The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 852 The Curtain Comes to an End
Jordan rallied in the fourth quarter, despite a hint of frustration in his heart.

In fact, despite the amount of trash talk that Gan Guoyang and Jordan exchanged, very few of it actually affected each other's performance.

The situation that happened to Karl Malone, where he missed a free throw after being told something by Pippen or someone else, leading to a loss, will not happen to either of them.

If Pippen trash-talked Gan Guoyang while he was shooting free throws, Gan Guoyang would definitely retort with one, and then calmly make the free throw.

Jordan was the same; he would close his eyes, make the free throw, and then tell the other person, "This is fucking a gift to you."

Both of them were thick-skinned, tough-hearted, and fearless in the face of failure.

Because we are not afraid of failure, all threats about losing are useless.

On the contrary, it will inspire their fighting spirit, enabling them to retaliate against their opponents with better form and performance.

Instead of being afraid and hesitant, allowing the opponent's words to come true.

Even if they lose in the end for various reasons, they can accept it calmly and get back up to move forward next time.

This tenacious mentality has shaped their tough and decisive character on the court.

Often, when they exchange trash talk, it's less about trying to distract each other and more about satisfying their own verbal urges.

This has become a habit and a source of fun for them; if they don't exchange a few playful insults, the match is as if it never happened.

However, this time it was really different. Gan Guoyang didn't actually say anything "trash talk"; he was telling the truth.

The rivalry between the two actually began before the 1984 draft; at the Olympic training camp, Jordan was the best.

However, there is a premise: if we don't count Forrest Gump, Forrest Gump is Chinese and is a sparring partner.

After entering the league, Forrest Gump always outperformed Jordan, winning the championship first and establishing a dynasty by stepping on Jordan's head. Whatever he wanted to fight for, he could definitely win; Jordan could never beat him.

Even so, Jordan never truly gave up; he always encouraged himself and strived forward.

When Gan Guoyang retired in 1994, Jordan was the angrier one. "You didn't even give me a chance to beat you!"

When Gan Guoyang made his comeback in 1996, Jordan was the happiest one because he finally had a chance to beat him in the Finals.

Jordan was not a pure person; he was addicted to gambling, lived a life of debauchery, was prone to infidelity, and was indecisive on certain issues.

But in basketball, and in his feelings for Forrest Gump, Jordan was pure; he simply wanted to defeat his greatest rival fair and square.

At 35, he was just like when he first met Forrest Gump at 22.

He still remembers that the two first met when they were on a bus to the Olympic training camp.

Jordan sat by the window, and Gan Guoyang and Stockton got into the car together, exchanging greetings.

Jordan asked Gan Guoyang what it felt like to win the championship, and Gan Guoyang asked Jordan the same question in return.

Jordan said it's been too long and he's forgotten, and Gan Guoyang also said it's been too long and he's forgotten, it's been a month already.

It's unclear who handed whom chewing gum, but they sat down and chewed together.

At that moment, Jordan knew that the two were kindred spirits, but he didn't know that for the next ten years or so, he would be chasing after this person's shadow, running endlessly.

Just so I could catch up with him, pat him on the shoulder, and sit on equal footing with him, even though they had been sitting together from the beginning.

Gan Guoyang took a two-year break in between, while Jordan never stopped, even at the age of 35.

No matter what setbacks he encountered along the way—whether his teammates were unhelpful, the team was terrible, the management was disgusting, the owner was a hypocrite, or he faced public scrutiny—Jordan never wavered.

At that moment, during the break between the third and fourth quarters of Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Jordan wavered.

He suddenly felt tired, not only because Forrest Gump's words were like a sharp knife, cutting through the surface of the cruel truth, but also because the reality made it difficult for Jordan to find something to rely on to continue.

The disintegration of the Bulls is inevitable. Whether they win or lose, nothing can shake Jerry Krause's determination to break up the team.

He won, securing his third consecutive championship. Jerry Krause had built a dynasty and achieved great success. He could rightfully move on to building the next dynasty of his own.

They lost, their attempt to win a three-peat failed, and there was no reason to continue with this aging roster. Pippen could leave, and Jordan could stay or leave as he pleased.

For Jordan, having endured this long, his body and mental strength have been stretched to the limit.

If the opponent wasn't Forrest Gump or the Trail Blazers, Jordan could have persevered to the end against any other opponent in the league, gritting his teeth and winning the series.

But the opponent he was facing was someone he had never defeated before, and the gap in their strength was quite large. Jordan still persisted, but Forrest Gump's words were truly devastating.

Even so, after a short two-minute rest at the start of the fourth quarter, Jordan returned to the court full of energy to continue his fight and performance.

Phil Jackson did not give up either. He kept making changes to his lineup, hoping to use the team's defense to suppress the Trail Blazers' offense and create an opportunity for Jordan to catch up.

The Bulls are a resilient and powerful team, and their three championships in four years are an equally amazing achievement.

Their core architecture took shape in 1990 and has been running stably for eight seasons.

After Jordan returned to the court, the Bulls launched their fiercest counterattack, their full-court press defense causing problems for the Trail Blazers' offense.

Although there were no mistakes, the team's performance was not smooth enough, and with Gan Guoyang playing a solo role tonight, the other players' offensive performances were generally mediocre.

Gan Guoyang was double-teamed by multiple players and missed two shots, allowing the Bulls to capitalize on the opportunity and score consecutive points.

Pippen hit a three-pointer, and then Jordan hit a jump shot on the fast break, drawing a foul from Gan Guoyang.

A beautiful basket, followed by a successful free throw, saw the Bulls close the gap to 4 points, cutting the deficit to just 6.

The Trail Blazers called a timeout; the game wasn't over, and a 10-point deficit was far from secure.

Since the Trail Blazers have chosen to speed up the pace and increase the number of rounds, their advantage may disappear in an instant.

Bird knew it was too late to change tactics and launch a team offensive.

That bastard Forrest Gump has put all the pressure and pressure on his own shoulders.

We can only rely on him now, and thankfully Gan Guoyang is a reliable person.

After the timeout, the Trail Blazers slowed down the pace and started playing a positional game.

Bird finally switched to a three-high lineup, but instead of having Jermaine O'Neal at the power forward position, he used the experienced AC Green.

At this point, mistakes are unacceptable; veteran Green is prepared for games like this.

Gan Guoyang, facing Pippen's defense on the outside, executed a difficult Kiki-step step-back jump shot and made a long two-pointer!

Pippen defended that shot to the extreme, but Gan Guoyang still managed to make it; his composure is unbelievable.

After moving to the small forward position, Gan Guoyang's offense became more flexible, and he was no longer restricted by his teammates feeding him the ball.

At this moment, his approach was the same as Jordan's, and the two engaged in the fairest possible battle.

Jordan's high-post dribble drive; Kobe was the one guarding Jordan in the fourth quarter.

Kobe kept a close eye on Jordan, but he couldn't engage in physical contact with him.

Jordan created space for Kobe to shoot, and with a small fadeaway jumper, he scored two points.

Gan Guoyang dribbled the ball across half-court and attempted a three-pointer, sending the Bulls players into a panic.

But the shot missed, and the Bulls got a chance to counterattack. Pippen tried to attack the basket directly.

The layup attempt was disrupted by Sabonis and missed, but AC Green secured the rebound.

The score remained at 4 points. Kobe had the ball and set a high screen with Gan Guoyang. Gan Guoyang received the ball and passed it straight to the basket.

Sabonis received the ball, turned, and attempted a hook shot, but Luke Longley made a full-force block, and the shot missed.

Veteran AC Green tipped the ball out again, preventing Rodman from getting the rebound.

At this point, the Bulls had a tall lineup without a shooting guard on the court.

Jordan and Pippen formed the backcourt pairing, with Kukoc at the small forward position and Longley and Rodman in the frontcourt.

But A.C. Green grabbed a defensive rebound and an offensive rebound, which helped the Trail Blazers stabilize the situation.

The ball was passed to Gan Guoyang, who received it at the top of the arc, faced Pippen, took a breath, and made a strong breakthrough!

In the 90s, when handchecks were allowed, it was quite difficult for outside players to force a breakthrough.

There's almost no way to shake off your opponent entirely with explosiveness and speed; the defender will always stick close to you.

At this point, the player with the ball needs to have strong physical attributes to withstand the opponent's rough handling.

Gan Guoyang is a human tank; even a perimeter defense expert like Pippen can't handle him.

Gan Guoyang cut into the basket along the edge of the three-second zone, while Lang Li was drawn away by Sabonis, leaving the basket open.

Gan Guoyang shoved Pippen aside and unleashed a powerful one-handed dunk! The point difference was back to six points, putting them in the safe zone.

Pippen had done his best on that play; any more force would have been a foul and given away a free throw. He cursed inwardly that Forrest Gump was a monster, not playing center properly but running to the small forward position to lord it over everyone.

This is precisely the Trail Blazers' killer move: exploiting Gan Guoyang's mismatch advantage at the small forward position to attack their opponents.

Currently, the NBA lacks a tall, versatile forward who can play both inside and outside. Toni Kukoc is tall enough, but his defensive footwork is too slow. Pippen is already the best defender at his position, but he still lacks strength and height, which he suffered greatly from in 1992, and continues to suffer from now.

The Bulls had no choice but to tough it out. Jordan responded with a swift drive to the basket, followed by an aerial contest and a layup that drew a foul from Sabonis.

Both free throws went in, maintaining a 4-point deficit. Time was ticking away, and the final two minutes of the decisive battle were about to begin.

At this point, tactics are no longer so important; the players' form, luck, and flashes of brilliance are more likely to determine the outcome.

In a crucial offensive play for the Trail Blazers, Sabonis set a screen for Gan Guoyang at the high post, a mutual screen between the two giants.

Gan Guoyang made a step forward, but instead of driving hard, he stepped back and took a strong shot from the top of the arc!
Seizing the gap in the defense, the ball hit the target accurately like a missile. After scoring, Gan Guoyang raised his right fist!

The entire Rose Garden erupted in cheers as Gan Guoyang scored his 50th point of the match!
The score is now 100-94, with 1 minute and 25 seconds remaining in the game.

The Trail Blazers are leading by six points, a very solid lead, making it very difficult for the Bulls to catch up.

However, at that moment, Jordan faced Kobe's defense on the perimeter, made a simple crossover, and launched a three-pointer!

Kobe jumped to block the shot, hitting Jordan's arm. The referee blew the whistle, but Jordan still managed to shoot the ball.

The ball traced a relatively straight arc, hit the backboard, and bounced into the basket! It actually went in!
The Bulls' bench erupted in cheers! Jordan scored four points in one play! The deficit was instantly reduced to two points!

Jordan stepped up to the free-throw line and made the shot, making it 100-98.

Luck was on Jordan's side, and he scored 50 points.

Even though he felt confused and wavering inside, he still gave it his all on the field.

Because if they give up, the competition will end prematurely.

Kobe made a terrible mistake, and Bird called a timeout.

The pressure is on the Trail Blazers; they need a team to work together.

Carlisle took out his tactics board and, with his boldness, devised a daring tactic.

After the timeout, the Trail Blazers players spread out, and Gan Guoyang positioned himself near the sideline as if to receive the ball.

After the whistle blew, Sabonis, who was serving the ball, looked at Gan Guoyang but threw the ball towards the inside.

Kobe, who had just made a mistake, leaped high, shook off Jordan, and completed an alley-oop dunk!

The Bulls made mistakes on the defensive end, focusing all their attention on Gan Guoyang.

Especially Lang Li, his position was too far out, but you can't blame him, Gan Guoyang's firepower was too terrifying tonight.

Kobe redeemed himself by scoring two points, and the Trail Blazers regained a four-point lead.

Time was running out for the Bulls, and Gan Guoyang began to mismatch and primarily defend Jordan.

The head-to-head confrontation between two superstars caused Jordan to hesitate for a moment.

Blake came over to help defend and tried to steal the ball. He and Gan Guoyang, one tall and one short, blocked Jordan's way out.

Jordan remained calm, dribbled back, and passed the ball to Kukoc, who quickly moved the ball to Pippen in the middle.

Pippen drove to the basket against Sabonis's defense, but Sabonis slowed down and decisively knocked the ball away from Pippen.

"Beep!" The referee blew his whistle, calling a defensive foul on Sabonis. There was no dispute; it was a foul.

Pippen stepped to the free-throw line; if he made both shots, the Bulls would still have a chance to win the game.

However, Pippen missed his first free throw, and Jordan's face turned as black as could be.

Dude, why are you missing free throws again, just like in the Eastern Conference Finals? Are you going to screw me over again?
"Scottie, it's time to leave the Bulls and get a big contract!" Gan Guoyang added fuel to the fire, stabbing Pippen in the heart.

As a result, Pippen missed his second free throw!
Jordan and Rodman both rushed forward to contest the offensive rebound.

But it was no use; Gan Guoyang firmly controlled the rebound.

The Bulls missed their best chance to close the gap.

With just over 30 seconds left in the game, the Trail Blazers could win if they controlled the clock.

Jordan had no choice but to foul, but before he reached the foul count, the Trail Blazers inbounded the ball and continued to foul, wasting time.

Blaylock stepped up to the free-throw line, but as a guard, his free-throw percentage was actually only average, around 70%.

But he remained calm at the crucial moment, making both free throws, making it 104-98, a 6-point difference, and the Bulls called a timeout.

Back on the bench, Jordan couldn't help but snap at Pippen, "Is it really that hard for you to shoot free throws?!"

Pippen remained silent; this wasn't the first or second time he'd let things slide at crucial moments.

Against other teams, there's room for redemption, but against the Trail Blazers, even a small mistake can have dire consequences.

But the more devastating the situation, the more afraid one becomes, and the more likely one is to make mistakes.

That missed dunk in 1992 still pains Jordan to this day.

Seriously, what terrible things have they done?

Jackson worked hard to plan and deploy his strategy, employing a risky three-point tactic.

Steve Kerr came on to replace Rodman, leaving four players on the court who could shoot three-pointers.

With the Trail Blazers leading by six points, they allowed two points and defended three points, giving Langley the opportunity to receive the ball under the basket and score.

Gan Guoyang received the ball and ran down the clock, so the Bulls had no choice but to send him to the free-throw line.

Gan Guoyang made both free throws with great accuracy, extending the lead back to 6 points.

Time was running out, and with Kerr missing a three-pointer, the Bulls had no chance left.

The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game. The Trail Blazers defeated the Bulls by 6 points at home, winning the first game of the Finals, with a score of 106-100.

Post-match statistics showed that the viewership and attendance of this game set historical records that have remained unbroken ever since, including by Gan Guoyang himself.

When the game ended, Gan Guoyang and Jordan did not shake hands or hug; the series was not over yet.

Both players scored 50 points in this game, showcasing their superstar playing style to the fullest and setting a new NBA Finals record.

But as Gan Guoyang said, if the Blazers use this single-star scoring style, the Bulls still can't win. When they return to their team-oriented style, it will only be more difficult for the Bulls.

The outcome was already predetermined at this moment; the announcement was merely delayed.

Two days later, the second game between the two sides continued in the Rose Garden. In this game, Gan Guoyang toned down his sharpness and offense, integrated into the Trail Blazers' perfect teamwork, and launched a crazy attack on the Bulls.

Their shooting percentage reached 70% at one point in the first half, but gradually dropped to 60%, and the Trail Blazers ultimately won by 15 points at home against the Bulls.

Both games were the Bulls' biggest losses by margin of victory; in the Eastern Conference series, the Bulls' biggest loss by margin of victory was only 3 points.

They have incredible resilience, but unfortunately, they faced an incredibly offensively potent Trail Blazers team. In Game 2, they were just too accurate.

Mullin, Brelock, Sabonis, and others were frustrated in the first battle, only to watch their leader show off and fight, while they themselves didn't get much screen time.

In this game, they launched a coordinated attack, using wide-ranging ball movement and long-range shots to keep the Bulls' tight defense on its toes, leading to a tactical collapse.

In Games 3 and 4, the Bulls put up an extremely tenacious fight. In Game 3, the two teams went into two overtime periods, battling until they were completely exhausted.

In the final moments, Gan Guoyang hit a game-winning mid-range shot that sealed the victory for the Bulls, extinguishing their hopes of winning the series.

In Game 4, the Bulls didn't want to be swept, but Pippen missed the game due to injury. Without his right-hand man, Jordan once again scored an amazing 55 points.

However, the Trail Blazers, with their strong overall strength and efficient offensive performance in crucial moments, still managed to overpower the Bulls, defeating them 109-107 by 2 points.

They swept the Bulls 4-0 to win the 1998 NBA championship.

Gan Guoyang got back what was rightfully his: the championship trophy.

In the locker room of the United Center in Chicago, Gan Guoyang enjoyed a glass of champagne.

Five years. He hasn't tasted the championship for five whole years.

At that moment, tears and alcohol mingled together, and no one could tell the difference.

On the other hand, Gan Guoyang also lost something precious.

That was his greatest rival and lifelong friend, Michael Jordan.

Not long after the Finals ended, a disappointed Jordan decided not to exercise his huge two-year contract and chose to retire.

He rejected offers from other teams and turned down petitions from Chicago fans to stay.

He said he was tired, he wanted to leave, and he needed to rest.

The story of Gan vs. Joe thus came to an end with an imperfect conclusion.

For now, the curtain has fallen.

(End of Volume Two, "A Date in 1998")
(End of this chapter)