The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 824 Black Feet
After the start of the second half, the Jazz adjusted their offensive strategy.

The items used last season are no longer useful this season.

The NBA changes very quickly; the tables turn, and next year it will be someone else's turn.

Stockton had the most explosive series of his career in last year's Western Conference Finals.

He broke through the Trail Blazers' backcourt defense on both ends of the court and scored his career playoff high.

This season, Stockton's performance has been hampered by injuries and he is not as good as last year, while the Trail Blazers have greatly improved their backcourt defense.

Blaylock is not a defensive liability like Van Exel; he is a true All-Defensive Second Team specialist, a steal expert, and one of the best players in the league at defending small guards one-on-one.

The Trail Blazers acquired Brelock specifically to prepare for Stockton, so it's impossible for Stockton to continue his explosive performance on both ends of the court like he did last year.

Jerry Sloan realized this, and with limited options, he could only continue to focus his offense on Karl Malone, hoping that Malone could break through Agan's defense and pose a threat to the Trail Blazers.

Malone has indeed reached the pinnacle of both offense and defense in the past two years, developing his skills, experience, and rhythm to the extreme at the age of 34.

He eliminates the unnecessary and unfamiliar techniques during the competition, focusing only on what he does best.

This made Ma Long's matches more formulaic, but at the same time possessed a simple yet powerful aesthetic, and Gan Guoyang would even watch videos to learn from some of them.

Gan Guoyang entered the league a year earlier than Malone. He looked down on this morally bankrupt southern country bumpkin who had a relationship with a minor and was a crybaby.

Unfortunately, this man was John's partner of over ten years, and the two were inextricably linked, which made Gan Guoyang feel resentful.

Therefore, in every game against the Jazz, Gan Guoyang never showed any mercy to Ma Long, bullying him relentlessly, whether it was playing basketball or fighting.

After the 1997 season, although Malone's statistics and performance on the court were inferior in the Western Conference Finals, he still helped the Jazz defeat the Trail Blazers by focusing on the team.

With Malone carrying the Jazz this season, truly demonstrating the ability and style of a core superstar, Gan Guoyang has gained more respect for Malone, and his impression of him has changed somewhat.

In the first half, Ma Long struggled against Gan Guoyang's one-on-one defense and endless offensive rebounds.

Even so, he still managed to seize the opportunity to score 8 points in the tight space. This ability to score in tight spaces is a must-have for top stars.

Despite the extremely difficult situation and tight defense, we were still able to withstand the pressure and targeted attacks, and put the ball in the basket.

Despite Stockton being in a semi-injured state and knowing he was no match for Forrest Gump, Malone still took on the offensive burden for the team in the third quarter.

He first ran a pick-and-roll with Stockton and then cut to the outside, receiving the ball near the three-point line and shooting a two-pointer over Gan Guoyang's block attempt.

Then, he successfully helped defend Sabonis on defense, stealing the ball from Sabonis's hands with a slash. The Jazz launched a counterattack, and Malone calmly passed the ball to Russell, who made a layup and scored two points.

When Gan Guoyang focuses on dealing with Malone, the Trail Blazers' defense at the small forward position will definitely have problems.

Malone has the ability to pass the ball and facilitate play. He is posing a challenge to Gan Guoyang: Do you continue to guard me tightly in the third quarter, or do you spare some energy to assist the small forward?
Or, bro, stop playing around and let's go all out and fight head-on. Stop trying to fool me with your blue-collar tactics.

Gan Guoyang remained unmoved and continued to provide support on the offensive end, setting up Brelock to attack Stockton.

Blaylock is not tall, but he is very strong. After setting a screen, he drove straight to the basket like a small cannon, but was blocked by Adam Keefe and missed the shot.

But Gan Guoyang pushed past Karl Malone and grabbed the offensive rebound, putting the ball into the basket—his 12th offensive rebound of the night.

Malone was helpless; they simply couldn't win the rebounding battle, and the Trail Blazers were bound to dominate the boards tonight.

However, Malone had many frustrating moments with Forrest Gump, and he still remembers the embarrassing situation he faced during his rookie season.

It was from that time on that he started going to the gym, practicing free throws and shooting, and persisted for more than ten years. Finally, he had the opportunity to get close to God and even defeat God.

Therefore, no matter what disadvantages he faces, Ma Long remains calm and has long been used to it.

On offense, Malone, holding the ball at a 45-degree angle and facing the basket against Forrest Gump, opted for a direct pass to the inside.

Russell cut to the basket again, pushed past Chris Mullin, and scored a layup.

Keep giving Forrest Gump a challenge. Instead of camping out, you're going to try and defend me one-on-one. Let's see how you protect the rim.
Sabonis is experienced and skilled, but his movement is a problem; he didn't have time to get the ball to the basket.

The Jazz have changed their starting center this season, with Adam Keefe now guarding Domantas Sabonis.

While Ostertag is tall and has excellent rim protection, his offense is severely lacking, and the Jazz need firepower when Stockton is out.

Kiefer has a very good mid-range shot, and after taking over as a starter, his average points per game reached a career high of 8, which can make up for some of the firepower.

Sabonis had to move to a more outside position to guard Kief, and Gan Guoyang then guarded Malone one-on-one, leaving an open space under the basket that Brian Russell exploited.

The Jazz are slowly closing the gap. If they can play their tactics comfortably like this, get into their rhythm, and keep pace with the Trail Blazers, then the outcome in the fourth quarter is truly uncertain.

Gan Guoyang knew that he had to step up and make some adjustments at this point; if he continued down the blue-collar path, the Jazz would seize the initiative.

However, Gan Guoyang did not choose to fight Ma Long in the low post as Ma Long expected. Instead, he chose to receive the ball in the high post, and Sabonis pretended to come over to screen.

The two tall inside players crowded at the top of the arc looked unusually bulky, but the screen was fake. Gan Guoyang took advantage of Ma Long's distraction and suddenly started his drive, directly dribbling the ball with his right hand.

He broke through the Jazz's defense, had no one under the basket, and easily made a layup to score two points.

Gan Guoyang capitalized on Ma Long's slightly slow footwork when defending the basket, preventing Ma Long from utilizing his advantage in low-post defense.

Following that, Gan Guoyang led the defense throughout the game, teaming up with Brelock to surround Stockton, causing Stockton to make a passing error.

Mullin intercepted the ball and scored on a fast break with a left-handed layup, giving the Trail Blazers a quick 4-point run and disrupting the Jazz's steady comeback momentum.

"Shit! That damn guy."

Off the court, Jerry Sloan was cursing through gritted teeth.

He was obviously cursing Forrest Gump; this guy really knows how to control the situation.

Just as the Jazz were about to gain momentum, they were immediately shut down with both offense and defense.

Once the score was slightly widened, he started playing a blue-collar role again, closely guarding Malone and grabbing rebounds.

This guy's control over the game is superb. Even though the Trail Blazers' lead wasn't big, the Jazz just couldn't turn things around.

Gan Guoyang insisted on not camping under the basket, but instead engaged in one-on-one offense and defense with Ma Long.

Unlike Rodman, Gan Guoyang didn't wrestle with Malone; instead, he used proper defensive techniques.

Malone basically has no way to receive the ball in a very deep position; if he receives the ball in that position, he will be intercepted. He can only receive the ball on the outside, behind the basket.

Facing the basket and pulling up for a strong shot became Malone's main option, or he would pass the ball to the basket; driving to the basket was ineffective.

In the third quarter, after more than ten possessions, Malone, the mid-range shooting enthusiast, made three shots and dished out three assists, which was already a very good performance.

However, he had zero impact on the Trail Blazers' interior defense, and it was a big question whether he could maintain his hot streak into the fourth quarter.

And this guy, Forrest, always steps up to score or defend when the Jazz seem to be gaining momentum, and you just can't do anything about him.

Gan Guoyang was in good form in this game, but he did not choose to score wildly. Instead, he let the opponent catch up and then immediately put pressure on them.

To put it bluntly, it's just like walking the dog. I want to score points, and you can't stop me. I just don't want to; I want to spend more time playing with you.

With the third quarter nearing its end, the score was 82-71, with the Trail Blazers maintaining an 11-point lead, exactly the same as at the end of the first half.

Jerry Sloan called a timeout. This wasn't going to work; the Trail Blazers were suffocating them.

Not only was the game dull, but Jerry Sloan himself also felt bored.

Sloan had a bad temper and particularly liked to yell at referees and players from the sidelines.

He is particularly adept at putting pressure on referees and young players, and disrupting their mentality.

But Forrest Gump was known in the league for hating coaches yelling on the sidelines, and he would always respond in kind.

The louder you shout, the more severely Gan Guoyang will suppress you, until you shut your mouth.

Like Larry Brown, the league's famous screamer, he's always unusually quiet when playing against the Trail Blazers.

There's no way around it; every time you yell, he scores a goal, until you stop yelling and shouting.

Jerry Sloan was similar; Forrest Gump was extremely domineering in this regard. If you yelled at him, he could target you for the entire game and drive you to the brink of collapse.

If you piss him off, it's not impossible that he might pretend to run to the sidelines and ram you with a dump truck.

Since he himself couldn't do it, Sloan thought that perhaps the players needed to do something to break the deadlock.

As the timeout was about to end, Sloan pulled Malone aside and said, "Karl, the game is too dull. We can't keep letting Forrest dominate us."

Malone nodded and said, "I know, I will do my best."

Malone had a pretty good performance tonight, scoring 18 points in three quarters, all of which were against Forrest Gump in one-on-one situations.

Sloan said, "That's not enough. I think you need to find a way to target Forrest Gump."

"Targeting Forrest Gump? How?"

"Give him an elbow, knock him off the field, or kick him."

Malone looked at Sloan for two seconds with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot, as if to say, "Are you my beloved Coach Sloan?"
Why are you sending me to my death when you're playing perfectly well?
Have you forgotten the humiliation you caused in front of the entire United States in 1992?

Sloan and Malone exchanged a glance for a second, then Sloan said, "Okay, I'm just offering a suggestion. Do whatever you want. But right now, we're completely shut down. Whatever you do, we might still have a chance, or we'll just hand them a 31-game winning streak. You know Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers."

Malone knew Sloan was right; he understood Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers.

If we were playing against any other team, even the Chicago Bulls, and we were down by 11 points before the start of the fourth quarter, we would definitely have a chance.

But tonight's situation is clear, Agan is playing you. He's controlling the score. If you close the gap, he'll pull away, and if you pull away a little, he'll relax and wait for you.

What does this mean? Is it revenge for last season's Western Conference Finals? Or is it a show of force towards Salt Lake City and Stockton?

The referee blew the whistle, the timeout ended, and the game resumed with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Malone let out a long sigh, recalling the events of the past ten years, and he did indeed feel a surge of anger.

He was dominated as soon as he entered the league, and even his good partner criticized him because of Forrest Gump.

She stole the MVP award at the Salt Lake City All-Star Game, and then lost face by throwing herself at a national audience during the playoffs.

Malone kept comforting himself, saying that Forrest Gump's father had apologized to him, so he should forgive Forrest Gump.

But what about Forrest Gump himself? The thought of how this guy had been smugly defecating and pissing on his head for so many years made Malone feel a nameless fire rise in his chest.

Malone inbounded the ball to Stockton, who directed from beyond the three-point line. Malone then set a screen for Russell and headed towards the basket.

Gan Guoyang let Russell go and kept a close eye on Malone. Malone went to the basket, spread his elbows, and pressed them against Gan Guoyang's chest to create space for himself to receive the ball.

Stockton immediately made a precise pass, and Malone suddenly exerted force, pushing Gan Guoyang aside, and after receiving the ball, he drove to the basket and scored a layup!

Gan Guoyang felt a hard bump to the chest. He glanced at the referee, who was the young Scott Foster, who ignored Malone's sneaky elbow.

Foster made no comment, seemingly tacitly approving of this little scheme.

Larry Bird once argued with Foster, saying, "This kind of behavior shouldn't be allowed to continue; it's dangerous!"

Foster said, "Normal competition, keep playing, keep going!"

Bird shook his head and muttered, "This guy has no idea what I mean by danger."

On the offensive end, Gan Guoyang warned Ma Long: "Don't try any dirty tricks on me, just play well, Karl. You've performed very well over the years, don't do anything like this again."

Malone shrugged and said, "Don't say that, Sonny. I know I'm spineless, so I wouldn't have done it on purpose, right?"

After Ma Long said that, Gan Guoyang really didn't know what to say.

Gan Guoyang then received the ball in the low post and backed down Ma Long.

He turned and made a jump shot for two points, but neither of them scored in the next two possessions.

Ma Long still made some subtle moves, but as soon as he finished, he immediately backed down.

"I'm sorry, Sonny, it was an accident. I apologize and please forgive me." With Ma Long like this, Gan Guoyang, who was very concerned about his image, really couldn't bring himself to help.

At the end of the third quarter, the gap remained at 11 points, and the two teams entered the fourth quarter.

During the break, Bird came over and said, "Karl is trying to pull some tricks, just ignore him."

Gan Guoyang said, "I know, but that son of a bitch apologizes immediately after messing with me. What can I do about him?"

Gan Guoyang chewed his gum vigorously. Ma Long, this kid, couldn't win in a direct confrontation, so he started resorting to underhanded tactics.

Having been bullied by Gan Guoyang for so many years, Ma Long has come to understand Gan Guoyang's temperament.

If you just coax this guy nicely, he probably won't hold a grudge against you.

After all, Gan Guoyang's status and position are what they are, and he's also getting on in years; he's the type who responds better to gentleness than force.

Ten years earlier, Gan Guoyang, in his early twenties, wouldn't have cared about you; even if you knelt down, he would still give you a sweeping kick.

Gan Guoyang is no longer a young man in his early twenties, and he has many more concerns about making moves now.

Leaving aside things like reputation, bans, fines, and endorsement image, setting a good example for children is a heavy burden.

Now that their son and daughter are growing up, they will learn about their father's image on the field from the media, and hitting someone is ultimately wrong.

Malone is indeed cunning. He doesn't play big games; he specializes in playing small, underhanded games, like elbowing, hitting the lower body, pulling clothes, and so on.

Once Gan Guoyang finds out, he'll immediately back down and offer his face for you to slap, but you, Gan, are too embarrassed to slap him, right? So you just leave it at that.

Anyway, I've already apologized. It would be beneath you to hit me again, wouldn't it?
As for Forrest Gump resorting to underhanded tactics?
Impossible. The Sun King is upright and honest, and would never resort to underhanded tactics to retaliate.

It has to be said that after being tormented by Gan Guoyang for so many years, Ma Long really understands Gan Guoyang's temperament.

In the fourth quarter, the second units of both teams played for a few minutes, and Hornacek led the substitutes to narrow the gap to 8 points.

Karl Malone returned to the court, and Gan Guoyang also came on. Malone took a mid-range shot from the top of the key.

The shot missed, and Gan Guoyang turned around to grab the rebound, but he almost fell to the ground because Ma Long pushed him from behind.

It was another small movement. In slow motion, it looked like Ma Long just lightly tapped it, but once a person's balance is disrupted in the air, it is easy to fall.

Fortunately, Gan Guoyang was strong and only stumbled. The referee called a foul on Ma Long, who immediately raised his hand, saying he only had three fouls.

Gan Guoyang couldn't hold back any longer. He put down the ball and walked towards Malone. Malone spread his hands and said, "I didn't mean it, Sonny! Sorry, don't do this, don't do this!"

"Karl, you know what's going on, don't pretend." Gan Guoyang's eyes were already blazing with anger.

Ma Long approached the referee, thinking that if Gan Guoyang rushed over, he would use the referee as a shield.

If Forrest Gump had knocked the referee flying, things would have gotten really out of hand.

Stockton watched everything unfold. As a friend, but also a rival, Stockton could only remain silent.

It was definitely not going to work for him to persuade Forrest Gump; in fact, he had advised Forrest Gump not to be too ruthless at the start of the second half.

Well, that Carl guy is shameless and plays dirty tricks, and Forrest Gump hasn't lost his temper because of his pride.

However, as a Jazz player and Malone's teammate, Stockton couldn't criticize Malone.

Malone did this because the Jazz were completely out of options and were being suffocated by the situation.

If they don't resort to some underhanded tactics or make some small moves to disrupt the game, they will be completely shut down by the Trail Blazers.

Stockton could only focus on the game and not get involved in the dispute between the two.

Off the court, Larry Bird saw through Malone's little trick and nodded at Ben Wallace, who was sitting at the end of the bench.

"Ben, you come on and take Jermaine's place. Remember, protect Forrest Gump." Bird gave Ben Wallace his instructions.

Wallace understood immediately, so he came on to replace Jermaine O'Neal, his eyes already fixed on Malone.

The game continued, and the Trail Blazers had possession of the ball. Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post and backed down Karl Malone.

Gan Guoyang used his height and wingspan advantage to push in a step, intending to finish with a hook shot, which Ma Long couldn't interfere with.

As a result, Ma Long pulled out a chair, hoping to make Gan Guoyang lose his balance and fall.

To everyone's surprise, this move had no effect on Gan Guoyang. Gan Guoyang maintained his balance, drove to the basket, and dunked with one hand.

"Stop with your little tricks, Carl. I was thinking highly of you, that you've grown quite a bit over the years, but it turns out you're still a crybaby who can't change his ways. If you're so afraid of me hitting you, why don't you just kowtow to me after you start touching me? I'll definitely forgive you then, otherwise your mother will be heartbroken if I beat you up and make you cry."

Gan Guoyang's sarcastic remarks became increasingly sharp, and Ma Long finally started to lose face.

Ma Long understands Gan Guoyang's temperament, and Gan Guoyang also knows Ma Long's weaknesses.

This crybaby, mama's boy's core nature will never change.

The Jazz's offense became increasingly tense due to the friction between Malone and Gan Guoyang.

Blaylock was called for a foul while defending Stockton, and then Hornacek got tangled up with Kobe while battling against him.

The pace of the game was indeed slowed down, but Ma Long still found it difficult to score under Gan Guoyang's marking, and could only rely on mid-range shots.

Brian Russell received a pass from Malone and attempted a three-pointer from the right corner, but missed. Both sides fought hard for the rebound.

Gan Guoyang and Ma Long got tangled up again. Knowing he couldn't win against Gan Guoyang, Ma Long started pulling him with his hands.

Gan Guoyang shoved Ma Long away, and Ma Long got angry and thought he was going to fight Gan Guoyang.

At that moment, a burly black man suddenly rushed over and shoved Ma Long with all his might.

If an NBA player is pushed like that, he'll be pushed back at least two miles, and if he's skinny, he'll fall on his butt.

Malone was exceptionally strong; he simply leaned back slightly and saw that it was none other than the Trail Blazers' backup center, Ben Wallace.

Malone was furious. "It's one thing for Forrest Gump to hit me, but you, a backup center, an undrafted player, a second-year kid, dare to push me?"

Without saying a word, Malone lunged at Ben Wallace, who was not afraid at all, and the two began to wrestle.

Gan Guoyang was originally prepared to fight Ma Long, but he could no longer tolerate it.

Now that his younger brother had intervened, Gan Guoyang could only act as a peacemaker, trying his best to separate Ma Long and Wallace.

The two men grappled for a while, and players from both teams rushed over to separate them.

Malone goes without saying, but second-year Ben Wallace is also incredibly strong, and he's a size bigger than last year.

The scene was chaotic, with players in black and white jerseys huddled together, and Gan Guoyang in the very center.

He pushed the two men away, shouting, "Stop fighting! Stop fighting!"

He stomped hard on Ma Long's foot twice, making Ma Long grimace and curse.

"Who the hell stepped on my foot! Who!"

Gan Guoyang learned from the lesson he learned 14 years ago when he tried to break up a fight and got punched by a thug.

While being careful to guard against underhanded punches, he delivered a few hard kicks to vent his anger.

After the referee blew his whistle, the situation finally calmed down.

Ben Wallace was ejected from the game, and Malone received a technical foul.

For the Trail Blazers, this means no loss.

Larry Bird used this method to warn the Jazz and Sloan that if they continue to use these dirty tricks, he would use their role players to self-destruct, and not to think that they wouldn't dare.

Malone suffered a setback and felt a lot of resentment stuck in his chest, so he still didn't dare to actually fight Forrest Gump.

As for minor figures like Ben Wallace, what can you do when he's already been sent off?
And those few times I got stepped on, that must have been done by that scoundrel Forrest Gump, but you can't do anything about it without evidence.

Malone grew increasingly angry, and eventually vented his frustration on Duncan by kicking him during the game.

The chaos on the court delayed the game, and both sides regrouped and returned to the court, but the Jazz's morale had been dampened.

Moreover, at this point, Gan Guoyang no longer held back, and he made consecutive shots while holding the ball at a 45-degree angle and facing the basket. His strong shooting ability is even stronger than Ma Long's.

He led his team on an 11-3 run in the final stages of the fourth quarter, ending any suspense in the game.

In the game, Gan Guoyang scored 31 points and grabbed 34 rebounds, including 16 offensive rebounds.

The Trail Blazers easily crushed the Jazz on the road, and the Jazz tried to fight back, but to no avail.

Malone scored 22 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. He was elbowed three times, pushed three times, shoved once, and had his foot stepped on once.

After the match, Gan Guoyang hugged Stockton in greeting, while giving Ma Long a look, indicating that Ma Long will definitely have to be more careful in the next match.

With this win, the Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to 31 games; they are truly invincible.

Last season, both the Eastern and Western Conference champions fell to them, and both victories were quite easy, without much trouble.

The Trail Blazers demonstrated their exceptional resilience and a tactical system that is two levels above their opponents.

Now, everyone wants to see how long the Trail Blazers' winning streak will last and how many games they will remain undefeated.
The games are definitely getting tougher for the Trail Blazers; the winning streak is both an honor and a burden.

After leaving Salt Lake City, they faced the highest level of resistance no matter which city they went to for the next competition.

No team wants to be the record holder, and no team doesn't want to be the record breaker.

However, the situation in the league is favorable to the Trail Blazers because the existence of 29 teams further dilutes the league's talent pool.

Just like the Bulls' 72 wins in 1996, the Bulls' strength was one aspect, but another aspect was that 29 teams meant there were more weak teams and weaker teams of medium strength.

If we were talking about 1984, when Gan Guoyang first entered the league, there were fewer teams, and you would have to play five games against a team in your division. The league's talent was also more concentrated, making it more difficult to win.

These days, playing against teams like the Raptors and Hornets in the East, or the Timberwolves and Grizzlies in the West, often means handing away wins.

Especially against a Western Conference team like the Grizzlies, the Trail Blazers will have to play them four times this season.

Without the Grizzlies, these four games would be played against the Lakers and SuperSonics, who are in the same division.

Playing against the Grizzlies is definitely much easier than playing against the Lakers or the SuperSonics, and it's easier to rack up wins.

After their game against the Jazz, the Trail Blazers went to Vancouver, Canada, and secured another victory, extending their winning streak to 32 games.

Then they went to Seattle for a tough game against the SuperSonics to tie the record—the Trail Blazers’ toughest game so far this season.

The SuperSonics, playing at home, were determined not to let the Trail Blazers tie their 33-game winning streak, and the Trail Blazers themselves were also tired of winning.

Moreover, they were playing back-to-back away games, coming to Seattle immediately after the Grizzlies game, and the entire SuperSonics team was eager to end the Trail Blazers' dominance.

The game ended in a tie during regular season, with Ewing and Payton leading the SuperSonics in a tenacious fight. Their playing style did indeed cause problems for the Trail Blazers' passing game.

Entering overtime, Gan Guoyang showed no mercy, scoring 10 points in overtime and bringing his total to 44 points to help the Trail Blazers continue their winning streak and tie their 33-game winning streak!
At this point, everyone on the Trail Blazers knew they were close to losing, and the tension of victory was mounting, ready to snap at the slightest sign of trouble.

Previously, Agan played a blue-collar style, passing, defending, and facilitating, which helped the team win easily.

In these two games, it was clear that Forrest Gump was carrying the team. Normal people would be exhausted, but only he could still step up.

On January 9th, the Trail Blazers returned to Portland for two days of rest before finally having a home game.

They are one game away from breaking the Lakers' record of 33 consecutive wins, and their opponent is none other than the Los Angeles Lakers, who are playing on the road!

Breaking the Los Angeles Lakers' historical record against them is nothing short of legendary.

The Lakers, however, will absolutely not back down; they want to keep the longest winning streak in history on their team.

They've lost so much to the Trail Blazers over the years; they should try to keep what they can.

(End of this chapter)