Gan Guoyang's successive scoring evened the score between the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers, bringing them back to the same starting line.
A center with strong attacking firepower both inside and outside was just too advanced for the defenses of the 1980s.
Dick Motta thought back to 1979's Eastern Conference Finals against Larry Kenon, a guy even more troublesome and annoying than Gervin.
Kenon excelled both offensively and defensively, and while Gervin consistently scored high points, Kenon was the barometer for the Spurs. When he played well, the Bullets had trouble.
Later, he led the Bullets to a comeback from a 1:3 deficit and famously said, "The show isn't over until the fat lady sings," and the key to the comeback was that he found a way to deal with Kenon.
The critical player at the time was Bob Dandridge, a 6'6" forward who was versatile in all aspects, including passing, ball control, shooting, and defense—an underrated All-Star.
