The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 401 Public Opinion
Ramsey said he would let Gan Guoyang play until he was fifty, but given the way he's being used this season, most players probably wouldn't be able to keep up until they're 30.

This season, Ramsey has changed his coaching style and focused a lot of energy on tactical integration, trying to organically combine Gan Guoyang's singles skills with the existing system.

As a coach who once vehemently disliked singles, under the influence of his mentor and protégé Gan Guoyang and Berman, he realized that what he hated was not singles, but inefficiency.

Gan Guoyang is a rare, highly efficient one-on-one player. Most players are affected by physical condition and the opponent's defense, and their scoring success rate will drop sharply after a certain number of one-on-one attempts.

Gan Guoyang is different. Based on dozens of games observed this season, according to Bellman's calculations, Gan Guoyang's efficiency curve has been very smooth, and even shows a trend of rising higher and higher as he plays.

This is thanks to Gan Guoyang's terrifying physical strength, his indiscriminate singles attacks, and of course, the tactical loopholes this season.

The so-called "indiscriminate one-on-one" means that Gan Guoyang can attack with the ball against any defender and with any defensive style.

No need for switching defenses, no need for adjustments, no need for tactical assistance to help him find a better one-on-one form. Just spread out, give him the ball, and he can solve the problem.

In this respect, only Jordan and Gan Guoyang can rival each other in the entire league. Both of them can play against any defender without discrimination. Unless you double-team them, they will most likely be easy targets.

This gives the Trail Blazers a lot of tactical leeway in their offense. If you don't pass the ball well? No problem, just get the ball to Agan smoothly.

The backcourt is under pressure, and there's not much time left to attack? No problem, just get the ball to Agam smoothly, and he'll find a way to score.

The perimeter screens and spacing weren't working, and you couldn't run the plays? No problem, just give the ball to Agan. His one-on-one success rate is higher than your open shot success rate.

Of course, all of this is based on the NBA's unique defensive rules. The existence of illegal defense gave Gan Guoyang a lot of space to score one-on-one, allowing him to make full use of his physical strength and one-on-one skills.

Although Stern rejected the proposal to change the rules that season at the meeting, coaches, owners, and media commentators across the league have increasingly expressed their opinions, claiming that "basketball in the NBA is no longer a team sport." The two-horse race between Jordan and Gan Guoyang on the scoring leaderboard has turned the game into a one-man show.

Jerry Buss relentlessly called and wrote to David Stern, demanding that the league change the current rules and, together with the league's owners, hold a meeting at the All-Star Game to discuss the issue.

David Stern verbally agreed that the rules would be modified next season, but with the playoffs approaching this season, there will be no changes.

This means that the battle between Gan Guoyang and Jordan for the one-on-one scoring title will continue until the end of the season.

After returning to Portland from Cleveland, Ramsey spoke privately with Gan Guoyang after the team's practice.

The two haven't had a direct conversation about basketball for a long time. Last season, Adelman acted as a mouthpiece, but this season Bobby Bellman has taken over.

Ramsey cut to the chase, asking, "Sonny, do you want to win the scoring title this season?"

Gan Guoyang was surprised that Ramsey would ask this question, and said, "This is never something I need to consider. I only care about the championship."

"I want you to think about this now. Say it bluntly: do you want to win the scoring title? Do you want to surpass Jordan?"

On the scoring leaderboard, Gan Guoyang leads Jordan by a narrow margin.

However, as the season nears its end, the Trail Blazers will let some games go.

If Gan Guoyang doesn't give it his all, he will definitely be overtaken by Jordan in the scoring title race.

After all, with an average of 38 points per game, even if you only have an average game and score 30 points, that's already a very good performance. But you'll need to score 46 points in the next game to balance it out.

One important reason why Jordan was able to score so many points in a row was that he had no other options; there was simply no one else around him who could score.

Gan Guoyang is different; he has many scoring talents around him, such as Vandeweghe and Drexler, both of whom can average 20 points per game. Because he relinquishes some ball possession, Vandeweghe, despite being in excellent form this year, only averages 18.4 points per game, while Drexler averages even less at 16 points per game, lower than in the 84-85 season.

Given Vandeweghe's form this year, if we let him play freely, averaging over 25 points per game is definitely not a problem. Drexler also has the ability to average 20 points per game.

One-on-one play can easily dampen the enthusiasm of other players. Ramsey is worried that as the competition for the scoring title intensifies, Gan Guoyang's involvement in the competition might harm team cohesion.

"The season is nearing its end. If you don't want to win the scoring title, I'll reduce your playing time and distribute your ball possession to others. Kiki, Clyde, Porter, and Cahill should be able to take over those shot attempts."

"Jack, are you worried that if I take too many shots in my pursuit of the scoring title, it will negatively impact the other players' motivation?"

"Oh no, I... I didn't mean that."

"Don't deny it, Jack. You've been worried about this all season. Of course, you're also worried about my injuries and that I'm too tired. I know you care about me, Jack, and I'm fine. As for whether I can win the scoring title, I don't think you should ask me. The scoring title is an individual honor, but without the support of my teammates, without their sacrifices, without their support on defense and passing, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to get so many shots. I'm an inside player, after all. So, this isn't something I can decide alone; it's something we all decide together."

Ramsey didn't expect Gan Guoyang to say that. Then Gan Guoyang went to the locker room and gathered everyone together.

Walton's legs were soaking in an ice bucket, Vandeweghe was massaging his back, Drexler was reading a book, and Mitchell Thompson was tying his shoelaces.

Everyone was doing their own thing, but when Gan Guoyang called them together, they all gathered. Gan Guoyang asked, "Jack just asked me a question, asking if I wanted to win the scoring title this season. I told Jack that whether I can win the scoring title is not up to me, but up to you guys. Kiki sacrificed his ball possession, Clyde and Porter passed me the ball, Mitchell helped me defend and rebound in the paint, and Kersey and Paxson quietly did their supporting work. My high scoring is inseparable from you guys."

"With the season nearing its end, Jack was worried that my excessive isolation plays would affect my stamina, and he was also concerned that you guys would be unhappy with the limited scoring opportunities, which is why he asked me this question. Now I'm passing the question on to you. If you think I shouldn't be competing for the scoring title and need rest, then I'll reduce my playing time and shot attempts, and we'll go for the championship. I don't care about a scoring title; I've already won one. If you think I should strive for it, then maintain the status quo. I'll work hard to win it and then tell everyone that the scoring title belongs to our entire team."

Ramsey stood beside Gan Guoyang, surprised that Gan Guoyang would so openly and honestly discuss the competition for the scoring title with everyone.

At this moment, Ramsey once again felt the vast difference between Gan Guoyang and Wittel Chamberlain. There was absolutely no trace of selfishness in him; he possessed a boundless confidence and was willing to share everything with everyone.

Champions, victories, glory—you can have them all if you want them. Just follow me, and you'll have everything.

The Trail Blazers players looked at each other in bewilderment. Vandeweghe was the first to speak, saying, "Sonny, are you kidding me? We've been having such a relaxed season, why would we need to change anything?"

Thompson added, "Yeah, the more points you score, the more we win, and we can get some rest. Why change? You should go compete for your scoring title."

Wharton said, "You don't need to rest. If you rest too much, what will I do?"

Drexler said, "You should keep playing, Sonny. If you don't play one-on-one, we'll have to keep running around, which is too tiring."

After saying that, Drexler went back to reading, Walton went back to soaking his feet, Thompson went back to tying his shoelaces, and Vandeweghe lay back down to let Culp continue massaging his back.

Everyone went about their own business and ignored Gan Guoyang and Ramsey.

Gan Guoyang said to Ramsey, "Jack, you see, they're all beasts. They treat me like an ox or a horse. I only get a few coins."

Ramsey patted Gan Guoyang on the shoulder and said, "This is the will of the people. You are very popular with the people. I was overthinking it. You really should play more. You are at the stage where you are improving."

"I'm still growing! If I grow any bigger, I'll be going to the moon!"

"Then you should just go to the moon."

(End of this chapter)