The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 670 Hope
In the two days following the All-Star Game, Gan Guoyang gathered several players, including Barkley, Drexler, and Jerome Cahill, and invited Richard Eskinaz and Jordan to play golf together at Oswig Lake Golf Park.

This golf tournament was private and secret, with no outsiders allowed in the room. The reason was simple: they were going to gamble big, with each hole worth thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.

Richard was initially reluctant to come because he knew it was a trap, and if he went, he would likely lose more than he would win, and Jordan's $120 million would be cut by who knows how much.

Gan Guoyang told Richard Eskinaz, "This is an opportunity to give Michael a way out. He can pay back less, and I'll contribute as well. In short, you won't lose money. But if you don't go, you can try to keep pestering Michael for the money, or expose this matter and see how much you can get back."

“I know Michael owes you $120 million, but you have to understand, it’s a gambling debt he lost to you. It’s not that he actually borrowed $120 million from you. If that were the case, I would make him pay you back every single penny. And to be honest, is the number really that outrageous? Don’t answer me, I’m just asking you, are you coming or not?”

Richard hesitated for a second, then nodded in agreement and attended the golf party.

He knew Forrest Gump was right; he would be lucky to get any money back from participating in this event.

Moreover, with this experience, he can publish a book in the future and make a fortune from the publisher.

In fact, he did do it later, writing a book called "Michael & Me: Our Gambling Addiction My Cry for Help," which exposed Jordan's gambling addiction back then—but Jordan had already retired by the time the book was published.

In the book, Richard mentions the golf gathering, saying, "Forrest Gump is the luckiest and most powerful golfer I've ever seen; he should go pro."

They played from morning until dinner time, having a great time playing and gambling.

After playing for a day, with seven or eight dunks, Jordan ended up owing Richard more than $200,000, which he promised to pay in full later.

Barkley lost $10,000 to Richard, while Gan Guoyang won the most, but he waived all the money with a single sentence and treated everyone to Chinese food that night.

Jordan was quite satisfied with the result, but during dinner, Gan Guoyang still reminded him: "You'd better quit gambling, Michael. Of course, I know money isn't the problem, the problem is that if you spend too much energy gambling, you'll never be able to beat me in basketball."

Jordan shrugged and said, "Sonny, I'm afraid I'll go crazy if I don't gamble to clear my mind. To be honest, I often feel like I have a split personality. I have two lives. In a moment, I'm going to play a mature person in their late thirties, the kind who has experienced life to the fullest and now needs to settle down and care about traditional things."

“But on the other side of me is a guy in his late twenties who has never really had the chance to experience success with his friends, to do the crazy things that people in their twenties do. Sometimes I have that strong urge to do it, but it’s hard… Gambling is one of the few things that gives you that feeling, you know Sonny?”

Gan Guoyang shook his head, then nodded, and said, "I understand part of it. But why did you say you didn't have the chance to experience success with your friends? Why don't you come to Portland, and I'll let you experience what success is like."

Jordan smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's not that kind of success, Sonny, it has nothing to do with basketball. You know, basketball... it has given us a lot, we're immersed in it, but it's very mature, very commercial. There's a clear path to success on the basketball court, everyone will be around you, but you're just a small part of the wave, a very small part..."

Gan Guoyang understood what Jordan was saying. He was expressing his confusion about life. No matter what kind of person you are, rich or poor, noble or lowly, you cannot escape this confusion about success, about free will, and about where the way out of life lies.

Many athletes, in their prime, dedicate a great deal of time and sweat to training and competition. Although they achieve great success and gain honors, money, and applause early on, they also lose a lot, suffer a great deal of hardship, and endure a great deal of pain.

“Michael, I want to tell you that it’s right for you to be thinking about these things. However, you should first think about how to win a championship, go through a clear path, and then think about these issues properly.”

"Fuck you Sonny, I knew you'd say that. I'll be waiting for you in the Finals this year."

Charles Barkley, who had been engrossed in eating, looked up and said, "Are you two fucking planning to win the Finals again? Do you think we don't exist?"

Jordan and Gan Guoyang exchanged a glance, gave each other a cold laugh, and continued chatting, completely ignoring Barkley.

Because of the Richard Eskinaz incident, Jordan and Forrest's relationship was somewhat repaired, and they got to know each other better.

However, the stance cannot be changed. The competition between the Bulls and the Trail Blazers is becoming increasingly fierce, and the animosity between Chicago and Portland will also intensify.

Jordan carried immense pressure to win the championship, so his loss to the Trail Blazers in the 1991 Finals was understandable, as the Trail Blazers were the reigning champions and not so easy to dethrone.

Like leveling up in a game, the Bulls and Jordan first took down the Detroit Pistons, and the next step was the Trail Blazers.

From the perspective of the movie's plot, losing once is normal, but losing again in 1992 is a bit unreasonable.

Gan Guoyang is under immense pressure. People have become accustomed to his championships and victories, and the entire United States is anticipating his second three-peat.

But winning three consecutive championships is no easy feat. Gan Guoyang still vividly remembers the painful season of 1988, when the team seemed to be rotting away.

By 1992, the Trail Blazers' situation had changed significantly compared to 1988.

By 1992, the Portland Trail Blazers were a complete behemoth, a massive conglomerate that combined capital, sports, and business.

Relying on this high-quality platform, Tang Jianguo started from scratch in Portland to integrate and build his empire, firmly linking New York, Portland, and the East and West coasts together.

The team has more than 300 employees from top to bottom, and apart from a few management personnel, Gan Guoyang doesn't recognize most of them.

They are no longer the big family they were in the 70s and 80s. The warmth of family and team has become rare, and only a trace of it remains in the locker room.

These spirits were preserved by Gan Guoyang and his former teammates, uniting the team like a spark. However, as they left the memorial stadium, the temperature of that spark cooled down a bit.

The brand-new arena and locker rooms are certainly exciting, but the memories and feelings of the old arena are something to cherish.

In the first NBA regular season game held at the Rose Garden, the Portland Trail Blazers faced off against the visiting Miami Heat.

Drexler took advantage of the All-Star Game to rest for a week in Portland, and he was full of energy tonight.

This season, led by Drexler, the Heat have made it to the top half of the Eastern Conference.

Their starting lineup, consisting of Drexler, Starks, McDaniel, Mason, and Secari, is already quite formidable.

On the bench, there's Grant Long, Steve Smith, and Pat Riley also managed to acquire Brian Shaw from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Sherman Douglas.

Despite the Celtics' best efforts to sign Shaw, he ultimately couldn't stay in Boston. The conflict between the two sides was difficult to resolve. Without Bird, the Celtics decided to rebuild around Hornacek and Divac, and Shaw was the one to be traded.

Riley, like a hyena, seized the opportunity and sent Douglas, who performed well but whose role clashed with Starks, to the Celtics, in exchange for Shaw, a well-rounded player suitable for the sixth man role.

The Heat's roster and rotation structure became more rational, and they embarked on a winning streak after the trade.

Of course, Drexler's performance is crucial; this season he has developed into the league's second-best shooting guard after Michael Jordan.

Furthermore, in some aspects, Miami media outlets believe that Drexler is better than Jordan, such as fast breaks, offensive rebounds, and... the rings on his hands.

Back in Portland, at the brand-new Rose Garden Arena, Drexler led his team to a spectacular performance, with their defense being particularly impressive.

After two or three seasons of experimentation and development, Pat Riley has begun to comprehensively strengthen the Heat's defense this season, determined to transform the Heat into a super defensive team.

When Riley first acquired Drexler in 1988, his goal was to make Drexler the next Magic Johnson and to make the Heat play "Show Time on the East Coast."

But Riley quickly discovered the problem:
First, Drexler is excellent, a very good passer guard, but he's not Magic Johnson; he's Clyde Drexler. Second, the Heat may never be able to assemble a roster like the Lakers of the 1980s, not because of the city, not because of management, but because of the rules of the era.

Third, it's still a matter of the rules of the times. In the 1990s, the era of fast-paced offense dominating the court was over, and iron-clad defense was the shortcut to success.

Riley isn't the kind of coach who's obsessed with tactics, like his Lakers predecessor Westhead or Doug Mo, who spent their entire careers on offense, offense, and more offense.

Or perhaps his mentor, the Brown Cardinal Adolf Rupp, always insisted on one-on-one defense, pushing man-to-man defense to its limits and refusing to use zone defense.

There are also some mavericks who always go against the grain, stubbornly pursuing their ideal basketball and experimenting with various tactics and lineups, such as Don Nelson.

Riley is obsessed with winning. In today's league, a good tactic or system is one that is advantageous and matches the roster he has built.

So after years of being a so-called fast-break coach, Riley has made a brilliant transformation this season, becoming a thorough defensive coach, seeing new hope in the rise of the Chicago Bulls.

During summer training camp, Riley instructed the players to attack each other and engage in physical confrontations.

McDaniel and Mason almost got into a fight during practice; both are strong and hot-tempered guys.

After several seasons of experience, Drexler has become more mature and tougher—his hair has thinned, and he is now noticeably bald.

Although Starks was an undrafted player, Riley had a keen eye for talent and fully tapped into his aggressiveness, while Starks himself also lived up to expectations.

Sometimes his ferocity on offense can compensate for Drexler's shortcomings in scoring.

The Heat's only weakness right now is their center position, and Sekali is an excellent and hardworking player.

However, if the Heat want to go further in the Eastern Conference, they need an outstanding center; otherwise, they will find it difficult to compete with other teams.

Riley, this hyena, vulture, death eater, has been keeping a close eye on the league's best big men, eager to recruit one of them.

These include Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Riley has spies in every team, and he has already found out that Ewing's contract has a clause that if Ewing's salary is not among the top three in the league that year, then he has the right to terminate the contract.

When Ewing first signed his contract, he had the highest salary in the league, but with the increase in large contracts in recent years, Ewing may no longer rank in the top three.

If this clause is invoked, Riley will lure Ewing to the South Coast just as he did with Drexler.

Then there's Hakeem Olajuwon, who didn't have an easy time with the Rockets. The team's performance stagnated, and his relationship with his teammates was terrible.

Houston media criticized Hakeem Olajuwon as a black hole on the court, saying he didn't have Forrest Gump's talent but wanted to play like Forrest Gump, and that his efficiency was nowhere near Forrest Gump's.

Under immense pressure, Olajuwon converted to Islam; otherwise, why would he, who was once riding high, have considered religion?

Of course, there was only one person Riley truly loved: Forrest Gump.

Riley never gave up hope of bringing Forrest Gump to Miami, and he continued to try to poach him from the Portland Trail Blazers.

The entire Heat team, from top to bottom, is permeated with the influence of the Trail Blazers. If Forrest Gump could come, Riley and the Heat owner would be willing to give everything.

In tonight's game against the Miami Heat, the Trail Blazers did not perform to their expected level in the new arena, and the whole team seemed somewhat unaccustomed to it.

Gan Guoyang, for example, missed all three of his opening attacks, which is quite rare for him.

The new arena shines with technology and modernity. Looking up, you can see four huge screens that can replay exciting moments from the game in real time, allowing fans sitting high up to have a clearer view.

The once transparent glass walls are gone, and people can no longer enjoy the Portland night view while watching the game. The arena is now completely enclosed, with top-notch sound and lighting effects.

But everything felt so unfamiliar, and the Trail Blazers collectively lost their shooting touch under the Heat's strong defense.

Tonight they only made 2 of 15 three-point attempts, their poor shooting touch continued throughout the game, and the match turned into an ugly defensive battle.

Drexler had a fantastic night, recording a triple-double with 28 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds to celebrate his former team's new arena.

The Heat defeated the Trail Blazers 94-89, a five-point advantage, handing them a loss in their first game after the All-Star break, and a home defeat at that.

This was rare in the Trail Blazers' history, as they typically rallied after the All-Star break, often playing with great momentum and winning all the way to the playoffs.

Even in the 1988 season, after a chaotic first half, the Trail Blazers found their rhythm after the All-Star break.

This year they have a new problem: not internal conflicts, not a lack of morale, not internal corruption, but simply exhaustion.

Everyone looked tired, including Bobby Bellman, Adelman, and the staff.

By the third year, it was time to get tired and weary.

At the end of the game, Pat Riley couldn't resist trying to flirt with Gan Guoyang.

“Sonny, you look a bit tired. You should go to the South Coast to get some sun and recover. Portland is too cold; it's uncomfortable to stay there for too long.”

"Really? I think Clyde's head is all bald, he must have gotten it from sunbathing in Miami."

Riley smiled and didn't say anything more. He wanted to try to plant a seed in Forrest Gump's heart.

The seed will sprout once he encounters difficulties or hopes for a change in his life.

He would think of Miami, where there is sunshine, beaches, and familiar faces like Clyde, Inman, and Jack Ramsey.

These were actually prepared for Gan Guoyang. Riley believed that as people get older, they always become nostalgic and want to go back to the past.

However, Riley didn't expect that Gan Guoyang would forget Riley's joke as soon as he turned around. At this moment, he was full of hope, not nostalgia.

Because his second child is about to be born.

Gan Guoyang rarely feels tired; a good night's sleep or a walk will make everything better.

Because he is always full of hope for the future, forever.

(End of this chapter)