The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 466 Show Me What's What
How to find enjoyment and make the games more interesting during a long and tedious season will be a problem that will trouble Gan Guoyang for a long time to come.

For him personally, this wasn't a problem; playing basketball was just a lot of fun.

Even if he plays more than 100 games a year, even if he plays one game a day, even if each game lasts 90 minutes, he will never get tired of it.

But basketball is a team sport; you can't win a game by relying on one person, no matter how strong they are.

Gan Guoyang can remain diligent, but his teammates will slack off, and it's inevitable.

He sometimes thinks that it would be great if he were a boxer, so he wouldn't have to consider his teammates' situations like in a basketball game.

He only needs to think about himself and his opponent in the ring.

In 1987, a superstar with immense popularity emerged in the American boxing world: Mike Tyson.

With his fierce boxing style and domineering punches, he created a Tyson phenomenon in the American boxing world.

Not only were the Trail Blazers players bored with the game, but the reporters covering the Trail Blazers games also needed some fresh material.

Gan Guoyang's stats of 29 points, 8 blocks, and 16 rebounds in Cleveland have already lost their impact.

This kind of performance is too ordinary for Forrest Gump in the regular season; 29 points is too few, and 8 blocks are barely enough.

At the post-match press conference, a reporter asked Gan Guoyang, "If you and Tyson had a boxing match, who would win?"

Such questions have been raised ever since Tyson's infamous 87 fire.

In the NBA, Gan Guoyang is already invincible in the league.

Gan Guoyang's furious slamming of Rodman and Thomas in the Finals cemented his reputation as the league's top fighter, a title no one dared to question.

But the NBA is, after all, a basketball league. If you're the best fighter in a basketball league, it's a bit like being the best singer in the world of crosstalk (although Gan Guoyang is also the best basketball player).

So some busybodies started to wonder what would happen if Gan Guoyang and Mike Tyson were to fight?

Gan Guoyang was too lazy to answer such a boring question. He knew that in the future he would not only have to fight Tyson, but also Ali, Foreman, and Holyfield.

Then he fought tigers, lions, and silverback gorillas.

One day we might even have to fight a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Sports stars often cannot escape the curiosity of ordinary people.

In the media age, people only talk about it; they won't actually let you try it.

Jesse Owens, the American sprint star of the 30s, became old and impoverished. Because he had no money, he had to race horses to satisfy the public's curiosity and see if the fastest man could run as fast as a horse.

Later, Wilt Chamberlain was also compared to the boxing champion, with people wondering if he could beat Muhammad Ali.

Now it was Gan Guoyang's turn to be asked this question. Having been asked it so many times, Gan Guoyang was annoyed and simply gave a direct response.

He first asked the reporter, "Then let me ask you, do you think Tyson would have a chance to beat me if we played basketball?"

The press conference room erupted in laughter; everyone knew it was impossible.

Tyson has a big head and a thick neck; he's clearly boxing material, not basketball.

Gan Guoyang continued, "Obviously, although I know a little about boxing and am very strong, I still don't have much of a chance against a professional boxer. Of course, if we're not limited to boxing, we can wrestle or use elbows. If I train for a while longer, I might have some advantage."

Laughter erupted again in the press conference room.

Gan Guoyang is very honest. If he fights according to the rules of boxing, he is definitely no match for Tyson.

If wrestling is an acceptable criterion, then Gan Guoyang can be considered an amateur wrestling enthusiast.

With the advantages of wrestling over boxing, and relying on his size and strength, he might actually be able to have a go at Tyson.

Just like the fight between Muhammad Ali and Japanese wrestler Inoki back then, Ali didn't gain the upper hand and even broke his leg.

As the regular season progresses, these kinds of topics will become more and more frequent.

People started paying attention to Forrest Gump because of basketball, but soon they will pay more attention to things outside of basketball.

Of course, there's a prerequisite: Gan Guoyang's performance on the basketball court cannot deteriorate.

Once he starts to decline and plays poorly, people's attention will return to basketball, only this time to criticize and ridicule him.

If he continues to decline and keeps losing, the media and fans will gradually forget about him.

At least in 1987, there was no indication that Forrest Gump would be forgotten.

After leaving Cleveland, the Trail Blazers immediately traveled to Indianapolis for a back-to-back game against the Pacers.

Back-to-back away games are the most grueling schedule for long-distance travel. You finish one game, arrive in the next city in the early hours of the morning, sleep and rest during the day, and then have another game that night.

This is a huge test for the players, both physically and mentally.

Ramsey canceled daytime practice and then announced at the pre-game meeting that Gilmore would rest and not play today, with Jones stepping up as the first backup center.

"Can I take a break too?" Gan Guoyang asked, knowing the answer already.

"You can rest after you die," Ramsey said bluntly.

Bobby Bellman, standing nearby, said, "I'm afraid even if Jack tells you to rest, you won't. Tonight, against the Pacers, we have Reggie Miller."

"What?"

Miller.

"Which Miller?"

"Reggie! Reggie Miller! Have you forgotten our high school finals opponents?"

Gan Guoyang suddenly realized and said, "I remember, I remember, it's that skinny guy I blocked and beat with a game-winning shot. I heard his sister is better at basketball than him."

"His sister is Cheryl Miller, the best female golfer in the United States."

"I didn't expect to run into an old acquaintance again. Looks like I should give him a little gift, because I'll be running into more and more old acquaintances in the future."

Gan Guoyang entered the league relatively early, having completed two years of university before participating in the draft.

Players like Kevin Johnson and Reggie Miller all completed college before running for office.

On the evening of the 27th, the Trail Blazers played the Pacers on the road.

The Pacers and Cavaliers are like brothers in misfortune, having been in a slump since the 80s.

Furthermore, the Pacers' decline is also related to the Trail Blazers, as Gan Guoyang, the second overall pick, was acquired from the Pacers.

Now that the Cavaliers are gradually getting back on track, the Pacers are also on the right path.

Donnie Walsh was promoted from assistant coach to general manager in 1986 and began rebuilding the team.

He invited Mike Schuler as the new head coach, a meticulous and hardworking basketball enthusiast who quickly established the team's basic structure.

In the 1987 NBA draft, he skipped Indiana star Alford and selected Reggie Miller, a highly controversial choice that later proved to be correct.

The current Pacers are primarily composed of young players.

The core players are Wyman Tisdale, Wayne Fleming, Chuck Paison, Herb Williams, Steve Stepanovic, and Reggie Miller.

Most people believe that Paesson and Tisdale will be the core of the team's future, while Reggie Miller will just be a minor supporting player.

But obviously, appearances can be deceiving. A player's ability is one aspect of whether he can become a core player, but his personality plays an even more important role.

There are many talented people in the NBA; those who can enter the NBA are all geniuses, the protagonists of their own stories.

To stand out from a group of main characters and become the main character among main characters, a competitive spirit is very important.

Chuck Paison is very talented; he beat Ron Harper to win Rookie of the Year last season.

However, he lacked some fighting spirit on the field. Nicknamed the "long gunner," he turned into a "trombonist" when facing Gan Guoyang.

Not daring to confront Gan Guoyang head-on, he could only flatter him to avoid being humiliated.

Such players are destined to play supporting roles.

And then there's Tisdale, who, like Doherty, didn't like playing basketball as a child.

His real interest is music; playing ball is just a job.

He will become an excellent guitarist and bassist, a great musician, rather than be remembered as a basketball player.

Only Reggie Miller, that guy is a competitive basketball player.

The night before the game against the Trail Blazers, Miller was so excited he couldn't sleep, fantasizing about the joy of hitting a three-pointer over Gan Guoyang.

Ideally, it would be a game-winning shot.

Reggie Miller thought to himself, vowing to teach Gan Guoyang a lesson in tomorrow's game.

(End of this chapter)