The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 571 Curse of Misfortune
January is a brief low point for the NBA, but this period belongs to the NFL.

The NFL playoffs reached their climax at the end of January, with the Super Bowl taking place at Louisiana Stadium in New Orleans on January 28.

The San Francisco 49ers easily defeated the Denver Broncos 55-10, winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the second consecutive year. The 49ers also won their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming the most successful football team of the 1980s and unsurprisingly appearing on the cover of the February issue of Sports Illustrated.

On February 9th, another big news broke in North American professional sports: MLB went into lockout due to a labor dispute.

This is the seventh strike in MLB since 1972, which shows that baseball players are still very competitive.

The reasons for the conflict between labor and management are similar to those in the NBA, and are also related to free agent transfers and signings.

Given the NBA's precedent, the baseball players' union also hopes to gain free agency and be no longer restricted from changing teams.

With negotiations failing to reach an agreement, the players' union decided to strike until a deal could be reached.

The MLB strike objectively brought the spotlight of professional sports to the NBA, and on February 11, the NBA All-Star Game kicked off in Miami.

This year marks the first NBA All-Star Game of the 90s, featuring some new faces while some former All-Star regulars have faded from the public eye over time.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired, and Moses Malone's performance declined significantly, leading to his withdrawal from the All-Star team.

The starting center for the Eastern Conference All-Stars has become Patrick Ewing, who is in excellent form, while Gan Guoyang remains firmly in the starting center position for the Western Conference All-Stars.

Among the reserves, the Lakers' A.C. Green, the Trail Blazers' Terry Porter Jr., the Pacers' Reggie Miller, the Bulls' Scottie Pippen, and the Pistons' Dennis Rodman all made their first appearance in the public eye.

Karl Malone is unable to participate in this All-Star Game due to injury (not caused by Forrest Gump), and his starting position has been taken by AC Green.

Green, a seemingly unremarkable but unique player in the NBA, has encountered what may be the only All-Star Game starter of his career.

David Robinson was initially considered a strong contender for the All-Star game, but only two centers can be selected from the Western Conference.

Forrest Gump and Hakeem Olajuwon have already taken up two spots, which means Robinson couldn't become an All-Star, which is a great pity.

The competition for the center position is fierce.

Thanks to David Stern's major reforms and the league's meticulous preparation and operation, the All-Star Weekend has become increasingly influential.

This year's Miami All-Star Game featured many classic NBA moments.

In the most exciting dunk contest, Scottie Pippen showcased his incredible jumping ability with a free-throw line dunk.

This dunk was very difficult, but the body wasn't extended enough in the air, appearing somewhat stiff and lacking in aesthetic appeal.

Just like his personality, he can never let go.

Shawn Kemp, on the other hand, displayed his flamboyant personality fully in his dunking moves.

However, despite his flamboyant style, Kemp lacked creativity and fell in the semi-finals.

In the end, legendary dunker Dominique Wilkins defeated Kenny Smith to win the Slam Dunk Contest title once again.

However, with Michael Jordan no longer as the opponent and Forrest Gump no longer willing to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, the prestige of this event is not as high as it was in the 80s.

Gradually, as Dominique Wilkins also became unwilling to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, the event gradually became detached from superstars and became a stage for younger players to compete for exposure.

Compared to the dunk contest, the three-point contest was more fun—because of Drexler.

This year's All-Star Game is being held in Miami, Drexler's home arena, so he should theoretically participate in a dunk contest to boost his reputation.

However, Drexler's repeated failures in the dunk contests led him to become disheartened and no longer want to participate.

Jordan and Forrest Gump went to great lengths to encourage Drexler to participate in the Three-Point Contest. Jordan, in particular, who usually had a casual relationship with Drexler, even texted Clyde to say that he really wanted to see him in the Three-Point Contest.

Drexler wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what those two trashy brothers were up to. They wanted to see him humiliated on home soil!
So Drexler resolutely refused, no matter how Forrest Gump tried to tempt him, he wouldn't listen, because if he went and broke Jordan's record of 5 points, he would be doomed.

But later, David Stern personally intervened, hoping that Drexler could participate in the dunk contest or the three-point contest.

As Miami's only star player, if you don't go up there and put on some special performances, the league will feel that the All-Star Game lacks excitement.

David Stern's level of intervention in various matters was unprecedented. When he first became president, he even inquired about the placement of napkins on the table, let alone important events such as the slam dunk contest and the three-point contest.

With his keen sense of smell, he had already noticed that the star players were losing interest in both competitions.

Even superstars like Jordan and Forrest Gump refused to participate in these two events no matter how much they were persuaded.

As the owner of Miami, Drexler naturally has to shoulder a heavy responsibility; choose between a dunk and a three-pointer.

With no other option, Drexler, who no longer wanted to participate in the dunk contest, opted for the three-point contest instead.

Then, unsurprisingly, they fell in the first round, scoring 6 points, one point more than Jordan.

Jordan wasn't happy with the result, and Gan Guoyang almost died laughing on the sidelines.

At the end of the game, Gan Guoyang praised Drexler: "Clyde, you finally have something that Jordan is better at."

Drexler didn't seem to care much; it was just for fun anyway. He told Gan Guoyang that he would participate again next season.

Gan Guoyang then comforted Jordan, saying, "You still hold the record for the Three-Point Contest. In 50 years, people will definitely forget the Three-Point Contest champion, but someone will definitely remember your 5 points."

The champion of this three-point contest was Jordan's teammate, point guard Hodges from the Bulls.

Hodges is a regular participant in the Three-Point Contest, having entered the contest since its inception in the 1985-1986 season, and consistently achieving good results.

This was his fifth time participating, and he finally won first place.

Former champion Larry Bird had a mediocre performance this time, scoring only 13 points and being eliminated early.

The final showdown took place between Hodges and Reggie Miller, with the persistent Hodges ultimately defeating Miller 19-18 to claim the Three-Point King title.

Although Drexler made a fool of himself in the Three-Point Contest, he was still treated with respect in the All-Star Game.

东部队最终121:119，2分的优势击败了西部队，德雷克斯勒以23分7个助攻的表现拿下了全明星赛MVP。

The moment Drexler lifted the AMVP trophy, he experienced the glory of being the center of attention and the leader of the team.

Since the crushing defeat to the Trail Blazers, Drexler has gotten back on track, training early every day and putting in a lot of effort on defense. Although the Miami Heat's record hasn't improved much, Drexler's individual performance has become increasingly outstanding and well-rounded.

Even though he couldn't compare to Michael Jordan, he began to accept Pat Riley's training methods and coaching style, listened to Pat Riley's teachings, worked hard to improve himself, and waited for the opportunity to overtake him.

Drexler began to climb his own mountain.

For every person who climbs the mountain, someone else will descend it.

Larry Bird appeared somewhat fatigued during this All-Star Game.

In the three-point contest, he no longer had the domineering air of "you're all here to compete for second place."

During the regular season, the 33-year-old Bird still delivered a superstar performance. Despite being plagued by a back injury, he still averaged 39 minutes per game, scoring 24 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.4 steals.

After the All-Star Game, Gan Guoyang traveled with the Trail Blazers to Boston for an away game against the Boston Celtics.

Boston Garden remains as dilapidated and stuffy as ever, the terrible conditions in the away locker room are unchanged, and the noise and rudeness of the fans are almost the same as in the 80s.

Gan Guoyang initially disliked playing here, but gradually came to like it.

Because this place satisfies his nostalgia. Compared to those arenas that are becoming more modern, Boston Garden reminds Gan Guoyang of how he felt when he first entered the NBA, and how he felt when he won his first championship in 1986.

Nothing is more memorable and unforgettable than winning the championship for the first time.

The smell of champagne in the away game's locker room can still be smelled four years later.

The attendance at Boston Garden remains good, especially when the opponent is the Trail Blazers.

Compared to 1986, the Boston Celtics' core roster remains largely unchanged.

The frontcourt trio of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale remained strong despite their age.

Backcourt player Dennis Johnson stayed in Boston, and Auerbach gave up a draft pick in the 1988 expansion draft to keep Johnson.

Of the once stable starting five, the only one to leave was Danny Ainge. This guy is a smart man. Seeing that the team was about to collapse, he jumped ship early and requested a trade, running to the Phoenix Suns to get a bigger contract and strive for greater achievements.

After Danny Ainge left, the Celtics' fresh addition was Reggie Lewis.

This 22nd pick in the 1987 draft is gradually shining, becoming the Celtics' future hope and driving force.

As Gan Guoyang stood on the court to start the game, he joked with Larry Bird, "You starters must be two hundred years old combined, right? Did you buy insurance? I'm afraid I can't afford to pay for it if something happens."

Bird didn't waste any time with Forrest Gump and simply gave him a fuck squid.

Forrest Gump was someone Bird found difficult to handle. Later, in many of his books, Bird admitted that through Forrest Gump, he gained profound self-reflection and realized how much of a failure he had been as a person, and how unlikeable he had been.

The players from both teams were already used to the tense atmosphere before the match.

Gan Guoyang had long been accustomed to the constant boos from the Boston Garden fans for years.

Just because you're the Celtics' opponent, Celtics fans will oppose you and even insult you—that's the basketball logic of this city.

Words like respect and mutual appreciation rarely appear here, and Gan Guoyang also feels they are unnecessary, believing that they are the way cowards find an escape route for their failures, so that even if they lose, they can still claim "honorable defeat".

Gan Guoyang didn't care about that thing. In his view, the appreciative look of a victor was no different from a passerby giving alms to a beggar.

He enjoys seeing the pain and wailing of the once arrogant fans after defeating their opponents; it is the driving force and nourishment that sustains his continuous progress.

Although the Celtics' roster is aging across the board, with Parish already 36 years old, the Celtics' strength this year should not be underestimated.

After the 1988 season, KC Jones left his coaching position, and assistant coach Jimmy Rodgers took over.

After taking office, Rogers adopted a "following the old rules" strategy. As KC Jones' assistant coach, with no major changes to the team's core lineup, he would definitely follow Jones's general approach, making only minor adjustments without any significant changes.

The Celtics' core lineup has won a championship and has been playing together for many years, resulting in a very high level of chemistry.

Last season, the Celtics only managed 42 wins due to Bird's injury and absence.

With Bird's return from injury this season, he has been in much better form, and the Celtics have returned to their former fluid and smooth offensive style.

Amidst a league-wide trend of slowing down, playing positional basketball, and emphasizing heroics, the Celtics continue to adhere to their basketball philosophy.

Relying on fast breaks and smooth, well-coordinated teamwork, they have the highest average number of assists in the entire league at 29.5, which is enough to demonstrate the level of their teamwork.

It can be said that the trends in NBA basketball will continue to change with the times, and the Celtics, as a team, will certainly change with the times as well. However, their core basketball philosophy has remained unchanged since Auerbach took over the team. It is always team-first, and so far they have not had a scoring champion, and they will not have one for a long time to come.

However, in this game, Gan Guoyang once again showed the fans at Boston Garden what it means for the tide of history to not be swayed by the will of a small group of people.

No matter how fluid the Celtics' offense was, how well they coordinated their passing, or how sharp their fast breaks were, the Trail Blazers silently wore down the Celtics with their half-court offense.

In the first and second quarters, the Celtics were able to keep up with the pace and even create some mini-runs, gaining a brief advantage in the game.

But in the third quarter, the Trail Blazers' offense became more and more fluid, and Gan Guoyang was on fire, his shooting touch suddenly catching up, hitting 5 consecutive mid-range shots.

After opening up his mid-range game, Gan Guoyang continued to attack the basket, scoring with hook shots from both sides, making Parish look old and worn out in front of him.

Gan Guoyang scored 27 points in a single quarter, making 11 of 12 field goals and 5 of 5 free throws, showcasing his explosive scoring ability to the fullest.

Faced with such offensive efficiency, the Celtics were unable to resist. Even with Bird scoring 31 points and McHale adding 22, they couldn't stop the point difference from widening.

Gan Guoyang scored 65 points, achieving his first 60+ point game of the season, giving the Celtics an extra kick on their way down the hill.

After a lackluster performance in November, December, and January, Gan Guoyang finally revealed his sharp and ferocious side after the All-Star Game. His 65-point performance also signaled that the Trail Blazers had officially entered the second half of the season and were actively preparing for the playoffs.

"The reason the Celtics have never had a scoring title is because they weren't lucky enough to draft me or Michael; otherwise, that record would have been broken long ago."

"So this is a curse of misfortune."

—Excerpt from "Forrest Gump," a biography of Gan Guoyang written by Wu Zhixiong and published in 2025.

(End of this chapter)