The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 684 The Long Wait

In the East, Jordan, like the Bulls, advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, their journey to the semifinals was not easy or pleasant, and many unpleasant things happened along the way.

They lost a home game, and then in Game 3, Jordan scored 56 points to help the Bulls win, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

However, in Game 4, Pippen twisted his ankle under the fierce attack of X-Man McDaniel, which caused him to underperform in Game 4.

The Bulls lost Game 4, allowing the Heat to tie the series, and they will now face a match point game in Chicago.

Phil Jackson was extremely dissatisfied with the officiating after Game 4, and he fiercely criticized the referees and the league in the post-game press conference.

He believes the league is creating a second Detroit Pistons, with rough fouls, high-intensity physicality, and overly lenient officiating making the game ugly.

Jackson's criticism naturally resulted in a fine from the league, while Pat Riley stated, "Jackson's remarks are an insult to the efforts of both teams' players. Don't blame the referees when you lose a game."

These two coaches were rivals during their playing days. Jackson played for the Knicks, and Riley played for the Lakers. They were championship contenders in the 70s and met three times in the NBA Finals.

During their playing days, they were unknown and merely supporting characters on the field.

During their coaching careers, they were all masters of scheming and psychological warfare.

Verbal battles before and after the match are absolutely inevitable.

Jackson was very wary of the Heat's rise.

Jackson believed that Riley saw a way to beat the Bulls in the Detroit Pistons.

Riley was wise not to imitate the Trail Blazers, because he realized that without Forrest Gump, following the Trail Blazers' path would be a dead end, and it would be impossible to beat the Bulls in the East.

Only by replicating the Pistons and building an upgraded version of the Detroit Bad Boys can they pose the greatest threat to the Bulls and eventually break out of the East.

Riley is cunning and calculating. He has been operating on the South Coast for many years, driven by a strong desire for revenge, and he is carrying out his grand plan. The Bulls are not his ultimate target.

In the crucial Game 5, Jordan gave the Heat no chance, scoring 41 points and making 5 steals, dominating Drexler and taking the series lead.

With this loss, the balance of the series tipped in favor of the Bulls. In Game 6 back in Miami, Jordan, who had gained the upper hand and found his rhythm in the series, gave the Heat and Riley no further chances.

With a score of 107-91, the Bulls defeated the Heat 4-2 on the South Beach, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Bulls' opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals was the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had defeated the Boston Celtics.

In the semifinals, Jordan averaged 37 points per game, 7 points more than his regular season average.

Scottie Pippen's scoring average dropped from 21 points per game in the regular season to 16 points, a decrease of 5 points.

The Heat's strong perimeter defense, along with the aggressive play of McDaniel, Mason, and others, put Pippen in a difficult position once again.

During the regular season, Pippen was closely chasing Jordan, and some even thought he was just one step away from being on par with Jordan.

It wasn't until the playoffs that people realized the gap between Pippen and Jordan was more than just one step.

During the regular season, Jordan only averaged 30 points per game due to the triangle offense and limited playing time, thus losing the scoring title.

Entering the playoffs, Jordan averaged 41 points in the first round against the Nets and 37 points in the semifinals against the Heat. His offensive prowess was unmatched.

This performance was achieved despite the league's overall defense becoming stronger, especially in the playoffs, with fewer possessions and more physical contact.

Jordan used this performance to prove to the world who the Bulls' number one star was and who was the league's biggest talent.

In terms of scoring alone, Jordan outperformed Forrest Gump in this playoff run.

However, in the regular season MVP selection, Gan Guoyang from the 1992 season won the hearts of more judges.

Gan Guoyang became the top scorer and rebounder, leading the team to 60 wins once again despite numerous injuries.

Most importantly, the 1991 MVP award went to Jordan, whose record was slightly inferior, and the voters thought to themselves, "This season, it should go to Forrest Gump."

On May 16, 1992, the league officially announced the results of the media vote for the season, and Gan Guoyang won the 1992 regular season MVP, which was the fourth time he had won this honor in his career.

That evening, the Trail Blazers faced the Utah Jazz at the Rose Garden Arena. Before the game, David Stern presented Gan Guoyang with the MVP trophy and shook hands with him warmly.

"David, do you support me winning a three-peat?" Gan Guoyang asked Stern very bluntly, face to face.

Stern smiled, not wanting to show his displeasure in front of the camera.

"The championship wasn't won because of my support, it was earned through hard work."

"The support of the alliance is also very important."

"The cameras are all pointed at you, so don't try to make a big news story."

"I'm just kidding, David. Thanks for coming. I'll do my best. Two three-peats will take the NBA to its peak."

David Stern maintained his smile; he knew Forrest Gump was right, the NBA's influence was growing.

At the same time, thanks to Gan Guoyang's presence, the NBA's influence overseas has become enormous, surpassing any other professional league in the United States.

Especially in East Asia, the NBA enjoys immense popularity. In South Korea and Japan, basketball's influence is even approaching that of football.

Perhaps there are still fewer people playing basketball than playing football, but the number of people watching basketball games is increasing, and Forrest Gump's image and legendary story are the best advertisement.

For the NBA's summer overseas games, Asia has become a key region, especially China, where the huge market potential is gradually being released, and the profits behind it are quite astonishing.

Therefore, while Stern wouldn't go so far as to guarantee Gan Guoyang's victory—after all, he's not American—he also wouldn't sabotage the fight; nobody would turn down money.

Especially for a natural businessman like Stern, he loved basketball, but he loved marketing even more. Promoting the NBA to the world was one of his core strategies and an important means for him to differentiate himself from other major leagues.

In the words of Magic general manager Pat Williams, "David Stern can sell an anvil to a drowning person."

Today, NBA games are broadcast in more than 80 countries around the world, and the league has received more than $20 million in broadcasting fees, a 400 percent increase over the past five years, and is still growing rapidly at a rate of 30 percent to 50 percent per year.

Stern also envisioned turning the McDonald's Open into the World Club Championship by 1994, with the competition taking place in the fall, during the preseason, allowing the NBA champions to compete against champions from other leagues around the world.

This was Stern's vision: to make the NBA a truly global competition, and to make the title of "world champion" for the NBA champion truly deserved.

Forrest Gump played an indispensable role in this process. Apart from Jordan, no other player in the league has such a high level of fame. Many people were introduced to basketball and the NBA through Forrest Gump. They unconditionally support Forrest Gump to win the championship. That's how casual fans are. They admire the strong, look forward to legends and miracles, and like heroic stories of indomitable spirit.

Jordan was very strong and very popular, but he didn't have a championship. He couldn't beat Forrest Gump, and the Bulls couldn't defeat the Trail Blazers. This was his biggest weakness.

After the awards ceremony, Gan Guoyang took his fourth MVP trophy back to the locker room and placed it in his locker.

Reggie Lewis cast an envious glance at the MVP trophy, his eyes fixed on it without blinking.

Gan Guoyang asked, "What, you want it?"

Lewis nodded and said, "I want it, but not yours. I want mine."

Gan Guoyang patted him on the shoulder and said, "You can try if you have the chance. As long as you perform well enough, I will support you."

Lewis's eyes lit up, then he shook his head and said, "Portland's MVP will always be you."

Gan Guoyang waved his hand and said, "The MVP will always belong to the best person. If I am the best, it belongs to me; if I am not, it belongs to you. Keep it up, kid."

Lewis' performance this season has been impressive. Offensively, he has become the team's second-leading scorer, and defensively, he is the number one lock-up on the wing, and the Trail Blazers' vanguard in dealing with Jordan.

He was selected to the All-Star team for the first time in his career during the regular season. In the playoffs, Gan Guoyang was able to relax a bit in terms of scoring because Reggie Lewis could handle a significant portion of the ball possession and efficiently convert it into points.

Lewis's offensive performance in the playoffs was better than in the regular season. He was not as versatile as Drexler, but functionally he was a better fit for Forrest Gump than Drexler.

And he's only 26 years old this year. With Forrest Gump's encouragement, he still has plenty of room to grow, and who knows, he might even win the MVP award someday.

Encouraged by Gan Guoyang, Reggie Lewis followed him out of the locker room and back onto the court.

The game between the Trail Blazers and the Jazz is about to begin.

The Jazz players had been sitting on the bench for a long time.

Karl Malone watched the entire awards ceremony intently.

Since entering the league in 1985, Karl Malone has always regarded Forrest Gump as his goal to move forward and surpass.

When he was still a rookie, Forrest Gump was already a world champion. Forrest Gump's starting point was the end point he pursued throughout his life.

This world is just that unfair; what is someone else's starting point is often your destination, but that doesn't mean the path you've taken is meaningless.

Because the scenery leading to the end can only be experienced by yourself.

Even if you can't reach the destination, the footprints along the way have meaning.

Like Stockton, Malone was selected for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team.

This is recognition of his years of hard work and dedication. He is no longer the Louisiana boy who was terrible at free throws, fell on the court, and cried off the court.

Both players stepped onto the court. Gan Guoyang and Mark Eaton jumped for the ball in the center circle, while Malone stood aside, calming himself down.

He stepped onto this stage to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Gan Guoyang, and it would be even better if he could defeat him.

Malone told himself in his heart, "I've come all this way and for so long, not just to see you, but to leave something behind, or even to leave you in Portland."

Before a competition begins, there is always boundless ambition.

Once the competition truly begins, reality is always disheartening.

Eaton used his height and wingspan to win possession of the ball.

The Jazz began their offense, and Jerry Sloan nervously chewed gum on the sidelines.

Stockton controlled the ball and moved to Malone's preferred left side, where Malone, with his back to goal, called for the ball from the outside.

Sabonis was matched up against Malone at the start of the game. In order to keep Gan Guoyang in the paint more often to protect the rim, the task of guarding Malone was assigned to Sabonis.

When Malone receives the ball, he turns and faces the basket. Under normal circumstances, he can directly pull up for a mid-range shot.

But Sabonis quickly closed in, using direct pressure to force Malone to make other choices.

Malone can break through, Sabonis has already opened up the right side for Malone, but Gan Guoyang is waiting for him in the paint.

Ma Long hesitated for a moment, then passed the ball, drove to the left and attacked the basket, directly challenging Gan Guoyang's rim protection!

As expected, Porter's shot was blocked, and he regained possession of the ball, allowing the Trail Blazers to launch a counterattack.

Reggie Lewis took the lead, receiving the ball and charging forward, scoring with a left-handed dunk to give the Trail Blazers the lead.

"Why are you hiding from Karl? Are you afraid of me?" Gan Guoyang asked Ma Long.

Ma Long had just attacked the basket when he made a noticeable dodge while battling Gan Guoyang.

He tried to dodge the impact and throw the ball into the basket, but Gan Guoyang's long arms still managed to swat the ball away.

"I'm not afraid of you, stop talking nonsense," Malone retorted weakly.

Malone could fearlessly charge head-on against any other big man in the league, including a heavy giant like Sabonis.

Although he is only 6'9", Malone is not at a disadvantage and can even have the upper hand against all the big men in the league who are 7 feet or taller.

Only Forrest Gump couldn't do it; he couldn't get past him, he was like a mountain under the basket.

He didn't know why this person's body was so hard and heavy, and his strength was so extraordinary; it was simply unscientific.

The existence of this person is indeed unscientific, not at all.

The Trail Blazers' defensive strategy was clear: Sabonis would guard Malone, using his size to defend his smaller size and disrupt him as much as possible.

If the three-second zone is open for you to drive, and you can make it down, that's impressive. If you can't, then you should try to keep shooting mid-range shots.

Sabonis is like a wall blocking your way, which tests Malone's mid-range shooting accuracy.

On the second offensive possession, Malone received the ball in the same spot. This time, without any hesitation, he turned around and immediately took a mid-range shot.

Sabonis didn't have time to block the shot, and the ball went in perfectly, giving the Jazz two points.

Both sides scored in their own characteristic ways at the start of the game. Then, Gan Guoyang and Porter set a pick-and-roll, and Gan Guoyang cut to the left 45-degree side to receive the ball and made a mid-range jump shot.

Both teams played quite relaxed in the first quarter, with decent shooting percentages, and were in a probing phase.

The Trail Blazers' defense showed some weaknesses, and Stockton's passes cut through like a scalpel.

But once he got to the basket, Gan Guoyang held firm around it, making all his drives inefficient.

Furthermore, the lack of offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities is extremely painful for a driving team like the Jazz.

Jerry Sloan was troubled by this; Forrest Gump's defense was always the most troublesome and the foundation of the Trail Blazers' strength.

With Sabonis also on the roster, their twin towers formed an impenetrable defense under the basket, which was deadly in the 90s.

To defeat the Trail Blazers, the SuperSonics' strategy is defense and a fast pace. They will use the SOS's super strong double-team defense system in combination with a fast offense, never settling into half-court situations, and preventing the Trail Blazers from utilizing their half-court advantage, in order to defeat them.

The Jazz, on the other hand, took a different approach: offense. They used better, more coordinated, and more skillful half-court offense to break down the Trail Blazers' solid interior defense head-on.

The two teams battled from 2-2 to 20-20, with both sides displaying good offensive efficiency and playing a steady, balanced game, primarily relying on half-court offense, though the Trail Blazers had more fast breaks.

The turning point came in the latter half of the first quarter when Stockton attempted a drive down the middle during a fast break, but Reggie Lewis suddenly double-teamed him and stole the ball.

The Trail Blazers launched a counterattack, with Gan Guoyang cutting into the middle and receiving a pass from Porter for a powerful two-handed dunk!
Then, Ma Long received the ball in the low post, and Gan Guoyang suddenly came out to double-team him, stealing the ball again.

The Trail Blazers launched another counterattack, this time with Reggie Lewis driving the length of the court to the basket, but his layup attempt missed.

But Gan Guoyang followed up again, grabbed the offensive rebound, and scored on a putback, bringing his total to 4 points.

The Trail Blazers caught the Jazz off guard with a sudden double-team and fast break in the latter part of the first quarter.

The previously balanced situation was broken, the point difference widened, and Jerry Sloan called a timeout.

The Jazz's disadvantages in speed and strength were obvious, and the initiative was completely in the hands of the Trail Blazers.

All they could do was be patient, wait, and passively wait for the Trail Blazers to make a mistake.

This wait was much longer than Sloan, Stockton, and Malone had imagined.

(End of this chapter)