The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 935: Chickens and Dogs
The Chinese team successfully entered the semifinals, and the entire men's basketball team was immersed in a joyful atmosphere.

With Forrest Gump on the team, things are different. The team went from "barely able to hold its own against European and American teams" to "dominating European and American powerhouses and beating them to a pulp."

Moreover, compared to Gan Guoyang at his peak in 1992, the 36-year-old Gan Guoyang, although his overall ability has declined, has a stronger control over the game situation.

He is a perfect all-around commander, a master strategist, and always takes the initiative in the game.

His highly aggressive playing style influenced everyone on the national team, like a tiger leading a flock of sheep, and the sheep were all imbued with the tiger's aura.

After this match, the Chinese team will remain on the sidelines, awaiting the outcome of the next match between France and Canada.

France is fourth in Group A, and Canada is first in Group B. Logically, Canada should have the advantage in terms of strength.

Moreover, the starting point guard for the Canadian team is none other than Steve Nash, the core guard of the Boston Celtics.

In the group stage, Nash averaged 15 points and 7 assists, leading Canada to a 4-1 record and defeating Yugoslavia to secure first place and advance to the quarterfinals.

Nash has a strong belief that he can defeat the French team in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals and compete against the Chinese team and Agan again.

The shadow of the 2000 NBA Finals had not yet faded. If he could meet Forrest Gump again at the Olympics, Nash would definitely do his best to win.

Canada's opponent, France, struggled in the group stage and barely made it into the top eight based on head-to-head results.

The team lacks a star player like Nash in the NBA, and its highest scorer is Antoine Rigado, who averages 13 points per game. The overall strength of the players is relatively mediocre.

Like Lithuania and other European teams, France plays absolute egalitarian and team-oriented basketball.

However, compared to Lithuania, their players have even worse individual abilities, making them a completely ordinary team.

The weakness of such teams is the lack of a clear strong point or spearhead, but the advantage is that you never know what might happen next, and the team is very united and can often unleash a lot of energy.

Especially in single-elimination tournaments, the occasional burst of brilliance from ordinary players can often bring unexpected surprises.

In the subsequent match between Canada and France, the two sides fought fiercely, with the score remaining neck and neck.

Both teams had low shooting percentages and missed many shots; neither team scored more than 40 points in the first half.

By the second half, the game had moved beyond a tactical contest and entered a phase of "the brave prevail when paths cross" and a battle of wills.

The confrontation between the two sides was extremely fierce, and they kept making mistakes. It was a battle to see who made fewer mistakes and who could seize the opportunity.

Fans who stayed to watch the previous China vs. Australia match must have felt that "this game was really ugly."

While Nash is very capable, he is not yet strong enough to completely control the game.

Moreover, under FIBA ​​rules, Nash has less room to maneuver, and the Canadian team doesn't have teammates like Duncan and Pierce.

So Nash struggled quite a bit, committing as many as nine turnovers, which was far too many.

In contrast, Gan Guoyang has not made nine mistakes throughout the entire Olympics so far.

Nash is still too inexperienced and has many areas where he needs to improve.

As the game progressed, the French team began to gain the upper hand, hitting consecutive three-pointers from beyond the arc.

Moreover, the tall center Weiss effectively protected the rim, rendering Canada's offense ineffective.

During the group stage, the 7-foot-2 Weiss suffered a legendary dunk by Carter, a humiliating experience.

But after that dunk, Weiss did not lose confidence in the game; on the contrary, he performed well in the following games.

In the decisive moment, Canada couldn't compete with France in the game of the Knights, and France ultimately won 64-68, successfully upsetting France and advancing to the semifinals.

Thus, the quarterfinals were over, with all the teams in Group A advancing to the semifinals, while all the teams in Group B were eliminated.

Seeing that their opponent was the French team, Gan Guoyang knew that the next match would definitely be a tough battle.

This French team has average individual player ability and no big-name stars, but the team cohesion is very strong.

Moreover, all 12 players on the team have the ability to perform on the court, which is quite formidable.

In the semifinals, you never know which team will suddenly explode and catch you off guard with a three-pointer.

In the group stage, the Chinese team and the French team played a very thrilling and intense game, and in the end, they only managed to advance thanks to Gan Guoyang's last-minute goal.

Gan Guoyang also has a headache dealing with this kind of team-oriented team because there is no strong point to contain them.

Even if Lithuania has Jaskovicius, if you can keep him in check, Lithuania's fighting strength will be greatly reduced.

For example, in the match against Canada, France's two best players, Antoine Rigado and Shara, both had mediocre performances.

Other players stepped up and decided the outcome of the game in the final moments.

But what about the next battle? Can you let Rigado and Shara attack while you defend the others?
Definitely not. In the group stage match against China, it was Rigado's consecutive three-pointers that helped France quickly tie the score.

The Chinese team, which was initially leading by a large margin, then engaged in a fierce battle with the French team, and ultimately won the game thanks to Gan Guoyang's individual skill.

Now that the two teams have met in the knockout stage, it is bound to be another fierce battle, and both sides will definitely give it their all.

After the quarterfinals ended, Gan Guoyang returned to his hotel to rest, but the idea of ​​forming a team in Las Vegas kept lingering in his mind.

If this is really going to be implemented, we should prepare well in advance, as forming a team is not an easy task.

The NBA today is not like it was in the 60s and 70s. Back then, an NBA team would have seven or eight people in an office, recruit a group of players, drive them to and from work in a bus every day, sell tickets, do some publicity, and that was considered a team built and running stably.

Forming a team in the NBA today is an outright capital game, requiring substantial funds and professionals, and involving all aspects of social operations.

Gan Guoyang witnessed firsthand how the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that was once as simple and down-to-earth as a big family, was gradually eroded by capital and transformed into a cold, large-scale cultural and entertainment company.

Of course, Gan Guoyang played a significant role in this, single-handedly nurturing the Portland Trail Blazers into the most successful team in American professional sports and the most lucrative financial monster.

Nowadays, if you want to build and run a team, you simply can't do it without billions of dollars, a wealth of personal connections and social relationships.

Money is not a problem for Gan Guoyang. He has his own money, and if he wanted to form a consortium, people willing to invest could line up from Portland to Los Angeles.

The key issue is still people. Building a team requires professional talent. The composition of an NBA team is too complex now, and the division of labor within the team is also very detailed.

Gan Guoyang recalled that when Pat Riley formed the Miami Heat, he kept poaching players from Portland, which must have been due to a lack of professional talent.

"If I ever build a team, I'll poach players from the Heat and let Riley experience what it's like to have his players poached." Gan Guoyang was already thinking about how to get revenge on Riley.

As for the other details of team building, who cares? There's always a way. We'll find a way through any obstacle. As long as we take action and talk things out, there will definitely be a solution.

Gan Guoyang has a great quality: he thinks less and does more. When he encounters a problem, he thinks of a solution as soon as possible and then tries to solve it.

Instead of immediately trying to find a solution, then hesitating and procrastinating, insisting on coming up with a perfect and clear result before taking action.

After deciding to poach Riley's player, Gan Guoyang immediately made a long-distance call from Sydney back to the United States to contact Stu Inman, the former general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and later the director of human resources for the Miami Heat.

After being poached by Riley, Inman worked for the Heat until the 1995 season. After Riley led the Heat to a championship, Inman retired from his position with the team.

He returned to Portland, to Lake Oswick, where he spent his later years as an assistant coach at a high school, helping to develop high school basketball players.

Although he left the Heat, many of the current Heat executives were promoted by Inman when he was the HR director. Inman was their former boss.

It was a little past five in the morning in Portland. Inman had just woken up and was about to get out of bed when a phone call came in, and he almost had a heart attack.

Inman thought it was an emergency from the community or school, but when she answered the phone, it was Forrest Gump?! Why was this guy calling?!
"Oh my god, Sonny, it's you? What's up? Would you like to be a coach at Oswigor Lake High School? You're welcome."

"Forget it, I'm not suited to coaching high school basketball, I'd go crazy. Stu, how have you been lately? Are you feeling alright?"

The two exchanged pleasantries. Inman, being older, was chatting for a while after his old friend called. Although he had "betrayed" the Trail Blazers by going to the Heat, Inman had always secretly hoped that Gan Guoyang would do well and become the greatest player of all time.

Later, he witnessed Gan Guoyang reach the pinnacle of history and become the undisputed number one in history. He felt satisfied and at peace, so he was willing to work as a basketball educator in a high school.

After catching up for a while, Inman asked why Gan Guoyang had called. Gan Guoyang then got straight to the point, asking Inman if he had any recommendations for team management personnel.

“If he were working in the NBA, especially with the Miami Heat, that would be even better.”

Inman is 74 years old, but his hearing is still very sharp, and he immediately understood the meaning behind Gan Guoyang's words.

"What, Sonny, you want to form a new team?"

"I have this idea and would like to hear your opinion."

Gan Guoyang originally only asked Inman about the Heat's human resources, but now that the topic has come up, it wouldn't hurt to consult Inman on all aspects.

When the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970, Inman was one of the team's founders. He worked as a scout, a coach, and eventually became the general manager.

He has irreplaceable experience and insights into how a team is formed, developed, and managed.

Upon hearing that Gan Guoyang had such an idea, Inman immediately perked up, got up, and started chatting with Gan Guoyang.

Thirty years have passed since 1970, and the NBA has undergone significant changes, but some fundamental things remain the same.

Inman offered several valuable suggestions. First, it is essential to find a reliable financial professional to be responsible for the use and accounting of all funds.

Secondly, a legal team proficient in sports law is needed to handle related legal matters.

Third, it is necessary to find local political figures to endorse and establish good cooperative relationships, so that many tasks can proceed smoothly.

In short, putting basketball aside for now, we must solidify the three fundamental pillars of politics, law, and finance.

"In which city do you plan to build the team?" After talking for a while, Inman asked this key question.

"Las Vegas," Gan Guoyang said truthfully.

"What? My God, all my previous words were wasted. Las Vegas? Let's wait until David Stern is dead. He would never allow an NBA team to be built in Las Vegas."

"Really... Stu, do you know any reliable assassins?" Gan Guoyang, true to his action-oriented nature, had already inquired about assassins.

Inman told Gan Guoyang not to joke around, and the two talked on the phone for a while longer. Finally, Inman said, "No matter what, I believe in your abilities. Sonny, choosing you is still the most important and remarkable decision of my life. To this day, I am still reminiscing about that moment, really."

After hanging up the phone, Gan Guoyang realized that if he really wanted to build a team, there was still so much to do and so much to go.

After finishing his conversation with Inman, Gan Guoyang turned his attention back to the semi-final against France.

Having faced them in the group stage, Gan Guoyang did not underestimate this underdog French team.

The day before the match, the Chinese team conducted targeted training. Jiang Xingquan asked the whole team to strengthen one-on-one man-to-man defense and not rely too much on zone defense.

Gan Guoyang agreed, saying that the French team's three-pointers are very sharp and their shooting points are very spread out, making it easy for the opponent to punish them with surprise attacks if a zone defense is used.

One-on-one marking can ignite a player's fighting spirit and desire to win in important games. A championship-caliber team must have the courage to defend one-on-one.

The semifinals officially began on September 30th.

In the morning, the United States played against Lithuania, and the outcome of the match was quite surprising.

Although the US team maintained a lead, they were unable to widen the score gap, with Lithuania keeping close behind.

Judging from the match, Lithuania was in no way inferior, and the American team did not play like a dream team at all.

In the final moments of the match, Lithuania continued to close the gap, even coming within one point!
On defense, Alonzo Mourning was fouled out with five fouls, and Jaskovicius stepped up to the free-throw line and made both free throws, giving Lithuania the lead!
Lithuania has overtaken the United States 80-79, and the Americans have already sensed defeat.

Carter then drew a foul on a drive, forcing the Lithuanian center to the bench.

Carter made one of two free throws, tying the game at 80-80. The US team failed to grab the rebound and went into a jump ball.

Possession eventually went to Lithuania, and Lithuanian shooter Ramunas Hishkauskas took a three-pointer, drawing a foul from the US team and earning three free throws!

This is bad; the Dream Team can already smell the blood on the Grim Reaper's scythe.

Fortunately, Hishkauskas faltered at the crucial moment, making only one of his three free throws.

Carter stepped up again, driving to the left and hitting a floater for two points, putting the US team back in the lead.

Both offensive possessions went to Carter because, apart from Carter, the US team didn't have a ball-handler who was versatile enough in key moments, capable of both driving and shooting.

It's worth noting that in terms of these two abilities, Carter is only slightly above average among NBA stars, yet he is now shouldering the responsibility of scoring for the United States.

When there's really no one else available, if you pass the ball to Payton and Kidd, and Lithuania sets up a zone defense, they're completely lost and can't make any shots.

The US team regained a one-point lead, and then Jaskovic made the same mistake he made against China.

Kevin Garnett intercepted his pass in mid-air, and Jasikevicius pushed him while scrambling for the ball, resulting in a foul being called by the referee.

Garnett sat on the ground, roaring and pounding the floor in excitement. It was a crucial defensive play, and more importantly, he was about to shoot a free throw.

As a result, both free throws were missed...

Rick Carlisle on the sidelines had a heart attack, how could he miss both free throws?

Fortunately, McDyess grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on the putback.

However, during the rebounding struggle, McDyess almost wrestled and knocked his opponent over, but the referee didn't make a move.

Just now, Jasikevicius only lightly touched Garnett, yet he gave Garnett two free throws. Clearly, the referees didn't want the Dream Team to lose tonight.

The US team then made a series of mistakes, allowing Jasikevicius to easily drive into the paint and score a layup. Their defensive communication was a mess, and Payton inexplicably ended up in the paint, blocking McDyess's help defense.

On the other side, Kevin Garnett was also unable to help, which allowed Jasikevicius to enter the paint and successfully take on three opponents at a crucial moment.

Carlisle shook his head, thinking to himself, "If I make such a small mistake at a crucial moment, how cowardly will I be if I face Forrest Gump?"

Then, during the jump ball, the US team committed a foul, giving them an 85-83 lead over Lithuania. With 5 seconds left, Lithuania had a chance to win the game.

Unfortunately, Jasikevicius's final turnaround three-point attempt was tightly defended by Jason Kidd, and he didn't even touch the rim.

Although Jaskovic complained to the referee that a foul had been committed, the referee shook his head, the game ended, and the US team won.

Lithuania missed the chance to defeat the USA and shatter the Dream Team's undefeated myth; they were very close to achieving that goal.

The American team was celebrating, but Rick Carlisle's smile held a hint of worry. He looked towards the stands and saw that the Chinese team had already left and were about to play their next semi-final match.

China vs. France, I really hope France can win.

Meanwhile, the Chinese team left the stands and headed to the locker room to prepare for the next semi-final match.

A reporter followed Gan Guoyang and asked him what he thought about the US team almost losing to Lithuania.

Gan Guoyang said modestly, "It was a very intense match. Lithuania is a strong team, but the Dream Team was obviously better. They won."

"But they only won by two points."

"Two points is still a win."

However, Gan Guoyang thought to himself, this dream team is really nothing but a bunch of idiots.

(End of this chapter)