The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 178 A Stable Lineup

Gan Guoyang's 6-for-6 shooting from three-point range caused a stir in the NBA. The fact that a center could have such shooting ability made newspapers, media, and radio stations exclaim what a well-rounded basketball monster he was.

With most NBA guards and forwards not shooting three-pointers, Gan Guoyang's three-pointer reversed the game and defeated the strongest team in the West, which will surely become a regular season game that will be remembered in NBA history.

ESPN, CBS and other television networks gave extensive coverage to the game, and footage of Gan Guoyang hitting six three-pointers was broadcast on television.

His 42-point performance tonight, leading the team to a dramatic comeback, propelled him past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the All-Star voting, making him the top starting center for the Western Conference All-Star team.

In this match, Gan Guoyang's abundant energy and flexible playing style made Kareem Abdul-Jabbar look particularly old, making his originally elegant skyhook look rigid and boring.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has scored over 3 points with this repetitive hook shot, the most in NBA history, even surpassing Wilt Chamberlain. Fans have been watching it for over a decade, and they really need something new.

This game also sparked a competitive spirit among some NBA players. Larry Bird, who previously had a record of three three-pointers in a single game, then took six three-point attempts and made four in a game against the New Jersey Nets on January 2, setting a new career high for three-pointers made.

Michael Jordan, who had been competing with Gan Guoyang, attempted four three-pointers in the game against the Atlanta Hawks on the 2nd, missing all four attempts, but still managed to score 33 points and win the game against the Hawks.

After seeing this news hidden in a corner, Gan Guoyang called Jordan's house several times, but no one answered.

However, you have to pay back for using your touch too much at once. The Trail Blazers will travel to Texas to play the Dallas Mavericks in their next game.

Gan Guoyang had no touch on his outside shooting that night, and his hook shots inside were also unsuccessful. He could only focus all his energy on defense.

Mark Aguirre learned from his previous experience and, spurred by his defeat, played with agility and intelligence against Gan Guoyang's defense, fully mobilizing the team's offense.

Sam Bowie showed significant improvement under the guidance of veteran coach Dick Motta, and the Mavericks put on a beautiful defensive performance at home, narrowly defeating the Trail Blazers 105-108 by 3 points.

Gan Guoyang attempted a three-pointer on the final offensive possession, but the Mavericks had already set up their defense, disrupting Gan Guoyang's attempt. In the end, he had to pass the ball to Vandeweghe, who took a hasty shot but missed.

When the opponent is prepared, it's not easy to just shoot three-pointers randomly because there's no corresponding strategy.

For a team to have truly strong long-range shooting, relying on just one player is not enough; it must have multiple players on the perimeter to support the offense.

At the same time, there are matching tactical strategies to create shooting space for perimeter players, which was not available in the 80s.

In the 80s, shooting three-pointers was often a one-off event. If it went in, it was one point; if it didn't, it would give the opponent a counterattack. Without enough volume and tactical coordination, it couldn't effectively lead the team.

After the game against the Lakers, Adelman approached Gan Guoyang to discuss the issue of three-pointers. Gan Guoyang himself said that it was a secret weapon used only occasionally and that he wouldn't shoot it every game because shooting too many would affect his ability to get to the basket and attack the rebounds.

The Trail Blazers' current offensive firepower doesn't allow Gan Guoyang to spend too much time on the perimeter.

If Jerome Kossie develops and the Trail Blazers have a more impactful forward, Gan Guoyang will have more freedom on the perimeter.

"The greatest deterrent effect is when everyone knows I can shoot three-pointers, but I haven't shot them yet."

Gan Guoyang accurately assessed his current three-point shooting ability.

He is still quietly building up his skills with the three-pointer, a powerful weapon on the court, and one day he will make it the sharpest dagger in his arsenal.

What Gan Guoyang didn't know was that his three-point shooting was accelerating the change in NBA coaches' and players' understanding of the three-pointer.

The number of three-point attempts per game in the NBA this season has increased significantly compared to last season, rising from 2.4 to 3.2 per game.

An increase of 0.8 three-pointers per game—this is the largest single-season increase since the three-pointer was introduced to the NBA in 1979.

In previous seasons, the number of three-pointers had also declined. In 80, the average number of three-pointers per game was 2.8, but in 81 it dropped to 2.

After trying out the new technology, the experienced coaches stopped allowing players to shoot three-pointers, which resulted in fewer and fewer three-point attempts.

Now in its sixth year, this notion is finally beginning to loosen, and even old-fashioned people like Ramsey are starting to try new things.

However, Ramsey was unwilling to admit this. When the team returned to Portland for rest and training, he saw Gan Guoyang practicing three-pointers and complained, "You'll be 35 by the new year, won't you? You have to sneak out to shoot long-range shots. It must be tough for you to fight in the paint."

Gan Guoyang was already used to the old coach's sarcastic remarks, and said, "35? If I want to play until 40, how will I compete with the younger players if I don't have a good shot?"

"Ha, 40? You've been saying you'd play until 50. I'll try to coach until 80."

"With your physique, I believe you could coach until 100."

Ramsey served in the military when he was young and later worked in the NBA for many years, holding multiple positions. His physical condition is undoubtedly excellent.

He is 60 years old this year (by Chinese reckoning), and will celebrate his 60th birthday in a little over a month. It's amazing that such an old man can still participate in a triathlon.

Cycling, swimming, and running – a whole process that would be too much for a young, strong person, but Ramsey was able to finish the race and even achieve one of the top rankings in the senior category.

Let alone playing in the NBA, those who can work as coaches in the NBA all have amazing physical abilities.

Joking aside, Ramsey reminded Gan Guoyang: "We're going to play an away game in the East next week, so tone it down and don't get into another fight."

The Trail Blazers will embark on an Eastern Conference road trip next week, and Ramsey offered a friendly reminder based on the lessons learned from the last trip.

"Don't worry, as long as they don't provoke me, I won't make a move."

“I know, but there was one game in Boston where the fans weren’t very friendly.”

"What, you're worried I'll hit a fan? That's impossible, I'm a good person."

Ramsey didn't say much; he was simply fulfilling his duty to remind him.

He knew in his heart that Gan Guoyang was a very rational person who had a good grasp of everything, so there was no need to worry too much.

Ramsey needs to worry more about other people: the team's overall condition, injury and fatigue management, the remaining schedule, and whether there is any possibility of further optimization of the current roster before the trade deadline.

The good news for the Trail Blazers right now is that Kiki Vandeweghe is recovering from his poor form in late December.

In December, he scored less than double digits in three games and had a shooting percentage of less than 12% in five games, all around Christmas.

Compared to his performance as one of the league's top scorers last season, averaging 29 points per game, his scoring has plummeted since joining the Trail Blazers, currently averaging only 21 points per game.

Jim Paxson is in a similar situation, but Paxson's problem is not his shooting percentage, but rather that in some games he produces too few shots, takes too few attempts, and has a weak ability to handle the ball.

Paxson, who made the All-Star team last season, averaged 21 points per game, but his performance has declined significantly this season after signing a big contract, dropping to 15 points per game. While his shooting percentage remains unchanged from last season, his average field goal attempts have decreased from 16 to 13 per game.

Part of the reason is that Gan Guoyang has taken over the shot attempts – after scoring high points in a row, Gan Guoyang's average score per game this season has reached 25.8 points, second only to Michael Jordan among rookies and ranked eighth in the entire league.

But the bigger reason is that Paxson's playing style is somewhat outdated. His off-ball style, which relies entirely on movement, is gradually becoming marginalized and functional in the NBA, where the pace is getting faster and the requirements for individual offensive ability are getting higher and higher.

Especially with guards like Michael Jordan entering the league, succeeding David Thompson, and representing a new trend in the league's perimeter, Paxson seemed more suited to the 70s.

After Gan Guoyang inspired the team with a 6-for-6 three-point shooting performance, their performance showed signs of improvement. Vandeweghe increased his drives to the basket and, under Gan Guoyang's influence, became more daring in taking long-range three-point shots.

Meanwhile, Paxson and Gan Guoyang are playing more and more small combinations – one of Paxson's advantages is that he can play point guard, which, combined with his shooting ability, has a good effect.

The bad news is that even if Vandeweghe and Paxson return to their best form, their weaknesses in defense and physical attributes will remain unaddressed, and these weaknesses will only grow larger as the season progresses.

As the games continue, the video footage of each game becomes research material for the opponents, and the Trail Blazers' defensive problems at the two and three positions will be repeatedly studied and exploited by the opponents.

Although Gan Guoyang's help defense ability has greatly alleviated the defensive crisis on the perimeter, in the long run, the opponent will definitely find a way to counter it.

If Gan Guoyang encounters a foul trouble, or if they face a strong team with a balanced inside and outside game, the Trail Blazers are likely to fall into a disadvantage.

Coach Rupp once said, "Your defense will save you on nights when your offense doesn't work."

Offense is a more sophisticated system, prone to fluctuations in form and loss of accuracy, while defense is more stable and reliable.

Top teams in the league all have stable defenses, including the Lakers, who are known for their fast breaks. They have the tallest and fastest roster in the league and the most suffocating one-on-one defense in crucial moments.

The Trail Blazers have the league's best interior shot blocks and perimeter steals, which supports their position as the second-best team in the Western Conference.

However, in one-on-one defense, the league's top small forwards and shooting guards can score points against them, which is quite deadly, especially in the playoffs.

Since the start of the new year, the Trail Blazers' management has been considering whether to make a trade to ensure a more balanced roster.

Stu Inman regrets making that trade before the summer draft, sending away three starting-caliber players who were all excellent on both offense and defense.

They are currently playing exceptionally well for the Nuggets, ranking third in the Western Conference and ahead of the fourth-placed Rockets, making them one of the Trail Blazers' strongest competitors in the West.

It's conceivable that if the Trail Blazers finish second, the two teams will meet in the playoffs. If the Trail Blazers' outside shooting is slaughtered by English and Fat Leaf, Inman will inevitably be criticized by the media.

Inman never expected that Gan Guoyang would perform so well in his rookie season, single-handedly lifting the Trail Blazers into the ranks of the league's top teams.

If he had known this guy was this good, he shouldn't have made that trade before the draft. Although Vandeweghe plays a beautiful game and has excellent individual skills, his defense is really bad.

Furthermore, the signing of Paxson to a large contract brought the team's salary to the salary cap limit. If the team wants to further strengthen its roster or change its lineup, it will have to rely on trades.

In an attempt to salvage the situation, Inman considered making a trade. In January, he privately communicated with the managers of several teams, including the Clippers and Cavaliers, who were interested in Vandeweghe and Paxson.

On January 7th, Inman received a call from the Clippers' general manager, asking if he was interested in a trade involving Paxson, Vandeweghe, Norm Nixon, and Marquez Johnson.

This piqued Inman's interest. Norm Nixon was once the Lakers' starting point guard, but became a supporting player after Magic Johnson arrived.

However, he also played a key role in winning the championships in 1980 and 1982, and was a star player who could perform well in important games.

Marquese Johnson was Vandeweghe's senior at UCLA, a key player for the Bucks in the early 80s, and Moncrief's most capable assistant.

Compared to Vandeweghe, who can only score and doesn't care about anything else, Johnson is a very strong scorer and a very well-rounded player. He had the nickname "Grand Slam" when he was at UCLA. At his peak, he averaged 10 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 1.5 steals and 4.6 assists per game.

His powerful forward-guard duo with Moncrief caused immense trouble for the two dominant teams, the 76ers and the Celtics, in the early 80s.

83年他们4:0横扫了波士顿凯尔特人，让80年代东决首次不是76人vs凯尔特人。

In 84, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, marking a peak for them.

However, lacking further breakthroughs, the Bucks traded Marquez Johnson to the Clippers in the summer of 84 in exchange for Cummins.

Although the Clippers assembled a group of star players, the owner's stinginess and poor team building prevented them from working together to win. Johnson and Nixon were both unhappy with their time with the Clippers.

Inman believes that if the Trail Blazers can actually acquire these two players, they might be able to upset the Lakers this year and achieve a major breakthrough.

However, Inman knew that the deal wasn't up to him alone; the opinions of the coach and star player were also important. He approached Adelman and Ramsey and proposed a trade plan to them.

Adelman believes that if Marquez Johnson were to join, it would greatly improve the team's small forward defense and reduce the pressure on Gan Guoyang on the defensive end.

Ramsey hesitated for a long time without offering an opinion, and finally said, "You should ask Forrest Gump what he thinks."

Inman said, "Although Forrest is our core player, he is still a player and a rookie. The team is still led by the coach and manager. Of course, I will take his opinions into consideration."

Ramsey stared at Inman for a moment, then said, "Stu, sometimes you're a smart guy, but sometimes I really feel like your head isn't clear. You know a lot, and you think a lot, but you lack enough intuition and strong willpower. If you're sure Forrest is the core of the team, the leader, then please truly respect him from the bottom of your heart, instead of sometimes fulfilling all his demands and sometimes genuinely thinking he's still a rookie, a kid. That's not good. Go, go ask Forrest. His opinion is my opinion. Also, don't leak the news. The atmosphere in the team is very good right now."

Stu-Inman couldn't believe that in just a few months, Ramsey had become Gan Guoyang's most steadfast supporter, even though the two barely communicated on the surface.

After much deliberation, Inman approached Gan Guoyang after training and told him about the team's current situation, the plans and ideas for the trade, and asked him if he had any thoughts.

Gan Guoyang listened while wiping his sweat, thought for a moment, and replied, "Team trades are the management's business. No matter what players you trade or draft, I will play my best. I only receive one salary. I don't want to occasionally serve as a defensive coach and then have to act as a general manager or management. Of course, extra pay is another matter."

"Of course, I can offer some of my thoughts. I think the team is in a good position right now. Kiki and Jim are both excellent players. They do have weaknesses, but we have Clyde and Korsey on the bench. They're younger and very well-rounded, complementing Kiki and Jim perfectly. Nixon and Marquez, I've played against them, they're formidable players, but they're older and have already achieved a certain level of success, so they inevitably lack some ambition. If we were to make a trade, I guess the Clippers would want to include Clyde or Korsey in the deal, but they're both young, they have nothing yet, and they're just as hungry as I am. Hunger, you know? That's what a team needs most to succeed. Also, Kiki and Jim's weaknesses can be compensated for through tactics and rotations, that's Dr. Jack's job. I think we haven't reached our peak yet. If we were to make a trade, a lot of things would have to start from scratch, and all your summer efforts would be wasted, don't you think, Stu?"

After listening to Gan Guoyang's words, Inman found them very reasonable and gradually gave up the idea of ​​making the deal happen.

However, Inman still asked, "So... do you really think Kiki's defense is okay? We're playing the 76ers tomorrow, and next week we're going to Boston..."

Gan Guoyang laughed and said, "No problem, I really like Qiqi! Without him, I wouldn't be able to grab so many rebounds. What if Marquez comes and takes away my rebounding title? Would you take responsibility? Besides, if he squeezes out a veteran player in his rookie season, wouldn't that damage my reputation?!"

Inman knew that Gan Guoyang was joking, and the joke carried a sense of optimism and open-mindedness.

This gave Stu Inman a deeper and newer understanding of Gan Guoyang. Dr. Jack was right; he needed to respect him from the bottom of his heart, not just his on-field aura and commercial value.

"Okay, let's keep this stable lineup and aim for even higher goals."

(End of this chapter)