The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 599 The Golden Age
On the plane from Detroit back to Portland, Gan Guoyang sat in his reserved seat and ate heartily, devouring twelve hamburgers, three bowls of noodles, and a whole roasted chicken.

Scoring 50 points in a single game in the Finals is incredibly taxing. Even though his efficiency was already very high, he still had to take a lot of shots and give his all on the defensive end.

Mentally, he had slaughtered and devoured the Detroit Pistons; physically, he was indeed starving and needed to replenish his energy.

Bobby Bellman sat beside Gan Guoyang, watching his prized student wolf down his food with concern in his eyes.

"Eat slowly, Sonny, don't choke."

Gan Guoyang slowed down slightly, drank a large glass of water, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, Bobby, even if I get sick, I'll still help you win your first head coaching championship."

"What are you thinking, Sonny? That's not what I meant. I was just concerned about you."

"No, you're more concerned about your first NBA championship as a head coach."

"Oh, what kind of person do you take me for? Do you think I'm the kind of person who only cares about profit?"

"Of course, otherwise why do you always betray us?"

"Bullshit, I never betrayed you, I have always been loyal to you."

Gan Guoyang smiled and picked up another hamburger; he was still hungry.

Looking out the window at the dark sky, Bellman felt as if he were floating on clouds, finding it incredible.

He never imagined that, as a head coach, he would be so close to the NBA championship, just one victory away.

With the remaining two games in Portland, the Pistons' chances of a comeback are slim, and the Trail Blazers will most likely win at home.

In 1981, he was a down-on-his-luck basketball professional who had been expelled from school for gambling and had to work as an assistant coach at a youth basketball camp in San Francisco.

At that time, his marriage had failed, his career was hindered, and his future was bleak. He could already imagine that he would work hard at the grassroots level of basketball for the rest of his life, teaching children basic skills such as dribbling, passing, and shooting.

If he works for three to five years, he might have the opportunity to become a basketball physical education teacher at a local primary or secondary school. However, given his past blemishes, he is unlikely to become a basketball team coach.

If you're lucky, you might have the opportunity to coach and train one or two future NBA players at the training camp. When they grow up and become famous, they might take some time to come back and visit you, the unknown grassroots coach, make it onto the local news, and give your youth basketball training camp a little publicity.

He had envisioned all of this, a monotonous and boring basketball life, until that phone call came.

That reckless, aggressive 15-year-old boy inquired about the Excel training camp.

From that moment on, Bellman's fate was changed. In just nine years, he has become a California basketball champion coach, an NCAA champion head coach, an NBA champion assistant coach, and is about to win the NBA championship head coach title.

This season, he won the Coach of the Year award with a record of 69 wins, becoming one of the youngest and fastest coaches in NBA history to achieve this honor.

He is destined to leave his mark on the history of American basketball coaching, and a significant one at that, something he could never have imagined ten years ago.

Berman knew that his own efforts played a part in this; he had given his all for basketball, and his life revolved entirely around it.

He basically abandoned family, marriage, love, and entertainment; basketball was the center of his life.

But Behrman understood that while his personal efforts were important, Forrest Gump's arrival was the key to changing everything.

He shone like the sun, illuminating his basketball journey.

Gan Guoyang seemed to see through Bielman's thoughts, patted the coach on the shoulder, and said, "Relax, Bobby. It's not like you haven't won a championship before. It's not a big deal. You know you'll win championships with me, so you should have been mentally prepared."

Bellman shook his head slightly and said, "Sonny, a genius like you, one in a million, simply cannot understand the mental journey of an ordinary person to where they are today."

Gan Guoyang replied, "No, Bobby, I understand. No one understands me better than me, which is why I cherish every opportunity and every second more than anyone else..."
-
On June 17, 1990, the day of the sixth game of the finals, Gan Guoyang woke up from his sleep in the early morning.

He glanced at the clock; it was eight in the morning, several hours later than he usually woke up. He had slept too soundly last night.

Breakfast was laid out on the table in the restaurant. Gan Youwei came out of the kitchen, pointed to the table, and said, "Eat something, it's getting cold. I told you you would get up early, why are you so late today?"

"I slept. I didn't sleep well in Detroit."

"Eat up, it's been reheated several times already."

After the brawl broke out during the first game between the Trail Blazers and the Pistons, Gan Youwei rushed to Portland to support his son.

He has stayed here to take care of his daughter-in-law and grandson during this time.

"Dad, where's Fuxi?"

"Fuxi drove to the supermarket. I'll get you something to eat for lunch. I've made a list for him."

"Let Feng and the others go. What about the children?"

“We went together. It’s good for her to get out and about. Nobody can stand staying cooped up at home all the time.”

Wang Fuxi returned quickly, while Gan Guoyang was preparing to leave to go to the training hall to practice shooting and maintain his form.

"Forrest Gump, don't forget what day it is today," Wang Fuxi reminded Forrest Gump.

Gan Guoyang was stunned for a moment, then immediately remembered that today was the third Sunday of June, Father's Day.

Gan Guoyang watched as Gan Youwei insisted on washing the dishes himself and wouldn't let the housekeeper interfere. He slowly walked over, wondering if he should give his father a hug.

But for Chinese fathers and sons, neither saying "I love you" nor giving a hug is too difficult.

Gan Youwei sensed Gan Guoyang behind him and turned around to ask, "What's wrong?"

Gan Guoyang scratched his head and said, "Uh...you should rest more and not wash the dishes yourself."

Gan Youwei shook his hand and said, "Doing some work won't kill me. I'll feel uncomfortable if I don't do anything. Go do your own business."

"Hey, remember to go watch the game tonight."

"I won't forget. Let's not fight this time. It wouldn't be good for the kids to see this when they grow up."

"I see."

Gan Guoyang was unusually late for the morning shooting practice, and everyone teased him, saying they wanted to punish him.

Gan Guoyang thought for a moment and said, "The punishment is to make me run back and forth on my head."

Everyone agreed, so Gan Guoyang did a handstand on the court and went back and forth, demonstrating his amazing upper body strength and core balance.

The morning training session ended quickly. After a short sparring session, Bellman dismissed the participants.

When Gan Guoyang returned home at noon, Gan Youwei had prepared a delicious meal. After eating and resting for two hours, he fed the baby. Quentin then drove Gan Guoyang to the Memorial Stadium.

The stadium was already packed with waiting fans, and half of Portland's traffic police were deployed to maintain order near Memorial Stadium. Tonight was the championship night that everyone had been looking forward to.

When Gan Guoyang's car appeared near the Memorial Stadium, the fans went wild. Many people rushed up and banged on the car windows, giving Gan Guoyang a taste of a zombie apocalypse.

With the help of the police, Gan Guoyang made his way to the underground parking lot and entered the stadium. He was the first to arrive at the locker room. He had changed into his training clothes early and went into the stadium to do some simple warm-up exercises.

All the staff in the stadium smiled and greeted Gan Guoyang, who nodded back to each of them; he was the king of the place.

The court was empty. Gan Guoyang stood in the center of the court with the ball, dribbling as he recalled everything from the past.

It has been two years since we heard the cheers of a champion. The glory of 1988 is still fresh in our minds, and the defeat of 1989 is etched in our memories.

In just one season, he made a comeback, determined to dethrone the 1989 "tyrant" Pistons and reclaim the NBA throne in his glass palace.

He asked himself a question: "Why go through so much trouble and effort to win a league championship?"

This question would trouble many people, but Forrest Gump already had the answer in his heart. He told West, "This is the kind of life I want to live."
-
At 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Game 6 of the Finals was about to begin. The arena was packed, and the place, which had been empty and quiet just three hours earlier, was now buzzing with excitement.

In the front row, people spotted the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, wearing sunglasses and a black hat, with heavy makeup on his face.

Since being burned in an accident while filming an advertisement in 1984, Jackson has been undergoing plastic surgery to repair his skin and appearance. The burns left him with scars that he had to cover with wigs, hats, and makeup.

This is why Jackson looked more and more like a weirdo, and what's even stranger is that his originally dark skin was becoming increasingly pale.

Rumors were rampant that he had bleached his skin to transform himself from a black man to a white man, so he rarely appeared in public like he did tonight, interacting closely with ordinary viewers.

In recent years, Jackson has lived a very secluded life, like a lonely monarch residing in his dream castle. People think he is incredibly glamorous, but in reality, he is very lonely. He loves children, but he is unwilling to marry and have children of his own, as he doesn't know how to give his children a complete and wonderful childhood.

Gan Guoyang knew that Jackson had vitiligo, and in order to maintain his image as a performer, he had to wear makeup, clothes that covered his face, wigs, and sunglasses, which was a painful thing for him.

Before the game started, Gan Guoyang went to the sidelines and hugged Michael Jackson, saying, "If you feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable, you can leave early, there are too many people here."

Jackson said, "No problem, I can watch the whole game. I haven't watched a game like this in a long time. I'm very excited."

Jackson was surrounded by his bodyguards, and his boss, Tang Jianguo, was sitting next to him.

Tonight, he was the most dazzling star besides Forrest Gump.

"I won't steal your thunder, Sonny."

"I don't mind, I'm just worried about you."

“I’m fine with that. I want to eat the burgers and fried chicken your dad makes.”

"If we win tonight, I'll make him do it."

At Gan Guoyang's home, Gan Youwei treated Jackson to American-style hamburgers and fried chicken, which he had come up with himself.

Jackson loved fried chicken, and KFC and McDonald's were his favorites.

Unexpectedly, Gan Youwei, a master of Chinese cuisine, has kept up with the times and adapted to local customs by figuring out how to make hamburgers and fried chicken.

He incorporated many of the methods and concepts used in Chinese cuisine to process ingredients, resulting in a unique flavor in his American fast food.

Jackson also liked Gan Youwei very much. Gan Youwei had no concept of pop stars and thought Jackson was just a weird friend of Forrest Gump.

He treated Jackson like a neighbor's child, caring for him with the most genuine emotions, which deeply moved Jackson, who lacked love in his childhood.

Sitting next to Jackson, Tang Jianguo pumped his fist at Gan Guoyang and said, "Sonny! I've been waiting for this day for a long time! We're making the Trail Blazers great again!"

Gan Guoyang said, "It hasn't been long, just a year. If it's the awards ceremony tonight, remember to come and receive the trophy."

"Yes, no problem! I definitely will!"

Tang Jianguo tried his best to appear calm, but his heart was in turmoil.

This year has been a tough one for him, and it is thanks to the Trail Blazers that he has overcome numerous difficulties.

If he wins the championship this season, he believes all the difficulties will be swept under the rug, and he will officially step into the 90s with the Trail Blazers.

For the Trail Blazers, it was all down to the wire, as David Stern brought the Larry O'Brien Trophy to the game.

After a resounding victory in Game 5, the entire Trail Blazers team is brimming with confidence and eager for the championship.

The Detroit Pistons certainly didn't want to hand over the championship, and before the game, Isaiah Thomas gritted his teeth and said he was determined to drag the game into a seventh inning.

On the sidelines, Chuck Daly's hair was still perfectly styled, his suit was impeccably tailored, and he looked as calm and collected as ever.

The Pistons still have a chance; they are a resilient team. Daly said in the locker room that if the Trail Blazers open champagne early, they will definitely make their opponents pay.

The game started promptly at 7:30 p.m., and was likely the last game of the 1990 NBA season.

The tenacious Pistons put up a fierce fight against the Trail Blazers, and the matchup was extremely intense.

The Pistons learned from their experience in Game 5 and began to guard Gan Guoyang tightly from the first quarter.

Rodman was the primary defender, and Joe Dumars provided help defense. The Pistons used their two best defensive players on the wing to guard Gan Guoyang.

Daly is determined to lock down Forrest Gump at all costs, and he bets the rest of the Trail Blazers will collapse under the immense pressure.

The Pistons' strategy really worked. In the first and second quarters, Gan Guoyang was always facing defense from at least two, and at most four, players.

When they get the ball in the low post, Joe Dumars and Thomas completely ignore the ball handlers on the perimeter and resolutely double-team them, even if it means giving them wide-open shots on the perimeter.

The Trail Blazers' outside shooting was off tonight, with Porter, Hornacek, and Korsey all having mediocre mid-range and long-range shooting percentages.

Portland fans watched with great anxiety as the score was 55-49 at halftime, with the Trail Blazers trailing the Pistons by 6 points.

The Trail Blazers exposed a major problem on their offense: they lack perimeter scorers, and Forrest Gump is taking on too many functions as an inside player.

In the third quarter, Bobby Bellman made a bold decision: after Curry's effective use in the previous game, he decided to use Petrovic in this game.

In such crucial battles, the mentality of ordinary players will definitely be affected, and they will underperform.

But those with a truly strong mentality can deliver outstanding performances in such competitions.

With the Pistons leaving him open, Petrovic hit a three-pointer and two mid-range shots to help the Trail Blazers take the lead!

The situation began to gradually reverse in the third quarter.

Petrovic's offensive onslaught caused the Pistons' defensive strategy to crumble.

More importantly, the Trail Blazers' defense improved in the third quarter, making it increasingly difficult for the Pistons to score.

As the tide turned, the Trail Blazers gradually took the lead and slowly widened the gap.

Against other opponents, the Pistons would have to resort to leg, hand, and brutal ramming tactics.

But they were facing the Trail Blazers, facing Forrest Gump, and this was Portland Memorial Stadium, the place destined to bury them.

Petrovic only scored 10 points in the third quarter, but those 10 points became the breach that opened up the dam.

However, the Detroit team persevered and did not collapse. Even when the gap widened to 11 points in the fourth quarter, they managed to hold their ground and gradually close the gap to 3 points.

When the moment of truth was most needed, Gan Guoyang received the ball at a 45-degree angle, faced a triple-team, turned inside to squeeze past the defense, and took a Move-hook shot to score two points!
Isaiah Thomas dribbled past Porter with a series of crossovers and hit a pull-up jumper.

Gan Guoyang received the ball on the left low post, and was still surrounded by three players. He passed the ball to the outside and turned to cut inside.

Porter's long-range shot missed, but Gan Guoyang grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back in for a basket!

A crucial putback!
When the competition reaches its most crucial moment, what often saves your life are those most basic and familiar skills.

Thomas missed his shot, and on the fast break, Petrovic impulsively launched a three-pointer.

The shot missed, but Gan Guoyang grabbed another offensive rebound, taking the crucial ball from T. Pin, Rodman, and Laimbeer.

After securing the rebound, he wasn't in a hurry. With little time left in the game, Gan Guoyang dribbled to the outside to run down the clock.

The entire audience rose to their feet, applauding and cheering deafeningly.

The Pistons let Rodman guard Gan Guoyang one-on-one.

With the 24-second shot clock about to expire, Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Petrovic and drove into the paint.

Petrovic received the ball in the middle and broke through. He made a pass-like pass, and Gan Guoyang jumped high, caught the ball with both hands, and slammed it into the basket before the lights came on!
The entire Memorial Stadium exploded, and Michael Jackson, who stayed on the sidelines until the very end, was so excited he almost did a space walk.

The score was 89-96, with 11 seconds left in the game, and the Pistons had no chance left.

Thomas, unwilling to give up, dribbled the ball across half-court and took one last three-pointer, which went in, but it had no effect on the outcome.

The game ended 92-96, with the Trail Blazers defeating the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 and winning the 1990 NBA championship with a 4-2 series victory.

"Game over! Game over! The portland Trailblazers win the World Championship in 1990!"

Bill Shawnley's voice, along with the buzzer signaling the end of the game, echoed throughout Portland and all of Oregon.

The crowd rushed onto the field, and red and white confetti rained down from the sky, marking the successful conclusion of the 1989-1990 season.

The end of this season means that the 1980s in the NBA have come to an end, and the history of the 1990s has just begun.

The golden age of Forrest Gump is finally about to arrive.

(End of Volume 7, "Smooth Criminal".)
(End of this chapter)