That guy Larry, in three years of coaching, how many critical moments have been turned around by Gan?
Why do I have to think so much about these things? Carl felt he was really foolish, really naive.
Carl indeed was a bit naive. During his time as an assistant coach, he focused on offensive tactics without realizing that as the NBA’s head coach, tactics are supplemental; knowing how to utilize players and resources effectively is key.
He hadn’t truly stepped out of the assistant coach’s role, hadn’t completed the mental transition.
Once I got my mind clear, things indeed became simpler.
However, Carl was rather diplomatic, using Kobe, hinting at Gan a little, and then eased into a favorable position.
This move was somewhat juvenile, Gan Guoyang could see through it, but he didn’t mind, as their ideas aligned.
With the return of two star players, the Trail Blazers maintained their original starting lineup.
Yet Carl specially instructed Alan Henderson to put more effort into his defense.
Henderson, who frequently played power forward during his time with the Hawks, had decent interior defense skills.
Henderson realized that tonight Gan was going to go all out, and ball possession should be handed over to Gan.
On the other side, the Utah Jazz team remained the same. Since reaching their peak in 1997 and 1998, they inevitably started to decline.
Malone, 36, Stockton, 37, Hornersek, 36, had all entered the twilight of their careers.
However, the trio maintained their form quite well, with very minimal decline.
Malone this season remained an All-Star caliber player, averaging 25+9, quite stable.
Thanks to long-term commitment to fitness and good living habits, his competitive level was significantly higher than Charles Barkley, Ewing, Olajuwon, David Robinson, a group of interior players whose draft rankings and talent once surpassed his, making him the era’s second-best veteran interior player, only after Gan.
There’s no denying, time is indeed a terrifying yet wonderful thing. It’s so fair; whatever you put in, squander, or waste, it records every bit without missing a single trace.
And Stockton and Hornersek, two white outside players not heavily dependent on athleticism, also maintained excellent game conditions.
Stockton was even better than in 1998, as injuries had plagued him then, and his performance wasn’t great.
This season, he continued to maintain a quasi-star level with stats of 12+8 as an outside player, and it’s likely he could continue for a few more seasons given his condition.
Hornersek, similarly, only got better with age. His outside shooting accuracy markedly improved: this season, his free-throw percentage reached an astonishing 95%, and his three-point percentage hit 47.8%.
Bear in mind that when he first entered the League, Hornersek was a traditional white guard who couldn’t shoot threes.
In the Trail Blazers’ rookie training camp, Gan Guoyang pushed Hornersek to practice threes, ending up practicing for an entire career.
By his career’s end, you could say he mastered the technique, becoming nearly perfect in shooting accuracy, averaging 12 points per game, showcasing scoring explosiveness in key matches.
What’s most commendable is that the three veterans had extremely healthy bodies, maintaining very high appearances, rarely missing games, diligently completing each match like clocking in at work.
This made them a respected spectacle in the NBA in the late 90s, a unique benchmark in the NBA, a rare example of old-school basketball endurance under the glitzy commercial league.
There’s no helping it; Salt Lake City was too remote, and any star player with some talent and ability didn’t willingly come here to play.
The Jazz team could only use these dedicated veterans to the fullest, until they couldn’t run or play any longer.
Gan Guoyang was happy to see old friends Stockton and Hornersek on the court again. For him, every game with them was one less game to play together.
Especially Hornersek, who might retire after this season, while Gan Guoyang could also leave the NBA after finishing this season.
Once Hornersek retires and Gan Guoyang retires, Stockton will continue to fight alone on the court for the championship.
"I’m not like you guys; I still don’t have a championship ring." Stockton joked with Gan Guoyang and Hornersek.
Before the game officially started, the three gathered for a chat.
"If you’d come to the Trail Blazers earlier, I’d already have a championship." Gan Guoyang still said persistently to Stockton.
"I’m not like Charles either." Stockton said, glancing at Barkley who was daydreaming on the bench.
The three exchanged a few more pleasantries, bumped fists, and prepared to start the game.
Karl Malone watched the three talking from the side, unable to join in naturally.
Although he was teammates with Stockton and Hornersek and had a good relationship, he couldn’t compare to Ah Gan when it came to the strength of their bond.
This continued to be a sore point for Malone because Stockton and Hornersek each won championships with Gan, both the NCAA championship and NBA championship, which were very significant honors.
Malone had won an Olympic gold medal together with Stockton, yet that belonged to the Dream Team’s collective stars, not the product of their collaboration.
Therefore, their ties were always somewhat less, their relationship always a layer thinner due to the lack of exclusive championship memories.
Additionally, Gan Guoyang had consistently been at odds with Malone, both on and off the court, with constant confrontations which Malone couldn’t best Gan Guoyang at, leaving him undeniably frustrated.