The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 691 Big Trouble

Not only were the Bulls staff puzzled and bewildered, but also the TV commentators, the reporters on the sidelines, the basketball experts and stars who came to the Rose Garden to watch the game, and the fans in front of the TV were all surprised by Gan Guoyang's indescribable performance.

"Sonny's performance in the first half was nothing short of magical. He didn't have a single post-up attack, a single isolation play, or his usual corner mid-range jumper. He played like a guard, like a small forward, attacking the basket time and time again. He seemed to be channeling Magic Johnson, and the entire Portland Trail Blazers played with a completely different style. Forrest Gump always manages to surprise us, but to be honest, tonight's surprise was a little bit shocking. I was really shocked!"

“In the past, such performances were just isolated incidents. We could see Forrest Gump’s kind of performance sporadically in the games, but tonight he seemed to… as Bill said, everyone was more or less scared.”

Even Bill Walton, a die-hard Gan Guoyang fan, was at a loss for words when it came to Gan Guoyang's performance in the first half.

If he scores 30 or 40 points in the first half, Walton will raise his arms high, shout into the microphone, and yell "God of Basketball".

But now, Bill Walton wasn't blindly praising him; instead, he was frowning and racking his brains, trying to understand what kind of logic and style Forrest Gump was using in the first half.

Walton can be considered one of the earliest and most successful players in the NBA to transform a center into a perimeter player.

That was in the 60s and 70s, a time of great change in basketball thinking. Excellent college coaches like Bob Knight, Newell, and John Wooden broke down the rigid boundaries between inside and outside players in order to find new tactical breakthroughs and enrich the functions of players on the court. This allowed outside players to cut inside to receive the ball and attack the basket, and allowed inside players to stretch out and create space to support other players.

Since then, the center's playmaking function has been developed and improved, and has continued to influence the development of basketball tactics.

Walton is undoubtedly a top player, a representative of the playmaking center, and is hailed as one of the best passing centers.

After retiring, Walton watched Gan Guoyang improve little by little, becoming better at playmaking and passing. Finally, in the 1990s, Gan Guoyang, as a center, surpassed Walton in the number of assists per game.

But he didn't expect that Forrest would make such a breakthrough in the Finals. This was no longer a performance that a center could deliver; he completely blurred his position on the court.

"Bill, do you think Forrest Gump's performance in this game was like Magic Johnson replacing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center in the 1980 NBA Finals, breaking the boundaries of position?"

"No, no, no, I don't think so. Magic Johnson only played the jump ball at the start of the game. In reality, he was still the point guard during the game. Many people say that Maggie can play all five positions. In fact, in the early days, with Maggie's shooting ability, he was not qualified to play the two and three positions. But tonight, Agan really exceeded my expectations. Really, I... I don't know how to describe it."

Walton didn't know how to describe it, and the reporters on the sidelines were also racking their brains, thinking hard, and writing furiously on their papers.

I wrote a paragraph, felt it wasn't quite right, so I erased it and rewrote it. Some people even peeked out and talked to the person next to them, asking how to write the news report for tonight.

Everyone knows that this match is of great significance and deserves to be written about in detail; its impact is absolutely powerful.

Fans watching on TV had a similar feeling. They didn't understand basketball tactics and history like professionals; they just subjectively felt that tonight's game was very different.

Forrest Gump's fighting style was different from his past games. The pace of the game and the style of the broadcast had changed. Forrest Gump was like a velociraptor that suddenly appeared from the Jurassic period, hunting on the African savanna. Lions, buffalo, and zebras were all puzzled. What kind of ferocious hunter was this? They had never seen a hunter like this before.

Inside the locker room at the Rose Garden Arena, the Trail Blazers players were looking at Forrest Gump with eyes full of surprise, incomprehension, and admiration.

It's like an elementary school student seeing an older student do a crossover dribble on the court and drooling with envy, wanting to learn it.

Of course, no one can learn Gan Guoyang's trick. Everyone just wants to know how Agan changed so much. Did he pretend to be dead all along?

"I wasn't faking it, I just suddenly realized that we had to change the way we played the game and how we dealt with the Bulls."

"The Bulls' defense is very good. The league has changed several rules this year to make the game more defensive, while our offense has not been very good this year."

This year, whether in the regular season or the playoffs, the Trail Blazers' offensive performance is inferior to that of 90 and 91.

As can be seen from the way they advanced, they stumbled against the Supersonics and were held back in one game by their SOS defense.

The Trail Blazers lost two games to the Jazz because Gan Guoyang was absent, but the team's roster wasn't bad when he was out.

The two losses were both decisive defeats, failing to pose a significant challenge to the Jazz, indicating a decline in their overall strength.

The reasons are multifaceted, including rules, injuries, mentality, player form, roster completeness, and so on.

So when the Trail Blazers faced a well-prepared, fully-staffed, and highly motivated Bulls team in the Finals, they clearly struggled.

Especially on offense, Gan Guoyang's traditional style of play is no longer enough to lead the team to victory over the Bulls.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Gan Guoyang sought change and improvement for the entire team through his own breakthroughs.

Before the match began, Gan Guoyang had already reminded his teammates how to play and to be mentally prepared for certain things.

The first half has proven that his tactics are effective, and the underlying logic supports the team's offense.

"...We must make better use of the baseline corner, a point that has been overlooked in our past tactics. I know, Dale and Lewis, you haven't neglected your baseline corner training. You must pay attention to the baseline corner. In the second half, I will focus more on the left and right corners..."

"Arvidas, when you return to the center position, you must increase your efforts in offensive rebounding, especially long rebounds. We will increase our long rebounds, so don't give the Bulls any chance to counterattack. I will also increase my efforts in grabbing long rebounds."

"Focus your attention. I know the game is tiring. Once you cross half-court, start thinking about your next move and how to attack. Don't dawdle. Remember our passing principles? Don't pass those meaningless defensive or safe passes. Attack, and attack some more. Anyone can initiate an attack from anywhere. Drive, shoot from three, cut to the basket. Be bold."

"Reduce turnovers, but don't be afraid of turnovers. When there is enough space, turnovers will decrease. The triangle offense distributes the space inside the three-point line evenly, and we need to distribute the space in the half court evenly, with each person controlling a larger area. We have the ability to do that."

During the 15-minute halftime break, Gan Guoyang kept writing and drawing on the whiteboard, trying to impart his understanding of the system to his teammates in a cramming manner.

There's no time for training anymore. We'll have to rely on our years of cooperation and excellent tactical skills to adapt to Gan Guoyang's new system.

Fortunately, the Princeton offense's passing, cutting, and positioning have laid an excellent foundation for the Trail Blazers. Gan Guoyang's style of running, passing, and shooting is based on the same principles, no matter how it changes.

Bellman, Adelman, Sharov, and others stood aside, watching and listening attentively to Gan Guoyang's explanation, trying their best to understand what he was saying.

Berman recalls a summer when Forrest Gump was in California for a preseason coaching meeting.

According to Agan, Professor James Naismith believes that the ultimate basketball game is about being able to launch an attack from anywhere.

At the time, Behrman didn't take this to heart, thinking it was just something Forrest Gump dug up somewhere to show off.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, Forrest Gump has kept this sentence in mind, internalizing it and constantly reflecting on it.

Finally, one day, the golden seed of basketball, which may have been born when basketball was invented, blossomed and bore fruit in Forrest Gump's life.

Berman is convinced that this will be a revolutionary change, although it is unlikely that any player will play like Forrest Gump anytime soon.

But hopefully in the future, those children who are still watching the games on TV, grassroots coaches, and university coaches will inherit the new achievements and carry them forward.

Just as Bellman was convinced that his principles on efficiency and the use of data would one day become the golden rule of basketball coaching, influencing everyone on the court.

Time was up, and Gan Guoyang couldn't say anything more. In the end, he told his teammates, "Believe in me, believe in ourselves, this championship will definitely belong to us."

The team's confidence has been restored, and often the system and tactics become less important as the series progresses.

Personal ability, willpower, and the desire to win are the decisive factors.

The Bulls originally had a stronger mental energy than the Trail Blazers this year, but Gan Guoyang has the ability to turn the tide.

Back on the court, the game continued, the red stands resembled boiling lava, and the entire stadium was ablaze.

Jordan started the game with a layup after a drive to the basket, assisting John Paxson for a mid-range jumper, which ignited the Bulls' second-half offensive.

This was a good shot, but in Gan Guoyang's opinion, with a large open corner, John Paxson's decision to step forward and take a mid-range shot was a poor one. If it were the Trail Blazers, Curry or Petrovic should have taken a step back and gambled on a three-pointer; a three-pointer from the corner is key to expanding the court's spacing.

This position was often overlooked in the past and was considered a blind spot on the field, but in the future, the bottom corner will become increasingly important.

The Bulls adjusted their defense against Gan Guoyang, with Pippen continuing to guard him and Buck Williams consciously and actively helping on defense.

That was definitely illegal defense. Two minutes into the third quarter, the Bulls were called for a defensive violation, but they had no choice; they had to guard them like that.

Compared to the first half, Gan Guoyang slowed down the pace and rhythm slightly because the Trail Blazers were already leading by more than 20 points, and at this point, they should play it safe.

The first half caught the Bulls off guard. If they continue to use this advanced but still immature style of play, they will be vulnerable to turnovers and counterattacks.

If they run around haphazardly and the Bulls manage to catch up in a chaotic battle, the situation will be dire.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang wisely chose to hold the ball, spread out, and then back down and press against Pippen as he pushed inside.

Gan Guoyang's bulldozer-like back-to-the-basket moves started pushing in from the three-point line; how could Pippen possibly withstand that?

He then turned and drove to the basket, shoving Bill Cartwright aside, and dunked the ball.

The ball was double-teamed, and passed to Petrovic on the wing. Petrovic drove to the basket, but his layup was disrupted and missed.

Sabonis followed up with a successful putback—a series of interconnected actions, including double-teaming and help defense, which resulted in the Bulls' poor rebounding.

When Gan Guoyang tried to back down and squeeze into the three-point line for the third time, Jordan came over to double-team him.

Instead of passing the ball, Gan Guoyang dribbled outwards, and Jordan and Pippen forced him into a corner of the half-court.

Despite such extreme defense, Gan Guoyang was still able to protect the ball with his strong physique and break out of the encirclement along the sideline with a nimble back turn.

At this point, the Bulls' defensive formation was completely flat, with all their focus shifting to the right side, as they aimed to prevent Gan Guoyang from cutting in from the flank.

Gan Guoyang didn't delay any longer and delivered a long diagonal pass to Petrovic at the left corner.

Petrovic receives the ball, aims, and shoots a three-pointer that goes in!
This season, Petrovic's three-point shooting percentage is 44%, the same as his jersey number.

This kind of play completely defied the Bulls players' defensive common sense.

Under normal circumstances, let alone a center, even a guard would be doing well if he could pass the ball out when surrounded by Pippen and Jordan and forced into a corner of the half-court.

This kind of pass is inevitably a defensive, safe pass, posing no offensive threat whatsoever. Instead, it wastes time and prevents the team from executing its tactics.

After that, it basically comes down to the player's individual ability. They might take a forced shot or drive to the basket, and whether it goes in or not is up to fate. If this kind of offense happens too often, the shooting percentage will definitely plummet.

As a result, Forrest Gump was able to shake off the defenders, then forcefully protect the ball, and then use his strength to break through the encirclement, forcing the Bulls' defense to shift its center of gravity, leaving a wide-open space on the left side.

Next, Gan Guoyang used his height advantage to find an open shot and made an accurate diagonal pass to the right player, with perfect shooting rhythm, assisting in a three-pointer.

"What the hell is this guy?" Even Jordan couldn't help but curse.

He knew he could get rid of the double team, but he would definitely choose to drive straight to the basket or take a mid-range shot later.

When a defender makes such a long, diagonal pass, there is a risk of misjudgment due to obstructed vision.

This kind of godlike offense always seems to find its spark in the third quarter for the Trail Blazers.

At other times, Gan Guoyang reverted to his old-fashioned, cautious approach, steadily wearing down the Bulls.

The Bulls gradually realized that this was a dead end, and the 21-point deficit was simply not going to be erased.

They hadn't even figured out how to effectively deal with Forrest Gump, their defensive communication was flawed, and they were completely outmaneuvered by Forrest Gump who was active on the perimeter.

At the same time, you can't give up on defending Agan in the low post. He occasionally sneaks into the ribs, receives the ball, and quickly backs down for two shots. The Bulls have no way to deal with him.

Jackson continued pacing back and forth on the sidelines, his mind a complete mess amidst the clamor of the Rose Garden Arena and the situation on the court.

As the game progressed, he could sense that the players were increasingly unsure of how to play, and eventually it became Jordan dribbling the ball and attacking alone.

This was exactly like the 1991 Finals; the defensive collapse led to a drop in overall performance and morale, which in turn affected the team's overall performance.

The good news is that this is only the third game, so the Bulls have time to adjust, and they still have a large lead.

Perhaps it's time to give up on this game, let the players rest early, and prepare for the fourth and fifth games.

Finally, just a few minutes into the fourth quarter, Phil Jackson voluntarily substituted Jordan, Pippen, and other key players, signifying the Bulls' surrender.

The point difference between the two sides remained unchanged compared to the first half, with the Trail Blazers leading the Bulls by a whopping 23 points, making it impossible for them to catch up.

The two teams were evenly matched to begin with, but after Agan's actions, they fell behind by more than 20 points, making it even more difficult for them to catch up.

Jordan sat back down on the bench, dejected, and gulped down water while complaining to Jackson, "I've never fucking seen anyone play like this!"

Jackson said with a hint of helplessness, "Now you've seen it."

"We have to make adjustments, or we'll be in big trouble," Jordan added.

"I know, it's big trouble, really big trouble."

The fourth quarter dragged on, and the score was 97-121. The Trail Blazers won the third game with a huge 24-point advantage, bringing the series to 1-2.

Gan Guoyang recorded a triple-double with 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 12 assists. Six players on the team scored in double figures, completely breaking through the Bulls' seemingly impenetrable defense.

The next day, the two teams played their fourth game. The Bulls couldn't find a way to counter it, and Scottie Pippen was pushed to the front line to cover for the Bulls, eventually fouling out after being outplayed by Agan.

In this game, the Bulls suffered another crushing defeat, 101-119, an 18-point difference. The Trail Blazers won two straight games, and Jordan's 44 points became meaningless in the face of the Trail Blazers' all-around offensive onslaught.

The score was 2-2, and both sides were back to square one.

As the fourth game ended and we were leaving the stadium, a cartoonist said he wanted to ask Gan Guoyang for his autograph.

When Gan Guoyang came out of the locker room, he saw the author of "Slam Dunk" who was bald, wearing a white T-shirt and Skyscraper rainbow shoes.

Gan Guoyang took a photo with him and signed his name in the comic book, writing encouraging words such as "This is a good work, keep updating it".

Before parting, he also instructed, "Remember to draw my shoes in, give them a story."

Inoue hugged the signed art book to his chest and nodded repeatedly. He had already figured out the plot: to have Sakuragi forcefully buy a pair of Skyscrapers.

(End of this chapter)