Gan Guoyang's return to Portland for a game ended in an unexpected manner, with an unexpected result.
After the game, Gan Guoyang came out of the locker room for an interview, and faced with reporters' questions, he remained silent for a long time.
After a while, he said: "This feeling is too complex, hard to put into words."
At the post-game press conference, when asked why he didn't take the shot himself in the final play, Gan Guoyang said: "I completely respect the coach's arrangement, it has nothing to do with who the opponent is. I was the third option in this tactical setup and a point of defensive attraction. The Glory Team is a collective, we all completed our tasks, and I am proud of them."
Throughout the game, Gan Guoyang scored 44 points, once again dominating the court.
However, even with such a splendid performance, the Glory Team only won by one point, needing a buzzer-beater to secure the victory.
If he had been less efficient, not as terrifyingly high-performance, the Glory Team wouldn't have been able to beat the Trail Blazers.
The Trail Blazers' defense, under Rick Carlisle's guidance, indeed reached a very high level.
Once an offensive team, now adapting to a defensive strategy, it proves that Carlisle is a highly adaptable coach.
The ability to excel in both offense and defense shows that Carlisle has the potential to become a great coach.
On the night of the game, the Glory Team flew away from Portland back to Las Vegas.
Gan Guoyang took leave to stay in Portland, and the next day had dinner with Bird, Carlisle, and other old friends from the Trail Blazers Team.
To avoid media disturbance, they chose a very low-key Chinese restaurant, where everyone gathered to have a small drink.
Bird's hair was sparser, and the wrinkles on his face were more than when he first arrived in Portland, showing that working in management is as grueling as coaching.
In 2000, when Gan Guoyang retired with a group of veterans, it led to half of the Trail Blazers' championship lineup collapsing.
Over the past two seasons, Larry Bird has been working tirelessly, trying to reassemble a championship-level roster for the Trail Blazers through drafts and free agency.
"Larry, you look much older. I left you such a good young roster, how come you still can't beat the Lakers?"
"Then you might as well not retire and keep playing, wouldn't that be better? Who knew you'd run off to Las Vegas!"
Bird continued to complain, as after Gan Guoyang retired, he found working in Portland less enjoyable and fulfilling.
Phil Knight, controlling the Nike Group, bought the Trail Blazers, and although they promised to entrust all basketball operations to Bird without interference,
as the largest shoe brand in America, Nike couldn't possibly not get involved.
Initially, after Ah Gan retired, Bird wanted to elevate Little O'neal, making him parallel with Kobe.
As powerful as Kobe is, sharp as a knife, his overly edgy personality isn't quite suited to be the team's leader.
In comparison, Little O'neal is more harmonious, and how he blends with Little O'neal would benefit the team's management.
As for the locker room, Bird hoped that Ben Wallace could become the locker room leader and defensive leader, as he possesses a streetwise bravado, best suited for interacting with other Black players.
Under Bird's balance strategy, Kobe would focus on playing, Big Ben on defense and controlling the locker room, and Little O'neal serving as a balance, creating a very stable triangle.
The three of them all joined the NBA in 1996, providing a good relationship foundation, allowing the team to maintain a good atmosphere and stay competitive for a long time.
However, Nike didn't see it that way; they believed Kobe had to be the team's leader.
Because Kobe has high popularity, can sell shoes, and has high commercial value.
The sneakers and merchandise sold by Big Ben and Little O combined aren't even half as much as Kobe's.
Now, Nike is focused on elevating Kobe to the level of a top star in the league and, after his Adidas contract expires, capturing Kobe under the Nike banner, further exploiting his commercial value.
In the NBA, business certainly outweighs basketball, so Bird's idea of a "three-headed monster" was vetoed.
Kobe was established as the heir of Portland after Ah Gan, being the leader both on and off the court, with everything centered around him.
Kobe's on-court skills are indeed not an issue, but in terms of personality, controlling the locker room, and relationships with teammates, he lags far behind Gan Guoyang.
While having dinner with Gan Guoyang, Bird couldn't help but complain: "Aside from basketball, Kobe is an asshole, I'm cleaning up after him every day."
Gan Guoyang laughed and said: "Come on, Larry, in the NBA, aside from basketball, who isn't an asshole?"
Bird nodded and said: "You're right, you're the number one asshole. Aren't you going around telling people you've declined to become Larry Bird?"
Gan Guoyang replied confidently: "Larry, look at it differently, it should be 'Larry Bird finally caught up with Ah Gan'. Doesn't that sound much better?"
"Fack, fack you, Sonny, you really are an asshole. But I also genuinely envy you, being able to still play."
"I'm grateful for it, truly. This season, many of my ideas have changed, I still want to win and get the championship. But as long as I can stay on the court, compete, watch my teammates grow, and the team get better, I feel fulfilled and happy."
"Because you're old, Sonny. You know, I used to hate kids. But now, when I drive by a school and see kids playing and kicking a ball in the schoolyard, I actually feel peace and joy inside."
They reminisced about many past events and helped Carlisle analyze the team's current situation, providing some advice.