The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 740 MVP/93

In 1993, Barkley reached his peak in every aspect.

For Barkley, the Barcelona Olympics was not only a performance show to win honor for the United States, but also a turning point in his life.

Unlike Hakeem Olajuwon's silent outburst, Charles Barkley accurately found the key to further advancement amidst the noise.

On the Dream Team, he was teammates with the best players in the entire league, and he learned how to be a leader and how to become stronger.

After returning to the United States, he underwent specialized training, and his body became thicker and stronger than before.

His weight reached 260 pounds, the weight of a standard heavy center, while Barkley was only the height of a guard.

Barkley was once heavier than this; at the 1984 Olympic training camp, Barkley weighed 284 pounds.

However, that was the fat he gained from overeating, and most of it was on his buttocks, making him look like a big fat sheep.

Barkley in the 1993 season was different; he gained muscle, and his body became as thick as a wall.

In terms of playing style, Charles Barkley became a versatile offensive player.

His assists, three-point attempts, and three-point shooting percentage have all reached career highs.

He averages 2.9 three-point attempts per game, making 1 of them, for a success rate of over 34%.

His free throw percentage also reached a career high, which brought his scoring efficiency to its peak.

When Barkley had the ball and initiated the offense, his extremely high scoring rate and excellent playmaking made him a well-rounded offensive core.

In the entire league, only Jordan, Forrest Gump, and Olajuwon reached a similar level in offensive efficiency and offensive contribution.

The four players from 1984 are undoubtedly the four kings of this season, and coincidentally, the East and West Division Finals are being held between their teams.

This made the 1993 conference finals receive an exceptionally high level of attention, possibly the most-watched East-West showdown in history.

Barkley's influence extends beyond the basketball court. Off the court, while he continues his outrageous behavior, throwing beer at people in Phoenix bars and getting into fights in the streets, Barkley has also developed his own reflections on Black culture and wants to make some contributions.

Before the Western Conference Finals began, television began airing numerous commercials featuring Charles Barkley for Avia sneakers.

Unlike her previous colorful sportswear advertisements, Avia used black and white film this time, with blurred shots and montage transitions.

Charles Barkley delivered the following monologue in the advertisement:

“I am not a role model.”

I don't make money by being a role model.

My job is to create chaos on the field.

Your parents should be your role models.

I won't help your child grow just because they can dunk.

The advertisement caused quite a stir in American society as soon as it aired.

Many years later, it was seen as a milestone in sports advertising and a watershed moment in sports culture.

Just like in 1993, historians can draw a dividing line here and erect a boundary marker.

Many landmark events will be engraved on this boundary marker, and Charles Buckley's advertisement "I'm Not a Role Model" will definitely be among them.

According to Charles Buckley, the content of this advertisement is the result of years of thought.

Back in 1989, he approached Avia, saying he wanted to shoot an advertisement with a similar concept.

At the time, Avia thought Barkley was crazy, and in fact, not only Avia, but any sporting goods company at the time would have thought Barkley was crazy.

At the time, all sports product advertisements were desperately trying to portray athletes as idols and role models, so that teenagers would follow them and buy the shoes and jerseys they wore.

Even Forrest Gump is no exception; he is the idol of idols, the role model of role models, and Avia's idol statue.

However, Charles Barkley wanted to create ads that would tell teenagers, especially Black teenagers, that athletes should not be role models.

Charles Barkley said, "Segregation still exists in this society. The visible walls have been broken down, but the invisible walls are everywhere. Look at those schools, predominantly white schools, only 5% to 7% of students want to be athletes and play in the NBA. Most students plan to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, police officers, engineers, and so on."

“But when I went to Black schools to promote our programs, almost 100% of the students said that playing professional basketball, or football, or baseball was their dream. Nobody wanted to have a regular but respectable, stable job that could contribute to society. They just wanted to work in sports and entertainment, but you know how many people actually succeed in those kinds of jobs? Very few.”

"The vast majority of people cannot become NBA stars, or even meet the threshold for entering the NBA. They enter a brutal competition with dreams, a competition with no way out. They strive to reach the brightest top, but most can only fall to the bottom, sliding into the abyss of crime and drugs in poverty and hardship."

Barkley came from a very poor background, but he used basketball to achieve upward social mobility and become a multi-millionaire.

But instead of becoming a successful salesman, he worked hard to think about ways to better change the fate of the Black community.

Later, Barkley told Forrest Gump about this idea, and Gan Guoyang agreed with Barkley's idea.

Gan Guoyang used his strong influence within Avia to promote the filming and broadcast of this advertisement.

In May 1993, before the Western Conference Finals, the commercials finally aired, immediately generating a wide and enthusiastic response.

There were dissenting voices, with the old guard in Philadelphia and the Washington area launching sharp criticisms, with Stan Hawkman of the Philadelphia Daily News being a prominent figure among them.

Speaking about the ad, he said, "This ad is selfish, stupid, and even malicious. If Barkley doesn't want to be a role model because he lacks intelligence, patience, skill, and passion, then he doesn't have to be one. He can refuse to endorse sneakers, deodorant, or any other product. He can shut up, play basketball, and the world will be a much better place."

"Let him beat Forrest Gump in the Western Conference Finals first; that's the most magnificent example in basketball. Can you believe it? This idol comes from across the vast Pacific Ocean. We seem to have this tradition, just like our Statue of Liberty actually comes from France!"

“In Philadelphia, I can’t even find a statue of Joe Frazier, but I can find one of Rocky Balboa! My God, Rocky is fictional, but Joe Frazier is the real Philadelphia icon!”

While criticizing Barkley, Stan Hawkman also incorporated his resentment towards Forrest Gump and his support for Joe Frazier into his critical article.

A thoroughly satisfying output of value.

However, Hawkman seems to consistently disagree with mainstream opinions on certain points.

He has always believed that Joe Frazier was greater than Muhammad Ali.

They also asserted that the greatest player in NBA history should not be a Chinese player.

Hawkman represented an important voice from a segment of conservatives in American society at the time.

The other side of the argument was equally loud, with The New York Times quickly praising the ad as "the most subversive sports ad ever made."

Because it sparked a series of major discussions about American youth education and parent-child relationships.

Letters and phone calls poured in to the television station and Avia headquarters, with people expressing their opinions.

This is something Charles Barkley probably didn't anticipate when creating the ad.

Within the NBA, the advertisement also sparked considerable controversy.

There are different interpretations and opinions among the players.

This has to some extent led to a diversion of attention between the Western Conference Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals.

Years later, league vice president Rod Thorne said, "If the league could control that ad, it would never have happened."

Karl Malone represented one school of thought.

The Utah Jazz were eliminated early in the first round by the Spurs and went home to fish.

Malone became a commentator, publishing an article titled "From One Role Model to Another" in Sports Illustrated.

It states: "I don't think we can accept the money and glory that come with being a famous athlete without taking on the responsibility of being a role model. You know, kids and even some adults are watching us and hoping we'll be role models. I mean, why did we get endorsements in the first place? Because people would follow in our footsteps and buy a certain kind of athletic shoe or cereal because we used them."

Malone's words do have some merit, but the way he said them just sounded really strange.

Barkley ignored all these comments, abandoning his previous habit of spouting off everywhere and remaining silent.

Firstly, he needs to focus on preparing for the Western Conference Finals and doesn't want to be distracted by verbal sparring, which could affect the game.

Secondly, Barkley believes that he has expressed what he wanted to say in the advertisement, and everyone has their own interpretation and understanding, so it cannot be generalized.

So, Barkley unusually said nothing, only that he was preparing for the first game of the Western Conference Finals against the Trail Blazers in Phoenix—this year the Suns have home-court advantage.

On the contrary, Gan Guoyang, who came to Phoenix to prepare for the game, couldn't stand it anymore. "You, Karl Malone, who has a lot of shit in your butt, have the nerve to publish an article talking about good role models?"

On the day of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Gan Guoyang was interviewed and asked about the controversy surrounding Barkley's new advertisement. He clearly sided with Barkley.

"Those who criticize Barkley don't realize the real intention behind Barkley's advertisement. He's not against athletes being role models, but rather he wants teenagers to see that when you learn from and follow athletes, you must understand that you won't get the same wealth and honor as the athletes."

"Just like many teenagers idolize me, buy my shoes, buy tickets to watch my games, and learn basketball skills and how to conduct themselves from me. But they must understand that doing so will not make them an NBA star or bring them an NBA championship. The people who have the biggest influence on their lives and career choices are still their parents and the people around them."

"I offered them some support, but only some. We could only do a small part, not be true leaders. That's what Charles really meant. Carl and those critics have misunderstood. And Carl, I advise you to mind your own business first, do your job well, and then talk about what it means to be a role model!"

Gan Guoyang's words quickly garnered Barkley a lot of support.

Meanwhile, Karl Malone was once again subjected to merciless ridicule, after all, this guy has indeed had a lot of bad deeds to his name.

Having a relationship with a minor girl and having a child, and frequently using dirty elbows on the field—he's a villain.

Moreover, the Jazz were eliminated by the Spurs early this year, and Malone's performance in the series was quite poor.

He averaged 27 points per game in the regular season, but his score dropped to 24 points in the playoffs, with his field goal percentage falling to 45%.

The Jazz were eliminated in the first round once again, marking their fifth first-round exit since the 1985-1986 season.

Malone and Stockton, just hang in there.

Barkley expressed his gratitude to Forrest Gump for speaking up for him before the game began.

“Thank you, Sonny, you really understand me,” Barkley said sincerely.

"Nonsense, of course I understand you, that's why I eliminated you."

"This time it won't be so easy, I promise."

Barkley seems very confident in the team's form and strength.

Gan Guoyang also put aside his contemptuous attitude and began to value this old friend.

When the Suns were pushed to the brink by the Denver Nuggets in the first round, Gan Guoyang thought the Suns wouldn't be a threat this year.

But after the tough semi-finals, the situation changed somewhat.

The Suns overcame the Spurs, with Barkley delivering the game-winning shot, exuding the confidence of a champion.

Although the Trail Blazers ultimately defeated the SuperSonics with a brutal massacre, the point difference set a new historical record.

However, in practice, they had to work harder than before and had to rely more on psychological warfare to suppress the inexperienced supersonics.

Furthermore, health issues constantly threatened the team's performance throughout the competition.

Porter was in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, but his calf muscle injury had not yet healed.

Like Petrovic, he was playing with an injury, which will undoubtedly have a significant impact on his performance.

It's worth noting that in their previous two playoff victories against the Suns, the Trail Blazers had one absolute advantage: their ability to shut down Kevin Johnson on the defensive end.

Johnson's performances against the Trail Blazers in those two games were disastrous, and the Trail Blazers devised an extremely effective defensive strategy against him.

Kevin Johnson was virtually silent in both series, so how could the Suns possibly be a match for the Trail Blazers?

The situation is different now. The Trail Blazers' perimeter defense has declined, and Porter, who is Kevin Johnson's matchup defender, will definitely have a significant impact on the defense if he has a leg injury.

Once Kevin Johnson gets going and forms a synergy with Barkley inside and outside, it will become difficult to contain the Suns.

Meanwhile, Barkley's evolution has forced Gan Guoyang to devote more energy to defending his good friend.

The Suns and Trail Blazers tied the series 2-2 in four regular season games, with Barkley showing significant improvement against Forrest Gump.

He's becoming increasingly adept at using inside-outside plays and passing to create opportunities for his teammates, which is the most troublesome part.

Before the game started, Gan Guoyang chatted with Bobby Bellman and said bluntly, "Bobby, be prepared for a Game 7 in this series."

Bellman nodded; this year's road was more difficult than any of the past years.

In the previous three years, every time we made it to the Western Conference Finals, it felt like we hadn't played much in the first two rounds.

Even in the Western Conference Finals, the series was quickly ended, and the real challenge only came after the NBA Finals.

This year, we've had to do everything we can, even resorting to any means, starting from the semifinals.

The game kicked off promptly at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time, and as Gan Guoyang had predicted, it was quite difficult.

The Suns launched a fierce attack in the first quarter; they are the most offensively potent team in the league this year.

Unlike Fitzsimmons' more traditional tactical style, Paul Westphal's tactical arrangements, much like his impromptu timeouts back in the day, are full of unconventional imagination.

After Westphal took over as coach, his biggest change to the Suns' offense was the diversification of ball distribution on offense.

Barkley and Kevin Johnson remain the core of the team's tactics, but that doesn't mean they have to control the ball all the time.

Westphal first reduced Kevin Johnson's offensive playmaking duties, freeing Johnson from the constraints of a traditional point guard and allowing him to focus more on scoring.

As a result, Johnson's assists dropped from 10.7 per game last season to 8 per game, the lowest since he joined the Suns. At his peak, he averaged 12.2 assists per game.

But in Paul Westphal's view, it is dangerous for a team's offensive organization to be in the hands of a small point guard who is only a little over 6 feet tall.

The reason the Trail Blazers were able to easily overwhelm the Suns was because the suppression of Johnson had a huge impact on the Suns' tactical system.

Westphal distributed the playmaking and ball-handling responsibilities to Charles Barkley, Dan Maverick, Danny Ainge, and Frank Johnson.

The Suns have seven players averaging more than two assists per game, but none of them have double-digit assists, which is because Paul Westphal implemented a multi-core system.

He doesn't want to see the sun lose most of its functions and be easily defeated by its opponents just because a certain point is locked.

The multi-core organization also makes the Suns' offense very flexible and varied, making it difficult for opponents to predict what tactics they will use next.

Even the Suns players themselves didn't know how to play next; it depended on their performance and how the game unfolded.

That's why, in the increasingly tight defense of the 90s, the Suns' average of 113 points per game this season is a very high number.

This offensive pattern put a lot of pressure on the Trail Blazers' aging defense. Gan Guoyang felt it as soon as he stood in the paint in the first quarter – why is there a leak everywhere?

Marley, Johnson, and Ceballos's attacks are fast and swift; they don't rely on deliberate tactical coordination and attack whenever the opportunity arises.

This is also a current offensive trend in the NBA, giving each player on the court enough offensive autonomy, rather than having to run according to the tactical route in a rigid manner.

This flexibility and autonomy has made it very difficult for defenders. In the past, the Trail Blazers had the best man-to-man defense in the league, but now they have slowed down most of their pace.

The Suns are different from the SuperSonics. The SuperSonics' two core players are good at everything except their own offense, especially defense.

The Suns' two core players are very strong in terms of independent offense, but they have significant weaknesses in other areas, especially defense.

As a result, the Trail Blazers' interior defense began to be under a lot of pressure, and at this time the Trail Blazers encountered a new problem: should Agan play the power forward or the center position?
If Gan Guoyang plays center, it means he can't guard Barkley, and Sabonis will have to defend Barkley.

The regular season has already proven that Sabonis is not effective at defending Barkley, and Gan Guoyang still needs to step up.

However, when Gan Guoyang went up to defend Barkley, the Trail Blazers only had Sabonis in the paint, making it very difficult for them to protect the rim.

Moreover, Barkley handles the ball a lot on the perimeter, and his offensive playmaking ability has improved to a new level this year, averaging 5.1 assists per game.

Meanwhile, Barkley's three-pointers have become quite accurate thanks to Gan Guoyang's years of guidance, which makes him a much bigger threat.

In the first quarter, Barkley hit a three-pointer and dished out two assists, making the Suns' offense quite fluid.

Without a solid defense, the Trail Blazers' offense became somewhat hesitant and fragmented.

Amidst the frenzied cheers and shouts of the Suns fans in the West Coast Center, the Trail Blazers trailed the Suns 25-31 after the first quarter, a deficit of 6 points.

Giving up 31 points in a single quarter is clearly a sign of poor defense for the Trail Blazers.

When Gan Guoyang was defending Barkley, he recalled the game where he defended Larry Bird one-on-one on the perimeter years ago.

That was the 1986 NBA Finals, and apart from Forrest Gump, no one on the Trail Blazers could match up against Bird.

Gan Guoyang can shut down Larry Bird's scoring, but Bird will also use passing and movement to keep Gan Guoyang busy with other tasks.

At that time, the Trail Blazers had veterans Bill Walton and Mitchell Thompson protecting them in the paint, allowing Gan Guoyang to focus on dealing with Bird.

Currently, the Trail Blazers only have Sabonis in the frontcourt, while rookies PJ Brown and Davis are clearly lacking.

In games against top teams like the Suns, Bellman wouldn't dare field a weak player.

At this point, if Jerome Kossie is in good form, he can help out in the paint.

However, throughout the semifinals, Cauchy barely got any playing time. Suddenly putting Cauchy in the Western Conference Finals was asking the impossible; Cauchy was no longer capable of carrying the team.

Aside from their twin towers in the paint, the Trail Blazers' overall roster is lean, short, and fast.

Gan Guoyang sat on the bench, gulping down water, while the coaching staff worked hard to find a solution to the problem.

However, in the playoffs, pre-game preparation and planning are very important and should not be changed arbitrarily.

Sometimes, sticking to a tactic is more effective than changing it on a whim.

If you make random changes and they play against something you weren't prepared for or practiced before the match, you might lose even more miserably.

Bellman decided to stick to the established strategy and finish this match no matter what.

Any problems or lessons learned will be summarized and revised in the second and third sessions.

Therefore, the Trail Blazers continued with their established strategy, further strengthening their defense and battling the Suns.

The Trail Blazers, after all, have a deep foundation, and in the second quarter, Petrovic and Porter found their offensive rhythm.

The team hit consecutive three-pointers from the outside, while Gan Guoyang started to move inside more often to assist Sabonis.

The Trail Blazers quickly tied the score, forcing the Suns to call a timeout.

At this moment, Charles Barkley stepped up, receiving the ball repeatedly and hitting a mid-range jump shot.

Barkley, facing Forrest Gump, transformed into a mid-range shooting prodigy. This year, he has worked hard on his mid-range shot, significantly improving his shooting ability.

Gan Guoyang responded in the low post, and the score went back and forth.

But the Suns anticipated a better rhythm, and after Barkley broke the deadlock, they launched another offensive surge.

That's how NBA games are; it's a back-and-forth affair, and whoever can seize the initiative in terms of pace often gains the upper hand.

Because the one chasing from behind is always more tired and more likely to fall behind, and tonight the Trail Blazers were the chasers.

In order to counter Gan Guoyang, the Suns specifically traded for John Salley.

Paul Westphal used Sally and Mark West to take turns attacking Gan Guoyang.

In the third quarter, Sally and Mark West joined forces to surround him.

Gan Guoyang chose to pass the ball when he was double-teamed, but Porter and Lewis missed several important shots.

This caused the Trail Blazers to fall behind by two steps at a crucial juncture in their pursuit, making the chase increasingly difficult.

In the fourth quarter, the competition between the two sides became fierce. Gan Guoyang, just like in the first game of the semifinals against the SuperSonics, turned on his offensive mode.

The Suns scored consecutive jump shots and made consecutive low-post shots, but unlike the SuperSonics, they were able to respond.

Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Mallley, and Ainge all made shots at crucial moments.

Throughout the game tonight, the Suns maintained a great offensive rhythm, and the Trail Blazers couldn't contain them.

Fans who frequently watch games can see that if a team has a few players who play well throughout the game, they are often able to make crucial shots in the final moments.

If the team struggles from the start, aside from a few superstars who can recover in the final stages and redeem themselves with crucial shots, in most cases, they will still miss shots under immense pressure during critical moments.

Because a player's performance in a game is consistent, defending against a player in a game is often a systematic project.

At first I couldn't hold it down, and the further I went, the harder it became to control.

The Trail Blazers' strategy tonight was ineffective; the Suns' situation is very different from the SuperSonics'.

The Suns are a purely offensive team; they're determined to focus on offense, not defense like the SuperSonics.

In the end, everyone was in a good mood, I was in the lead, I was better than you, and it became much more difficult for Forrest Gump to turn the tide.

A risky three-pointer missed, and Barkley grabbed the rebound, immediately launching a counterattack.

The ball was passed to Johnson, who then passed it back to Barkley. Barkley jumped high, and despite Forrest Gump's defense, he made a layup with his left hand!

It also drew a defensive foul from Gan Guoyang. After scoring, Barkley sat on the ground and roared, venting his years of resentment towards Forrest Gump.

However, Barkley quickly calmed down. He knew the game wasn't over yet, and he knew that even if they won tonight, it would only be 1-0.

We are still a long way from truly defeating Forrest Gump.

After being helped up by his teammates, Barkley stepped up to the free-throw line and made the free throw.

With this basket, Barkley has now racked up 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The score wasn't high; it's practically impossible to get a high score in a one-on-one matchup against Forrest Gump.

But Barkley was very efficient; he didn't take many shots, only taking them when he was very confident.

The rest of the time was spent creating opportunities for teammates. Six assists are just statistics; there are many other contributions that cannot be reflected in the data.

His high-post playmaking has been quite good under Paul Westphal's development. His only drawback compared to Sabonis is his shorter stature and poorer vision.

Gan Guoyang shook his head. He had scored consecutively without conceding a single point, but now that he had conceded one, he was immediately countered with a three-pointer, and the point difference suddenly reached 6 points.

This is a problem of margin for error. Tonight, their margin for error was extremely small, and they struggled and worked very hard throughout the game.

The Trail Blazers called a timeout, and the Suns, knowing how formidable Forrest Gump was, Westphal brought back Salley and West.

Gan Guoyang has scored 35 points, but that seems insufficient for a victory.

After the timeout, the Trail Blazers wanted to run a three-point shot.

The Suns focused all their defense on three-pointers, preferring to leave the paint open rather than give the Trail Blazers a three-pointer.

Gan Guoyang could only receive the ball and pass it inside. Sabonis received Gan Guoyang's pass and scored two points under the basket.

The Suns weren't bothered by this; a four-point lead was enough for them to maintain until the end and secure the victory.

The Trail Blazers were forced to resort to fouling tactics, and Kevin Johnson made both free throws.

The Trail Blazers were out of time, and Gan Guoyang's final three-pointer missed.

The game ended with the Trail Blazers losing to the Suns 113-119, a six-point deficit, in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.

After securing this victory, the Phoenix media did not become complacent like the Seattle media.

On the contrary, their commentators and experts all said in their reports, "The series has only just begun."

It's clear that the entire Phoenix team is well-prepared for this Western Conference Finals.

From roster composition to tactics to mentality, the Suns team didn't show much joy at this victory.

Charles Barkley remained unusually calm, saying in an interview, "We've taken a small step, and it's just a small step, it doesn't mean anything. Of course, we played very well tonight, played to our level, it was the culmination of a whole season, and that's more worthy of pride than a victory."

When a person experiences too many setbacks and difficulties, he will become humble and respectful.

It wasn't because he was timid, but because he understood how much success would cost.

When you climb up the ladder step by step, carrying that heavy price on your shoulders, arrogance will naturally leave you.

On the other hand, the Trail Blazers are not in a good position, with Porter and Petrovic's leg injuries worsening.

This makes them always a step behind their opponents in the game, whether in offense or defense, which is extremely fatal.

The Suns are a team known for their speed, and if their guards can't keep up, they'll suffer on both ends.

In the first game, Kevin Johnson scored 29 points and had 6 assists, a rare outstanding performance for him in the playoffs against the Trail Blazers.

Back at the hotel that evening, everyone on the Trail Blazers was exhausted.

Kalp diligently carried out his physiotherapy work, going to each room to inquire about the players' physical condition.

Kalp knocked on Gan Guoyang's door one last time, but it was Bellman who opened it.

It seems that Bellman is discussing tactical issues with Gan Guoyang.

After Calp entered, he briefed the two men on the players' situation:
"Sabonis's knee is a bit swollen, and Petrovic's knee is hurting. I iced them both for a while and gave them massages and physical therapy. Porter's situation isn't good; he's been pushing himself too hard. I think he should play no more than 20 minutes in the next game. Curry's ankle is a bit sore, it's an old problem. Reggie still has back pain; I think he should get his heart checked, it's not a very good heart. Haven't you noticed he's had some stamina issues in the last few games?"

Kalp had a thorough understanding of the team's health condition.

In his view, the Trail Blazers' situation this year couldn't be worse than it could be.

It was even worse than in 1988. There were a lot of injuries in 1988, but everyone was young then.

Porter is 24, Curry is 23, and Forrest Gump is only 24. With a minor injury, rest, and treatment, they recover quickly.

Now everyone is approaching 30 years old. Medical and training conditions in the 80s and 90s were better than in the 70s, but the improvement was only limited.

Many players begin to decline significantly around the age of 28, with more injuries, and by their early 30s, they have to retire and leave the field.

In particular, some of the old injuries were left over from middle school and university competitions, when the conditions at the schools were much worse.

Gan Guoyang lay on the bed and helped Calpudo relax his back, as it was inevitable that his back would be tense after a match.

Bellman analyzed the various reasons for the first defeat, noting that he had done a lot of preparation but hadn't used most of it in the first match.

Plans never keep up with changes, and in the coaching duel, Paul Westphal came out on top in the first game.

Gan Guoyang kept his eyes closed until Karp finished the massage, then let out a long sigh of relief.

Gan Guoyang stood up, thanked Culp, then patted Bellman on the shoulder and said, "Bobby, don't worry, we'll go back to Portland with a 1-1 score."

What guarantees do you have? And can you even get 50 points?

"It's not about scoring, it's about our strategy. We shouldn't play the Suns with the same old approach anymore; we need to change our strategy. We have to go toe-to-toe with the Suns, and that's the only way out."

Gan Guoyang said firmly.

Bellman shook his head and said, "Our offense hasn't been good. The data shows our outside shooting efficiency..."

"Stop!" Gan Guoyang said, "Bobby, put away your data. Can't you just trust me?"

Bellman paused for two seconds, then said, "I've always believed in your Sonny, ever since high school."

“I know you have your own understanding of the game, you have your own model, your own theory, and that set is very good and works very well. But I want to say, listen to what Culp just said about our health. No matter how good the model is, if the factors are not up to standard, it is difficult to work.”

"So, we still have to give you the ball."

"That's right, give me the ball. I'm better now than I have in any previous year."

"Isn't it a bit early? It's only the second game."

"No, one more game later, and it will be too late."

Looking at Gan Guoyang's resolute expression, Behrman almost burst into tears.

It is said that some people feel the urge to cry when they first see a tall Buddha statue.

Bellman and Kalp left Gan Guoyang's room together.

"Forrest Gump is so charismatic, I feel like kneeling down when I see him," Culp said.

Behrman said, "I feel the same way, but why are you leaving, Ron? Wouldn't it be better to stay with Forrest Gump?"

Culp said, “It’s good to be with Forrest, but you can’t live under the protection of idols all the time. And I’m getting old, I think Forrest needs a better, younger nurse who knows more about science. He’s almost 30.”

"Then you shouldn't have gone to Miami."

"Haha, Miami is a great place to retire, I should be selfish this once."

"Thank you for your efforts, Ron."

"The series isn't over yet, keep it up, Bobby!"

The defeat in the first match did indeed deal a blow to Berman's morale.

This was the first time he had lost Game 1 of the conference finals since leading the Trail Blazers to three consecutive championships.

Berman hates comeback series; he'd rather win two games like in the semifinals, be tied, and have a decisive Game 5.

Losing first means you have to chase, keep chasing. Once you catch up, the moment you relax, you'll fall into the abyss.

Just like at a gambling table, if you win some at the beginning, you'll have capital and confidence, and you'll be able to gamble more and more smoothly.

Even if you lose a few games later, you can rely on the experience you gained earlier to keep your composure and slowly win back the winnings, or you can simply stop playing altogether.

But once you start losing a round or two, and begin gambling with debt and losses, you'll become impatient.

The more impatient you are, the more likely you are to lose. Even if you win some later, the thought of not having recouped your losses will make you even more anxious, affecting your performance.

From this perspective, Berman's mental fortitude as a head coach is not up to par.

A gambler with poor mental fortitude might end up gambling away huge sums of money in the end.

Hoping to turn the tide in one fell swoop, but often ending in utter defeat, and then easily giving up on oneself.

This contradiction in Behrman was the root of his downfall, but Forrest Gump saved him.

So why does he keep "betraying" others and always try to latch onto Forrest Gump?

Only when he is with Forrest Gump can he feel absolutely safe and perform at his best.

Other teams, apart from the Dream Team, are not very good. For Gonzaga, leading his ordinary team to the first round of the NCAA National Championship was already his limit.

After receiving Gan Guoyang's promise, Behrman was able to get a good night's sleep back in his room.

But the words Kalp had said came to his mind: how long can a person live under the protection of an idol?

Does he intend to continue coaching Forrest Gump, having Forrest protect him as he moves forward, and to put his ideals into practice?

Was it his own philosophy, or a philosophy that Forrest Gump had put into practice? Even Behrman himself didn't know.

The next day, both teams rested, and another divisional final began.

The Chicago Bulls are playing the Miami Heat on the road.

The situation was exactly the same; the Bulls were subjected to a deadly defensive onslaught by the Heat.

Pat Riley laid a trap for Michael Jordan.

Jordan scored 26 points, but his shooting percentage was very low, only 37%.

The Bulls' extremely low scoring efficiency led to a 91-100 loss to Hakeem Olajuwon's Heat in their first game.

Both the Trail Blazers and the Bulls lost their first games in the conference finals, falling behind 0-1.

People seemed to see signs of a change of dynasty.

On the third day, the second game of the series between the Trail Blazers and the Suns continued.

Before the game began, the NBA officially announced the winner of the regular season MVP award.

After being voted on by media judges, Charles Barkley, who had a slightly better record, won the MVP award for this season.

Some experts have suggested that Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley should be tied for the regular season MVP this year.

The two players are very similar in terms of performance on the field, statistics, and team records, making it a very difficult choice.

But unlike Rookie of the Year, MVP is "Most Valuable Player".

Since it's the Most, there can only be one player, so we have to choose the one with the most value.

While Hakeem Olajuwon was equally outstanding, the judges also took into account some off-court factors.

In the end, Barkley beat Olajuwon to the punch and took the trophy from David Stern.

Gan Guoyang sat in the audience and silently watched the entire awards ceremony.

He silently congratulated his good friend on receiving the most important award of his life.

While apologizing to Barkley for ruining his awards ceremony tonight, my good buddy Charles.

(End of this chapter)