The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 776 Where Am I?
On December 25th, the NBA's Christmas Day games attracted particular attention.

This year's Christmas battle features two highly anticipated matchups.

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat, and Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers.

The Bulls are currently ranked first in the league. In the 1996 season, they set an unprecedented record of 72 wins, and this season they are still invincible.

The Miami Heat assembled a star-studded lineup comparable to the Lakers, Celtics, and 76ers of the 80s, featuring the Big Three of Olajuwon, Barkley, and Drexler, plus All-Star Tim Hardaway.

They continue to challenge the Chicago Bulls' dominance in the East, hoping to win another championship at the tail end of the golden generation of '84.

In the West, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers are old rivals.

The Trail Blazers haven't played a Christmas Day game for many years since 1988.

They played Christmas Day games for many years in the late 70s and early 80s, but later they were really unwilling to play anymore, so they applied to the league not to schedule Christmas Day games.

For many years afterward, the Trail Blazers did not have any games scheduled for Christmas, allowing the players to rest and spend time with their families during the holiday.

This year is different. With Forrest Gump back in action, the league no longer allows popular teams like the Trail Blazers to rest during Christmas; they have to work overtime.

On the 24th, the entire Trail Blazers team arrived in Los Angeles by plane. Gan Guoyang felt very warm and welcome in this familiar place—he had won so many exciting games here.

In December, temperatures in Los Angeles range from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, with only two or three days of light rain per month.

The weather was sunny and the temperature was pleasant on the 24th. After getting off the plane, the entire Trail Blazers team took off their jackets and were comfortable wearing only long-sleeved T-shirts.

At the same time, it was snowing in Portland. Portland had spent half of the month in rain and snow, making it wet and uncomfortable.

"It's a great feeling to play in Los Angeles, the weather here is really nice," Kobe said, basking in the California winter sun.

"Why don't you just come to Los Angeles to play basketball from now on?" Gan Guoyang said.

"Oh no, I'm loyal to Portland."

"Don't talk about loyalty at such a young age, or you'll be shot."

"What kind of bullet?"

"You don't understand yet."

The match is scheduled for 3 PM tomorrow. On the evening of the 24th, Bobby Bellman called Gan Guoyang and invited him to dinner.

Before leaving, Gan Guoyang asked Bird, "Larry, Bobby invited me to dinner tonight. Do you want to come along and exchange experiences on how to coach me?"

Bird gave Gan Guoyang a sour look and said, "If you're not satisfied with me, just bring Bobby back. I regretted coming back to coaching a long time ago. Especially coaching a bunch of shit like you."

Gan Guoyang laughed heartily and went to keep the appointment.

Bellman invited Gan Guoyang to an Italian restaurant in North Los Angeles.

The two hadn't seen each other for over a year, and Bellman looked much the same as he had during his time with the Trail Blazers.

He didn't become a Hollywood version of himself after coming to Hollywood; his hair was still a bit messy, and he was still wearing that drab brown suit and red tie.

Compared to his time in Portland, he even looked a bit more haggard. His time with the Lakers wasn't a failure, but it was far worse than his time with the Trail Blazers.

"Sonny, Sonny!"

Upon seeing Gan Guoyang, Berman was very excited and stood up to greet him.

The two embraced tightly, with great force. Behrman had a bright smile on his face, but there were tears welling up in his eyes.

“We’ve only been apart for a year, Bobby, you… look a bit older.”

"Oh? Really? Of course, do you think I'll get younger and younger? It's so nice to see you, Sonny. It would be even better if we didn't have to meet during a game."

The two sat down, and Gan Guoyang noticed that only Bellman was there; his wife Amy hadn't come over.

Where is Amy?

"Um...we've been living apart recently."

"Oh, you've separated. What problems have you encountered? Is there anything I can help you with? I know some people in Los Angeles."

"No, no, no, Sonny, it's not like that. It's just... you know, relationships always have their ups and downs, beginnings and endings, it's nothing, it's normal."

Gan Guoyang nodded in understanding. In fact, very few people in the NBA circle, especially players and coaches, have harmonious marriages.

The nature of the job dictates that coaches work very long hours, are extremely demanding, and have very limited time to spend with their families.

Bellman and Amy were the kind of older man-younger woman couple who fell in love at first sight. Once the passion faded, problems from all aspects of life came crashing down, and their relationship easily hit a rough patch.

Moreover, Bellman initially came to Los Angeles at the invitation of his wife and Jerry West, but he has now entered his fourth season in Los Angeles and has yet to win any honors.

The difference between his four championships in four years with the Trail Blazers and his current situation is too great, so you can imagine the pressure Bellman is under.

The notion that he could only succeed by clinging to Forrest Gump's coattails has become rampant, with people treating him as a crutch.

In reality, once most championship-winning coaches find new employment, it becomes extremely difficult for them to win another championship in a different lineup and environment.

Many famous coaches in NBA history have failed to achieve this, because winning an NBA championship is extremely difficult.

However, following Forrest Gump made winning seem easy, and he took Bellman to a height he shouldn't have reached.

This season, after acquiring Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers built a tactical system around O'Neal and Kidd, which was quite successful.

Before the Christmas Day game, the Lakers had surpassed the Trail Blazers in the standings, ranking second in the Western Conference, and they are still considered a favorite to win the Western Conference title this year.

"This is your harvest season, Bobby. You guys have done well," Gan Guoyang said.

"Come on, Sonny, you know we're about to get results, why are you making a comeback? You're just making things harder for me."

"This is your chance to prove yourself. By the way, in tomorrow night's game, let Shaq and I guard each other more often. My son wants to see who is the number one center, him or me."

"Come on... Sonny, why are you doing this? You have no idea how hard it is to appease Shaq, this big kid. My God, sometimes I wonder if I'm coaching a high school basketball team. Shaq, Kidd, they're like little kids, arguing over the smallest things every day. I don't know if I'm the head coach or the dean of students. Four seasons in, and we still haven't developed a stable system or strategy. We're constantly making trades and adjustments. The locker room is like a Texas-style swan's den, with that black guy Maggie coming and going. I fucking suspect our team has contracted AIDS... Did you bring a tape recorder? Fuck, this poor dog team doesn't even have a proper training facility. We have to rent other people's gyms to train, two or three hours each time. If we go overtime, we get kicked out. The young players can't even do extra training. This XX owner XXX..."

It's clear that Bellman is complaining much more than before; after drinking, he's started ranting and raving.

What gave him the biggest headache with the Lakers wasn't tactics or statistics, but the locker room and interpersonal relationships.

Kidd arrived in Los Angeles earlier than O'Neal, but O'Neal had a higher salary and a bigger reputation.

The two often engaged in open and covert struggles within the team over a major issue, leaving head coach Berman caught in the middle and in a difficult position.

Bellman is not good at interpersonal relationships; he is a business-oriented, technical coach who excels at spending his work time watching videos, analyzing data, and devising and arranging tactics.

With the Trail Blazers, he never had to worry about off-court issues such as the locker room or public opinion; everything was arranged perfectly, and he only needed to complete his coaching rotation duties.

But Los Angeles is different. It's the glamorous West Coast, and he became the center of attention, with his every move under media scrutiny.

Every word and every action is compared by the media to Don Nelson and Pat Riley.

The Lakers are being compared to the Trail Blazers of the past, and every word and action of Bellman is being analyzed under a microscope.

When he first joined the Lakers in the 1993-1994 season, Bellman was full of ambition, but he was told that the team would tank that season because they wanted to acquire Jason Kidd.

Berman had no choice but to comply, and as a result, the championship-winning coach from last season led his team to fail to even make the playoffs in the new season, and he took the brunt of the blame.

Finally, in 1994, they got the second overall pick and selected Jason Kidd, acquiring the next Magic Johnson. Billman was ready to make a name for himself.

Based on the league's style and roster composition, he wanted to build a sophisticated half-court offensive system around Kidd, but it was rejected by owner Jerry Buss.

Buss demanded a fast-paced offense, as Los Angeles fans were eager for a return to Showtime, and the Lakers wanted to sell tickets and didn't want to play a half-court offense.

With no other option, Berman had to bite the bullet and devise a fast-break strategy. Bass also took the opportunity to bring Magic Johnson into the coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Magic Johnson was a top-notch player, but as a coach he was completely intuitive and couldn't provide any support for Billman. Instead, it was more like Billman was assisting Magic Johnson.

Berman played along with Johnson for a season, but Johnson felt that coaching wasn't for him and quit.

Another season wasted; Berman has made no progress in building a system, and the team has been constantly wavering.

The Lakers' fast-paced offensive system struggled to replicate its success in the 1990s, and they missed the playoffs once again.

In the 1995-1996 season, Berman rallied his spirits, hoping to make a breakthrough in his third year.

As a result, Magic Johnson said he wanted to make a comeback, that he wanted to play, and that he wanted to continue his career with the Lakers.

Jerry Buss is reluctant to part with this prized player, and even more reluctant to give up the influence it brings; the Lakers need to sell tickets.

With no other option, Berman had to move Johnson to the power forward position and redesign tactics and adjust the rotation for him.

Not to mention, with the former king and the new king on the same team, the head coach is caught in the middle and suffers from both sides. What a life he must be living.

Bellman increasingly misses his time with the Trail Blazers and regrets agreeing to let Jerry West come to Los Angeles to make a living.

"Let me tell you, Jerry went back to Los Angeles for four years and his depression relapsed. Can you believe it? He had four happy years in rainy Portland, and then he came back to sunny Los Angeles and got depressed. Fuck, this damn Hollywood."

Bellman took a drink and started talking about Jerry West's recent situation.

Jerry West was exhausted by his moves in the June draft and the signing of Shaquille O'Neal in July.

In fact, for more than three years after leaving Portland and returning to Los Angeles, West didn't have a single good day.

He had originally set his sights on Kobe and had done a lot of preparation for it, but the Trail Blazers snatched him away, leaving West extremely frustrated.

Subsequently, negotiations with O'Neal involved repeated back-and-forth exchanges, and they made a great deal of effort to free up signing space.

Only at the very last moment did West breathe a sigh of relief when O'Neal decided to sign the contract offered by the Lakers.

He was immediately taken to the hospital and spent several days in the intensive care unit receiving intravenous fluids; he was under immense pressure.

He forced himself to hold a signing press conference with O'Neal in Los Angeles, and when he got home, his wife and children prepared a celebration banquet for him.

West said the joy at that moment was comparable to winning the championship in Portland in 1990, but he soon found that his depression was resurfacing.

"How is Jerry now?" Gan Guoyang asked with concern after hearing that West's depression had relapsed.

"What else can you do but see a psychologist? But let me tell you, psychologists are all rubbish, frauds. They're like cow dung on the Nebraska prairie, standing there in clumps. You think they're somewhat useful, like for making a fire or for fertilizing? In fact, they're completely useless. If they were useful, they wouldn't be left to dry on the prairie. Even dung beetles wouldn't bother rolling them into balls to carry them away."

"Bobby, are you seeing a therapist too?"

"Um...yes, that's right, I tried seeing a therapist. The therapist I went to, the first time I went, he talked to me about his son, who is a pilot, and every year when he comes home on vacation, he teaches him to fly a plane, blah blah blah, that's about it. After the whole course of therapy, I can fly a plane now, but my own problems are still not solved at all!"

As Gan Guoyang watched Behrman talk more and more while drinking one glass of wine after another, he quickly stopped him from drinking anymore.

“Bobby, you can’t drink anymore. You’ve started drinking again?” “Me? No, no, I didn’t… I… I was just happy to see you, so I had a couple more drinks. It’s okay, Sonny.”

As he spoke, Behrman downed two more glasses of wine, clearly having vented his frustrations and grievances upon seeing Forrest Gump.

The immense pressure and frustrations at work and in his personal life left Behrman full of complaints with nowhere to vent. Gan Guoyang, like an old friend who could accept everything about him, helped Behrman completely relax.

Finally, Behrman got so drunk that Gan Guoyang had to carry him to the car and have Quentin drive him home.

Bellman and his wife separated, and he rented a detached house near Inglewood and returned to single life.

Upon arrival at their destination, Gan Guoyang lifted Behrman from the car, while Behrman grumbled and cursed.

"Put me down! You little brat, you idiot, you traitor!"

"I can walk by myself. Are you gay? Why are you hugging me? Where am I? You…"

Before he could finish speaking, Gan Guoyang slapped Behrman across the face, and Behrman immediately became obedient.

After settling Behrman in and laying him on his side to prevent him from vomiting and choking, Gan Guoyang returned to the hotel to rest.

Bellman's time with the Lakers was not easy, which made Gan Guoyang quite unhappy.

They had fought together for so many years; they could have stayed together.

If nothing unexpected happens, there should be at least eight rings, not just seven.

However, Gan Guoyang had no choice. This was a life choice that Behrman himself had made, and he had to bear the consequences and find redemption for himself.

In terms of age, Berman has at least fifteen more years of coaching career ahead of him, enough time for him to get back on his feet.

The next day, at 3 p.m. Pacific Time, the game between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers was about to begin.

Bellman had sobered up and apologized to Gan Guoyang somewhat embarrassedly: "Sorry, I drank too much yesterday and bothered you again."

"It's nothing, a piece of cake. I'm really afraid you'll vomit and block your airway and suffocate."

"Thank you, thank you so much... but you shouldn't have taken off my socks and put them under my mouth. What's the point?"

"Oh, Quentin made me do this. He said it would keep your nose clear and help you wake up earlier to wash up and go back to sleep when you're more awake."

"Thank Quentin for me, thank Quentin and his whole family. Also, did you hit me again? Did you slap me across the face?"

“Yes, another one. I’ve wanted to hit you for a long time because you betrayed me, and you deserve it. You better pull yourself together and give me some trouble, Bobby.”

Behrman laughed, recalling how he had been immersed in alcoholism until Gan Guoyang slapped him awake at the youth training camp.

From that moment on, Bellman decided to give up his position at Palo Alto High School and coach at North China High School, thus beginning a legendary basketball journey.

Now, Gan Guoyang's slap made Bellman realize that he had to make some changes; he couldn't continue like this.

Of course, the game must be completed before that.

Before the match, Berman devised a plan for the game in the locker room.

Simple and clear: start with O'Neal in the paint, break through the Trail Blazers' three-second zone, then drive the outside offense, and use fast breaks to deal with the Trail Blazers.

This tactic is effective against most teams, but O'Neal is a little apprehensive about facing the Trail Blazers tonight.

Before the game started, O'Neal went to the bathroom several times. Bellman asked him, "Shaq, do you have diarrhea?"

O'Neal said with a grim expression, "Um... I think so. I'm not feeling well. I don't know if I can play tonight."

"You absolutely have to play tonight! It's the Christmas Day showdown, the whole nation is watching, it's your showdown with Forrest Gump. You have to take down Forrest Gump for me!"

O'Neal was reminded of the memories of being dominated and humiliated by Forrest Gump during his rookie season.

That was a public execution and absolute shame that he would never forget. The gap in strength and playing style left O'Neal with no way to defeat Gan Guoyang.

He couldn't possibly admit he was a wild duck like Sam Bowie, not competing with eagles, and just focusing on doing his own thing.

He himself might be able to do it psychologically, but coaches, spectators, fans, and commentators wouldn't agree; they would constantly compare O'Neal to Forrest Gump.

Moreover, judging from this season's performance, Forrest Gump has gained weight, his playing style has become more cunning, and he is more difficult to defend.

O'Neal tried to discuss with Bellman: "How about we let Thorpe guard Forrest? He's more like a power forward anyway."

In the summer, the Lakers traded center Campbell to the Houston Rockets in exchange for power forward Audis Thorpe to support O'Neal.

Although Thorpe is 34 years old, he is still in good form, consistently contributing 13 points and 8 rebounds per game, and making up for O'Neal's laziness in help defense and assist defense.

Berman shook his head and said, "You're the team leader, so you have to deal with the opposing team's leader. Audis won't be a match for Forrest Gump. Only you, only you can contain Forrest Gump and put pressure on him on offense. Relax, Forrest Gump is already 32 years old. He's getting old. The future belongs to you. You have to bravely challenge him."

Bellman used a combination of coaxing and deception to get O'Neal to match up against Forrest Gump and open up the game.

O'Neal had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for the sake of his status as the leader.

At around 3 PM, during the opening ceremony, Gan Guoyang was the last player for the Trail Blazers to appear.

When he appeared, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers, a testament to the Los Angeles fans' appreciation of the King of Los Angeles.

Since 1981, Gan Guoyang has been playing, winning, and taking championships in Los Angeles. He continued to play and win at venues such as the Great Western Forum and ULCA Arena.

To this day, the first sentence printed in the safety manual of the Great Western Forum is "Sonny Gan is prohibited from entering the arena to warm up."

This is a rule established by Pat Riley during his time with the Lakers, and it is still strictly enforced to this day. On the one hand, it shows the Lakers' fear of Forrest Gump, and on the other hand, it actually reflects their respect.

They were truly defeated and completely convinced, so all they could do was cheer and applaud.

Gan Guoyang stood on the sidelines, calmly waving to the fans, as if this were his home ground.

When it was the Lakers' turn to take the court, the Lakers' starting lineup was: center O'Neal, power forward Thorpe, small forward Steve Smith, shooting guard Byron Scott, and point guard Jason Kidd.

Not long after the start of the season, Jerry West traded Ceballos to the Suns in exchange for Steve Smith to bolster the team's frontcourt offense.

In terms of strength, the Lakers' roster is quite good, with a balance between inside and outside play, high offensive and defensive levels, experienced players, and ample size.

Bellman's experience and team management strategies have finally found a place to be put to use this season. The Lakers are currently second in the Western Conference, and maintaining their form to make the playoffs is not a problem at all.

Some even believe that the team's goal should be to win the championship, given that they have Shaquille O'Neal.

Only Bellman knew that the Lakers were still a long way from winning the championship.

The game started quickly, and O'Neal stood in the center circle to jump for the ball with Gan Guoyang. He couldn't help but swallow.

"Long time no see, Shaq, your muscles are in great shape." Gan Guoyang wanted to chat with O'Neal as usual.

"Long time no see, you...you're very strong too."

"Oh, you want to see who's stronger than me? No problem, you'll have your chance soon."

"No...no, Sonny."

Before O'Neal could explain, the referee blew the whistle, telling the two to get ready.

The jump ball is thrown, and the game begins.

Gan Guoyang got the ball first, and Van Exel got the ball and started the attack.

The Trail Blazers' opening strategy was very clear: low-post isolation plays in the paint, starting with Gan Guoyang.

O'Neal cursed under his breath and had no choice but to obediently go to the low post to defend.

If we only consider his ability to defend in the low post, Shaquille O'Neal is in the top tier of NBA history.

It could even be said that he was on par with Gan Guoyang. His absolute strength and physical attributes made it extremely difficult for any player to post up O'Neal.

However, Gan Guoyang had the advantage of experience, skill, and mentality. Before even receiving the ball, he had already begun his contest with O'Neal.

In the repeated battles for position in the low post, O'Neal once again felt that terrifying power. In the two seasons since Gan Guoyang retired, no one else has been able to make O'Neal struggle when it comes to positioning.

Many times, Shaq wouldn't even box out for the ball; he'd just let you hold the position, so what could you do? Besides a turnaround jumper, what other way could you get in?

Defending against Gan Guoyang wasn't enough; he had to box out. O'Neal used all his strength to contest Gan Guoyang's position, and the two were evenly matched in the low post. O'Neal's muscles and weight had also increased over the past two years, and he hadn't relaxed his training.

In the 1996-1997 season, he achieved a fairly good balance in weight and strength.

As the two players battled for position, Van Exel moved the ball in, and the moment he received it, Gan Guoyang turned and walked to the baseline.

This move once tormented O'Neal, but now he won't make the same defensive mistakes again, leaving the baseline wide open.

He took a step and blocked the baseline, but Gan Guoyang immediately pulled back, performed a wide back turn, and then took a jump shot.

The ball arced beautifully and went in perfectly, scoring two points. O'Neal didn't even have time to reach out and could only watch the ball go in.

"Shit, it's starting again, it's starting again." O'Neal kept complaining to himself. He really didn't want to face Forrest Gump in the Christmas Day game.

Shaquille O'Neal was a lazy guy. He wasn't the kind of player who liked to delve into the details of offense and defense. Most of the time, he relied on his talent, physique, and some skills to get by.

But that doesn't work on Forrest Gump. To fight against Forrest Gump, you have to use your brain, do research, pay attention to details, and withstand the pressure both psychologically and physically.

O'Neal didn't like playing like that, he didn't like this kind of game. He preferred to dominate and crush his opponents.

And Forrest Gump is someone he can't crush.

O'Neal lowered his head and ran hard towards the frontcourt.

He also called for the ball in the low post, backing down Forrest Gump and preparing for a low-post isolation play.

Kidd passed the ball to O'Neal, a very comfortable pass.

But the moment O'Neal received the ball, his mind went blank again.

"How should I play? How should I hit this ball? Should I push it inside? To the baseline? Or to the top of the line?"

Things go wrong when basketball players start thinking with their brains instead of muscle memory.

At that moment, O'Neal felt as if the entire Great Western Forum arena had gone dark, and the spotlight was shining on him.

He was the only one left in the room, and everyone fell silent. It was a one-man show for him, but he didn't know what to sing.

"Where...where am I..."

(End of this chapter)