The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 763 Watch me perform
In November, many parts of North America enter winter, and snowflakes fall. Much of Canada, the northern neighbor of the United States, begins to be covered in snow. This country, which has the world's second largest land area, has most of its territory consisting of uninhabitable forests and wilderness.

Only one line and a few points are truly suitable for living. Among them, the Vancouver area, which borders Washington State, is influenced by warm currents from low latitudes, while the mountains to the north block cold currents, resulting in a mild climate that makes it the third largest city in Canada.

The weather here is similar to that in Portland, with heavy rain and snow starting in November, and more than 20 days a month spent in continuous rain and snow.

In this kind of weather, being able to watch a professional football match with family in a warm indoor stadium is a really great activity for city residents.

In Canada, ice hockey is the preferred sport, and the Vancouver Canucks are the support of all Vancouver residents.

By 1995, Vancouver residents had a new source of support: a professional basketball team.

The NBA, which has been expanding, has extended its reach to its northern neighbor.

In the 1995-1996 season, two Canadian teams joined the NBA: the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies.

Actually, the NBA had Canadian teams from the very beginning. In the league's first year, the Toronto Huskies were one of them.

Furthermore, the Huskies and the New York Knicks played the first game in NBA history, with the Huskies losing to the Knicks.

This was an ordinary game, with more than 7000 spectators attending. After the season ended, the Husky team was poorly managed and disbanded after only one season.

At the time, no one could have imagined that the struggling NBA would persevere year after year, eventually developing into the commercial entertainment empire it is today, and bringing professional basketball back to Canada.

New teams entering the league will inevitably go through a period of adjustment and may take a long time, since not every team can have Pat Riley.

Furthermore, in order to prevent teams like the Heat and Hornets from quickly diluting the league's talent pool and causing losses to strong teams after joining, this expansion of the NBA imposed more restrictions on the Grizzlies and Raptors.

For three seasons, regardless of their record, they will be restricted in the draft. In 1995, they will not be able to get a top-five pick, and in 1996 and 1997, they will not be able to get the number one pick, and even if they are drawn, they will be automatically placed in the later rounds.

This means that the most outstanding talents who entered the league in 95, 96, and 97, and could be drafted without much thought, cannot come to their new teams.

They cannot yet use the full salary cap, meaning they cannot aggressively pursue free agents, and the Drexler incident will not happen again.

In 1996, the Vancouver Grizzlies had the best chance of getting the number one draft pick. If they had, they would have drafted Allen Iverson, bringing huge popularity to the team.

In the NBA, a superstar can often change the fate of a team.

Especially during the expansion of the 90s, individual heroism was taken to its extreme in this place.

Unfortunately, the Vancouver Grizzlies were not so lucky, as they only got the third overall pick and selected Abdul-Rahim.

The Toronto Raptors, with the second pick, selected Marcus Camby.

When a team can't get the player who most resembles the number one draft pick, many teams will choose a center with the second or third pick.

Choosing a tall person is never a bad idea, although history will continue to prove that tall people are just as likely to make mistakes as short people.

The Grizzlies' 1996 season was inevitably dismal, with a record of 15 wins and 67 losses, which contributed to the victories of many other teams.

In the 1996-1997 season, despite the arrival of Rahim, things didn't look much better, and the team's season ticket sales remained unsatisfactory.

But on November 1, 1996, the opening day of the 1996-1997 NBA regular season, it snowed lightly, but the enthusiasm of Vancouver fans could not be dampened.

At the Grizzlies' home arena, General Motors Arena, many fans had already driven there early to wait for the game to begin, as the Grizzlies' first opponent was the Portland Trail Blazers.

Compared to the 1980s, after more than a decade of development, the NBA has not only expanded in the number of teams and player salaries, but also in the size of its fan base and the variety of basketball-related activities. While waiting for the game to start, fans can pass the time at the arena with a variety of fun games and souvenir shops.

Some fans arrived at the stadium early and sat in their seats, waiting for the players to enter and warm up. This was a good opportunity for many fans to get close to their favorite stars, ask for autographs, or even take photos with them.

Tonight, there were a lot of fans sitting on the sidelines waiting for the players to enter and warm up, especially many young fans, many of whom were Asian children with yellow skin and black hair.

Vancouver, as an immigrant city, has always been an important city for Asians, especially Chinese immigrants. Its Chinatown is the third largest in North America, after New York and San Francisco.

The reason why so many Chinese people flocked to the arena is simple: tonight, with Forrest Gump on the court, the sun of Chinese basketball will rise again on the West Coast.

Gan Guoyang's first game back attracted worldwide attention; it was the most watched game in the Grizzlies' history.

Judging from the number of reporters and cameras on the sidelines, you'd think it was the grand finale. Major TV stations have sent their best reporters, cameramen, and hosts to Vancouver.

This was the first time the GM players' staff had ever seen such a large crowd. Last season, the arena was relatively quiet for most of the time, only becoming lively when the Chicago Bulls played.

Tonight's situation was the first time anyone had encountered it, but fortunately, the arena management and the NBA planning team had prepared two days in advance and had contingency plans in place, allowing everything to proceed smoothly.

"Hello everyone, I'm Bob Costas. Tonight is the opening game of the 1996-1997 season, the Vancouver Grizzlies vs. the Portland Trail Blazers. Let's focus the cameras on the stands. It's said that over two thousand Chinese fans are here tonight to watch the game, and tickets sold out quickly, with the highest price reaching over $5000. Forrest Gump's influence is undeniable. After a season and a half away from the NBA, our Pharaoh, the seven-time champion, is back on the court, and everyone's eyes are on him. Can he and his Portland Trail Blazers continue their dominance of the league? What kind of miraculous performance will Forrest Gump deliver? Let's wait and see."

CBS reporter Bob Costas was present at the game, providing on-site coverage. As a CBS reporter covering the NBA Finals, Costas's presence at such a regular season game speaks volumes about the importance placed on this match by all parties involved.

Inside the arena, in the away locker room, reporters surrounded the Trail Blazers team.

Gan Guoyang sat there as usual, accepting the reporter's interview. He remained calm and composed in the face of the flashing lights and microphones, with a faint smile on his face.

When the interview time arrived, the Trail Blazers staff asked the reporters to leave the locker room, and it became much quieter.

Larry Bird said, "We should get Forrest a private locker room so it'll be quieter for us when we're getting ready."

"Come on, Larry, you were the same when you were playing basketball."

"So at that time I wanted to apply for a private changing room for myself."

The two of them would bicker before each match, but neither of them would get angry; they just treated it as a warm-up.

Bird still looked nervous, both nervous and excited, after all, this was his first official game as a coach.

Aside from bickering with Gan Guoyang, he was like a headless fly, wandering around the locker room or following Rick Carlisle and Dick Hart around, looking at this and that.

And then there's the constant checking of the time, as if afraid of missing the game.

Larry Bird found his nervousness unbelievable, because he never felt nervous during games when he was a player; he wasn't Bill Russell.

Bird quickly realized that his nervousness stemmed from the fact that, as a coach, he couldn't directly influence the course of the game like a player.

Just like drivers don't get nervous, they have the steering wheel in their hands and the accelerator under their feet, they know what they're doing. On the contrary, passengers often get so nervous when driving fast that they grip the handrail tightly, not knowing if the car will fly off the road.

Bird used to be an excellent driver, but now he's a coach sitting in the passenger seat, with no brakes under his feet, leaving the players to decide whether to drive fast or fly fast.

Compared to Bird's aimless tension, Kobe, who was injured and unable to play, was more focused. He knew he couldn't play, but he had his eyes on him, so he kept a close eye on Forrest Gump, wanting to see how he prepared for the game.

During the preseason, Kobe kept a close eye on Gan Guoyang, hoping to learn something from his idol that he couldn't learn from videotapes.

However, Kobe soon discovered that Gan Guoyang's pre-game preparations had no discernible pattern. One day he would relax his legs before the game, the next day he would relax his back, and the day after that he would choose to jog to warm up.

Today was the first game of the regular season. After the interview, Gan Guoyang chose to sit on the physiotherapy bed to meditate. He quickly entered a meditative state, and other people's interference had no effect on him.

It wasn't until just before the game was about to start and the players were warming up that Gan Guoyang opened his eyes. Seeing Kobe staring straight at him, he asked, "Am I handsome?"

Kobe nodded, but he knew that wasn't the point, and asked, "I don't understand, what exactly do you do for your pre-game preparation? Why is it different every time?"

Gan Guoyang countered, "Do you think every match you play will be the same? The same opponent, the same process, the same result?"

Kobe shook his head and said, "Of course it's different, but... we always want to maintain the same level of performance, a good level of performance."

Gan Guoyang said, “You’re still young. When you’re young, your body controls what you do. But when you get older, you’ll find that you need to control your body. Before each game, you need to ask your body what preparations you need to make, summarize and feel your physical condition, where you feel uncomfortable, where you feel good, where you need to stretch, and where you need to strengthen. These are all issues you have to face yourself. No one else can tell you this. You can’t learn it, and others can’t learn it from you. Do you understand?”

Kobe shook his head and said, "I don't quite understand."

"You're right if you don't understand. An 18-year-old should do what an 18-year-old should do."

"What should I be doing when I turn 18?"

"Watch my performance."

"..."
-

An hour before the game, the Portland Trail Blazers players, dressed in athletic wear, appeared in the player tunnel to warm up on the court.

When Gan Guoyang reappeared on the court wearing his red, black, and white Trail Blazers jersey, a commotion broke out in the arena, and the cheers grew louder and louder.

Although the preseason games have been played in different venues and there are many fans and reporters, the feeling of the regular season is very different.

Gan Guoyang could clearly feel his heart pounding, not with nervousness but with excitement. He wanted to tell the whole world, "I, Gan Guoyang, am back!"

However, he held back. He knew that a true comeback would be proven through performance on the field, not through words.

Many young fans ran to the sidelines to ask Gan Guoyang for autographs, and Gan Guoyang did not refuse. The eyes of these young fans were shining.

Even as the competition was about to begin, people were still queuing up, which speaks volumes about his popularity in Vancouver.

When the DJ announced "From Gonzaga University, 6'10", center, Sonny Gan, the entire audience erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.

The applause lasted for more than a minute, which prevented the home team's entrance ceremony from starting, since many fans didn't recognize all the Grizzlies players.

The match is about to begin, and for Gan Guoyang, his first match since his comeback is on a venue he has never played in before, which is a very special feeling.

The Grizzlies' home arena, General Motors Arena, is a relatively new multi-purpose arena that also serves as the home of the Vancouver Canucks, switching to ice rinks when hockey games are being played.

The Vancouver Grizzlies logo, a giant brown bear holding a basketball in its paws, is printed on the floor in the center of the court, roaring at everyone.

Compared to the simple and crude designs of the 1980s, by the mid-to-late 1990s, NBA graphic designs had become more colorful and cartoonish.

Team logos are getting bigger and bigger, more exaggerated and complex, and jerseys and courts are covered with more and more flashy colors. The NBA's visual marketing has entered a new stage.

Take the Grizzlies as an example. Not only is their logo large and complex, but their jerseys also feature a blue-green main color scheme, which stands out among the other teams in the league that mainly use red, yellow, blue, and green, while also exuding a youthful vibe.

The court floor, apart from the large logo in the center, was painted pinkish-blue from the three-point line to the three-second zone, the free-throw circle was painted red, and a black border was used around it with Grizzlies' cursive lettering.

The abundance of large blocks of color and huge logos and fonts creates a strong visual impact, which is beneficial for attracting viewers' attention during live television broadcasts.

NBA game broadcasts in the 80s had a very monotonous visual style, which was too boring for children. The jerseys were also not cool enough in terms of style and color, and would not attract attention if worn on the street.

Driven by stars like Gan Guoyang and Jordan, NBA jerseys underwent significant changes by 1996.

The shorts and tank tops of the 80s have disappeared. Except for a few veteran players who still insist on wearing shorts, the other players have switched to jerseys with trousers that are extended to the knees.

Gan Guoyang had only been away from the league for two seasons, and returning to the unfamiliar Grizzlies' home court gave him a feeling that the world had changed drastically.

The world has indeed changed a lot. Standing in the center circle for the jump ball, the players around him were somewhat unfamiliar. Three of the Grizzlies' starting five players were players who entered the NBA after Gan Guoyang retired.

Including the center who jumped for the ball with Gan Guoyang, Bryant Rivers, a white center nicknamed "Big Country," who was selected by the Grizzlies in the 1995 NBA draft.

Rivers was the first player to be drafted in the Grizzlies' history. He was selected sixth overall in 1995, behind Kevin Garnett.

He stands a full 7 feet tall and weighs a hefty 290 pounds, making him one of the heaviest and strongest players in the league.

In his rookie season, he averaged 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, which was quite impressive for a rookie.

His massive physique fueled the Vancouver media's imaginations before the game, with everyone speculating whether Rivers could withstand Forrest Gump's attacks in the paint.

Time makes people forget many things. Forrest Gump has been away from the league for two seasons, and many things have changed. Some scenes and statistics will be forgotten.

With Gan Guoyang getting older, it's inevitable that some people will speculate whether he has regressed and whether he can reach the same level as before.

Gan Guoyang naturally heard these comments. In a pre-match interview, a reporter asked him what he thought about playing against Bryant Rivers.

Gan Guoyang remained silent for three seconds before asking, "Who is he?"

Now Gan Guoyang knew who Rivers was; he was indeed a tall, strong guy who looked quite powerful.

Before the jump ball, Gan Guoyang said to Rivers, "Relax, don't be nervous, it'll be quick."

(End of this chapter)