Adelman and his assistant coaching staff initially opposed the idea, thinking Sabonis was not suited to help defend Jordan.
Sabonis may be agile, but Jordan is just too fast—Sabonis would easily get beaten.
On top of that, Sabonis needed to hold down the three-second zone with Gan; the interior line was the Trail Blazers' biggest advantage, and it couldn't be compromised.
But after conducting defensive drills that day, everyone agreed it was actually a solid idea.
Because with Sabonis helping defend Jordan, the double-team tightened up the overall defensive setup.
While Sabonis may lag in speed, his positioning and court anticipation were excellent.
Berman didn't demand Sabonis to guard Jordan closely but to keep a reasonable distance, prevent Jordan's drives, and force him into more mid-range jumpers.
It was as if Jordan now had a massive, retreating shield stationed around the edge of the three-second zone, waiting for him at all times.
