The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 889 is left for posterity.
Malone really wants to say thank you to Stockton, thank you for your good brother, your good buddy Forrest Gump, for respecting and caring for me for more than ten years, and for always leaving me with deep memories.

That fall in 1992 was truly unforgettable, as were the repeated playoff eliminations and the eternal shadow of Forrest Gump.

Actually, Malone doesn't mind this much. He has a good attitude. He knows that he has been learning from Forrest Gump, learning the simplest and most suitable part of Forrest Gump's skills.

Learning only 70% is enough to dominate the league and make a name for yourself in the NBA.

He trained his muscles to the extreme, unlocking the full potential of his body.

He knew he was far less talented than geniuses like Barkley and Olajuwon, but he tried his best to make up for it with diligence and hard work.

Ma Long is the best at making up for deficiencies, pointing out a bright future for all players who are suffering from a lack of physical and software talent.

So even without a championship, Ma Long has his own world and his own spiritual realm.

Many people dislike him because of his dirty play on the field and his terrible behavior off the field.

But Malone truly lived his own life and created a brilliant basketball career that was uniquely his own.

And this career is not over yet. At 36, he is in great shape and is about to continue his journey.

As for Forrest Gump wanting to score 55 points on my head? Well, whatever, I'll see how he tries to beat me later.

Malone was filled with resentment, so when Jerry Sloan asked him not to guard Forrest Gump one-on-one, Malone unusually refused.

"No, Coach, let me guard him one-on-one. I can do it. Although I may not be able to completely stop him, it won't be easy for him to score 50 points on me. I believe in myself."

Malone's one-on-one defense is absolutely top-notch in the league.

Limited by his height, wingspan, and lateral movement speed, his ability to help defend and protect the rim is indeed quite average.

However, in low-post one-on-one defense and top defense, the experienced Malone is the most cunning veteran in the league.

In terms of strength, Malone was not afraid of O'Neal; in terms of skill, even Forrest Gump would have to go all out to deal with him.

Malone wasn't new to fighting Forrest Gump; he had plenty of experience in such situations and believed he would be fine.

Because it was a regular season game, Jerry Sloan didn't force Malone to do things his way.

In close encounters, the players, especially star players, are highly dependent on their performance and form on the field. It's certainly a good thing for star players to have confidence in themselves.

“Okay, I believe you. Good luck, Carl,” Sloan said.

Stockton and Hornacek both looked at Malone with a hint of pity in their eyes.

Before the game, Hornacek whispered to Stockton, "John, do you think Karl can guard Forrest Gump tonight?"

Stockton replied quietly, "Impossible. Forrest was clearly in form tonight, and his playing style has changed. Karl didn't even realize it."

Hornasek said, "That Karl is doomed."

"Never mind, it's too difficult for us to help him anyway."

Stockton knows Gan Guoyang very well. As a good friend and rival, Stockton will also study Gan Guoyang seriously.

He clearly felt that Gan Guoyang had reached a plateau in terms of skill over the past two years, with no room for further improvement or development.

Forrest Gump's biggest changes were in his offensive choices, energy management, and tactical insight, making his playing style increasingly "skillful."

After all, he's getting old and there's nothing he can do. Even if Forrest Gump had all the skills in the past, he could often defeat you with sheer force. No matter how you tried to deal with it, he could still kill you even without a gun.

In this fight, Forrest Gump clearly changed his tactics cleverly, even resorting to trickery, obviously to save his energy for the crucial moment and score more points.

If Malone doesn't realize this and tries to go toe-to-toe with Forrest Gump near the three-second zone, that guy will definitely suffer.

After the timeout, the game resumed. Stockton and Malone executed a pick-and-roll, with Malone cutting to the outside and Stockton delivering a skillful bounce pass to Malone.

Gan Guoyang did not rush out, but instead guarded the three-second zone, allowing Ma Long a long two-pointer, which Ma Long made.

However, the Trail Blazers didn't care. When Malone returned to defense, he stared at Gan Guoyang and said, "Have you forgotten how to defend, Sonny?"

"I think your head's itching again, Karl," Gan Guoyang retorted. The two were old friends, and their trash talk was quite smooth without causing any ripples in their hearts.

Subsequently, Gan Guoyang received the ball on the outside and made a screen play with Brelock, who then cut inside to draw away the help defense.

On the 45-degree wing, Gan Guoyang and Ma Long faced off one-on-one. Gan Guoyang did not drive hard with the ball or back down the opponent. Instead, he dribbled continuously and then suddenly took a step back, pretending to shoot.

Ma Long pounced on him, but Gan Guoyang didn't shoot. After a pause, he dribbled low and broke through from the baseline to the basket, dunking with one hand!

This brilliant ball handling left the Jazz fans in the arena stunned, with some shouting at the referee, "Traveling! He traveled!"

Some fans made a traveling gesture, but more fans shook their heads slightly, saying that Gan Guoyang's move was indeed brilliant.

Given his height and position, he's already unique in his ability to perform the Kiki-step with the ball, and he can also realistically execute the pre-shooting motion.

Before closing in, he chose to continue dribbling, recklessly testing the limits of traveling, fooling Malone, shifting his center of gravity and scoring.

This tactic was quite rare in the NBA at the time. Gan Guoyang had used it in previous games, but combining the two seemed to be a first.

Stockton shook his head after reading it and shouted, "Sonny, you're still improving, you bastard?"

Gan Guoyang said, "It's not progress, it's just that I've integrated my past skills. And I've become lighter recently."

As he spoke, Gan Guoyang rushed up and pressured Stockton, who was controlling the ball, slowing down his advance.

After pressing down, Gan Guoyang immediately ran back to the frontcourt to defend his area.

Gan Guoyang's weight has indeed been decreasing recently. After resuming high-intensity training, he decided to gradually reduce his weight back to his previous 250 pounds.

Excessive weight can further reduce physical performance and increase pressure on the knees and joints. If you want to exert your full strength, losing weight is a good way.

Because the season is still ongoing, he can't lose too much weight all at once, so he needs to gradually reduce his weight and try to get back to 250 pounds by the time the playoffs start, which was his weight in 1986 and 1987.

These tasks should have been completed during the off-season, but off-field factors delayed them all. Therefore, Gan Guoyang and the training team could only find ways to use the regular season as a testing ground and training ground.

In the first few rounds, it was clear that Gan Guoyang's attacks were very outside-oriented and his skills were quite excellent.

However, the Jazz did not dare to relax their defense against Gan Guoyang's inside attack. He immediately overpowered Malone in the low post and scored two points with a unique turnaround lean shot, almost drawing a foul from Malone.

Halfway through the first quarter, Gan Guoyang scored 13 points in a row, making Ma Long's skin crawl. Ma Long's claim of confidence was utter nonsense.

The Trail Blazers quickly took a 17-7 lead over the Jazz, a 10-point advantage. Sloan knew he couldn't continue like this; if they played like this, they would definitely be outmaneuvered tonight.

They could only call another timeout and ask Malone, "So, Karl, are you still confident in defending Forrest Gump?"

Malone, panting heavily, threw down the towel he was using to wipe his sweat and said, "Forrest Gump doesn't play by the rules at all! He doesn't play like an inside player at all; he's always floating on the outside shooting. How am I supposed to defend him?"

Malone is an excellent defender in the paint, but he's not effective when it comes to defending the perimeter, moving laterally, or lowering his center of gravity to chase down defenders.

Sloan knew that Forrest had come up with something new tonight, and he had to deal with him the way he dealt with small forwards, while also not ignoring Forrest's inside power.

Therefore, the Jazz adjusted their defensive strategy. When Gan Guoyang was on the perimeter, Brian Russell would take the lead in defending him, and if he attacked the paint, Malone would then help defend.

After the timeout, this tactic did have some effect. It wasn't so easy for Gan Guoyang to get back on track. The Jazz's disciplined, multi-layered defense made it difficult for him to break through easily.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang did not force his way in. He adjusted his rhythm and created opportunities for his teammates, allowing Jermaine O'Neal to score in the paint, Henderson to cut to the basket, and Mullin and Blake to set up their spot-up shots.

In the first quarter, the score was 30-22, with the Trail Blazers leading by 8 points and gaining a significant advantage.

In fact, the Trail Blazers' defense was very loose in the first quarter, and they didn't put up much intensity. However, because of their high offensive success rate, the Jazz kept grinding out the set and couldn't improve their offensive efficiency.

During the break, Kobe got restless and volunteered to Carlisle, saying he could play.

Gan Guoyang said, "You should only go on the court when the score difference is less than 5 points, otherwise you won't be able to show how important you are to the team."

Gan Guoyang's words kept Kobe on the bench. At the start of the second quarter, when both teams brought in their second units, Charles Barkley effectively anchored the Trail Blazers' offense.

Barkley has been playing very well lately, putting his all on offense in his limited 15 to 20 minutes of playing time.

When you get the ball in the low post, go for it! Grab offensive rebounds aggressively, no questions asked, your only goal is to score.

Barkley didn't care much about anything else, nor did he need to. His job was simply to protect the defensive rebounds.

Despite being an older man and a younger man, Barkley and Ben Wallace are both short centers, but their ability to rebound in the backcourt is truly remarkable.

Even though there are some issues with rim protection and low-post defense, they are very good at securing defensive rebounds, which greatly helps their defense.

The Trail Blazers maintained a lead of around 10 points throughout the game, and the Jazz, a team that lacks offensive explosiveness, struggled to catch up.

When Gan Guoyang returned to the court, the score was 41-32, with the Trail Blazers leading by 9 points and the gap widening by one point, much to Sloan's dismay.

What's even more troublesome is that as soon as Gan Guoyang enters the game, he receives the ball on the outside and makes a tough three-pointer, which is a deadly three-pointer.

Gan Guoyang is adept at using three-pointers to rub salt into the opponent's wounds when he is leading.

When chasing points, Gan Guoyang prefers reliable two-point shots and solid defense, as well as the safest option: free throws.

The point difference suddenly jumped to 12 points, and Sloan was so anxious that he was yelling and shouting on the sidelines, while Carlisle remained calm and collected on the Trail Blazers' side.

This feels really good. What Bellman said in his book was right: giving the ball to Forrest Gump can effectively extend a coach's career and reduce the strain of the regular season.

In an effort to close the gap, the Jazz sped up their offensive pace. After Stockton and Malone returned to the court, they made extensive use of pick-and-rolls to initiate attacks, but the results were only so-so.

In this era, pick-and-rolls are limited by space, shooting ability, and hand-check defense, so their frequent use is not very effective and they are easily countered.

The Trail Blazers have developed some pick-and-roll tactics around Gan Guoyang, but due to efficiency issues, they are generally used as a variation.

Gan Guoyang has many pick-and-roll plays with players like Petrovic, Vandeweghe, and Terry Porter, but they only appear occasionally in games.

Malone and Stockton are known as a perfect pick-and-roll duo, and they have many pick-and-roll plays in games. However, in truly crucial moments, they don't use pick-and-rolls as often, and Malone plays more isolation plays.

Blaylock was very aggressive in his defense against Stockton. He came to the Trail Blazers in the 1998 season specifically to deal with Stockton.

As Stockton's form declined, his individual offense became quite ineffective against Blaylock, and he could only pass the ball at the high post, posing less of a threat at the top of the key and beyond the three-point line.

At this point, Malone must step up and take on the offensive load, otherwise the Jazz's offense will completely collapse.

Fortunately, Gan Guoyang didn't go toe-to-toe with Ma Long on the defensive end tonight. He allowed Ma Long to shoot mid-range shots and didn't let him attack the basket.

Malone, you can go in if you want. Anyway, I'm better at shooting than you. You're definitely not going to get to the basket. This is the last line of defense, and you can't let your guard down no matter what.

Malone's mid-range shooting is indeed exceptionally refined, having developed a deep muscle memory. Regardless of distance or defense, his shooting posture and feel remain the same.

Tonight, despite Gan Guoyang's defensive lapse, he had a good shooting touch, hitting consecutive shots and giving the Jazz a much-needed breather.

Then, he assisted Ald Polynes, who dunked under the basket, bringing the score difference to within 7 points.

Gan Guoyang was double-teamed on the perimeter and passed the ball to Mullin. Mullin's three-point attempt missed, giving the Jazz a rare counter-attack opportunity.

Stockton initiated a fast break, and Malone sprinted down the court, taking the lead like a running back in football, receiving the ball and going straight for a layup without dribbling.

As a result, Gan Guoyang caught up from behind and delivered a solid block, swatting Ma Long's shot away!
Alan Henderson, who was following up, won the ball, and Gan Guoyang was already running towards the front to launch a quick counter-attack.

Barkley cuts through the middle, receives the ball, and passes it to Gan Guoyang with a bounce pass. Gan Guoyang receives the ball, takes a crossover step to get past Polynes who is trying to draw an offensive foul, and slams it home with one hand!
With his impressive blocks and spectacular dunks, Gan Guoyang conserved his energy, not by neglecting defense, but by focusing on crucial plays.

If Malone had scored on the fast break, the situation would have been very different. Now, the Jazz not only missed the shot but also conceded two points.

After scoring, Gan Guoyang and Barkley high-fived. The combination was quite beautiful, and the two had great chemistry.

Once the Jazz's momentum stalled, their offense faltered, and Gan Guoyang immediately unleashed a 7-0 run.

Gan Guoyang first received the ball in the low post and scored a strong basket, then broke through and drew a foul, making both free throws. He then drew another foul and scored a 2+1, drawing boos from the fans in the arena.

But these calls were all correct; the Jazz had no choice, as they tend to commit a lot of fouls on defense.

Because they are a veteran team, the Jazz often commit tactical fouls to slow down their opponents' offensive pace and disrupt their offensive rhythm.

At their peak in 97 and 98, the Jazz had one of the highest foul counts in the league; if you count the number of possessions, they had the most fouls in the league.

The point difference was widened to 16 points, and Gan Guoyang scored 34 points in the first half with extremely high efficiency, leaving the Jazz somewhat bewildered.

At halftime, the score was 62-47, with the Trail Blazers leading by 15 points. Just before the buzzer sounded, Gan Guoyang launched a long-range three-pointer.

The ball bounced off the rim and missed, giving the fans and Jazz players a real scare. If it had gone in, it would have been a disaster.

Both teams returned to the locker room. Kobe didn't get a single minute of playing time in the entire first half, and the point difference was nowhere near being reduced to within 5 points.

Gan Guoyang's flexible and versatile playing style, excellent outside shooting touch, and unwavering determination to score will not give the Jazz any chance.

So back in the locker room, Kobe said, "I'm not playing tonight. I'm going to start next game and make my comeback."

Gan Guoyang patted him on the shoulder and said, "The right choice. Your job in this game is to sit on the sidelines and enjoy the show. The third quarter is when I'll be performing."

Gan Guoyang was right. In the third quarter, with a large lead, Gan Guoyang could indeed start to show off.

At the start of the third quarter, Gan Guoyang received the ball on the perimeter, dribbled continuously, stepped back, and hit a three-pointer!
When Gan Guoyang uses a step-back three-pointer, it's either when he has a large lead and starts showing off his arsenal, or it's when he unexpectedly kills his opponent at the most crucial moment of the game.

The Jazz have undoubtedly encountered the former; neither Malone nor Russell could defend against such a shot. They can only hope that Gan Guoyang has a bad shooting touch and doesn't make the shot.

But tonight was undoubtedly a record-breaking night. The Jazz, as strong as they are, are sometimes overwhelmed by a sudden onslaught due to their aging roster and lack of athleticism.

This time, Gan Guoyang wasn't using a sledgehammer, but rather a master archer, using skill and technique to shoot arrow after arrow at the Jazz.

After a crossover dribble, he breaks through, followed by a Move-hook, a series of dribbling fakes, and then a spin move followed by a leaning floater.

There was even an instance where, facing Brian Russell's defense at the top of the key, he suddenly dribbled to the side and then hit a hook shot from mid-range.

Gan Guoyang combines all his skills, which can be arranged and combined at will to catch the defender off guard.

Once his touch falters, he drives to the basket with the ball. When he gets into a rhythm, he completely ignores the defense, stands with his hands on his hips watching Stockton make a layup, then receives the ball and launches a fast break, pulling up for a three-pointer that pierces the center of the Jazz's net!

With this basket, Gan Guoyang has already scored 23 points in the third quarter, totaling 57 points in three quarters! The Jazz fans in the arena were so impressed that they cried out to God.

Jerry Sloan called a timeout in desperation. Gan Guoyang came off the court and high-fived his jubilant teammates. The Trail Blazers were already leading by 25 points and victory was in their grasp.

Barkley was so excited that he practically knelt down and kowtowed to Gan Guoyang.

Carlisle asked Gan Guoyang, "Sonny, do you want to continue fighting?"

With more than three minutes left in the third quarter, Gan Guoyang could continue playing and rack up more points.

Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "No need. We agreed on 55 points, and 57 points is already more than that. There's no need to play anymore."

Gan Guoyang is a very trustworthy person. He told Ma Long it was 55, and that was 55 points. The extra two points were a bonus.

Kobe was incredulous at Gan Guoyang's performance; he was itching to get playing time.

He asked, "Sonny, you should keep playing; maybe you can break your record of 81 points."

Gan Guoyang smiled and said, "57 points in three quarters is a record. But records should be left for future generations to break. Don't be too greedy, or it won't look good."

Actually, Gan Guoyang was more concerned about conserving his physical strength. At 36 years old, he wanted to save as much energy as possible.

But Kobe told himself that one day he could do it too, he definitely could.

(End of this chapter)