The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 642 Shattered Dreams
When it came to helping Petrovich's family, Gan Guoyang hesitated and thought for a long time: Who should I ask for help?

Initially, he wanted to call Bill Clinton directly, believing that given Clinton's current influence in the US government, he would surely be able to find a way.

However, his wife, Wang Fuxi, reminded Gan Guoyang that it was not worth using Bill Clinton's connections to help the family come to the United States, such a small matter.

"It's like playing cards. If your opponent plays a 3, you shouldn't immediately play the Joker. Unless you play it in a later round, that's not right. I don't think you're going to play it in one go, are you? You'll need it for many more times in the future. You should find someone who can directly help you."

Wang Fuxi's words made a lot of sense, so he asked, "Then should I look for Tang Jianguo?"

"Old Tang would have helped long ago if he could, there's no need for you to step in. The Croatians have too little influence in the US, Old Tang doesn't like to do such unprofitable deals. Although Pete is his player, you know, Old Tang only cares about you, he doesn't care about anyone else."

After rejecting the two important figures, Gan Guoyang took out his contact list and looked through it for a while, wondering if he should contact Portland Mayor Bud Clark.
Clark and Gan Guoyang both took over Portland in the same year; one joined the Trail Blazers, and the other entered City Hall, where he was re-elected in 1988.

However, during his 1988 campaign, he borrowed money from Bank of America to raise campaign funds, and he still hasn't paid it off as his term is about to end.

Gan Guoyang knew about this. If he could help Clark clear this debt, Clark would definitely help him in return.

But then I thought about it again. Clark was a political novice. He had been mayor of Portland for years and couldn't even pay off a debt of tens of thousands of dollars. Expecting him to help the Croatians thousands of miles away would be asking too much.

Wang Fuxi said, "Budd-Clark is in dire straits himself. He is a purely elected mayor with no political background or foundation, so he can't help."

"Then I should find the governor? Ms. Barbara Roberts, do you know her?"

“I know her. She graduated from the University of Portland and is my senior, but her influence is limited to Oregon. I’m afraid she can’t help Pete.”

International affairs like these may seem trivial, but mayors and governors really can't offer much help.

If you contact them, they'll definitely have to find someone else to help, which will just lead to a lot of trouble.

Wang Fuxi then suggested that he contact the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce, but Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "They can help with Southeast Asia and Australia, but not Croatia."

After rejecting several candidates, Gan Guoyang made a tough decision and said, "Fine, I'll call the US Secretary of State. He's in charge of foreign affairs, he'll definitely have a way."

Wang Fuxi wanted to say something more, but she didn't seem to have a better choice, so she had to ask her husband to go to U.S. Secretary of State James Baker.

Gan Guoyang had known Baker for a long time. In 1984, when he won the NCAA championship and was received by Reagan at the White House, Baker was the White House Chief of Staff.

Later, every time Gan Guoyang went to the White House, he would meet James Baker. Over time, the two developed a acquaintance.

After Reagan stepped down, this veteran White House official was appointed Secretary of State by the new president, and Baker and Gan Guoyang became even closer.

Because Forrest Gump was related to the diplomatic image of both China and the United States, the two had a lot of private exchanges and communication. Gan Guoyang was often invited to participate in some Sino-US diplomatic activities, so he was quite familiar with Baker.

Gan Guoyang made a phone call to the Secretary of State's office. After understanding the situation, Baker spoke in official jargon. Gan Guoyang offered 15 tickets to the finals as a bargaining chip and obtained Baker's promise that he would find a way to bring Petrovic's family to the United States.

After hanging up the phone, Gan Guoyang sighed and said to Wang Fuxi, "There's nothing I can do. I really don't have any small cards like 3, 4, or 5. I only have Kings, Aces, and Jokers."

Petrovich soon received a call from his family, who said they would be coming to the United States to take refuge soon. The situation in Croatia was very bad, with conflict and riots everywhere, and war was imminent.

Upon learning of this situation, Petrovic finally felt relieved and could focus on the playoffs without worrying about his family.

So on May 9th, in the second game between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers, Petrovic once again performed exceptionally well.

Despite the Lakers' all-out defense against Gan Guoyang, Petrovic scored 29 points with his accurate shooting and strong offensive desire.

The Lakers' defense collapsed because of Petrovic's poor performance. Don Nelson never expected Petrovic to explode like this before the game.

During the regular season, Petrovic, as the sixth man, averaged only 15 points per game, with inconsistent scoring and performance.

However, in the playoffs, an unexpected breakout by a player can often be a devastating blow to the opponent.

Two consecutive explosive performances have left the Lakers' defense in a state of confusion and disarray.

The Lakers have no one on the backcourt who can handle Petrovic.

At times, Don Nelson and Jerry Buss must miss Michael Cooper terribly.

If Cooper were there, he could be a substitute and he would definitely do his best to keep Petrovic occupied.

Now that they're without Cooper, Byron Scott has to guard Reggie Lewis.

The most crucial question is, will you, Forrest Gump, have a breakout performance in the third and fourth games?

Gan Guoyang's scoring in the first two games was mediocre, with 21 points in the first game and 22 points in the second game.

He didn't even score 30 points, let alone 40, but he had 9 assists in one game and 8 assists in the other.

His high post play, combined with Sabonis's support, gave the Trail Blazers' forwards and guards numerous opportunities to attack the basket.

The Lakers' carefully prepared big men for the Trail Blazers' interior defense proved useless; those two guys didn't even try to be aggressive.

The Trail Blazers won the second game, taking a 2-0 lead in the series, and the Lakers felt the gap between themselves and the Trail Blazers.

Don Nelson refused to be interviewed by reporters after the second game and remained silent on the bus and plane leaving Portland.

It wasn't until he returned to Los Angeles and, after getting off the plane, met Jerry Buss in his office that Nelson said, "The Trail Blazers are no longer on the same level as the rest of the NBA! If we don't catch up with them and change our playing style, no team will be a match for them, no way!"

Jerry Buss shook his head, believing that Don Nelson had lost confidence after the loss. He reminded Nelson that it was now 0-2, not 0-3, and that they still had a chance to turn things around if they won Game 3.

Nelson ignored Jerry Buss and went into the video room by himself, frantically watching videos and scribbling on the whiteboard.

"A madman, this madman, if he loses again this year, his days in Los Angeles are over," Bass thought to himself.

Jerry Buss has had a tough few years in Los Angeles.

They reached their peak in 1985, but were subsequently met with strong resistance from Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers, and were never able to break through.

Don Nelson nearly led the team back to its peak in 1989, but ultimately fell short.

With Jerry West's departure, the gap between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers has widened, and Don Nelson's position with the Lakers has become increasingly unstable.

After two games in Portland, the Lakers are still no match for the Trail Blazers. Coupled with Nelson's discouraging remarks, Jerry Buss is already planning a rebuild.

Of course, as long as Magic Johnson is there, the Lakers will still be a top team in the league, except for Forrest Gump...

Jerry Buss is now obsessed with bringing Forrest Gump to Los Angeles; if that doesn't work, he could even try bringing Hakeem Olajuwon.

A frontcourt partnership of either Forrest Gump or Hakeem Olajuwon with Magic Johnson would certainly be able to replicate the power of Magic Johnson's Skyhook and re-establish the Lakers' dominance in the league.

But the chances of getting Forrest Gump to come to Los Angeles are slim. As for Hakeem Olajuwon... maybe there will be a chance. He wasn't happy in Houston.

Buss is already preoccupied with next season, which shows that the entire Lakers organization doesn't believe they can beat the Trail Blazers.

Except for one person: Magic Johnson.

After losing two games in Portland, Johnson calmed down.

After returning to Los Angeles, he began to adjust his mindset and tried his best to communicate with his teammates and encourage them to cheer up.

"We still have a chance! Down 0-2, if we go back home and win, we still have hope of winning. If we give up now, then there will really be no hope at all." Regardless of his frivolous and unrestrained lifestyle off the court, Johnson is an absolute super competitor on the basketball court, with a strong desire to win and an unwavering love for the game.

On May 11th, the third game between the two teams was held at the Great Western Forum. The Lakers had their backs against the wall, and a loss in this game would completely eliminate their hope of a comeback.

Before the game started, Don Nelson seemed uninterested. His mind was not on the game. He was often lost in thought, seemingly pondering something else entirely.

At this point, Magic Johnson stepped up and took on a leadership role, directing his teammates' defense, movement, and offense like a coach.

Johnson took on a huge responsibility, carrying the team's offense on his shoulders and using his height and experience to constantly disrupt the Trail Blazers' backcourt defense.

In the past, how to defend Magic Johnson has always been a challenge for the Trail Blazers when facing the Lakers.

Especially after Drexler left, the Trail Blazers' backcourt couldn't find anyone to match up against Johnson for a while.

Last summer, Jerry West acquired Reggie Lewis in a trade, partly to counter Jordan and partly to deal with Magic Johnson.

Lewis has great defensive talent and a solid foundation, but his main problem is a lack of experience. This wasn't obvious in the regular season, but he's likely to get schooled by seasoned veterans like Johnson in the playoffs.

In the first two games, Reggie Lewis performed well in defending Johnson one-on-one, but tonight, back at home, Johnson repeatedly attacked Lewis with his big butt, footwork, and fakes.

Lewis got into foul trouble early in the first quarter, picking up two fouls in six minutes and being substituted by Bobby Bellman, which immediately disrupted the Trail Blazers' rotation rhythm.

Because he needed to defend Magic Johnson, Berman chose veteran Sanders over Cliff Robinson, opting for a safer approach.

However, even Sanders couldn't stop Johnson. Magic Johnson was on fire tonight and his offensive organization was incredibly diverse, making it impossible for the Trail Blazers' defense to stop him.

This season, the Lakers have changed their playing style, focusing more on defense and frequently fielding big men, which has slowed down the team's overall pace considerably.

But tonight, Johnson seemed to have returned to how he was many years ago, back when he first came to Los Angeles and played in the Great Western Forum.

Back then, he was a country bumpkin who grew up in Michigan, always with a silly smile on his face. He was bad at shooting, but he would run with the ball and pass it like a sharp arrow.

He wasn't good at positional warfare, but his counter-attacks were unmatched. He set the pace of the game so fast that it dazzled the audience, his teammates, and even his opponents.

Jerry Buss had just arrived in Los Angeles and bought the Los Angeles Lakers from Cook—a team on the verge of bankruptcy, dull, and unable to sell tickets.

Bass revamped the team, bringing in beautiful cheerleaders, building a bar for entertainment, and renovating the arena—all of which left him heavily in debt.

Then, they soared to new heights, creating Showtime. They were so glamorous and dazzling, as radiant and captivating as the sunshine on the Los Angeles beach, drawing the attention of all fans.

They not only won championships, but also made the games exciting, making fans willing to spend money to come to the arena to watch the games. Jerry Buss has always claimed that he not only saved the Lakers but also saved the NBA.

Yes, in any case, the Lakers of the 1980s will certainly have an important place in the NBA's road to revival, and this wonderful old era will be repeatedly mentioned.

Led by Johnson, the Lakers unleashed wave after wave of offensive surges, and their speed was now fully unleashed.

Don Nelson then realized what was happening. Instead of stopping Johnson or bringing in the big men, he shouted, "Attack! Attack! Attack!"

No one knew that just before tonight's game, Don Nelson had made a firm decision: he would take offense to the extreme and build a complete, super offensive team in the future.

Forget about defense, offense and defense balance, forget about big men in the paint—go to hell with all of that!

"Because the ultimate game is about launching an attack no matter where the ball is, starting from where you get the ball."

The phrase popped into Don Nelson's mind, and he wondered who had said it.
After thinking for a while, he realized that this sentence seemed to be something Forrest Gump said.

"Fuck, I think Forrest Gump said that at a coaching conference some summer..."

Don Nelson remembers correctly that Forrest Gump did say that line, but it wasn't Gan Guoyang's original quote; he was just repeating Dr. Naismith's words.

With high morale, the Lakers, led by Johnson, reminiscent of 1980, launched a super counterattack like Showtime.

The Trail Blazers' rhythm was disrupted in the first quarter due to Reggie Lewis's foul, causing them to lag behind the Lakers for the remainder of the quarter.

It became very difficult to catch up, and the players lacked the morale to win the game in one fell swoop.

Even so, the Trail Blazers still managed to close the gap to just one point in the fourth quarter.

With Petrovic and Lewis both underperforming, Gan Guoyang stepped up once again.

He slowly closed the gap with his nightmarish mid-range jump shot, a shot that reminded many fans of the terrifying memories of being blown out by Gan Guoyang's mid-range shooting in the 1987 season.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers tightened their defense, making it difficult for the Lakers to launch fast breaks in the fourth quarter.

Jack Nicholson yelled from the sidelines, "Stop shooting! Stop shooting, Sonny!"

He even yelled at Jerry West, "Jerry, tell Sonny to tone it down!"

During this time, Jack Nicholson would occasionally ask West, "When are you going to bring Forrest Gump to Los Angeles?"

West had no idea and could only reply to Nicholson, "When did I agree to bring Forrest Gump to Los Angeles?"

I have no plans to go back to Los Angeles; I'm quite happy in Portland.

When Johnson's layup was blocked by Sabonis, the score was 103-104, with the Lakers leading by only one point.

Terry Porter dribbled the ball up the court and set a screen with Gan Guoyang. Everyone knew that Gan was going to attack with the ball, but no one could stop him.

Gan Guoyang cut to the outside, received the ball at the top of the arc, and faced a double team from Edwards and Campbell. After adjusting with two consecutive shooting fakes, he pulled up and took a mid-range shot!

The ball traced a beautiful arc, like a scimitar—a line familiar to Lakers fans on the Great Western Forum.

With a "swish," the ball swished through the net, a beautiful mid-range shot that nestled into the rim.

The Trail Blazers have successfully taken the lead!
To be honest, the Lakers played very well tonight, while the Trail Blazers were out of form.

The Lakers are reminiscing about their golden age of showtime.

But that's exactly how Forrest Gump shattered their dream of a golden age.

Gan Guoyang has already scored 45 points, and the Lakers' morale has completely collapsed.

Don Nelson called a timeout, but everyone knew in their hearts that the series was over.

Even if the Lakers win this game, what about the next one? And the one after that?
They played so well, but still couldn't beat the Trail Blazers who were only playing at their best.

The main problem was that they couldn't contain Forrest Gump. If it had been Malone, who had just taken the lead, he probably wouldn't have taken the shot, wasting an opportunity.

But Forrest Gump was able to withstand two big defenders, adjust his position, and hit a difficult jump shot, completely changing the course of the game.

The golden dream that belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers has come to a complete end.

Of course, Lakers fans didn't realize this until months later when Johnson was diagnosed with HIV, shattering their dream.

(End of this chapter)