The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 781 The Best Mindset

Since leaving the Detroit Pistons and Chuck Daly's coaching, Dennis Rodman has embarked on a different path in basketball.

In Detroit, he treated the Pistons as a big family, Daly as a father, and Thomas and Laimbeer as older brothers.

He felt a sense of belonging to the Pistons, and he was full of energy on the court every night, willing to fight for his coach and teammates.

His performance on the court improved, and he became one of the best forward defenders in the league, a rebounding genius who posed a huge threat to Forrest Gump.

However, everything changed in 1993. Like Gan Guoyang, Rodman faced a turning point in his life.

Chuck Daly left the Pistons, and Rodman lost his spiritual father figure in basketball.

With General Manager Jack McCloskey retiring, the Pistons' true leader has stepped down from the ship.

Isaiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer were nearing the end of their professional careers, and after the 1992-1993 season, they privately discussed retiring in 1994.

John Salley was traded to Miami, Mark Aguirre went to the Clippers, a graveyard for stars, Rick Mahon followed Daly to New Jersey, and Melvin Tping, who was twice the weight of Rodman, had to retire.

Once as united as a family, the bad boys have fallen apart. The more arrogant they were, the more desolate they became when they collapsed.

No one felt sorry for their downfall; many even gloated, since they had offended so many people when they were powerful.
Rodman's home on the basketball court was shattered, and his home off the court was gone too—his relationship with his wife Annie broke down, and their marriage lasted only 82 days.

Without guidance or a sense of belonging, the young man didn't know how to live, and naturally, with his wealth and fame, he began to indulge himself.

He gambled, slept with countless women, dated Madonna, refused to report to the team's training camp, covered himself in tattoos, dyed his hair in bright colors, and even considered suicide.

According to him, he did these things because he wanted to be an ordinary person.

It's really too ordinary.

One of the best things Rodman did was never touch drugs.

One night in October 1993, he drove his car to the underground parking lot of the Palace of Auburn Hills, the place that had once brought him passion and glory.

There was a gun on the passenger seat. Rodman parked the car and wondered if he should use it to end his chaotic life.

He reminisced about everything basketball and the NBA had given him: those nights filled with the cacophony of noise, the gleaming Larry O'Brien Trophy, the millions of dollars in earnings, and the alluring figures amidst the bright lights and bustling nightlife. Rodman, however, felt that it was all an illusion.

He didn't believe in anything life had given him; he didn't believe in money, women, or love between people.

He believes that all of this will eventually leave you; it's just a fleeting moment. When your athletic career ends, people will forget you, and new idols will emerge for fans to worship.

He has already experienced, felt, and tasted it all, so what is there left to cherish? Nothing.

At that moment, Rodman's hand reached for the gun on the passenger seat. Rodman still remembers how cold and solid its surface was; it was a passage to another world, a scalpel that would end all troubles and pain.

Rodman raised his gun and turned on the car radio, wanting to hear what was happening in the world at that moment.

Where war breaks out, where crime, famine, and disaster still rage, is the foolish entertainment industry still creating pointless gossip, and are self-righteous commentators still pointing fingers at every aspect of the country? This world is beyond redemption.

The radio station suddenly broadcast a sports news item:

"News from Oregon: The Portland Trail Blazers announced today that their star player, Sonny Gan, has decided to continue playing in the NBA. He will sign a new contract with the Blazers, and fans will continue to see him in a Blazers jersey for the upcoming 1993-1994 season. After the tragic deaths of two star players and a complete overhaul of the general manager and coaching staff, Gan did not choose to retire as many expected, but instead remained on the court. We..."

Dennis Rodman turned off the radio and put down his gun. He couldn't understand why Forrest Gump didn't choose to retire.
Everyone thought Forrest Gump would retire and leave. He had seven championships, but everything was broken and destroyed. What was there left to cherish?
This question filled Rodman's mind; he couldn't find the answer, and at the same time, he lost interest in shooting himself in the head.

Rodman drove away from the Palace of Auburn Hills, and then he left Detroit for Chicago, his former rival city.

He won two more rings, witnessed Forrest Gump's retirement and comeback, and now, standing on the floor of the Rose Garden Arena, he has no interest in the grudges and rivalries between Jordan, Pippen, and Forrest Gump.

I don't want to get involved, I don't want to judge, I don't want to participate.

He was grateful to Forrest Gump. That night, if Gan Guoyang hadn't announced that he would stay in the NBA, he might have died in the parking lot of the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Of course, even if Gan Guoyang hadn't announced that he would stay in the NBA that day, Rodman might not have died.

Because he's afraid of pain, this is a little secret he's always been unwilling to share with others.

His most painful experiences on the NBA court were all brought to him by Forrest Gump.

He was beaten up once and thrown onto the technical table once, both times causing him to grimace in pain.

Looking back, Rodman doesn't know where he got the courage from.

Now he's even less likely to go nutshell with Forrest Gump; most of the other so-called tough guys are just putting on an act.

Including Charles Barkley, Rodman also considered him a bully who preyed on the weak.

Only Forrest Gump is serious; once he gets into it, he really doesn't care about anything else.

In the first quarter, the Bulls and Trail Blazers engaged in a fast-paced offensive and defensive battle in a somewhat chaotic atmosphere.

The Trail Blazers' advantage lies in the paint; they grabbed four more rebounds than the Bulls, all of which were offensive rebounds.

However, the Trail Blazers failed to convert their rebounding advantage into a scoring advantage; each offensive rebound was not immediately converted into points.

It wasn't that the Bulls did a good job protecting the rim; it was that their perimeter players were just too quick to react.

PJ Brown, A.J. Forrest Gump, and A.C. Green would immediately face help defense and turnovers from Bulls players whenever they managed to grab the ball under the basket.

Gan Guoyang tried to gain an advantage in the first quarter by rebounding, but the Bulls prevented him from doing so by stealing the ball and clearing it out of bounds.

The Trail Blazers didn't have many good solutions against the Bulls on the defensive end; they could only stick to one-on-one defense.

Compared to before 1993, Jordan in 1997 received the ball more often at the 45-degree angle to initiate the attack.

His back-to-the-basket offense has reached a level of consummate skill, comparable to Forrest Gump.

With immense strength, skillful and rapid footwork, and accurate turnaround shots, combined with a variety of offensive techniques, he is virtually unstoppable by defenders.

In comparison, Gan Guoyang could play like Jordan, but he can't because he has to take on more work.

He needs to screen for his teammates, act as the pivot, grab offensive rebounds, and receive the ball on the perimeter to organize the offense.

At the end of the first quarter, the Trail Blazers trailed the Bulls 27-28, down by one point.

Despite taking an early lead, the Trail Blazers struggled to keep up with the Bulls as the game progressed.

The Bulls were impeccable in their attention to detail, and there were no major mistakes in any of their offensive or defensive plays.

In terms of pacing, they maintained a perfect balance, slowing down after a high-intensity, high-energy start against the Trail Blazers. They then used a more relaxed half-court offense and a tough perimeter defense to put pressure on the Trail Blazers and seize control of the game.

Although the Bulls were only leading by one point, Phil Jackson breathed a huge sigh of relief after the first quarter.

During the break, he told Jordan, "Forrest Gump may still be Forrest Gump, but the Trail Blazers are not the same Trail Blazers anymore."

When strong teams play each other, they can usually figure out each other's strengths and weaknesses after just one quarter of the game. They know exactly how good the opponent is and what their trump cards are.

Especially top teams like the Bulls, who once engaged in a high-level battle with the Trail Blazers.

Jackson still vividly remembers the epic showdowns of the 1991 and 1992 NBA Finals; the suffocating tension and uncertainty kept everyone on edge.

And what about the Trail Blazers now? Forrest Gump is still aggressive, but the rest of the Trail Blazers aren't as strong as they used to be. They're good, a strong team, but not a top challenger.

Van Exel and Riddell can only be challengers in chaotic battles, delivering some amazing performances in rounds of steady running.

When it comes to the crucial moments, when the outcome is decided, or at key junctures in the game, they find it difficult to provide Forrest Gump with enough help.

Jordan was all too familiar with this situation; it was the state he struggled with from 1985 to 1990.

"Now it's finally Forrest Gump's turn to experience that feeling." Jordan smiled, chewing gum while touching the wound at the corner of his eye.

Sitting on the bench and calming down, the adrenaline subsided, and the pain returned. Jordan spat out his chewing gum, cursed, and popped another piece into his mouth.

Jackson said, "It's not necessarily a bad thing that Forrest Gump acted so early. It shows that he was somewhat out of options. Most of the time he is very calm, and it's a good thing that he lost his composure."

Jordan glared at Jackson and said, "Really? Then stand on the sidelines and curse his father, and see if you can make him lose his temper."

"Oh, Michael, let's just focus on playing basketball and solve the problem with basketball."

Phil Jackson tried to speak with Dennis Rodman, hoping he would target Forrest Gump in the later games.

Although the Trail Blazers were far inferior to the Bulls overall, Jackson knew that Forrest Gump could turn the tide in a single regular season game. To counter Forrest, a consistent, long-term strategy was needed, at the very least keeping his shooting percentage below 60%.

Rodman, however, didn't want to pay any attention to Jackson. He pulled out a newspaper from somewhere, crossed his legs, and sat on the bench to read it.

"Put away your damn newspaper! Where the hell did you get that?"

"It's what I used to wipe my butt in the bathroom. Coach, I'll do my best to guard Forrest, but don't expect me to trash talk him or get physical with him."

Are you that afraid of him?

"If you're not afraid, you can go and greet his father."

"..."

Jackson felt like his head was about to explode. What kind of people were he coaching?

He had hoped to overcome his fear and anxiety about Forrest Gump through this game, but it seems that even if he wins, it won't make a difference.

However, Phil Jackson quickly came to terms with it, and perhaps Rodman and Jordan's attitudes were the best possible mindset.

Doing my own thing, fulfilling my responsibilities, and not being distracted by Forrest Gump—isn't that enough?
With that in mind, Jackson calmed down and continued to focus on the game.

His battle with Larry Bird has only just begun tonight.

At this moment, Larry Bird was letting Gan Guoyang sit on the sidelines to rest.

At the start of the second quarter, Gan Guoyang sat on the bench for four to five minutes.

This offseason will be tough for the Trail Blazers; one wrong move and they could fall behind the Bulls.

What follows will become an endless chase, and the pioneers will lose the initiative.

But Bird faced a problem: he couldn't find a reliable player to lead the team against the Bulls.

To date, the Trail Blazers have never had a true second option.

This is a question that has plagued Gan Guoyang throughout his career: the teams he leads are destined to lack a clear second star.

When the top leader is too powerful, the second-in-command's status will be significantly reduced, or even become dispensable, similar to that of others.

In this respect, no one can compare to Forrest Gump. Jordan was certainly great, but Pippen was the undisputed second-best player on the team—even though his salary didn't match his.

In the first three-peat, Drexler was theoretically the team's second-best player, but in reality, his status and role were not necessarily comparable to those of Vandeweghe, Thompson, and Terry Porter.

In particular, his contract and salary were consistently low, which was not in line with his status as the team's second-in-command, leading to his later departure.

The situation was more complicated during the four-peat phase. Petrovic, Sabonis, Hornacek, and Lewis all had the ability to be the second option, but upon closer examination, none of them were quite right.

If Petrovic and Lewis hadn't died, and had fought alongside Forrest Gump for another two years, one of them would likely have become the undisputed second-in-command by now.

But now, the Trail Blazers are in a situation where they are on a winning streak, and the gap between them and other players in all aspects is too big. No one can take on the responsibility of being the second-in-command.

After some deliberation, Bird decided to let veteran Porter lead the team, commanding the second unit.

Porter led the charge, while the main scorer was Riddell – Riddell had been resting for a while since he left the game in the second half of the first quarter.

In the frontcourt, Bird opted for a more conservative choice, pairing Dudley with A.C. Green.

Instead of using the rookie duo of Wallace and O'Neal who had shone in previous games, they opted not to utilize them.

Because Ben Wallace was too short, the Bulls substituted veteran Robert Parish during the transition period of the second quarter.

After leaving the Suns, Parish signed with the Bulls last season and became a backup center for the team.

At 43 years old this season, Parish can still contribute on the field thanks to his height and experience.

It has to be admitted that height is the most difficult talent to change; Parish is a barrier when he stands in the paint.

Ben Wallace doesn't even seem as tall as Pippen, so how are you going to stop Bulls players from attacking the basket in the paint?
While Bird was unconventional in his player selection, he was still somewhat conservative in such an important game.

As a result, the conservative approach did not bring stability. After the start of the second quarter, the Bulls launched an offensive surge.

First, Parish grabbed an offensive rebound under the basket and scored two points with his signature high-arcing shot.

Riddell then missed a layup after a back-to-the-basket move inside, and Parish secured the rebound.

The Bulls launched a counterattack, and Kukoc received the ball on the outside and hit a three-pointer!

This tall Croatian star thrived with the Bulls.

Although he inevitably faced criticism and lessons from Pippen and Jordan after joining the Bulls, he quickly proved with his abilities that he could establish himself in the NBA and make significant contributions.

Porter tried to respond with a pull-up jumper on the counterattack, but he wasn't in the zone or in rhythm, and his shot missed.

Dudley and A.C. Green lack the ability to attack offensive rebounds, allowing the Bulls to secure defensive rebounds and launch fast breaks.

Parish got the rebound again and passed it to Pippen. Pippen quickly dribbled across half-court and no one could stop him. With Forrest Gump gone, who was he afraid of?

The Trail Blazers had to collapse their defense in the middle, leaving Stephen Cole open on the wing. Pippen passed the ball to the baseline, where Cole received it and launched a three-pointer, which went in!

An 8-0 run quickly extended the lead to 9 points.

Bird immediately called a timeout; if the game continued like this, it would collapse in the second half.

Without Forrest Gump, the Trail Blazers' second unit was two levels below the Bulls, who had Pippen.

Just like the Bulls and Trail Blazers without Jordan.

Jordan must be thinking to himself right now, "You must understand me from the past, Sonny."

During the timeout, Gan Guoyang had already taken off his jacket, preparing to take the court early.

If they keep playing like this, they have no chance of winning this game; they'll be down by 15 points by halftime.

But Bird stopped him, saying, "No, now is not the time. Sit down."

"My physical condition is fine. Trust me, I can play the whole game."

"I know you can do it, but please believe me, we can adjust. And you need to use your physical strength and touch when it matters most."

Gan Guoyang didn't really trust Bird. It wasn't that he didn't trust Bird, but he knew the current level of the Trail Blazers' players.

The Bulls were a group of seasoned veterans, with Pippen and Jordan taking turns leading the team, creating a seamless rotation system.

Bird is like a skilled cook without rice; he only has Forrest Gump as his trump card, so he has to play this trump card well to have any chance of winning.

Bird had his own ideas, and although Gan Guoyang really wanted to win, he chose to respect the head coach's opinion at this moment.

After all, it's not the Finals. In the Finals, he would punch Bird unconscious and send him back to the locker room, then take over command and lead the game.

Bird didn't sense any murderous intent emanating from Forrest Gump, and he handed the whiteboard to Rick Carlisle.

He made significant personnel adjustments. When the conservative lineup didn't work, he immediately made a substitution, replacing Dudley with PJ Brown, whose height and rebounding ability are crucial.

With Jermaine O'Neal replacing A.C. Green, Bird needed more energy in the paint to fight for offensive rebounds.

With Van Exel back on the court, veteran Porter isn't as effective as the unpredictable striker in these comeback games.

Finally, Bird turned his attention to a young man who had been sitting on the bench for a long time, looking restless and eager to try out.

"Kobe, you're taking Winfield out of here. Your job is to keep an eye on Pippen, keep a close eye on him."

Kobe took off his jacket. He didn't nod, but said, "I thought I was going to go out there and face Jordan."

"Keep an eye on Pippen first, don't let him get too ambitious!" Bird's tone was very serious, and Kobe shut up and nodded.

Seeing this, Bird added, "If you play well, you can play longer, until Jordan comes back on the court."

Kobe didn't say anything, just nodded, put a piece of gum in his mouth, and stood on the court with his teammates.

(End of this chapter)