The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 631 - 25 Reform
In November 1989, the Berlin Wall was brought down.
The symbolic structure that represented isolation and opposition during the Cold War era had collapsed, and the Iron Curtain that had fallen between the East and West after World War II was being destroyed and disintegrated.
The countries of Eastern Europe all began to implement reforms; Europe, and indeed the entire world, was undergoing a dramatic transformation.
In the NBA, change was happening as well.
One week into the 1989-1990 season, teams’ average scores had fallen below 108 points.
Ever since the 1976-1977 season when team averages exceeded 108 points, scores had consistently stayed between 108 and 110 points.
In Guoyang Gan’s first year in the League, the 1984-1985 season reached the 1980s’ high of 110.8 points, but then it declined year by year.
The NBA was gradually entering an era of slower pace.
Teams like the Lakers, Celtics, and Nuggets, which had initiated the fast offense wave in the early ’80s, were being gradually surpassed by the slower, defensive strategies of the Trail Blazers, Pistons, and Bullet Team.
Driven by interior giants like Guoyang, NBA players were becoming increasingly athletic, their muscular physiques growing year by year.
The ’70s images of players in long socks, sporting afros, tall and skinny, had vanished for good.
The idea that strength training would affect the shooting touch was also corrected, and teams began to undertake systematic strength exercises.
Ah Gan, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Rick Mahorn, and Patrick Ewing were ushering in the muscular era of the NBA.
On November 13th, the Washington Bullets faced the Utah Jazz at an away game, the Bullets, playing back-to-back games on the road, were not in great shape, and met the formidable Jazz at their devilish home court.
Stockton, unprecedentedly, scored 30 points, delivered 16 assists, and made 5 steals, while Karl Malone had 33 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 steals.
The duo from the Jazz team was proving to be powerful.
Charles Barkley, however, did not perform well, managing only 17 points.
Back-to-back away games took a significant toll on him.
Bullets’ Sidney Moncrief could no longer restrain a burgeoning point guard like Stockton.
The times were moving into a stage of rapid change.
The Trail Blazers had earned two days of rest, and Bobby Beelman gave the players time off to recuperate.
Mitchell Thompson’s muscle soreness belonged to the accumulated age-related injuries; he was treating a minor illness with great care.
After all, the Trail Blazers had a wealth of resources in the interior line; the young players had to play and show themselves, ensuring there were always people to play ball.
This was a good opportunity for both Sabonis and Divac to showcase themselves and hone their skills.
Especially for Sabonis, who had performed well in the game against the Bullets with 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
However, as Beelman judged during training camp, Sabonis was unlikely to develop the same kind of offensive chemistry with Ah Gan that once existed with Bill Walton; Sabonis was not a master of offense organization.
His flashes of brilliance and his passes after grabbing defensive rebounds could help the offense, but once in set plays, he fit the role of a traditional center. However, his long-range shooting posed a significant threat, and he passed the ball very well, making the double team less effective against him.
On the other hand, Divac sometimes managed to work with Ah Gan in clever high-low post plays, hinting at his organizational talent with some of his passes, but they spent too little time on the court together.
In the NBA, Sabonis’ most prominent role was still his defense, standing at 7-foot-3, with good mobility and jumping ability, making the Trail Blazers’ interior line a formidable barrier.
This combination was probably the most powerful interior defense the Trail Blazers had seen since Gan Guoyang entered the NBA.
Both players possessed the immense power to shatter backboards; they were destined to shine in the increasingly competitive ’90s.
As long as Sabonis could get a handle on his fouling issues, take the time to adapt to NBA defense, and stay healthy, this duo was undeniably unstoppable.
Compared to Sabonis, who had already gained the coach’s trust, and Divac, who was given special attention by Ah Gan, Petrović’s performance had fallen behind in the Eastern European trio.
In the last two games, he had the chance to play but could only deliver an average performance.
There were occasional highlights, but nothing decisive.
Porter and Hornacek’s positions were unshakeable.
In the competition for the third guard, he lagged behind Curry.
And Curry’s role was clear: to shoot three-pointers.
Petrović aimed for more; he wanted to be a decisive guard in the backcourt. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
But that goal was very, very far away for him.
On his days off, he didn’t spend time with his girlfriend or sleep at home.
Instead, he went to a gym in the City of Portland’s waterfront area to work out.
Gan had introduced the place to Petrović.
Although Beelman had said full muscular development and physical enhancement should wait until the off-season, Petrović didn’t want to miss any chance to get stronger during the season.
Unexpectedly, at the gym, he ran into Sabonis, the Immortal of Colossal Spirit, who was also working out on his day off.
Needless to say, Ah Gan must have introduced it, Petrović suspected Ah Gan might even have a stake in the place.
Because Divac was not there, their communication was a bit uneasy, but when they spoke about the current situation in Europe, they had much to discuss.
Their homelands were in turmoil.
As Eastern European countries began their transformations, the Soviet Union’s rule in the region was gradually disintegrating.
Various political factions, ethnic conflicts, and historical issues from the past were surging towards the people with the rush of the times.
