There's still an entire quarter of play left in Game 4, and the Trail Blazers trail the Bulls by just 1 point.
One point ahead might be a lead, but the Bulls' psychological defenses have completely crumbled.
During the break between the third and fourth quarters, the Bulls' bench was as silent as death, eerily quiet like a graveyard amid the raucous chaos of Chicago Stadium.
At this moment, even if Phil Jackson roared with all his might, his voice seemed like the creaking of bones in a coffin—frightening but utterly lifeless.
Even Jordan, who would usually lash out angrily and harshly scold teammates when they played poorly, had fallen silent now. He didn't know what to say or what could be said.
Jordan could keenly sense the creeping wave of negativity spreading through the team, like last year's Eastern Conference Finals in Game 7, when everyone seemed shackled, frozen, and utterly clueless about how to play.
