The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 769 Elbow Break
Bird avoided Gan Guoyang's defense and couldn't help but admire how well the guy had recovered.

I remember this guy in Naples that summer, starving himself to look thinner for his comeback and eating bananas because he was potassium deficient.

Immediately after the press conference, he threw himself into recovery training, and in just two months, his body became as strong as a stallion again.

This is a talent; the longer you work in the NBA, the more you realize that in the end, it all comes down to physical strength.

After exhausting all tactics and techniques, the long and painful season will come down to who has the most stamina, the best health, the fewest injuries, can stay clear-headed in crucial moments, shoot without shaking, pass without turnovers, and avoid making basic mistakes due to fatigue or pain.

In fact, many failures stem from the distortion of technical movements due to physical exhaustion, the dissipation of consciousness and willpower, and the resulting series of inexplicable mistakes.

That's why Bird placed such importance on physical training, and he understood why Forrest Gump had been so dominant over the past 10 years.

His physical abilities are among the best on the planet; among a group of geniuses and beasts, he still stands out from the crowd.

After practice, in the locker room, Bird lay on a physical therapy bed with ice packs on his knees and ankles as the therapist relaxed and massaged his back.

Although he only engaged in some low-intensity exercise and contact, Bird was getting on in years and still had to coach the game at night, so he had to protect his muscles and joints.

Gan Guoyang said, "Larry, you'd better not play anymore. You'll suffer if you get injured."

Bird said, "As long as you don't target me, I can teach you guys how to pass and move around in a week... If you hit harder, I can take the pain."

Bird's pain tolerance was much higher than that of the average player, and playing with injuries was commonplace for him.

The two of them, one lying down for a massage and the other sitting for stretching, exchanged many experiences about body protection and exercise.

Bird discovered that Gan Guoyang didn't have any special secrets; it was just about eating well, sleeping well, and training scientifically.

These things are becoming increasingly common in the NBA today. Basically, every team has a dedicated nutrition team and a logistics support team to serve the players.

"I've just been able to execute better and longer, and God gave me a very good body, that's all," Gan Guoyang said honestly.

"Your cookbook is also very good. It is said that because of your comeback, the eighth revised edition sold very well across the United States."

Gan Guoyang publishes an athlete's cookbook every year, which is actually a very small booklet. The publisher reprints a new version every year.

It sells for one dollar a copy, and has generated millions of dollars in sales since the 80s.

Of course, by the 90s, much of the content was no longer written by Gan Guoyang himself, but was compiled, revised, and published by a professional team based on the latest kinesiology and nutrition papers, under the name of Gan Guoyang.

"I'm just using your name here. I play basketball, I'm not a professional nutritionist, how could I possibly write something new every year? That's America for you. As long as you're famous, people will buy anything with your name on it. Even if it's a pile of dog poop, people will still buy it to try. And what I have isn't dog poop."

"Actually, I don't understand why there is a celebrity effect. Why would people be attracted to buy a cookbook or a bottle of beer because of a basketball player, or go to McDonald's or KFC because of Michael, me, you, or Barkley."

"Don't bring Barkley into this. He's an expert at eating hamburgers, and his endorsement is convincing."

Both of them burst into laughter. Once Barkley was mentioned, Bird was no longer sleepy and immediately became very talkative.

In the past two years, Bird and Barkley have collaborated on several commercials, and Barkley has made a lot of embarrassing mistakes on set.

Gan Guoyang also has a hundred jokes about Charles Barkley, and he can tell a different one for every game of the entire regular season.

Compared to Bellman, Gan Guoyang and Bird are more like friends. The two have similar personalities and get along better the more they spend time together.

Bird's tactical drills in the morning were effective, and the situation was much better than it had been a few days earlier when the Trail Blazers faced the Sacramento Kings again at home in the evening.

First, the Trail Blazers made fewer mistakes. Although the passing was still not smooth enough, the players were obviously more careful and cautious, and there were far fewer rash possessions.

Gan Guoyang displayed absolute dominance against Divac, frequently attacking his old Serbian friend in the low post tonight.

The Kings had no choice but to double-team extensively, and Gan Guoyang then used his passing and playmaking to lead his teammates.

The Trail Blazers played a simple but organized game, gaining an early lead and maintaining it until the final stages.

The Trail Blazers defeated the Kings 92-97 at home, securing their first winning streak of the season.

Although the point difference wasn't large, the Trail Blazers never let the Kings take the lead throughout the entire game.

A classic Forrest Gump-style victory: once you gain the upper hand, you can keep them underwater for the entire game.

Without mistakes, without giving you a chance to gain momentum, and without giving you the highest shooting percentage for scoring under the basket, it becomes extremely difficult to turn the tide and achieve a comeback.

Kobe's performance did not show significant improvement compared to the first game. He played 14 minutes, scoring 2 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, and committing 3 fouls.

Kobe appeared inexperienced against Richmond, one of the league's best shooting guards, but he showed no fear in offensive and defensive confrontations.

From Wilkins against the Spurs to Richmond against the Kings, Bird always had Kobe guard these mature and excellent perimeter scorers.

Some players might complain, "I'm still a rookie, why do I have to face these best players in the league right away?" Kobe's mother complained about this.

But Kobe himself didn't see it that way. He saw it as an opportunity to hone his defense and game experience, as well as a chance to stay on the court longer.

After securing two consecutive wins, the Trail Blazers took a shower in the locker room and gave an interview before heading to the airport by bus to board Trail Blazers One and fly to Cleveland.

This season's Eastern Conference road trip also started much earlier than in previous seasons.

In the past, the Trail Blazers' consecutive road trips mostly started in California and Arizona.

Back then, there were fewer teams in the league, and each season you played more games against teams in your own division, while games against Eastern Conference teams were always one away and one home game.

As the number of teams increases, the number of matches between teams in the same division is decreasing, and the previous schedule of two teams playing five games a season has disappeared.

The Trail Blazers started their Eastern Conference journey early, with their first stop being the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers enjoyed a period of great success in the late 80s and early 90s, when Lenny Wilkens led the team to a point where they came close to the NBA Finals.

Unfortunately, they were eliminated by the Chicago Bulls multiple times in the playoffs. Every time Jordan faced the Cavaliers, he put up outstanding numbers, leaving the Cavaliers with no chance to fight back.

During the 1992-1993 season, Cavaliers head coach Lenny Wilkens suffered a pulmonary embolism that nearly cost him his life, but he recovered after being treated.

That year, they were once again eliminated in the playoffs by Jordan and the Bulls. Wilkens and the Cavaliers management knew that their partnership should end.

The era of the Cavaliers, featuring players like Wilkens, Mark Price, Brad Dougherty, and Larry Nance, has come to an end.

They won many victories, bringing hope and light to the struggling Cleveland market, but ultimately fell to Michael Jordan.

Just like the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets fell to Forrest Gump, a team's championship window can be as short as two or three years, or as long as six or seven years. Including the initial establishment and the later struggles, it only takes about 10 years before it's time for a generational change.

Wilkens ended his partnership with the Cavaliers and went to Atlanta to coach the Hawks.

The Hawks are in a similar situation to the Cavaliers; the era of Wilkins has ended, and they must start anew.

As a result, the Cavaliers' coach went to the Hawks, while the Hawks' former coach, Mike Fratello, went to the Cavaliers.

The two teams swapped coaches, both hoping the new coaches would bring new energy.

Price left the Cavaliers, and Dougherty was injured in a game in 1994 and never returned to the court. He chose to retire in 1996.

Nance also suffered a serious injury in 1994, and he chose to retire that same year, as the Cavaliers entered a rebuilding period.

Core players have left, but some remain. Terrell Brandon, the young guard who used to be Mark Price's backup, has unexpectedly become the leader of the Cavaliers.

This short player, standing at only 5 feet 11 inches, was selected for the All-Star Game in the 1995-1996 season.

He averages 19 points and 6.5 assists per game. This short guy had a leg deformity when he was young, like Forrest Gump in the movie "Forrest Gump", and had to wear orthotics.

He overcame numerous difficulties, both in terms of height and leg strength, and eventually entered the NBA and was selected as an All-Star. He can be said to be one of the most inspirational players in the league.

By the way, this guy is from Portland, grew up in Portland, and led his high school team to the Oregon AAA high school championship in 1988.

He is a big fan of the Portland Trail Blazers and a huge Forrest Gump fan, wearing jersey number 11 throughout high school, college, and after entering the league.

Before every game between the Cavaliers and the Trail Blazers, Brandon would approach Gan Guoyang for an autograph during warm-ups.

This time will be no exception. Brandon will keep all the jerseys he wore in every game against Gan Guoyang and combine them with autographs as souvenirs.

"How many times have we fought each other?"

"The seventh time. I thought it would stay at six times."

"If you make the All-Star team again this year, the All-Star game will count as one."

Gan Guoyang didn't forget to encourage Brandon, saying that the kid was really inspiring.

He not only overcame his own leg problems, but also helped impoverished teenagers with similar issues to get rid of their leg ailments.

Gan Guoyang's encouragement has always motivated Brandon to face the various difficulties in life and competition.

"I've been watching your matches since 1981, when you were still in high school..."

"I know you've told me this several times already. Could you do me a favor tonight?"

"Anything is acceptable except throwing the game and losing it."

"Don't hold back. Tonight we'll have rookie number 8 guard you. You must give it your all and teach that kid a lesson."

The rookie number 8 that Gan Guoyang was referring to was naturally Kobe.

During the pre-game meeting, Bird told Kobe that if he came off the bench tonight, he would have him guard Brandon.

Game after game, Kobe was required to match up against the opponent's key player.

It's not just about developing Kobe, but also because the Trail Blazers currently lack a good one-on-one defender on the perimeter.

Nick Van Exel and Riddell are lucky they didn't get completely destroyed.

Van Exel has inherent disadvantages; he is too thin and short, and he didn't practice defense properly when he was a key offensive player in college.

Riddle's problem is attitude; it's already a miracle that he can train every day without being late. Bird won't ask him to do anything more for the time being.

When better resources cannot be traded in the short term, tapping into internal potential is the most realistic approach.

Both Kobe Bryant and Aaron McGee have good defensive potential.

Although Bird didn't say it explicitly, he was actually using rotations and playing time to show the two players that whoever had better one-on-one defense would get more playing time.

This is a common tactic used by head coaches to motivate players' attitudes in the game, creating competition among players in the same position. Coaches especially like and favor players who put in a lot of effort on defense.

When Mario Elie was with the Trail Blazers, he beat veteran Jerome Kossie in the playing time competition by working hard and playing excellent defense.

Currently, Allie is on a good contract with the Indiana Pacers, while Kossie finished his career with the Los Angeles Lakers under Bielman.

Kobe was prepared for this defensive challenge.

His personal trainer has recently arrived in Portland, and he is preparing to focus on improving his defense.

He needs to stay on the field and have enough playing time to have enough opportunities to perform.

If everything can form a positive cycle, he can gain a foothold in the Trail Blazers and the league.

It's important to understand that fans, media, and businesses have a limited patience for a rising star.

It can take anywhere from two seasons to half a season or even just a few weeks.

Once it's discovered that you're unlikely to meet expectations or even gain a foothold in the league, being abandoned is a quick thing.

At that time, it would be a difficult process to get back on my feet.

The game was held at Gund Arena, which was packed again because of the Trail Blazers' presence.

Since Price, Dougherty, and others left or retired, the Cavaliers have returned to the days when they played in the submarine in the 80s.

Brandon played very well, but he's not a ticket seller; games at Gund Arena are often not full.

The arrival of a popular away team can often revive a sluggish football market.

The match started on time, and the two sides fought fiercely, but the pace was incredibly slow.

Mike Fratello is a very experienced coach, and Bird has always admired him greatly.

Fratello knew Forrest Gump's power, and during the game he kept asking his players to slow down and drag the game into a stalemate.

Although the Cavaliers' roster is not very strong, they play with great discipline under Fratello's guidance.

The offense followed the tactics strictly, and the defense rarely made any major mistakes, which tested the patience and basic qualities of the Trail Blazers players.

Van Exel and Riddell struggled to adapt to the pace, and Van Exel tried several times to pick up the tempo, but to no avail.

In the first quarter, the two sides were tied at 18-18. Gan Guoyang's performance in the first quarter was mediocre, with 5 points and 6 rebounds.

He grabbed a lot of rebounds, but he couldn't control the rhythm of the game. The Cavaliers' double-teams were very timely, forcing Gan Guoyang to keep passing the ball.

The Cavaliers are the team in the league that controls the opponent's scoring the best, but this low scoring is based on sacrificing their own offensive rhythm.

On the bench, Gan Guoyang drank water and said, "The team's defense is getting tighter and tighter. They are using the three-man double-teams and defensive traps from each team very smoothly."

The NBA environment is constantly evolving towards a focus on defense, less offense, more physicality, and less speed.

Since the start of the new season, the Trail Blazers have only scored over 100 points in one game so far, which is quite low.

Other teams are certainly not much better off. Games with scores in the 90s are normal, games with scores in the 80s are common, and games with scores in the 70s are not impossible.

Gan Guoyang still remembers that just five or six years ago, at the beginning of the 1990-1991 season, the Trail Blazers' offensive firepower was unbelievably strong at the start of the season.

At that time, their schedule at the beginning of the season was very easy, with consecutive home games, and they scored 130, 140 and even 150 points in a row at Memorial Arena.

The Trail Blazers are not the same Trail Blazers anymore, and the NBA is not the same NBA anymore; everything is constantly changing.

Bird acknowledged what Gan Guoyang said: defenses are getting better and better, with various strategies emerging one after another, such as double and triple double teams and fast rotations, which many teams can do well.

Furthermore, there was one thing that really annoyed Bird about playing against Mike Fratello: Fratello called three timeouts in the first half, and each time the Cavaliers scored immediately after the timeout.

This shows that Fratello's adjustments are very targeted, and every time he calls a timeout to adjust and arrange tactics, he can pinpoint the Trail Blazers' problems—their perimeter defense is flawed.

At halftime, the score was 41-43, with the Cavaliers leading the Trail Blazers by 2 points at home.

During halftime, Rick Carlisle reiterated the importance of ball movement, while Dick Hart pointed out that the team's perimeter defense remained as flawed as ever.

The offense that flowed like water in the last game against the Kings vanished just two days later when they arrived at Gund Arena.

No matter what team it is, whether strong or weak, stable or turbulent, the state of the game is always fluctuating, and something will happen every day.

This is the charm of the NBA, but also what makes it so frustrating and headache-inducing. Coaches have to solve past problems while facing new ones.

Bird made an important rotation decision, starting Kobe at small forward in the second half, but his main task was to guard Brandon on the defensive end.

Kobe played for 8 minutes in the first half. In the few possessions where he was matched up against Brandon, he performed well, allowing Brandon to drive to the basket and pass the ball once.

Brandon undoubtedly gave it his all and didn't hold back, especially when facing Kobe, where he played very aggressively, but surprisingly he didn't gain any advantage.

Clearly, Kobe was much more effective defensively against fast, explosive small guards than against strong, heavy forwards and guards.

He's not afraid of his opponents playing ankle-twisting games with him, nor is he afraid of following them like a hound. Defending Brandon gives him even more confidence.

After the start of the third quarter, Kobe, who had earned a starting spot, was fully committed to the game. He had a feeling that tonight would be his moment to shine.

Gan Guoyang, known as the "King of the Third Quarter," started the second half with a strong effort, trying to change the rhythm of the game. He repeatedly attacked the ball in the low post.

The Cavaliers' starting center is Mark West, who left the Suns after the 1994 season, spent two years in Detroit, and signed with Cleveland this year.

At his peak, Mark West could still put up a fight against Forrest Gump in the paint, but now he's 36 years old and only plays about 20 minutes per game.

Now, in one-on-one defense, he's no match for Gan Guoyang, who weighs over 270 pounds. After being pushed to the basket twice, Gan Guoyang relied on his weight and strength to slam dunk. After being dunked on twice, West had no choice but to foul on the third shot. He hugged Gan Guoyang and said, "Brother, can you be gentle? Don't dunk anymore."

Gan Guoyang patted West on the shoulder, stepped to the free-throw line and made both shots, leading the Trail Blazers on a 6-0 run to take the lead.

As former rivals like West gradually fade away, West will begin his journeyman career after finishing this season with the Cavaliers, filling in gaps on the bench for various teams until he leaves the league.

Fratello called a timeout, and the most nervous person was Bird.

He gave the team a stern order from the bench, instructing them to defend the Cavaliers' offense after the timeout.

"How do we defend against it?" Kobe asked.

“Use your life to defend,” Bird replied.

Kobe paused for a moment, and Dick Hart quickly gestured that there was nothing life-threatening involved.

He took out his tactical board and began to set up the defense, emphasizing the blocking of the outside line and the attention to the weak side.

The Cavaliers excel at moving the ball up the court and finding open shots and driving opportunities on the weak side.

Of course, given his lack of offensive talent, Brandon's ability to attack with the ball at the top of the key and at the 45-degree angle is quite important.

He is a key offensive engine for the team, adept at using his agile ankles and dribbling skills to break down the opponent's defense.

After the timeout, the Cavaliers returned to the court and had their first offensive possession. Brandon received the ball.

Kobe stared at Brandon like a bulldog, having learned to keep a certain distance by then.

While lowering his center of gravity to prepare to defend against the opponent's breakthrough, he also glanced back at a small angle to observe the situation behind him.

Brandon tried to shake off Kobe's defense with his nimble dribbling and quick changes of direction, but Kobe kept a close eye on Brandon.

He didn't rush in or try to force his way in, as that would easily result in a foul. Instead, he maintained a distance that allowed him to block the opponent's shot.

Brandon didn't dare to shoot; he had already been blocked by Kobe once in the first half.

Should we continue inwards? Forrest Gump has already moved in this direction, and Brandon doesn't dare to directly attack the basket.

In the end, they had to turn back, and just like that, the Cavaliers' offensive strategy, which they had just devised, failed.

Fratello shook his head; Brandon simply couldn't break through the defense of this rookie number 8.

The ball had to be passed out, and the three-point attempt from the outside missed, allowing Gan Guoyang to grab the rebound.

The Trail Blazers had a chance to counterattack, and Kobe rushed forward, but the Cavaliers retreated very quickly.

In their offense, they essentially give up offensive rebounds and focus entirely on defense.

Seeing this, Kobe immediately slowed down, and Gan Guoyang had already passed the ball to Nick Van Exel.

Van Exel used his ghostly footwork to shake off the defense and drive to the basket, drawing the defense away.

The Cavaliers' formation was still in disarray, and Kobe had an opportunity in the left corner. Van Exel passed the ball to Kobe.

Kobe received the ball and immediately launched a mid-range jump shot, which went in!
This was Kobe's first field goal since entering the NBA.

Instead of blindly rushing in, he learned to observe his teammates and opponents.

He ran to a good position, caught the ball, and scored.

After scoring, Kobe looked very calm. He immediately started a full-court press, putting pressure on Brandon.

A small guard like Brand really has no way to deal with a young, tall, thin, and athletic defender like Kobe.

Throughout the third quarter, Brandon was completely shut down by Kobe on offense, and had almost no standout moments.

Besides a mid-range jump shot, Kobe also received a pass from Gan Guoyang in a set offense and made a layup!
As Kobe began scoring from the field, his confidence gradually built up during the game.

At the end of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers extended their lead to 10 points, a formidable obstacle for the Cavaliers.

If they can't outmaneuver their opponents defensively, it will be extremely difficult for them to turn the tide through offense.

Gan Guoyang scored 14 points and had 3 assists in a single quarter, single-handedly breaking through the Cavaliers' defense in the paint.

Kobe effectively compensated for the team's weakness in perimeter defense tonight, completely shutting down Brandon's offense.

In the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers launched a final comeback, but lacking talent and a leader, they lost in the crucial possessions.

Gan Guoyang scored 31 points, leading the Trail Blazers to a 91-83 victory in Cleveland, securing their third consecutive win!

Kobe scored 6 points, 1 steal, and 3 rebounds, and played a career-high 25 minutes.

In a post-match interview, he calmly said, "This is just what I should do. I completed my task, and the coach will let me stay on the court. It's that simple."

Kobe believed he was on the right track and that the games would go more smoothly for him, with his first dunk coming soon.

But the schedule dealt the Trail Blazers another blow. After playing the Cavaliers on November 12, they immediately moved to Indianapolis that same night.

It was another back-to-back away game. Everyone on the plane was cursing the NBA's schedule, with two back-to-back away games scheduled in just over two weeks at the start of the season.

The Indiana Pacers were on high alert at home. Reggie Miller was in his tenth year in this "ghost town," and he never expected to stay here this long.

He has grown from a skinny, seemingly hopeless player in the league during the 1987-1988 season into one of the toughest shooters in the league.

Like Gan Guoyang, his teammates have all changed, but he remains steadfast here, even though he never imagined he would dedicate his basketball career to this place.

Miller has matured into a dangerous scorer. He doesn't produce a lot of points, and in some games he disappears and only contributes crucial points.

But if he gets a hot night, he'll use long-range shots to make his opponents pay a heavy price.

Bird returned to his hometown, where he had originally planned to coach the Indiana Pacers, which are very close to his hometown.

The Pacers simply took over the coaching staff that the Trail Blazers had previously employed—Rick Adelman brought Jack Shalov and John Weitzer to Indiana.

Adelman did a good job here, leading the team step by step to become a regular in the playoffs, and at one point they could threaten the two superstars, the Bulls and the Heat.

In the 1996 trade, they used the 10th pick to acquire Antonio Davis and Mario Elie from the Trail Blazers and Mark Jackson from the Knicks, completing their roster.

Currently, their frontcourt features Dutch giants Rick Smits, Antonio Davis, and Dale Davis, while their backcourt boasts Reggie Miller, Mario Allie, Mark Jackson, Jalen Rose, and Derrick McGee.

They don't have an MVP-caliber superstar, but every position is strong, and the whole roster is quite balanced in offense and defense. They will undoubtedly become an important force on the Eastern Conference stage.

The Trail Blazers, with their young age structure and serious lack of team chemistry, will quickly fall behind when facing well-balanced and defensively strong teams like the SuperSonics and Pacers.

At the same time, the physical effects of playing back-to-back away games are a real killer for their form. They haven't even recovered from the feeling of playing against the Cavaliers yet, and they're already standing on the yellow floor of Conseco Arena.

For young players like Jermaine O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, physical fitness is secondary when it comes to playing consecutive away games; the key is managing their emotions.

Before the game started, Jermaine O'Neal felt like he was in a dream.

He couldn't sleep on the plane, but after arriving in Indianapolis, he slept until the afternoon.

After eating something, I went to the stadium to warm up, and the game was about to start.

"Tonight's opponent is the Pacers? I thought it was the Cavaliers?"

"You're mistaken. The Cavaliers' game is already over. You're confused, Jermaine."

Kobe reminded Jermaine O'Neal that O'Neal was confused, while Kobe was excited.

His outstanding performance against the Cavaliers gave him confidence and motivation, and tonight he took the initiative to tell Bird that he would go and guard Reggie Miller.

Bird agreed to give the task to Kobe, wanting to see how Kobe would perform against the league's best off-the-ball shooter.

The game started on time, and the Pacers' overall strength overwhelmed the Trail Blazers, who once again fell into a state of dependence on Forrest Gump.

During attacks, Agam's hands would become chaotic and disorganized, while Van Exel was a master of chaotic play. However, his short stature was a constraint when entering positional attacks.

Gan Guoyang received the ball frequently in the high post and shallow low post to initiate the offense, but the Pacers' defense was excellent, with Davis and Garrick Schmitz taking turns to attack, and Mario Elie constantly harassing him.

"Is this how you fucking welcome me back to the NBA?" Faced with adversity, Gan Guoyang remained calm and even joked with his old comrades.

Before the match, Adelman, Shalov, Elie, Davis, and others all expressed their desire to welcome Gan Guoyang back, and this is how he was welcomed.

Gan Guoyang felt the problems that came with the decline in his explosive power and speed. In slow-paced positional offense and defense, he was more likely to fall into defensive traps than before.

When he is at his peak in terms of explosiveness and speed, the opposing defense often doesn't have time to react before Gan Guoyang has already taken the shot, driving into the basket and scoring as easily as taking candy from a baby.

Now, not only are the opponents' defenses better and the defensive rules have changed, but his own explosiveness and speed are not as good as before. In addition, his teammates have become weaker. With multiple factors combined, his efficiency is declining.

However, Gan Guoyang quickly found a way to deal with it. He reduced his back-to-the-basket attacks in the low post and instead focused on receiving the ball on the wing and attacking the opponent from the rim.

Trailing the Pacers by 8 points at halftime, Gan Guoyang scored 10 consecutive points in the third quarter with three-pointers and step-back mid-range jumpers, taking the lead!
With his low-post attacks and high-post support efforts thwarted, Gan Guoyang decisively picked up a new weapon to launch an offensive, playing less and less like a center on the offensive end.

When the Pacers called a timeout, Bird remarked, "If I had your ball-handling and offensive skills, I could have won two more championships."

Ball-handling offense has always been Bird's weakness, because he was developed as a power forward in his early years, and even after transitioning to small forward, he still followed the low post + catch-shot route.

A player like Gan Guoyang, who can dribble outside to find his rhythm, not be afraid of double-teams and steals, and protect the ball while being able to drive and shoot, is a first in NBA history.

Gan Guoyang wiped his sweat and said, "I don't want to play like this either. It's exhausting. I can only score another 15 points before I need to rest."

Others might be considered pretentious for saying this, but Gan Guoyang was simply telling the truth.

The old offensive tactics of positioning, receiving the ball, and turning to overpower opponents were indeed more energy-efficient.

He could play one-on-one like that from the first quarter to the fourth, and scoring 60 points wouldn't be a problem.

He played like this in an away game against the Bucks one year, and he completely outplayed Don Nelson.

However, when outside players have the ball, if they don't engage in any tactical coordination and simply rely on dribbling and breakthroughs to get rid of their opponents, they will expend even more energy.

With this kind of ball-handling attack, he needs to play for a while, then rest, before he can start the next phase. This is incomparable to the perpetual motion machine in the low post.

Of course, even for a star player, after four or five such shots, they would need to catch their breath and wouldn't be able to score if they continued to force the shot.

Gan Guoyang is confident that he can score ten goals in a row without relying on easy shots, stealing points, or free throws. This is the source of his confidence in carrying the team.

However, after the timeout ended and he returned to the court, the Pacers began to tightly control Gan Guoyang's reception of the ball, even at the cost of being called for illegal defense in order to disrupt Gan Guoyang's one-on-one play.

Moreover, as soon as Reggie Miller returned, he took the lead again with a catch-and-shoot three-pointer, and Miller has now scored 21 points.

The player guarding Miller was Kobe, who had come off the bench and was looking for a matchup. Kobe watched the ball swish through the net with a very grim expression.

Kobe, who was full of confidence before the game, was beaten to the point of questioning his life when he was matched up against Miller - Miller was taller than him and liked to run endlessly.

This running made it very difficult for Kobe. He couldn't use his advantage of sticking to his defense, and he couldn't cover his opponent like he did with Brandon.

Moreover, Miller was very experienced. He kept trash-talking Kobe, telling him, "The whole league is watching you. Be prepared, you noob."

When the Trail Blazers' offense couldn't get the ball to Gan Guoyang, Kobe tried to step up and receive the ball, using his offensive skills to help the team.

As a result, his pull-up jump shot after breaking through the defense of the Pacers was an airball... I just watched Forrest Gump shoot so easily, why did it take so much effort for me?
The Pacers seized the opportunity to counterattack. Miller rushed to the frontcourt, received a long pass from Mark Jackson, and launched a fast break, with Kobe chasing closely behind.

Miller glanced back at Kobe, slowed down, and waited for Kobe to rush up. He then faked a layup, flicked the ball, and Kobe flew out of bounds...

While flying, its arms also swung like egg beaters, as if paying homage to Forrest Gump and Bill Walton.

Reggie Miller made a simple bank shot for two points, and the Pacers regained the lead.

At that moment, Kobe rushed into the stands and was helped up by the fans.

Miller, who scored the goal, didn't immediately return to defense. Instead, he waited for Kobe to get up and then shouted, "Welcome to the NBA, rookie!"

Kobe's eyes were filled with undisguised anger. He wanted to retaliate on offense, and he got entangled with Miller on the perimeter.

Gan Guoyang finally received the ball on the perimeter—Bird needs to give Gan a special lesson on how to pass the ball to him from the outside.

He saw Kobe and Miller battling it out and wanted to give Kobe a chance, but Kobe got annoyed by Miller's defense and swung an elbow that hit Miller in the chest!
Miller clutched his chest and fell backward. The referee blew his whistle and gave Kobe a technical foul, which made the Trail Blazers' situation even worse.

Boos erupted from the crowd. Now, the arena's big screen can repeatedly play slow-motion close-ups of the players, with the scene of Kobe Bryant angrily elbowing Miller being replayed over and over again.

The elbow wasn't hard, but Miller pretended to be in a lot of pain and sat on the ground for a long time without getting up.

Gan Guoyang walked over and said, "Reggie, how about I give you an elbow strike to make you rest longer?"

Hearing Forrest say that, Miller jumped up and said, "I was just joking, Sonny."

Miller, having benefited from the situation, played it smart and made the free throw after receiving a technical foul, continuing to build on his lead.

The Pacers are clearly a more disciplined and organized team than the Trail Blazers.

Their entire team worked together as one, with a clear division of labor, and knew exactly what to do and when to do it.

The Trail Blazers' rhythm was disrupted, and Kobe was benched by Bird, because he had acted too impulsively.

Bird told Kobe, "Either you elbow Miller out of the game, or you don't use your elbow at all, understand?"

Kobe looked at Bird with a questioning look in his eyes, as if to say, "Are you serious, Coach?"
To Kobe's surprise, Gan Guoyang said the same thing to him during a timeout.

Either don't elbow me, or I'll elbow you—get off me.

Kobe seemed to understand something, yet also seemed not to quite understand.

Miller continued his excellent performance, hitting another three-pointer, and the Pacers regained a significant lead.

Gan Guoyang can defend Bird, Johnson, and even Jordan in special circumstances.

The only type of guard he really couldn't defend was Miller, who was good at running and positioning.

It's not that he lacks stamina and speed, but rather that his large size makes him easy to block.

Moreover, once Gan Guoyang starts to engage Miller, the Pacers' offense is considered successful.

Because Miller didn't have the ball. A player without the ball effectively contained the Trail Blazers' strongest defensive player, which is not a huge success.

The defensive rebounding, the three-second zone defense, and the pressure on the baseline were all gone; Miller didn't even need to receive the ball.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang couldn't keep an eye on Miller; he could only let Kobe, Aaron McGee, and others chase him.

Aaron McGee's problem is his height; Miller's height and wingspan have always been an advantage among shooting guards.

The two sides battled until the very last moment of the game. In the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang led a counterattack and hit a three-pointer with 6 seconds left to tie the score!
Adelman called two timeouts in a row, and the Pacers executed a beautiful play. Miller received the ball and hit a buzzer-beating mid-range shot from the right corner!

The score was 91-93, with the Pacers defeating the Trail Blazers by 2 points at home, ending the Trail Blazers' three-game winning streak.

Gan Guoyang scored 38 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out 9 assists, but he couldn't stop Miller's 31 points and game-winning shot.

Adelman also deserves credit for this play. When he was setting up the tactics, he demanded that all 6 seconds be used up completely, without leaving even 0.1 seconds.

Even if you miss the shot, you can't give the Trail Blazers time.

Because if the Trail Blazers are given even a tiny bit of time to get back on the clock, Agan could potentially pull off a game-winning shot, force overtime, or even win the game.

Having worked for the Trail Blazers for many years, Adelman knew all too well how terrifying Forrest Gump was.

The game-winning shot left Gan Guoyang feeling helpless, and his former teammates Adelman, Allie, Davis, and others came to comfort him.

Welcome back, Forrest Gump!

(End of this chapter)