The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 245 - 130 Coach Mo’s Good Idea

On April 30, two days after the first round of the Western Conference playoffs concluded, the Western Conference semifinals kicked off in Portland.

According to media reports, over half of the households in Portland had turned on their TVs tonight, waiting for the game to start.

Tickets for the Memorial Coliseum had sold out long ago, and by 4:30 p.m., most of the fans had already arrived, filling the stands to the brim.

In the front row, Gan Guoyang’s family and friends group came to cheer him on, with Wang Fuxi and her three college roommates lucky enough to score some great seats.

Next to them sat the coaching staff from Gonzaga University, Fitz, Coach Delong, and a particularly smartly dressed Bobby Berman.

Fitz teased Berman, "What’s the matter, Bobby, are you here in Portland for a matchmaking event or a job interview? The rest of us are in casual wear, but you, suited up like that, do you plan on sitting on the Trail Blazers’ bench to watch the game?"

After the NCAA Tournament ended, Gonzaga’s basketball team began a new round of selection and team building.

Fitz could sense Bobby Berman’s intentions of leaving Gonzaga, as he had been unwilling to renew his contract with the school.

Fitz guessed that Beelman was contemplating defection, hoping to cling onto Gan for a shot at the NBA, because a once-in-a-century opportunity like Gan Guoyang wasn’t something you pass by without making the most of it.

Fitz understood Berman’s perspective and appreciated the contributions he brought to Gonzaga, but the idea of this kid defecting just after three years and the prospect of having to select a new head coach and rebuild the system made his head throb with the hassles, irritating him immensely.

So, he spared no opportunity to mock Berman before the game started.

Berman, unfazed, replied, "I just want to show some respect in front of my disciple; this is his first time playing in the Western Conference semifinals."

"It’s his first time for any game! Damn Gan is still a rookie, hell, I should have begged him to play another year at Gonzaga. That way, we’d surely have retained the NCAA championship this year, and you, you damned traitor, probably wouldn’t be so eager to leave."

"Having Gan play another year in the NCAA would be a waste of his talent. I even think he shouldn’t have gone to college; he should have entered the NBA straight from high school like Moses. In 1982, he might have been picked by the Lakers, and by now he’d probably be wearing championship rings... Hey Sonny! Sonny!"

As Berman rambled on, he spotted Gan Guoyang warming up on the court and walking this way, so he stood up and waved at him.

Gan Guoyang came over and kissed Wang Fuxi on the cheek, greeted her infatuated roommates, and then came over to talk to Berman, Fitz, and the others.

Fitz, seeing Gan Guoyang, felt extremely proud; this year, both of his disciples from Gonzaga, Gan Guoyang and Stockton, had made it to the Western Conference semifinals with their teams.

Just yesterday, the Utah Jazz unexpectedly defeated the Houston Rockets in the deciding game, sending the formidable Twin Towers home and advancing to the semifinals against the Lakers.

Even though the Jazz beating the Lakers was almost a pipe dream, there’s always a bit of fancy prior to the start of the series; Fitz hoped to see Stockton and Gan Guoyang meet in the Western Conference finals.

Coach Delong didn’t say much, only squeezed Gan Guoyang’s arm saying, "You’re getting even stronger."

Gan Guoyang’s arm circumference hadn’t increased; his weight had remained stable due to the high-intensity games and rigorous training, but his muscle definition was becoming more pronounced.

Berman then pulled Gan aside to tell him that the Nuggets’ defense was stronger than it appeared.

"According to my calculations, although the Denver Nuggets have the league’s highest average points allowed per game, when you calculate per one hundred possessions, their defense ranks mid-league. They don’t ignore defense; it’s selective."

Gan looked at Berman in his suit and, much like Fitz, asked, "Are you here for an interview?"

"What are you talking about! I’m here to watch your game and to give you a heads-up. The Nuggets aren’t as easy to beat as imagined; they are a tough opponent."

Gan agreed with this notion, as he’d never underestimate any opponent.

Moreover, the Trail Blazers had not fared well against the Nuggets in the regular season, struggling to win and losing decidedly.

His biggest takeaway from playing against the Nuggets was the feeling of being unable to utilize his strength; the Nuggets’ playing style made it hard for Gan’s most significant advantages, such as leading the league in under-the-basket protection and low-post defense, to come into play against them.

For example, the Nuggets hardly ever made moves to the basket, and they rarely used low-post attack strategies.

The majority of the Nuggets’ scoring under the basket stemmed from off-the-ball cuts, backdoor moves, and fast breaks.

In their standard offense, the Nuggets predominantly concluded with perimeter jump shots, passing the ball incredibly fast, seldom holding it for longer than two seconds before moving it on, and without any set plays—relying on chemistry and basic tactical movement principles to organically create scoring opportunities on the court.

Despite having the league’s highest offensive pace and scoring, the Nuggets had a lower-than-average number of turnovers, evidencing their smooth offense and efficient ball movement.

This unpredictable, fluid style made it tough for a defensive spearhead like Gan. The Nuggets didn’t have a player that warranted Gan’s full one-on-one attention; he had to defend against everyone.

One must defend against veteran center Dan Issel—his mid-range shooting was really accurate.