Tonight, what truly defeated the Trail Blazers was still the Bulls’ offense. Their defense couldn’t restrain Gan, but their offense indeed made Gan Guoyang overwhelmed.
When the game ended and the two sides shook hands and hugged, Gan Guoyang praised Jordan, "Michael, in tonight’s game, I feel your offensive level is already close to ninety percent of my peak. You’re really incredible."
Jordan rolled his eyes at Gan Guoyang and said, "Shut up, Sonny, leave Chicago right away. I don’t want to hear you anymore."
Gan Guoyang said, "I’m being sincere! Okay, I’ll increase it a bit, ninety-five percent, but no more. You’ll always be five percent short of me."
Jordan perked up and said, "You’re talking nonsense, Sonny. Tell me where I’m always five percent short of you."
"It’s simple, two aspects: first, your three-point shooting; second, your stamina. These two are determining gaps. However, your rhythm and participation are getting better and better, much better than in early years. It’s really tough dealing with you."
Jordan hated when Gan Guoyang pointed down at him like a senior.
Every time Ah Gan did this, Jordan had the urge to beat him up.
But firstly, he couldn’t win, and secondly, if he chewed it over, he’d find Ah Gan made sense.
Gan Guoyang’s proficiency in three-point shooting indeed far exceeded others, his foresight was astonishing.
Jordan was a bit late in this regard. If he had developed his three-point shooting earlier in the ’80s, the results of the two finals might have changed.
Against others, Jordan didn’t need three-pointers, but against Ah Gan, the efficiency gap caused by three-pointers was part of that five percent.
As for stamina, Jordan admitted that Ah Gan was the ceiling in league history, a perpetual motion machine in the arena.
To make Ah Gan tired, it would certainly not be one game, it would take the grind of an entire season to trip him up once.
Ah Gan’s words once again struck a chord with Jordan. He realized that Ah Gan was still the person who understood him best in this world.
Although their relationship was no longer as close as when they were younger, their mutual understanding and respect still maintained a subtle feeling.
Gan Guoyang was right, Jordan’s investment in offense was actually more than in the ’80s, more steady, more detailed.
Although his scoring had decreased, and the frenzied scoring performances had also decreased, his offensive involvement was higher than in the past.
His sense of proportion, his choice between passing and shooting, his judgment of the situation, all reached a higher level.
When a spectator watched video footage of Jordan’s games in the ’80s, they could quickly spot Jordan on the court. This guy had a high recognition factor.
He was one frame faster than others, and his range of motion, between moving and still, was large. The audience would quickly notice this distinctive guy.
But when time moved to the ’90s, especially after 1994, with clearer NBA broadcasts and more close-up shots.
Audiences found it not as easy to spot Jordan. If they were watching a somewhat indistinct videotape, they might watch for quite a while without noticing where Jordan was.
One reason was that Jordan’s explosion and speed slightly declined, but even after the decline, he was still the fastest, most explosive black panther in the league.
The real reason was that as a scoring core with super strong personal ability, he could perfectly integrate into the team offense.
His integration was not at the expense of sacrificing his own shot rights, but by keeping every shot in sync with the team offensive rhythm.
This was something that the vast majority of solo experts in the NBA couldn’t achieve. Many solo players, when they began to score, it was when the team offense became disjointed.
Ah Gan could say such things not only because he knew Jordan well but also because he had long reached such a realm.
Jordan looked at Gan Guoyang and said, "Sonny, tell me, have you been to a higher place?"
Gan Guoyang shrugged and said, "Of course. But not now. I’m almost declining to your level, and that makes me anxious."
"..."
Jordan didn’t intend to continue this topic with Ah Gan, saying, "See you at the All-Star. And, I will reach a higher place, stepping on your head to get there."
The two old friends patted each other’s butts, ending their regular-season clash.
This season, if the two were to continue their on-court battle, it would have to wait until the finals.
However, before that, there was the 1997 All-Star Game, where they could represent the Western and Eastern Conference teams for an All-Star exhibition game.
The 1997 All-Star venue was selected in Cleveland. The last time Cleveland hosted an All-Star Game was in 1981, the era when Dr. J and Jabbar reigned the court, Ah Gan and Jordan hadn’t yet entered the league.
Now, 15 years later, on the occasion of the NBA’s 50th anniversary, a significant time point, the All-Star Game returns to this city cursed in the history of professional sports.
Leaving Chicago to return to Portland, Gan Guoyang gave himself a two-day break for some simple rest, and on February 7th, he headed to Cleveland with his family to participate in the 11th All-Star Game of his life.
Before setting off, Wang Fuxi stood at the dressing table, continuously changing her jewelry and outfit, trying to make herself look beautiful and noticeable but not overly overshadowed.
She also needed to choose two suitable outfits, which had to meet the same requirements.
Just as the highest praise for desserts in China is "not too sweet," Wang Fuxi was trying to find a balance point. As the wife of the All-Star vote king, returning to the All-Star stage, she couldn’t embarrass her husband, but she also couldn’t steal too much of the spotlight.