The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 880 Entering the game personally
Carlisle's steps as he returned to the locker room were unusually heavy; for the third consecutive game, the team's performance had been severely problematic.

A mountain of pressure weighed on his shoulders. In the past, when the sky fell, the head coach would hold it up; now, he was the head coach.

So far, the Trail Blazers' biggest problem is their inability to hit three-pointers.

This problem is more fatal than any other; missing shots is the most damaging.

The Trail Blazers have been the league's best three-point shooting team for more than a decade.

They were the first to develop the value of the three-pointer, and have consistently led the league in three-point attempts, makes, and percentage.

They not only shoot a lot and shoot accurately, but they are also very consistent in most games of the season.

This stability gives the Trail Blazers a unique offensive logic and more offensive space than other teams.

From the Ramsey era to the Bobby Bellman era, and then to the Bird era, the Trail Blazers have always had a group of skilled and high-quality shooters.

Under Gan Guoyang's leadership, the Trail Blazers have consistently led the era with their three-point shooting, from occasionally turning the tide with unexpected shots in the 80s, to using it as their main weapon in the early 90s, and then to their devastating fast three-pointers in the late 90s.

However, three-pointers are inherently unstable, and even the best shooters can easily become inconsistent.

When the Trail Blazers' overall roster is young, they will immediately find other ways to solve their offensive problems if their outside shooting goes cold.

The Ramsey era boasted a formidable frontcourt, with unparalleled fast break capabilities, and they could also rely on Gan Guoyang's unmatched, indiscriminate one-on-one attacks to dominate the paint.

Moreover, in that era, the Trail Blazers didn't attempt many three-pointers, averaging less than double digits per game; they could win without even shooting threes.

During the Bellman era, the core players were all at their peak, and with the Princeton offense, three-pointers were sometimes just icing on the cake.

On the contrary, during the Bird era, as the roster structure aged and the players' offensive capabilities declined, the reliance on three-pointers became increasingly heavy.

In the 98 and 99 seasons, the Trail Blazers shot a lot of three-pointers and were very accurate, and they were also very good at making quick three-pointers on fast breaks.

In the 98 season, the Trail Blazers often started with Mullin pushing fast breaks, and the opponents would not defend the three-point line, so Mullin would just open his hand and shoot from beyond the three-point line.

That season marked the second spring in Mullin's career. The Trail Blazers often took advantage of their opponents' unpreparedness in the first half, frequently overwhelming them with three-pointers in the first half.

By the 99 season, with Mullin's decline, a number of the Trail Blazers' shooters were also falling behind, but thanks to the momentum from the 98 season, they still achieved amazing results.

However, this season, Mullin, who was the barometer of the team's three-point shooting, has completely fallen. It's not just about alcoholism and mentality issues. The high-speed running and shooting style of the previous two seasons has taken a huge toll on his knees and ligaments.

The most important thing for a shooter is not their arms and wrists, but their legs. Once the legs lose their explosiveness and elasticity, the shooting accuracy under strong pressure will drop sharply.

Mullin isn't the only one on the Trail Blazers experiencing a decline in leg strength. As people age, their legs are the first to show signs of aging. A number of players over 35 years old are almost all suffering from a decline in leg explosiveness and speed.

Take Sabonis, for example. He played over 200 games in two consecutive seasons, more than he did in four years in Europe. His knees were already under immense strain, and you could almost smell the smoke coming from them if you got close.

Gan Guoyang was no exception. A summer without proper training prevented him from correcting his problems in time. He could feel that his shooting was very unstable, and he needed a block of time to adjust.

In the first half, Gan Guoyang had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks, which was not a bad performance, but he did not play a decisive role in turning the tide of the game.

The player with the best shooting form on the team was actually Charles Barkley. He lost over 20 kilograms and spent the entire summer training his leg muscles on the treadmill and bicycle. Although he couldn't regain the elasticity of his peak, this was his best form in the past three seasons.

After being sidelined in the first half, Barkley went back to the locker room and approached Carlisle, saying, "Coach, give me more playing time in the second half. I can turn things around!"

Barkley was confident in himself, but Carlisle preferred to give younger players like Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal a chance to play; the Trail Blazers needed energy.

Phil Jackson, the old fox, saw the Trail Blazers' slowing pace and poor shooting, and kept trying to drag them into a quagmire. Carlisle believed they needed young disruptors.

But Carlisle didn't want to offend Barkley. As a rookie head coach, Carlisle lacked the authority to make a decision, and he was caught in a dilemma.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang got up from the bench, walked to the whiteboard, and said to Carlisle, "Let me make the decision. Trust me."

Carlisle nodded, relieved. It was so good that Forrest Gump had stepped forward; he felt much more at ease.

Gan Guoyang knew that a young coach like Carlisle would inevitably feel constrained when coaching a championship team full of veterans and stars.

Once this season is over, many veterans will leave, some retiring, some saying goodbye, and then Carlisle will have a chance to showcase his talent.

If anyone's to blame, it's Bird, that arrogant guy. He could have coached for another season, won a three-peat, and retired in triumph.

As a result, in order to keep his promise to "only work for three years," he insisted on retiring and leaving this mess to Carlisle.

If Bird had quit and gone home to take care of the kids, that would have been one thing, but he stayed in Portland as general manager, watching Carlisle fall into a deep mess.

This year, Carlisle not only became the head coach of the Trail Blazers, but he is also preparing to marry his fiancée, ending his bachelor life and entering marriage. It can be said that he is in a dilemma and overwhelmed.

On one hand, they have to think deeply about the team's work until late at night every day, and on the other hand, they have to endure tremendous public pressure.

While trying to calm his fiancée down and prepare for the wedding, they planned to hold a simple yet memorable wedding ceremony in 2000.

The two met in the early 1980s, started dating in 1987, and never got married. This 13-year-long relationship is about to end.

Carlisle was under immense pressure, her life completely filled with work and family matters. It was at this moment that Gan Guoyang stepped forward to help her, and Carlisle almost cried.

Gan Guoyang first made personnel adjustments. He did not immediately bring in new players, but instead made a slight adjustment to the starting lineup.

"In the second half, I will return to the center position, and you will play the power forward position, Arvidas. This is a familiar routine for us. I will be under the basket, and you will be at the high post. I will protect the rim."

Any adjustments must not deviate from training and familiar content; otherwise, it's wishful thinking and will only lead to more confusion in the game.

Gan Guoyang plays the fifth position, and Sabonis plays the fourth position. This was a familiar strategy for the Trail Blazers in the early 90s.

Sabonis nodded; he knew Gan Guoyang was trying to lighten his burden.

Sabonis is struggling this season; he wouldn't continue playing if it weren't for his son and wife.

"Kobe, move to the three. Your ball-handling and playmaking tonight were a complete mess. Did Kidd and Harper really stop you? Go to the wing, relax, shoot, and get your shooting percentage back."

Kobe playing the small forward position is a familiar scenario. In Kobe's first and second years, the Trail Blazers had few forwards, so they often had Kobe play small forward.

Kobe's positioning and catch-and-shoot ability were still quite good. However, starting from the 1999 season, he took on more outside ball-handling offensive tasks. But his one-on-one skills were not yet perfect. In some games, he could have a great game, but in other games, he would be a liability.

Tonight, Kobe struggled under the experienced double-team of Kidd and Harper, missing several shots in a row.

After listening to Gan Guoyang's words, Kobe nodded; he was also dissatisfied with his own performance.

Moreover, he has been in a bad mood. Since the beginning of this season, his parents' control over him has made him feel increasingly uncomfortable.

Kobe desperately wanted to escape, but didn't know where to go. He was now a rebellious teenager, and his life was unstable in many ways.

"Give the shooting guard position to Curry, and you'll start for a while. We need your three-point shooting, Dell."

Dell Curry is currently the Trail Blazers' most accurate and consistent three-point shooter, boasting an astonishing 47% three-point shooting percentage last season. The team must capitalize on this, especially in the early season, while the veteran still has plenty of three-pointers to hit; things could change in the mid-to-late season.

"Allan, you need to work on your long-range shooting. You can't survive with a long-range shot on the Trail Blazers. Of course, if you're coming off the bench, we'll give you the tactics and space to play the way you want. Be patient."

Gan Guoyang didn't forget to comfort Alan Henderson, who had been replaced. In fact, as a newcomer, Henderson didn't have much say, but Gan Guoyang still patiently explained.

After a round of personnel allocation, Gan Guoyang picked up an oil-based pen and began drawing tactics on the whiteboard.

"Our offense needs to be slower and more patient. I will initiate more attacks in the low post and make good use of opportunities on the weak side. We need to make runs and cuts, and we must get into a fight. It's becoming increasingly difficult for us to create fluid offense; everyone's legs are giving out. Slow down and increase our success rate."

"Defense is key. We agreed to play a defensive game, but we didn't do it at all, guys. I'll guard any Lakers player who tries to attack the basket at the five position, any one of them. Go ahead and double-team and swarm them, put pressure on them. We didn't put enough pressure on them in the first half. This is the Rose Garden, my old darlings. You're just getting old, not dead."

"At the start of the third quarter, we need to turn things around in five minutes and narrow the gap to around eight points or even lower. Then the second unit will come up early. Ben and Jermaine in the paint, you guys need to go out there and hold the line. Replace Arvidas and Dell, and I'll move to the three. Your job is defense. I'll be on offense during this period, holding off the Lakers' fast breaks. The paint is up to you."

As Gan Guoyang spoke, he wrote and drew on the whiteboard, going over several possible scenarios.

Everyone listened very attentively; who would dare not listen?
If it were the old Gan Guoyang, he wouldn't have done this.

If you give him the ball, he can solve the problem on the field.

That won't work now. Gan Guoyang needs to use tactics and teamwork to work together to turn the tide.

Fifteen minutes were about to pass, halftime was over, and the players were about to return to the field to continue the game.

Barkley grew anxious and asked Gan Guoyang, "What about me? Where is my mission? Where am I?"

Gan Guoyang said, "You are Charles in the reserve team. The situation on the field is ever-changing, and it's impossible to play exactly as we plan. There will always be variables. When other methods don't work, you are the backup. Go on the field and solve problems with your personal abilities, whether it's offense or defense. Give it your all. You are very important, extremely important. You must be prepared, understand, Charles?"

Upon hearing this, Barkley realized he was indeed very important; being in the reserves meant he was practically a secret weapon.

Through a combination of coaxing and deception, Gan Guoyang successfully stabilized the situation.

He didn't haphazardly dismantle the lineup or implement tactics that seemed correct but might actually be ineffective just because the team was having a bad run.

His setups were all familiar and well-established tactics that the Trail Blazers had used before, so the players wouldn't find them unfamiliar or difficult to play against.

When your abilities decline or you are not in good form (mainly when you are not in good form), don't try to be brave, but instead unite and make use of your teammates.

Gan Guoyang plans that after this match, regardless of the outcome, he needs to resume high-intensity training for a period of time, as low-to-medium intensity training won't be enough to prevent his form from declining.

Carlisle admired Gan Guoyang immensely. His calmness, decisiveness, and resourcefulness were the true qualities of a great general, something Carlisle could learn from.

In the third quarter, both teams returned to the court, with Dell Curry replacing Alan Henderson in the starting lineup. Phil Jackson could tell at a glance that the Trail Blazers wanted to continue seeking a breakthrough in three-point shooting.

Jackson also instructed the players to allow the Trail Blazers to shoot to some extent. If the Trail Blazers tried to turn the tide with three-pointers, the outcome would be even worse with a 15-point deficit.

However, when the Trail Blazers players stepped onto the court, the Lakers players could feel that they were not the same as in the first half.

His expression was no longer anxious or frustrated, but rather calm. Gan Guoyang chewed his gum, his indifferent look like a sharp blade gleaming with cold light, which had instilled fear in people for many years.

This change in mentality has a subtle impact on the players, and it will gradually show up in the later stages of the game.

The fans at the Rose Garden arena remain enthusiastic; they believe in the Trail Blazers and that Forrest Gump won't give up easily.

The third quarter began, and the Trail Blazers had possession of the ball. On their first offensive possession, Sabonis received the ball at the high post and fed it to Gan Guoyang.

With such a familiar and skillful teamwork routine, Gan Guoyang faced O'Neal's defense head-on, turned around and faked O'Neal before forcing his way up for a layup, drawing a foul.

The referee blew the whistle, and Gan Guoyang stepped to the free-throw line. He easily made both free throws. Everything was going according to Gan Guoyang's plan. He had to score, and drawing a foul and taking the free throws was the most reliable way to go.

When it was the Lakers' turn, the Trail Blazers used a simple full-court press to disrupt passing, then quickly retreated, with Gan Guoyang guarding O'Neal in the low post.

O'Neal turned his back to the basket and tried to score. McGrady received the ball and passed it inside, but the pass wasn't careful enough. Gan Guoyang suddenly cut in from behind and knocked the ball away.

Mistake!

The Trail Blazers had a chance to fight back, but Blaylock held firm and they were going to play slowly.

It's still positional play, still passing to Sabonis, still connecting high and low positions.

Gan Guoyang received the ball in a shallow position, turned to face the basket with a Sigma step, suddenly lowered his body to break through, and then walked towards the basket!
O'Neal didn't dare to foul, and Gan Guoyang drove to the other side of the basket and scored with a reverse dunk!

The ball was launched quickly, the dunk was spectacular, and the atmosphere in the entire Rose Garden was ignited. Everyone knew that Forrest Gump was sounding the horn for the Trail Blazers' comeback.

The point difference narrowed to 11 points. O'Neal feigned position, and the Lakers' offense started from the outside. Harper got the ball and passed it to Kidd, who immediately passed it to McGrady.

McGrady's baseline drives are a vital offensive resource for the Lakers' perimeter offense. Whether he attacks the basket directly or passes, he poses a significant threat.

Kobe's defense on McGrady was very effective, forcing McGrady to the baseline and forcing him to pass the ball. In the end, the Lakers passed the ball around, leaving Kidd with no choice but to force a three-pointer, which missed.

Gan Guoyang easily grabbed the rebound, a good opportunity to narrow the gap. This time he launched a fast break. Kobe received the ball in the frontcourt and drove to the basket, scoring with a layup!

A 6-0 run saw the Trail Blazers cut the deficit to 9 points in less than two minutes into the third quarter.

Phil Jackson stood up and blew his whistle across the court, hoping the players would solve the problem themselves instead of calling a timeout.

Gan Guoyang anticipated Jackson's habits and instructed his teammates to suddenly double-team the Lakers in half-court, catching them off guard.

In the chaos, the ball still ended up in O'Neal's hands under the basket. Kidd made no mistakes in the rush and found a good opportunity under the basket despite being double-teamed.

Gan Guoyang fouled without hesitation, pulling O'Neal down and sending him to the free-throw line. If O'Neal missed the free throw, the defense would be considered successful.

O'Neal did his job, missing both free throws. Rodman tried to grab the offensive rebound, but in a series of jumps and struggles with Gan Guoyang, the ball was still caught by Gan Guoyang.

The Trail Blazers have completely built up their momentum, and they're still playing positional warfare, giving the impression that they're sure to score.

Sabonis received the ball high up again, and Rodman's attempts to interfere were completely ineffective. Sabonis simply raised his hand, and Rodman had to tilt his head back to watch the ball.

The ball was successfully passed to the low post again. This time, the Lakers came over to double-team. Gan Guoyang immediately passed the ball to Kobe, who received it and then passed it to Dell Curry in the corner.

With a three-point opportunity, Curry didn't hesitate at all. The veteran's sharp wit flashed like a dragon's spear, and he quickly launched a three-pointer, which went in accurately!
9-0, the Trail Blazers went on a 9-0 run, narrowing the gap to 6 points and finally forcing the Lakers to call a timeout.

In less than three minutes, the Trail Blazers displayed high-quality offense and defense, making them seem like completely different teams compared to the first half.

Gan Guoyang and his teammates returned to the bench. He breathed a sigh of relief and encouraged the veterans, which helped them adjust.

However, he thought to himself that he had finally become a mortal and could no longer arbitrarily manipulate the game by standing on the rules. Instead, he had to enter the game himself and play in accordance with the rules.

From that moment on, Gan Guoyang truly considered retiring and began to rethink how basketball should be played.

(End of this chapter)