The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 549 The Great Vanguard

Some people are born with a fear of heights, or their bodies and nerves cannot withstand too much overload.

Gan Guoyang has no physical problems, but he has some psychological issues. He always feels that the rapid, weightless, and flipping sensation in the darkness is taking him to another time and space, from which he can never return.

He had never had this experience before, but sitting on the roller coaster, he felt as if he had, and he didn't want to experience it again.

As he left Disney, Gan Guoyang vowed to beat up the Orlando Magic the next day to vent his anger.

On December 4th, the Trail Blazers will play against the Orlando Magic at the Orlando Arena.

This was the first time the two teams had ever met. Tickets for the home game sold out, and the Orlando Arena (the future Amway Arena) was packed to capacity, with all 15077 seats sold out.

The Magic's plan to relocate to Orlando was first proposed in 1985, when Orlando businessman Jim Hewitt believed that Florida should have a professional basketball team.

Among the many states in the United States, Florida, the southernmost state, was developed relatively late. It was once a swampy land inhabited by alligators.

With continuous economic development and urban expansion, Florida has become a popular destination for tourism, retirement, and immigration.

In 1966, Miami welcomed the Miami Dolphins, an American football team. The Dolphins made it to the Super Bowl from 1971 to 1973 and won the championship undefeated in 1972, a feat unique to the Scorpions in NFL history.

The Dolphins have generated tremendous economic value for Miami and become an important symbol of the city.

The 70s were the darkest period for the NBA. The acquisition of the ABA had exhausted the NBA's resources, leaving it unable to expand further.

It wasn't until Stern took office that the various problems of the NBA eased, and the league began to consider expanding its territory.

Hewitt’s suggestion received multiple responses from local authorities and the NBA. However, at first, people thought the new team would definitely be in Miami or Tampa, because Orlando was a small city. In the 80s, it didn’t even have a large airport, let alone an arena that met NBA standards.

However, Hewitt is from Orlando, and he naturally wanted the team to be based there. So, with the support of the Orlando municipal government, he joined forces with local real estate developers, fruit vendors, and other investors to build a new arena and expand the infrastructure.

Through the efforts of many parties, the NBA's expansion plan was changed from three teams to four, and eventually Miami and Orlando both had NBA teams.

Florida has now joined the NBA basketball landscape.

Naturally, Florida fans and spectators will also be joining the NBA games.

Fans in each region have their own unique style.

Having played in the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, Gan Guoyang could deeply feel the difference between Los Angeles Lakers fans and Detroit Pistons fans.

Many Lakers fans are impeccably dressed, wearing suits, shirts, and polo shirts, and some particularly meticulous ones even wear ties.

During the 87 finals, the fans at the Silver Dome Center were all dressed as blue-collar workers, wearing T-shirts and shorts in brightly colored, casual outfits.

The situation was different when they faced the Washington Bullets in the 88 Finals. The Bullets were based in the capital, so many dignitaries would be there to watch the game.

Therefore, the stands at the Capital Indoor Stadium were packed with people, and the audience members were dressed in a rather formal and conservative manner.

The scene was different in Orlando. The fans there dressed casually, with many wearing striped shirts, floral shirts, and brightly colored T-shirts, giving off a strong Florida beach vibe.

The cheerleaders here are also very hot, with sweet and bright smiles, and they are very active on the field.

This enthusiastic and lively atmosphere made the competition more relaxed.

Magic fans and players alike know that they are unlikely to beat the Trail Blazers.

Since the Magic are a new team and don't have any performance requirements, they might as well go all out instead of being afraid to win.

The Magic had a pretty good record in November, with 7 wins and 8 losses, a winning percentage close to 11%.

Although they lost their opening game, they won their second game against the Knicks.

They have won 5 out of their last 1 games, including a big away win against the Utah Jazz and a home victory against their fellow state Miami Heat, both of which are morale-boosting wins.

The Magic's head coach is Matt Gukas, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1966-1967 season, where he was teammates with Wilt Chamberlain, Cunningham, and others, and won the championship in 1967.

The Magic and Heat have deep connections with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers.

When both teams were formed, many of their key players were former members of the 76ers and Trail Blazers. This is because the Magic's owner initially sought help from the Philadelphia 76ers' owner to secure the franchise rights, and Billy Cunningham became a minority owner of the Heat, joining the team alongside players like Inman and Spoelstra.

Comparatively speaking, the Heat have a more complete and stronger roster, while the Magic are somewhat weak. Gukas doesn't have Riley's ability to poach players.

The Magic's biggest star is Reggie Therth, who began his career as the star player on a weak team after Jordan went to the Chicago Bulls.

He played for the Kings for a few years, was traded to the Hawks last season, stayed for a year, and was then drafted by the Magic in the expansion draft.

The team's number two player was Terry Carterridge, who was sent to the Bullets in 1986 in a trade involving Moses Malone between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Washington Bullets.

He helped the Bullets reach the NBA Finals in 1988 and was Charles Barkley's backup center, averaging 9 points and 6 rebounds per game.

When he arrived at the Orlando Magic, it was another case of "when the cat's away, the mice will play," and he quickly became the team's leading scorer.

Besides these two outstanding players, the Magic's starting lineup also includes Jerry Reynolds (who shares the same name as the Kings' coach), point guard Sam Vincent, and center Mark Akres.

Overall, it's a roster with some experience and strength, but not many; it's better than the Timberwolves, but only slightly better.

Moreover, as a new team without the pressure of achieving results, having too many seasoned veterans is not necessarily a good thing. In the end, without the fighting spirit of the young players, the team's performance will only get worse and worse.

Gan Guoyang faces no pressure playing against teams like this, just like he would against the Timberwolves.

Because the Magic couldn't find a strong, physical center; Mark Akerles was a typical soft, white center.

In an era where interior strength is becoming increasingly important, it's incredibly difficult for new teams to acquire a reliable starting black center.

Not to mention the Trail Blazers also have Sabonis, Divac, and Mitchell Thompson, who, although some are older and some are younger, are all exceptionally talented centers.

So everyone at Magic, from players to fans, had a great mindset. They weren't focused on winning; they just wanted to put on a good show and deliver a fantastic night.

Gan Guoyang, who was injured by a roller coaster at Disneyland, didn't hold back. Before the match, he declared, "I'm going to play well tonight!"

Everyone thought this guy was going to rack up points again, and get another 50 or even 60 points. If he had a good touch, he still had a chance.

Little did anyone know that Gan Guoyang would start playing as a point guard, drawing the Magic's defense and constantly setting up the ball for Sabonis in the paint and Porter and Hornacek on the perimeter.

The Magic's loose defense gave Gan Guoyang room to operate.

He used to only get one or two assists, but this season he's averaging six assists per game.

His playmaking ability is getting stronger and stronger. Before, Bellman wanted Sabonis to be the point guard, but now it seems that Agam is more useful and he is still the best choice.

Gan Guoyang simply stopped going inside; he spent most of his time standing near the three-point line, acting as a tower to pass the ball to his teammates or taking long-range shots.

His three-point shooting percentage was also quite good tonight, going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, which made the Magic's already weak defense even more overwhelmed.

Sabonis is indeed very useful in the paint. He can post up and attack high. Gan Guoyang only needs to throw the ball inside, and Sabonis can catch it, turn around, and attack the basket.

Gan Guoyang transformed into a "playmaking power forward," contributing 17 assists throughout the game, setting a new career high for assists.

In NBA history, the record for most assists by a center in a regular season is 21, held by Wilt Chamberlain.

In the 1968 season, when he transitioned to playing center, he set this record by focusing on passing.

Gan Guoyang is four passes away from this record, and his passing skills are becoming increasingly proficient.

Although some of the passes and assists seemed a bit deliberate towards the end, given time, Chamberlain's record is not a dream.

Of course, honing passing skills is more difficult and slower than other skills. Technique is one aspect, but more importantly, it requires the right mindset.

Gan Guoyang's ability to average 6 assists per game in November is due to two factors: firstly, the smooth operation of the system, and secondly, his long-term success in watching video recordings and practicing tactics.

Once Gan Guoyang has thoroughly honed his passing skills to the point of effortless mastery, he will have achieved his goal of "a heavy sword without an edge, great skill without artifice."

Divac watched Gan Guoyang deliver one beautiful pass after another, nudged Petrovic, and said, "See, passing is still the most important thing. Although efficiency is the core, passing is the key to achieving efficiency. Individual strength is limited!"

(End of this chapter)