The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 497 - 113: The Thief_2
By then, he was planning to build a sports agency empire centered around Gan Guoyang, recruiting all the basketball talents from around the world to America, making the NBA championship a true world championship.
"When can you bring Sabonis to the Trail Blazers?" Gan Guoyang asked casually after listening to Fleisher boast.
Fleisher was silent for a moment, then said, "Uh... that’s not up to me, at least not until the Berlin Wall falls."
"Oh, that’s two years then."
"What?"
"I mean... I don’t want to go to this event, I’m going to China around that time. Just want to visit and spend some time with my dad. I’m kind of missing my hometown."
"You’re planning a trip to China?"
"No, I just want to go back to China for a visit, that’s all. I miss my hometown."
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On June 9, the fourth game of the Finals continued at the Silverdome, with over forty thousand fans still showing up passionately to support the game.
Win or lose, this was, after all, the Pistons’ first Finals in history. Fans who hadn’t come to the previous game regretted missing the big moment.
Due to suspensions, both teams had to start with a weakened lineup, and both head coaches were absent, replaced by assistant coaches Versace and Adelman.
The Trail Blazers put Walton in the starting lineup, shifting the offensive focus from inside to the perimeter. Adelman’s requirement for the offense tonight was to execute faster plays.
From Drexler to Terry Porter, then to Vandeweghe, all were eager to perform, knowing that when Gan Guoyang was out, the rest of the Trail Blazers would step up in strength.
After all, no one wanted to hear Gan Guoyang saying, "You guys really need me". With the O’Brien Trophy placed by the court, awaiting the new champion to emerge, they aimed to seal the victory in four games.
For the Pistons, Vinnie Johnson filled the starting spot. Without Isiah Thomas, the already monotonous Pistons offense became even paler.
They were now fighting for honor, trying to claim one victory and delay the team’s demise.
After all, even if they dragged it to a fifth game with Ah Gan’s return, they still wouldn’t stand a chance.
It would just mean one more game of being tormented by Ah Gan.
After the game started, the Pistons surprisingly played well initially.
They regained their defensive formation, using their solid shell defense to lower the Trail Blazers’ shooting percentage.
On offense, Dantley scored repeatedly, giving the Pistons an advantage.
Adelman quickly called the first timeout, and after the timeout, Walton executed plays from the high post.
Exploiting gaps in the Pistons’ defense, Walton drove hard down the middle and finished with a one-handed slam!
This play greatly boosted the Trail Blazers’ morale, and they gradually got their offensive rhythm back.
The biggest problem with shell defense is that it’s not very effective against precise shooting.
Vandeweghe and Porter took the lead, continuously scoring through movement and quick offense.
The pace of the game sped up significantly, and the tight Pistons defense began to unravel.
Without Gan Guoyang, the Trail Blazers still had formidable strength with players like Drexler, Vandeweghe, and Walton, all capable of carrying out tactics.
But without Thomas, the Pistons’ offense was severely handicapped, lacking both a leader and an initiator.
The Pistons’ offensive efficiency was already lower than the Trail Blazers’, and as time passed, the Trail Blazers gradually closed the gap in the score.
Versace’s timeouts had little effect, the Pistons were resentful, questioning why only Gan Guoyang got suspended.
Despite being the ones hit, the Pistons had two suspensions, and then Rodman even suffered a minor injury, leaving the team rotations in a pinch.
At the end of the first half, the Trail Blazers led 56:52, four points ahead of the Pistons, leaving the Pistons with not many opportunities.
Gan Guoyang was constantly cheering his teammates from the sidelines, offering strategies during timeouts, with the second most glorious moment of his life within reach.
In the third quarter, Vandeweghe hit consecutive three-pointers, allowing the Trail Blazers to pull away significantly, the difference reaching ten points.
By then, the fans at the Silverdome knew the Pistons didn’t have much of a chance left.
With their offensive efficiency, being ten points behind was a tough gap to close.
Even if the Pistons subsequently locked down the Trail Blazers’ offense with strong defense.
Their own offensive game was a mess; they simply couldn’t score.
As time ticked away, the ten-point gap remained unchanged.
Bill Laimbeer tried to use a corner three-pointer to help the team.
But the ball hit the backboard and rebounded out of bounds...
"Your three-pointer is worse than Jordan’s!" Gan Guoyang shouted from the sidelines, mockingly ridiculing Laimbeer.
As Drexler drove to the basket for a successful layup, breaking the scoring drought, the Trail Blazers extended their lead.
The Pistons seemed to give up resisting, playing with less and less fighting spirit, growing increasingly disorganized.
There’s no helping it, not being able to score can really damage morale.
Even without Gan Guoyang on the inside, the Trail Blazers still had Walton and Jones.
And the Pistons just didn’t have an explosive scoring threat in the paint.
That meant the absence of Guoyang wasn’t fully exploited by the Pistons.
The gap gradually widened to 15 points, and the Trail Blazers played more and more relaxed.
Drexler started to take the ball and go on the offensive himself, but ended up missing consecutively.
On the other hand, Vandeweghe’s hands were very steady, securing the team’s advantage with mid-range shots and free throws.
When Drexler came off for a rest, Guoyang asked, "Clyde, are you trying to snag the FMVP with all this scoring?"
Drexler hurriedly explained, "Of course not! The FMVP is yours, I’m just trying to help the team win as soon as possible."
"Then damn it, make some shots!"
"I’m just not feeling it tonight."
Over three games in the series, Guoyang averaged 37 points, Drexler 21 points, and Vandeweghe 19 points.
Tonight, Drexler had only scored 15 points up to now, his average not only wasn’t rising, it was actually about to drop slightly.
Time ticked away, and in the fourth quarter, the Pistons launched their last assault, but Thompson, Walton, and Vandeweghe collectively held them off with defense and scoring.
The game gradually lost its suspense, and disappointed Detroit fans at the Silverdome began to leave, as the 1986-1987 season’s final game was drawing to an end.
When the scoreboard fixed at 109:97, the Trail Blazers players stormed the court, and Jack Ramsay, who had been in the locker room, was brought back to the field by the staff.
The Trail Blazers players and staff celebrated wildly, successfully defending their title, becoming the first team to do so since the 1969 Celtics!
Compared to last year’s championship, the players were a bit calmer, not as wildly ecstatic. They embraced each other, patting each other’s backs, thanking one another for the support throughout the season, for fighting together.
Staff set up a podium on the scene, and David Stern appeared to award the 1986-1987 season championship trophy to the Trail Blazers.
Afterward, David Stern announced the 1987 Finals MVP, which unsurprisingly belonged to Guoyang.
Even though he missed the fourth game, with him, the Trail Blazers led unquestionably 3:0, his contributions indubitable.
"Sonny, say a few words," said David Stern after making the announcement, handing Guoyang the microphone and reminding him, "Mind your language."
A small number of Pistons fans remained in the Silverdome, and they booed when Guoyang lifted the FMVP trophy.
Guoyang graciously thanked the Detroit fans, saying, "I love the Silverdome, it’s so huge, a perfect stage. I love it here, I love the feeling of playing here."
After the trophy presentation, the team headed back to the locker room for champagne celebrations.
Unexpectedly at that moment, Calvin came running over, exclaiming, "Lan Bi’er is in our locker room, drinking our champagne! He’s opened every bottle, they’re almost ruined!"
Upon hearing this, Gan tossed the MVP trophy to Calvin and charged towards the visitors’ locker room.
Lan Bi’er was quite impolite after the game, not bothering to shake hands or embrace the Trail Blazers players as customary, diving straight into the players’ tunnel.
Instead of returning to the home team locker room, he had barged into the visitors’ room with Melvin Turpin and Rodman, kicking the door open to taint the champagne set aside for celebration.
Lan Bi’er was happily drinking away when Turpin, keeping watch at the door, suddenly saw an irate Guoyang charging over and yelled, "Ah Gan is back!"
The three quickly dropped the bottles and fled the locker room, with Lan Bi’er in the rear, swiping two bottles as he ran, leaving not many unopened bottles of champagne left.
"Don’t run!" Guoyang shouted as he pursued them.
How could Lan Bi’er not run, fleeing in a frantic dash.
Chances were slim for him to outrun Guoyang, especially carrying two bottles of wine.
As Lan Bi’er neared the parking lot and was about to be caught, he hurled the two bottles of champagne at Guoyang.
"Keep the last two good ones! Fuck your champion joy, Sonny!"
Guoyang caught the two bottles of champagne, then watched Lan Bi’er slip away.
He didn’t chase any further, holding the two bottles of champagne, he returned to the locker room.
His teammates were waiting for him.
The 1987 season was over.
(Volume 5 "Bad" ends.)
