The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 909 Arkham Night
After the second game, Gan Guoyang knew that the series was likely to go to a seventh game.

Having played in the league for so many years, he can sense how the referees blow their whistles and in which direction they're biased within one or two possessions.

If he were younger, Gan Guoyang would have defied the odds in the fourth game, single-handedly turning the series around to 3-1.

Just like when Gan Guoyang played against the Lakers in 1988, doesn't the league want the Lakers to win a game at home?
He wanted to, but Gan Guoyang wouldn't allow it. He could turn the game around on his own, even though the Trail Blazers were at a disadvantage overall at that time.

Twelve years have passed, and Gan Guoyang still retains this ability, but he doesn't want to use it prematurely.

Because their physical fitness and condition are not as good as they were 12 years ago.

Twelve years ago, in a single series, Gan Guoyang could deliver three to four outstanding performances.

Now, he's certain he can only contribute one more game, so he has to save that one for the very end.

Use it when you can decide the outcome of a series in one fell swoop, leaving no room for your opponent.

Without a doubt, neither side had any way out in the seventh game; the outcome of this match would determine their final fate.

No matter how powerful David Stern is, he can't extend the series to nine games.

The initiative in that series largely fell into the hands of the players, and specifically into the hands of Gan Guoyang.

The referee list was released the day before the game, with the head referee being bald Joe Crawford.

Seeing this name gave Gan Guoyang even more confidence.

Compared to Dick Baveta, Gan Guoyang has a better relationship with bald Joe.

Moreover, the most notable characteristic of Bald Joe is not his ability to maintain balance, but his love of showing off.

Give this guy a chance to perform in the game, let him appear on camera and he won't cause you too much trouble.

Joe Johnson certainly had a mission, but David Stern wouldn't be so ruthless as to insist that the Lakers absolutely had to win.

If the series goes to a Game 7, two points depend on "fate," while eight points depend on the players themselves.

Gan Guoyang learned from the lesson of 1997, when he was really exhausted after the game went to a decisive seventh match, having carried the team alone for too long.

This time was different. Gan Guoyang had a good rest during the regular season, and he held back in the first few games of the series.

Moreover, the Lakers were disappointing, suffering two heavy defeats in Portland, giving Gan Guoyang more time to rest.

If they had pushed the Trail Blazers to the brink in Game 6, forcing Gan Guoyang to go all out, even if they lost, they could have exhausted the Trail Blazers' stamina and increased their chances of winning Game 7.

After all, the Trail Blazers are an older team, while the Lakers' core lineup is very young and in their prime, giving them a clear advantage in terms of stamina for a Game 7.

Unfortunately, the crushing defeat gave the entire Trail Blazers team a much-needed rest and boosted their confidence.

On June 3, the day of Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Gan Guoyang received a phone call from Bobby Bellman in the morning.

"Sonny, it's all up to you tonight. I'll be waiting for you in the finals."

Celtics head coach Vilman sent his "blessings," saying that meeting Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers in the Finals was a dream come true for him.

This season, Bobby Bellman once again won the Coach of the Year award.

Although the Celtics' regular season record of 64 wins and 18 losses was slightly worse than the Lakers'.

But the Celtics' overall performance in the game left a deeper impression.

They are younger than the Lakers, and they have the team style of the former Celtics, with a sharp offense and a solid defense, winning game after game.

Especially at home in the Fleet Center, the Celtics have a record of 40 wins and 1 loss, losing only one game.

The only game they lost was against the Portland Trail Blazers, which is the biggest regret for the Celtics.

They defeated the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, returning to the NBA Finals stage after 14 years.

Although the league is eager to see a rematch between the Lakers and Celtics, Boston fans do not.

The entire Celtics team, from management to coaching staff and fans, was hoping to face the Trail Blazers and Forrest Gump again in the Finals to avenge their defeat in the 1986 Finals.

The "hatred" that spanned 16 years also spanned Gan Guoyang's entire professional career.

"Enjoy your last moments of peace, Bobby. Your good days are numbered."

Gan Guoyang didn't hold back. The former master and disciple were looking forward to facing off on the highest stage.

Of course, they are not yet a match for the Lakers, and Bellman is hoping that the Trail Blazers can defeat them.

He gave Gan Guoyang a lot of advice over the phone, including how to deal with the Lakers' defense, how to deal with O'Neal, and of course, how to deal with the referees.

Gan Guoyang interrupted him after listening for a while, asking, "Stop, stop, Bobby, Bobby! I'm asking you, if you were still the Trail Blazers' head coach, what would you do in a Game 7?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then someone said, "I'll give you the ball."

"That's right, that's what it says in your lousy book too. Trust me, I'll handle it."

"Then I'll be waiting for you in the finals."

After hanging up the phone, Gan Guoyang took a shower and went to the hotel's media room to watch a movie for an hour and a half—Jackie Chan's "Rush Hour".

This is another successful film for Jackie Chan after he ventured into Hollywood. It achieved very good box office results in North America, with $1.36 million.

Jackie Chan thus became the third Chinese person, after Bruce Lee and Gan Guoyang, to leave a deep mark on American popular culture.

Gan Guoyang is a big fan of Jackie Chan's movies. When the film was released in 1998, he even attended the premiere to support Jackie Chan.

Carlisle came to Gan Guoyang in the afternoon, saying he was heading to Staples Center for warm-up exercises.

It was clear that Carlisle was quite nervous; his eyes were constantly wandering, and he was definitely thinking about something.

Thinking about tonight's game, what should I do if I want to win, and what should I do if I lose? What contingency plans and preparations should I make for the game?

He couldn't stop; his mind just wouldn't stop. Carlisle couldn't calm himself down.

He couldn't understand how Gan Guoyang could have the leisure to watch movies in the media room.

From last night until this morning, Carlisle has been thinking about tactics and rotations.

During the regular season, he can delegate many things to the players, but in the playoffs, the coach is constantly working tirelessly.

He had originally planned to take a nap, but he couldn't fall asleep at all. He wanted to talk to Gan Guoyang, but found that the guy wasn't in the room.

Carlyle was so anxious he was about to stomp his feet when he found out the guy was watching a movie, but he still had the mind to watch a movie.

"Rick, do you prefer Bruce Lee's kung fu style or Jackie Chan's more comedic style?"

Gan Guoyang also asked Carlisle whether he preferred Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan.

Carlisle replied perfunctorily, "Oh, I... I like them all."

Gan Guoyang said, "Ah~ you should like Jim Carrey more, he is the real comedy master."

Carlisle shook his head and said, "Sonny, I can't think about anything other than Game 7 right now. I can't think about anything outside of basketball. I can't do it."

Gan Guoyang said, "Why? With me here, what are you afraid of?"

"This isn't about whether you're here or not, this is..."

"what is this?"

"..."

"You did a great job in the regular season, didn't you? Most of the time, just give me the ball and I'll handle it."

"But this is the playoffs. Losing in the regular season is just that, there's always another game. In the playoffs, especially this one, if we lose, we'll go home."

Gan Guoyang squeezed Carlisle's shoulder hard, then patted him on the back, and said, "Rick, believe me, we'll win and then go to Boston for the Finals. Get the ball from my teammates, I'll score 50 points, or even more, until we crush the Lakers at Staples Center. This isn't 1997, I'm sure I have the strength to spare, and I'm sure my teammates can hold on. Do you believe me?"

Carlisle nodded vigorously, his anxious heart calming down considerably, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"But……"

"Stop fucking hesitating. If you keep hesitating, I'll put your photos on a bench."

"clear."

"Also, tonight, I'm playing center."

"clear."
-
At night, the Staples Center was filled with stars.

Many Hollywood stars came to the sidelines to watch the decisive Game 7 that would determine the Western Conference champion.

Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon, Jodie Foster and other popular Hollywood stars were all present to watch the game.

Jack Nicholson, a die-hard Lakers fan, was also present. Before the game, he repeatedly stated that he really wanted to see the Lakers win the championship again.

It has been 15 years since the Lakers last won a championship. No one thought that the championship that Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won against the Celtics in 1985 would be their last.

Lakers legends like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy also came to Staples Center, hoping the new Lakers could defeat the old Trail Blazers.

Regardless, the Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers twice in the Western Conference Finals, and these veterans are still very proud.

The two teams were warming up, and the TV cameras kept focusing on the key players of both teams: O'Neal, Kidd, McGrady, Horry, Gan Guoyang, Kobe, and Sabonis.

Everyone looked serious, even Shaquille O'Neal, who usually liked to joke around before games, was ashen-faced as he practiced his free throws at the line. He didn't want his free throws to drag the game down again.

Instead of practicing shooting, Gan Guoyang focused on warming up his footwork and relaxing his arms and hands.

The pre-match ceremony ended quickly; for both teams, the grand spectacle was a form of torture.

The tension reached its peak amidst the rousing strains of "The Stars and Stripes Never Fall."

What made O'Neal even more nervous was that the person jumping for the ball with him in the center circle was not Jermaine O'Neal, but Gan Guoyang.

The Trail Blazers' starting lineup remained unchanged, consisting of Sabonis, Gan Guoyang, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe, and Blake.

However, Gan Guoyang's jump ball with O'Neal in the center circle meant that Gan Guoyang had moved to the center position and would be matched up against O'Neal.

In the first six games, Gan Guoyang did not guard O'Neal one-on-one for most of the time; the two were separated.

O'Neal averaged 33 points and 14 rebounds in six games, making him the best player on both teams.

However, when Gan Guoyang stood opposite O'Neal, the Big Diesel still swallowed hard, realizing that the biggest challenge of the season had arrived.

He kept encouraging himself, saying that he was the MVP of the season, and that Forrest Gump looked thinner, so eating him in this game wouldn't be a problem.

“Shaq…”

"No, Sonny, don't talk to me, I don't want to hear anything."

Your shoelaces are untied.

O'Neal looked down and saw that his shoelaces were intact and hadn't come undone at all.

Forrest Gump tricked me again!

But O'Neal wasn't angry; instead, he was terrified.

It's clear that Forrest Gump is very relaxed and in great shape.

The previous matches had not taken any real toll on him.

Bald-headed Crawford came over with the ball and asked the two if they were ready.

The two nodded, tossed the ball, and the game began.

Although O'Neal had a larger physique and superior height and wingspan, Gan Guoyang still managed to tip the ball first.

The Trail Blazers launched their first offensive attack, and the decisive Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals began.

When Gan Guoyang returned to his most familiar center position, the Trail Blazers' half-court offense became very simple and clear.

Pass the ball around the perimeter, looking for passing opportunities, and position yourself on the weak side to receive the ball and shoot a three-pointer.

At this point, the Trail Blazers had the most stable and ace system since acquiring Gan Guoyang in 1985.

This system doesn't require a coach to teach it, and the players don't need to practice much. Any player can use it; it's really simple.

The reason they have rarely used him in the last two seasons is that the Trail Blazers are pursuing a more efficient and value-maximizing style of play to reduce the strain on Gan Guoyang.

However, when it came to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the so-called efficiency, low cost, flexibility, and comprehensiveness were no longer important. They wanted to win, and win decisively.

Gan Guoyang first feigned position on the right side, then switched places with Jermaine O'Neal and moved to the left side to receive the ball.

Sabonis delivered a precise pass to Gan Guoyang, who received the ball, turned inside, and Thorpe came over to double-team him.

Gan Guoyang passed the ball out, Sabonis received it, and then passed it again. This time, Gan Guoyang received the ball and immediately passed it out to the baseline, where he unleashed a difficult left-handed hook shot!

A beautiful arc, a beautiful skyhook, the ball hit the target precisely, securing the first point of the game.

The TV cameras thoughtfully focused on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sitting on the sidelines. Abdul-Jabbar looked serious. In fact, it would be very difficult for Abdul-Jabbar to make a shot like that.

His hook shot is stronger on his right hand. Once forced to his left hand, he usually chooses to pass or turn and shoot rather than attempt the less reliable left-handed hook shot.

Unlike Forrest Gump, his left hook was just as precise as his right, which speaks volumes about his talent and the hard work he put in.

Moreover, by the 2000 season, the hook shot was no longer a common attacking method for Gan Guoyang, but he was still confident enough to pull it out and deliver a shot, and it was effective.

The Trail Blazers' defense at the start of the game was risky, with an extreme collapse that gave the Lakers wide-open looks at both 45-degree angles, allowing Kidd and McGrady to shoot.

After repeatedly passing the ball around, the Lakers couldn't find an opportunity to feed O'Neal the ball—Gan Guoyang fronted him on defense, and O'Neal couldn't shake him off.

Finally, Kidd took a step forward at the top of the arc and launched a mid-range jump shot, scoring two points.

Kidd is usually bold with his three-point attempts, but he didn't dare to try them at the start of tonight's game.

"The Trail Blazers, or rather, Forrest Gump, seem more relaxed."

David Stern was present to watch the match again tonight, and after just one round, he sensed that Gan Guoyang seemed very relaxed.

Forrest Gump's relaxed and natural demeanor wasn't due to underestimating his opponent, but rather because he was able to quickly get into the zone.

Gan Guoyang's second point came quickly, again from the left side, where he blocked O'Neal in the low post to receive the ball.

Currently, there's probably no other center in the entire league who dares to consistently post up Shaquille O'Neal, except for Gan Guoyang.

O'Neal tried to push Gan Guoyang outwards, and Gan Guoyang did take a step outwards, but immediately started moving after receiving the ball.

He turned inside again, this time dodging Thorpe's double attack, and charged to the middle, unleashing a moving hook!
Another challenging task, but the ball arced high and swished through the net! Another 2 points.

On the sidelines, Rick Carlisle's heart was pounding. Was it really necessary to take such a difficult shot right at the start of the game?
Near the free-throw line, facing a double team, take a hook shot?
Even though Gan Guoyang said to trust him, Carlisle's heart was still in his throat.

Immediately, McGrady responded with a three-pointer on offense, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

The Lakers started well, but on the other hand, Jermaine O'Neal's layup attempt was blocked from behind by McGrady.

The Lakers got a fast break opportunity, and Kidd passed the ball to Robert Horry, who was lurking in the corner. Horry hit a mid-range two-pointer!

The Lakers had a great start, leading 7-4. Even though Gan Guoyang was marking O'Neal, they still managed to put up some impressive team plays.

However, in the next three minutes, both sides entered a very chaotic offensive and defensive phase.

The Lakers also double-teamed Gan Guoyang, and Kobe's layup attempt from the outside missed.

The Lakers countered, passing to O'Neal. Gan Guoyang held off O'Neal in the low post, and Sabonis came over to help defend.

O'Neal passed the ball to Thorpe cutting down the middle, but Thorpe's layup was blocked by Gan Guoyang who came over to help defend.

The Trail Blazers countered, held on, and passed the ball to Gan Guoyang in the low post. Before the double team could come up, he turned and hooked the ball in.

With two solid points, Carlisle no longer felt his heart pounding when he saw Gan Guoyang's hook shot; instead, he felt reassured.

A sense of security that only a superstar center can give a coach: if you give him the ball, he'll get it in.

The Trail Blazers trail by one point, 7-6.

However, the Lakers lost their accuracy from the outside when facing the Trail Blazers' extreme collapsing defense.

McGrady took a short mid-range shot, Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, and launched a leisurely counterattack.

The ball was passed to Kobe, who drove to the basket and passed it to Gan Guoyang at the 45-degree angle. Gan Guoyang took a simple mid-range shot and made it.

The Trail Blazers took a 7-8 lead, with all 8 points coming from Gan Guoyang.

Phil Jackson did not call a timeout; a one-point deficit would give the players some opportunities to resolve the issue.

Where did the problem lie? Was it a lack of touch? Or were they too impatient? Or did they hesitate in the face of the Trail Blazers' extreme defensive strategy?

Both are true; in short, the Lakers players weren't relaxed enough.

In fact, apart from Forrest Gump, the Trail Blazers weren't relaxed enough either.

Only this old fox, who didn't practice shooting all day but instead watched movies and made phone calls, was truly relaxing.

Because he has reached a certain level, so-called pressure and tension are no longer a concern for him.

Game 7 is his stage, just like Jackie Chan entering a furniture store, that's his domain.

Kidd missed another mid-range shot, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound again.

When he plays center, the Lakers can forget about offensive rebounds.

It was still a slow, positional battle. Gan Guoyang received the ball at a 45-degree angle, far out, to avoid being double-teamed.

The moment he received the ball, he turned and walked down to the right baseline, shook off O'Neal, and then executed a stylish hook shot from a zero-degree angle.

Is this a shot a normal person could throw? Seriously, this is a Game 7!
But Gan Guoyang could do it. The ball flew over O'Neal's head, accurately towards the basket, through the net, and scored two points!

The Trail Blazers took a 3-point lead at 10-7, with Gan Guoyang scoring all 5 of his 5 shots, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout.

Referee Joe Crawford followed both teams for half a quarter, only calling one foul for hustle, and had virtually no room to maneuver otherwise.

How can you praise Gan Guoyang in this state? Praise him for being too relaxed and not serious enough?
Back on the bench, Gan Guoyang, who had broken a sweat, plopped down, drank some water, and said, "Watch out, guys, this is just the beginning. Play good defense, commit fewer fouls, and stay on the court to watch the real excitement."

After Gan Guoyang said that, his teammates felt even better. The veterans knew in their hearts that tonight would be Forrest Gump's night.

(End of this chapter)