The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 638 Depth Charge
My father, Frank Bellman, is 83 years old. I love basketball, but he loves baseball even more.

He is not tall, only 5 feet 10 inches, but he is strong and his height may be one of the reasons why he doesn't like basketball.

When I was 11, he divorced my mother and moved from New Jersey to Miami, saying he loved the sunshine and the sea there.

The reason for the divorce was his gambling.

According to him, the reason for his gambling was that he couldn't shake the shadow of depth charges.

He was a submariner during World War II and joined the Navy before the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1940.

After a period of training, he passed through layers of selection and boarded his first submarine: the US Navy's S-21.

This is an old submarine that served during World War I. It served with the submarine at Pearl Harbor until the Japanese attacked it.

When the Pacific War broke out, he and his antique submarine were deployed to the war, with the goal of sinking every Japanese ship they encountered.

Frank told me that submarine warfare is the pinnacle of teamwork, where everyone is united, not to win the game, not to make money, but to survive.

In war, every minute and every second determines the success or failure of the battle and the life or death of all the crew members.

If you don't quickly shut down the bridge when a Zero fighter roars past, the entire crew may face certain death.

Many people dream of becoming submariners, thinking it's cool, but they overlook how dangerous and stressful it is.

During World War II, American submariners were very young; the captains were around thirty years old, and the average age of the crew was only twenty-one or twenty-two.

This age structure is similar to that of a typical basketball team, like when I was at Notre Dame or Gonzaga.

The selection process for submariners is extremely rigorous, involving multiple screenings based on factors such as height, physical fitness, knowledge level, and personality traits.

Submarine sailors face far greater pressure than other military personnel. In the cramped, sweltering metal canisters, they endure immense water pressure and the possibility of sudden destruction. Anyone with a fragile nerve would quickly break down.

“It was a very strange kind of pressure,” Frank recalled. “We were far from the beautiful tropical island of Hawaii, sailing on the sun-drenched, sparkling Pacific Ocean, with a gentle breeze and exceptionally good visibility. Sometimes we would encounter schools of fish and see seabirds flying in the sky… Ten minutes later, we would encounter depth charges that would almost shatter everything. This forced us to stay alert.”

“I will never forget a mission near Japan where I was the underwater sonar operator on the submarine. We spotted an enemy ship through the periscope. Before that, we had sunk a transport ship carrying high explosives. The explosion was so loud that it attracted the attention of Japanese naval patrol boats, and we became their prey. In the following days, we began to deal with these patrol boats. We didn’t just think about escaping; instead, we wanted to seize the opportunity to fight back and sink them.”

"For several days, we were drenched in sweat and under immense pressure, often surfacing under cover of darkness to charge the diesel engines. Finally, one morning, we encountered enemy ships; they had two patrol boats. We launched a torpedo at one of them and sank it. However, our periscope had been above the water for too long, and we were spotted. As we submerged to escape, we were spotted by the other patrol boat, and a depth charge exploded above the stern of our submarine!"

"I felt like we'd been hit by a giant sledgehammer. The impact sent the front of the submarine flying into the air, mercury leaking from the gyroscopes, and we lost our bearings. The captain decided to dive, almost to the maximum depth. Everyone fell silent, the ventilation systems were shut off, and an eerie silence enveloped us, broken only by the occasional muffled explosions from above. We waited, waiting for the patrol boat to leave. Inside the submarine, we stripped down to just our shorts and sandals; our belts were soaked with sweat—it was unbearably hot."

"We eventually escaped, and the captain gave everyone a shot of brandy. The shadow of the depth charge still loomed over us, everyone. But I would say that nothing could bring a team together more closely than the depth charge."

When I was dismissed from my coaching position at Notre Dame because of my gambling scandal, Frank approached me, told me his story as a submariner, and taught me how to cope with stress.

To be honest, I didn't quite understand at the time. I thought he was talking big, so I replied, "If you are sunk, you will be more united."

Because the pressure of the seawater would squeeze them all into meat patties, achieving true "unity"—my mouth really stinks.

Frank was furious, and he didn't speak to me for years afterward, but I gradually came to understand what he meant by pressure and the unity that comes with it.

When I became the Trail Blazers' head coach in the 1989 season, the playoff defeat was like a depth charge, shaking me to my core.

Although there are many reasons to excuse the failure, a failure is a failure. Before this, we were a three-time champion team, but in my first season as coach, we fell in the Western Conference Finals and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the 1990 season, we made a successful comeback. The whole team was driven by a strong desire for revenge, and we reclaimed what was rightfully ours with overwhelming victories in the regular season and playoffs.

I remember we had a crazy celebration in the locker room after winning the championship. Champagne dripped from my hair and shoulders, soaking my clothes, then my shoes and socks. The atmosphere in the room was electric, like a tidal wave.

A large group of reporters squeezed in, shoving microphones at Forrest Gump, who then passed them to me. He yelled at me, "Coach, can we do it again next year? One more time!"

Forrest Gump's confidence sometimes makes you think he's a fool, but he'll prove those who doubt him the fools. At the 1986 championship celebration, Forrest told Portland fans that he would lead the team to another championship.

He actually did it, but I'm not Forrest Gump. I'm always cautious, and even at the gambling table, I'm a rational player.

If it weren't for the fervent atmosphere at the time, I would have thought twice before speaking and said, "Of course we want to win another championship, but we have to consider health, luck, and many other factors. If everything goes smoothly, we have a very good chance of winning the championship again. Hopefully, God will give us that opportunity..."

No, the situation at the time didn't allow me to say such nonsense. A proverb popped into my head: "Fortune favors the brave."

I took the microphone from Forrest Gump and said firmly, "We will definitely win the championship again! This is the meaning of my coaching the Trail Blazers; we were born to win championships!"

Then, Forrest poured more champagne over my head, and I didn't come to my senses until the parade was over.

One more time? My God, after two seasons as an NBA head coach, I realized how difficult it is to complete a full season and win a championship.

Although we had a smooth run in the 1990 playoffs, a lot still happened in the Finals. Exhaustion was inevitable. In fact, after winning the championship, I considered retiring immediately.

I've won championships in high school, college (NCAA), and the NBA. I have no regrets. What am I still doing here? I'm just so tired.

At one point, I also really understood why Jack Ramsey insisted on retiring after winning his first three-peat.

Here I want to say something "outrageous": coaching Forrest Gump is far more difficult than it looks.

I started coaching Forrest Gump in 1981. He is an unparalleled gem, but if you want to coach him, it means you have to keep up with his pace and his way of thinking.

Many people say that coaching Forrest Gump is simple: just give him the ball.

But a coach like that won't earn Forrest Gump's approval; he'll force you to adapt to his pace.

His playing style is versatile, and it can complement your tactics, but as a coach you must keep up with him: he has to win.

I bet that when he handed me the microphone in the locker room after winning the championship in 1990, it was definitely a scheme of his, a psychological manipulation.

He used this method to push me, forcing me to work like crazy during the 1991 season, exhausting myself to introduce a new system and adapt to new players. Under the pressure of "must win the championship," I almost wore myself out in the 1991 season, but at the same time I reduced Forrest Gump's playing time, allowing him to have an easier regular season.

He only really stepped up in the final stretch of March because we needed to make sure we had home-court advantage against all other teams. We went on a season-long 12-game winning streak in March and April and won the last five games of the season, finishing with a 64-18 record, one more than the Chicago Bulls, which was very important for us.

After the regular season ended, I breathed a sigh of relief, but the thought of the playoffs starting soon made every pore on my body stand on end.

I know the depth charges have started falling, and we must remain on high alert until every enemy is sunk.

—Excerpt from Bobby Bellman's autobiography, Moonlight, published in 2005.

With the conclusion of the final day of the regular season on April 21, the 1990-1991 NBA regular season came to an end.

As the first NBA season after the start of the full 90s, this year saw many changes in the NBA, offering fans a lot of exciting games and memorable moments.

The NBA ended its long-term partnership with CBS and this year, for the first time, signed a four-year, $600 million contract with NBC.

The Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and New York Knicks have all made minor adjustments to their jerseys and logos.

The Pacers added navy blue to their pure yellow and white, Sacramento used a darker blue, and the Knicks added an NY logo to the hem of their shorts.

The Utah Jazz played their last season at Salt Palace, and next season they will move into the brand-new Triangle Center.

The Portland Trail Blazers are also entering the final countdown to using Memorial Arena. After the All-Star Game next season, they will open the newly built Rose Garden Arena, also known as the Founding Center.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have started using the new Target Center this season. This modern arena can accommodate 18798 fans, although it has rarely been full this season.

Michael Jordan won the scoring title again with an average of 31.5 points per game.

For the first time in his career, Gan Guoyang's average score did not exceed 30 points, with only 29.4 points, ranking second.

However, he continued to dominate the rebounding charts, winning the rebounding title for the seventh consecutive year with an average of 15.5 rebounds per game.

His average rebounds per game have returned to over 15, two more than David Robinson, who is in second place.

John Stockton won the assist title with 14.2 assists per game, while Alvin Robertson won the steals title with 3.0 steals per game.

Hakeem Olajuwon won the blocks title with an average of 3.9 blocks per game—although he missed more games, so his total blocks were less than Forrest Gump's.

Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Gan Guoyang all averaged 3.9 blocks, with Gan Guoyang and David Robinson differing by only a fraction of a second in total blocks.

In short, in the 1991 season, the 1984 golden generation swept the top spots in all major statistics—including Charles Barkley, who had the most technical fouls in the 1991 season, making him the undisputed king of technical fouls.

Orlando Magic guard Scott Skiles set a new NBA assist record with 30 assists in a single game against the Denver Nuggets.

On March 9, 1991, Hakeem Olajuwon, who had returned from injury, issued a statement announcing his decision to change his name from Akim to Hakim in order to show his Islamic faith.

From then on, Hakeem Olajuwon became his official name and appeared on the NBA court.

Reporters speculated that Hakeem Olajuwon was so overwhelmed by Forrest Gump that he had no choice but to seek divine help.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer sarcastically remarked, "Instead of praying for divine protection, just join the gods."

Gan Guoyang led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 64-18 record in the regular season, marking his sixth 60-win regular season game in his seven-year career.

His ability to lead and support his team in the regular season is beyond doubt. His outstanding physical fitness, healthy physique, strong desire to win, and almost unending love for basketball make him relentlessly pursue victory and never want to stop.

Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls followed closely behind, achieving a record of 63 wins and 19 losses, securing the first 60 wins in Bulls history and entering the playoffs for the first time as the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

This time, Jordan had enough confidence to tell Forrest Gump, "See you in June."

In the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs are ranked second, ahead of the Suns and Lakers due to the divisional rules. The Phoenix Suns are ranked third with a record of 59 wins and 23 losses. The Los Angeles Lakers are ranked fourth with a record of 57 wins and 25 losses. The Jazz are ranked fifth with a record of 54 wins and 28 losses. The Rockets are ranked sixth with a record of 52 wins and 30 losses.

This season, six teams in the Western Conference have won more than 50 games, highlighting the widening gap between strong and weak teams and indicating that the playoff competition is becoming more intense.

The Golden State Warriors, seventh in the Western Conference, and the Seattle SuperSonics, eighth in the Western Conference, are not easy opponents to defeat.

In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics finished second with a 58-24 record, their best regular season record in the last three years.

The arrival of Divac and Hornacek greatly enhanced the team's strength, but Bird's injury problems still limited their ceiling.

The defending Eastern Conference champions, the Detroit Pistons, have only managed 54 wins this year, with Isaiah Thomas's injury slowing down the team's pace.

However, their decisive victory over the Chicago Bulls at home at the end of the season gave the Pistons the confidence to continue stopping Jordan in the playoffs.

As time went by, in the early 80s, the NBA was dominated by strong teams in the East and the Lakers were the only standout team in the West.

Nowadays, the East is gradually becoming dominant, while the West is full of strong contenders.

With the Pistons gone, there are no other strong teams in the East.

The Miami Heat successfully edged out the New York Knicks and secured the last playoff spot.

The first-round matchup between Jordan and Drexler is highly anticipated, and the city rivalry between the Trail Blazers and the SuperSonics is equally exciting.

However, everyone knows that these are just appetizers before the main course.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of June.

(End of this chapter)