The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 594 Say Goodnight to the World
The rain in Portland was getting heavier and heavier, and the dark sky was flashed with pale lightning, followed by a muffled rumble of thunder.

The brightly lit memorial stadium stood in the rain, the light shining through the glass curtain wall piercing the darkness like a kerosene lamp gleaming on the banks of the Willamette River.

A series of sharp sirens pierced the rainy night, breaking through the harmonious sounds of thunder and rain.

The ambulance cut through the rain, departing from the stadium's parking lot and heading towards the Leganés Emmanuel Medical Center on the other side of the stadium.

The car was carrying Isaiah Thomas, who had been knocked unconscious and bleeding profusely after being elbowed unconscious by Gan Guoyang.

Medical staff provided temporary treatment for his facial wounds. Apart from the gash, it was clear that his facial bones had collapsed, indicating a fracture.

As the ambulance approached the hospital, Thomas regained consciousness amidst the pain, and his first words were, "I want to shoot free throws..."

Apart from Thomas, the other Pistons players who were knocked unconscious by a single punch were either dragged back to the locker room or opened their eyes groggily on the sidelines.

Lambiel was strong and powerful. He was punched in the chin and quickly woke up on the bench. The whole world was spinning and all he could see was blinding white light.

"Fuck you, Sonny..."

Lambiel murmured, his mind still relatively clear, remembering what had just happened.

Mark Aguirre was punched in the face and sent straight back to the locker room; whether he can return to the court is another matter.

As for Dennis Rodman, his physical condition was amazing, and he recovered quickly.

However, he felt a sharp pain in his mouth, spat out a mouthful of blood, and lost a tooth.

Chuck Day used a comb to tidy his hair, and Forrest Gump showed him mercy, slapping him instead of punching him.

His left cheek was burning with pain, his jaw was swollen, and even his teeth were a little loose.

Daly felt a lingering fear; when Gan Guoyang rushed in front of him, Daly felt his heart stop beating.

He thought he was going to die. If Forrest Gump had hit him with all his might, Daley, at his age, would have really been killed.

The stadium descended into complete chaos.

The officials and referees at the technical table were discussing whether to terminate the match early.

David Stern intervened and stopped the idea; the match had to continue.

This isn't the regular season; it's the final series of the season, the NBA Finals.

The whole of America is watching. No matter what, as long as no one dies, the fighting must continue.

Stern has recovered from his confusion and, as the league commissioner, personally stepped in to mediate and quell the anger between the two teams.

He turned on the microphone and addressed the fans, urging them to remain calm and watch the rest of the game with a peaceful mindset.

Before Stern could say more than a few words, the fans booed, and then the whole arena began chanting, "We need Forrest Gump, we need Forrest Gump, we need Forrest Gump..."

Some fans near the sidelines shouted at Stern: "You're the one who condoned Detroit's violent criminals!"

"You are the culprit!"

"Forrest Gump's response was justified!"

David Stern was very embarrassed until his boss, Tang Jianguo, came to his rescue.

Tang Jianguo frequently gives interviews and appears on television programs; he is very eloquent.

He quickly calmed the fans down, saying, "I promise, I will get Forrest back on the court as soon as possible. I will never let him miss the Finals, because Forrest represents justice and the American cowboy spirit! He will be punished, but he will definitely not be removed from the Finals stage!"

Cheers and applause erupted from the crowd—the game had been delayed by 20 minutes. At this point, the Detroit Pistons players protested, with Chuck Daly attempting to lead the team back to the locker room in a strike.

David Stern stopped Daly and sternly warned him: "If you boycott the game, you will lose more than just this game! You've lost Thomas, but they've lost Forrest Gump. Finish the game, and you still have a chance to win!"

Daly, clutching his swollen left cheek, said, "We shouldn't be playing in such a dangerous environment. It's unfair to my players."

Stern leaned closer and said in as calm a voice as possible, "You know why the situation has become so dangerous! I will discuss this with Davidson, guarantee your rights, and give you some compensation. But for now, you must stay and finish the match!"

Stern's voice was almost clenched through gritted teeth, but he still maintained a smile on his face. He didn't want to show his ferocity in front of cameras broadcasting live across the United States and even the world.

Pistons owner William Davidson and Stern were good friends in private. Both were Jewish and had close ties with Israel.

Looking at David Stern's smile and the cold eyes behind his glasses, Chuck Daly understood that the team had already been hurt by a tiger and could not and should not challenge an even bigger dragon.

Daly backed down and let the players return to the field to continue the game.

Everything seemed to have returned to normal, but everyone knew that everything was different.

As Gan Guoyang left the stadium through the players' tunnel to return to the locker room, he walked through the passageway he had traversed countless times, listening to the noise behind him grow fainter and fainter, as if everything was being swallowed up in darkness.

In a moment, he felt as if his connection with the real world had been severed. He completely relaxed. Basketball, championships, honors, morality, character, loyalty—all the things he cherished and valued—were washed away like dust under the sun by a downpour. In the flashes of lightning, a large amount of fresh oxygen was born, cleansing the chaotic turbidity in his chest.

A smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

He felt a pang of regret, thinking he should have taken out the rest as well. After all, whether he took out one, five, or ten, it was all the same.

Gan Guoyang appreciates and enjoys competition. Sometimes he watches NHL games, and if two players don't like each other, they'll throw away their hockeys and have a fair fight. After venting their anger, they'll continue to play well.

Lucas, the former enforcer for the Trail Blazers, was the same. If there was a conflict, we would fight, and after the fight, either he would be ejected or continue playing.

The Detroiters were different; they transformed into a "martial arts team," harming and intimidating their opponents in an unequal situation, thus undermining the fair play of the competition.

Then don't blame me for being ruthless and settling scores with you.

Therapist Culp and General Manager Jerry West followed Gan Guoyang. Culp kept saying something, but Gan couldn't hear it; he didn't want to listen.

Jerry West, with a sullen face and a tense expression like a forgotten towel hanging on a balcony for too long, didn't say a word, just kept up with Forrest Gump's footsteps.

Back in the locker room, Gan Guoyang took a big gulp of water, exhaled, and suddenly felt a pain in his right hand.

Upon closer inspection, a tooth was embedded in the right knuckle; it was unclear whose tooth it was.

Gan Guoyang disgustedly pulled out his tooth and threw it into the trash can.

Culp helped him treat his wound, while Jerry West paced back and forth in the locker room, thinking about how to handle the situation.

The last time such a large brawl occurred in the NBA Finals... it doesn't seem that long ago. In the 1987 Finals, Forrest Gump still beat up the Pistons.

Three years have passed, and the Pistons have not learned their lesson at all, and have instead suffered an even harsher beating.

The game was still going on, but the reporters had long since stopped caring about the result and were all rushing to the Trail Blazers' locker room to interview Forrest Gump.

Jerry West tried to stop him, but Gan Guoyang said it wasn't necessary and told them to ask, it wasn't a big deal.

As always, he was surrounded by reporters in front of the locker room, who wanted to hear what Forrest Gump had to say about this "battle of the century."

Gan Guoyang said, "Tell the people of Detroit to say goodnight to the world."

(End of this chapter)