much-anticipated Finals.

It’s worth noting, in all previous Trail Blazers Finals, no player has ever rivaled Gan Guoyang in brilliance.

Yet tonight, at least in the first half, Kobe’s performance eclipsed Gan Guoyang, becoming the key figure in the Trail Blazers’ advantage.

In the past, neither Drexler, Petrović, nor Hornersek could present such a radiant performance.

Gan Guoyang’s physical condition adjustments were one reason, but another was that Kobe indeed had potential beyond Drexler and Petrović.

Compared to Drexler, his shooting was better, albeit similarly unstable, but when on target, surpassing Drexler by a margin.

In comparison with Petrović, he possessed better physicality, superior defense, and greater endurance.

In essence, Kobe combined the strengths of Drexler and Petrović, gradually evolving into the Trail Blazers’ defensive and offensive pillar during their third championship era.

The Trail Blazers’ management high-ups all admired Ah Gan’s exceptional eye, as selecting Kobe in the 1996 draft was truly a stroke of genius.

Heading into the second half, the Knicks faced a difficult choice: should their defensive focus remain on Kobe or target Ah Gan?

A daunting decision, the Knicks’ defensive resources could barely constrain two powerhouse scorers simultaneously.

After contemplating, Van Gundy decided to focus defense on Ah Gan, as Gan Guoyang’s destructive force cast a significant shadow.

Regarding Kobe, after all, he was young, just a junior—he might have shone in the first half, but what if he faltered in the second half?

However, at the start of the third quarter, Kobe delivered a slap to Van Gundy’s face with a three-pointer and two pick-and-roll plays with Gan Guoyang, sinking his shots.

The 15-minute halftime hadn’t cooled Kobe’s superb touch; early in the third quarter, his seven consecutive points brought his score to 28.

The Knicks’ defensive strategy mistake allowed the Trail Blazers to widen their lead quickly, forcing Van Gundy to call another timeout to adjust their defense.

Tonight clearly belonged to Kobe, marking 28 points just as the second half kicked off, two months shy of his 21st birthday.

The entire Madison Square Garden crowd fell silent; no one yelled "Stallion Kobe," no one held signs mocking him anymore.

Kobe’s heart brimmed with satisfaction. Unlike his rookie year pranks with quirky gestures, now he just stood hands on hips next to the bench, like his idol Gan Guoyang, with a calm face but a stormy spirit within.