The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 921 The Final Performance
When Gan Guoyang returned to the locker room, he had to wrap himself in a towel and escaped from the crowd under the escort of his bodyguards and teammates.

In fact, since the 90s, NBA games have not allowed spectators to flood into the arena. Security personnel and police are stationed on the sidelines to prevent safety incidents.

The spectacular scenes of fans surging into the stadium after winning a championship, like in the 70s and 80s, are now very, very difficult to recreate.

But tonight, in Game 4 of the Finals, when Gan Guoyang hit that game-winning three-pointer to help the Trail Blazers complete an incredible comeback, no one could stop the fans from flooding into the arena.

This can be described as the greatest comeback in Finals history, incredibly difficult and dramatic, a true miracle.

Despite being plagued by fouls and in subpar form throughout the game, Gan Guoyang still had his moment.

His tall stature, combined with his superb long-range shooting ability, led to four consecutive three-pointers, including a 3+1 play, which pushed the series from a tie to match point and from an even game to being just one step away from the championship.

Gan Guoyang felt a sense of relief and exhilaration upon finally returning to the locker room.

His teammates came over to hug him, shake his hand, and cheer, enjoying the pure joy of victory.

Facing reporters who were practically bursting through the door frame, Gan Guoyang responded into the microphone, "The final victory was due to my contributions, the efforts and perseverance of my teammates, but mostly it was thanks to luck. Lady Luck was on my side again tonight."

The Trail Blazers' eventual victory was largely due to luck. Had they missed a single three-pointer, or if the Celtics had played with more composure and maturity, they would have suffered a heartbreaking defeat, and the series would have been entirely different.

Of course, besides luck, another reason is that the Celtics were indeed too inexperienced.

They've gotten this far thanks to talent, discipline, and tactics; what they lack is experience and shrewdness.

With an 8-point lead in the final two minutes, their control of details and rhythm, while not utterly terrible, was riddled with flaws.

At the very least, the Celtics didn't commit a single foul in the last two minutes.

They hadn't committed enough fouls to warrant free throws, yet instead of using their fouls to disrupt the Trail Blazers' offensive rhythm, they stubbornly continued to fight the Trail Blazers head-on.

Like Kobe's last shot under the basket, Duncan should have tackled Kobe before he passed the ball, committing a foul. Even if it wasn't a free throw, the Trail Blazers would still have possession, but the time would be very limited, and the offensive difficulty would be greatly increased.

Clearly, in the blink of an eye, the inexperienced young players didn't react quickly enough; they only knew to play normally and didn't know how to use the rules to their advantage.

Sometimes a single foul can affect the entire game and, consequently, the outcome of the entire series.

The young Celtics have so much to learn. Trailing 1-3 is a desperate situation for them, their morale is completely shattered, and the next game is the Trail Blazers' home court championship moment. Whether they can withstand the pressure and bring the series back to Boston is a big question mark.

The atmosphere was electric throughout the Rose Garden Arena, except for the away team's locker room, where a sense of frustration permeated the air.

Losing a game in this way must be a huge blow. The entire team, from top to bottom, is dejected and like a wilted eggplant.

At the post-match press conference, Bielman's disappointment was palpable, and he took full responsibility for the defeat.

"I didn't make the final arrangements perfectly, uh... I... it's my responsibility. My players played very well, they were great, they deserved a victory."

Bellman was indeed disappointed in himself. In the final moments, he couldn't be said to be completely stunned, but his mind certainly slowed down.

It wasn't until Gan Guoyang hit the final, game-winning three-pointer that he remembered the team hadn't reached the foul limit yet.

They could easily foul once to disrupt the Trail Blazers' offense and further delay the game, which would greatly increase the team's chances of winning.

Berman realized that as a so-called championship coach, he still had many shortcomings. In the past, he didn't have to worry about many things because he had Forrest Gump with him.

Can you say that Rick Carlisle orchestrated and planned the Trail Blazers' final comeback tonight? Definitely not, it was definitely Forrest Gump who pulled it off.

Without Forrest Gump, many of Behrman's weaknesses as a coach were exposed.

Back in the locker room, Berman sensed the somber atmosphere. He coughed twice, as if he wanted to say something.

Everyone was looking at him, but Behrman didn't know what to say. What could he say?

It's simply to tell everyone that the series isn't over yet, and there's still a chance to bring the game back to Boston.

We played well tonight, just had some bad luck, and we learned from our mistakes, etc.

But these words were like a lump in Behrman's throat, impossible to swallow or spit out.

After a long silence, Bellman could only tap the whiteboard and say, "Keep trying, disband."

The disbandment of the team is a heavy and profound lesson for the Celtics players.

That's how NBA games are—they change in an instant, one second in hell, the next in heaven.

Right now, the Trail Blazers, Portland, and fans all over Oregon are in heaven.

They are one win away from the championship. If they win the championship, Gan Guoyang's Trail Blazers will achieve the feat of becoming ten-time champions.

The unparalleled Portland dynasty is beckoning to everyone, and the entire Blazers team is immersed in an atmosphere of joy and anticipation.

Even better, the fifth game will continue in Portland, and one can imagine what a spectacle it will be on game day.

After experiencing the thrill of a miraculous comeback and a last-minute victory, Gan Guoyang returned home with his family.

The whole family was very happy. Gan Guoyang's uncle and aunt from San Francisco also came to Portland to watch the game live.

Gan Guohui withstood the interrogation in the espionage case, although the price was his divorce from his wife. However, he quickly recovered and threw himself back into his work.

The whole family gathered together, and Gan Guoyang shared the joy of victory with his family. This feeling of joy lingered in his heart, and he felt wonderful.

Gan Youwei was pleased, and the next day at noon he said he wanted to cook. Gan Guoyang said, "You've even forgotten how much salt to put in, so don't bother cooking."

"No, no, I take notes while cooking now, there's absolutely no problem!"

"I haven't won the championship yet, isn't it inappropriate for you to cook a celebration meal like this in advance?"

"I'm not cooking to celebrate your championship; you've won plenty of championships. I'm cooking because I was really impressed by your performance last night. I'll remember it forever. Even if I can't remember anything else someday, I won't forget today—damn, I almost died when people squeezed through the crowd!"

Gan Youwei witnessed another amazing match by his son, adding a bright spot to his gradually desolate memory bank.

"Dad...hey, why did you leave? You were cooking, weren't you?"

"Huh? Cooking? What kind of cooking? What am I supposed to cook?"

"Didn't you say you'd cook lunch today to celebrate for me?"

"Did I say that?"

"You said it, the dishes are all prepared!"

"Oh, really? I thought you were going to cook for me."

After lunch, Gan Guoyang spent an hour practicing shooting in the gymnasium.

With only one day between the fourth and fifth matches, Gan Guoyang may be playing his last professional game tomorrow.

The joy of victory was slowly fading, replaced by an indescribable melancholy. Was the fifth game really the final battle?
Should we lose one game and go to Boston to continue playing? This thought actually crossed Gan Guoyang's mind, and he himself found it unbelievable.

He boasted that he would finish the series in Portland, and with the team's morale soaring, the championship is practically in the bag.

"How could I have such thoughts..." Gan Guoyang banished the chaotic ideas from his mind.

However, his distracting thoughts did affect him, and his shooting percentage dropped significantly during the next twenty minutes of shooting practice.

"Brother, are you tired?" Gan Guohui, who was helping to retrieve the ball, noticed the decline in his shooting percentage and the distortion in his movements, and reminded him to take a break.

In the past, Gan Guoyang would definitely have said, "How could I possibly be tired?" But this time, he passed the ball to Gan Guohui and sat down on the sidelines to rest and drink water.

"How is your family situation? What about the children and such?"

"I'm fine, I'm perfectly okay, you don't need to worry."

"You're fine. You're free now. The sky's the limit for birds to fly and the sea's the limit for fish to leap."

"Hehe, won't you be free soon too? You'll have a new world, a new horizon."

Gan Guohui meant that Gan Guoyang was about to retire, and although his basketball career had come to an end, he could continue to explore other fields.

Gan Guoyang remained silent, while Gan Guohui continued, "Brother, what are your plans for the future? Where are you planning to go? Stay in Portland?"

“Portland… staying here would be the best option, of course; everything I have is here. But I’m afraid staying here might not be a good thing.”

"What do you mean? You're practically an emperor here, why don't you just buy the Trailblazers outright!"

"It's precisely because I'm practically an emperor here that things are difficult. I'm too conspicuous, too much of a target. Old Tang is already selling his shares in the Trail Blazers, and Nike will definitely be the buyer. The fiercer the competition between Avia and Nike, the less they'll tolerate me exerting influence in the Trail Blazers. If I weren't in Portland, they'd give me some face because of my influence, and everyone would be happy. But if I stay in Portland and try to buy Trail Blazers shares, it would only give them an opportunity to find ways to embarrass me."

"No way, you're a ten-time champion!"

"Ahui, how can you still be so naive? Even if you're a hundred-time champion, you're still just a player on the field, not a true player off the field. After all these years in America, haven't you realized that some boundaries are really hard to cross?"

After Gan Guoyang said that, Gan Guohui understood and nodded.

In terms of clear boundaries and formidable barriers, the young United States is actually more clearly defined than ancient nations.

Because it is young, the walls and ceilings have not been smashed yet, and because it is young, the walls are not made of stone and bricks, but of transparent tempered glass.

Looking from afar, everything appears so clear and transparent, with sunlight gently streaming down from above, making everything seem beautiful.

Only when you actually touch these transparent glass walls do you realize how enclosed, solid, and insurmountable they are.

Bill Russell was once a basketball hero in Boston, a true Lord of the Rings, enjoying endless cheers and applause on the court.

But once off the court, people immediately change their attitude. Russell couldn't eat at white restaurants or stay in white hotels.

He was only "the greatest basketball player" on the basketball court; off the court, he was just a Black man. Through relentless struggle and social change, by 2000, Gan Guoyang would certainly no longer face Russell's predicament.

He is a superstar and a capital owner, but in the NBA, the players on the court and the players off the court are clearly distinct.

Players are heroes on the field, but on the owners' balance sheets, they are just assets, tools to be used to offset taxes.

Even for a basketball figure as legendary as Gan Guoyang, his influence remained confined to the basketball court, and could only remain confined to the basketball court.

If he said he wanted to join a certain team, the owners of all 29 teams in the league would kneel at his doorstep and beg him to join.

But if Gan Guoyang said, "I want to come to your team's city and become a part of the team," most owners would probably be on high alert.

Especially the Nike Group, their love-hate relationship with Gan Guoyang and Avia could fill a book.

Ever since Gan Guoyang learned that Lao Tang had sold some of his shares to Nike, he knew that his time with the Trail Blazers wouldn't be long.

"Then... what should we do? Becoming a minority shareholder is always an option, right? Or, why don't you become a coach? You'd be perfect for that."

"Please spare me, Ahui. Become a coach? I'm afraid I'll lose all my hair. Besides, if I really retire, I want to take a good rest."

"Brother, how could I not know you? As long as Uncle is healthy, you can't take your mind off basketball, right?"

As if Gan Guohui had hit the nail on the head, Gan Guoyang remained silent and got up to continue his shooting practice.

Yes, he can't live without basketball. He loves the game and the feeling of throwing the ball into the basket.

Gan Guoyang began to consider how to continue playing the game after he actually retired, and what methods he could use.

Once the mind starts to work, the melancholy in the heart disappears without a trace.
-
On June 17th, the day of Game 6 of the Finals, it started raining in Portland.

The weather forecast said there would be no rain, but somehow the point where cold and warm air masses converged still moved over Portland.

It started raining throughout the city around 11 a.m., and the rain got heavier and heavier.

The Trail Blazers did not hold a practice today; the team only required the players to arrive at the arena on time in the afternoon to warm up.

Gan Guoyang got up early and did half an hour of warm-up training. Seeing that it was raining heavily, he decided to leave early for the Rose Garden Stadium.

If we're late for this battle, it will be troublesome.

Gan Guoyang's decision was correct. They soon encountered a traffic jam, and the line of cars kept getting longer and longer, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"What's going on today? Why is the traffic so bad?" Gan Guoyang asked.

"All the cars are heading to the Rose Garden Arena, and with the rain, it's bound to be a huge traffic jam," Quentin replied.

I checked the time; I should have enough time. The competition doesn't start until 7:30 PM.

However, Gan Guoyang underestimated the magnitude and duration of the rain, as well as the impact of the battle.

The car has been stuck on the highway for two whole hours without moving an inch.

The radio broadcast: "Portland is experiencing an unprecedented traffic jam. Due to the NBA Finals game, a large number of out-of-town vehicles have flooded into Portland. Although the Rose Garden Arena can only hold 20,000 spectators, it is estimated that more than 200,000 people are braving the heavy rain to rush to the arena. Frequent traffic accidents are occurring on the roads, and the rain has increased the difficulty for traffic police in managing the traffic. The traffic jam may last for three to five hours, or even longer..."

While waiting, Gan Guoyang called his coach and teammates, only to find that everyone was stuck on the road, with only a few who lived near the stadium having arrived.

This was truly an unprecedented and unusual situation. The Celtics, on the contrary, arrived at the arena smoothly because they lived very close to the arena, and even if there was traffic, they could walk there.

"Fuck, what if we don't make it and get called for a forfeit?" Gan Guoyang began to worry about this issue, as there seemed to be no precedent for this in the history of the NBA Finals.

The rain outside showed no signs of letting up, and the vehicles on the road were moving at a snail's pace.

Just when he was at his wit's end, Gan Guoyang received a phone call from an unknown number.

"Hello, is this Sonny? Is this Sonny Gum?"

"Yes, I am Sonny Gan. And who are you?"

"This is the FBI. Are you stuck on the road? Don't worry, we're sending a helicopter to pick you up."

Unexpectedly, the call was from the FBI, who had been secretly monitoring Gan Guoyang for the past year.

Of course, no evidence was found, and Wang Fuxi even invited some special agents to his home for dinner.

We are now facing an unprecedented traffic jam, and the police are busy directing traffic, so the situation is quite chaotic.

The FBI stepped in to help at this time, sending a helicopter to the airspace above the road based on the location of Gan Guoyang's cell phone signal.

The powerful airflow generated by the helicopter rotors swept away the rain, and the searchlights signaled as the helicopter descended to a very low altitude.

The rope ladder descended, and Gan Guoyang tried to grab it so that the helicopter could pull him up.

Quentin said worriedly, "Boss, this weather is a bit dangerous..."

Gan Guoyang said, "Don't worry, I'm a lucky person and I'll be fine."

Without hesitation, Gan Guoyang grabbed the rope ladder and followed the helicopter into the air, where FBI agents pulled him up.

Once inside the cabin, Gan Guoyang realized that the person who had pulled him aboard was an acquaintance: Marvin Surander.

It was the FBI friend Stern introduced him to who played a crucial role in the 1998 labor negotiations.

"Marvin, it's you. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. The whole world is watching this match."

The plane quickly arrived over the Rose Garden Arena, by which time the rain had subsided considerably.

Gan Guoyang looked down and discovered that the square and roads near the stadium were full of people.

Everywhere you look, there are fans holding umbrellas and wearing raincoats, their colorful outfits are quite a sight, but at the same time, they completely block the roads.

The rain couldn't dampen the fans' enthusiasm at all; everyone was used to the rain anyway, and today was Portland's basketball festival.

How am I supposed to get down? Are you going to throw me down?

“Using a rope ladder is too dangerous. We’ll stop at a nearby building, and then you can go down from the building and walk to the stadium.”

The helicopter requested to land on the rooftop helipad of a building. Gan Guoyang quickly disembarked and went down to the plaza below, which was also full of people.

The closer you get to the stadium, the more people there are, and the denser the crowd becomes. By the time you reach the banks of the Willamette River, the people are packed shoulder to shoulder.

It's hard to imagine that in the United States, one day there would be so many people in a certain area of ​​a city, so many that they were crowded together like ants, and it was raining.

This is simply a spectacle.

Escorted by FBI agents, Gan Guoyang walked towards the stadium with an umbrella, but his pace slowed down as the crowd grew larger and larger.

Everyone rushed towards the stadium. Since they were already there, they didn't plan to turn back and didn't realize that Forrest Gump was among them.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang threw away his umbrella, looked up at the gray sky, and saw that the rain was lessening.

He saw a Dodge parked on the side of the road. The car was made of thick materials and had a sturdy body. He climbed into the car in a few steps.

"Hey guys, guys, it's me! I'm in Sonny! I'm here! Can you see me? I'm here!"

Gan Guoyang shouted from a high place. He noticed that there were already too many people near the Rose Garden Stadium.

Despite the rain, Gan Guoyang's voice still attracted the attention of those around him. People were surprised to find that Gan Guoyang was not in the stadium, but here!
The fans were overwhelmed with excitement; some were already trying to climb onto the car, but the FBI agents rushed over to protect Gan Guoyang.

"The traffic is too bad, there are too many people. I need to get to the arena. Please make way for me! Let me get to the arena. I need to finish this game and win my tenth championship! Maybe this will be my last game in Portland!"

A traffic policeman brought over a loudspeaker, and Gan Guoyang used it to shout at the fans.

The sound pierced through the rain and seemed to penetrate the clouds as well, causing the rain to become a light drizzle, gradually lessening.

"Thank you, thank you so much, thank you for coming to my last game."

Even if he loses this game, it will be Gan Guoyang's last battle in Portland; he will never come back.

Gan Guoyang originally just wanted everyone to make way, but suddenly he found that he had more to say.

"You are the best fans I have ever met, and of course, I am the best player you have ever met. I will miss each and every one of you, and I will miss this city. But all good things must come to an end. Is it time to say goodbye to my good friends? I love you all, just like I love the rain and the sunshine here."

The rain had completely stopped, and the square, roads, and parking lots, which probably housed tens of thousands of people, all fell silent at that moment.

Some people silently shed tears, which mingled with the rain and became indistinguishable.

"Without your support, I wouldn't have come this far. You really are the best fans in the world, and Portland is the best basketball city. Let me give my final performance."

After saying that, Gan Guoyang jumped off the roof of the car and walked towards the stadium.

The crowd of fans seemed to part like the Red Sea as Moses parted, creating a path.

As Gan Guoyang walked along this narrow road, some people began to applaud, and they kept applauding.

As Gan Guoyang walked, he began to quicken his pace, starting to jog, heading straight for the players' tunnel.

The rain stopped completely, the clouds quickly dispersed, and the sun came out, casting dazzling light.

(End of this chapter)