The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 336 The New King

In the fifth minute of the first quarter, Gan Guoyang stepped up to the free-throw line and made both free throws, bringing the score to 11-15, with the Celtics leading the Trail Blazers by 4 points at the start.

Returning to their home court, the Celtics are determined to fight to the death against the Trail Blazers, aiming to win this game and force a Game 7, at which point the Celtics will have the advantage.

Bird, in particular, made consecutive shots against Jerome Koch's defense, determined to wash away the shame of scoring only 11 points in Game 5.

The Trail Blazers started a bit slowly, and the Celtics continued to double-team Gan Guoyang tightly. It was truly shameful for them to concede 50 points.

Auerbach was furious after Game 5, saying that if Agan scored more than 25 points in the next game, he would cut all the players!
Auerbach was obviously just saying it in anger, just like Bird said he'd drive a truck if Jordan scored more than 20 points.

The Celtics were determined not to let Gan Guoyang score any more points, so they played the same defensive intensity in the first quarter as they would in the fourth.

The intensity of the game inevitably led to more fouls, and Gan Guoyang repeatedly went to the free-throw line to open up the game with free throws.

Parish and McHale each had accumulated a foul early on, which was a concern for the Celtics.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 24-31, with the Celtics performing well offensively and leading the Trail Blazers by 7 points.

Gan Guoyang scored 8 points in the first quarter, making 6 of 6 free throws, but only made 1 field goal, relying on offensive rebounds for second-chance points.

The Celtics would rather give Gan Guoyang free throws than let him get into his offensive rhythm in the first quarter and get overwhelmed by his firepower.

Gan Guoyang had a very difficult time receiving the ball in the first quarter. He was double-teamed the most severely, and the Celtics' handballs became increasingly aggressive.

In the second quarter, during a defensive play, Larry Bird slapped Gan Guoyang in the face while double-teaming him, leaving several bloody marks on Gan Guoyang's face.

Gan Guoyang did not retaliate at the time, but during the next attack, he "accidentally" elbowed Bird in the corner of his eye, causing Bird's eye to bleed profusely.

The referee gave each of the two key players a technical foul. They didn't argue or hurl insults at each other because it was pointless. They both knew this was a life-or-death battle, and winning the game was the only real goal.

The crowd of fans at the stadium was shouting and cursing, but Gan Guoyang ignored it; nothing could shake his determination to win.

The Celtics targeted Gan Guoyang more and more, using all sorts of big and small moves, including shoving, leg extensions, and headbutting after surrounding him, just to prevent Gan Guoyang from comfortably receiving the ball and playing one-on-one.

Gan Guoyang's one-on-one skills were truly unstoppable by Parish and McHale.

This tactic had some effect, hindering the Trail Blazers' offense.

Gan Guoyang started passing the ball to his teammates, and Drexler drove hard to the basket and scored a layup.

Jerome Kossie grabbed the offensive rebound, slammed it home with both hands, and drew a foul from Marquez Johnson, making the free throw.

The Celtics tried to pull away in the second quarter, but the Trail Blazers' other players were very tough tonight.

Porter, Drexler, and Korsey all made their shots, and at halftime, the Trail Blazers kept the score close.

With the score at 56:60, the difference between the two sides reached 4 points, and the halftime break began.

In the locker room, unlike the cheerful atmosphere before the game, as the game progressed, the players' adrenaline surged and everyone became excited.

Gan Guoyang's face and arms were covered in bloodstains, the marks of tonight's battle.

Before taking the court, Gan Guoyang once again gave his teammates a pep talk: "There are a million possibilities in this world, but there is only one impossible thing: the Boston Celtics will beat us tonight! They are rotten, and we are the new kings!"

With unparalleled momentum, the Trail Blazers, dressed in red jerseys, arrived at the green-covered garden court with its wooden flooring.

At this point in the game, there were not many tactics or strategies left for either side to employ, as most so-called tactics had become ineffective.

The defense was at full intensity, the physical contact was intense, and the players were constantly making moves; every attack was an ordeal for both sides.

CBS commentator Dick Stockton said, "This is a more intense Finals than the 1985 Finals. The Portland Trail Blazers have taken the intensity of the NBA to a whole new level."

For the first time, viewers in front of their televisions witnessed such an intense match. Both sides were huddled near the three-second zone, and no offensive play was easy, nor was any dribble through the paint smooth and difficult.

The referees loosened their officiating standards because if they had applied stricter standards, neither team's starting lineup would have been able to play after three quarters.

Gan Guoyang wreaked havoc under the basket, first elbowing Robert Parish to the ground, and then knocking down Kevin McHale, who was attempting a flagrant foul, during a fast break layup.

All three Celtics frontcourt stars were bleeding, and Gan Guoyang's arms were covered in bruises, but he fought harder and harder, desperately grabbing offensive rebounds in the third quarter to create opportunities for his teammates.

Drexler received the ball and made a mid-range jump shot from the outside.

Drexler missed a jump shot, Gan Guoyang grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it out, Drexler took another shot and made it.

Vandeweghe came off the bench, received a pass from Gan Guoyang, and scored with a dunk!

Terry Porter missed a three-pointer, Gan Guoyang grabbed the offensive rebound, shoved Larry Bird aside, and passed the ball to Porter for another shot. Porter took the shot decisively and made the three-pointer.

In the third quarter, the Trail Blazers unleashed an 11-2 offensive surge against the Celtics, tying the score and even taking the lead.

The Celtics' strategy of surrounding Gan Guoyang gave their perimeter players ample opportunities to shoot.

Gan Guoyang repeatedly created shooting opportunities in the paint, giving his teammates the confidence to make shots.

KC Jones called a timeout, and an uneasy atmosphere gradually settled over Boston Garden.

The match between the two sides on the field is not only a contest of tactics and strength, but also a battle of mentality and fate.

At this moment, the one with the strongest will and the best luck will win.

Gan Guoyang, like a rising sun, shines upon every player on the Trail Blazers, igniting the potential within each of them.

Despite having a better roster, more experience, superior skills, and more effective tactics, the Celtics are gradually losing ground to the Celtics.

Bird, of course, didn't want to give up. Back in the game, he immediately hit a three-pointer, briefly revitalizing the Boston Garden.

But Drexler immediately hit a three-pointer from the outside. He took advantage of Gan Guoyang's screen and was open when he shot without hesitation and made the shot!
When Drexler can make three-pointers, is there any need to say how good the Trail Blazers' offense is?
Drexler was ecstatic after scoring, as it was his first three-pointer in the Finals.

He didn't dare to shoot before, but he dares to shoot tonight. He has the confidence and the ability to do so.

The Celtics were slightly flustered when Marquez Johnson made a mistake on a pass to Parish.

Bird berated Marquez Johnson, and the two had an argument, which Dennis intervened to stop.

Bird rarely lost his composure like this, but this mistake was unbearable for him, and Marquez Johnson didn't want to either, but his body wouldn't cooperate. The Trail Blazers countered, and Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post. The Celtics were less willing to double-team him, because if they did, the Trail Blazers could easily make a shot from the outside.

Even if he misses the shot, Gan Guoyang is incredibly aggressive on the offensive rebounds tonight – Parish and McHale can't keep up with him.

With no one double-teaming him, Gan Guoyang immediately took the ball and beat Parish one-on-one, then scored with a hook shot after turning around!
The point difference widened again, and the decibel level in the stadium decreased slightly.

After scoring, Gan Guoyang waved to the stands. Gan Youwei, wearing earplugs, was watching the game with a furrowed brow.

After the match, Gan Guoyang said that he scored the goal to make the stadium less noisy, because his father, who was watching the game, hated noise.

Gan Youwei was worried that his son would get into a fight. He thought those black and white people were too barbaric; how could they just hit people like that? What if they hurt his son?

In the third quarter, the Trail Blazers rallied to take an 86-80 lead over the Celtics.

Tonight, the Trail Blazers didn't drag out the pace or engage in a defensive battle with the Celtics; it was just a normal high-intensity offense and defense.

Their lead was due to a balanced attack; Jack Ramsey didn't rely solely on starting players, and substitutes like Vandeweghe, Jim Paxson, and Jones all came on and contributed.

At that moment, Jack Ramsey felt that he and the entire team were of one mind, that everyone could carry out his tactical intentions, and that everyone could do their job well.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Vandeweghe received a pass from Gan Guoyang and hit a three-pointer, widening the gap to 9 points.

McHale scored in the low post, Gan Guoyang acted as the pivot in the high post, passing the ball directly to the basket, where Paxson received the ball and made a layup.

Bird's layup attempt missed and was blocked by Gan Guoyang. On the counterattack, Vandeweghe drove hard and dunked with his left hand!

After resting for more than a week, Vandeweghe is bursting with energy, and this period of smooth sailing and adding to his success is perfect for him.

As the game progressed a bit further and both teams started to struggle offensively, Ramsey took advantage of a dead ball to substitute Vandeweghe, having already accomplished his task.

Kossi makes his appearance, assisting Gan Guoyang in entangled with the Celtics.

In contrast, KC Jones had a six-man rotation tonight, with no seventh player available besides the starters and Danny Ainge.

This is Jones' consistent personnel strategy, and at the same time, the Celtics really have no one else available on their bench.

Parish and McHale were getting increasingly tired. Even the young and beastly Rockets' twin towers couldn't keep up with Gan Guoyang's six games, let alone the two of them.

The Trail Blazers, with their abundant energy, played with increasing fluidity, their half-court offense featuring endless ball movement, flowing like water.

It's fair to say that the entire Portland Trail Blazers team entered a "pure white world," a world where no team's defense could stop their offense.

Gan Guoyang became the core of the team, constantly distributing the ball in the high and low positions, making through passes, bounce passes, wide-range transitions, and high lobs after pick-and-rolls.

Gan Guoyang, who has never been good at playmaking and passing, channeled Bill Walton at this moment, becoming the field commander and leading the Portlanders to systematically slaughter in the Boston Garden!
When Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound and made a long pass to the frontcourt, Drexler received the ball unguarded and glided down the court with one hand for a dunk. By then, the score was 117-102, and the Trail Blazers had extended their lead to 15 points!
Gan Guoyang, who had just scored the assist, raised his hands and began to swing them like an egg beater, a classic move by Bill Walton.

With two minutes remaining in the game, KC Jones called a desperate timeout.

On the sidelines, Bill Walton also raised his hands, and the two giants gave each other a high five.

At this moment, it seemed as if the two greatest centers in Trail Blazers history had completed their passing of the torch.

Fans began leaving the Garden Arena, unable to bear seeing the Celtics lose the championship on their home court for the second consecutive year.

This was clearly their best year, but they encountered the best Portland Trail Blazers.

Bird hadn't given up yet, and after the timeout, he continued to keep the Celtics alive with three-pointers.

The Trail Blazers began to control the pace, pressing the shot clock down to the last second.

Drexler confidently took a mid-range shot and made it!

Drexler, who is usually terrible at mid-range shooting, becomes a god of the mid-range at this moment!
The Celtics are putting up a futile struggle; their roster and strength make them undisputed champions.

Unfortunately, they encountered the Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang.

The game ended when the score was 121-110.

Not only was this game over, but the entire 1985-1986 season was over.

There were hardly any fans left at the Garden Arena, and disappointed Bostonians left with tears and regret.

David Stern and Larry O'Brien's trophy were on the sidelines; it was the spoils of war for the Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang.

The Trail Blazers' players and coaches were already losing control of their emotions, and they were all waiting for the final buzzer to sound.

The moment everything settled down, they rushed onto the field, surrounded Gan Guoyang, and lifted him up!
Tonight, Gan Guoyang scored 24 points, grabbed 22 rebounds, and dished out a career-high 15 assists.

Reporters and cameras rushed toward Gan Guoyang. A new king had been crowned; this was the true Sun King of Oregon.

Jack Ramsey, on the contrary, remained calm, hands on his hips, serenely experiencing everything. All of this felt like being bathed in the gentle sea breeze of the Pacific Ocean. He had waited nine long years for this moment, for this one second of feeling.

He had thought he would never experience that feeling again.

Bill Walton came over and hugged Jack Ramsey tightly. The two didn't say anything, they just cried—Ramsey finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Only those who have won the championship once and then won it again can truly understand how arduous and agonizing the journey was.

For this moment, they have gone through so much, experienced so many twists and turns, and paid so much price over the years.

Fortunately, they were still favored by fate.

Ramsey wiped away his tears and said to Walton, "I've always believed in God, in everything God has planned. At this moment, I want to thank God. But I must apologize to God. I want to thank Forrest Gump first, thank you, thank every player on the Trail Blazers, it's you, it's you all..."

As Ramsey spoke, tears welled up in his eyes again. Walton said, "We also need to thank the Bodhisattva for always protecting us! That ancient deity from India, the Guanyin with outstretched hands!"

As a devout Christian, Dr. Jack ignored Forrest Gump for an entire summer after learning that the image of Guanyin with outstretched hands was made up by Forrest Gump and that the Bodhisattva's blessing was completely different from God bless America.

Of course, that doesn't matter anymore; it was a happy and joyful summer.

—Excerpt from Bill Wharton's autobiography, *Back from the Dead*, published in 2016.

(End of Volume 4, "Billie Jean".)
(End of this chapter)