The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 586 The Harvest Season

The Portlanders left the Suns with no room for illusions.

On May 13, in the fourth game between the two teams, the Trail Blazers delivered another straight punch.

甘国阳31分24个篮板球抢爆了太阳孱弱的内线，率队115:107，8分优势轻松战胜太阳，大比分4:0横扫对手。

Last season, the two sides battled to a Game 7. This year, Gan Guoyang proved with his strength that we are not actually on the same level.

The reason we were able to go to a tiebreaker was simply because I was in a bad mood last year, and you guys were lucky.

At the end of the game, Gan Guoyang hugged Kevin Johnson and Kurt Rambis, acknowledging Johnson's ability.

One major reason why the Suns lost this series so decisively was that Kevin Johnson was completely shut down.

Gan Guoyang, Terry Porter, and Mike Sanders – the Trail Blazers used their three best inside and outside defenders to take turns double-teaming and shutting down Johnson.

Johnson only had a breakout performance in the second game, and his performances in the third and fourth games were mediocre, unable to support the Suns' ball handling.

Kevin Johnson had no choice but to accept defeat and try again next year.

However, Kevin Johnson's somewhat "weak" performance in this series led to a dispute and conflict between Ainge and Kevin Johnson.

Ainge performed well in the semifinals and was the Suns' most consistent outside shooter, but the main reason was that the Trail Blazers did not target him with specific defense.

To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "Whether you defend him or not doesn't really matter. Do you think he can score 40 points in the playoffs?"

Ainge definitely can't, but Kevin Johnson really can.

Of course, Ainge doesn't think so; he feels he can achieve a higher leadership position in the team.

After the match, he tried to get close to Gan Guoyang, but Gan Guoyang ignored him.

Ainge is an Oregonian with a significant place in Oregon sports history. He had the idea of ​​joining the Trail Blazers and knew he was very popular in Oregon.

But the Trail Blazers weren't very interested in this reckless and ambitious guy; the boss didn't like this kind of underling.

As for Rambis, after this series, his fear of Forrest Gump has disappeared, and he can calmly face the gap between the two and the defeat.

For Rambis, at 31, he is no longer so obsessed with championships and victories; his championship experience with the Lakers is enough for him to cherish for a lifetime.

Right now, his priority is to secure a good contract and continue to survive in the league.

Facing Rambis, Gan Guoyang, who had won the series, became kind and gentle, no longer the cold and venomous snake.

Throughout the semifinals, Gan Guoyang averaged 32 points and 19 rebounds per game. Despite such impressive statistics, fans felt that Gan hadn't exerted himself at all after watching the games.

Indeed, apart from the first game where Gan Guoyang went all out, focusing on suppressing the Suns on both offense and defense, with the entire offense and defense revolving around him, Gan Guoyang played a super support role in the following three games.

A large number of rebounds, excellent sweeping defense, increased assist rate on offense, reduced one-on-one isolation plays, and giving outside shots to guards and substitutes.

Gan Guoyang used the first game to establish his authority in the series and, incidentally, to probe the Suns' capabilities. He realized that they were just like that, so he decided to send his underlings to handle the situation.

In the last three games, Terry Porter became the team's second-leading scorer, the offensive engine in the backcourt, the team's three-point leader, a pioneer of pull-up jump shots from the outside, and a fan of fast breaks.

This was thanks to Forrest Gump's protection of him and the tacit understanding they had developed over many years of working together.

In terms of tactical role, Terry Porter is currently the second-best player on the Trail Blazers.

However, the Trail Blazers' number one player was so strong and brilliant that the so-called number two player was not particularly noticeable.

Porter's playing style and personality are both low-key and unassuming, making it hard to imagine him as the team's second-in-command or a star player.

Nevertheless, Porter's fighting power should not be underestimated. He is no longer the supporting sidekick to Drexler, but one of the best point guards in the league.

One commendable thing is that Porter's playoff performance was better than his regular season performance.

In the regular season, he averaged 17 points and 8 assists per game. In the playoffs, his scoring average rose to 21 points and his assists increased to 9. In comparison, Hornacek underperformed this year, with his playoff performance not being as good as his regular season performance.

Especially against the Suns, Hornacek was outmatched in his matchup against Danny Ainge.

Therefore, Bobby Bellman gave Petrovic many opportunities in the semifinals, allowing him to shine in the sixth man position.

In summary, the Trail Blazers' backcourt was thoroughly tested in the semifinals, demonstrating strong offensive capabilities and avoiding their defensive weaknesses.

The team successfully advanced to the Western Conference Finals, marking the Trail Blazers' sixth consecutive appearance in the Western Conference Finals since 1985. Gan Guoyang has never missed a Western Conference Finals game since entering the league.

On the plane back to Portland, the group played cards to relax and discuss their opponents in the next round.

The other Western Conference semifinal matchup is between the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.

In terms of regular season record and roster strength, the Lakers have the advantage, but the Spurs are not a weak team either.

The Lakers have dominated the Western Conference for many years and possess immense strength and experience.

The Spurs, on the other hand, have risen to prominence overnight, with David Robinson being a newcomer who seems unlikely to be a match for the Lakers.

The Trail Blazers players all wanted the Lakers to win, for a simple reason: they wanted revenge.

Last year, they lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, and this year they are determined to avenge their defeat in the Western Conference Finals.

Moreover, the Trail Blazers beat the Lakers 4-1 this year, showing they have thoroughly figured out the Lakers' lineup and tactics.

The Trail Blazers have the most backup plans and the best chance of beating the Lakers. Forrest Gump has prepared nine ways to kill the Los Angeles team.

The rivalry between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers has lasted for years and now looks set to continue.

The Lakers and Spurs are currently tied 2-2 after four games, with both teams defending their home courts.

Tomorrow, the Lakers and Spurs will face off in a crucial Game 5 in Los Angeles, the outcome of which will determine the final course of the series.

The Trail Blazers didn't relax after winning the game. On the 14th, the whole team still had a three-hour practice session to maintain their form.

The Lakers-Spurs series won't be decided until at least the 16th, and if it goes to a Game 7, it will be even later.

Berman didn't want the players to rest too much, and he wanted the team to stay focused throughout the playoffs.

I want to rest, but I'll have time to rest properly during the off-season.

Training was scheduled for the afternoon, and it ended at four o'clock. Gan Guoyang then treated the whole team to dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant.

After finishing their meal, everyone returned to the training center's video room, turned on the TV, and waited for the Lakers vs. Spurs game to begin.

Surprisingly, two hours later, the San Antonio Spurs pulled off a victory at the Great Western Forum.

David Robinson's performance of 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks dismantled Kevin Duckworth and James Edwards.

Although Magic Johnson scored 41 points, the fact that the Lakers needed him to score high points indicates that they had no other options.

Two days later in San Antonio, the Spurs gave the Lakers no chance. Byron Scott's game-winning shot was blocked by David Robinson in the final moments, and the Spurs narrowly defeated the Lakers by one point at home, eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the series and advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in seven years, where they will face the Portland Trail Blazers.

David Robinson averaged 22.7 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks in the series, becoming the best rookie center in the playoffs since Forrest Gump.

The San Antonio team feels a renewed sense of hope for a revival, as they face the Portland Trail Blazers once again in the playoffs.

After the two rounds of the Western Conference semifinals concluded, the NBA officially announced that Gan Guoyang had won two major awards: the 1989-1990 NBA regular season MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year.

During the Western Conference Finals, David Stern will present him with these two prestigious trophies.

This is Forrest Gump's harvest season.

(End of this chapter)