The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 984 It's too noisy here (End of Volume)

"The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of elimination. After losing two home games and falling behind 0-2, are they going to be defeated by Forrest Gump again?"

"The performance of the top team in the West is disappointing. It was a mistake for the Lakers to achieve the best record. Forrest Gump is a mountain they can hardly climb."

"The performance of the Las Vegas team is amazing, and the second upset in NBA history is beckoning to them."

The second game ended with Raja Bell's "kiss of death," handing the Lakers another defeat.

The Lakers have lost two home games in a row and are now down 0-2 in the series, facing a desperate situation.

In post-game reports from major media outlets across the United States, the Lakers were disappointing, despite being the defending champions and considered the frontrunners to win the title.

Having lost two home games, the Lakers have already been given a suspended death sentence in the best-of-five first-round series.

The atmosphere within the Lakers team was palpable; it's said that after the second game loss, the team's locker room was deathly silent.

Phil Jackson, who is usually good at inspiring people, left without saying a word after the game, clearly disappointed with the Lakers' performance.

Statistically speaking, both McGrady and O'Neal delivered star-level performances.

McGrady shook off his slump from the first game, scoring 30 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds, while O'Neal continued his steady performance, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

However, the role players performed poorly, and although the Lakers seemed to lose by one point, their overall momentum and resilience were not as strong as the young and tenacious Glory.

A storm is brewing within the Lakers; the outcome of the series will be crucial.

The Lakers are not entirely without a chance. There are instances where the top seed in the West lost both home games but still managed to win the series, such as the 1993 Phoenix Suns, whose opponent was the Lakers.

It remains to be seen whether the Lakers can adjust their mindset and unite as one.

Meanwhile, Gan Guoyang and his teammates returned to Las Vegas with praise and a relaxed mindset, preparing for the third and fourth games.

Back home, Gan Guoyang first had a good night's sleep. Including the four days in Palm Springs, he and his teammates had been away from home for a week, and their physical and mental state had reached its limit.

Gan Guoyang slept soundly from dawn until the next night, from the darkness of night until the very next night.

The whole family had dinner together tonight. Today is Friday, and the day after tomorrow is the weekend, which is the third game between the Lakers and Glorious.

Gan Wenshan, who was studying in Portland, was called to Las Vegas to watch his father's game. He had to come here every month to spend two days with his parents and sister, so they couldn't let him stay in Portland too much.

Gan Wenshan had grown much taller than he had a few months ago, and his appearance was starting to lose its childishness, showing signs of becoming a man. This guy was starting to develop.

He became calm and quiet almost overnight. The boy who used to beep and emit Ultraman beams at his father was gone, and Gan Guoyang felt a little lonely.

The child has grown up, and his childhood is coming to an end.

At the dinner table, Gan Wenshan, unlike his noisy childhood self, became well-behaved and sensible.

Serving rice to Grandpa, showing concern for his younger sister's life, asking Dad how his recent matches were going, and inquiring about how Mom was managing the team.

He is a very independent child who learned to take care of himself at a young age and can also take care of his younger sister.

Gan Guoyang said everything was fine and asked Gan Wenshan how he was doing at school and how he was performing on the basketball team.

"I don't even have time to watch your games."

"It's alright, they don't call me Forrest Gump's son anymore."

Gan Guoyang nodded. He had always worried that his reputation would cause trouble for his son.

No one likes to live in the shadows, and there are often shadows even under the sun.

"Sometimes I think, after this season, I might as well just retire. I've been playing so much that I haven't spent enough time with you guys." Gan Guoyang said with emotion, feeling bad that he had missed so much of their growth as he watched his children grow up.

The siblings didn't seem to care much. Gan Wenshan said, "Don't back down. I want to see how long you can last. I made a bet with Curry, and he said you could play until you're 50. I said you'd be 44 at most."

"You're crazy, why are you making such a random bet?"

"Stephen wants to get into the league and compete with you. He hopes you can hold on a little longer."

"Ha, this kid is thinking too much. I can't last until you guys get into the NBA. Besides, do you think it's that easy to get into the NBA?"

"That's right, that's why I don't want to play in the NBA with you. What if I get into the league and people say I got in because of your connections? That would be so embarrassing."

"Then you'll have to rely on your own performance. Of course, if you really can't do it, there's always your mom; let her choose you."

Gan Wenshan glanced at Wang Fuxi, then lowered his head and said, "What's the difference between that and having your math teacher as your own mother?"

Gan Guoyang laughed. A child is still a child. The NBA is really a tough job. He didn't really want Gan Wenshan to go into this industry. The family is not short of money, so why can't he do something else?

Gan Guoyang then turned to his daughter and asked, "Hey, when do you want Dad to retire?"

The daughter remained unmoved and said calmly, "You are still young. Why don't you and Mom have another child? That way you can accompany him as he grows up."

Gan Guoyang was speechless, then suddenly realized it made a lot of sense. If you have nothing better to do, why not have another one?
Gan Guoyang looked at Wang Fuxi and received a cold, piercing look, realizing he had overthought things.

After a day of rest on Saturday, the first playoff game in Las Vegas was played on Sunday.

Ticket prices have risen to a very high level, and the price bureau is not doing anything about it. Many tourists come to Las Vegas to watch the games, further boosting local consumption.

After the regular season ends and the results are tallied, preliminary estimates suggest that Glory's revenue for the season exceeds $1.5 million, more than double the $7000 million required by the performance-based agreement.

This success is inseparable from Gan Guoyang's strong box office appeal, as well as the Glory team's sound management strategy, which has transformed Glory into a sports icon of Las Vegas and facilitated numerous commercial collaborations.

Such enormous revenue has left the entire league speechless; Las Vegas's ability to generate revenue is simply too strong.

This is just the revenue of the Glorious team. The tourism, gambling, and sex industries that it has driven in Las Vegas, as well as the construction of facilities and hotels, have boosted the GDP by an even larger figure.

The Glorious team even boosted local employment, provided more job opportunities, and promoted urban population growth; their light-up logo became the best welcome sign.

With such outstanding results, the Glorious Team's first season can be considered a complete success, regardless of whether they win against the Lakers in the first round.

Winning would be ideal, as it would lay a solid foundation for the next season.

On the night of the third game between the two teams, league commissioner David Stern personally attended the game and wore a friendly smile throughout.

Just like visiting the chairman of a branch office, the branch office's performance is truly amazing. This revenue will provide strong financial support for the league and also help some small and medium-sized team owners get out of the crisis caused by losses.

Of course, Stern's arrival did not bring good luck to the Radiant team.

Having learned their lesson, the Lakers unleashed tremendous energy in Game 3.

In a game where winning or being nailed to the pillar of shame, the away players are more focused on the game itself.

They finally played like the top team in the Western Conference during the regular season, combining inside and outside play with multiple scoring opportunities.

The forwards orchestrated a series of tactics around O'Neal, and most importantly, he started hitting three-pointers.

The Glory team, however, seemed to lose their edge upon returning to their home court, or rather, they became complacent with their old tactics, giving the Lakers a chance to counterattack.

The Lakers took a commanding lead again in the first quarter and gave the Glory no chance to come back. They led all the way to the last moment of the game and ultimately won 104-91, a 13-point victory on the road, bringing the series to 1-2 and avoiding a sweep.

Being upset by the eighth seed is bad enough, but to be swept by the eighth seed is just too humiliating.

The Lakers pulled one back, which made Gan Guoyang very unhappy with David Stern after the game.

"Mr. President, you shouldn't have come! Look, we've lost the game as soon as you arrived!"

"It's okay, I won't be around for the next game. Good luck, Sonny." Stern wasn't angry at all; instead, he smiled. In any case, this year had been a bumper year.

With the massive impact of the 9/11 attacks, the league's total revenue has increased significantly, and the salary cap will rise again next season.

Gan Guoyang knew what Stern was thinking and said, "Don't you think an old guy like me is not bad? I can still contribute to the league."

Stern smiled and said, "I really hope you continue playing. I apologize for the wrong decision I made in the past, and it's an honor to start working with you in the league."

Stern's words were quite sincere. Regardless of any past disagreements, Stern ultimately contributed to the NBA. He brought basketball to a wonderful level and gave many players and fans the opportunity to dream.

In other matchups between the East and West, the Boston Celtics have already defeated their opponents 3-0 and successfully advanced to the semifinals.

In the Western Conference, the Kings also defeated the Timberwolves 3-1 to advance to the next round.

The winner between the Lakers and the Glory will face the Kings in the semifinals.

The other two Western Conference teams, the Mavericks and Spurs, and the Trail Blazers and SuperSonics, are natural rivals who are locked in a fierce battle, and it looks like the outcome won't be decided until the very last game.

The Glorious didn't want to go back to Los Angeles; they were determined to end the series in Las Vegas and send the Lakers home.

The players are under immense pressure; if they lose another game and have to go to Los Angeles for a Game 5, things won't be so great.

Tuesday's game, played at the MGM Grand Arena, was full of twists and turns and drama.

Under immense pressure, both sides played with considerable caution, strengthening their defense and slowing down the pace at the start, preparing for a protracted battle.

The first quarter ended in a 15-15 tie, with very low scores and every basket being hard-fought.

Gan Guoyang was once again subjected to a tight double-team by the Lakers' forwards and guards, with both sides constantly trying to limit his shooting opportunities and touch, mainly to prevent the opponent from scoring.

In the second quarter, the Glory team changed tactics first, speeding up the pace of the game and using three-pointers to attack the Lakers, scoring 9-1 and successfully taking the lead.

The lead was maintained from the middle of the second quarter until the end of the first half, with the Glory leading the Lakers 48-40 at halftime.

The Lakers scored a paltry 40 points in the first half, putting them in a precarious situation.

The game was full of intense physical contact, extreme fouls, collisions, bloodshed, and even fights.

Gerald Wallace and McGrady got into a scuffle during a defensive play in the third quarter, and both players received a technical foul.

After both teams received technical fouls, the Lakers suddenly stepped up their game, applying full-court pressure on defense and forcing the Glory into several turnovers.

They not only tied the score but also took the lead in the latter part of the third quarter, 66-62. The Lakers scored 26 points in the quarter and successfully turned the tide.

The hearts of all the fans in the MGM Grand Arena were in their throats; the situation was very bad for Glorious.

They are ultimately too young, and the players made too many mistakes. Tonight, they had far more turnovers than the Lakers.

Gan Guoyang refused to leave the court for a rest before the start of the fourth quarter. He stayed on the court to continue the game and led Guanghui to launch a counterattack.

He first hit a three-pointer, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout.

That's right, right at the start of the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang hit a three-pointer, and Jackson immediately called a timeout.

He knew he had to disrupt Gan Guoyang's offensive rhythm, otherwise the fourth quarter would become a slaughterhouse.

After the timeout, Holly, Pippen, and others began double-teaming players at any time.

This season, the league has abolished illegal defense, meaning double-teaming is still allowed even when the ball is not in play.

So Pippen stuck close to Gan Guoyang, ignoring everyone else, while Horry provided help defense nearby. The two of them used a sticky, tenacious defense to deal with Gan Guoyang, even preventing him from receiving the ball.

The match was so intense that both teams' players experienced a significant drop in physical fitness.

Gan Guoyang passed the ball to an open teammate, but missed several shots. The two sides maintained a low score and a small point difference, but it was difficult for them to turn the tide.

However, Gan Guoyang seized the opportunity, drawing two fouls from Pippen and making all four free throws.

From 70-71 onwards, the two teams entered into a fierce battle, with scoring being as difficult as Georgetown in the NCAA in the 80s, where a game could be scored 40 or 50 points.

The atmosphere at the game was extremely tense, and the air conditioning equipment at the MGM Grand Arena malfunctioned, causing the temperature to rise.

Las Vegas is located in the desert, and it's already very hot in May. Fortunately, the temperature drops at night and the humidity is not high.

However, the temperature in the arena once rose to over 32 degrees Celsius, a very unpleasant perceived temperature, similar to that of the Boston Garden Arena when the air conditioning broke down in 1984.

O'Neal attacked the basket and scored off the backboard, drawing a foul from Miller, but missed the free throw.

Sweat soaked O'Neal from head to toe, and his steps became heavy. This was probably the most painful game of his career.

Gan Guoyang, however, ran like the wind and made a mid-range shot, helping the team regain the lead.

O'Neal got the ball again, and facing Gan Guoyang's defense, his hook shot missed, but he grabbed the rebound and launched a counterattack. Gan Guoyang drove to the basket and drew a foul, making both free throws.

With the score at 72-75, the Lakers took a 3-point lead and called a timeout.

The score remained unchanged for another two minutes, then the scoreboard seemed to break down.

With one minute remaining, Robert Horry hit a three-pointer, tying the game at 75-75.

Gan Guoyang was double-teamed again and passed the ball to the outside. Van Exel's shot missed, and on the fast break, O'Neal attacked the basket. Miller fouled, and O'Neal made one of two free throws. 76-75, the Lakers took a one-point lead.

With 30 seconds left and no timeout called, Gan Guoyang received the ball on the perimeter and passed it to Miller, initiating a cut-around play by Princeton.

Gan Guoyang circled the baseline, caught the ball, turned and shot a jumper, and it went in! 76-77, they took the lead!
With only 6 seconds left for the Lakers, Phil Jackson called a timeout to strategize.

The MGM Grand Stadium was filled with jubilation, but everyone was actually incredibly hot; the more they cheered, the higher the temperature rose.

After the timeout, Pippen received the ball and passed it to McGrady in the middle. McGrady drove and passed the ball to Horry on the wing. Horry took a mid-range shot and actually made it!
78-77, Horry saved the Lakers with a three-pointer and a mid-range jumper!
Just as the Lakers were ecstatic and the Glory fans in the arena fell silent, the referee announced that there were 0.8 seconds left, the Glory had a timeout, and one last chance to attack.

Hope had not yet been lost, and everyone began to pray; they had never been so tense.

Old Tom called a timeout to set up tactics and returned to the court, but Jackson called a timeout, disrupting the plan.

Back on the court, Old Tom called another timeout, using up all his timeouts.

Three timeouts consumed a significant amount of time, and those final 0.8 seconds decided the fate of the series.

This delay pushed the tension to its peak, and everything would be decided in 0.8 seconds.

The referee blows the whistle, the tactic is initiated, Brad Miller inbounds the ball, Gan Guoyang circles out from the baseline, goes around to the basket, Miller is about to make a long pass to the basket to complete an alley-oop!

The Lakers players all thought the same thing and ran towards the basket, but they overlooked Terry Porter. With an open shot at the top of the arc, Miller decisively passed the ball to Porter.

Porter received the ball and immediately launched a mid-range shot from the top of the key. The ball flew in a beautiful arc, then the red light came on, and the ball fell into the net—a game-winning shot!

The entire MGM Arena and the whole of Las Vegas erupted as Terry Porter received the ball and shot the game-winning shot with 0.8 seconds left!
With a score of 78-79, the Glory team eliminated the Lakers 3-1, completing an upset!
The video was replayed repeatedly; there was nothing wrong with the shot. The light only came on after the shot was released.

After scoring, 39-year-old Porter was as happy as a 9-year-old child, jumping and dancing in the center of the field. His teammates all surrounded him and hugged him. They cheered and shouted together, creating a sea of ​​joy with the MGM Hotel.

Gan Guoyang was closest to Potter, and he hugged Potter tightly, staying by his good brother's side from beginning to end.

"Terry! Terry! You can play for many more years, you can play for many more years!"

"What? I can't hear you! It's too noisy here, Sonny, it's too noisy!"

(End of "Dad, You're Back" from Book One of The Bronze Dice.)
(End of this chapter)