But New Jersey isn’t Detroit, and the Nets aren’t the Pistons.
When a successful person tries to replicate their past success in a different time and place, failure is more often the outcome.
Because success is difficult to duplicate.
Daley abandoned Fitch’s high-pressure management, hoping to be kinder to the players.
So after every grueling game, Daley would tell the players:
"Take a good rest, guys. We did well tonight."
Then, the next morning at team practice, Coleman didn’t show up.
Daley called Coleman to ask what was going on, whether he was sick.
Coleman replied: "You said yesterday that we should take a good rest. If I’m resting, why would I come to practice early in the morning?"
The argument made sense, but it was not Daley’s intention.
A misalignment in understanding is always painful for a manager.
He had experienced a similar period with the Detroit Pistons.
After four long years, Daley found his way forward.
But this time in New Jersey, will he have enough time and patience to find a new way in four to five years?
It seems unlikely, because teams always expect immediate results from renowned coaches.
That evening, the Trail Blazers faced the Nets, and against a top-tier team, the Nets played quite well initially.
Both sides were evenly matched; the Trail Blazers had strong offensive firepower but also considerable defensive weaknesses.
Especially with increasing turnovers, which gave the Nets many opportunities, resulting in a chaotic game.
Daley sighed inwardly, noting how the once disciplined, nearly flawless Trail Blazers were now leaking everywhere.
But in the critical moments of the fourth quarter, the Trail Blazers pulled away with a 14-4 offensive surge.
The trio of Gan Guoyang, Lewis, and Petrović were highly efficient offensively.
With alternating isolations, passing plays, and the space created by the Princeton System, once they exerted pressure, the Nets couldn’t hold up.
It was a difference in individual player capability; Gan Guoyang was still in stellar form, driving to the basket repeatedly in key moments to score.
This style has yet to be countered effectively by coaches in the league.
Even if there were strategies, they lacked players who could execute them well.
When Gan Guoyang focused on playing center, Daley couldn’t stop Ah Gan.
Now that this guy can play both inside and outside, he’s even harder to compete against.
After the All-Star break and adjustments, the Trail Blazers relatively easily defeated the Nets on the road.
At the end of the game, Daley shook hands and hugged Gan Guoyang.
Daley couldn’t help but exclaim, "Sonny, I never expected you to keep improving. Are you never weary?"
Gan Guoyang sensed the fatigue in Daley’s eyes and words.
He said, "I do get tired, but I’ll never show it in front of my opponents."
"Your competitive spirit is bewildering."
"Your sense of style is consistently great, Chuck!"
After the game, the Trail Blazers stayed at the hotel for the night.
Their next game was the day after tomorrow in Philadelphia, just over 80 kilometers away.
They didn’t need to rush on a flight overnight, just take a bus on the day.
So the whole team got to stay an extra night in New Jersey to rejuvenate.
The next day during the day, Gan Guoyang received a phone call from Bernard King.
He invited Gan Guoyang to his home in New Jersey for a chat with Ah Gan.
Gan Guoyang recalled the summer of 1985, when he frequently visited Bernard King’s home.
Back then, Bernard King was recovering from a devastating injury.
Gan Guoyang learned the entire reverse shooting technique from Bernard King.
This technique has been used by Gan Guoyang ever since and has been refined to perfection.
Especially King’s heel spin and the technical details of turning and jumping to shoot in mid-air.
Because of this, Gan Guoyang has the fastest spin jump shot in the league, faster than many guards and small forwards.
This is a major reason why he is so hard to defend against—a reminder that in the world of martial arts, speed conquers all.
He also absorbed Bernard King’s sweet-spot shooting experience and applied it in defense.
His astonishing no-look defense and blocking stemmed from adapting this sweet-spot experience.
In Gan Guoyang’s mind, there already exists a holographic view of the court beyond vision.
He knows what he can do in his position and anticipates what the opponent will do in theirs.
This anticipation gives Gan Guoyang an edge in speed and fluidity.
His opponents always marvel at why Ah Gan is so quick.
Body, technique, and anticipation—all are indispensable.
Bernard King was Gan Guoyang’s mentor in this regard.
Initially, Bernard King was reluctant to teach Gan Guoyang these technical details.
Because they were harsh on the knees, and in the end, King was ruined by knee injuries, falling from the peak.
But King underestimated Gan Guoyang’s physical resilience; after all these years, Gan Guoyang’s body is still in excellent shape.
Bernard King reached the peak again with the Washington Bullets, entering the finals in 1988 and the All-Star game in 1991.
That All-Star night, Bernard King told Ah Gan he had reached the Mount Everest of his basketball career.
But fate was still cruel, as reaching the summit was followed by a downward slide.
In 1991, he suffered a major knee injury again, tearing the cartilage in his right knee.
He underwent arthroscopic surgery at the hospital to repair the torn cartilage.