The Golden Age of Basketball.

Chapter 658 Rescue
[Wu Zhixiong: "In the fourth game of the 1991 finals, you were down by a large margin at halftime. You let your teammates hit you in the locker room to vent your negative emotions. Was this a carefully planned way to relieve stress, or a spur-of-the-moment act?"]

Gan Guoyang: "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision because I really wanted to hit someone. That was the worst first half of the entire season for us. It continued the bad momentum from the third game. In other words, we played a game and a half in a row, 48+24, 72 minutes of bad play. We gradually lost control, and I couldn't stand it."

"The atmosphere in the locker room was terrible and very depressing. Nobody was talking. It was like we were already doomed to lose, and nobody knew how to play. You know, once you're caught up in negative emotions, your performance on the court can be halved. Your mind goes blank, and you can't make the right choices."

“I clenched my fists, wanting to punch everyone, to wake them up, to tell them how they should compete, that falling behind isn’t the end, and that if they give up early, the competition is truly over. But… I couldn’t do that. In that situation, I could kill them if I hit them. You know, when people are about to explode, they want to release their emotions, hit people, throw things, and curse, but I couldn’t. I had to control myself, so I simply let them hit me.”

“At first I let Bellman hit me, and he was surprised, but Bobby knows me well. He reacted immediately. He was also extremely depressed at that time and was saying some useless things. He punched me once, and I felt it was too light, so I asked him to punch me harder. He punched me again, and it was very hard. He was exhausted.”

"Then, everyone came, and I forced them to do it. To be honest, I'm not a masochist, but in that situation, being hit made me feel a lot better, since if we lost, I would definitely be the one primarily responsible."

Wu Zhixiong: "So later everyone called you 'Jesus,' a sufferer who sacrificed himself to save others."

Gan Guoyang (laughs): "No, in that match, we were saved by ourselves, by everyone, not by me."

—Excerpt from "Forrest Gump," a biography of Gan Guoyang written by Wu Zhixiong and published in 2025.

As the second half began, the atmosphere at the Old Chicago Arena reached a fever pitch, with fans chanting wildly, eagerly anticipating the game's end and a 2-2 tie, bringing them back to level terms.

The TV cameras kept focusing on the players from both sides. The Bulls players looked relaxed, chatting and laughing on their way back to the locker room. Pippen and Grant exchanged fist bumps, both of them having performed well in the first half.

Pippen, in particular, used his "suicidal" offense and defense in these two games, constantly disrupting Forrest Gump with his agility and versatility. Combined with the siege of Jordan, Grant, Williams, and others, he disrupted the Trail Blazers' offensive and defensive rhythm, which was the key to their victory in the last game and their lead in this game.

Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm. A basketball game is like a band performance. Whoever controls the rhythm and the shifts in intensity controls the initiative.

Technique, tactics, and on-court performance are all implied within the overall rhythm. Pippen is not the strongest player; in terms of statistics and performance, he is not good enough.

But Pippen was a key figure in turning the tide, and perhaps even more crucial was that seven-year contract. A generous reward always attracts brave men, and Pippen's "pay-plus strategy" worked.

Therefore, when Pippen returned to the court in the third quarter and faced Forrest Gump, his eyes were filled with much more confidence.

It was as if he was saying, "That's right, I can't beat you. My stats and performance on the field are not as good as yours. I'll let you score 30, 40, or even 50 points."

But it's okay, I can do my best to restrain you, restrain you in every way, I'll be everywhere, so you won't have time to look at anything else, and then we'll win the game.

Pippen's mentality is definitely fine. As the second option, he doesn't need to compete with Forrest Gump for stats or performance on the court; winning is the most important thing.

Phil Jackson was very satisfied with the players' performance; he could feel confidence and composure returning to the Bulls players' faces.

During halftime, he told his players to stay calm, win the game, and that the balance of victory in the finals was tilting in their favor.

A 19-point difference is significant enough to give the Bulls ample room for error.

Many Portland fans have turned off their TVs and are too afraid to watch anymore.

The Bulls had possession of the ball at the start of the third quarter. Jordan received the ball and went one-on-one against Lewis on the perimeter.

After breaking through, they were surrounded by Lewis and Sabonis—the Trail Blazers' defensive strategy remained unchanged.

Jordan didn't pass the ball; instead, he pulled up and took a fadeaway shot, but the ball spun around the rim and didn't go in.

Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, and the Trail Blazers didn't push for a fast break, but instead slowed down and played a positional game.

Gan Guoyang came out to receive the ball, but Pippen was entangled with him. Gan Guoyang quickly passed the ball to Jerome Kersey on the wing.

Pippen guarded Forrest Gump, while Buck Williams matched up against Caesar. Caesar received the ball, faked a shot, and drove to the basket.

His layup drew a foul from Bill Cartwright, and Kossie went to the free-throw line, making both shots.

With the score at 49:66, the Trail Blazers were still down by 17 points, a gap that remained insurmountable.

Gan Guoyang came over and patted Kexi on the shoulder, giving him a high five. This was Kexi's first score of the night.

Throughout the series, Kossie's performance was mediocre.

Both teams have excellent forwards, but Kossi is neither particularly outstanding nor underwhelming.

Because he lacks a sufficiently good long-range shooting ability, in terms of individual ability he is not as good as Lewis, and in terms of inside ability he is far inferior to Forrest Gump.

In the past two years, in Bellman's system, Kossi was a pseudo-starter. In crucial moments, Bellman preferred to use a lineup of Lewis, Porter and Petrovic.

If he can't score points at the beginning and middle of the game, his role will be greatly diminished, but Kossi doesn't care about his low status.

He loved Portland, loved the Trail Blazers, loved Forrest Gump, and was Forrest Gump's number one follower. He couldn't tolerate himself performing so poorly.

The Bulls played at a leisurely pace, creating opportunities through the triangle offense's movement. Jordan passed the ball to Buck Williams, who then passed it to Cartwright.

Cartwright positioned himself in the middle, turned and attempted a layup against Sabonis, but was blocked by Sabonis.

Sabonis's low-post defense is top-notch. The Bulls' offensive choice this time was not good. Jordan forced the attack without getting Sabonis moving.

The Trail Blazers' counterattack remained slow and deliberate, played with great caution.

Lewis had a chance to drive to the basket, but instead of going for the layup, he circled around and passed the ball out.

Porter orchestrates the offense from the center, passing the ball to Cahill beyond the three-point line.

Kossi had a shot opportunity, but instead of shooting, he ran a high pick-and-roll with Sabonis.

Kossi feigned a breakthrough, took a step inside, and then passed the ball to Sabonis, who was cutting outside.

Sabonis receives the ball and shoots a three-pointer, and it goes in!
With the score at 52-66, the gap widened to 14 points, and the fans in the Chicago arena sensed a hint of danger.

Sabonis's versatility is overlooked because of Forrest Gump's presence, but in reality, he is extremely talented.

The Bulls finally found Jordan, who received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the right side, faced Lewis, and immediately jumped and shot, making it!
The Bulls scored, and the fans breathed a sigh of relief. With Michael on the team, the Trail Blazers wouldn't stand a chance.

52:68, the score difference is back to 16 points.

However, the Trail Blazers immediately responded, with Porter and Agam running a high pick-and-roll, and Porter driving to the basket for a layup!

54-68. This play greatly displeased Jordan. The Bulls' middle defense was practically nonexistent, and they could easily penetrate it.

"Focus! We're letting them score too easily!" Jordan said angrily.

The Bulls players did relax a little; who can stay focused when leading by 19 points?
Jordan stepped up again, receiving the ball in the low post. Sabonis came over to double-team him, and Jordan chose to pass the ball.

Bill Cartwright cut in from the middle, about to dunk, but was intercepted by Korsey halfway through.

Kossie steals the ball! The Trail Blazers launch a fast break, Lewis sprints like the wind, catches the ball and goes for a layup but misses.

But Sabonis rushed up from behind and slammed home the rebound with a two-handed dunk!

Pippen could have gone for the ball, but he was a step too slow because he was trying to block Forrest Gump.

As a result, the massive Sabonis caught up and dunked the ball into the basket.

56:68, the score difference has reached 12 points, and it is moving towards 10 points.

Gan Guoyang barely touched the ball in less than two minutes of the third quarter.

The Bulls' attention was still focused on Gan Guoyang, unaware that others were launching a counterattack.

Phil Jackson clearly noticed that the Bulls had problems on both offense and defense, and that the Trail Blazers were different from the first half.

Everyone on them was playing well; they played with both tension and relaxation, like a completely different team.

Unlike the first and second games, they didn't have Forrest Gump in their eyes, and they no longer revolved around Forrest Gump, but they still played very well.

Is it because Forrest Gump isn't important? No, Forrest Gump is everywhere, and that's what's truly terrifying.

Jackson did not call a timeout; he believed the players could solve the problem.

The game continued, and Lewis fouled Jordan on defense.

Jordan stepped up to the free-throw line and made both shots; all of the Bulls' points in the second half came from Jordan.

The score difference of 56 to 70, a difference of 14 points, is more reassuring.

Subsequently, the Bulls successfully defended against the Trail Blazers' offense, and then on the fast break, Jordan received the ball and dunked again!
With the score at 56-72, the gap narrowed to 16 points again, and the Bulls seemed to have weathered the crisis.

Then Gan Guoyang received the ball at the high post and made a jump shot, but missed, a rare miss, and Williams got the rebound.

After taking so many punches during halftime, Gan Guoyang was still aching, which affected his shooting somewhat.

Then, Jordan faced Lewis, made a simple crossover, pulled up and shot, and made it again!
Jordan scored 8 consecutive points in the second half, making it 56-74, bringing the score difference back to 18 points!
The huge weight that had been hanging over Bulls fans has been lifted; they won't lose. With such a large point difference, the Trail Blazers have no chance.

Jackson breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he was right not to call a timeout and that the players would solve the problem themselves.

To make matters worse for the Trail Blazers, Porter committed a turnover on their next offensive possession.

The referee called a traveling violation on him, and possession returned to the Bulls.

Then, John Paxson received a pass from Jordan and made the Bulls' first "non-Jordan basket" of the second half.

With the score at 56-76, the difference reached a terrifying 20 points, and Bulls fans were finally relieved.

Phil Jackson, who had been standing on the sidelines since the start of the third quarter, sat back on the bench.

Bobby Bellman called a 20-second timeout and simply asked the players, "Are you confident you can win the game, ladies?"

Everyone wiped their sweat, nodded, and said, "No problem, Bobby."

Bellman didn't say much, and the game restarted. The Trail Blazers players weren't disturbed by the ups and downs.

They remained steady and methodical, focusing on both defense and offense.

Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, quickly turned and made a jump shot, scoring his first point in the third quarter.

58-76, 18 points, it seems like everything is back to square one. The Bulls' offense misses, the Trail Blazers' defense is very tight, and they begin to increase their intensity.

The Trail Blazers countered, Porter's three-pointer missed, the Bulls countered again, and Pippen drove to the basket and drew a foul.

Both free throws went in, making it 58-78. The 20-point lead was a steady but worrying result.

Subsequently, Kexi and Agam combined at the high post, with Kexi cutting to the basket to receive the ball and score a layup, making it 60-78.

The Bulls' defense looked a bit lax, while the Trail Blazers' defense became increasingly tight.

Pippen tried to attack Forrest Gump, but this time the ball was stolen from him.

The Trail Blazers launched a counterattack, with Gan Guoyang cutting to the basket, receiving the ball, but then passing it to Porter at the top of the key.

Porter took another three-pointer, very decisively, without any hesitation, and it went in.

63:78, 15 points, the three-pointer comeback was very quick.

Jordan knew it was his turn to shine, so he attacked Lewis with the ball.

But this time, Lewis anticipated his turnaround shot and blocked Jordan's shot!
Such a scene is rare: the Trail Blazers have the ball on a fast break, and Korsey receives the ball and drives to the basket, drawing a foul.

He made both free throws. Normally, Kossie's free throw shooting isn't very consistent, with a success rate between 60% and 70%.

It's common for him to make only one of two free throws in important games, but he made both of his free throws in the second half.

He knew that Forrest Gump hated making only one of two free throws. If he couldn't even beat his opponent at the free throw line, how could he possibly beat them?

比分来到65：78，13分了，20分的分差一眨眼又朝着10分去了。

Both Bellman and Jackson made substitutions, with Jackson replacing Armstrong and Grant with Paxson and Williams.

Berman temporarily replaced Sabonis with veteran Thompson, while Petrovic came on in place of Terry Porter.

Jordan broke through, using a fake and a spin move to successfully drive to the basket, and scored two more points with a reverse layup!

65-80, the score was back to 15 points, Jordan went on a scoring spree in the third quarter.

However, what worried Jackson was that, apart from Jordan, no one else was scoring.

The Trail Blazers' defense is getting tighter and tighter, and most importantly, they make almost no mistakes.

Gan Guoyang also started to exert his strength, cutting into the basket after a pick-and-roll to receive the ball, and facing a double team, he suddenly slammed a one-handed dunk over Grant!
The score was 67-80. After that, the Bulls attacked repeatedly and distributed the ball, but they could not find a good opportunity.

Armstrong's forced three-point attempt missed, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the defensive rebound—in the second half, the Bulls had zero offensive rebounds.

The Trail Blazers' counterattack remained unhurried, with passes, screens, and movement that disrupted the Bulls' defensive formation.

The Bulls' perimeter pressure failed to slow down the Trail Blazers' ball movement, which was bad for the Bulls.

Because perimeter pressure often comes at the cost of sacrificing interior defensive density, they must slow down ball movement and even cause the opponent to lose possession.

However, the Trail Blazers were no longer sluggish in the first half. They were quick, and a season of honing the Princeton offense had made them very cohesive and good at passing.

After three passes and two layups, veteran Thompson found himself wide open under the basket, received the pass from Agan, and easily dunked the ball.

69:80, 11 points, only 11 points.

At this point, there were less than 4 minutes left in the third quarter.

Horace Grant's strong attack under the basket missed, and Forrest Gump's shadow began to loom over him again.

Gan Guoyang grabbed another rebound in the backcourt, and it was another slow but deadly counterattack from them.

Pete Carell would be very pleased to see this; this is the essence of Princeton.

Fast is slow, and slow is fast.

Petrovic and Agam executed a screen and ran to the basket.

He received a pass from Porter and scored with a reverse layup! 71-80, the score difference is now within 10 points!

With the third quarter almost over, the Bulls had only scored 14 points.

There was no fast break, no low post play, no teamwork, no three-pointers, and no second-chance opportunities.

There was only Jordan's powerful attacks, only free throws, only one-on-one plays.

The 19-point lead paralyzed the Bulls, and even Phil Jackson.

They had no idea how badly they played in the third quarter.

They only focused on the score; seeing that they were still in the lead, they felt there was no problem and that there was still room for error.

When the score difference suddenly narrowed to 9 points, it became clear that the situation was turning around.

Jackson immediately called a timeout. With only 10 minutes left before halftime, the smiles on the Bulls players' faces had completely vanished.

Jordan's eyes were practically spitting fire as he once again blamed his teammates, criticizing them for not working hard enough on defense and for making hasty decisions on offense.

They're back, it seems like everything is back, and a restless mood spreads throughout the vast Chicago stadium.

The Bulls were clearly in the lead, and by a significant 9 points, which was a considerable advantage.

But the feeling is completely different when you go from a 19-point lead to a 9-point lead, or when you're tied and leading by 9 points.

Conversely, the Trail Blazers were calm, united, and resilient; they were back, the four-time champions, having regained their form.

Moreover, they were better than ever before. The Chicago Bulls boosted the morale of the entire team, and everyone performed almost perfectly on both offense and defense.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang felt extremely comfortable, as if a germaphobe had cleaned a messy room until it was spotless and tidy.

Back in the competition, Gan Guoyang didn't rest; he knew it was his turn to perform.

Scottie Pippen got carried away for a game and a half; he should pay the price.

After the timeout, Pippen tried to attack Forrest again, but Gan Guoyang once again stole the ball face-to-face!
In two consecutive attacks, Pippen failed to inflict any damage or disrupt Gan Guoyang.

In a one-on-one situation, he was directly stripped of the ball, which was quite embarrassing for a center like Pippen.

On the counter-attack, Gan Guoyang's machine started, passing the ball to Petrovic.

Petrovic made a quick advance and finally passed the ball to Gan Guoyang, who was following up.

Gan Guoyang was like a beast, with Jordan in front and Pippen chasing behind.

He leaped up despite Jordan's obstruction, and despite Jordan and Pippen hanging over him, he sent the ball into the basket!

This drew a foul on Jordan, resulting in a free throw!
After scoring, Gan Guoyang let out a rare roar, his fists clenched so tightly that his arm muscles looked like they were about to explode.

The free throw was made, making it 74-80, a six-point difference. In one quarter, the Trail Blazers were about to erase the deficit.

The more anxious the Bulls became, the less they could find their offensive rhythm. Jordan, eager to regain his touch, drove hard to the basket.

As a result, Mitchell Thompson effectively blocked Jordan's offensive routes, forcing him to pass the ball.

Purdue received the ball and went for a layup, but Forrest blocked it with a big block, and Cahill got the ball.

Petrovic and Agam set a pick-and-roll, and the ball was passed to Agam. Gan Guoyang took a jab step and then took a mid-range shot, which went in!

76-80, only 4 points behind. The Chicago arena was growing increasingly quiet; they really hoped the third quarter would end soon.

What were the Bulls even doing in that nightmarish third quarter? Where did they go in the first half? Were they abducted by aliens and replaced with a new team?

The Trail Blazers' defense became increasingly tight, and Gan Guoyang then blocked Pippen's dunk!

In the aerial confrontation, Pippen was like a kite with a broken string, easily brought down.

In the final minute of the third quarter, Petrovic once again ran a pick-and-roll with Agam and drove to the basket.

After drawing the defense, he passed the ball back to Agan. Gan Guoyang received the ball at the high post and could have taken a shot, but he didn't.

Instead, the ball was given to Dell Curry, who was lurking in the corner—he replaced Terry Porter after the timeout.

An open three-pointer, and it's in!

79:80, 1 point, the difference is only 1 point!
With one minute left in the third quarter, the Trail Blazers were about to wipe out a 19-point deficit.

The Bulls seemed to suddenly sink into a quagmire, lost in the Trail Blazers' tight defensive forest.

In the third quarter, we suddenly couldn't play basketball, while everyone on the Trail Blazers was playing well and scoring.

They made no mistakes, made no errors, had no expression on their faces, they just ran, attacked, defended, scored goals, and interfered with us.

It's like... it's like Forrest Gump shared a bit of his soul with everyone during halftime, and they all look just like Forrest Gump.

Perfectionism, composure, and an absolute refusal to make mistakes—and then we crashed into an insurmountable wall, unable to find a crack or a way out.

The higher our spirits were in the first half, the worse our spirits plummeted in the second half.

Perhaps this is what they mean by the higher you climb, the harder you fall. That competition was a lifelong nightmare for me, a nightmare indeed.

—Excerpt from Scott Pippen’s autobiography, Unguarded, published in 2021.

(End of this chapter)