But seeing the once rosy-cheeked and spirited grand-uncle in this state, the sadness is beyond words.
Quentin could tell that the boss was in a bad mood due to a family member’s illness and tried to say something to comfort him.
"My grandma also died of cancer. At first, she was plump like a cream bun, but by the time I saw her for the last time, she was as thin as her cane. I was shocked. Hearing about death is one thing, but seeing it is entirely different. I sat on the couch looking at her, and she seemed so unfamiliar. I wondered, is she still my dear grandma? The loving, always yelling at me plump lady. It wasn’t until I looked into her eyes that I saw something familiar. She still recognized me; her eyes spoke, as if saying, ’Don’t be afraid, child. I’m just dying, not ceasing to be your grandma...’
"Quentin, stop. Stop talking and just focus on driving..."
"Okay, boss."
Arriving at the familiar Oakland Arena, Gan Guoyang took a deep breath and adjusted his state of mind.
On the way from the players’ tunnel to the locker room, the reporters’ flashlights never stopped.
The security personnel had set up barricades to prevent the frenzied fans from rushing in to attack the superstar.
Every time Gan Guoyang came to San Francisco, it would cause a commotion.
In the 80s, whenever Gan Guoyang played at the Oakland Arena, fans would harass him each time.
Once, his jersey was even stolen by the staff, forcing him to wear a nameless shirt.
Entering the 90s, the NBA’s security became more meticulous and thorough.
Those fanatic fans were kept behind the barricades.
The distance between a god and mortals was widened.
This is the fate of a deity.
"Quentin, do you remember, was it 1987 or 1988? When I played in Oakland, there were so many fans waiting, and you were the security keeping order. I asked you to come to Portland to work for me," said Gan Guoyang to Quentin beside him.
"I remember, it was 1986, boss, January. In that game, you hit two consecutive three-pointers to win against the Warriors. Many female fans wanted your autograph. I was maintaining order all along and didn’t see your game-winning shot. You asked me to lose 30 pounds, and I did it."
"Really? It was 1986? And I hit two three-pointers to win? I can’t even remember; it feels so long ago..."
"It’s been over six years, almost seven. It is quite some time."
Quentin looked at Gan Guoyang’s calm face, thinking that the Warriors were sure to have bad luck tonight.
An emotionally unsettled Ah Gan would surely vent his feelings on the court.
He hoped that the Warriors’ players wouldn’t stir trouble and would just focus on playing.
Otherwise, they would lose face and the game; Quentin knew that the boss was terrifying when in a bad mood.
Soon, the Trail Blazers’ teammates also realized that the boss’s mood was off tonight.
In the locker room, there was an atmosphere of seriousness; no one dared to take a deep breath.
Beelman was aware of the situation, and when setting up strategies, he simply said, "Do what you need to do."
After finishing all the preparations, at 7:30 p.m., the game was about to begin.
Tonight, Gan Guoyang was still the starting center, with Jerome Kossie listed on the roster, seated on the bench as a substitute.
Mario Ely gained the coach’s trust, starting as the small forward for the fourth consecutive game.
For the Warriors, they were equally focused on this game, as it was Don Nelson’s first season coaching the team.
Before the game started, he paced the sidelines; a 2-2 start wasn’t very satisfying.
After losing to the Trail Blazers in the 1991 playoffs, Nelson’s time coaching the Lakers had come to an end.
Originally, Jerry Buss planned to remove Nelson in the mid-1991-1992 season.
But Magic Johnson’s unexpected HIV diagnosis disrupted the Lakers’ plans, and everything was postponed.
Including Nelson’s departure.
Don Nelson finished coaching the 1991-1992 season, and the Lakers lost to the Trail Blazers again.
This time, Nelson voluntarily resigned and left Los Angeles, ending his tenure with the Purple and Gold Legion.
Five seasons, one finals appearance, no championship, which was considered a decent performance for Nelson personally.
Because during his many years with the Bucks, he was always suppressed by the Celtics and 76ers, unable to reach the finals.
At least with the Lakers, he reached the finals, just one game seven win away from the championship.
But for the Lakers, this result was unacceptable.
They went from being the dominant force in the early 80s to becoming the stepping stone for the Trail Blazers in the late 80s.
Nielsen also fell out with his former friend Jerry West due to coaching the Lakers.
However, after both left the Lakers, their relationship actually improved significantly.
On Jerry West’s recommendation, Nelson came to Oakland.
Coming to the Warriors, Nielsen had greater autonomy and freedom to implement his tactical ideas.
With the Bucks, he was a defensive coach, proficient in illegal defense strategies.
At the Lakers, he adopted a balanced offense-defense approach and developed a three-guard lineup.
With the Warriors, he decided to focus entirely on offense, creating a more free and flexible system.
Facing Gan Guoyang for the jump ball was Warriors center Lister.
In past matchups with Ah Gan, he never came out on top.
However, his time on the court will not be long.
Based on the past few games, Nelson liked to only use the center briefly at the start.
Then he would bring in Tai Long Xi’er, or guards and forwards, using a small lineup to boost speed.