The globally watched Christmas showdown has concluded.
The Portland Trail Blazers left Chicago unscathed, clinching victory and extending the team’s winning streak.
consecutive victories! The Trail Blazers continue moving forward in their quest for unbeaten dominance.
After the game, back in the locker room, Larry Bird told the players, "Forget this moment, forget wins and losses, Merry Christmas to everyone!"
Everyone had a simple Christmas celebration in the locker room. It was now past six in the evening, and they would be going to the airport soon to fly back to Portland, which would be quite late.
As victories pile up, the atmosphere in the Trail Blazers’ locker room is harmonious and relaxed. Everyone is united with a common goal, and the camaraderie is increasingly strong.
Gan Guoyang invited everyone to his house on December 31st for New Year’s Eve. 1997 was coming to an end, and 1998 was about to arrive.
Back in Portland, during the last few games of 1997, no team was able to stop the Trail Blazers.
On the 27th and 29th, they consecutively defeated the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat at home, achieving a 30-game winning streak!
This was the second team to break the consecutive win record of 30 games, following the Lakers in the 1972 season.
On that day, Sports Illustrated published an article titled "Who Will Defeat the Portland Trail Blazers and Ah Gan."
In the 1997 part of the 1997-1998 season, the Trail Blazers were undefeated, winning each game with ease.
Including the formidable Chicago Bulls, no team could narrow the score gap to within 8 points.
The article stated, "The Portland Trail Blazers led by Ah Gan have entered a new realm. They aren’t playing the same basketball as other teams."
"It’s hard to believe that after the 1996 Chicago Bulls, we could encounter such a team. Although discussing results is still premature, I really can’t imagine who can defeat the Portland Trail Blazers."
Who can defeat the Portland Trail Blazers? This is the question everyone is concerned about. Anyway, no one could take them down in 1997.
December 31st passed, and it’s now 1998. A new year has arrived.
The world continues to move forward amidst change and turbulence, not stopping for anyone or anything.
The Trail Blazers’ winning streak goes on, while the financial crisis in Asia is brewing new storms.
People across the Southeast Asia region have taken unprecedented interest in the basketball league across the ocean.
Everyone knows that the Trail Blazers can’t keep winning forever, just like stocks won’t always rise.
Even the best stock has days when it falls because there will always be a price at which there are more sellers than buyers.
Similarly, there will always be a game where the Trail Blazers can’t perform perfectly.
This is the NBA, not the NCAA, where there are fewer games, more rest, and lower-level teams than the NBA.
The last team in NCAA history to win all games and take the final championship was led by Gan Guoyang in 1984 at Gonzaga University.
You see, it’s related to Ah Gan again; when it comes to records of victory in basketball, his name is always there.
On January 1st, the Trail Blazers were challenged by the Utah Jazz on the road, which is an obstacle on the path to setting records.
Last season, the Trail Blazers fell at the Western Conference Finals, losing to the Jazz and missing the chance to challenge the Bulls in the Finals.
This season, the Jazz continued the strong momentum from last season, remaining the biggest enemy of the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference.
A year older, Karl Malone hasn’t regressed. His form this season is even better than last season.
In the summer, he continued his decade-long routine of muscle training and slightly increased his weight to further enhance his defensive capabilities.
However, Stockton’s form showed signs of decline, as he began to be plagued by injuries and age.
Last season, Stockton lost the assist title he had held for nine consecutive years.
This season, due to injury problems, Stockton missed all the games in November.
In 1997, the number of games Stockton missed exceeded the total number from his previous 13 seasons combined.
The 35-year-old Stockton realized that he was heading into a turning point in his career, and a decline would be inevitable.
This hurdle isn’t something everyone can easily overcome, not even Stockton.
Therefore, this season Stockton’s desire for the championship is exceptionally intense, knowing his opportunities are dwindling.
Watching his good friend Ah Gan return, cobbling together a few strong veterans, their fighting strength reaches for the stratosphere.
Stockton felt anxious and powerless.
But unlike Jordan, Stockton had a consolation: he had defeated Ah Gan in the playoffs.
Last December, when Stockton returned to play, Karl Malone led the team through November, and the Jazz still maintained a high winning percentage.
Tonight, both teams were at full strength, and all of Salt Lake City hoped to end the Trail Blazers’ winning streak.
The Triangle Center was just as noisy and clamorous as last summer, causing headaches.
But tonight, the entire Trail Blazers team was extremely calm, with victory after victory filling everyone with confidence.
The impact of confidence is positive; in the first quarter, the Trail Blazers performed excellently, continually hitting outside shots.
Mu Lin and Brellock made five three-pointers in the first quarter, shooting confidently from beyond the arc.
Because inside, Gan Guoyang could fight well for rebounds, something that troubled the Jazz.
Gan Guoyang was clearly playing with anger in this game; last season’s Western Finals loss to the Jazz made him very upset.
Since it wasn’t playoff time yet, he was naturally looking for opportunities to vent during the regular season.