The Golden Age of Basketball.

Chapter 832 Taking Another Step

The significance of the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Indiana Pacers goes far beyond that of a regular season game.

The game is scheduled for January 25th. There are only two games in the league on that day, the other being the Chicago Bulls vs. the Utah Jazz, the opponents of last season's Finals.

The league made this schedule arrangement in the hope that there would be two heavyweight matchups on that day, competing with the NFL's Super Bowl for viewership.

That day, the NFL season was in its final stages, with the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers vying for the Super Bowl.

Today, the Super Bowl is the most influential single sporting event in the United States, jokingly referred to as the "American Spring Festival Gala," with no other event able to rival it.

Even if the NBA schedules games today, they need to move the game times forward from the evening to the afternoon, otherwise the viewership will be significantly affected.

When the schedule was being drawn up at the beginning of the season, the league office's idea was to arrange two heavyweight matchups: the Jazz vs. the Trail Blazers in the West, and the Bulls vs. the Pacers in the East, both of which are top teams.

The Bulls and Trail Blazers have high viewership, while the Jazz and Pacers are strong teams and benefit from the increased viewership.

Having these two matchups on Super Bowl day would prevent the NBA from suffering dismal viewership and could salvage some pride.

The NBA never imagined that the two regular season games could be compared to the Super Bowl in terms of influence; even the NBA Finals would have to avoid them.

But no one expected that the Portland Trail Blazers could beat every team in their path, traversing the entire United States, and still be undefeated.

Just past the halfway point of the season, with 41 games played, they faced the Pacers on January 25th. Everyone was eager to see if the Trail Blazers could achieve a 41-game winning streak and create a half-season undefeated legend.

It's said that even the two teams participating in the NFL Super Bowl were watching the Pacers vs. Trail Blazers game before the Super Bowl officially started that night, to see if the Trail Blazers could continue their magic—as for the Jazz and Bulls? Let whoever wants to watch, watch.

Before this game, the Trail Blazers had three days of rest, which gave the whole team ample time to adjust.

No other team playing away games has such ample time to adjust and rest; it can only be said that the schedule organizers have been exceptionally kind to them this season.

Bird returned to Frenchlick's hometown, met with his old friends, laid a wreath at his mother's grave, and spoke with her.

“Mom, I’m on an incredible journey. I know it’s a bit of an exaggeration, but if you were here, you’d understand that it’s not an exaggeration at all. I haven’t lost a game in almost three months. It’s not summer, it’s the season in progress. You were right, I was going to become a head coach, and I really did become a head coach not long after you passed away. I argued with you back then, but… Mom always knows her son best, doesn’t she?”

Bird didn't stay in Frenchlick for long; he quickly returned to Indianapolis to prepare for the game on the afternoon of the 25th.

There's not much to prepare; the Trail Blazers have entered a phase where major adjustments aren't necessary.

It's always other teams that need to counter and adapt to them; there's never a situation where they need to study and counter other teams.

The Pacers are a formidable opponent; they will not surrender easily.

Conversely, the Pacers are eager to end the Trail Blazers' run at home, given the unprecedented mega prize of 40 consecutive wins in the lottery jackpot.

At 1:30 p.m. on the 25th, the entire Trail Blazers team arrived at the Indianapolis Market Square Arena.

The multi-purpose stadium, completed in 1974, can accommodate more than 16000 fans, and it was already packed two hours before the match started.

Tickets for the game were scalped to five times the usual price—the Indiana Pacers had never sold tickets for such high prices before, and this game significantly boosted the Pacers' revenue.

An ordinary regular season game has become highly anticipated because of the Trail Blazers' amazing winning streak and the possibility of a 41-game winning streak.

The number of cameras and reporters on the sidelines had reached the level of the finals, and the dense array of long lenses and microphones greatly increased the tense atmosphere on site.

The Pacers have a strong record in the Eastern Conference this season, able to compete with the Chicago Bulls, and their strength should not be underestimated.

Under the guidance of Rick Adelman and the former Trail Blazers coaching staff, the Pacers have achieved a balance between offense and defense, and can be said to have deeply grasped the essence of the former Trail Blazers.

The biggest difference is that the Pacers don't have a player like Forrest Gump, but Reggie Miller is definitely a tenacious leader and a never-give-up opponent.

It's absolutely impossible to defeat Miller with just a few words or make the Pacers give in before the game even starts; they are fully prepared to fight back.

Last season, the Trail Blazers suffered a major defeat against the Pacers in Gan Guoyang's first season back. This time, the whole team is on high alert.

The match will officially begin at 3:30 PM, and the two teams are already on the verge of a fierce battle.

The home fans began to shout wildly, instantly bringing the atmosphere in the Market Arena to a fever pitch.

Before the jump ball, Gan Guoyang told his teammates, "Tonight's game is like the NBA Super Bowl. Don't say you don't care about winning or the winning streak. We're going to win tonight, and the opponents definitely want us to lose. Screw that, we can rest for a bit. Someone has to win, why can't it be us!"

Having come this far, the Trail Blazers no longer want to lose.

The period between 20 and 30 consecutive wins is when it's easiest to slip up and lose.

After enduring a 30-game winning streak, the whole team passed that point of exhaustion and began to run more and more easily.

This is a crucial point in time; if they can get past this stage, they can go even further.

If you can't get through, the run will come to an end, and everything will become history.

The Trail Blazers don't want to become history; they want to make history.

The game began with a jump ball between Sabonis and Rick Schmitz.

Schmitz passed the ball to Mark Jackson, and the Pacers began their first offensive possession.

The Pacers' starting lineup consists of Rick Smits, Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller, Dale Davis, and Mario Allie.

There's not much difference compared to last season, but the Pacers have a very deep bench.

The bench features very talented players such as Antonio Davis, Jalen Rose, and Travis Best.

Their offense and defense are very well-balanced, and under Adelman's guidance, the team has a strong overall fighting power.

They were well-prepared for this game, and the Pacers quickly scored with a smooth offense at the start.

First, Rick Schmitz made a back cut to the basket, received the ball, and calmly passed it to Dale Davis while facing Agan's help defense.

Davis received the ball and passed it to Miller, who was running on the wing. Miller then took a mid-range jump shot and made it.

This play perfectly showcased the Pacers' skillful team offense and successfully evaded Forrest Gump's defense.

According to the normal logic, Schmitz would receive the ball, Gan Guoyang would help defend, Schmitz would pass to Davis, and Davis would dunk directly.

However, because Gan was on defense, after he helped defend Schmitz, Schmitz passed to Davis, and Gan was able to turn around and defend two opponents.

If Davis tries to dunk or lay up, he'll be met with a huge block; only Gan Guoyang in the entire league can defend him like that.

To avoid Gan Guoyang's ability to defend two opponents at once, the Pacers went a step further with their tactics, passing the ball to the weak side and having Miller finish the play.

Therefore, Miller, who was just stretching the space on the strong side, had to make a big detour to the weak side and put in a lot of effort to get a chance to shoot.

Are you tired? Yes, but it's worth it.

Clearly, the Pacers coaching staff knows Gan Guoyang very well.

It's the kind of situation where you seem to have executed a successful tactic, but you've actually fallen into Forrest Gump's trap.

You need to take one more step to get past this hidden trap and score.

The Pacers followed this rule from the start: "take an extra step." The Trail Blazers' offensive focus was somewhat unclear at the beginning. Gan Guoyang was double-teamed early by the Pacers, but the Pacers handled it cleverly, avoiding a foul due to it being their home court.

Mullin's first shot missed.

The Pacers grabbed the defensive rebound, and Miller controlled the ball to launch a fast break.

He and Rick Schmitz repeatedly set screens at the top of the key, stretching the Trail Blazers' defense.

Miller found an opportunity and hit a bounce pass to Schmitz, who could then take a mid-range shot from the top of the arc.

Schmitz jumped up, but still passed the ball in mid-air, passing it back to Miller who had slid to the bottom corner.

Miller receives the ball, Riddell isn't close enough, and Miller hits a three-pointer!
The Pacers started with a 5-0 lead, and their first two possessions were quite exciting.

Every time it seems like an opportunity, take an extra step. When it appears to be a chance, pass it on again to give it an even better opportunity.

The Trail Blazers felt the pressure. Riddell controlled the ball on the perimeter, backed down Miller, and then missed a turnaround jump shot.

However, Gan Guoyang grabbed the offensive rebound and scored a layup, giving his team their first point of the game.

The Pacers undoubtedly had a better start, their offense flowed very smoothly, while the Trail Blazers seemed to be still in trial mode.

Schmitz made a mid-range jumper, Dale Davis grabbed the offensive rebound, passed the ball to the outside, and Mark Jackson made a layup.

On the Trail Blazers' side, their passing became smoother, but their outside shooting struggled, repeatedly missing shots, while the Pacers' defense performed very well.

Soon, the Pacers took a 9-2 lead in the early stages, a 7-point gap, and Larry Bird called a timeout.

The entire market arena erupted in cheers. A good start gave Pacers fans the chance to end their winning streak.

A glimmer of light appeared in the darkness.

Meanwhile, everyone on the Trail Blazers' side remained calm.

This kind of cold start isn't a one-off thing; it's quite normal.

In general, the team's adjustment is to let Agam take the lead in attacking, and the offense will usually recover quickly.

But Bird didn't do that during the timeout; he realized that the challenge of tonight's game wasn't offense but defense.

The Pacers' offense felt too fluid. If they continue like this, the whole game will be very difficult for the team.

The first half is about finding your rhythm, letting the Pacers find their footing and identify key tactical points; the trouble will come in the second half.

Bird, with his extensive experience, knew best that such problems needed to be addressed as soon as possible. He made a decisive adjustment, replacing the defensively ineffective Riddell with Kobe.

Because of his defensive ability, Kobe gained more and more trust from Bird in the game, and his playing time became longer and longer.

It's only a matter of time before he replaces Riedle as the team's starter.

In addition to replacing Riddell with Kobe Bryant, Bird also replaced Sabonis with AC Green.

This substitution is very bold and incomprehensible. They took off one of their twin towers and brought on veteran Green.

Because Bird discovered that Rick Schmitz was specifically designed to counter Sabonis.

They moved Sabonis around, forcing Gan Guoyang to take on some center-forward duties, but then passed the ball around to avoid Gan Guoyang.

The Pacers came prepared; Adelman and the Pacers' assistant coaching staff were very familiar with the Trail Blazers' twin towers' playing style.

Therefore, Bird immediately made adjustments, moving Gan Guoyang back to the center position and bringing in veteran Green at the power forward position to block the Pacers' inside-outside connections.

The Trail Blazers' previous winning streak was led by Carlisle, who could be said to have won without lifting a finger.

Later, when Bird returned, some games were won by default, while others were not won without Bird's timely adjustments.

Bird's greatest strengths as a head coach were his strong ability to make in-game adjustments and his long-term vision, not only focusing on the immediate competition but also planning the team's overall strategy.

Many coaches can only excel in one of these two areas. Some are strong in the short term but lack planning ability, taking things one step at a time. They may play well in the first three and a half quarters, but in the final stages, due to a lack of preparation, they encounter many problems such as fatigue, tactics, shooting touch, and fouls, ultimately leading to a collapse.

Some players have strong planning and preparation abilities, but poor performance on the day. They can only execute rigidly and cannot cope with unexpected situations on the field. They are at a loss when an unexpected situation occurs, and are prone to failure in some major and crucial matches.

Bird, as one of the smartest basketball players on the planet, combined the two very well.

During the temporary adjustment of the pause, he not only saw the current situation, but also the more distant third and fourth quarters.

He wouldn't allow the Pacers to have a smooth offensive game or play with perfect teamwork, so he wanted to disrupt their rhythm unexpectedly.

Sure enough, the Trail Blazers' last-minute roster adjustments after the timeout made the Pacers very uncomfortable.

Gan Guoyang first received the ball in the low post, turned and scored a goal, drawing a foul from Schmitz and converting the penalty.

Then Gan Guoyang returned to the center position, first fronting Schmitz to prevent him from receiving the ball, and then covering for Dale Davis.

Davis passed the ball out from inside, but it was stolen by A.C. Green. The Trail Blazers launched a counterattack, and Kobe took the lead, drove to the basket, and dunked!
The Pacers are an older team, and they have a hard time stopping Kobe's attacks on the fast break.

On the defensive end, Kobe didn't guard Miller, but instead matched up against Mark Jackson, leaving Miller to Blake.

Kobe's defense against Miller was not very effective last season; he always struggled against such a skilled player with excellent tactical positioning.

Kobe liked to use tenacious defense, but Miller's off-ball movement meant he wasn't afraid of tenacious defense.

Furthermore, Kobe had a noticeable bad habit of "following the ball, not the player" when defending, and this weakness would be magnified when facing tactical shooting guards.

Even though Gan Guoyang had scolded Kobe many times during games and training, it was still hard for him to change this bad habit. Not having gone to college meant he was lacking.

Therefore, Bird simply assigned Kobe to guard the ball handler and Blake, who had extensive defensive experience, to guard Miller.

This tactic worked very well. Although Brelock is short, his speed in defending off-the-ball movement is more important than his height.

The Pacers' offense stalled, and Mario Elie's forced shot missed, allowing Gan Guoyang to secure the rebound.

It was another Kobe counterattack, but this time the Pacers retreated in time, and Kobe didn't have a chance to attack the basket directly, so he passed the ball to Gan Guoyang in the middle.

Gan Guoyang received the ball and drove into the basket like a truck, scoring a layup while still covered by Rick Schmitz, and then drawing a foul from Schmitz.

The Pacers started with a lot of fouls, and Adelman couldn't sit still any longer; the Trail Blazers were quickly taking the lead.

After Gan Guoyang made the free throw, Adelman called a timeout and substituted Antonio Davis for Rick Schmitz.

Adelman also brought on small forward Jalen Rose from the bench. He patted Rose on the shoulder and said, "Go guard Kobe and put some pressure on him."

Adelman has noticed that the Trail Blazers' backcourt becomes very active after Kobe enters the game, and every score is related to him.

It's necessary to put a young player on the court to challenge Kobe, put some pressure on him, and control the Trail Blazers' backcourt.

Jalen Rose nodded, ready to take the stage.

(End of this chapter)