The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 787 The traitor
Gan Guoyang is not a veteran who enjoys playing "Welcome to the NBA" games.

On the contrary, Gan Guoyang is quite friendly to most rookies who have just entered the league.

He has little interest in bullying or harassing rookies, even though it's an old tradition in the NBA, Gan Guoyang himself doesn't agree with it.

Chinese people believe in the principle of "Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you." Gan Guoyang himself, during his rookie years, hated veteran players who took advantage of their seniority to bully others.

Back then, he was young and hot-blooded. If any team or old guy dared to bully him, he would punch them or wrestle them to death.

He could easily take on an entire team by himself.

Now that he's a veteran himself, he enjoys tormenting his old friends who are of similar skill levels, such as Jordan, Ewing, Malone, Barkley, Hakeem, and O'Neal.

As for the newcomers, if you just focus on playing well, I'll have a good match with you, and if I'm in a good mood, I might even give you some pointers and share some experience with you.

But if you take advantage of me and try to use me as a tool to climb over others, then I'm sorry, I'll have to be ruthless towards you.

Like Kevin Garnett before, he was an accident. He fell for Kobe's trick, which caused Gan Guoyang to misunderstand. So I might as well just beat you up.

O'Neal is another exception; he'll give special consideration to promising players in the same position.

Gan Guoyang treats all the other newcomers and young players with the attitude of "Don't mess with me, I won't attack you."

Like a sleeping lion on the savanna, it ignores the occasional stray dog ​​passing by.

But Iverson made a mistake tonight; he deliberately provoked Gan Guoyang.

For those who provoke him, Gan Guoyang, based on his principles, not only beats them to death, but also leaves a lasting mark on their young minds.

This is something Gan Guoyang has followed since joining the league in 1984, which has built him a fearsome reputation.

This reputation is both a protection and a burden; in order to maintain it, the methods have to become increasingly harsh and ruthless.

Fewer and fewer people will provoke you, but there will always be those who are blind to the danger and those who are eager to make a name for themselves. The prize pool is growing bigger and bigger.

If someone, whether short-sighted or exceptionally talented, actually succeeds in the challenge, their accumulated reputation will collapse in an instant, and they will fall harder than anyone else.

The Detroit Pistons are a prime example; when they lost their strength and manpower, the so-called Bad Boys became exceptionally weak after 1991.

However, Gan Guoyang was far from losing his strength and his henchmen. After entering 1997, his condition improved more and more, and his experience, skills and physical condition gradually returned to their peak.

His strength has not only reached an all-time high, but his explosiveness and speed have also rebounded compared to the beginning of the season. This is thanks to more scientific training, a good diet, and the honing of deep and small muscles.

Another point that cannot be ignored is Larry Bird's reasonable planning of Gan Guoyang's playing time. Bird will have different rotation strategies in different games to ensure that Gan Guoyang is in a relatively comfortable playing condition.

As a superstar, Bird did this better than Bellman; he understood how and when players should play to their advantage.

Gan Guoyang's defensive level has gradually recovered from 85% at the beginning of the season to 95% of his peak, and he has reached an even higher level in defensive anticipation.

Before the timeout, Gan Guoyang defended Iverson's two shots by anticipating their moves and making decisions in advance, which is why Iverson was surprised that Gan was so fast.

Iverson was, after all, a rookie. His experience and skills were not yet fully refined. He couldn't match Jordan or Gan Guoyang in offense. You couldn't predict me because I didn't even know what I was going to do next.

What troubled Iverson even more was that Forrest Gump seemed to know some of his deepest secrets, which made him extremely uneasy.

It is more terrifying to have someone know your personality weaknesses than to have someone know your ball skills weaknesses. After all, ball skills are limited to the field, but human nature extends throughout life.

As he returned to the court after the timeout, Iverson let out a long sigh of relief, pondering how to deal with the devil he had brought upon himself.

On the other hand, Gan Guoyang was unaware of Iverson's secret in prison. However, he followed the news and noticed the news of Iverson's imprisonment in 1993, which was known throughout the United States at the time.

Knowing Iverson's future achievements, Gan Guoyang naturally kept a close eye on things, learned the whole story from beginning to end, and even contributed to the retrial of Iverson's case.

Of course, Iverson himself didn't know, otherwise he wouldn't have been disrespectful to Forrest Gump at the beginning.

An inconspicuous interview mentioned Iverson's life in prison, briefly mentioned, but Gan Guoyang remembered it.

Unexpectedly, it became a weapon in Gan Guoyang's psychological warfare during tonight's game. Gan Guoyang noticed the hesitation in Iverson's eyes and knew that the kid was afraid.

For a dominant figure on the court like Gan Guoyang, the fear of his opponents is like the blood of his prey. Once he smells blood, it doesn't evoke sympathy; it only fuels his bloodlust.

After the timeout ended and he returned to the court, Iverson temporarily concealed his sharpness, no longer dribbling the ball to attack, but instead passing the ball to his teammates to create opportunities.

Soon after, Jerry Stackhouse hit a three-pointer, helping the 76ers break their scoring drought and ease the tension.

This junior of Jordan, who graduated from North Carolina, has a very comprehensive offensive skill set, and he is considered to be a powerful backcourt pairing with Iverson.

After the timeout, the 76ers intensified their ball movement and perimeter offense, abandoning their attacks on the inside.

In fact, everyone knows that against the Trail Blazers, once you give up attacking the paint, you've already lost half the game.

Especially for the Trail Blazers during their seven-championship era, giving up scoring in the paint meant handing over control of the court.

If the offense cannot be effective both inside and outside, it will definitely be severely limited. This is the foundation of the Trail Blazers' strength, built on Gan Guoyang's outstanding interior defense.

But the 76ers, or rather many teams, couldn't do anything about it. Forrest Gump's presence under the basket was simply too intimidating; relentlessly attacking the paint was just feeding kills.

It would be better to get into a shooting rhythm early on, preferably with a good three-point shot, so that you'll have the resources to compete with Forrest Gump later on.

The 76ers followed this strategy, launching a team offense and attempting to create space through passing to find opportunities for the perimeter.

76ers head coach John Davis was a member of the 1977 champion Portland Trail Blazers and was heavily influenced by Jack Ramsey.

Davis wants to bring the ball-sharing strategy from his time with the Trail Blazers to the 76ers to make them stronger.

Unfortunately, the championship strategy from 1977 was no longer applicable by 1997, 20 years later.

The NBA is a rapidly changing business league. Not to mention 1977, even 1987, the NBA 10 years ago was vastly different from the NBA in 1997.

It's fair to say that if the 1977 Trail Blazers and the Philadelphia 76ers had played a series under the rules and style of 1997, the star-studded 76ers, with their exceptional one-on-one skills, would most likely have crushed the Trail Blazers.

Times have changed. In an era of defensive expansion, superstars are becoming increasingly valuable on the offensive end.

Therefore, although the 76ers broke their scoring drought after the timeout, they were unable to truly turn the tide.

Conversely, the Trail Blazers relied on Gan Guoyang, a monster in the low post, to play very comfortably on offense.

Every two or three rounds, he would pass the ball to Agan, and Gan Guoyang always managed to get it into the basket.

In the remaining rounds, Van Exel, Riddell, and others can find their own ways to use Forrest Gump's attraction to create scoring opportunities.

It can be said that the 1997 NBA was the era when ball-handling isolation players were most sought after. Whether in the low post or on the perimeter, having isolation skills was very important to the team.

If you are a top-tier singles player, you can become a key player and earn a multi-million dollar contract.

A good singles player has become a standard feature of all strong teams. Without a strong singles player, the game will be very difficult.

Players like Gan Guoyang and Jordan, who average 30 points per game, can account for more than one-third of the team's total points in a single game.

Gan Guoyang is the best of the best, a man who single-handedly destroyed the league by isolating himself.

Playing against a weak team like the 76ers, with a weak interior defense, no solid center, and almost no wing defense, is even easier.

However, Gan Guoyang didn't have a strong desire to score tonight; he focused his energy on defense, specifically on Iverson.

He wants to put Iverson in jail.

Of course, as a center, he wouldn't actively guard Iverson; that would be acting on impulse.

He can anticipate Iverson's next move and prepare accordingly.

So when Iverson got into shape and was ready to get on offense, he found he had very few options.

It seems that apart from mid-range jump shots, all he can do is shoot three-pointers. It's too difficult for him to drive to the basket and attack the rim directly.

Because Forrest Gump always happens to be right in his best offensive path, providing the best interference.

At the end of the first quarter, Iverson was 0-for-4 from the field and had not scored a single point, while Gan Guoyang had 1 steal and 1 block, both of which came from Iverson.

During the break, Iverson sat on the bench, panting heavily and drinking water, his large eyes filled with complex emotions.

Cage came over to Iverson and said, "He'll definitely be targeting you tonight. He's always ruthless towards challengers. Come on, Allen, you can do it."

Iverson remained silent. He knew Cage meant well, but there was no point in saying anything at this moment. Iverson was thinking about how to break the deadlock.

Van Exel and Gan Guoyang communicated well on defense, and the two worked together to surround Iverson. It was the first time Iverson had encountered such intense help defense in the paint.

He has a natural disadvantage in terms of physique. His short stature gives him speed and explosiveness, but it also makes him lack vision and communication with his teammates, which means that once he is surrounded, he is unable to contribute to the team.

Gan Guoyang's defense is very different from other NBA big men. He can play inside and outside, has a variety of methods, and is very aggressive on defense.

If you don't let him make a choice, he will force you to make a choice in order to take control.

This made rookie Allen Iverson very uncomfortable, because in the past he had always made his own choices and no one could force him.

He felt as if he had truly returned to the farm, sitting in the warden's office, where the warden said to him, "Sit down, nigger, shut up."

Iverson had no choice but to sit down obediently. This was the most frustrating time of his life so far, and he was helpless.

After the start of the second quarter, Iverson sat on the bench. The Trail Blazers had already pulled ahead by 9 points in the first quarter, which wasn't a huge lead, but it was very solid.

Iverson had no idea that while he was preoccupied with Forrest Gump's defense, there was someone else on the Trail Blazers who was preoccupied with him.

That's Kobe.

Kobe came off the bench in the second quarter and, as always, performed his duties.

Play aggressive defense, move around on offense, and wait for opportunities on the perimeter.

Occasionally, he gets opportunities to create chances with the ball, which Bird gives him.

Kobe would often choose to receive the ball outside the three-point line at this time, make a sharp change of direction, and then break through the paint to attack the basket.

This was an offensive technique that many NBA guards learned and developed at the time, and it has become a standard feature for guards.

Allen Iverson was equally skilled in this, having learned it from his fellow alumnus Pelé, and even made a shot over Jordan's head.

Kobe attempted to mimic Iverson's move during an offensive possession, but missed the shot.

The ball slammed against the front of the rim, and the 76ers grabbed the rebound and launched a fast break.

Although the Trail Blazers lost Gan Guoyang in the paint, Jermaine O'Neal, having learned from Gan's skills, delivered a big block to the opponent.

Kobe got the ball and launched a counterattack, using a series of dribbling changes of direction. Kobe was very fast and dribbled very nimbly, but his rhythm wasn't good enough.

Finally, he jumped to pass the ball, resulting in a turnover...

"Fuck... what the hell are you doing? Are you a circus clown?"

Gan Guoyang finally couldn't hold back and trash-talked Kobe on the sidelines.

Most of the time, Gan Guoyang is as warm and welcoming as a spring breeze to his teammates.

Especially when a teammate makes a mistake on the field, his first reaction is to clean up the mess for the teammate, rather than blaming the teammate.

Over the years, every player who has worked with Forrest Gump has given him a thumbs up; he is a true leader.

But Gan Guoyang sometimes really couldn't stand Kobe. This guy was like a naughty child who was born without ears.

On the court, he often acts on his own initiative, making some inexplicable moves, as if he's wearing a helmet, narrowing his field of vision to a square frame, with nothing but the basketball hoop.

Gan Guoyang initially tried to guide and instruct Kobe patiently, but Kobe would often respond with two sentences: 1. "Isn't this how you do it?"

2. "Isn't that what you said?"

Kobe actually had a third thing in mind, but he didn't dare to say it: 3. "I just want to do this."

At times like these, Gan Guoyang would think of his unfortunate son, and a surge of anger would rise to his head.

So eventually Gan Guoyang couldn't hold back anymore and started cursing. Kobe didn't talk back, but just continued to focus on the game with a livid face.

After that, he would often change, and this would last for a long time, until he had another fit of madness during a certain game.

Kobe had another episode tonight because he couldn't see any fans welcoming him in Philadelphia, and he ran into Allen Iverson.

Capitalizing on Kobe's mistake, the 76ers launched another counterattack, this time succeeding and narrowing the score gap.

The two teams' bench players were playing somewhat chaotically on the court, so Bird immediately called a timeout and brought Porter in to stabilize the situation.

Kobe was substituted due to poor performance, and he was somewhat frustrated. So far, he has not had the opportunity to match up against Iverson.

Gan Guoyang glared at Kobe and said, "Think carefully about what you're supposed to do on the court. Don't do anything beyond your capabilities." Kobe wiped his face, expressionless, and remained silent, like a rebellious son.

Gan Guoyang returned to the court midway through the second quarter, and the 76ers couldn't find a way to contain him.

Gan Guoyang continued to score steadily in the paint and grab rebounds, giving the 76ers no chance to turn the tide.

Like Kobe, Iverson was stubbornly determined to do something, to prove something, but he was powerless to do so.

Gan Guoyang continued to target Iverson, who felt like he was being subjected to the same zone defense he had during his NCAA days.

Allen Iverson hated zone defense. He would rather face Michael Jordan's one-on-one defense than face Forrest Gump's ghost-like help defense like this.

After arriving in the NBA, Iverson felt that scoring became easier because the absence of zone defense and the abundance of man-to-man defense allowed him to thrive.

But tonight, Gan Guoyang made him experience the terror of the joint defense again. Every time he went in, there was always another person following him.

In the second quarter, Iverson still failed to score, going 0-for-3 from the field. He had one layup blocked, one mid-range shot missed, and one three-pointer missed.

At halftime, the Trail Blazers led the 76ers 59-49, with Iverson going 0-for-7 from the field and failing to score a single point or even get a free throw opportunity.

The Trail Blazers are not a top defensive team this season. Their average points allowed per game is only in the middle of the league, and their perimeter defense is sometimes terrible.

They are easily missed when marked, lack height and strength, and offer little in terms of defensive coverage in the paint, relying entirely on PJ Brown and Gan Guoyang to hold the fort in the paint.

This year, the league's three-point line is shorter, so the strategy against the Trail Blazers is clear: get the outside shooting going, move the ball around widely, and avoid Agan's strong point.

The Trail Blazers have the best rim protection and the worst three-point defense in the league. If Iverson were a bit better at three-pointers, or taller with better court vision and more experience, he wouldn't have been completely sidelined in the first half.

Of course, the more important reason was that he had offended Forrest Gump.

Why don't you issue a challenge to him properly, especially at the beginning when everyone can hear it?

At halftime, Bird praised Forrest Gump's defense and also commended Van Exel's performance tonight.

He also contributed to guarding Iverson; with Forrest Gump on the court, his job was simply to stay with him.

Bird singled out Kobe for criticism, saying that Kobe was acting very strangely tonight, playing erratically and not following the tactics.

Two turnovers and two attempts to dribble alone not only failed to score but also led to counterattacks by the opponent, which can be considered a negative effect.

However, Bird still said earnestly, "I understand how you feel. You want to perform well back home, but playing like this tonight won't leave a good impression on your hometown fans and friends. Doing what you should do is the best performance."

Among many rookie coaches, Bird was definitely the most patient one.

His position makes him more resilient under pressure and more persuasive to players.

In comparison, Gan Guoyang's patience is not as good as it was when he was younger.

As the second half approached, Gan Guoyang discussed with Bird again: "That Kobe kid is as restless as a cat in heat."

Bird said, "You're acting like a raging old lion right now, don't argue with a child."

Gan Guoyang said, "You know I'm anxious."

"I know, but haste makes waste. It's just a regular season game. Also, weren't you being a bit too harsh on Allen Iverson?"

"Ruthless? Didn't I used to keep you scoreless for a whole quarter?"

"Fuck you, XXXX..."

"Larry, you're acting like a raging old lion right now, don't take it personally with a kid like me."

"Who do you think you are! Go and compete."

In the third quarter, the 76ers didn't make any major changes.

The focus of the game now is whether Iverson can break his scoring drought.

At the start of the second half, Iverson hurriedly dribbled the ball and drove into the paint.

He tried to open the scoring with a well-executed pull-up jumper, a shot he was absolutely certain would be made.

But then Gan Guoyang appeared from the side and behind like a ghost, and gently touched him with his hand.

Iverson dodged, and Gan Guoyang neither touched the ball nor hit his hand, so it wasn't a foul.

A clever interference caused Iverson to lose his grip on the ball, which hit the rim and missed.

The fans in the stadium sighed. Iverson still couldn't score. What was wrong with him tonight?
Iverson's face was stern and his expression was grim, while Gan Guoyang continued his devilish whispers.

"Alan, they all call you 'Answer.' But why won't you answer my question?"

Iverson remained silent; he didn't want to fall into Forrest Gump's trap again, fearing he would break down.

"Answer me!" Gan Guoyang suddenly shouted, startling Iverson.

The referee thought the two were arguing and came over to check on the situation.

Gan Guoyang explained, "There's no problem here, we're just exchanging ideas."

"I don't want to talk to you, Sonny. Don't talk to me anymore."

Iverson fought back and threw himself into the game.

Gan Guoyang rushed to the basket, grabbed an offensive rebound, and slammed the ball home with both hands.

Scoring is as easy for him as drinking water, if he wants to.

Iverson had done the same thing in the past, but tonight he couldn't get any water.

He felt like he was dying of thirst, but he persisted. He was stubborn and didn't want to admit defeat.

Deep down, he knew he had already lost tonight, but he didn't want to lose so badly and completely.

Iverson was determined to score, ignoring Stackhouse's opportunity on the wing and driving to the basket using a screen.

If the referee is even slightly lenient, a whistle will be given for a drive to the basket, resulting in two free throws and a point in the net.

But Gan Guoyang's defense tonight was flawless. After the screen, he switched to guard Allen Iverson.

Generally, when a taller player defends a smaller player, the taller player will choose to maintain distance, otherwise it will be easy for the smaller player to break through.

Gan Guoyang is different; he likes to stick close and intercept, and even if he is sometimes beaten or fouled, he will still choose to intercept.

Lower your center of gravity and engage in direct grappling, without worrying at all about being shaken until your ankles go weak or your head spins.

Because he has excellent control over his center of gravity, solid footwork, and skillful use of confrontation, he has mastered the art of striking effectively.

Only experienced and seasoned guards, such as Jordan, Johnson, and Drexler, can draw fouls and gain an advantage.

Iverson is too young. He is really fast, but Gan Guoyang's defensive style made him very uncomfortable, and the ball was actually knocked away!

Once again, the ball was knocked away by a center. Iverson tried to dive to contest the rebound, but Gan Guoyang also managed to grab the ball, and the referee ruled it a jump ball.

Iverson was furious. Wasn't calling a jump ball just giving possession to the Trail Blazers? It should have been a foul.

"That's a foul!" Iverson glared at the referee; this tactic used to be quite effective.

But at that moment, the referee shook his head and insisted on calling a jump ball because your opponent was Forrest Gump.

Iverson was extremely frustrated and had to go to the free-throw line to contest for the ball with the leading center.

Gan Guoyang looked at Iverson and mouthed, "Answer me~"

Iverson was on the verge of collapse; the mental struggles were the cracks, but the real hammer was the gap on the court.

If Iverson had more experience, a more stable mentality, and a better shooting touch tonight, he wouldn't have shot so badly.

No matter how good Gan Guoyang's defense is, it's still very difficult to shut out an NBA player, especially not a guard he's primarily guarding.

Even someone like Rodman can occasionally score a goal or two over Gan Guoyang's head, so it's normal for Iverson to score a few goals if he plays normally.

But Iverson was thrown off balance from the very beginning, and being a newcomer, he was now in complete disarray.

Gan Guoyang easily won the jump ball, and then on offense, he had the ball on the outside, mismatched against Iverson.

He actually showed off his dribbling skills, using moderate speed, skillful technique, and excellent rhythm to make a mid-range shot with a change of direction and a step-back.

Iverson tried to steal the ball, but to no avail. He watched the ball go in, and at that moment he completely broke down. He suddenly looked up at the sky, then squatted down on the court and covered his face.

Seeing this, the 76ers coach called a timeout. Gan Guoyang walked over, tapped Iverson on the head, said nothing, and returned to the bench.

With the comfort and escort of his teammates, Iverson returned to the bench. He drank some water and tried to calm himself down, but he was still devastated.

The humiliation he suffered on the farm for four months seemed to replay itself, flooding back like a tidal wave, making it difficult for him to control himself.

He also knew that after the game, the news that "Iverson was beaten to tears by Forrest Gump" would make headlines.

However, Iverson did not regret it. He did not regret challenging Forrest Gump. He always believed that it was the right and brave thing he did.

Coach Davis substituted the emotionally unstable Iverson off the court for a short rest, and then brought him back on once he had recovered. Davis instructed Iverson to avoid playing against Forrest Gump.

Once Gan Guoyang was off the court, Iverson quickly scored his first basket of the game – against Kobe, he used a baseline drive and pull-up jumper to score two points.

Seeing this, Kobe immediately responded on offense with a series of crossover dribbles followed by a pull-up jump shot.

Clang! Missed.

Gan Guoyang sat in the audience, so angry that he covered his face.

The two players faced off for about five minutes.

Kobe took the initiative to defend Iverson, and Iverson quickly regained his offensive touch after breaking his scoring drought.

Three-pointers, fast break layups, pull-up jumpers, and drives into the paint helped the 76ers close the gap to 5 points at one point.

Kobe, on the other hand, appeared quite inexperienced against the skilled Allen Iverson. Some of his movements lacked variation, and his shooting accuracy was insufficient.

Moreover, Kobe's shot selections were poor; he didn't make good use of the team and tactics, but instead went it alone, detached from his teammates.

In terms of one-on-one ability, Kobe is clearly not as adept as Iverson now; those two years in college weren't for nothing.

However, when Gan Guoyang returned to the game in the fourth quarter, Iverson seemed a bit hesitant, and the agility he had shown earlier vanished.

It's like encountering a prisoner who's met with a warden; even the most arrogant and domineering guy has to sit down obediently and shut up.

Ultimately, the Trail Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 107-102 on the road, securing a comfortable victory.

Iverson shot 4-for-15, scoring only 12 points, including 0 points in the first half. He failed to score a single point against Forrest Gump, which was a disgrace.

Kobe wasn't much better, going 1-for-6 from the field and scoring only 2 points in front of his hometown crowd, while also committing 3 turnovers and 3 fouls.

When the game ended, Gan Guoyang patted Kobe's head hard and said, "The night is long and the road is far, kid!"

Kobe walked down the tunnel, head down, back to the locker room, without any cheers or even boos.

On the other hand, Iverson was also feeling bad. Although he did not regret challenging Forrest Gump, the result was painful for him.

He sat in the locker room and cried for a while, finally understanding why the devil is the devil and what kind of being Forrest Gump really was.

However, at the post-game press conference, Gan Guoyang did not use this to mock Iverson. Instead, he said fairly, "He has a lot of courage. It's not easy for an average person who is 6 feet tall to play in the NBA. He made some mistakes. We all make mistakes, including me. But some things a person does, some actions, especially his courage and personality, will always remain, no matter what happens in the end. That's a kind of strength."

After seeing these words, Iverson said nothing. In future games, he still challenged Forrest Gump, but he never said "I don't like you" again.

The veteran players said that Iverson was not mature enough and lacked experience, and they were not the only ones who held this view.

He clashed with Charles Barkley, referee Tim Donaghy, and teammate Jerry Stackhouse, even getting into a physical altercation with Stackhouse, which forced the 76ers to trade Stackhouse.

Bulls guard Ron Harper said, "This kid is so disrespectful. You're in the league, you have to do something."

Later, Jordan approached Iverson for advice, but according to the New York Post, Iverson told Jordan to "get lost," to which Jordan rolled his eyes and had no choice but to comply.

The only exception was Forrest Gump. Iverson wasn't close to him, nor were they friends, but he always respected him greatly.

—Excerpt from Allen Iverson's biography, Not a Game: The Incredible Rise and Unthinkable Fall, published in 2015.

(End of this chapter)