The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 792 The Perfect Opponent

All-Star Weekend has ended, and amidst the snow in Cleveland, the NBA celebrated its 50th anniversary.

While the list of the 50 greatest players is somewhat controversial, it generally represents the highest level of NBA players over the years.

For a long time to come, the life stories of these stars will serve as a key for fans to understand the history of this league.

Just like the Records of the Grand Historian in China, those chapters of Annals, Hereditary Houses, and Biographies weave together the flowing river of history.

After leaving Cleveland, Gan Guoyang did not return to Portland, but instead took his family back to San Francisco.

In San Francisco, he spent two days with his uncle's family and went to Nate Thurmond's barbecue restaurant to drink, eat, and sample their secret recipe.

For Gan Guoyang, it is not easy to find time to spend with his family and friends.

The daily life that ordinary people lead is a luxury for someone who has achieved great fame and wealth.

From the moment he stepped off the plane at San Francisco Airport, the media's cameras never left him.

Aside from staying at home and eating, sleeping, watching TV, and using the toilet behind closed doors, reporters follow him wherever he goes whenever he goes out.

Gan Guoyang also needs bodyguards with him. Quentin's security team provides 24-hour protection and remains vigilant at all times.

In the United States, the proliferation of guns gives many people the opportunity to end the lives of others and commit murder.

Every high-profile celebrity travels with a large security team, because you never know when a crazed fan with a gun might suddenly appear.

In terms of fanaticism, Gan Guoyang is on par with top superstars like Michael Jackson; some people are willing to die for him, while others wish he would die.

More importantly, in the mid-to-late 90s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Eastern Europe collapsed and fell into the embrace of the Western world. Without the huge external threat of war, the United States seemed to be invincible. Its domestic economy was booming, high technology was developing rapidly, and its science, finance, military and culture were at the top of the world, shining like a beacon around the globe.

However, a new threat was quietly emerging, which most Americans were unaware of, as they were still intoxicated by their dream of being number one in the world.

In February 1997, Ali Kamal, a 69-year-old Palestinian teacher, opened fire on tourists from the observation deck of the Empire State Building in New York City.

Kamal killed one person, wounded six others, and then shot himself in the head.

An official investigation was subsequently conducted, and through Kamal's notes, they determined that he was extremely dissatisfied with US support for Israel.

This attack was premeditated and most likely politically motivated.

However, news reports soon followed that Kamal's family stated that his motivation for doing so was simply financial bankruptcy, not political.

Whatever the reason, the shooting was quickly overshadowed by the various news events that occurred every day and did not really attract the attention of the American public.

In their eyes, the act of a bankrupt Middle Eastern immigrant taking revenge on society with a gun is no different from that of the three white, black, and Mexican people—just a person crushed by pressure. Although such a person is dangerous, and you're unlucky to encounter him, it's almost inevitable, and most people will never meet him.

Only a very small number of people sensed something amiss about this incident; a time bomb had been buried beneath the prosperous surface of America.

After the All-Star break, the players returned to Portland like office workers returning to work after a vacation.

On the 11th, the whole team seemed to lack energy and spirit during practice. Bird got angry several times during practice, pushing the intensity of the training to the limit.

After practice, Bird and Gan Guoyang complained, "Is this how you guys used to be after the All-Star Game? Lazy and listless, like you're drunk."

Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "You played against us after the All-Star game, so of course it wasn't like this. Back then, we always made sure to be in top form, but now..."

In the past, the Portland Trail Blazers would always be in top form after the All-Star break, playing a great March, then April, and continuing all the way to the playoffs.

In the playoffs, it was the Trail Blazers' domain. They swept through the field, and no team could withstand them.

This season is clearly different. From a difficult start in November, to gradually getting into the swing of things in December, and then ups and downs in January and February for various reasons, the rhythm of the whole season is very different from the past.

After all, the team has undergone a major upheaval and is no longer the Trail Blazers it once was.

With more than half the season gone, the Trail Blazers still haven't developed a championship aura; they need more time.

The good news is that although the team is no longer in the dominant position it once was, it is still a strong team in the league.

On the evening of the 12th, in their first game after the All-Star break, the Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns 110-95 at home.

Furthermore, Gan Guoyang remains the best player in the league, and after being "crowned" in the All-Star Game, he has even become better.

The way he improved was very simple and straightforward. It wasn't some vague "game impact," but rather an increase in his scoring, shooting percentage, rebounds, assists, and blocks.

Without significantly changing his playing style or increasing tactical goals, Gan Guoyang's shooting percentage has been steadily rising by relying on one-on-one play with the ball.

In the game against the Suns, his field goal percentage reached 75%, and in the previous game against the Bulls, his field goal percentage was 66%.

In the past month, he has been shooting over 60% in more and more games, and the games have become increasingly frequent, making defense seem non-existent in his presence.

In terms of scoring, he has surpassed Michael Jordan, averaging 31.8 points per game, becoming the only player in the entire league to average over 30 points per game.

In terms of rebounding, Gan Guoyang has started to increase his efforts in grabbing offensive rebounds to make up for some of the team's offensive problems.

In the game against the Suns, Gan Guoyang had 20 rebounds, including 8 offensive rebounds.

If he's determined to win his 10th career rebounding title, Dennis Rodman won't stand a chance.

In terms of assists, he surpassed John Stockton and Mark Jackson, ranking first with an average of 11.5 assists per game.

If Gan Guoyang maintains double-digit assists, he is very likely to achieve an impressive triple-double average this season.

But apart from being the assist leader, scoring leader, rebounding leader, and triple-double are not what Gan Guoyang wants to pursue.

He knew that when he started to increase his data acquisition efforts, it was because his teammates couldn't keep up.

The bad news for the Trail Blazers is that they still struggle against top teams and are visibly unable to keep up.

The faster Gan Guoyang ran ahead, the more his teammates lagged behind, and some players began to show signs of fatigue.

Under pressure from Gan Guoyang and Bird, the teammates were still diligent on the court, but their focus in training and off the court was not as high as at the beginning of the season.

Van Exel even complained, "Work is so tiring that I don't even have the energy to go out and have fun."

As the 90s progressed, players' salaries increased, their fame grew, and their social status became more prominent.

Outside of playing sports, there are more and more things that can tempt them. In addition to the old three things—women, contraband, and gambling—all kinds of parties, gatherings, advertising shoots, variety shows, TV interviews, and even movie and TV filming are taking up the players' time and energy.

Gan Guoyang has no control over these things. Everyone has their own work and life. He can only manage himself and influence those he can influence.

Young players like Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal were deeply influenced by Gan Guoyang, but their influence on the game was far from mature.

Bird would sometimes remind Gan Guoyang to wait for his teammates, but as the season progressed and the pressure to achieve results increased, Bird couldn't care less.

On February 14th, the Trail Blazers traveled to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz. This was the third meeting between the two teams this season, and the Trail Blazers had lost the previous two games decisively, with little suspense.

Before the game, Gan Guoyang made it clear to his teammates that he did not want to lose to the Jazz again.

“If you guys can’t handle it, remember to give me the ball and I’ll solve the problem. I can’t do this all season, but it’s fine to do it tonight.”

Kobe silently memorized these words, though his memory wasn't very good; he only remembered the first half and quickly forgot the second.

This year, the Jazz have reached the pinnacle of their skills, and with the addition of the Death Ray Gun Hornacek, they have plugged their last weakness.

From a team perspective, they have reached a peak. In Gan Guoyang's opinion, the Jazz are even more annoying than the Bulls.

Teams have their strengths and weaknesses against each other. Team A often beats Team B, Team B often beats Team C, but Team A is very likely to lose to Team C.

The Bulls' strength lay in their forwards and guards: Rodman, Jordan, Pippen, Harper, Kukoc—a line of versatile players who could play inside and outside, and were of average build.

Gan Guoyang is the progenitor of this type of player. He's not afraid of anyone. On the contrary, when he switches onto someone to defend, everyone except Jordan is doomed.

Therefore, despite being significantly weaker overall, the Trail Blazers managed to win one and lose one of their two games against the Bulls.

The game they lost was also missing two key players, and the Bulls' victory was very close, not an easy win.

If Gan Guoyang were to play a series against the current Trail Blazers and Bulls, he would be 35% confident of defeating the Bulls.

However, when facing the Utah Jazz, whose offensive system is dominated by guards and power forwards, Gan Guoyang struggles with a lineup whose defensive system is incomplete.

In the past, the Trail Blazers easily beat the Jazz because of their overwhelming overall strength.

Porter and Agam were a formidable duo, dominating Stockton and Malone, and had an advantage in every other position, so there was no need to think too much.

The Trail Blazers now only have Gan Guoyang as their absolute strongest player; they are not dominant in any of their other positions.

It's not that they can't play, but the problem is that Stockton and Hornacek, the two guys who control the Jazz's backcourt, know Forrest Gump too well.

One of them was Gan Guoyang's closest friend, and they had played together since college. Stockton knew Gan Guoyang's characteristics very well.

Another player, Hornacek, was Gan Guoyang's teammate for many years. He was a low-key, intelligent white defender who also knew Gan Guoyang's temperament very well.

Stockton is the only player in the league who can remain unaffected by Forrest Gump in psychological warfare, and even occasionally gain a slight advantage.

Back in his rookie season, Stockton used his composure and on-court judgment to successfully disrupt Gan Guoyang's defense and neutralize his defensive impact.

As close friends, Gan Guoyang was unable to exert psychological pressure on Stockton. On the contrary, Gan Guoyang would feel hesitant to play against Stockton occasionally.

Unlike playing against Isaiah Thomas, where you can go all out and have a good time.

In their early years, the Trail Blazers' key weapon against Stockton was Terry Porter.

Regardless of the consequences, if they insist on scoring 40 points on you, no amount of tricks will work.

Stockton remains a force to be reckoned with, earning All-Star selections, being named one of the 50 Greatest Players in the league, and being considered one of the best point guards in the league.

Porter has already declined, and even Forrest Gump's return couldn't save his form; he can only be an ordinary backup point guard.

Van Exel often had unpredictable performances against the Bulls, but he struggled against a defensive stalwart like Stockton.

In the first two games against the Jazz, they went 2-for-10 in one game and 3-for-11 in the other, a shockingly low shooting percentage.

It can only be said that they are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, one thing subdues another.

In the past, it was already a bit disgusting and troublesome that only Stockton played against the Jazz.

With the addition of Hornacek this season, Gan Guoyang has truly experienced the helplessness of having the strength but being unable to use it.

Especially on the defensive end, Stockton and Hornacek took guerrilla tactics against Gan Guoyang to the extreme.

Numerous high pick-and-rolls and corner plays constantly helped his teammates avoid Gan Guoyang's defense.

Karl Malone sacrificed his own stats and performance to entangle with Gan Guoyang, creating opportunities for others.

In the previous two games, the Jazz had multiple players contributing from the perimeter, making it ineffective for Gan Guoyang to defend the paint alone.

Tonight, Gan Guoyang decided to break free from his previous constraints and stop focusing on defense, so as not to be led by the nose by the Jazz.

Despite the team's overall inferior strength, they leveraged their offensive advantages to defeat the opponent with high scores.

Before the game started, Gan Guoyang and Stockton said to each other, "John, I will definitely win tonight. If I need to score 60 points, I will score 60 points."

Stockton nodded and said, "I believe in you, Sonny. You can definitely get 60 points."

“I am not here seeking encouragement, John.”

"I know, but I just believe you."

"..."

Stockton's expression didn't seem fake; facing such an old friend, Gan Guoyang didn't know how to begin.

As for Hornacek, the old guy had a big smile on his face; who knows how many three-pointers he'll make tonight.

Gan Guoyang could only direct his anger at Karl Malone, but before Gan Guoyang could even speak, Malone said, "I wouldn't dare to elbow you, I can't beat you, I don't score as many points as you, just play well, enjoy the game, it's a great day, Sonny."

Even Jerry Sloan, known for his foul language, spoke highly of Gan Guoyang from the sidelines, praising him, "You truly deserve to be number one in history!"

Now Gan Guoyang couldn't even find an excuse to start a fight, so he could only hold back his anger and stand in the center circle to prepare for the jump ball.

Is the Utah Jazz acting out of fear or cowardice?

On the contrary, they have made the most thorough preparations to upset the Trail Blazers.

It's not just a regular season game; it's aimed at the playoffs. Ever since Gan Guoyang decided to return, he has been working towards this goal.

Forrest Gump would never know how much preparation the entire team had done, starting from summer training camp, when he decided to return to the court in the 1996-1997 season.

Every detail, every aspect, from psychological to physical to tactical, we strive to target him, because Forrest Gump is a perfect opponent. We have invested so much in him that we have neglected other opponents.

I have a natural advantage in this area. I know him, I know everything about him in basketball, and I love him, but I have to beat him.

—Excerpt from John Stockton's 2012 autobiography, Assisted.

(End of this chapter)