At the post-game press conference, Rick Carlisle jokingly said, "Sonny said before the game that he wanted to get a triple-double with 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. Unfortunately, he failed to accomplish it, so I’m fining him 500 bucks."
Gan Guoyang, who was also at the press conference, laughed along.
It seems that Carlisle is adapting well to his role as acting head coach.
On the other hand, Pat Riley was very dissatisfied with the team’s performance.
Although he didn’t criticize Barkley by name at the press conference, he expressed his dissatisfaction.
Soon after, news came from the Heat that Riley had suspended Barkley for one game.
Furthermore, Riley demanded that Barkley must lose weight, bringing his weight down to around 280 pounds.
However, Barkley’s big mouth couldn’t submit easily. He immediately voiced through media channels, saying, "I came to the Heat to play basketball and win championships, not to be tortured! Clyde and I are both getting old, and we need some protection in training and games, not more stringent demands!"
Riley responded by saying, "For more money, you should be held to higher standards."
Barkley: "I didn’t fucking get that much money!"
Barkley’s salary this season was only 2.25 million US Dollars, even less than Pippen.
After Olajuwon and Riley clashed and Olajuwon left, Barkley’s days with the Heat wouldn’t last long either.
During his suspension, Barkley didn’t focus on losing weight, but instead drowned himself in alcohol, drinking constantly.
Professional athletes are very susceptible to addiction to drugs and alcohol, one reason being the lifestyle and social circle, and another significant reason being the physical pain and mental stress caused by professional sports, forcing them to numb themselves with drugs and alcohol.
Not everyone is Ah Gan, possessing the physical attributes of a Bionic Man and endless stamina.
Barkley once said that from the moment he walked into the basketball training hall, injuries have been his constant companion.
Injuries accumulate over time, and for most veterans with more than ten years in the NBA, their bodies have suffered from head to toe.
From major ligament and bone injuries to minor bruises, strains, and contusions, they’ve had countless injuries.
A successful athlete is inevitably covered in scars; some have no choice but to live on pain relievers.
Alcohol and painkillers perform much the same role, and after the NBA cracked down on banned substances, legal alcohol became a refuge for many players.
Currently in this league, players addicted to alcohol are numerous, and one can even smell the alcohol on some players during games.
On the Trail Blazers’ side, Mu Lin and Brellock are players troubled by alcohol addiction, which worries the Trail Blazers’ management.
General Manager Buckwalter has been closely monitoring the off-court activities of Mu Lin and Brellock, hoping they don’t easily succumb to the intoxication of alcohol.
However, compared to the intoxication of alcohol, the intoxication of winning is even more addictive, but Mu Lin and Brellock have experienced too few victories.
The Trail Blazers easily overpowered the Heat in the first game to secure their first win of the season, and the team’s atmosphere was light and joyful.
With the head coach absent, everything ran smoothly because of Ah Gan’s presence.
Gan Guoyang’s return not only affected the team atmosphere but even made their November schedule much lighter.
In the 1996-1997 season, when Gan Guoyang returned, the league wasn’t adequately prepared, giving them a very tough November schedule.
Gan Guoyang complained a lot, and by the 1997-1998 season, the Trail Blazers’ November schedule had become easier.
In a month, there are 14 games, with 12 at home and only 2 on the road, one in Phoenix and one in Seattle, with no Eastern Conference road trip.
Such a schedule was undoubtedly friendly to a veteran team like the Trail Blazers, especially giving Larry Bird enough rest and rehabilitation time.
With strong support coming in, veterans returning, and young players growing, the Trail Blazers started the season like a juggernaut.
Defeating the Heat in the first game was just a small test. In the second game against their old rival, the Seattle Supersonics on the road, the Trail Blazers revealed their sharpness.
The Supersonics were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round last year, their cleverness was too clever by half. As Ewing ages, the Supersonics’ morale and combat power are declining.
Of course, as long as Ewing and Payton are present, they remain a strong Western Conference team. After all, just over a year ago, they were back-to-back Western Conference champions, still with strong foundations.
Moreover, compared to other teams, the Supersonics have always been the most frenzied and headache-inducing team, with their defense, home-court fervor, and dark green environment always making opponents uncomfortable.
However, in this game, the Trail Blazers firmly suppressed the Supersonics with steady offense, maintaining a lead of more than 5 points from the first minute of the first quarter.
The Supersonics’ strong biting defense and scrappy play seemed futile in the face of the Trail Blazers’ smooth and quick offense.
They dealt the Supersonics a 35:23 in the first quarter, scoring over 30 points in a single quarter, and achieved a double-digit lead.
George Karl was obviously bewildered by the Trail Blazers’ incredibly smooth offense, and he hadn’t prepared for it at all before the game.
Throughout the off-season, Karl was busy disputing and negotiating his contract renewal with the Supersonics management.
He sensed that his days in Seattle were numbered; no feast can last forever. Though Karl led the Supersonics to great heights, making a substantial breakthrough was difficult, and changing the head coach while the core players still had some power remaining was a common tactic.