The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 825 The Future Belongs to the Lakers
When I saw the schedule for the 1997-1998 season, I noticed that the opponent for the first game was the Utah Jazz, so I marked it on the calendar.

There are still some unresolved issues between me and Ostertag. I didn't like his outbursts after we beat them in the playoffs last season, and I'm going to settle that score with him.

I found him during shooting practice, went over to confront him, and told him, "You should shut up, focus on playing basketball, and stop babbling."

He said to me, "Go to hell, watch your mouth!"

I said, "You know you should watch your words, but what about your own mouth?"

We started arguing, and he began swearing again.

So I didn't hold back and slapped him across the face!

The slap wasn't actually that hard, but the guy immediately fell to the ground.

It's as if I know some kind of Chinese kung fu, and that a single slap has the force of a thousand pounds.

The guy was curled up on the ground groaning, "My contact lenses, my contact lenses!"

Holy crap, I feel so embarrassed for him. Did I slap you in the eye?
I didn't participate in the competition that night; I had an abdominal injury and was still recovering.

However, I know that my slap has gotten me into some trouble.

The league suspended me for one game and fined me $10,000.

However, the league's fine pales in comparison to West's anger.

Jerry West lashed out at me after the game, saying things like, "I will never tolerate this kind of childish behavior! Never!"

"Did you hear me? You're bringing shame upon yourself, your team, your parents, and the league! How do you want people to see you?"

"Are you a mad bully who does stupid things, or a serious basketball player? You'd better think it through!"

"You'd better apologize to Ostertag and the Utah Jazz, and also to the Los Angeles Lakers. If you do this again, I'll trade you!"

Wow, my goodness, West is truly terrifying when he gets angry.

Just like when he refused to attend the 1996 All-Star Game because he had a fight with the league, he was incredibly stubborn and inflexible.

To be honest, in the past I would have backed down and given in, saying, "Okay, I'll listen to you, you're the boss."

Hold a press conference, say a few perfunctory apologies, and promise that you won't do it again.

But this time I didn't back down, nor did I confront him directly, because I knew there was some truth to what West said.

I simply asked him one question: "Where were you when Forrest Gump hit me? Where were you when he killed so many people in Portland?"

Seriously, if only I had a smartphone back then, I should have taken a picture of Jerry's expression.

The range of his facial expressions is so rich that it could be studied in film school textbooks for actors.

He stammered, "Forrest Gump... that doesn't count. You hit him first... wrestling doesn't count as hitting. He... it was all self-defense. The situations are different..."

Later he said some nonsense like "a center is a center" and "Forrest Gump is Forrest Gump," and in the end he couldn't do anything about it.

Haha, I found a way to win from this. In short, Jerry found it hard to criticize me afterward, and of course, I also corrected myself and stopped being a bully.

I apologized to Ostertag and the Jazz, and told my teammates that I would not do anything out of line in the future, but would focus on basketball.

Everyone laughed and said they hoped I would fight Forrest Gump again, and I said no problem! I'm ready to fight!

Of course, I wouldn't do that, because I'm not a bully.

—Excerpt from Shaq Uncut: My Story, published in 2011.

The Los Angeles Lakers had a breakout season in 1997-1998.

Bobby Bellman ended his less-than-successful four-year coaching career in Hollywood and went to the Lakers' old rivals, the Celtics, to start a new career.

Jerry West then chose Del Harris as Bellman's successor to lead the Lakers.

Harris has an impressive resume. Like Bobby Bellman, he started as a high school coach and led his team to a state championship.

He then switched to college basketball, serving as head coach at Earlham College in Indiana for many years, leading the team to outstanding results.

However, Urlem Academy is a small school and is not eligible to enter the NCAA. The biggest competition it has ever participated in is the NAIA National Basketball Championship.

So, with a brand that wasn't strong enough, Del Harris took on two jobs.

During the college season, he coached the college team, and when the school was on summer break, he went to Puerto Rico to coach in the lower leagues.

In 1975 he went to Europe to coach the Iberian Superstars in Spain, and then went to work for the ABA as an assistant coach.

In 1976, the ABA was merged into the NBA, and Harris was hired as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, thus officially beginning his NBA coaching career.

In 1981, as the head coach of the Rockets, he led the team to a surprising run to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. This was the season that made Del Harris famous.

Harris then assisted Don Nelson with the Bucks, and when Nelson joined the Lakers, Harris followed him to Los Angeles.

During Bobby Bellman's four years as head coach, Del Harris was the team's first assistant coach and Jerry West's first backup.

After Bellman resigned, Harris became the Lakers' head coach, tasked by Jerry West with molding this talented team together.

Harris has done a good job; so far this season, they are the second-best team in the West, only behind the Trail Blazers.

Their offense is sharp and powerful, second only to the Trail Blazers in average points per game, demonstrating their formidable firepower.

After drafting Tracy McGrady, he quickly became a key player on the Lakers' perimeter, with fast breaks and defense being his forte.

His outstanding physical attributes represent the direction of a new generation of players: faster, higher, and more versatile.

O'Neal was more mature and also fatter. When he stood on the court, his physique was even larger than that of other tall giants.

Jason Kidd has become one of the best point guards in the league. Whether it's fast break or half-court offense, Kidd is adept at both and is an excellent executor of Del Harris's tactics.

The Lakers took this game against the Trail Blazers very seriously, as they didn't want a new NBA winning streak to be set by the Lakers.

Jerry West even came to the stadium in person to watch the game in Portland, where he spent four years and won four championships.

The 1972 Los Angeles Lakers team is one of the few fondest memories of West's career. That magical year, full of surprises and upheavals, saw them painfully lose Elgin Baylor, yet dramatically achieve an astonishing 69 wins and a 33-game winning streak.

The unpredictability of life and the absurdity of fate were vividly demonstrated that year. Jerry West still vividly remembers the moment he won the championship, the feeling of wanting to cry and laugh at the same time.

That year, the Lakers' 33-game winning streak came to an end with the defending champions, the 1971 NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks, who had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.

West and the rest of the Lakers are hoping to end the Trail Blazers' 33-game winning streak. Sharing the record with the Trail Blazers would be better than being outmaneuvered by them.

Before the game, in the Lakers' locker room, West coldly told the players, "Tonight, will you become the footnote to the record or the record terminator? Portland isn't that scary. They're under more pressure than us. Go for it, guys."

The Lakers' current roster is indeed outstanding. In terms of talent, they are not much worse than the Trail Blazers, and they also have the advantage of age.

Del Harris is a meticulous coach who has developed a detailed battle plan for this game, hoping that O'Neal can be the breakthrough point at the start.

"Shaq, you need to be disruptive from the start, score goals, draw fouls, get into the game early and stop the Trail Blazers' momentum."

O'Neal listened to Harris's instructions, nodded seriously, and showed no other expression on his face.

But nobody knows what this guy is thinking. This big boy often acts up in the locker room, and nobody can do anything about it.

Jerry West could occasionally keep him in check, but lately he's also at a loss. He's always laughing and joking, and loves to play all sorts of pranks on his teammates. Ordinary locker room pranks are no longer enough to satisfy this big man's perverse tastes; sometimes he'll poop in his teammates' shoes, and he's even come up with the extremely vulgar idea of ​​putting a teammate's toothbrush inside his own leather swallow-shaped bag, stirring it around, and then putting it back.

So it's no wonder Jerry West was so demanding of O'Neal; this guy was basically a big kid who never grew up. How could he be a team leader? How could he challenge Forrest Gump?
However, to West's relief, O'Neal had a serious face throughout tonight's game against the Trail Blazers, without his usual silly smile.

Once in the locker room, he prepared diligently, listening quietly to the coach's tactical instructions. His thoughtful face seemed to have shed its childishness and grown wisdom.

If O'Neal can truly focus intently and seriously on the game, West believes that O'Neal will definitely pose a huge threat to Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers.

Until the start of the game, when the players were warming up by shooting hoops at the Rose Garden Arena, O'Neal maintained a serious expression without a smile.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang came over and greeted O'Neal, saying, "Hey Shaq, I'm going up against you tonight, the whole game, good luck."

O'Neal frowned and replied casually, "I'm waiting for you, Sonny. Do your best."

Gan Guoyang nodded, thinking that O'Neal had indeed matured, and tonight he could have a good fight with O'Neal in the paint.

Originally, Sabonis was supposed to guard O'Neal, and Bird also wanted to assign Sabonis to defend the Shaq. This would relieve the pressure on Gan Guoyang on both ends of the court, allowing him to play more easily and freely, which would be beneficial for the team to win.

The Trail Blazers also take this game very seriously.

Boss Tang Jianguo personally went to the locker room to cheer him on.

The Rose Garden Arena is packed with celebrities tonight, and tickets are in high demand.

Gan Guoyang's friends from all walks of life, former Portland Trail Blazers stars like Walton and Thompson, and Portland celebrities all gathered, waiting for the moment to make history.

The Trail Blazers fans in the arena were holding up signs that read "34-0," showing their unparalleled enthusiasm this season.

Back in the days of the three-peat and four-peat, Trail Blazers fans had become quite demanding.

Numb to victory and championships.

Now, five years have passed since they won the championship in 1993.

Do you know how Trail Blazers fans have gotten through these past five years?

Finally, Forrest Gump is back. After a season of setbacks, he has gathered his strength and is ready to soar to new heights and reclaim what belongs to them.

Such immense enthusiasm naturally creates pressure that seeps into every pore.

Therefore, Bird had to be more cautious in pre-game matchups and tactical arrangements.

But Gan Guoyang insisted on personally facing off against O'Neal and going head-to-head with the opponent's core player.

Defending against O'Neal one-on-one is indeed very difficult, it consumes a lot of energy, and affects the stats.

But Gan Guoyang knew that with such immense pressure and such a significant milestone competition, he absolutely could not choose an easy task.

During warm-up, Gan Guoyang challenged O'Neal to a duel, and O'Neal, who had once "fought" with Forrest Gump, accepted the challenge casually.

He seems to have matured, able to handle pressure and bravely face the strongest opponents.

In reality, O'Neal was just putting on a brave face; inside, he was already screaming in despair.

Sabonis was defending me just fine, so why did you have to personally match up against me?

This is terrible! When we're on offense, we'll have to face Forrest Gump's defense, and when we're on defense, we'll have to face Forrest Gump's offense!
Thorpe would never help; he's in cahoots with Forrest Gump, and West wants me to go up against Forrest Gump too.

Damn it, why am I always so unlucky when playing against the Trail Blazers? Why doesn't anyone step up and block for me?

Shaquille O'Neal desperately needed a tanky, blue-collar player to step up and help him out, so that he could at least stand up to Forrest Gump, right?

But Forrest Gump never understood this principle. He insisted on going head-to-head with the opponent's ace, which didn't look good in terms of stats. My old Forrest Gump.

He was inwardly groaning, but O'Neal was labeled as someone who "overcame mental barriers," so he had to put on a brave face and prepare for the game.

After the opening ceremony ended, O'Neal took off his sports jacket and stood face to face with Forrest Gump in the center circle. His expression remained indifferent, and there was even a hint of coldness in his eyes.

Gan Guoyang thought to himself that Bobby was right to let O'Neal punch him; sometimes facing fear head-on is the best way to overcome it.

The Trail Blazers maintained their usual starting lineup: Gan Guoyang, Sabonis, Mullin, Riddell, and Blaylock—a lineup that didn't seem particularly strong on its own, but which was incredibly powerful when put together.

The Lakers' roster is a starting lineup that looks incredibly talented at first glance: center Shaquille O'Neal, power forward Thorpe, small forward Robert Horry, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Jason Kidd.

Robert Horry was acquired by West in a trade from the Rockets this summer; the Lakers sent forward Ceballos to the Rockets in exchange for Horry.

This is another classic move by West. Although Ceballos has more outstanding offensive statistics, the Rockets hope to bring him in to improve their outside ball-handling attack.

West recognized Robert Horry's championship potential: his size, shooting ability, and all-around skills would be crucial for the Lakers, especially for the tactical system centered around Shaquille O'Neal.

As a result, the Lakers assembled a lineup with extremely strong forwards and very tall backcourt, reminiscent of the Portland frontcourt wolves of yesteryear.

Jerry West's target is naturally the Portland Trail Blazers, whose youth, energy, and height are qualities the Blazers lack.

West believes that even if they are not a match for the Trail Blazers now, with their current roster of 26-year-old O'Neal, 19-year-old McGrady, 27-year-old Horry, and 24-year-old Kidd, they will definitely be the Lakers in the future.

The jump ball is thrown, and the game begins.

O'Neal leaped high and won the jump ball, giving McGrady possession and the Lakers possession. The game began.

The Lakers executed Del Harris's tactics as planned, allowing O'Neal to score in the low post at the start of the game.

However, when Kidd dribbled the ball across half-court, he didn't see O'Neal in the low post—where was that guy?!

The coach just gave us the opening strategy of having O'Neal post up on the left or right side, where did you go?
Kidd glanced around and saw that instead of going to the strong side low post, O'Neal had actually run to the weak side baseline and was hiding there.

What are you doing? Are you going to shoot a three-pointer from the corner?

Kidd immediately shouted for O'Neal to come to the strong side to receive the ball.

O'Neal reluctantly ran to a position far to the outside, almost at the free-throw line.

Kidd looked at him and wondered, "What the hell is this guy trying to do?"
Never mind, the head coach said he'd pass it to you, so here you are, take a mid-range jump shot.

Gan Guoyang stared at O'Neal while keeping an eye on the paint behind him. He thought the Lakers would start by having O'Neal draw the defense.

O'Neal received the ball near the free-throw line, which was not his attacking area, so Gan Guoyang did not close in.

As a result, O'Neal suddenly turned to the side at this distance, slammed the ball, and launched a hook shot from the front!

The hook shot was quite far away, and the arc was as straight as a bullet trajectory. Gan Guoyang didn't try his best to block it because he didn't expect it.

The ball slammed against the inside of the rim with a "thud" and then fell into the net.

They actually made it in!

O'Neal received the ball early in the game and made a long-range hook shot!
Gan Guoyang was taken aback, ran to the baseline to serve, and thought to himself that O'Neal was something else, this unexpected move was pretty good.

While O'Neal was on the defensive, he remained expressionless but was secretly overjoyed. "I just threw it like that and it went in!"

Kidd came over and patted O'Neal on the butt, saying, "Nice hook to Shaq, but why didn't you go to the low post to get position?"

O'Neal said, "What do you know? This is called a feint, a surprise attack! Go on defense, you idiot. I have plenty of tricks for you to learn."

O'Neal's confidence was immediately boosted. He was in good form tonight and was determined to give it his all in the competition.

(End of this chapter)