The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 598 Hungry Tiger
The Trail Blazers had their two quietest nights since arriving in Detroit.

However, sleep remains a challenge for the players. What affects them is not the noise outside, but their inner anxiety.

Leading 2-0, then tied 2-2, the fifth game was still played in Detroit, and many people suffered from insomnia.

During their rest days, Bellman only arranged simple shooting practice, and the rest of the time everyone stayed at the hotel to rest.

Gan Guoyang spent an afternoon on the treadmill, pushing his body to its limits with a marathon-length run.

Adelman didn't understand, but Bobby Bellman told him, "Forrest Gump is pushing himself to the limit. He has too much energy. He has also rested for two games. He needs to feel exhausted to unleash his strongest power and get into his best condition."

Bellman knew Gan Guoyang well; Gan Guoyang ran faster and faster on the treadmill, becoming more and more focused.

The night before the fifth game, Gan Guoyang slept soundly and didn't dream at all.

He woke up very early the next day, having only slept for four or five hours, and felt slightly tired.

However, he didn't oversleep; instead, he got up to breathe in the fresh air.

Breakfast and lunch were brought by Karp from a reliable Chinese restaurant. Gan Guoyang ate a little, but he didn't have much of an appetite, as his mind was on the game that evening.

This time, Bellman was a little worried, but Gan Guoyang smiled and reassured Bellman, saying that he was a little hungry now and would eat more at night.

At 7 p.m. Eastern Time on June 15, Game 6 of the NBA Finals continued at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

According to statistics, the viewership rating for this final reached 16%, setting a new historical record. Tonight's match, which is so important, will surely see even higher viewership.

The Trail Blazers players arrived at the away game at 3:30 p.m. After warming up, they returned to the locker room to prepare and closed the door to refuse all interviews from reporters.

Jerry West answered reporters' questions outside the locker room on behalf of the team, while the players were locked in a private room making final preparations for the game.

Gan Guoyang blocked out all outside noise and, apart from his wife's phone calls, did not communicate with anyone else.

Jerry West said, "Right now, Forrest only has basketball in his eyes. This Finals has mixed in too many things that don't belong to basketball, which is not what he wants to see. Everything should go back to its essence and back to the game."

Just before going on stage, Gan Guoyang drank some sports drinks to replenish his sugar and electrolytes, and ate two bananas. He felt a little hungry.

During warm-up, he chewed gum and strolled around the Palace of Auburn Hills with a light step, occasionally greeting the young Detroit fans on the sidelines.

Although Gan Guoyang was Detroit's public enemy number one, by Game 5, many Pistons fans still couldn't resist his powerful personal charisma.

He was dashing and charming, and he was more manly than Michael. People in Detroit called Michael a crybaby, while Forrest Gump was a butcher, a funeral director, and an executioner.

The young fan, along with his parents and siblings, shouted "Fuck you Gan" from the sidelines, while presenting his jersey and notebook to Gan Guoyang for autographs, dancing with joy.

That's what real basketball is like; it has both hate and love, and it's never a one-dimensional game.

During the entrance ceremony, the away team's starting lineup took the field. When Gan Guoyang came on, the boos from the crowd almost lifted the dome of the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Next, the Bad Boys' black skull and crossbones flag circled the court, and the Pistons players' entrance was extremely imposing amidst the wild cheers of the fans.

Gan Guoyang's expression was indifferent, but you could see that he looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, and his cheeks were slightly drooping. His usually upright posture was slightly hunched.

As the jump ball was about to begin, Bill Laimbeer looked Gan Guoyang up and down, and said sarcastically, "Oh Sonny, have you been too scared to sleep these past few days? You look so listless. Are you scared? If you lose this game, the championship is over! We'll win in Portland! You look really bad, so tired..."

Gan Guoyang did look rather unwell, but his eyes were bright. He glared at Lambiel and sneered through gritted teeth, "You're all pigs and dogs."

When Lambill saw Forrest Gump's eyes, he felt a chill run down his spine. He thought to himself, "You little brat, you want to hit someone again, don't you?"
"Go ahead and kill me if you dare." Lambiel had been beaten so many times that he was practically skin and bones, acting like a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water.

“I will eat you all,” Gan Guoyang said, but his tone was flat, as if he had been starving for a long time.

On the sidelines, Jerry West sat on the bench with Adelman and Bobby Bellman.

He kept a close eye on Gan Guoyang, worried about the fatigue Gan Guoyang was showing.

But when I saw Gan Guoyang's eyes, I felt like I had seen that look somewhere before.

There was no time for Jerry West to think; the game started quickly.

Sabonis won the ball, and the Trail Blazers' first offensive possession was initiated by Gan Guoyang in the low post.

The shot after the turn missed, it was too short, Laimbeer grabbed the rebound, and Thomas launched a counterattack.

However, Thomas pushed Terry Porter during the offensive play and was called for an offensive foul by tonight's referee, Hugh Evans.

Hugh Evans is also a referee with a good relationship with Gan Guoyang, so foul trouble shouldn't bother the Trail Blazers tonight.

All they need is a relatively fair officiating environment.

Porter's subsequent shot and Tpin's low-post offense both failed to find the net, and neither side had yet scored.

With the series reaching its fifth game, after the fierce first game, the subsequent media storm, and the endgame battles, the series has progressed from a tactical contest to a battle of individual ability and willpower.

Hornacek dribbled the ball up the court, and Gan Guoyang set a screen for Hornacek near the free-throw line. Gan Guoyang then cut to the basket, received a pass from Hornacek, dribbled with his left hand, drove into the paint, knocked Tpin aside, jumped quickly with his left foot, and scored the first point of the game with a left-handed layup.

The Pistons still couldn't score. Tpin cut deep into the paint, received the ball, turned and tried to overpower Agan, but Agan pushed him away. Tpin's turnaround shot turned into a difficult one-handed floater, which missed.

Sabonis grabbed the rebound and passed it to Hornacek again. After a screen at the top of the key, he cut to the outside, received the pass from Hornacek, ignored Tpin's defense, and hit a three-pointer!
Gan Guoyang started the game with a 5-0 run against the Pistons, prompting Chuck Daly to call a timeout. He realized the situation was not good and that the current play was not working.

During the 20-second timeout, Daly reminded the Blazers to tighten their defense on Forrest Gump to prevent fast breaks and instructed Thomas to get the game going as soon as possible.

Thomas was wearing a thick mask, so his expression was hard to see. He was in the spotlight for the two games, and his tough guy image was deeply ingrained in people's minds.

But the pain from that elbow to Forrest Gump was still unforgettable; it almost killed him.

The doctor said that if the elbow had been any more forceful, smashing the bridge of Thomas's nose into his brain, he would have either died or been crippled.

Because of this, Thomas deeply felt Forrest Gump's ruthless side, and in his two comeback games, he played very disciplinedly, not daring to make any dirty moves.

The timeout ended quickly, but it didn't seem to have much effect. The Trail Blazers, who had gotten plenty of rest, were in great form tonight, with a watertight defense.

Isaiah Thomas could only attempt a strong three-pointer, but it missed. Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound but didn't rush into a fast break.

He passed the ball to Porter, and it was clear that he was confident in playing a positional game against the Detroit team, without needing to rely on the success rate of fast breaks.

Terry Porter and Gan Guoyang have worked together for so many years and have an excellent understanding with each other. He knows that Gan Guoyang will definitely be going all out tonight.

Settling into position, Gan Guoyang received the ball in a shallow, outward position to avoid the Pistons' aggressive double-team.

Tping lowered his center of gravity to carry Gan Guoyang, who used his strength to grind inside. Just as the Pistons double-teamed him, Gan Guoyang quickly turned inside and cut to the basket!
Like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, Gan Guoyang cut to the basket just before the encirclement could form, easily slamming the ball in with his left hand, without even giving the Pistons players a chance to foul.

At 7-0, the Pistons desperately needed to score and needed to stop Forrest Gump from scoring.

Chuck Daly had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.

Gan Guoyang missed two of the first four games, failing to finish the first and being hampered by fouls in the fourth.

Given Forrest Gump's abilities, he's bound to have a breakout performance; Daley was already mentally prepared.

But when the situation actually came to pass, Daley still felt extremely anxious, and he shouted from the sidelines.

He reminded Rodman to double-team Forrest Gump promptly and without hesitation, preferring to let him pass to an open teammate for a score.

But Rodman was soon called for a screen foul on offense when he pushed Hornacek down while setting a screen for Dumars at the edge of the paint.

Hornacek wasn't so easy to push down, but Rodman blocked his path, and Hornacek fell to the ground, drawing a foul from Rodman.

The fans in the stadium booed, and Rodman and Dumars went up to argue with the referee, but of course it was all in vain.

Kossi spun and drove to the basket, and despite the Pistons' tight defense, he passed the ball to Agan through the gaps in the defense.

Gan Guoyang suddenly leaped up and slammed the ball home with both hands!

He has scored 9 consecutive points, single-handedly outscoring the Pistons 9-0.

Not only Chuck Daly, but the Pistons players also started to get anxious.

Thomas and Rodman combined well on the strong side, and the Trail Blazers decisively double-teamed Thomas, leaving Rodman open.

Rodman cut inside, Thomas passed the ball to Rodman, who was completely unmarked; no one from the Trail Blazers was paying him any attention.

Rodman hesitated for a moment before taking a close-range shot, but the ball hit the rim and missed.

Gan Guoyang's hands held onto the rebound like an octopus's suction cups, and the Trail Blazers still didn't launch a fast break.

Porter slowed down, waiting for Gan Guoyang to take his place. Gan Guoyang seemed a bit slow and lazy tonight.

That relaxed feeling made him seem less energetic and less vibrant than usual.

But once he receives the ball, Gan Guoyang immediately becomes like a tiger seeing its prey, his eyes gleaming.

He didn't need to think; he launched his attack instinctively, leaving the Pistons no time to double-team him.

With another quick turn, he launched a powerful hook shot, catching Teppin completely off guard. The ball went into the net again, making it two points.

11-0, Gan Guoyang single-handedly scored an 11-0 run against the Pistons in just over three minutes.

What's wrong with the Pistons today? The rim felt like it had a lid on it, and the players' legs felt like they were made of lead. They didn't know how to play anymore.

CBS commentator Dick Stockton, after watching Gan Guoyang's performance in the first quarter, said, "Gan looks a bit strange tonight. He's slow, plays a lot of half-court offense, and seems a bit tired, but when he gets the ball, he can quickly put it in the basket. It's really... I don't know how to describe this state. Let's see what adjustments the Pistons will make. Should Daly call a timeout?"

Daly decided not to call a timeout, trusting in the players' ability to adjust.

Besides, he doesn't believe in superstitions. Does that mean he can't score points?

As a result, Gan Guoyang anticipated Thomas's pass to Laimbeer under the basket.

A successful interception and counter-attack!

Gan Guoyang, unlike his previous slow pace, suddenly charged towards the Pistons' frontcourt as if he were fully charged.

He spun past Thomas, who tried to stop him, and then used his speed to shake off Tumpen. Rodman tried to foul and knock Forrest down.

But he was really overthinking it. Gan Guoyang, who was charging forward, could have carried two Rodmens. He jumped up suddenly, and the huge impact not only slammed the ball into the basket, but also sent Rodman flying, sliding off his backside to the baseline.

The referee blew his whistle and called a defensive foul on Rodman. Rodman had already committed two fouls in the first quarter, so Daly had to substitute Rodman with Aguirre.

Rodman shook his head and left the court, sitting back down on the sidelines. He said to Daly, "Dad, we're in trouble."

Gan Guoyang stepped up to the free-throw line and made the shot, making it 14-0!
"God, Daly, aren't you going to call a timeout? When are you guys going to score, Pistons lads?" Dick Stockton asked.

There was still no pause.

The Pistons passed the ball to Aguirre in the low post, who turned and attacked Jerome Kersey, using a fake move to shake off Kersey.

As a result, his shot was interfered with by Agan's help defense, and he still missed. The Pistons just couldn't score tonight.

Sabonis grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Pistons, struggling to score, couldn't secure crucial offensive rebounds, which was a fatal flaw.

When offense isn't going well, offensive rebounds are often a lifesaver, but tonight Sabonis and Gan Guoyang defended the paint like watertight.

Sabonis passed the ball directly to Gan Guoyang, who dribbled the ball across half-court. As he passed the Pistons' bench, Gan Guoyang said to Daly, "Time to call a timeout, Dad!"

As he spoke, Gan Guoyang dribbled all the way to the left side of the three-point line, took a three-point shot, and made it!

17: 0!

Daly finally couldn't hold back any longer and called a timeout from the referee.

Since the start of the game, the Pistons have not scored a single point, and the entire Auburn Hills Palace is as quiet as a graveyard.

When Gan Guoyang returned to the bench after the timeout, he bowed to the Pistons fans.

Back on the bench, Gan Guoyang explained to his teammates: "You know why I look a little tired and sad today? It's because I'm here tonight to send off the Detroit people. I must make sure this funeral is clean and beautiful, and leave them with no regrets."

After he finished speaking, his teammates all laughed, and the tension and anxiety before the game disappeared without a trace.

Gan Guoyang drank some more sports drinks, and his hunger was decreasing. The pigs and dogs of Detroit were gradually feeding this hungry tiger.

After the timeout, the Pistons adjusted their lineup, replacing Laimbeer with John Salley, as they opted for a more flexible and faster lineup.

The Trail Blazers made no adjustments, and after the timeout, Isaiah Thomas used a screen to drive directly to the basket, and Sabonis wisely made way for Thomas.

Gan Guoyang rushed over from the other side and slapped Thomas's layup off the backboard!

Kossi gets the ball and launches a fast break.

Slow down and give the speed to Gan Guoyang who is following behind.

When he catches the ball and jumps, no one on the Pistons dares to stop him, and no one dares to commit a flagrant foul.

Gan Guoyang roared and slammed the ball into the basket with one arm!

Even the reinforced basketball hoop wobbled under Gan Guoyang's powerful dunk.

As a result, the timer placed above the backboard was shaken off and fell to the floor, breaking.

The game was paused for a few minutes as a result. Gan Guoyang stood on the sidelines with his hands on his hips, and the fierce momentum he had just displayed when he dunked had disappeared.

He still had a droopy face and slightly slumped shoulders, looking like he hadn't eaten enough, except for his shiny, oily eyes.

Jerry West suddenly remembered where he had seen such eyes before—in an animal documentary, the eyes of a hungry tiger hunting in the forest.

The 19-0 start set a new record for the largest opening margin in NBA Finals history.

Gan Guoyang scored 19 points in a row at the start of the game, setting a new historical record. He single-handedly broke through the Pistons' defense.

The Pistons finally scored when Joe Dumars received a pass from Thomas on the right side and finally hit a mid-range shot.

After nearly ten minutes of silence, the Palace of Auburn Hills finally seemed to come alive again, but the eyes of the fans in the stadium were filled with confusion.

If the score difference is widened to more than 15 points at the start, how can they play the rest of the game?
Everyone knew that Forrest Gump would definitely have a breakout night, but no one expected him to have such a breakout, single-handedly defeating the Pistons 19-0.

In Chicago, Jordan was watching the game at home. When he saw Forrest Gump dunk on the Pistons with one hand in the first quarter, he couldn't help but stand up and pace back and forth in front of the TV.

He kept repeating "Shit, shit, shit!"

At the Palace of Auburn Hills, Magic Johnson shook his head in disbelief.

Johnson had been watching the Pistons vs. Trail Blazers game from the sidelines since Game 3.

Among the many stars who support Gan Guoyang and the Trail Blazers, Magic Johnson is one of the few who supports Thomas.

After all, he is not only good friends with Thomas, but also good brothers with Aguirre.

After Thomas suffered a facial fracture from an elbow injury, Johnson immediately rushed to Detroit to visit his friend.

In the third and fourth games, he advised Thomas and Aguirre on how to deal with the Trail Blazers.

Before tonight's game, Johnson reminded Thomas that Forrest Gump was very likely to have a breakout performance and that he must contain him.

But it was no use. Seeing Forrest Gump's performance tonight, Johnson knew that the Pistons and Thomas were in grave danger.

The Pistons certainly didn't give up. Although they were trailing by a large margin, it was still only the first quarter, and there was still plenty of time.

The Pistons, having regained their scoring touch, slowly recovered, and in the latter part of the first quarter, Joe Dumars led a comeback.

Hornacek didn't put enough pressure on Dumars defensively, and Dumars frequently drove to the basket to shoot.

In order to avoid falling into a defensive trap, Gan Guoyang toned down his game, and the Pistons slowly regained their offensive rhythm.

At the end of the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Pistons 27-12, a 15-point advantage.

The 12-point score also set a new record for the lowest score in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game. The previous record holder was the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 Finals.

The Bucks scored only 13 points in a single quarter in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

This time, the Pistons were completely outmatched by the Trail Blazers' tight and focused defense, and Gan Guoyang's aggressive play, setting a new low.

Gan Guoyang scored 21 points in the first quarter, overwhelming the Pistons with his dominance.

The Detroit players then realized that without the referee's intervention and without those dirty plays, their defense was incredibly vulnerable against Forrest Gump.

Indeed, Forrest Gump was a man who scored 81 points, and his offensive skills were even more extensive than Michael Jordan's.

Without resorting to underhanded tactics, their chances of winning against this man in a fair and square fight are slim.

The second quarter began with Gan Guoyang resting on the bench, presenting the Pistons with their best chance to close the gap.

Without the pressure from the inside, Aguirre, Salihamidzic, and Mahone frequently attacked the offensive rebounds and launched second-chance opportunities.

The Pistons narrowed the gap to just 10 points, prompting Bellman to call a timeout, and Gan Guoyang returned to the court.

Many Detroit fans later recalled, "When Forrest Gump came back on the court, we all thought, 'That's it, the score difference is going to widen again.'"

"There is no way to stop him except to suspend him, knock him out, or send him off."

At the start of the second quarter, the Pistons attempted to use Rodman to defend Gan Guoyang throughout the game, employing a "tethering" strategy in conjunction with other players double-teaming him.

The hungry tiger didn't take this bug seriously at all, and immediately used a hook shot. As long as he received the ball in the low post, he would turn around and use a hook shot.

Rodman tried to disrupt Gan Guoyang by drawing offensive fouls and squeezing his lower body, but it was no use. Without a height advantage, Rodman was as fragile as a caterpillar trying to pluck thorns in front of the hook shot.

Gan Guoyang's skyhook is faster than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's, requires less preparation, and is more resistant to double-teaming interference.

Gan Guoyang used this move less and less during the regular season, but in crucial games, he would still use this old trick to kill his opponent.

It is effortless, simple, elegant, and reliable, like a scimitar slicing open the opponent's throat, draining their blood in despair and hatred.

"Forrest Gump received the ball in the low post, dribbled, turned, and hooked it in!"

"Forrest Gump gets an offensive rebound, turns around, dribbles, and then hooks the ball."

"Rodman tried to push Forrest out, Forrest turned around, turned around again, wow! A clever footwork to the basket, a reverse layup and he made it! Beautiful offense, beautiful footwork!"

Dick Stockton, commentating on the final for the last time, was also unleashing his commentary passion, trying his best to describe every brilliant goal scored by Gan Guoyang.

The hungry tiger grew increasingly full, and fought with increasing ease and abandon.

Rodman did his best; the second-ranked Defensive Player of the Year tried his best to stop the genius ranked first.

In addition to dominating Rodman and the Pistons' interior players on offense, Gan Guoyang continued to provide high-quality rim protection on defense.

At the end of the first half, Gan Guoyang had racked up 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks, surpassing the full-game stats of many players.

What's even more frightening is that Gan Guoyang only had 3 free throws in the first half, with all his other points coming from open play. His efficiency was terrifying.

Dick Stockton commented, "You can feel it from Forrest Gump's scoring; he's two levels above everyone else, really much, much better."

The Trail Blazers led the Pistons 51-34 at halftime, a 17-point advantage, ending the first half of the game.

During halftime, Gan Guoyang ate another banana, and Berman asked him, "Are you hungry?"

Gan Guoyang said, "I could eat a whole cow right now. But hunger makes me sober and makes me realize what I should do."

The finals are very demanding, and Gan Guoyang didn't get enough energy today, but that actually stimulated his potential.

During halftime, news of Forrest Gump's 29 points and 14 rebounds in the first half of the Finals had spread throughout the United States, and more and more people were joining the ranks of those watching the game.

This includes bars, cinemas, gyms, dance halls, brothels in San Francisco's Chinatown, the lecture halls of the Northern Chinese High School, and the auditorium of Gonzaga University.

Portland Memorial Stadium and Paramount Theatre were already packed with people. Every time Forrest scored a goal, the fans cheered. Everyone knew that victory was getting closer and closer to the Trail Blazers.

Forrest Gump never disappoints.

After the start of the second half, Gan Guoyang became increasingly focused.

The Pistons continued to assign Rodman to guard Gan Guoyang, which was already Daly's optimal solution.

Using Rodman to defend would at least be able to keep Gan Guoyang occupied and prevent him from receiving the ball.

Sending Turpin or Lambiel to defend would only make things worse.

This strategy of preventing the ball from being received had some effect at the beginning of the third quarter.

Rodman kept moving in front of Gan Guoyang and using subtle tricks to harass him when he received the ball.

The referees' calls were slightly biased towards the Trail Blazers in the first half, but they balanced things out a bit in the second half, relaxing the intensity of the physical play.

The match between the two teams became very intense, making it quite difficult to score, with constant collisions and shoving.

Despite the intensity, the players' movements were clean, making it a pure basketball contest.

Both the Pistons and the Trail Blazers missed their outside shots repeatedly, resulting in a chaotic scramble for rebounds and a disorganized game.

The Pistons seized the opportunity, launching a surge through free throws and fast breaks, narrowing the gap to just 9 points.

Tonight, both Hornacek and Porter were not shooting well from beyond the arc, and they focused their energy on defense.

Gan Guoyang missed a mid-range jump shot near the free-throw line, but he drove to the basket to grab the offensive rebound and passed the ball to the outside.

Hornacek's drive was blocked, so he passed the ball to the outside. Kersey faked a shot and attacked the basket on the left, but his layup was interfered with and he missed.

Sabonis grabbed the offensive rebound, but when he went for a layup, the ball was knocked out of bounds by Tpin, and the Trail Blazers regained possession.

Scoring was extremely difficult; the Pistons' defense was very tenacious, and the Trail Blazers' offense was equally tenacious.

Bellman could sense that the Pistons' defense was tightening up because of their poor outside shooting, which was detrimental to the Trail Blazers' offense.

So, midway through the third quarter, Bellman made a bold substitution, replacing Hornacek with Dell Curry.

This was Curry's first appearance in this Finals. With the Trail Blazers having a wealth of talent, he didn't have many opportunities to shine in the playoffs.

His last stand was in the 1988 playoffs against the Mavericks, where he made 4 of 5 three-pointers and delivered a crucial assist to help the Trail Blazers defeat the Mavericks.

"The Trail Blazers brought in Dell Curry, and it seems that Bellman is not very satisfied with the team's outside shooting."

After Curry entered the game, he immediately executed a tactical play with Forrest Gump and Sabonis, using the screens of the two giants to create an opportunity in the right corner.

Sabonis made a precise pass to Curry, who then hit a three-pointer!

Dell Curry's greatest strength in shooting is his balance. From the top of the arc to the corner at 45 degrees, Dell Curry's long-range shots have no blind spots; every point is his sweet spot.

This is where Dell Curry's versatility as a backup shooter truly shines, especially his equally impressive shooting percentages from both the left and right corners, which is quite remarkable.

Many shooters have significantly different shooting percentages in different areas, which means that special considerations need to be taken into account in tactical design, and the opponent's defense will also be more targeted.

Dell Curry doesn't have this problem; he's a natural-born shooter.

Curry's three-pointer widened the gap again, making things very difficult for the Pistons.

Melvin Tppin then hit a mid-range jumper to keep the score close.

The Trail Blazers passed the ball to Jerome Kersey, who made a strong low post attack against Tepin, but his turn was blocked.

But Sabonis grabbed the offensive rebound, flicked the ball to the outside, and Agam received it in the middle.

Gan Guoyang faked a shot, broke through, and passed to Curry at the 45-degree angle on the wing. Curry then launched a three-pointer.

Hit again!

Two consecutive three-pointers, with microwave-like shooting touch, Curry stabilized the Trail Blazers' momentum.

At this point, the Pistons' collapsing defense failed, and they had to keep a close eye on Curry.

When Curry has the ball beyond the three-point line, the Pistons must have someone positioned near him.

This created space for Gan Guoyang to receive the ball, while Rodman, who had been harassing Gan Guoyang in his half of the court, was starting to feel the strain.

It's not that my physical strength can't hold up, it's that my concentration can't hold up.

Every defender's attention span is limited.

No one can maintain 100% focus on one person for the entire game; it's inevitable that attention will wander and concentration will be lost.

Gan Guoyang started receiving the ball and playing one-on-one. Once he got the ball in the low post, he would dribble in a couple of times, then turn around and shoot a hook shot.

Rodman was helpless as Gan Guoyang scored 7 points in a row—including a 2+1 play—and even after committing a foul, he watched as Gan Guoyang made a layup.

Rodman's mental defenses completely collapsed, and he was overwhelmed in one go. He finally managed to close the gap to 9 points, but the deficit was widened to 18 points again!
After being called for a foul by Hugh Evans, Rodman kicked the ball toward the stands and then received a technical foul.

Gan Guoyang shouted at Rodman: "Your footwork isn't very good, not as good as Chinese football!"

After making the free throw, Gan Guoyang was unstoppable again in the third quarter, scoring consecutive points in the last two minutes of the third quarter through fast breaks and free throws.

At the end of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers led 77-60, entering the fourth quarter with a huge 17-point advantage.

Gan Guoyang scored 40 points, grabbed 21 rebounds, blocked 6 shots, and dished out 4 assists in three quarters.

Whether his stats can improve further depends entirely on whether the Pistons still want to put up a fight.

The Pistons haven't lost their fighting spirit; they don't want to lose this home court.

Although a 17-point deficit makes the chances of survival slim, anything is possible in the NBA.

During the break, Chuck Daly continued to encourage the players to keep going.

"This is our last home game of the season, we can't afford to lose it like this! Absolutely not!"

Indeed, win or lose, this will be the last game of the season at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and the Pistons don't want to lose like this.

Daly still demanded that Dennis Rodman guard Gan Guoyang, but Rodman was in a bad mood and sat on the bench for a long time with his face covered.

Bill Laimbeer stepped forward and slapped Rodman hard on the face, saying, "Get back on your feet! Even if we die, we'll die standing! Stand up!"

Rodman eventually returned to the court with a long face. Lambiel suggested that he would deal with Forrest in the fourth quarter, since Rodman was no longer effective and Tumpin needed to attack.

Daly had no choice but to agree. Laimbeer's willpower was indeed remarkable; he was currently the only one on the Pistons court who dared to challenge Forrest Gump head-on.

But having Laimbeer guard Gan Guoyang was undoubtedly a disaster for the Pistons. Gan Guoyang was not afraid of such a big white center at all, especially since Laimbeer could no longer use dirty tricks.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang saw that Laimbeer was coming to defend him. Without Rodman to harass him, he received the ball in the corner repeatedly and went one-on-one against Laimbeer.

A mid-range jump shot went in.

Another mid-range jump shot went in.

He faked a move, then drove to the baseline and dunked!

They double-teamed him, passed the ball to the basket, and Sabonis dunked it!

The Pistons not only failed to catch up in points, but the gap actually widened.

Without the brutal, rough defensive moves and the threat of ending an opponent's career, the Pistons' defensive deterrent has dropped a level.

Daly called a desperate timeout, and Rodman, as if waking from a dream, said, "Let me guard Forrest Gump!"

Daly shook his head, and Laimbeer slapped Rodman on the back, saying, "Too late, kid! We'll talk about it next game! You cowards can't win!"

Besides Rodman, Laimbeer was also cursing Rick Mahorn. Both of them were so scared by Forrest Gump's attacks that they dared not make any moves and didn't know how to defend anymore.

The Pistons' morale plummeted, and some fans began to leave the arena. At that moment, some began to realize that Detroit's era of savagery was coming to an end.

In the final moments of the game, Dennis Rodman sat on the bench, covered his face, and cried.

At this point, Forrest Gump had scored 50 points, and the hungry tiger was finally satisfied.

The Texas Expo was held in Dallas, about 5 miles from the Oakley poor neighborhood where I grew up.

Several of the kids I'm close to don't have enough money to get into the fair, but we manage to get in every year.

There was a sewer that led people to the expo site, and we began our journey by climbing in from the entrance of the slums.

This tunnel is like an urban legend among the children of Oakley, and every child who grows up there has gone to the fair through it.

I started hiking this route with my friends when I was thirteen or fourteen.

Most of the sewers were wide, but they stank horribly. The sewage was about a foot deep, so we had to walk around it; it was dark and terrifying inside.

We'll bring flashlights so we can avoid the sewage and recognize the road signs that some people put up years ago.

Thinking back on these past events, I can't help but shake my head.

Walking five miles through the sewers to the expo? That must be insane.

The other children ride in their parents' cars, and they have plenty of money to ride horses or buy cotton candy.

We had to cover our noses, avoid the stench of dog poop, and try our best to find the arrow by the light of our flashlights.

It was summer in Dallas, hotter than hell, and some parts of the sewers were so narrow that we had to crawl through them, with sewage up to our noses.

The pipes were pitch black; without a flashlight, it was impossible to see heads and faces.

We followed the sewer pipe to the center of the exhibition hall, where a manhole cover was blocking the exit.

I'm truly amazed at how the first guy who crawled into the sewers found the exit; he was a remarkable man.

You can probably imagine the expressions on people's faces as we climb up the ladder and push open the manhole cover.

We poked our heads out like groundhogs, squinting in the sunlight. No one bothered us; perhaps they thought that since someone could get here so easily, it was worth it for us to have some fun.

This is something we have to do in order to have fun.

Whenever I recall that time, I feel even more relaxed and comfortable about my life today.

I like to describe my life as a black hole emitting a glimmer of light, and I'm trying to walk toward that light, just like we had to rely on that glimmer of light to reach the Expo.

That glimmer of light kept moving forward, bringing us new challenges.

Everyone has to find a suitable sewer pipe for themselves, and mine was particularly difficult.

Before I reached my destination, I walked through many sewers and experienced many setbacks.

The most terrifying time was the 1990 Grand Prix Finals, where I lost a tooth and Forrest Gump scored 50 points.

At that moment, I felt like I had walked out of a sewer manhole and arrived at a slaughterhouse, not an expo.

Forrest Gump stood before me, holding a butcher's knife, covered in blood, with a damned smile on his face.

Damn it.

—Excerpt from Dennis Rodman's autobiography, "I Do My Own Way," published in 1999.

(End of this chapter)