Chapter 675 - 55 Disaster Curse_3

He enjoyed seeing the pain and wails of the arrogant fans after defeating an opponent; it was the driving force and nourishment that kept him moving forward.

Although the Celtics were generally aging, with Parrish already at 36 years old, their strength this year should not be underestimated.

After the 1988 season ended, KC-Jones left the coaching position, and assistant coach Jimmy Rodgers took over.

Upon taking office, Rodgers adopted the strategy of "following the set path", and as the assistant coach under KC-Jones, he kept the core lineup mostly unchanged, making only minor adjustments.

The Celtics had a core lineup that had already won championships and had been honed for many years, with a very high level of understanding.

Last season, due to Bird’s injury, the Celtics only managed 42 wins.

This season, with Bird back from injury and in good form, the Celtics returned to their smooth and fluid offensive play.

Amidst the league-wide trend of slowing down, playing positional battles, and hero-centric basketball, the Celtics continued to adhere to their basketball philosophy.

Relying on quick offense and seamless team coordination, they had the league’s highest average assists per game, at 29.5, which speaks volumes about their level of coordination.

It can be said that NBA basketball trends continuously change with the times, and while the Celtics will adapt as a team, the core essence of their basketball, rooted in Auerbach’s management, has never changed—always prioritizing team play. To date, they have not had a single scoring champion and are not expected to have one for a long time to come.

However, in this game, Gan Guoyang once again showed the fans at the Boston Garden that historical trends do not shift according to the will of a few individuals.

No matter how fluid the Celtics’ offense, how synergistic their passes, or how sharp their fast breaks, the Trail Blazers quietly wore down the Celtics with their positional game.

In the first and second quarters, the Celtics could still keep up the pace and even create some mini runs, momentarily gaining the upper hand.

But by the third quarter, the Trail Blazers’ offense became increasingly smooth, Gan Guoyang fully unleashed his capabilities, sharply hitting five mid-range shots in a row.

After breaking through with mid-range shots, Gan Guoyang continued to attack the basket, scoring consecutively with hooks from both sides, with Parrish visibly aging in front of him.

Gan Guoyang scored 27 points in a single quarter, going 11-for-12 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, displaying his explosive scoring ability dramatically.

In the face of this offensive efficiency, the Celtics could no longer resist, even though Bird scored 31 points and McHale added 22 points, they could not prevent the gap from widening.

Gan Guoyang scored a total of 65 points for the game, achieving his first 60+ of the season, and giving the Celtics an extra push on their downward path.

After a quiet performance in November, December, and January, Gan Guoyang, following the All-Star game, finally revealed his sharp and fierce side. This 65-point game also indicated that the Trail Blazers were officially entering the latter half of the season, actively preparing for the playoffs.

["The reason the Celtics have never had a scoring champion is that they were not fortunate enough to select either me or Michael; otherwise, this record would have been broken long ago."

"So, it’s a curse of misfortune."]

————2025, authored by Wu Zhixiong, excerpt from "The Story of Ah Gan."