The Golden Age of Basketball

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Dick Stockton. I'm very happy to bring you a regular season in the 1985-1986 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers in the West played against the New York Knicks at home. The commentator next to me is Tom Heinsohn."

Dick Stockton of CBS TV began to explain the regular season of the NBA on another game night, and the one who explained the game with him was the star of the Celtics, a good helper next to Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn.

"Good evening, I am very glad to explain this eye-catching game for the audience. On the one hand is the Portland Trail Blazers, who are full of momentum, and on the other is the New York Knicks who won the No. [-] pick but lost consecutive games. Although the results of both sides It's a two-pronged game, but the young centers in their team are the biggest attraction. I think many students from Gonzaga University and Georgetown University are watching this game on TV." Heinsoh En's slightly rough voice appeared on the TV show. The former best coach, the winner of eight championships in his nine-year career, is now doing well in the TV commentary industry.

"This is indeed the biggest highlight of this game, but it's a pity that Bernard King can't play because of the season reimbursement, otherwise he and Vandeweghe's soaring points battle will definitely be interesting. However, apart from these two foreign affairs, The Knicks should be at a comprehensive disadvantage against the Blazers. The personal abilities of other players, including the overall state, must be worse than the Blazers who have won consecutive victories recently. Let us go to the game to see who is stronger and who is weaker. "

"The starters for both sides, the Blazers at home, center Sonny Gan, power forward Mitchell Sampson, small forward Kiki Vandeweghe, shooting guard Clyde Drexler, point guard Guard Darryl Valentine, head coach Jack Ramsey; visiting Knicks, center Patrick Ewing, power forward Ken Bannister, small forward Darryl Walker, shooting guard Grande Wayne Erkins, point guard Roy Sparrow, head coach Hubie Brown."

Just when Stockton was introducing the starting players of both sides, the entrance ceremony of the players of the two teams was over, and the game was about to start.

Gan Guoyang saw that his "old friend" Ewing was concentrating on fastening his belt, so he took the initiative to walk over and clap hands with the new No. [-] pick in a friendly manner.

"I won't show mercy." Gan Guoyang leaned close to Ewing and said softly.

"It's exactly what I want. If you release the water, I will report you to the alliance." Ewing looked at Gan Guoyang and said.

Gan Guoyang also smiled after hearing this. He found that Ewing and Olajuwon were very different. If Gan Guoyang and Olajuwon said such things, Olajuwon would definitely fight back viciously, but Ewing could still play a little humor .

However, Ewing didn't have such a sense of humor when facing reporters. The NBA's media workers have already felt how difficult it is to deal with the new No. [-] pick.

"The game is about to start. Both sides jumped the ball. The two NCAA giants once again stood on the opposite side. It was a game that people were looking forward to...Ewing won the jump ball, the Knicks won the ball, and the game began."

Gan Guoyang was at a disadvantage in the jump ball with Ewing. Now Gan Guoyang is no longer the little prince of the jump ball. He has no interest in this kind of opening ceremony, and it has no effect on the game anyway.

Knicks point guard Roy Sparrow got the ball, and he began to organize the Knicks' offense.

"Without Bernard King, the Knicks' offense will definitely be compromised, but it must be admitted that this may be a good thing, because Ewing can have more opportunities. The Knicks are being transformed into a team with He is the core inside-type team, with a balanced offense and defense, this is the right way for the Knicks to rise." Tom Heinsohn expressed his views on the current Knicks status quo.

While he was talking, Sparrow transferred the ball to Wilkins, who was 45 degrees to the left on the right, and Ewing started to ask for a position inside. The No. 4 pick has only played [-] games and has become The core players of the Knicks.

"Ewing is on the left side, Wilkins passes the ball, Ewing catches the ball and turns around and throws it! The ball goes in, Ewing beats Gan's defense, puts the ball in the basket, he looks better than the college It's time to get stronger."

Gan Guoyang failed to guard Ewing with this ball, because Ewing's rhythm of the ball was too good, position, catch, turn, throw, all in one go, and the Knicks gave the ball very, very decisively, without any hesitation, without any hesitation. Give the Blazers' defense time to react.

In less than 10 seconds, the Knicks relied on Ewing to score two points first, 2:0.

"The Blazers' defense has not yet formed at all. The Knicks passed the ball to the low post decisively before the flanking-interference formed. Good tactical execution."

It was the Blazers' turn to counterattack. Gan Guoyang didn't go to the low post to return one, but came to the position below the horn on the right side to cover for Drexler.

"Drexler catches, picks and rolls with Gan, passes to Gan!"

After Drexler got the ball on the right side, he circled Gan Guoyang twice, avoided Wilkins' entanglement, and pretended to shoot. Ewing naturally came up to defend.

After all, Ewing's experience is still inexperienced. If the ball is replaced by another center, it will be considered that Drexler is shooting from such a position and distance.

But Ewing jumped up to block the shot, Drexler hit the ground and passed the ball to Gan Guoyang.

After Gan Guoyang received the ball, there was no defense in front of him, but he was still about 10 feet away from the basket. Instead of shooting, he dribbled the ball straight to the basket.

Walker, who was originally defending Vandeweghe on the left, came to the basket to make up defense. Gan Guoyang directly ignored Walker's defense and took off directly with three steps of dribbling.

"Gan caught the ball and went straight to the basket, took off and dunked! On Walker's head! The Walkers were all knocked out of the baseline, but there was no foul on this ball. It was a good shot."

Walker didn't choose to make Gan Guoyang hit someone with the ball, but wanted to block the ball. He was a bit naive.

"Sorry, the road is too narrow." After the goal was scored, Gan Guoyang apologized to Walker symbolically, although it didn't look like an apology at all.

"It takes a lot of courage to stop Gan dunking under the basket. I bet Walker feels like he was hit by a car right now."

2:2, the center forwards of both sides scored a goal each, and the two sides tied at the beginning.

Afterwards, the Knicks began their patient offense. Hubie Brown's training was really good. Such a group of players with insufficient personal ability just need to play tactics and cooperate.

In the opening game, the Blazers' defensive strength was not high, which gave the Knicks more space for passing and moving. As long as the ball is worn more on the field, as long as the players run more, opportunities will always come out.

Ewing also appeared to be very calm. He did not compete with Gan Guoyang casually. He graduated from Georgetown University with good tactical skills. He followed the coach's instructions to perform his duties on the court.

No matter how Gan Guoyang's trash talk rings in his ears, this gorilla-like center will not be provoked by him.

"You are still the same as when you were in college, like a rock. It seems that I still need to give you a good beating." Although Gan Guoyang babbled at Ewing, his performance on the court was the same as Ewing. Doing some basic work, making up defense, rebounding, covering, supporting.

Obviously, both of them are qualified and excellent centers in the eyes of the coach, who can do everything an insider can do.

But there is one thing that Gan Guoyang is different from Ewing.

"The score on the field changed to 17:18. Sparrow made a mid-range jumper. His condition was quite good. The Knicks led the Trail Blazers by one point." Knicks guard Sparrow is in a hot state tonight , Valentine can do nothing with him.

"The Blazers don't seem to have shown the tactical quality they showed last season. They are more caught up in fighting alone. But it must also be admitted that every player on the Blazers has the ability to fight alone. If Going it alone would be a good solution if it can solve the problem, but this is not my impression of Ramsey's style." Heinsohn also saw that the tactics of the Blazers on the offensive end were obviously simpler They no longer have the slightly complicated tactical moves of last season, but are replaced by more personal abilities to solve problems.

"Gan started to play in the low post. It seems that he is going to fight Ewing...Valentine lobbed the ball to Gan, Gan turned around and passed Ewing, and dunked with both hands! The basket is completely empty, Ewing Because I've been passed through, I'll be tight!"

After Gan Guoyang succeeded in getting the ball from the low position on the left, he lowered his center of gravity extremely low, and then turned around at a very fast speed and walked from the baseline.

One of Ewing's major deficiencies in defense is that his legs are too long, which leads to his high center of gravity and lack of strength on the ground. Gan Guoyang turned around and pushed his butt hard, pushing Ewing away completely. Use the lower body to block Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang passed Ewing cleanly, and then dunked hard with both hands!

At 19:18, after the goal was scored, the entire Memorial Stadium suddenly became noisy. Many fans bought tickets to watch the game tonight, and they wanted to watch the duel between Gan Guoyang and Ewing.

Except that the two contributed a goal each in the opening game, the other two were doing dirty work like blue-collar workers, and some fans were getting impatient.

Finally, Gan Guoyang ignited the fans' emotions with a beautiful dunk, and the game entered a full-fledged period from the transition period.

"Come on, Patrick, I'm already ahead of you."