Chapter 1348 - 22: Wide Open Spaces (Part 5)

It’s just the first game, and then the second game is a week later. Isn’t this just handing them a win?

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers Team was brimming with morale; everyone was high-fiving Ah Gan, passing their strength to him.

As the season goes deeper, the unity and cohesion among the players grow stronger.

Gan Guoyang’s greatest success as a leader is that he always manages to keep his teammates tightly united.

This is where he excels more than Jordan, with an innate talent for political leadership, adept at rallying people’s hearts.

Gan Guoyang never bothers with empty slogans; instead, he lets every team member feel positive energy, achieving gains through unity and meeting personal needs, that’s the right way.

"If unity isn’t for the long-term benefit of everyone, but merely for certain individuals to extract collective power for their own use, then that unity is false and unsustainable."

Every player who collaborates with Gan Guoyang, even role players, lives well in the league.

European stars like Sabonis and Petrović reached heights they might have struggled to achieve on their own.

Nobody makes great sacrifices for Ah Gan; instead, everyone rallies around him, garnering more honors, stats, and economic benefits.

Tonight, everyone knew it was a good chance to establish the team’s confidence and prestige, so they were willing to let Gan Guoyang lead the attack.

With Gan Guoyang as the backbone, everyone played more freely, able to showcase more, without just being functional players.

In the second half, the third quarter, Gan Guoyang’s scoring became increasingly insane, and the Knicks couldn’t stop his hot hand.

At the start of the second half, he teamed up with PJ Brown on defense to thwart Rice’s drive.

Fast break, positioning, catching the ball, the Knicks quickly retreated on defense, surrounding the paint.

Gan Guoyang didn’t force an attack but dribbled to the baseline and opened the third quarter’s scoring spree with a mid-range shot from the sweet spot.

Next shot, receives from Van Exel at the arc top, shoots a mid-range over Kemp, scores again!

For the third, posts up at a 45-degree angle, spins to push off Kemp, moves inside, a moon-hook.

The moving hook from midrange, still makes it! This high-difficulty shot indicates he’s truly on fire.

The Knicks were caught off guard, and the lead ballooned toward 20 points, Van Gundy immediately called a short timeout to adjust.

But the timeout couldn’t snap Gan Guoyang out of his scorching form; he was using this game to rekindle his bloodthirsty desire to win.

Throughout the 1993-1994 season, and several games in the 1994-1995 season, Gan Guoyang felt he lacked that bloodlust.

He once thought he’d lost it all; with the passing of Petrović and Lewis, it was buried in the last days of spring.

After this season began, Gan Guoyang’s form returned, his physique recovered, his playing style adjusted, and his skills and condition were impeccable.

Yet he felt something was missing; he even complained that his game felt a bit different from before, like having form but lacking spirit.

Now, thanks to Van Gundy, thanks to him representing those who dared to provoke him, Gan Guoyang found his anger on the court again.

After the timeout ended, the Knicks couldn’t find a way to stop Gan Guoyang from scoring, surely they used a double team, even three defenders.

But Gan Guoyang still managed to score difficult shots over the defense, he was completely unleashed, it was futile to defend him, even with five defenders, there were still open shots.

In one, Gan Guoyang received the ball at the baseline, faced with a triple team, it was a trap set by the Knicks’ defense.

Even so, in a cramped space, Gan Guoyang still found a shooting chance, forcing a shot and scoring!

Kobe stood at the arc top, hands raised, demanding the ball, but watched as it headed not for him but the basket.

When the high-arched ball swished through the center of the hoop, the entire Rose Garden Arena was unimaginably boiling.

Championships might be important, but the spectacular performances during regular season games are also a feast for Portland fans on any given day.

They’ve been enjoying this for years, and now, that feeling is back. They yelled at Van Gundy, "He should be back! He should be!"

When in the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang received the ball low, turned and hooked to reach 50 points, the arena erupted with Queen’s "We Will Rock You!"

The Rose Garden is the only arena in the league where fans will all sing together at games. By then, Van Gundy’s face couldn’t have looked worse; it was ashen.

Bird called a timeout on purpose to let Gan Guoyang bask in the fans’ cheers, truly welcoming their king’s return.

Gan Guoyang walked over to the Knicks’ bench, Van Gundy stared at him, ready for humiliation.

But Gan Guoyang smiled and said, "Thank you for giving me a chance to show myself, thank you." And then he walked back.

Van Gundy took a long sigh of relief, he was so tense his heart almost pounded out of his chest. He truly didn’t dare to provoke Ah Gan again.

[Game over, big win by 21 points.

My son scored 50 points, and Coach Bird subbed him out for a rest.

He deserves a break, make sure to get him some good food tonight, don’t forget.

Also, won 200 bucks, don’t forget to collect, remember.]

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