Petrović had just finished a call and seeing Reggie, he smiled as well.
"Hey, Pete, want to go for a walk?" Lewis invited, and Petrović agreed.
After collaborating for three seasons, their relationship seemed finally ready to take a big step forward.
Socially, they were both quiet and introverted, not quick to make friends.
But after spending a long period of time together in plain acquaintance, at some point, relationships can undergo a qualitative change.
"Can’t sleep?" Petrović asked.
"Yeah, I’m feeling a bit stuffy and want to get some fresh air."
"Stuffy, I think you should see a doctor,"
Petrović advised Lewis, but Lewis didn’t take it to heart.
They both grabbed umbrellas and strolled casually near the hotel.
The rain made the air very fresh, and Petrović had many questions lingering from the plane that still troubled him.
They chatted about various things and shared interesting stories from the past, discovering a pleasant rapport with each other.
They often laughed aloud, releasing the pressure before the finals in this way.
As they were about to return to the hotel, Lewis felt much better, and Petrović suddenly asked him, "Reggie, would you like to always play in Portland? To be Ah Gan’s sidekick? Or, like Drexler, leave one day to play for a team of your own."
Lewis pondered for a moment as rain pattered on the umbrella, and Petrović waited for his answer.
"I... Of course, I’ve thought about leaving."
Petrović was startled; he had thought Lewis was content with the status quo, wanting to stay in Portland.
"What player doesn’t want to have their own team, to be the leader, to become a hero? The NBA is a battlefield for heroes, everyone carries the dream of success and fame, you’re the same, right, Pete?"
Petrović nodded.
Lewis continued, "I really admire you, Pete. At the start of the season, you talked about wanting to win ’MVP,’ and everyone learned about it later. Some wanted to mock you, but I truly admire you, for daring to speak your mind. There’s no fault in that. Plus, you’ve been playing really well; if you were on another team, you might just become the core."
For the first time, Petrović realized that was what Lewis thought.
He was deeply moved and asked, "But what about Ah Gan?"
Lewis laughed heartily and said, "Pete, how can you ask such a ridiculous question? Ah Gan remains Ah Gan regardless of who leaves. He has already proven that with a new batch of teammates, he’s still the king. The gap between us and him is too great, there’s no need to worry about him."
These words made a lot of sense, and Petrović felt a sudden clarity.
However, he still said, "Ah Gan is a good leader."
Lewis nodded, "His charm is unmatched. It’s not a bad idea to stay as his partner. After all, facing him as an opponent is terrifying. But still, one must fight for what they want, there’s no shame in that. Haven’t you imagined, in your mind, the scene where you outplay Ah Gan?"
Petrović laughed, "Of course I have, every day, almost achieved it at the Olympics but still lost."
"I’ve thought about it too, I want to score 50 points on him."
"I want to score 60 points!"
"Clyde once said he wanted to score 70."
"That’s a bit crazy; we’re just daydreaming, but he actually dared to say it out loud."
The two laughed happily together again, while Gan Guoyang was sound asleep in his room, replenishing his energy.
He had no idea that the team’s two most capable assistants were making fun of him.
Even if he knew, Gan Guoyang wouldn’t mind. Humans aren’t machines; they have emotions and self-awareness.
For a perpetually champion-winning, exhausted team, poking fun at the leader isn’t such a bad thing.
It shows that the team is in a relatively relaxed and natural state.
The time for the first game of the finals was set for June 6th, and on the 7th and 8th, the Trail Blazers conducted simple tactical training and shooting practice in Miami’s training facility.
Beelman looked clearly sleep-deprived; he had spared no effort for the first two games, watching so many videos that his eyes were almost blind and doing so much data that he was confused, with his mind full of tables.
During the tactical meeting, Beelman set the goal for the first two games of the finals, "Let’s aim to win a road game in Miami and seize the home court advantage."
Gan Guoyang stood up to correct him, "Not just one, both. We have to win both."
The coaching staff fell silent; was Ah Gan really that confident?
"For some of our players, it’s the seventh finals; if we can’t show some dominance in the early games, our experience is truly wasted."
"Also, compared to home games, I prefer playing on the road. We are more focused and have always been good at winning away. Plus, Bobby, you’ve probably done a lot of preparation, right? Why suddenly so unsure, only aiming to win one road game?"
Beelman shrugged, "You know me, I’m always cautious. Alright, alright, damn it, we’ll take both road games, Fxxxxxxxxxxx...!"
The fired-up head coach performed a piece of American fast rap, and the team’s atmosphere gradually heated up.
After practice, Beelman found Ah Gan and said, "You really know how to stir things up, is the morale not high enough?"
Gan Guoyang replied, "Miami’s morale is definitely stronger, so we must strike early. I don’t want the series dragging on too long, as that won’t be good for us."