The Golden Age of Basketball

"35 seconds, 74:79, Dan Marley throws in, Charles Smith, now he's fouled 30 times, dribbled... intercepted! Down, ball lost, 29 seconds left... Out of bounds, ball to USSR. [-] seconds left..."

"Oh! Steal! A quick steal! It's Anderson, dunk! Anderson's steal and dunk, Anderson gets two points."

"76:79, now there is still... oh, Charles Smith fouled again, this is his fifth foul, he is going to be sent off, only 15 seconds left."

In 1988, in the men's basketball semi-finals of the 24th Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, the commentators Dick Enberg and Al Maguire of the American NBC TV station watched the American men's basketball team struggling on the court, and their voices also revealed There was a wave of despair.

With the Soviet Union taking possession of the ball and using up the game time little by little, in the FIBA ​​game without the three-point line, the US team, which was three points behind, had no hope of winning.

They had to use oppressive steals to force the Soviets to make mistakes, but the Soviets always had the ball in their hands, and the impetuous Americans moved too much, and were called fouls by the referee-after all, these athletes were just a group of college students.

"With the last two seconds left in the game, the Soviet team has already begun to celebrate in advance."

Because of a technical foul, the US team made two free throws for the Soviet Union. Soviet defender Matthew Leonis made one of two free throws. In the last second, the Soviet Union scored a layup at the buzzer. The US team had already given up. Contest.

82:76, the U.S. team lost the semi-finals by 6 points. Their record of 21 consecutive victories in the international arena came to an end. After losing to the Soviet Union in Munich in 1972, it was the second time in 16 years. Lost the Olympic gold medal in men's basketball (The United States did not participate in the Moscow Olympics in 1980.)

However, unlike the "conspiracy" in 1972, when the referee took away the championship, this time, the Americans suffered a complete defeat.

Throughout the game, they were suppressed by the Soviet team. The two most important players in the team, David Robinson and Danny Manning, were troubled by fouls early under the Soviet Union's targeted tactics. Both were sent off in the second half.

The lost US team players stood on the sidelines, looking helpless, watching the Soviet players hugging and celebrating wildly. Obviously, they never thought that in the Olympics, they would not even make it to the finals, and could only compete No.3.

The coach of the U.S. team, the famous coach John Thompson, made the final cry weakly on the sidelines. He wanted to boost the morale of the team and cheer up the young people, but no players responded to him, and everyone had an expression on their faces. - Muran.

This is, in the stands, a tall figure stood up. He was wearing a white peaked cap and an ordinary jacket. He had an oriental face, but he didn't look like a local Korean at all.

His face is sharp and angular, and his firm lines are like ancient Greek sculptures, not at all like the flat faces of Koreans.

Under his nose and on his chin, there are some green stubbles, with a slight sense of vicissitudes, but if you look at the eyes under his peaked cap, there is no such feeling at all, but a bright brilliance.

Since the game was over, the spectators also began to leave the arena one after another. However, this big man did not leave the arena through the safe passage like other fans. Instead, he walked to the players' locker room, which was the locker room of the US team.

The security near the locker room naturally wanted to stop him, but soon a person came out of the locker room, went to the security guard and said, "Let him in, he is not an ordinary audience."

"No, Mr. Behrman, I still won't go in. I don't want to see those children looking sad and unlucky. Get ready. I have made an appointment with Mr. Gomolsky to meet at the Olympic Village."

"Okay, Gan, wait for me for a while, I can't stand the atmosphere anymore."

This tall man is really Gan Guoyang, and now, it is 1988, more than two years have passed since that finals.

In the finals two years ago, Gan Guoyang made four of four three-pointers in the first game, and at the last moment he hooked and made free throws to kill the Celtics, unexpectedly won the first away game and broke the Celtics. The Celtics are unbeaten at home in the playoffs.

But when everyone was full of hope for the Trail Blazers, Gan Guoyang recurred his old right arm injury in the second game, tore his tendon, and was reimbursed for the finals.

The Blazers, who lost Gan Guoyang, were simply unable to compete with the Celtics. After winning the first game, they lost four games in a row, including a three-game losing streak at home in the Memorial Stadium. They were defeated by the mighty Celtics 1:4 Defeated, lost the championship.

Gan Guoyang's injury not only made the Blazers lose the chance to compete for the championship, but also completely disrupted the Blazers' team building plan, because Gan Guoyang's injury caused him to miss the entire 1986-1987 season.

Originally planned not to renew Vandeweghe's contract during the offseason, trade him or give him up, but Gan Guoyang's season reimbursement forced the Blazers to re-sign a contract with the team's top outside scorer. No scorer.

At the same time, in the 1986 draft, Gan Guoyang’s reimbursement also changed the draft strategy of the Blazers. Originally, they wanted to continue to select a backcourt player in the draft, such as Mark Price and Nate Mike. Milan, come to contribute to Gan Guoyang's system.

But Gan Guoyang's injury and concerns about his injury-this originated from Bill Walton, made the uniform team decide to choose an insider.

With Gan Guoyang's successful experience and Gan Guoyang's own advice, the Blazers made a bold decision again in the draft. They selected the Soviet player with the 24th overall pick in the first round. The 7-foot-2 heavy center, Avidas - Saber Nice.

The reason why I say bold is that although the Blazers chose him, he may not be able to come, because it is still in the Cold War period, and the confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union has continued from politics and economics to the sports world. Will the Soviet sports community be willing to let people go? is a big problem.

The reason why Gan Guoyang came to Seoul at this time was to solve this big problem that had been shelved for two years.

"Let's go, Mr. Behrman, I hope you don't meet people from the FBI on the way, otherwise I'm afraid that our meeting with Mr. Gomolsky will be regarded as a foreigner. By then, you, the assistant coach of the US team, may Take responsibility for this loss." Out of the stadium, on the way to the Olympic Village, Gan Guoyang and Behrman joked.

With the "help" of Gan Guoyang, Bellman not only became the Blazers' defensive coach, but also became the assistant coach of the US team in 1988 because of his excellent work ability.

You know, in the 1986-1987 season when Gan Guoyang was absent, thanks to Behrman's further detailed guidance, the Blazers became a more defensive team, and they reached fourth in the league in terms of team defensive efficiency. level, second only to the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.

In the playoffs, without a core center, they also struggled to reach the Western Conference semifinals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers 2:4. It can be said that although the defeat was glorious, it was also due to their strong defense.

It's just that they lack the core of offense and defense, and no matter how strong the overall defense is, they can't make them go further—not to mention, the team with the strongest defense that year was the Boston Celtics, and they also won consecutive championships.

"I didn't understand at first why you suggested to the team to choose this person, but after today's game, I know. Although he is not as good as David, he is indeed a very good center. You don't Worried about him replacing you?" Bellman, as the assistant coach of the US team, knows the team's main center, David Robinson, quite well.

"You also know that he is not as good as David. If he is not as good as David, he is naturally not as good as me. Moreover, I think it is time for me to change my style of play. On Sabonis, I think I have A lot to learn."

Gan Guoyang was keen on fighting inside in the past. His superior strength and growing weight allowed him to be invincible at the center position at 6 feet 10. In the 1987-1988 season after his comeback, Gan Guoyang once again won the honor with an average of 16.9 rebounds per game. The rebounding champion also soared to 30.7 points per game.

However, Gan Guoyang's assists are still at a pitiful 1.7. His transfer of the ball after being double-teamed, internal passes, and weak-side points are still very bad. Even though sometimes the flash of inspiration is very beautiful, the overall It's still not enough to help the team.

Gan Guoyang did not expect that the talent of "passing" would be so difficult to develop. However, after this summer, Gan Guoyang felt that it was time, especially when he wanted to help the Blazers get Sabonis, the "7-foot point guard".

"Okay, you really should have a good understanding of passing, but it's also my fault. I didn't hone your skill well in high school and college, otherwise you wouldn't be trapped by it with your talent." Bellman taught Gan Guoyang back then. It is to use him as a super killer inside, and passing the ball is always the second choice.

It is not without reason that Gan Guoyang wants to learn new skills. In the 1988 playoffs, Gan Guoyang led the Portland Trail Blazers to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, and the Lakers added a capable player, that is Mi Chell Sampson.

In the 1987 season, Sampson was traded by the Trail Blazers to the San Antonio Spurs, and then, at the beginning of the season, he was traded to the Lakers, who needed him to limit Kevin McHale.

However, in the 1987 Finals, Mitchell Sampson didn't seem to be able to play his ideal role.

However, in the game against the Trail Blazers in 1988, Sampson became a surprise player. He was very familiar with Gan Guoyang's ball path, and his double-teaming was extremely in place and timely. This made Gan Guoyang suffer a lot and greatly affected his performance.

As a result, the Blazers lost the Western Conference Finals 3:4 and lost the chance to enter the Finals.

In the offseason, the Trail Blazers made repeated moves. First, they finally traded Vandeweghe away. The three-way deal traded from the Nets for top blue-collar power forward Buck Williams, and then signed Adrian Bran in the free market. Odd and Davin Cook, to supplement the team's backcourt.

The team's core lineup has not changed much. Gan Guoyang's hard training in the offseason has made him confident that his state is already at its peak.

Now, he is working with Bellman to bring back the last piece of the championship puzzle for the team from Seoul.