The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 637 The Flames of War Erupt
As he was leaving Salt Lake City, Stockton asked Gan Guoyang a question: "Sonny, will you participate in the 1992 Olympics?"

Gan Guoyang gave an affirmative answer: "Of course, I will definitely participate. Representing the country in the Olympics is more important than winning the NBA championship."

Stockton said, "Anyway, you already have a championship... I wonder if I can participate..."

Stockton looked somewhat worried as he said this, as failing to be selected for the 1984 Olympic Games selection training camp had been a lingering regret for him.

Even today, after so many years, Stockton has long since proven himself to be better than Alford in the NBA.

He made the All-Star team and became the NBA's assist leader starting in the 1987-1988 season—an honor he would hold for nine seasons.

And what about Alford, who replaced him? He entered the NBA in 1988 and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks, but he has always struggled on the fringes of the league.

After being waived by the Warriors, he returned to the Dallas Mavericks. Currently, he is almost out of playing time with the team, and his departure from this highly competitive league is not far off.

Even so, Alford still participated in the 1984 Olympics. You could say that Bob Knight was biased, not wanting better ones, but wanting the right ones, the ones he was familiar with.

The point is that this US men's basketball team won the Olympic championship, and won it without any suspense. This proves that Knight's selection of players was correct and beyond reproach.

Therefore, Stockton has always held a grudge. Now that FIBA ​​has relaxed the restrictions on NBA professional players' participation, Stockton is naturally thinking of making up for his past regrets.

Although it is now 1991, according to information from various sources, USA Basketball will begin to form the men's basketball team for the 1992 Olympics this summer. Stockton is nervously inquiring about the news, but he has no way to recommend himself.

After all, he is considered low-key and not particularly famous among the league's stars.

If the Olympic team only brings two point guards, it will definitely be Isaiah Thomas and Magic Johnson, not Stockton.

He asked Forrest Gump about this now because he wanted to hear some advice. After all, Forrest Gump was very resourceful and had a lot of information, so maybe he could be of some help.

Gan Guoyang patted Stockton on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, if I remember correctly, you were on the roster for the 1992 USA Men's Basketball Team."

"What? You're not mistaken? You saw the roster?"

"Oh no, I misspoke. What I meant was... well, I'm guessing you have a very high chance of being on the roster."

“Isaiah Thomas…”

"Don't worry, Isaiah isn't popular, he won't be selected. I'll find a way to help you and get you in."

"This isn't a good idea..."

"Then don't go. How about you become a Chinese citizen? You can represent China with me at the Olympics. With you there, I'm confident we can make it to the finals."

Gan Guoyang decisively launched a recruitment campaign for Stockton. Stockton smiled and said, "Don't joke around, Sonny. I still want to give you a good beating at the Olympics."

Gan Guoyang's smile vanished. He pointed at Stockton and said, "John, you're wrong. We're good friends..."

Stockton smiled without saying a word, clearly disagreeing with Gan Guoyang's words: They are good friends, but in a match, they will show no mercy.

Gan Guoyang has more than just Stockton as a friend. Jordan called Gan Guoyang after playing against the Indiana Pacers on the road tonight.

Gan Guoyang thought Jordan had won, but when he asked, he found out that the Bulls had lost, and by a large margin, suffering a crushing defeat to the Pacers in Indiana—the Pacers' current strength is truly not to be underestimated.

Jordan wasn't there to boast about the team's defeat; he wanted to talk to Gan Guoyang about Bob Knight and the Olympics.

Recently, people in the American basketball community have been paying attention to the 1992 Olympics because the Basketball Association's selection and evaluation process has begun.

Jordan said that when he arrived in Indiana, everyone in the locker room before the game was talking about Knight and the 1984 Olympics, something that players like Pippen, Armstrong, and Grant hadn't experienced.

At that moment, Jordan suddenly realized that he was already considered a veteran in the Bulls, having participated in the 1984 Olympics, while his teammates were still freshmen in college or in high school.

In the locker room, Jordan, like an old storyteller, had his teammates sitting around a campfire, listening to him recount the 1984 Olympics.

Jordan talked about the difficulties he faced when he was on the Olympic team against Bobby Knight. Many years later, Jordan realized that Knight was using him as a role model to push him.

"For the sake of authority, he would criticize me no matter what mistakes I made, because that would show others that if Jordan could be criticized, what about you guys?"

"I don't know if I would have participated in the Olympics if I had foreseen the situation with the national team. I had heard of Coach Knight when I was in North Carolina. I asked Coach Smith, and he told me to go. All the coaches recommended that I go. They all said that if you play under him, you will definitely thank him in the future."

“Back then we played a lot of games, and most of the time we were leading by 20 or 30 points at halftime. But when we got back to the locker room, Coach Knight would yell at us and even fly into a rage, as if we were down by 30 points. He forbade us from being arrogant and kept pointing out our problems.”

Seven years have passed, but the Olympic Games are still vivid in Jordan's mind, something he can never forget.

Pippen suddenly asked, "I heard that Forrest Gump also participated in the training camp as a practice partner for the team, is that right?"

Jordan was silent for a moment, scratched his chin, and then suddenly burst out laughing.

While everyone was puzzled, Jordan said, "Sonny was the only one in the entire training camp who could keep Knight in check. It's a pity he's not American, otherwise I would have had an easier time at the Olympics."

Just as everyone was very curious about Gan Guoyang's story, Jordan shook his head and refused to say anything, saying, "I don't want to boost other people's morale. You can ask him later if you have the chance."

After that, Jordan went on the court to warm up, leaving his teammates looking at each other, wondering what secret he was hiding.
Jordan actually had a lot to say about Forrest Gump and that memorable training camp. He really wanted to talk to his old friend and catch up.

So he called Gan Guoyang, but when he answered, Gan Guoyang had already returned to Portland.

"Do you want to participate in the 1992 Olympics?" Gan Guoyang asked Jordan.

"Oh no, I don't want to participate in any more Olympics. The summer of 1992... My God, that's still more than a year away. We have to finish this season, then another season, and then go to Spain for a month of tournaments. What inhuman torture! I don't have the energy for that. I just want to rest, to rest properly, and play golf."

Jordan complained on the phone, and Gan Guoyang could tell from his tone that the guy wanted to participate, but he needed to encourage him a little.

"Really? If you're not going to participate in the Olympics, I'm definitely going to. If your American team faces China, they're bound to lose."

"No, no, no, it's impossible, Sonny. Even if the Chinese team added you, they still couldn't beat the American team."

"It's hard to say. If you weren't there, I don't believe any of the remaining guys could stop me, Patrick?"

"Forget it, Patrick... By the way, do you remember when Patrick was homesick?"

"Oh, I remember, I remember, during the All-Star game."

As they talked, the topic turned to Ewing.

Back when they played all-star matches together in training camp, Ewing said he was homesick because he was traveling around for long periods of time.

Then assistant coach George LaFlin took Ewing to see his college coach, John Thompson, to see his old coach, just like coming home.

Unexpectedly, Knight found out about this, because Ewing returned to the hotel late that night and was caught by Knight, who asked him where he had been. Ewing honestly told the truth.

The following day, in the game between the Olympic team and the All-Star team, Ewing started and was completely outplayed by Gan Guoyang. Knight was so angry that he yelled at LaFlin during the game, saying that Ewing's poor performance was because Knight had taken him to see John Thompson the night before and that the late return had caused him to be out of form.

LaFlint was speechless. Ewing was going to see the college coach, not to pick up a prostitute. What impact would it have if he came back a little late?
Besides, even if he went to bed earlier, he still couldn't beat Forrest Gump. Isn't it normal for him to get blown up by Forrest Gump?
George LaFlint was the first African American coach in college history; he was a strong and excellent rebounder during his college years.

In 1963, when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, George LaFlin stood next to him, volunteering to provide him with security.

(White shirt in the bottom right corner)

So LaFlinn isn't someone Bobby Knight can just manipulate and insult at will.

He immediately retaliated, yelling, "Fuck you, Bob! It's not my fault he can't make the shot! It's not my fault he can't beat Forrest Gump either, he was never going to beat him! Fuck you!"

Actually, the Olympic team won this game. Gan Guoyang had limited playing time, and the Olympic team had already found their rhythm. However, Knight and LaFlin spent the entire game arguing on the bench.

“I’m telling you Sonny, they were still hurling insults at each other right after the game ended, and then they didn’t speak to each other for three whole days.”

"Fuck, does Patrick need an excuse to come home late if he can't beat me? I just didn't sleep all night and killed him with bloodshot eyes."

"Who can argue with that? But that's just how Knight is, you know. He always needs to find a target to shoot at, otherwise he doesn't know how to direct the game."

The two also talked about Bob Knight's old shoes. He had come to the training facility wearing a pair of old sneakers, and Gan Guoyang joked, "Why did you come wearing your grandpa's shoes?"

That one sentence made everyone burst out laughing. Then Knight spent the entire training camp bickering with Gan Guoyang. The two attacked each other, and Gan Guoyang didn't back down at all, saying, "If you're so capable, then don't make me your sparring partner."

"In the end, Knight fired Charles, saying that Charles taught you to say that."

Knight and Gan Guoyang argued, and Knight took his anger out on Barkley, eliminating Barkley from the training camp.

“Oh, and John Stockton too, I guess that’s why he was cut,” Jordan added.

"Shit, Steve Alford isn't even a hair on John's head, and Knight is that self-serving old bastard. Michael, this time you're going to participate in the Olympics, and then tell the selection team that if you're going to participate, make sure it's not Isaiah Thomas, and have them bring Stockton!"

"What? Why? I never said I wanted to participate in the Olympics."

"Come on, Michael, you'll definitely be there, and so will I. Remember, don't send Thomas, send John."

Jordan hesitated for a moment on the phone before saying, "Okay, even if you don't say that, I don't want to play on the same team as Thomas in the Olympics. But whether John Stockton can go or not is not up to me; it depends on the organizing committee's decision."

"If Thomas can't go, the organizing committee will definitely send John. Everyone can see that."

"Honestly, Sonny, I really look forward to meeting you at the Olympics."

"You should still look forward to meeting me in the finals."

"No, no, no, I'm more looking forward to the Olympics. Everyone is really looking forward to it, Sonny."

Jordan's words were meaningful, which sent a chill down Gan Guoyang's spine.
-
Talking about the Olympics in 1991 was a bit too early, and everyone's focus quickly returned to the regular season.

After entering March, the schedule suddenly accelerated, and teams began to shorten their rotations, fix their tactics, and prepare for the playoffs.

The Trail Blazers were no exception; after a road trip, they returned to Portland for a rest.

The team doctor examined Reggie Lewis's heart, and several specialists said there were some issues, but nothing serious.

The test results were no different from those he had in Boston, so Lewis quickly returned to the team and continued training and playing.

Lewis is very important to the Trail Blazers. During his absence, the team's perimeter defense has declined significantly, and Gan Guoyang has faced increased pressure in the paint.

Lewis' return has greatly eased the team's rotation pressure and allowed the Trail Blazers' games to get back on track.

In terms of rotation in the paint, Mitchell Thompson, who had rested for half a season, gradually had more playing time.

This veteran is warming up for the playoffs, and he will remain an important rotation player in the frontcourt for the Trail Blazers in the playoffs.

Davis is for the future, while Mark Bryant and Pinckney can only be used in the regular season.

The Trail Blazers' main rotation lineup is basically complete, consisting of Gan Guoyang, Sabonis, Thompson, Jerome Cahill, Lewis, Porter, Petrovic, Cliff Robinson, Dell Curry, and Mike Sanders.

A generous ten-man rotation is both a resource and a challenge for Bobby Bellman.

Just like a general leading troops into battle, not every general is like Han Xin, and the more the merrier.

Some coaches only know how to make short rotations, rely on their starters, and add a sixth man, with all six players playing the entire game.

Unlike others, Berman experimented with a variety of lineups and rotations throughout the regular season, learning about the characteristics of each player.

He strives to ensure that every player can play a unique role when they come on the court—if all else fails, he passes the ball to Forrest Gump.

Bobby Berman's dedication to basketball is beyond question.

By mid-March, the situation in the East and West had become clearer, with the Trail Blazers leading the West and the Bulls leading the East, and the two teams began to compete for the top spot in the league.

The Bulls trailed in the early part of the season, but started winning streaks in February and March.

In February, they achieved an 11-game winning streak, and after losing to the Indiana Pacers, the Bulls continued their winning streak with a 14-game winning streak in March!

This winning streak has put the Trail Blazers' top spot in the league in jeopardy, with the gap in wins between the Bulls and the Trail Blazers narrowing.

After experiencing injuries and inconsistent performance, the Trail Blazers gradually found their rhythm in late March.

With a full roster, they won games all the way until April, securing their top spot in the league with a 15-1 record.

On April 1st, the entire NBA suspended play for one day to prepare for the 1991 NCAA Championship game.

The two teams that made it to the finals were Duke University and the University of Kansas, two long-established powerhouses.

Duke boasts a star-studded and powerful roster, featuring All-American center Christian Laettner and superb small forward Grant Hill.

Duke University ultimately defeated the University of Kansas 72-65 to win the 1991 NCAA championship.

Duke, the school that was once ravaged by Forrest Gump, has finally won its first NCAA championship trophy in its history, step by step.

When college basketball comes to a close, it means the battle for the NBA championship is about to begin.

(End of this chapter)