The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 1650 - 12: Madman (2)
The first quarter was another low-scoring defensive battle, with the Pacers leading the Knicks by 2 points, 15:13.
The second quarter marked a turning point for both sides, as the Knicks launched a counterattack, scoring 31 points in the quarter to take the lead into the second half.
The third quarter was a neck-and-neck struggle, with the Pacers gradually tying the game, and the two teams entered the fourth quarter with the same score.
In the fourth quarter, Alan Houston shone, hitting consecutive shots from the outside, helping the Knicks gradually build an advantage.
Conversely, Reggie Miller was lost in the game, missing repeatedly from the outside and scoring only 8 points the entire game.
When your core player and main scorer scores only 8 points in a game, it’s tough to win.
Finally, the score settled at 92:83, with the Knicks securing a 9-point home victory over the Pacers.
They won the series 4:2, claiming the Eastern Conference Championship of the 1999 season, making it to the Finals again since 1973.
Madison Square Garden became a sea of joy, as New Yorkers had been waiting for this day for a long time, and even the NBA as a whole had waited for this day for a long time.
As the largest sports market in the country, the birthplace of professional sports, and the home of the NBA, New York’s long absence from the Finals and failure to win the Championship had hindered the NBA’s market influence expansion.
That night, David Stern personally came to Madison Square Garden Arena to present the Knicks with the silver Eastern Conference Championship trophy and congratulate them for re-entering the NBA Finals.
It is anticipated that the NBA Finals in New York will ignite a frenzy.
Even if the ratings don’t reach the legendary level of the 1998 Gan vs. Jordan battle, they won’t drop significantly.
After Michael Jordan’s retirement, the decline in overall NBA television ratings has been a headache for David Stern.
The new superstars have yet to rise, and Gan Guoyang, this monster, still sits on the throne refusing to step down.
If Michael were still around, people would still enjoy the story of the brave hero and the evil dragon.
Without Michael, Gan and the Trail Blazers’ dominance has left the season’s story lacking suspense.
Fortunately, it is the Knicks who made it to the Finals this time; if the Pacers had, it would have been a ratings disaster.
Even so, the Knicks lack heavyweight superstars in their roster to pose a direct challenge to Gan.
Worse still, the "Cox Report" on May 26 brought a significant challenge to the League. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
This was an event more serious, more sensitive, and more destructive than Lawufo’s "Moonlight" flag incident.
If not handled properly, its impact and damage to the entire NBA would be at a nuclear level.
Despite his vast experience in dealing with significant challenges, Stern was so anxious he had a sleepless night.
This led to him appearing at Madison Square Garden on the 28th with swollen eyes, clearly suffering from a lack of sleep.
However, on the 27th, Gan Guoyang held a press conference to make a statement, which somewhat relieved Stern.
He knew that in such matters, one must never admit to anything, whether true or false, and must distance oneself from implicating relations.
The first skill a qualified public figure must learn is to deny everything, and the second is to shift blame endlessly.
(This is why when Clinton admitted his mistake first-hand after his scandal, it was immediately thought that someone had advised him well or that he had obtained crucial intel.)
Gan Guoyang’s press conference was timely, and his statement was clear, with perfect answers to the questions and a strong challenge to the report, showing he was well-prepared.
Before the press conference, Stern tried to contact Gan Guoyang by phone, but the call did not go through.
That night, Gan Guoyang cut off all external communications, making many people worried that Gan was planning to flee.
After the press conference, manufacturers quickly emerged to support Gan, with Avia among them, claiming that it was a Republican conspiracy.
David Stern held an overnight meeting, gathering all vice presidents and senior executives to discuss strategies, and Stern firmly decided to publicly support Gan against all opposition during the meeting.
Stern said, "Standing opposite Gan now would be betraying the NBA brand and all the League’s players. We must come out in support of Gan."
"There will be no substantial evidence for espionage crimes, and even if there is, we must find ways to make it seem like there isn’t, dragging it indefinitely for the best outcome."
At this moment, Stern’s assistant, a young man named Adam Silva, asked, "So... we’re binding ourselves tightly to Gan? Isn’t the risk too great?"
Stern replied, "Gan is already 35 years old, has 8 championship rings, and is already accomplished with nothing left to regret in his career. He can retire at the end of this season or the next with no problem, understand?"
Silva nodded in understanding.
Gan Guoyang is a veteran superstar in his career’s late stage and could leave the League at any time.
His honors and reputation are deeply tied to the NBA, so Stern must protect him.
But to reduce the risk and for the NBA’s future, Gan Guoyang must retire within these two seasons.
In terms of physical fitness, Gan Guoyang playing until 40 like Jabbar would be entirely possible.
However, Stern has already decided that a safe and steady landing for Gan Guoyang is the best outcome.
After the Eastern Conference Finals ended, on the 29th, David Stern immediately flew to Portland to have a face-to-face with Gan Guoyang.
Their meeting was very secretive, held in a private room of a Greek restaurant, ensuring there was no surveillance.
