The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 891 The Last Year of the 20th Century

The opening ceremony of the memorial service at the Oakland Centre left Gan Guoyang completely bewildered, leaving him in a dilemma.

He really wanted to grab a microphone from the DJ to explain that he might not necessarily retire.

Although he had already considered retiring, it was too difficult for him to make the decision until the season ended and everything was settled.

Even David Stern, who forced Gan Guoyang to retire for the next two seasons, hesitated when he saw the current unstable ratings and attendance in the NBA, worrying that with Gan and Joe gone, the new stars wouldn't be able to carry the team.

It's great that the Warriors are playing at home, but you're already crying before the person even dies. So, am I going to die or not?

But there was nothing he could do. In the touching atmosphere, the fans' enthusiastic applause left Gan Guoyang with no way to explain. He could only clap and wave to express his gratitude, followed by the introduction of the Warriors players.

In front of the bench, Terry Porter said to Gan Guoyang, "Boss, why don't you just retire?"

"Retreat? Retreat for what? I'm only 36, why would I retreat?"

"It's time to cancel."

Potter muttered to himself, sighed, and thought to himself, "If you won't back down, I'd like to."

If he didn't play for the Trail Blazers, given Porter's physical condition, he could comfortably play for another three or four years without any problem.

But with the Trail Blazers, not only is the training tough, but each season lasts until May or June, with over a hundred games played.

The playoffs are very taxing for players, especially veterans.

After the playoffs in the past two years, Porter felt like he had died once, and it took him a whole summer to recover.

Besides Porter, the team doesn't even have a third backup point guard.

Unfortunately, Potter wasn't sick or injured, so let's fight, let's fight like crazy.

After the Warriors' entrance ceremony, the game began, and Kobe returned to the team's starting lineup today.

Kobe, who had been absent for more than two weeks, was very excited and appeared aggressive from the start of the game. He repeatedly broke through to the basket, scoring a layup and drawing a foul.

Scored 4 points in a row.

For the Warriors, Van Exel hit a three-pointer to start the game.

Antoine Jamison attempted a strong drive to the basket, but Gan Guoyang blocked his shot.

"Why don't you try shooting from the outside?" Gan Guoyang kindly reminded Jamison.

Jamison dared not say anything, and every time he faced Forrest Gump, he suffered greatly.

Every time I start a game, I want to gain an advantage and build some confidence, but I always get pushed back down immediately.

Jamison, with his average height and physique, thrived in the NCAA, but in the NBA, where the power forward position lacked physicality, he was always Gan Guoyang's plaything.

On the defensive end, Jamison had to guard Gan Guoyang one-on-one, which was practically a free win for him.

Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, dribbled in and squeezed in, causing Jamison to be knocked to the ground.

Whether he was being reckless or deliberately drawing offensive fouls, the referee didn't call it.

Gan Guoyang turned and scored two points with a deft hook shot.

After scoring, he shook his head in dissatisfaction at the Warriors' bench and shouted, "You guys didn't double-team me?!"

The Warriors' bench was silent; the team's morale was low, and there was a lack of unity among the players. No one stepped forward to respond to Gan Guoyang's provocation.

Only Van Exel showed some fighting spirit, being very aggressive on offense, repeatedly attacking the Trail Blazers' basket, using drives and long-range shots to keep the team in the game.

But in this high-scoring game without much strong defense, the Warriors are clearly no match for the Trail Blazers.

Last year's Finals proved that both Gan Guoyang and Kobe are players with explosive scoring ability and great stamina.

They can score 30+ points in a single game, which is quite lethal.

Judging from their performance tonight, it wouldn't be a problem for the two of them to score 40 points together.

In the first quarter, Kobe scored 10 points and Gan Guoyang scored 11 points, with the two combining for 21 points.

The Trail Blazers led the Warriors 38-29, a 9-point advantage.

For the Warriors, Van Exel scored 13 points in a single quarter, more than both Kobe and Gan Guoyang.

However, Fan Fengzi couldn't carry the team alone, Jamison could only score piecemeal goals against Gan Guoyang, and Glen Rice also had a cold shooting night.

When both teams brought their second-string lineups into the game in the second quarter, the gap between the Warriors and the Trail Blazers widened even further.

Charles Barkley, like a wild boar, started swarming the basket as soon as he stepped onto the court, unleashing his excess energy with an exceptionally aggressive playing style.

Anyway, he only plays for about 20 minutes a game, so he doesn't need to worry about his stamina.

When Barkley is in good form, he can lead the bench unit to a decisive victory over the opponent.

Even when he's not in good form, Barkley can still lead the bench to a blowout victory against the Trail Blazers.

Anyway, his current style is either you die or I die, leaving little room for maneuver, just like his personality.

Barkley was in good form against the Warriors, even sinking a three-pointer, which was bad news for the Warriors.

By the time Kobe and Gan Guoyang returned to the court, the Trail Blazers had extended their lead to 16 points.

Gan Guoyang grabbed Kobe and said, "Don't hold back, hit him with all your might."

"why?"

"They want me to retire; they should be taught a lesson."

"clear."

Gan Guoyang thought to himself that he had to set some rules for these away teams.

Otherwise, if every away game they create some kind of atmosphere for me, or even give me gifts like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did, wouldn't I be put on the hot seat?

Gan Guoyang is not the kind of person who likes to organize tours or engage in emotional manipulation.

His ideal way to retire is to win the championship and then quietly tell everyone that he is leaving.

Gan Guoyang only likes to share his passion, victories, and joy with everyone. As for the regrets, loneliness, and solitude of retirement, he can bear them on his own.

The grander the farewell ceremony, the greater and harder the void it leaves behind.

Anyway, that's just Gan Guoyang's personality. He won't accept the so-called retirement tour. He just wants to leave as a victor, leaving everyone with a cool silhouette that can never be caught up with.

Following instructions from Gan Guoyang, Kobe Bryant began scoring in isolation plays in the latter part of the second quarter.

Of course, Kobe's skills were not yet mature, and some of his responses to defense were not very skillful.

This gave the Warriors some opportunities to fight back, and at one point they narrowed the gap to 10 points.

But immediately, Gan Guoyang coordinated with Kobe in the low post, using the low post's attraction to create space for Kobe to attack.

Kobe scored on two consecutive drives; that kid is incredibly fast.

Although his explosive moments weren't as powerful as Jordan's, his ball-handling skills were excellent, and he had a strong finishing ability.

Kobe's physical attributes were somewhat inferior to Jordan's at the same stage, so he relied more on skill and high-difficulty moves, which made his goals look spectacular.

The point difference widened back to over 15 points and remained there until the end of the first half.

Both teams played at a fast pace, with moderate intensity, few mistakes, and many offensive possessions.

Although the Warriors were down by more than ten points, the fans in the arena were thoroughly entertained.

In this era, we've seen too many head-to-head defensive battles, so this kind of offensive back-and-forth is still quite exciting. In the third quarter, it was finally Gan Guoyang's time to shine.

Van Exel hit a long-range three-pointer from beyond the arc.

Gan Guoyang immediately responded with a pull-up three-pointer from the top of the arc.

In these two games, Gan Guoyang had a high three-point shooting percentage and he shot very decisively.

Van Exel was not satisfied and tried to throw another one, but Gan Guoyang, who came over to cover, reached out and knocked it away.

Gan Guoyang was well aware of Van Exel's habits; once this guy made a three-pointer, he would definitely try again.

So, Gan Guoyang stared at Van Exel like a wolf. Van Exel, however, was not convinced and wanted to score a goal on Gan Guoyang's head.

The result was that Gan Guoyang blocked the shot. Although the Warriors still had possession of the ball, their offensive rhythm had been disrupted.

Glen Rice's layup missed, Jermaine O'Neal grabbed the rebound and passed it to Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang initiated a counterattack with the ball, but instead of charging forward, he observed the area beyond the three-point line.

The Warriors' defensive formation was a complete mess. He dribbled with his left hand into the paint, and with a beautiful back turn to get past Jamison, he easily dunked with his right hand, scoring two points.

The fans in the arena cheered loudly, even louder than the Warriors players when they scored a goal. This is the treatment Gan Guoyang has received at the Warriors' home arena for many years.

When Gan Guoyang was crossing the halfway line and returning to defend, he gave a high-five to a little Chinese girl on the sidelines, which made the atmosphere even more enthusiastic.

The Warriors players' morale has plummeted. Whose home court is this anyway?

The fans' enthusiasm ignited Gan Guoyang's desire to perform, and he then used a one-handed long-range floater after a back turn to render Jamison's defense ineffective.

The point difference was heading towards 20 points, and Van Exel kept trying to catch up, but his unreliable three-pointers did nothing to help.

If the Warriors make one shot and then miss two, they give the Trail Blazers a chance to counterattack, and the Warriors simply can't stop the Trail Blazers' fast offense.

At the start of the fourth quarter, both Gan Guoyang and Kobe scored 30+ points, with Gan Guoyang scoring 33 points and Kobe scoring 30 points.

When the point difference was heading towards 25 points or even more, Warriors coach Gary Gene knew it was time to give up.

Time out, substitute the key players with the mediocre ones, and it's garbage time.

Unexpectedly, Van Exel refused to leave the court and still managed to score 27 points, making him the Warriors' best player tonight.

He had an argument with Gene on the bench, saying that they shouldn't give up but should continue playing.

“If you want to score more points, then keep playing,” Gene said.

"No! It has nothing to do with the data, we just shouldn't give up!" Van Exel roared to express his unwillingness.

But Gene didn't argue anymore, giving a "do as you please" look, as if to say, "Hit me if you want, or just sit here if you don't."

For the Trail Blazers, the starters have already gone to the bench to rest, and Gan Guoyang has an ice pack on his leg to relieve the heat and swelling in his knee.

Van Exel's persistence went unanswered, which hurt him deeply but left him helpless.

Jamison came over and patted Van Exel on the shoulder, but Van Exel didn't appreciate it, saying, "If you can't guard Forrest Gump, at least score 30 points on him! Otherwise, we won't be in this predicament!"

Jamison was a little embarrassed, but he wasn't angry. He just shrugged and quietly sat on the bench to watch the game.

Jamison didn't care much about winning or losing; at least he wasn't as full of hatred and resentment as Van Exel.

Jamison had a poor performance tonight, scoring only 13 points, and his shooting touch went cold against Gan Guoyang's defense.

In fact, he had quite a few opportunities, with relatively easy shot attempts from the outside and mid-range.

Gan Guoyang's recent defense has really been all about defending the paint but not the outside, and defending in crucial moments but not during the crucial time.

If you're in good form and capitalize on the relatively easy back-and-forth phase during the transition period, you'll score a lot.

Jamison is still too young. In his second year, he has excellent technique, but his experience and mentality on the field are average.

Jamison was blocked by Gan Guoyang at the start, and then Gan Guoyang guarded him for two more shots, after which Jamison dared not play anymore.

This shows that Jamison is not a player who dares to fight and is extremely brave.

In this respect, Jamison is very similar to his good friend, classmate, and fellow rookie, Vince Carter.

Both men came from middle-class families and grew up in the 80s, a time of economic boom in the United States, where they enjoyed relatively comfortable environments and conditions.

Therefore, they are more like ordinary people in terms of personality, have both parents, and are quite healthy.

The problem is that the NBA is a giant mental hospital, housing a bunch of problem children and mental patients.

Those who achieve great things here either have significant deficiencies in their upbringing or have genuinely mental problems.

The greatest player in this league is the director of a mental hospital, an expert in solving problems with children.

Normal kids like Jamison and Vince Carter feel completely out of place here.

The garbage time passed quickly, and the Trail Blazers easily defeated the Warriors 110-91 on the road, a 19-point advantage.

This is also the first time this season that the Trail Blazers have scored 110 points in a game, which is really not easy to do in this era.

When the game ended, cheers erupted again as many fans tried to rush onto the field to shake hands and interact with Gan Guoyang.

Security personnel had to intervene, causing a brief period of chaos.

Gan Guoyang could only shout, "I haven't withdrawn! I haven't withdrawn! There's another show in Auckland next year! Don't push! If you get crushed, there won't be any left!"

Escorted by bodyguards, Gan Guoyang finally left through the players' tunnel.

At the press conference, Gan Guoyang made a special statement, saying: "There is indeed a possibility that I will retire this season, but it is not 100% certain. Please, fans and teams, do not give me a big send-off. I know you don't want me to stay on the court, but I really have the ability to continue playing. I am considering many things, let's finish this season first."

The reporters on the sidelines burst into laughter. Then Gan Guoyang warned those teams that wanted to hold a farewell party or give gifts at home that if they did, they would be slaughtered.

The Warriors are the role model; this kind of "coup" is useless.

Sure enough, in the following away games, the away team did not produce any commemorative short films or retirement gifts.

The plan for the entire league to force Gan Guoyang to retire was effectively aborted.

During this period, Gan Guoyang's scoring and the Trail Blazers' winning percentage both increased.

Throughout the latter half of December, the Trail Blazers achieved an impressive record of 7 wins and 1 loss.

Gan Guoyang then scored high points in succession: 57, 33, 41, 42, and 38, as if he had returned to 1987.

This put the opponents in a period of adjustment, and the teams didn't know how to deal with Forrest Gump.

A strategy that worked for a long time seems to have failed again, and we need to find new methods.

The Trail Blazers successfully weathered their second crisis since the start of the regular season, completed the 1999 portion of the season, and entered the new millennium in 2000 with a record of 21 wins and 10 losses.

The 20th century, perhaps the most turbulent and tumultuous period in human history, has entered its 100th year, which is also its final year.

Gan Guoyang is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and greatest basketball players of this century. In the last year of the 20th century, he was still striving to change and forge ahead for the championship.

Of the eight games the Trail Blazers won in December (7 wins, 1 loss), the only one they lost was precisely the one that garnered the most attention, had the greatest impact, and attracted the most attention.

In their Christmas Day game, they lost 97-94 at home to the Boston Celtics, a three-point defeat that left Portland fans disappointed and worried.

Can the Trail Blazers really beat the Celtics in the Finals this year? This young challenger is really strong, extremely strong.

Just like the Trail Blazers in 1986 challenging the five-star Celtics, time has passed, everyone has changed positions, and everyone has changed.

(End of this chapter)