The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 723 Trouble
Back in Portland, Gan Guoyang remained uneasy.

He was in Portland, flying all over the United States, while his father was in San Francisco.

Although I lived with my uncle's family, I ultimately didn't have anyone to take care of me personally.

When asked to find a new partner, Gan Youwei resolutely refused.

You should know that the line of elderly women in Chinatown who want to have a twilight romance with Gan Youwei could stretch all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Even those younger than Gan Guoyang were willing to become Gan's stepmothers.

Gan Youwei didn't even think about it; he would get angry with anyone in the family who brought it up.

Firstly, he is loyal to his past relationships and has no other desires.

Secondly, like Gan Bingguang, he didn't want to cause trouble for the children.

Imagine how a big star like Gan Guoyang would be ridiculed in the highly developed entertainment industry of the United States if he had a stepmother younger than himself.

Over the years, Gan Guoyang has won numerous championships, accumulating immense popularity and fame, but also offending many people in the process.

Putting aside everything else, which fan in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, or Washington doesn't "hate" Forrest Gump?
At Gan's Restaurant in Tiandelong District, tabloid reporters stake out the place almost every day, hoping to dig up some scoop.

Gan Youwei would absolutely "keep himself clean" for the sake of his son.

Even though he's a charming womanizer and has a relationship with a much younger woman, it's not a big deal in a society like America.

At most, they'll be the subject of jokes in newspapers, on television, and on talk shows; it's not illegal.

But Gan Youwei wouldn't do that; he's never been that kind of person.

His mind was focused on running the restaurant and cooking.

His biggest hobby over the years has been watching basketball games.

Originally uninterested in and completely ignorant about basketball, he started subscribing to sports magazines.

He never misses a single issue of Sports Illustrated, and he always displays magazines with his son on the cover in a prominent position in his store.

I subscribed to ESPN and CBS pay channels on TV and watched the games every day without fail.

In his spare time, he would go to a nearby middle school to watch students play basketball and learn about the ins and outs of the sport.

I do this so that I have something to talk about with my son every time I call him or go to Portland.

Besides his own son, his favorite player is Chris Mullin.

Mulin often ate at Gan's Restaurant, and his favorite dish was sweet and sour pork made by Gan Youwei.

He was content with his life in San Francisco, and every two months he would close his shop to visit his grandchildren in Portland.

Therefore, every time Gan Guoyang hoped that Gan Youwei would go to Portland and live with them for a long time, Gan Youwei would never agree.

He couldn't give up the restaurant he had run for over ten years, and he didn't want to cause trouble for his son and daughter-in-law.

However, to Gan Guoyang's surprise, not long after he returned to Portland, Gan Youwei took the initiative to call him.

"Guoyang, I'd like to stay at your place for a while."

"Great! How long will you be staying?"

"I don't know how long I can stay?"

"Of course, we can stay as long as we want. But what about the restaurant?"

"Hey, does the restaurant really have to close down without me? Without you, the Portland Trail Blazers might not win a championship at worst, but they'll still have to play basketball."

“You’re right, there’s always someone to run the restaurant. You’re tired, so you can come stay with me. I’m worried about you staying in San Francisco; your grandchildren miss you…”

With his father coming to terms with things and willing to live with his son, Gan Guoyang finally felt relieved.

Therefore, in December, Gan Guoyang focused his energy on the court.

Without Gan Guoyang, the Trail Blazers suffered defeats in both Chicago and Cleveland.

The Trail Blazers lost both games decisively because they lacked an advantage in the paint.

On offense, things are alright. During the regular season, Petrovic, Porter, and Lewis, who have returned from injury, can all provide firepower.

However, on the defensive end, without Forrest Gump's rim protection and rebounding, the game experience is completely different.

When Forrest Gump was around, his teammates didn't have to worry about defense at all; they could just focus on dealing with their assigned opponents.

Help defense and rebounds, Forrest Gump will handle it all perfectly. If the opponent misses, just go for a fast break.

Now there's neither Gan Guoyang nor Sabonis, just two rookies in the paint.

The Trail Blazers' lack of timely defensive adjustments, resulting in lost rebounds and missed defenders, left the paint wide open for all three seconds.

A weak defense will subsequently affect the offense.

There are fewer counterattacks and fewer fast breaks.

If the rear is unstable, the front line will naturally be under pressure.

After suffering two consecutive losses, the Trail Blazers returned to Portland to rest and recuperate.

After resting for two days, Gan Guoyang returned to the court on December 8th in the game against the Bucks.

At the Rose Garden Arena, the outcome of the game was never in doubt.

The Bucks are no longer the iron-willed defensive team they were in the 80s.

After Don Nelson left, the Bucks gradually fell apart.

With Ricky Pierce traded and Jack Hickma retired, the Bucks became a bottom-feeder.

In the summer of 1991, the Bucks signed Moses Malone.

The once-dominant king of offensive rebounding has become a wandering mercenary.

As he aged and lost his explosiveness and energy, Ma Long's playing style became less effective.

His performance declined year by year, gradually degenerating from a 25+15 superstar to an ordinary 20+10 star.

Last season, he had degenerated into a role player who averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds, but could still contribute to the team.

However, this season, Moses Malone suffered a herniated disc during training camp in October.

After enduring the pain for a while, he could no longer bear it and had to undergo surgery in November.

He will miss most of the season due to surgery.

At 37, his body finally gave out.

After such a major injury, there will definitely be a precipitous decline.

Without Malone, the Bucks are in a much worse situation.

In Portland, they were no match for the Trail Blazers.

With Gan Guoyang back in the lineup, the Trail Blazers easily dominated their opponents.

121:91, a decisive victory by 30 points.

At the end of the game, Gan Guoyang shook hands with the Bucks players.

Turning around, he asked assistant coach Shalov, "Who are these players?"

He didn't know most of the players on the Bucks roster.

The NBA is undergoing a very rapid turnover of talent, and the familiar players from the 80s are leaving.

Those who are somewhat famous can even hold a retirement ceremony to inform everyone.

Some lesser-known members disappeared from the league without a trace.

In the past, when preparing for a match, Gan Guoyang would always carefully study the opponent's roster.

Some even pinned the match schedule to their lockers, adjusting their pace according to their opponents.

Over time, Gan Guoyang stopped looking at the list of opponents, and he didn't recognize many of them.

They don't even glance at the schedule; they just play whoever they want, and beat anyone who disagrees.

Because Gan Guoyang's only real opponent is himself.

His health, his mental state, his own condition.

He doesn't care how his opponents target him.

Shalov said, "They're all new players, just joined the league, like... like that guy, Jon Barry, old Barry's son."

"Oh? Old Barry's son, he's already in the league. He didn't get much of a chance today."

"He played for a while during garbage time, and I heard that he also has a son who is preparing to enter the league."

"He has basketball genes, but they've been diluted quite a bit."

In the NBA, it's often the case that a hero father has a scoundrel son, while an ordinary father has a better chance of his son becoming a superstar.

After all, many star players' extraordinary talents come from genetic mutations, which are considered "gifts from heaven."

It's something that can only be encountered by chance, and it's extremely difficult to replicate in two generations.

After ending their losing streak, the Trail Blazers traveled to Los Angeles for an away game, and then went through tough overtime battles in Seattle and Denver.

On December 20th, when the team faced the Golden State Warriors again at home, the Trail Blazers finally welcomed back Sabonis.

At this time, the Trail Blazers had a record of 15 wins and 6 losses, ranking second in the Western Conference after the Phoenix Suns.

Despite being plagued by injuries, the Trail Blazers, led by Gan Guoyang, still achieved a stable record.

Gan Guoyang has not yet played in the two losses, as he is absent due to other commitments.

His ability to cover the bottom in the regular season is evident.

Bellman even joked, "As long as Forrest Gump is around, I can just grab four random people on the street and team up with him, and we can make it to the playoffs."

Tonight, before playing against the Warriors, Gan Youwei approached his son and said, "Get me a ticket; I want to go to the game live."

Gan Guoyang immediately called the Trail Blazers ticketing office, and they promptly delivered a front-row ticket.

"What's wrong, Dad? Are you a Warriors fan?"

"I live in San Francisco and sometimes go to watch their games; they're pretty good."

"They changed coaches this year and played well. Win or lose, it's quite entertaining."

"There are a lot of goals, so it's quite exciting to watch."

Hearing his father say that, Gan Guoyang was quite happy.

After moving to Portland, Gan Youwei didn't stay there for more than a few days before he started clamoring to go back to San Francisco.

He didn't stay in the small room in the attic, but instead moved into the comfortable large room that Gan Guoyang arranged for him.

He stopped doing the cooking at home, since there were housekeeping services available, and he started to become a hands-off manager.

I practice Tai Chi, tend to my flowers, read the newspaper, and play with my grandchildren every day.

The rest of the time was spent watching basketball games, both on TV and live.

Gan Guoyang thought to himself that his father probably understood something from the passing of his great-uncle.

My great-uncle worked hard all his life, but to be honest, he didn't enjoy much happiness.

He worked hard all his life, and his sudden death is truly regrettable.

With a son like Gan Guoyang, Gan Youwei was already financially secure.

With so much time left in our lives, why not enjoy the company of our grandchildren and spend quality time with our families?

He experienced many hardships and setbacks in the first half of his life, but after coming to a foreign land, he finally had a different life.

It's time to enjoy ourselves.

That evening, Gan Youwei sat behind the Trail Blazers' bench.

This wasn't the first time he'd come to the Rose Garden to watch his son's match.

Gan Youwei would always be present at important matches in the past.

But this was the first time Gan Youwei had gone to the stadium to watch a game on his own initiative.

Gan Guoyang felt inexplicably motivated, as if he wanted to make a good impression on his father.

Before the match began, Sprewell wanted to bump fists with Gan Guoyang.

He was truly impressed by Gan Guoyang's 34 points in a single quarter in the last game.

When Gan Guoyang saw Sprewell, his eyes were blank.

It's as if it's saying, "Who are you? Want to fist bump with me?"
Sprewell was a little embarrassed; Forrest Gump hadn't remembered him at all.

Mullin came over and introduced, "This is Sprewell, the guy who tried to defend you in the last game."

Upon hearing the name Sprewell, Gan Guoyang remembered it; it was that madman.

This guy didn't have a cornrow yet; he had regular short black hair, so Gan Guoyang didn't recognize him.

"Oh, it's you. Hello. Good luck tonight."

Gan Guoyang and Sprewell bumped fists.

Sprewell felt a sense of recognition.

A true strong person is one who can disregard everything.

Skin color, race, nationality—none of that matters.

Gan Guoyang delivered another outstanding performance against the Warriors tonight.

Because the Warriors, under Don Nelson's coaching, genuinely didn't play defense.

Gan Guoyang receives the ball and attacks smoothly in all his sweet spots, whether in the low post, at the top of the arc, or in the mid-range on the bottom side.

In this situation, he couldn't afford to be polite and launched a series of strong attacks from the start of the first quarter.

With Sabonis' return, Gan Guoyang's pressure on defense and playmaking has been greatly reduced.

He could freely display his amazing offensive skills in front of his father.

His signature Moonhook, a turnaround jump shot with a heel and lean forward, is a signature move. He also showcases his outside ball-handling drives, fast break crossover dunks, and three-pointers from the top of the arc.

He is undoubtedly the offensive kaleidoscope of the NBA today, proficient in all kinds of techniques.

Some offensive techniques are not mainstream in the current NBA and are not widely used.

Gan Guoyang, however, is adept at using it, such as the step-back jump shot; his Vandeweghe step has surpassed that of Vandeweghe.

Some offensive techniques are so outdated that they seem destined to be phased out by the league.

Gan Guoyang still uses it very well, such as the big hook, which makes people see the glory of the skyhook in the past.

With a weak interior and a lack of defensive depth, the Warriors have once again become a good opponent for Gan Guoyang to "pad his stats".

With 48 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists, Gan Guoyang delivered another outstanding performance.

Sprewell was completely defeated. As the game entered garbage time, Sprewell could only stand on the sidelines and watch Gan Guoyang's performance.

Gan Guoyang not only scores high, but also has a very good shooting percentage.

They played beautifully throughout the game, dominating both offense and defense.

After the match, Gan Guoyang, unusually, hugged his father on the sidelines.

Gan Youwei rarely expresses his love for his son in public like American parents do.

This time, however, he was very proactive and generous, and even asked the reporters to take a group photo with them.

The fans at the Rose Garden Arena erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Even Tang Jianguo, who has rarely appeared in Portland this season, stood up to cheer for Forrest Gump and his son.

At this moment, Tang Jianguo might have some regrets. With Agan in such good form, how could he not add elite players to the Trail Blazers?

Look at the Trail Blazers' bench now. With everyone back, the only truly usable players on the bench are Petrovic, Curry, and Allie.

The Trail Blazers, who originally had 10 players, have now reduced their rotation to 8.

They can manage in the regular season, but what about the playoffs? And the finals?

At this point, it would be very difficult for Jerry West to strengthen the Trail Blazers.

The free agent signing window has closed.

If it comes to a trade, the Trail Blazers don't really have any good assets to offer.

Players like PJ Brown and Davis could make a name for themselves with the Trail Blazers.

But without Forrest Gump's guidance and protection, he couldn't get playing time with other teams.

They need at least two or three more seasons of honing their skills before they can truly make a name for themselves.

Furthermore, in December, the Trail Blazers added another player to their injury list.

Ed Pinkney tore his ACL during practice, ending his season.

The Trail Blazers' already precarious bench has suffered another blow.

Jerry West originally planned to trade Pinckney plus draft picks for a useful tall veteran.

This plan had to be abandoned, and the pressure at the power forward position fell on veteran Wayne Cooper.

Cooper came to the Trail Blazers with the intention of returning to his roots, playing for one year, retiring, and joining the Trail Blazers' management team.

Who knew that he would take on such a major responsibility recently?

With the Trail Blazers' interior players frequently sidelined due to injury, Cooper often had to play for ten or twenty minutes at a time.

At 36, with his aging body, he truly understands that every penny in the NBA is hard-earned.

The Trail Blazers' troubles this season are far from over.

After a resounding victory over the Warriors, the Trail Blazers have finally assembled their full roster.

They went on a winning streak, defeating the 76ers, Rockets, and Mavericks in succession.

On December 23, before Christmas, the Trail Blazers traveled to Salt Lake City to play against the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz also played very well in the regular season, competing fiercely with the Trail Blazers and Suns for the top three spots in the Western Conference.

Jerry Sloan's offensive system has been refined for another year, and with each passing year, the Jazz's system becomes more sophisticated.

They seem to be practicing the Dragon Elephant Prajna Kung Fu, which is difficult to learn, time-consuming, and has limited effects, but they are making steady progress step by step.

Once time accumulates to a certain extent, its power becomes increasingly greater and more profound.

In their first meeting this season, the Trail Blazers had a record of 18 wins and 8 losses, while the Jazz had a record of 19 wins and 7 losses.

The Jazz have more wins than the Trail Blazers, pushing the Blazers to third place in the Western Conference.

This game is crucial for the Trail Blazers in their battle for position.

So far, the Trail Blazers' performance in December has been decent.

The primary goal for management and coaching staff is no longer results, but health.

If we can fight healthily until next year, until June, then we've succeeded.

The game took place on the evening of the 23rd, and the entire Trail Blazers team arrived in Salt Lake City on the 22nd.

They stayed at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, which is close to a shopping mall.

During the playoffs, we usually stay at resort hotels in Salt Lake City, where there are fewer people and it's far from the city center, making it a good place to focus on the game.

Staying at the Marriott downtown during the regular season is more convenient, as players can go shopping at the mall.

Salt Lake City is a really boring place, so going out to do some shopping can help pass the time.

On the evening of the 22nd, Gan Guoyang was invited by Stockton to his home.

Stockton's parents happened to be in Salt Lake City, so the family had a short get-together.

Gan Guoyang is Stockton's best friend, so of course we had to invite him when he came.

Gan Guoyang stayed at Stockton's house, where they ate, drank some wine, watched TV, and chatted until late.

Here, Gan Guoyang can enjoy peace and tranquility, free from the harassment of reporters and the media.

Gan Guoyang didn't leave until the early hours of the morning, and Nada invited him to stay the night.

Gan Guoyang decided to return to the hotel; he didn't want to miss tomorrow's training.

Quentin drove Gan Guoyang back to his hotel. As soon as they got out of the car and entered the elevator, they encountered a group of local police officers.

The police recognized Gan Guoyang, who asked what had happened.

A policewoman said, "Someone called the police saying that one of your team's players raped a girl."

"What? Rape? Who? What happened?"

Gan Guoyang was very surprised; how could such a thing have happened?

Once he went upstairs, the police went straight to the players' room.

A few minutes later, Jerome Kossie was handcuffed and taken to a police car by the police.

The matter did not end there; soon, two more Trail Blazers staff members were arrested.

They were the team's trainers and medical workers, and their crime was also rape.

Gan Guoyang didn't understand what had happened until the next day.

It turns out that Kossie and his two close colleagues bumped into three 15- and 16-year-old girls at a shopping mall near the Marriott.

They clicked, so they invited the girl to the hotel that night, and the three of them had sex with the girl.

However, after the sexual encounter, one of the girls called the police, claiming that she had been raped.

The police then came to the hotel and arrested Kossi and two other staff members.

This incident immediately caused a huge uproar in the media, because if Kesey is convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

That night, the entire Trail Blazers team underperformed, and the entire Salt Lake City arena was filled with boos for them.

Some fans even held up signs that read "rapist," as if the entire Trail Blazers team was involved in the incident.

There's no way around it; the Trail Blazers are a big name in the league, having won two three-peats, so any small flaw they have has to be magnified.

Moreover, given the serious crime of raping a minor, rumors, attacks, and slander came one after another.

The Trail Blazers lost the game 109-115 on the road.

After the game, Stockton approached Gan Guoyang and said, "I know people in the Utah police. I'll ask around for you."

Gan Guoyang nodded and said, "Let's get Jerome out on bail first."

With Stockton's help, the Trail Blazers' legal team went to the police station and bailed out Kossie and two staff members.

When Ke Xi saw Gan Guoyang, he looked exhausted and clearly hadn't slept well.

I wonder if he encountered any memory restoration techniques at the police station.

Kessy said he hadn't slept all night and didn't know why things had turned out this way.

Gan Guoyang asked Ke Xi, "Did you really rape her?"

Kexi quickly denied it: "I didn't! It was consensual!"

"You two had sex?"

“Yes…yes…”

In the past, when the Trail Blazers played away games, the players were generally quite disciplined.

On a few occasions, like when veteran Kenny Carr was playing, he would go to prostitutes.

After these veterans retired and Gan Guoyang took over the team, these problems decreased significantly.

Of course, NBA players are all highly motivated, and it's impossible to expect them not to play games.

But this is the first time someone like Ke Xi has caused such a big scene, ended up in the police station, and been prosecuted.

“Go back to Portland first, then leave the rest to the lawyer. After that, think carefully about how to explain this to your girlfriend.”

Kossie returned to Portland with the team, where he faced all sorts of trouble.

Salt Lake City may need to call a grand jury to review the case and determine guilt.

The Trail Blazers' lawyers, on the other hand, are focused on an out-of-court settlement, aiming to minimize the damage and resolve the issue peacefully.

Because of the case, Kosi, whose condition was already average, became even less motivated to train and compete.

His starting position was taken by Marie Eyre, and two other employees were also penalized with pay cuts.

Originally, we were supposed to have a peaceful Christmas after returning from Salt Lake City.

But the entire team was thrown into turmoil and unease because of the Kexi incident.

Most notably, the Portland local community showed hostility toward Kossie.

Some women's groups held flags and protested at the training facility and court entrance, demanding that the Trail Blazers fire Kossie and two staff members.

The Trail Blazers had to engage in crisis public relations, with Tang Jianguo stepping forward to apologize to the public and promising to provide an answer.

As the team leader, Gan Guoyang also had to step forward and state that he would not cover up any wrongdoing if the charges were upheld.

These events undoubtedly affected the team's morale and focus.

After Christmas, the Trail Blazers suffered a crushing defeat at home to the Seattle SuperSonics.

The SuperSonics, who stole a victory in last season's playoffs, are even stronger this season.

Like the Jazz, their defensive system is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the core of Payton and Kemp has taken shape.

This is a highly destructive team, aggressive in both offense and defense.

Just like their coach, George Karl, a mad dog.

To deal with a team like this, you must be focused and determined.

The disorganized Trail Blazers suffered a defeat, dropping to fourth place in the Western Conference.

The case of Koch dragged on until February 1993, just before the All-Star Game, when a resolution was reached.

After a two-and-a-half-week investigation, Salt Lake City prosecutors decided not to bring criminal charges against Kossie and the two staff members.

Although no one has said this publicly, many in the coalition believe the main reason for not bringing charges is that Utah is one of five states that lowers the legal age for rape complaints to 14.

In short, Cauchy escaped a terrible fate and avoided imprisonment.

But this was a huge blow to the Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers were weakened by the incident, and their good momentum was disrupted.

By the time of the All-Star Game, their record had dropped to 31 wins and 16 losses.

Although they remain firmly in third place in the Western Conference, they are only half a game behind the Spurs and Jazz.

In the past, the Trail Blazers often dominated during this period, leading their opponents by several games.

The media bluntly stated that this year's Trail Blazers may have to repeat their 1989 performance, ending their championship run amidst internal and external troubles.

In the East and West, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley are both having MVP-caliber seasons, leading the Heat and Suns to the top of their respective conferences.

However, Gan Guoyang was very calm, calmer than ever before.

He simply played each game quietly and adjusted his form.

They have no interest in participating in the competition for public opinion.

At the end of December, Gan Guoyang reached a milestone, scoring his 20000th career point, making him the second fastest in league history, with only Wilt Chamberlain surpassing him.

Of course, a few weeks later, Jordan surpassed Gan Guoyang, scoring 20000 points in fewer games.

Neither of them made any special comments on this matter.

This was no longer their concern; all they cared about was June.

(End of this chapter)