The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 449 Thief
The grand final was an unprecedented and likely unparalleled free-for-all, generating more buzz than the final itself.

With the championship already decided, the Detroit Pistons were down 0-3 and were no match for the Trail Blazers.

There is a gap between the two teams in terms of talent and strength, and the Trail Blazers are very effective against the Pistons in terms of roster and tactics.

Gan Guoyang was consistently dominant, and the Pistons had absolutely no way to stop him.

Gan Guoyang's decision not to play in Game 4 gave the Pistons an opportunity, but the Pistons were also missing Thomas and Terpin, resulting in a significant loss of strength.

Not only that, but Chuck Daly's right cheek was swollen from a punch he received from Jack Ramsey the following day.

Dennis Rodman and Isaiah Thomas both experienced varying degrees of pain and bruising.

At the time, I felt no pain because my adrenaline was surging in the stadium, but I started to feel the pain after a while.

There were bruises and swelling on his back, buttocks, and arms. After all, he had fallen hard on the technical table, which was quite serious.

Lambiel was the only one who bled, and although he appeared to be the most seriously injured, it was actually just a ruptured capillary. He was fine the next day.

Gan Guoyang dealt a heavy blow to the Pistons' arrogance. Everyone on the team knew that this year's Finals were over, and they would have to try again next year.

However, Isaiah Thomas has emerged from his slump, because in the last Silver Top Brawl, Thomas was beaten so badly that he was running all over the field and questioning his existence.

This time he bravely rushed forward, and although he still couldn't escape being beaten up, psychologically, he no longer doubted himself.

He felt brave, no longer backing down when faced with a powerful opponent, so even though his body ached, the smile returned to his face.

The situation is slightly better for the Trail Blazers. Gan Guoyang and Ramsey are suspended. Gan Guoyang is allowed to watch the game from the sidelines, while Ramsey has to stay in the locker room.

Thompson and Vandeweghe have some contusions and sprains, but overall they are not seriously injured and can play in Game 4.

Gan Guoyang encouraged everyone: "We must win the fourth game! Otherwise, I won't have any clean clothes left!"

The Trail Blazers are making final preparations to win the championship.

Regardless of how the outside world discusses the fight, the team remains united and does not engage in the discussion.

Unlike the Pistons' loss of momentum, the Trail Blazers' morale reached its peak.

Coach Jack Ramsey's punch brought unprecedented unity to the entire team.

Of course, during the breaks in the game day, the entire Trail Blazers team stayed in the hotel and didn't go anywhere.

They need to be wary of retaliation from the Detroit team during the Finals.

David Stern and Larry Fleischer have successfully resolved the Suns' drug case and are flying to Detroit overnight.

David Stern held another press conference in Detroit, announcing an investigation into the brawl and stating that there would be further penalties.

Larry Fleischer then met with Gan Guoyang at the hotel to find out more about the situation.

When Fleischer saw Gan Guoyang, he sighed helplessly: "You, you, your only flaw is that you like to solve problems with your hands. I've told you countless times, but it's no use. I think your father has given up on educating you. Now you've been suspended and fined again, haven't you?"

Gan Guoyang said, "I think this is my greatest strength: I don't back down when it's time to fight. Always complaining to the referee will make your opponents look down on you and will also wear down your own fighting spirit."

Fleischer didn't argue with Gan Guoyang. Let the guy do whatever he wants; the championship is probably in the bag anyway.

To be honest, Fleischer never imagined that Gan Guoyang could achieve such great success so quickly, becoming the first champion to successfully defend his title in 17 years.

As a shrewd man who has seen it all and is well-versed in the ways of the world, Fleischer naturally knows the saying that the higher you climb, the harder you fall.

Therefore, he had always hoped that Gan Guoyang could keep a low profile and make a fortune quietly. Who knew that this guy usually didn't cause trouble, but when he did, he would cause something big.

However, Fleischer also discovered that doing big things is not necessarily a bad thing; in this society, fame is money and a protective shield.

As Gan Guoyang's reputation and achievements grow, more and more people will have interests connected with him, and his position will become more and more secure.

Even before the Finals were over, Fleischer had already arranged various commercial and social activities for him during the offseason, and signed cooperation agreements with more sponsors.

In the future, these collaborators will become Gan Guoyang's protectors, and everyone will share weal and woe. It would be a real pity not to turn Gan Guoyang's amazing basketball skills into power.

Gan Guoyang would select from Fleischer's arrangements, agreeing to most of them and rejecting a few that he deemed lacking in value or that he disliked.

In this respect, he was more rational and intelligent than many of the black football stars that Fleischer had worked with. At the same time, he had a lot of energy to participate in these social activities and was able to handle situations that required insincerity with ease, which surprised Fleischer.

Fleischer once asked Gan Guohui if his brother was such a prodigy when he was a child.

Gan Guohui, however, said that Gan Guoyang grew up in China and he didn't know anything about the situation.

When I first arrived in the United States, there was nothing special about me except that I was exceptionally tall. But after I had a high fever once, I woke up after an exorcism and ended up looking like this.

Gan Guohui's words were cryptic, and Fleischer was half-believing, half-doubting. In any case, this kid was definitely not simple.

Fleischer has decided that after the conclusion of the 1988 labor negotiations, he will completely leave the union and become a full-time broker.

He plans to build a sports agency empire centered around Gan Guoyang, bringing basketball talent from around the world to the United States and making the NBA championship a true world championship.

"When can you bring Sabonis to the Trail Blazers?" Gan Guoyang asked abruptly after listening to Fleischer's boasting.

Fleischer was silent for a moment, then said, "Uh... that's not something I can decide. At least we'll have to wait until the Berlin Wall falls."

"Oh, that's two more years."

"what?"

“I said… I don’t want to go to this event; I need to go back to China right now.”

"Are you planning a trip to China?"

"No, I just want to go back to China to see my dad. I miss my hometown a little."
-
On June 9th, the fourth game of the finals continued at the Silver Dome Center, with more than 6 enthusiastic spectators attending the event.

Regardless of the outcome, this is the Pistons' first NBA Finals in franchise history, and fans who missed the last game are very regretful for missing out on such a big event.

Due to suspensions, both teams could only start with depleted squads, with neither head coach present and assistant coaches Van Szech and Adelman replacing them.

The Trail Blazers have moved Walton into the starting lineup, shifting their offensive focus from the paint to the perimeter. Tonight, Adelman's requirement is to play a fast-paced offense.

From Drexler to Terry Porter Jr., and then to Vandeweghe, everyone is eager to get started. When Gan Guoyang is absent, the rest of the Trail Blazers will be able to improve their strength.

After all, no one wants to hear Gan Guoyang say, "You guys need me so much." With four wins, the Larry O'Brien Trophy is already on the sidelines, waiting for the birth of the champion.

For the Pistons, Vinnie Johnson will start in his place. Without Isaiah Thomas, the Pistons' already monotonous offense will become even more lackluster.

They are already fighting for honor, trying to win a game and delay the team's demise.

After all, if the game goes to a fifth match and Forrest Gump returns, they still won't have a chance of winning.

It's just another round of torment from Forrest Gump.

The Pistons started the game well.

They reverted to their defensive formation, using a solid, shell-like defense to limit the Trail Blazers' shooting percentage.

Dantley scored repeatedly on offense, giving the Pistons the advantage.

Adelman quickly called the first timeout, and after the timeout, Walton provided support from the high post.

With a gap in the Pistons' defense, Walton dribbled down the middle and drove hard to the basket, dunking with one hand!
This play greatly boosted the Trail Blazers' morale, and they gradually regained their offensive rhythm. The biggest problem with the "turtle shell" defense is that it's not good enough at defending accurate shots.

Vandeweghe and Porter were the first to fire, constantly making shots by using their movement and fast breaks.

The game's pace was very fast, and the Pistons' tight defensive formation gradually loosened.

Even without Gan Guoyang, the Trail Blazers' remaining roster is still quite strong – Drexler, Vandeweghe, and Walton are all players who can carry the team's tactics.

Without Thomas, the Pistons' offense became severely crippled, lacking a core player and engine.

The Pistons' offensive efficiency was already inferior to the Trail Blazers', and as time went on, the Trail Blazers gradually caught up in the score.

Versace's timeout had no effect; the Pistons were indignant, wondering why the Trail Blazers were only banning Gan Guoyang.

The Pistons were clearly on the defensive, yet they suspended two players, and Rodman also suffered a minor injury, leaving the team with very limited rotation options.

At halftime, the Trail Blazers led the Pistons 56-52, a 4-point advantage, leaving the Pistons with few opportunities left.

Gan Guoyang kept encouraging his teammates on the sidelines and offered advice during timeouts. The second wonderful moment of his life was just around the corner.

In the third quarter, Vandeweghe hit consecutive three-pointers, and the Trail Blazers widened the score gap to 10 points.

At this point, the fans at the Silver Top Center knew that the Pistons had little chance left.

Their offensive efficiency makes it very difficult to catch up when they are down by 10 points.

Even though the Pistons subsequently shut down the Trail Blazers' offense with strong defense.

But their own offense was a complete mess; they couldn't make a single shot.

Time passed slowly, but the 10-point difference remained unchanged.

Bill Laimbeer attempted to help his team with a corner three-pointer.

The ball hit the backboard directly and bounced out of bounds...

"Your three-point shooting is worse than Jordan's!" Gan Guoyang shouted from the sidelines, mocking Laimbeer to his heart's content.

Drexler broke the scoring drought with a layup, and the Trail Blazers further widened the gap.

The Pistons seem to have given up, playing with less and less fighting spirit and becoming increasingly disorganized.

Unfortunately, not being able to score points is very demoralizing.

Even without Gan Guoyang, the Trail Blazers still have Walton and Jones in their frontcourt.

The Pistons, unfortunately, lack an offensive focal point in the paint.

This prevented the Pistons from fully exploiting the vulnerability of Gan Guoyang's absence.

The point difference gradually widened to 15 points, and the Trail Blazers played with increasing ease.

Drexler started taking possession of the ball and attacking himself, but missed several shots in a row.

On the contrary, Vandeweghe had a very steady hand, relying on mid-range shots and free throws to maintain the team's advantage.

When Drexler was resting on the bench, Gan Guoyang asked, "Clyde, are you trying to win the Finals MVP? You're scoring so hard."

Drexler quickly explained, "Of course not! The FMVP is yours, I just wanted to help the team win as soon as possible."

"Then why the hell do you go in?!"

"My touch wasn't good tonight."

In the three games of the series, Gan Guoyang averaged 37 points, Drexler averaged 21 points, and Vandeweghe averaged 19 points.

Drexler has only scored 15 points so far tonight, and his average points per game are not only not increasing, but are actually going to decrease a bit.

Time ticked away, and in the fourth quarter the Pistons launched one last attack, but Thompson, Walton, and Vandeweghe combined their defense and scoring to hold them off.

The game gradually lost its suspense, and the disappointed Detroit fans at the Silver Dome began to leave, as the final game of the 1986-1987 season was about to end.

When the score was 109-97, the Trail Blazers players rushed onto the court, and Jack Ramsey, who had been in the locker room, was asked to return to the court by the staff.

The Trail Blazers players and staff celebrated wildly as they successfully defended their title, becoming the first team since the Celtics in 1969 to do so!

Compared to last year's championship win, the players were a bit calmer and less ecstatic. They hugged each other, patted each other on the back, and thanked each other for supporting each other and fighting together throughout the season.

Staff set up a stage on site, and David Stern came out to present the Trail Blazers with the 1986-1987 season championship trophy.

David Stern then announced the 1987 Finals MVP, which, without a doubt, went to Gan Guoyang.

Although he missed the fourth game, with him on the court, the Trail Blazers had a 3-0 lead without any doubt, and his contribution was indispensable.

"Sonny, say a few words." After David Stern finished his announcement, he handed the microphone to Gan Guoyang, reminding him, "Watch your words."

A small number of Pistons fans remained at the Silver Top Center, booing when Gan Guoyang raised the Finals MVP trophy.

Gan Guoyang generously expressed his gratitude to the Detroit fans, saying, "I love the Silver Dome Center. It's huge, a perfect stage. I love it here, I love the feeling of playing here."

After the championship award ceremony, the whole team returned to the locker room to celebrate with champagne.

Unexpectedly, Culp rushed over and said to everyone, "Lambiel is in our locker room, stealing our champagne! He's opened every single bottle, and it's almost all wasted!"

Upon hearing this, Gan Guoyang tossed the MVP trophy to Karp and immediately rushed towards the away game's locker room.

As soon as the game ended, Laimbeer was incredibly impolite. Instead of shaking hands and hugging the Trail Blazers players as usual, he went straight into the player tunnel.

Instead of returning to the home team's locker room, he, along with Teppin and Rodman, kicked open the door to the away team's locker room and ruined the champagne prepared for the celebration.

Lambiel was enjoying his drink when Tepin, who was keeping watch at the door, suddenly saw Gan Guoyang rushing towards him menacingly and hurriedly shouted, "Gan is back!"

The three quickly put down their bottles and ran out of the locker room. Lambiel brought up the rear, taking two more bottles with him. There weren't many intact champagne bottles left in the locker room.

"Don't run!" Gan Guoyang shouted as he gave chase.

How could Lambiel not run? He fled in a chaotic frenzy.

Unfortunately, he couldn't outrun Gan Guoyang to begin with, and he was also carrying two bottles of wine.

As he ran all the way to the parking lot and saw that he was about to be caught, Lambiel threw two bottles of wine at Gan Guoyang.

"Two good bottles left! Fuck the champion, Happy Sonny!"

Gan Guoyang caught the two bottles of champagne and then watched as Lambiel slipped away.

He stopped chasing and, with two bottles of champagne in his hand, returned to the locker room.

His teammates were still waiting for him.

The 1987 season has ended.

(End of Volume 5, "Bad".)
(End of this chapter)