The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 713 The Last Battle

On August 8th, the Barcelona Olympics entered its final day of competition.

Today's competition has ended, and the closing ceremony on August 9th will mark the end of this grand sporting event.

All good things must come to an end. For all the athletes who participated in the competition, regardless of the outcome, this memory is worth cherishing.

For the Chinese men's basketball players, their fond memories and their Barcelona dream are not yet truly over.

The Chinese women's basketball team's gold medal win has given the men's basketball players a huge boost. Having come all the way from the group stage, their morale has changed.

On the evening of the 7th, Gan Guoyang stayed in the Olympic Village for the first time. Everyone gathered together and chatted until late. They asked Gan Guoyang many questions.

"Does playing basketball in the US always involve flying around?"

What does it feel like to win an NBA championship?

"How did Jordan grow so fast? What did he eat to grow up like that?"

"How can Barkley, who's so short, grab so many rebounds..."

"If we win the gold medal this time, will the team give us a raise?"

"If he went to play in the NBA, wouldn't he earn enough in one year to last a lifetime? I see Old Song has already bought a car..."

Everyone chimed in, chatting about all sorts of things, and the discussion was lively and engaging.

Jiang Xingquan unusually refrained from imposing any restrictions, allowing the group of young men to unleash their imagination and curiosity.

Although the Chinese men's basketball team trained with Gan Guoyang in the United States for nearly a month, they didn't interact much off the court.

There was no way around it; Gan Guoyang had too many things to do, too many people, reporters, and fans gathered around him, and he wasn't from the same world as other Chinese players.

After training each day, the Chinese men's basketball team stayed in the dormitories provided by the university, while Gan Guoyang returned to his own mansion.

Upon arriving in Barcelona, ​​the young men stayed in the Olympic Village, while Gan Guoyang stayed at a hotel with NBA superstars.

They were just teammates on the court, but off the court, Gan Guoyang's brilliance was so overwhelming that the men's basketball players dared not look him in the eye.

But tonight is different; everyone is gathered together like friends, spending the last night before the big battle.

Gan Guoyang revealed a side of himself that he rarely shows: down-to-earth, interesting, and enjoys chatting with people about random things.

He shared little-known details of his time playing in the NBA while encouraging young players to take advantage of their youth and try new things.

Whether it's going to the United States or Europe, as the country's top basketball talent, you must dare to go out, learn from and experience foreign experiences, and draw on the strengths of many.

Like Chinese table tennis, which fell into a slump in the late 80s and early 90s, Cai Zhenhua, who stepped up to turn the tide and help Chinese table tennis out of its predicament, spent three years coaching and studying in Italy.

"Anything advanced cannot exist without communication. An individual's wisdom and strength are limited, and a country's creativity and system are also limited. Only through continuous communication and learning can inspiration and wisdom be sparked. Of course, as an individual, there is nothing wrong with pursuing a stable and peaceful life. Many people strive for a stable environment. It all depends on your own life pursuits. In the future, as long as you want to and are capable of playing in the United States or Europe, I will provide assistance."

Gan Guoyang made a promise, hoping that this Olympics could become an opportunity for China's basketball prodigies to embark on a new path and undergo a transformation.

After explaining some important principles, Gan Guoyang started chatting with everyone about gossip, including stories about American basketball stars and Chinese athletes.

Who's dating whom, who's having conflicts with whom, who's having family problems, who's mentally unstable, etc.—it's no different from a group of college students chatting late at night in their dorm room.

Everyone made a ruckus until very late, and then slowly fell asleep amidst a chorus of snores. From time to time, the rumbling of cannons could be heard from next door.

The Olympics are coming to an end, and the athletes who have already finished are seizing their last chance.

The next morning, Gan Guoyang and his teammates got up together, went for a run, had breakfast, and then practiced shooting in the basketball gym.

After training, Gan Guoyang and the coaching staff held a final tactical meeting. Jiang Xingquan handed over command to Gan Guoyang this time, allowing him to make the final arrangements.

Based on the intelligence gathered from Lightner, Gan Guoyang devised a complete plan to deal with the Dream Team—though it was called the best plan, it was actually just hoping to lose as little as possible.

After the setup was complete, Gan Guoyang told everyone to relax, saying, "Don't feel pressured. Reaching this point is already the biggest victory. The real pressure is on the Dream Team. I know they all want to beat me up because I've beaten them too badly in the past. But at the same time, they're afraid of losing, afraid of losing to us. That's their biggest psychological weakness. Anyway, enjoy tonight's game. Have a good rest at noon, and we'll set off at 3:30 this afternoon!"

The final showdown between the US and China was scheduled for 6 p.m., with the bronze medal match between Lithuania and the CIS taking place at 10 a.m.

This match is of great significance to the Lithuanian players. They not only bear the heavy responsibility of winning a medal for Lithuania, but more importantly, their opponent is the CIS.

That is, the former Soviet Union, of which Lithuania was once part, but has since separated.

Therefore, this match was given greater significance and put enormous pressure on the players.

In the morning, at the entrance of the warm-up stadium, Gan Guoyang encountered Sabonis, who was about to leave.

Gan Guoyang wished Sabonis good luck and hoped he would win the match.

Sabonis gripped Gan Guoyang's hand tightly and said, "I'm getting some strength from you. You have to teach the American team a lesson."

"We look forward to your return with a bronze medal."

The two exchanged blessings and hugs, after which Sabonis headed to the arena to participate in the bronze medal match.

The immense pressure did not break Sabonis; instead, it made him perform even better.

Against the CIS, Sabonis scored a game-high 29 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and made 3 blocks.

They helped Lithuania defeat the CIS and win the bronze medal in men's basketball at this Olympics!

Bronze medals are insignificant in the eyes of many people; they are not even worth considering except for gold medals.

But those who truly participate in top-level sports competitions know that a bronze medal, or third place in the world, is also a remarkable honor.

For the Lithuanian men's basketball team, which had to pool its own money to form a team while the country was in turmoil and bankruptcy, a bronze medal was just as meaningful as a gold medal.

After the match, in the Lithuanian locker room, Sabonis and his teammates celebrated wildly, spraying champagne everywhere.

In Lithuania, people celebrated wildly, setting off fireworks and cheering in the squares while waving the Lithuanian flag.

For many small countries, football and basketball are the best ways to uphold their dignity and pride.

After the bronze medal match ended, with more than six hours to go before the gold medal match, the Chinese men's basketball team was still resting in the Olympic Village, making final preparations.

The Lithuanian players didn't want to stay in the stadium until the end of the gold medal match for the awards ceremony, so they returned to the Olympic Village and celebrated in their dormitories.

Gan Guoyang was resting in his dormitory with his eyes closed, using visualization training in his mind to simulate the situation of fighting against the Dream Team.

He no longer cared about winning or losing; just playing against the Dream Team made him incredibly excited—it was truly fascinating.

Ma Jian suddenly burst in, shouting, "Old Gan! I heard that Lithuania is celebrating their bronze medal win, and Sabonis is having an arm-wrestling match there! Nobody can beat him!"

"What! Sabo's back! Arm wrestling? I'm coming too!"

When Gan Guoyang heard that there was such a fun thing to do, he naturally wanted to participate.

So he followed Ma Jian and ran towards their dormitory in Lithuania.

Sure enough, the Lithuanian dormitory was packed with people, all of them weightlifters, track and field athletes, and wrestlers from various countries.

The scene was incredibly lively, the air thick with the scent of hormones, making everyone's blood boil.

In the room, Sabonis placed a large table in the middle, with a small table stacked on top of it.

He was arm wrestling with a burly white man, his right arm exposed.

Sabonis's veins bulged on his forehead. He suddenly roared and used all his strength to straighten the big man's arm.

A cheer erupted from the crowd. Sabonis had won eight consecutive matches! This guy was simply godlike.

Gan Guoyang pushed through the crowd to Sabonis and said, "Sabo! Congratulations on winning the bronze medal. Let's have a match!"

Sabonis, who had been all smiles, froze the moment he saw Gan Guoyang. He said, "Sonny, what are you doing here? There's a match tonight!"

Gan Guoyang said, "The competition doesn't start for another five or six hours, so there's no rush. Let's have a match and celebrate."

Sabonis sighed; he knew he was no match for Forrest Gump in terms of strength.

You have no choice; given the atmosphere and the situation, you have to go through with it.

Winning or losing doesn't matter anyway, let's just have some fun and show off.

So the two giants stood in the center of the room, with their arms resting on the table.

Even when he was still in high school, Gan Guoyang could beat Chamberlain in an arm wrestling match.

His strength is systemic; every muscle, ligament, skeleton, and nerve recruitment ability is historic.

Although he did not receive specific arm-wrestling training, Sabonis is not a professional arm-wrestler.

"Push harder, Sabo, push harder!"

When the match started, Sabonis went all out, while Gan Guoyang remained motionless, even making Sabonis exert more force.

Gan Guoyang's steel-like wrist firmly locked Sabonis's hairy hand, a truly shocking sight.

The table beneath their arms trembled, as if they were two masters exchanging blows and testing their internal strength in a martial arts novel.

After a stalemate of half a minute, Gan Guoyang shook his head slightly and said, "Sabo, is this the end for you? I'm about to unleash my power!"

After he finished speaking, the balance between the two was broken. Gan Guoyang's arm, as if it were equipped with a hydraulic system, pressed down little by little, but irreversibly.

Finally, Sabonis gave up. He was no match for Forrest Gump. He was exhausted, but he was happy. The two hugged each other tightly.

"Boss, you should go to the competition. I know it'll be hard to win, but you have to beat the Americans to a pulp."

Gan Guoyang left the Lithuanian dormitory amidst the athletes' adoration and cheers. He even drank a few glasses of champagne, and the aroma of the wine lingered around him.

After meeting up with the others and arriving at the stadium to prepare for the game, Jiang Xingquan smelled alcohol and frowned, saying, "Old Gan, have you been drinking?"

Gan Guoyang answered honestly, "I had a little. The Lithuanians were celebrating winning the bronze medal, and I was dragged over to have two drinks."

If it were anyone else, Jiang Xingquan would definitely be furious, but Gan Guoyang has this privilege, so he can have a drink if he wants.

"Won't it affect your performance?"

"No, I'm actually more excited after having a little alcohol, and I'll play even better."

Gan Guoyang looked genuinely excited, as the clash with the Dream Team was drawing ever closer.

Around 5 p.m., the players from both sides took to the court for the men's basketball gold medal match between the Dream Team and the Chinese team.

This will be the final showdown of the Olympics, and it's no exaggeration to say that it's the focus of everyone's attention.

Hundreds of television stations around the world broadcast the match live, and a large number of reporters, experts, and commentators were watching it closely.

Before the game, Tang Yizhou, a reporter from China, conducted an exclusive interview with Gan Guoyang and the Chinese men's basketball players.

Back then, Tang Yizhou was a diplomatic journalist who was sent to the United States to study and felt lost and confused about his future.

I learned about Gan Guoyang in the United States by chance, and started paying attention to him, wondering if he could make a living by sports news.

He never expected Gan Guoyang to achieve such great success, nor did he expect that he would become famous overnight with a long feature report on Gan Guoyang.

Now he is a senior basketball reporter and columnist. This time, he was a special basketball reporter for CCTV, and he provided full coverage of the men's and women's basketball games.

Want to win a gold medal?

"Nonsense, of course I want to take it."

"Hey, you can't be so blunt, be more tactful."

“How do you phrase this more tactfully? Delete the word ‘nonsense’.”

"Are you confident?"

"I lack confidence."

"..."

Tang Yizhou and Gan Guoyang have known each other for many years. Their interviews and conversations are just like casual chats between friends, without any official jargon.

"Think about it, if our Chinese team had five of me, go ask the American team if they would have confidence."

Tang Yizhou laughed and said, "Even if there were five of you, we couldn't just let you play basketball. The leaders would definitely arrange for you to participate in other events and win more gold medals."

With Gan Guoyang's physical talent, and with professional training, he could very well win more gold medals in other events.

The two chatted casually for a while, which looked like an interview but was actually just a chat between old friends.

Instead of asking tricky questions, Tang Yizhou chatted about everyday things and shared his feelings, aiming to help the Chinese team relax.

Journalists shouldn't always be like dogs, digging for scraps, digging up juicy stories, and fabricating tales; they shouldn't be mere secondhand dealers or fabrication tools.

Good journalists should become friends with the players, observe, understand, and get close to them, so that they can write truly warm and insightful reports.

Tang Yizhou is that kind of reporter. As the competition was about to begin, he wrote in his notebook, "The most important thing is that we have hope."

This is what Gan Guoyang told him.
-
The competition officially started at 6 p.m.

The stadium was packed with fans, including athletes from many different countries.

They are all coming to witness this epic battle where Mars collides with Earth.

Tonight, the US team is wearing white jerseys, while the Chinese team is wearing red jerseys.

Before the game started, in the Dream Team's locker room, Bobby Bellman kept playing highlights of Gan Guoyang's NBA games on a video recorder.

The backdrops for these highlights include Ewing, Robinson, Jordan, Barkley, Johnson, Pippen, Malone, and many others. Except for Laettner, who hadn't yet entered the NBA, every member of the Dream Team had served as a stepping stone.

This is a very old trick, but it really works.

Even as the players warmed up on the court before the game started, a gloomy atmosphere hung over the faces of the Dream Team players.

That was the shadow cast on everyone by the rulers of this alliance for eight years, starting in 1984.

The starting lineup for Team USA consisted of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, and Scottie Pippen.

In the starting power forward position, Berman no longer used Barkley because Barkley was being suppressed too much by Gan Guoyang.

They didn't use the relatively soft Robinson at center; in comparison, Ewing was a more resilient and difficult opponent.

It's clear that the Dream Team is taking this very seriously; they can't afford to lose.

China's starting lineup was also quite unique.

Center Shan Tao, Power Forward Gan Guoyang, Small Forward Ma Jian, Shooting Guard Sun Jun, Point Guard Hu Weidong.

The Chinese team fielded a tall lineup, abandoning the use of a smaller point guard, a move born out of necessity against Magic Johnson.

However, Gan Guoyang received information from Leitner that Johnson's leg injury had not fully healed, and his performance would definitely be affected. The two center forwards stood in the center circle, preparing for the jump ball.

Gan Guoyang chewed his gum as he looked at the starting five of the Dream Team.

What a terrifying lineup! Every player is a core member of a top NBA team, plus two legends like Johnson and Jordan.

The rest of the Chinese team were so nervous they were taking deep breaths, but Gan Guoyang was just excited; he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

The Dream Team members were also not at ease; in fact, they would have preferred to face the Chinese team in the group stage rather than in the final.

The group stage isn't that important; everyone can happily beat Forrest Gump to a pulp and get revenge.

The final is different; they can't afford to lose. More importantly, in the final, Forrest Gump will definitely go all out and even exceed his usual level.

That's absolutely terrifying.

Jordan stared intently at Gan Guoyang; their eyes met, then looked away.

No one spoke or argued; they remained silent, waiting for it to begin.

Pippen kept clutching his trouser leg; he felt a throbbing pain in his temples. Damn it.

You damn head, you absolutely mustn't feel pain!

With his hands on his hips, Malone mentally made a cross gesture when Bellman assigned him to guard Forrest Gump that night.

Barkley's prayers last night worked; he didn't start and can rest and watch the game from the sidelines for now.

Ewing touched the ball first during the jump ball, the Dream Team attacked, and the game began!

Johnson receives the ball, and the Chinese team, as in previous games, continues to use a zone defense.

The difference is that Gan Guoyang has moved to the power forward position, and his defense is now positioned further out.

Johnson handled the ball and orchestrated the offense with ease, though his leg injury hadn't fully healed, affecting his speed and explosiveness.

At that moment, he was entirely a passer, giving the ball to Jordan who had made a run out of position.

Jordan received the ball, faced Sun Jun, and immediately took a jump shot.

Sun Jun knew Jordan was fast, but he only realized just how fast he was when he actually faced him.

It's so fast that your eyes have already reacted; he's about to shoot, and I'm going to block it.

By the time you jump to block, the ball has already flown out, and then it goes in cleanly!
Jordan scored the first two points.

The Dream Team's defensive focus was not entirely on Gan Guoyang alone.

Berman knows Gan Guoyang well. Even if you double-team and surround him at the start of the game, he will still tear you apart with his passing.

Since we have the advantage in strength, let's not try anything funny and just focus on one-on-one defense.

Hu Weidong barely managed to get the ball past midfield and immediately passed it to Gan Guoyang, who then organized an attack.

The Dream Team's defense was very tight, with deployments on the flanks and in the middle.

The baseline was somewhat relaxed because Gan Guoyang couldn't dribble to the baseline and then break through.

This was an arrangement made by Bellman to prevent Gan Guoyang from breaking through, which shows that Bellman knows Gan Guoyang very well.

Gan Guoyang passed the ball, but Sun Jun tried to dribble inside and was intercepted by Pippen.

The Dream Team launched a counterattack. Pippen dribbled the ball himself, slowed down, and after attracting Gan Guoyang's attention, passed it directly to Malone on the other side.

As soon as Ma Long received the ball, he drove to the basket and slammed it home!
The team started strong offensively, but the Dream Team dared not be careless.

Berman set up a good central and flank defense to prevent Gan Guoyang from attacking with the ball.

If Gan Guoyang passes the ball to Hu Weidong or Sun Jun or other players and goes to the inside to ask for the ball, the Dream Team will immediately double-team and surround him.

At that time, the physical condition of the rest of the Chinese team was at best on par with that of Angola, and perhaps even inferior.

Angola was hit with a 46-1 run by the US team in their first match, thanks to the US team's tight pressing defense and counter-attacks.

Under these circumstances, the Chinese team's offense quickly ran into trouble. Gan Guoyang attempted a forced three-pointer from the outside, but missed.

The American team, relying on double-teaming and counter-attacks, scored a 10-0 run against the Chinese team, forcing Jiang Xingquan to call a timeout.

Shan Tao also committed a foul during the confrontation, allowing Ewing to make two free throws and a hook shot.

The gap between the two sides is indeed too large.

Jiang Xingquan had no good ideas and could only watch helplessly as Gan Guoyang appeared.

This situation is beyond his control.

All the plans, arrangements, and preparations made before the match seemed utterly useless in the face of such an absolute disparity in strength.

If you can't even dribble the ball properly, what are you talking about tactics for?
Gan Guoyang remained calm and said, "We need to score now, we can't keep being pressured. Shan Tao, you go to the low post and score a basket, I'll rush to the basket to receive the pass, you just need to adapt to the situation."

Shan Tao nodded. This center, born in Shanghai, raised in Nanjing, and playing in Beijing, is already China's most capable inside player besides Gan Guoyang, and is known as the number one center in Asia.

He may not have the skill to compete against the Dream Team, but he certainly has the guts.

After the timeout, he took on the task of posting up Ewing in the low post.

The hook shot that turned around missed, but Gan Guoyang cut to the basket, squeezed past Ma Long, jumped high to grab the rebound, and was about to put it back in for a dunk!
Unexpectedly, Jordan, who came from behind to help defend, knocked the ball away.

The Dream Team launched another counterattack. Jordan received the ball and pushed the fast break, waiting for Gan Guoyang to catch up and defend.

Then he suddenly accelerated towards the basket, switched hands, and scored with a layup!
Gan Guoyang didn't dare to rush too hard for fear of being called for a foul, and could only watch as Jordan drove past him to complete a difficult layup.

12: 0!

The dream team has made a dream start.

It's clear they showed no mercy; they really went all out on both offense and defense.

Jordan shook his head at Gan Guoyang and said, "Sonny, have you been drinking? You smell of alcohol."

Gan Guoyang ignored him; he didn't want to waste his time talking nonsense with anyone right now, and he needed to focus on his own attention.

Sweat poured down their faces as the Chinese team served from the backcourt.

The Dream Team relaxed their defensive intensity slightly, and Hu Weidong took control of the ball.

Gan Guoyang was finally able to get to the low post to receive the ball, but the double team immediately came up.

Gan Guoyang reacted very quickly, turned towards the baseline, and launched a mid-range fadeaway jump shot!
The ball flew steadily towards the basket and went in!
"Shit!" Jordan yelled.

Forrest Gump, didn't you always use a forward-leaning shot after turning around?
Why are you using a fadeaway jump shot today too?
Leaning forward to shoot is okay against one person, but barely okay against a double team.

However, when surrounded by three opponents, it's really difficult to create space for a leaning jump shot.

"How dare you shoot a fadeaway, Sonny! You spineless coward!" Jordan yelled.

However, Gan Guoyang completely ignored him and instead took advantage of the Dream Team's serve to suddenly attack.

He snatched the ball from Johnson, turned and went for a layup, faked out Ewing, rose again, made the layup and drew a foul!
Additional penalties!

Gan Guoyang scored 5 points in just over ten seconds.

12: 5.

Jordan immediately realized that Forrest Gump was serious from the very first second tonight.

Jordan also shut up, no longer saying anything, and instead stepped in to take on some of Johnson's playmaking responsibilities.

Jordan passed the ball to Pippen, who then passed it to Ewing in the low post. Ewing turned and made a jump shot over Shan Tao!
The pace of the game is trending towards faster.

Gan Guoyang knew this was an opportunity, so he quickly inbounded the ball from the backcourt and dribbled it across half-court.

Jordan and Pippen came over to block them, and the Dream Team's overall defensive formation pushed forward.

Gan Guoyang made a long pass to the inside, and Shan Tao received the ball and made a layup!
Apart from Gan Guoyang, everyone else was able to score.

However, on the defensive end, the Chinese team really struggled to stop the Americans.

Against Croatia, they can still rely on zone defense to block the three-second zone and leave the three-point line open.

Gan Guoyang alone cannot completely stop the United States.

Ewing was once again given a screen and cut, and Shan Tao couldn't stop him, allowing Ewing to drive to the basket and dunk!

Johnson noticed that Gan Guoyang was working hard to help his teammates defend the perimeter, guarding Jordan and Pippen, and also taking care of Malone.

He can no longer consider Ewing; if he did, it would create opportunities for Jordan and Malone.

However, Gan Guoyang also noticed Johnson's foot injury, as his dribbling and penetration were noticeably less smooth.

Gan Guoyang dribbled with his back to the basket, and after crossing half-court, he started to push Johnson towards the inside, using his strength to reach the middle.

You're blocking our escape route? Then I'll just use my back to force my way through.

He turned and squeezed into the basket from the middle, facing a triple threat from Ewing, Malone, and Johnson, and scored with a hook shot!
With a score of 16:9, the Chinese team did not fall behind.

Then Johnson made a mistake in organizing the offense; his legs just weren't nimble enough.

Hu Weidong made a steal, but the Chinese team did not launch a fast break counterattack; instead, they remained slow.

The Chinese team desperately wanted to drag out the entire attack time with every attack, as this would be most advantageous for them.

Gan Guoyang dribbled the ball outside, looking for an opportunity like a guard.

He suddenly stopped and launched a three-pointer, which went in perfectly!

With the shot clock ticking away, he hit a three-pointer!

16:12! The Chinese team was only 4 points behind the American team at the start of the game!
Off the field, head coach Berman, assistant coaches Daly and Wilkens all seemed a bit anxious.

"Should we call a timeout?" Daly asked Bellman.

Since the Dream Team was formed, they have never called a timeout in official matches.

Because it's not necessary at all; the players can solve the problem on the field themselves.

For these players, calling a timeout might be an insult.

But the opponent was Forrest Gump, whose condition was as fiery and terrifying as ever.

"Is this kid going to only get 80 points tonight?" The thought made Bellman's heart tremble.

But it was too late to call a timeout, and the American team launched an attack.

It was still the same duo of Johnson and Ewing, but Johnson himself lacked the ability to break through – his leg was too sore, so he could only keep feeding the ball to his teammates.

Malone is being matched up against Forrest Gump, and Jordan doesn't seem to have any intention of taking over the game. Ewing is currently the best scorer.

A high pick-and-roll, a cut, the Chinese team double-teamed him, Johnson made a behind-the-back pass to Ewing at the top of the key.

Ewing took an open mid-range shot, but missed!

Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound and began to calmly organize the offense.

Ma Jian then circled around to provide cover for Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang used Ma Jian's screen to drive all the way to the baseline, then broke through from the baseline and dunked with his left hand against Ewing's defense!

Since you've blocked the middle and flanks, I can actually circle around to the bottom line and break through. There's always a way.

Gan Guoyang's long strides and imposing ball-handling drives still baffle and stump NBA players.

How do you defend against this? Not only can you not defend him in the low post, but he can also drive to the basket?

16:14, China is only 2 points behind! Nine minutes of the first half have passed.

After a 10-0 run, the Chinese team rallied and caught up, while the American team seemed to lose its offensive sharpness after their tight defense failed.

Jordan decided to step up and told Johnson to give him the ball in the next possession.

However, the referee blew the whistle to call a timeout, and Bobby Bellman called the first timeout of the Olympics.

Jordan was very unhappy about this and returned to the bench during the timeout, saying, "We can solve this! Why call a timeout, Bobby?"

Bellman only said one sentence: "Because the other side is Forrest Gump."

Everyone fell silent. Then, Bellman added, "Do you guys want him to score 80 points this game?"

Everyone shook their heads; no one wanted to see this happen—it was an absolute disaster.

Judging from the way things are going at the beginning, if things continue like this, it might really happen.

Bellman's timeout was timely; he substituted Stockton for Magic Johnson, who was suffering from leg discomfort.

Then, Pippen was replaced at the small forward position, and Charles Barkley was brought in to boost energy.

Bellman understood perfectly well that in situations like this, there was no point in having everyone take turns playing to share playing time.

The more firepower we use, the better; we must suppress Forrest Gump.

"Remember, our goal tonight is to win the game, not to contain Forrest Gump. If our attention is completely drawn to defending Forrest, things will go very badly. We need to focus on the game itself, on the whole Chinese team, and beat them with a better offense. We need to run faster, not try to slow Forrest down!"

"Sometimes, that's why you guys can never beat Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers!" Bellman couldn't help but add.

Everyone looked at Bellman with strange eyes. Bellman roared, "Get out there, losers! Tonight, you fucking have to win this! XXXXXXX!"

Despite a barrage of harsh profanities from Bellman, the Dream Team adjusted and continued the match.

Meanwhile, Gan Guoyang took a break to adjust his breathing and drank some water.

At that moment, he didn't care about the score at all; he didn't look at the scoreboard at all; he only cared about the game itself.

His own condition, his teammates' condition, the opponents' condition, and basketball itself.

"Don't look at the score, don't feel any pressure or fluctuation. Let's calm down, play well, and play our best."

Gan Guoyang and his teammates gathered together, and he gave some more details about Gong Xiaobin and Adijiang's upcoming appearance.

The timeout ended, the match resumed, and Gan Guoyang let out a long sigh of relief before throwing himself back into the game.

(End of this chapter)