The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 836 Massacre
The San Antonio Spurs won the Super Lotto jackpot for their 41-game winning streak, becoming the last team to end the longest winning streak in North American professional sports history.

But the honorary award did not improve Gregg Popovich's mood. Even after half a year, he still had not fully recovered from the loss in the Tim Duncan sweepstakes.

In Popovich's view, Duncan should have been a member of the Spurs. His playing style, skills, and mentality were all a perfect fit for the Spurs, including his perfect match with David Robinson.

If he comes to the Spurs, he can definitely start a legendary chapter in the team's history.

But everything was ruined in the lottery draw, with the Boston Celtics winning the lottery, and Auerbach can be smug until he dies.

Duncan delivered a stellar performance in Boston, and the Celtics rose to prominence overnight. Today, they remain a top-three contender in the Eastern Conference.

The Spurs, on the other hand, are languishing in the middle of the Western Conference standings, with no chance of winning the championship.

Beating the Trail Blazers in the regular season is a remarkable achievement, but how do you challenge them in the playoffs?
Popovich didn't even dare to think about it; he knew how much luck played a part in winning this game.

The entire Trail Blazers team was out of sorts, including Forrest Gump, who reportedly had an upset stomach and his legs were constantly weak.

No wonder his rim protection dropped significantly during the game, and he only shot and didn't force his way through the offense.

The Spurs' chance to test the full version of the Trail Blazers' Forrest Gump came quickly; both teams were in the Western Conference, and the two teams met again in San Antonio a week later.

After ending their winning streak, the Trail Blazers adjusted their strategy and went on to easily defeat the Sacramento Kings and Orlando Magic, avoiding a losing streak.

Upon arriving in San Antonio, Gan Guoyang told his teammates on the plane, "We must win big tonight, otherwise people will think that the San Antonio Spurs can really beat us, and that they rely on strength rather than luck."

See, after a loss, the Trail Blazers' desire to win was ignited.

The evening match was held at the famous Alamo Dome Stadium.

This place is similar to the former Silver Dome in Detroit and the Kingdom Stadium in Seattle, both of which were large football stadiums temporarily converted into basketball courts.

Because of its enormous size, this stadium can accommodate more than 39000 fans, making it the stadium with the highest attendance in the league.

However, the venue is also too large, making it uncomfortable for fans to watch the game.

Like the Silver Dome Center back then, the stadium is not located in the center of the field, but off to one side, and then covered by a huge blue curtain.

Tall temporary seating frames were set up on the site. These temporary steel frames are certainly not as comfortable as dedicated fixed seats, and they also cannot accommodate VIP boxes—which are a very significant part of ticket revenue.

Moreover, because the seats are too high, the view for fans in the back is very poor. Without the help of a big screen, it is difficult to see what is happening on the field. It is better to watch TV at home.

Therefore, despite the Spurs having such a large stadium and seating capacity, and the passionate fans in San Antonio, the attendance is only in the middle to upper ranks of the league.

If the Trail Blazers had a stadium with a capacity of over 39000, Portland would far surpass the second-place team in both attendance and attendance.

But tonight, all 39000+ tickets for the Alamo Dome sold out, the first time this season.

Because the Spurs' opponent is the Trail Blazers, and because the Spurs just ended the Trail Blazers' winning streak in Portland, the rivalry between the two teams is still fresh.

Home fans will come to the stadium no matter what, hoping to witness the Spurs upset the Trail Blazers again and sweep this invincible Rossoneri team.

During the pre-match warm-up, Gan Guoyang looked up at the tall stadium dome and the huge blue curtain, and couldn't help but recall the days when he wreaked havoc at the Silver Dome Center.

Back then, he was very young, with a body of steel and iron. He would beat up anyone he didn't like and played in the NBA from east to west and from south to north.

Now he's very restrained. Gan Guoyang is starting to admire Jordan. This guy has been able to refrain from taking action against the Pistons for so many years and has insisted on responding with basketball.

As the game was about to start, Gan Guoyang looked at the huge crowd of Spurs home fans and said to David Robinson, "David, there are so many fans here tonight. They are lucky to witness something."

David Robinson, hands on his hips, shook his head slightly and said, "Sonny, let's focus on the game and not get so emotional. God taught us to be kind."

"It's God's greatest mercy that we can stand here and play well. But I'm going to avenge the last game."

"Don't do this, when will this cycle of revenge end?"

Last season, Robinson missed a lot of games due to injury, and for the first time in his career, he missed the playoffs.

This season, Robinson's performance has begun to show signs of decline.

He is 32 years old this year, and age and injuries are eroding his athletic ability.

Robinson is known as a small forward at the center position, and his playing style relies heavily on running and jumping.

His shooting and low-post skills are only average among top centers.

Without the speed and explosiveness boost, their offensive power will be greatly reduced.

This season, his average points per game have dropped to a career low of 23 (not counting the previous season when he was sidelined due to injury).

He still gets around 11 rebounds, but his blocks have dropped to 2.8. He's still an All-Star caliber player, but he's no longer an MVP-caliber center.

After the game started, Bird didn't even send Gan Guoyang to guard Robinson one-on-one, but instead had Sabonis guard his old rival for the entire game.

No matter how Robinson scored in the low post and midcourt, the Trail Blazers ignored him, didn't double-team, and didn't help defend, because Bird was certain that Robinson alone couldn't defeat the Trail Blazers.

The Spurs employ an extreme defensive style, holding the Trail Blazers to under 100 points in their victory.

Popovich built a defensive system centered around David Robinson, which involved a lot of collapse and packing players on the strong side. The dense formation and slow pace wore down the opponent's offensive momentum, turning the game into a stalemate.

The Spurs happen to have a group of players who excel at playing in tough, low-pressure situations. They are tenacious, play a simple and unpretentious style, and are all extreme pragmatists.

So it's no wonder that Popovich chose the seemingly ordinary Billups instead of the flashy Van Horn after missing out on Duncan, because Billups was a better fit for the team's tactics and style.

But the Trail Blazers don't want to get bogged down tonight, and they certainly don't want to have a drawn-out battle with the Spurs at the Alamo Dome.

The Trail Blazers started the first quarter with a relentless run, attacking the basket and shooting three-pointers.

Chris Mullin, whose outside shooting had been quiet for a while, became active again, hitting two three-pointers early on to help the Trail Blazers get off to a good start.

The Trail Blazers never slowed down their offense just because they were playing with a twin-tower lineup. On the contrary, the twin towers were always running alongside the other players, acting as the offensive commanders on the court.

This is where Larry Bird's foresight was remarkable. If he had a more conservative coach, with two twin towers like Argan and Sabonis, and didn't build the game around those two towers in the high and low post, would he still want his job and the team's record?
Bird didn't think that way, partly due to luck, as he was hospitalized at the start of the season and Rick Carlisle took over as coach.

Carlisle is not a rigid conservative; he has many ideas. He continues to develop his Flow offense, injecting a different kind of DNA into the Trail Blazers.

When Bird returned, he found that Carlisle's lineup was very good, reminiscent of the Celtics' frontcourt trio from back in the day.

The Celtics in the early and mid-80s were a tall lineup, with three big men in the frontcourt, which should have given them a great advantage in the paint.

But in reality, the Celtics are the team that runs the most, passes the most, assists the most, and has the most fast breaks in the entire league.

Because of Bird's weaknesses in ball-handling offense, they actually suffer in slow half-court sets. In crucial moments, the most common scene for the Celtics is Dennis Johnson dribbling the ball at the top of the key and missing shot after shot.

But there was no other way. If Johnson didn't shoot, the Celtics struggled to control the ball in half-court sets, leaving them with no choice but to rely on this inefficient shooter to finish the offense. Now, the Trail Blazers are different. As the season progresses and games come one after another, Bird keeps pushing Gan Guoyang to the three position. He realizes he's building a brand new "super Celtics," and Gan is an upgraded version of Larry Bird himself.

In the first quarter, the Trail Blazers executed their usual fast breaks, picking up the pace of the game.

Tonight, none of them had diarrhea, and no one slacked off; their shooting percentage returned to normal.

The Spurs held on for about seven or eight possessions before they started to fall behind.

Their offensive efficiency was no match for the Trail Blazers, and their defense couldn't contain the Trail Blazers' offense.

Mullin and Brelock were both very accurate shooters from the outside, and Gan Guoyang and Sabonis, the twin towers, kept creating opportunities for them.

The Trail Blazers rarely engage in positional warfare; their twin towers, though tall, are not cumbersome at all, playing with agility and nimbleness.

On the contrary, the Spurs seemed too sluggish, following in the footsteps of the Trail Blazers, and playing outside their own comfortable rhythm zone.

After the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Spurs 33-21 by a whopping 12 points. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that the Spurs were doomed.

For a team like the Spurs with a weak offense, it's too difficult to come back from a 12-point deficit. It would be easier if the Trail Blazers were down by 12 points.

The Trail Blazers clearly have no intention of letting the Spurs off the hook; they're determined to avenge the end of their winning streak.

Although everyone felt relieved after losing that game, they didn't resent the Spurs at all; on the contrary, they were somewhat grateful.

But we still have to take revenge to save face, otherwise how will we survive in the League of Legends community?
In the second quarter, the Trail Blazers' bench continued their offensive firepower, with Kobe, Jermaine O'Neal, and A.C. Green playing exceptionally well.

Kobe, in particular, showed no fear in the face of the Spurs' tight defense, constantly dodging and weaving, using his agile footwork to find space to shoot.

This kid's mid-range game is pretty good now. He takes a shot whenever he has an opportunity two steps inside the three-point line, and when he's in a good shooting mood, he can make one shot after another.

Even when shooting woes, a star player can still make consecutive shots despite the opponent's changing defensive posture.

Ordinary role players or star players can easily go silent after a few brilliant rounds if the opponent targets them slightly.

Only superstars, when in top form, are unstoppable no matter how their opponents try to target them.

This fundamental quality is something superstars often possess at a very young age, and it's not just about technique and physical attributes, but also about confidence.

With Kobe continuing his offensive onslaught, the Trail Blazers extended their lead to 17 points, forcing Popovich to call a timeout and bring in his starters.

He knew that tonight was likely to be a bad night; the Trail Blazers were far superior to other teams, perhaps even two levels above them.

Privately, the league's coaches have already started discussing how to contain the Trail Blazers' tactical system and how to control their sharp offense.

Popovich participated in the discussion, and everyone offered suggestions and advice, but nothing came of it. It was too late to change many things mid-season.

Moreover, many coaches have raised a fundamental question: "The best way to stop the Trail Blazers is to get rid of Forrest Gump. If you don't get rid of him, everything else is in vain."

Indeed, when the Trail Blazers used Jack Ramsey's "two minus one plus" strategy, they couldn't beat them.

Later, when the Trail Blazers used Bobby Bellman's Princeton offense, they still couldn't beat them.

Ultimately, it comes down to not being able to beat Forrest Gump. Tactics are a gun, but the key is who wields that gun.

After the timeout, Gan Guoyang returned to the court, and the Trail Blazers used another unusual lineup.

The frontcourt consists of Ben Wallace and AC Green, while the backcourt is comprised of Kobe Bryant, Gan Guoyang, and Chris Mullin.

This is a lineup without a point guard. Bird is really bold. Does he want Kobe to play point guard?

In fact, Gan Guoyang, Kobe, and Mullin can all handle the ball and organize the offense.

The key to Bird's strange combination was, of course, Gan Guoyang, who did not move to the point guard position but continued to play the small forward position.

Bird essentially treated Gan Guoyang as an enhanced version of himself, making him do the things he had done, both well and poorly, when he was with the Celtics.

With a 6-foot-10 all-around tall shooter standing on the perimeter, the Spurs had no idea how to defend him. Gan Guoyang first hit a three-pointer, then made a layup and drew a foul for a 2+1 play, extending the lead to 20 points.

Then, on defense, Gan Guoyang roamed the perimeter, constantly delaying the Spurs' passes.

He doesn't try to steal the ball, he just delays, making every tactical maneuver of the Spurs a little more difficult.

This gradual accumulation manifests as a drop in shooting percentage at the offensive end, because the tactics weren't executed well enough and the players' rhythm was off.

If he misses, Gan Guoyang gets the ball and launches a counter-attack, charging forward like a tank, unstoppable by anyone, and creating several fast breaks in a row.

In the first half, the point difference started to approach 30 points, but the Trail Blazers showed no signs of stopping, and Gan Guoyang showed no signs of stopping either.

At this point, David Robinson finally realized what Gan Guoyang meant by "something will happen" before the game started.

Robinson did not back down. Although he was not tough enough, he was not a complete coward either, and he still had to defend his home court.

In the following games, David Robinson began to focus on defending Gan Guoyang. Even though Gan Guoyang was playing the small forward position, Robinson still closely followed him and rushed to the perimeter.

However, Robinson's reputation as "the small forward among centers" is just that—a reputation. Gan Guoyang, on the other hand, is a genuine small forward.

At this point, his 6'10" height, which was slightly insufficient for the center position, became an advantage. He had a low center of gravity and superb dribbling skills, and Robinson simply couldn't defend him one-on-one in the wide perimeter space.

Gan Guoyang often gets past Robinson with a not-too-fast acceleration or a change of direction. After tearing apart the Spurs' defense, the paint, without Robinson guarding it, is completely vulnerable.

In the third quarter, Gan Guoyang played the small forward position the entire time, doing whatever he could on offense, just like Bird did in the past.

With a 42-20 run, the Trail Blazers scored 42 points in the quarter, widening the gap to another 20 points!
The Spurs' 20 points in a single quarter was actually a normal performance, indicating that the Trail Blazers didn't play defense relentlessly; they could rely on offense.

After three quarters, the Trail Blazers had extended their lead to as much as 44 points, leaving the more than 39000 Spurs fans in attendance in despair.

Tonight is a guaranteed loss, a complete massacre, a total stomp. The only question is whether the Trail Blazers will relax a bit in the fourth quarter and give the Spurs a break, so they don't lose too badly.

However, the Trail Blazers were clearly not going to give the Spurs any respect at home. Although Gan Guoyang went to the bench early to rest, Bird was very satisfied with his performance tonight, but Kobe stayed on the court.

This guy has no idea what "letting the opponent win" means. Instead, he thinks it's a good opportunity to improve his stats, get high scores, and hone his various offensive skills.

Led by Kobe, the Trail Blazers' second unit continued their domination of the Spurs in the fourth quarter, completely crushing the Spurs.

The score difference between the two sides once reached more than 50 points, and the final score was 136-85. The Trail Blazers slaughtered the Spurs in the Alamo with a huge advantage of 51 points.

They weren't really seeking revenge; they were warning other teams in the league that messing with them would end badly.

(End of this chapter)