Now that the two teams meet in the knockout stage, it's bound to be another fierce battle, and both sides will definitely give it their all.
After the quarterfinals ended, Gan Guoyang returned to the hotel to rest, and the idea of forming a team in Las Vegas lingered in his mind.
If it were to be implemented, preparations should be made early. Forming a team is not an easy task.
The NBA today is different from the 60s and 70s. Back then, an NBA team consisted of seven or eight people setting up an office, recruiting a batch of players, driving a bus to pick them up for games, selling enough tickets, and doing some promotion, and the team was considered established and could run steadily.
Nowadays, forming a team in the NBA is undoubtedly a capital game, requiring a huge amount of funding and professionals, involving all aspects of social operations.
Gan Guoyang had personally witnessed how the once simple and humble Portland Trail Blazers were gradually eroded by capital to become a cold, large-scale entertainment and cultural company.
Of course, Gan Guoyang played a part in fueling this process, as he alone fed the Portland Trail Blazers into America's most successful professional sports team and the most lucrative capital beast.
Now, if you want to form and operate a team, you need at least billions of US Dollars, a wealth of network resources, and social connections; otherwise, you can't manage it at all.
Money is not a problem for Gan Guoyang; he's wealthy himself, and if he wants to form a consortium, investors willing to join would line up from Portland to Los Angeles.
The key issue remains people. Forming a team requires professional talent. The composition of an NBA team now is too complex, and the division of labor is very meticulous.
Guoyang thought of how Pat Riley, when forming the Miami Heat, constantly poached people from Portland, certainly due to the lack of professional talent.
"If I set up a team, I'd poach people from the Heat, let Riley taste what it's like to have someone poach his talent," Gan Guoyang was already plotting revenge on Riley.
As for the other details of building the team, who cares, when the car reaches the mountain, there'll be a road. Just push forward, talk, and there will certainly be solutions.
Gan Guoyang has a great trait: he thinks less and does more. After encountering a problem, he first thinks of a solution, then goes to fix it immediately.
Not trying to think of a solution first, then hesitating and procrastinating, only acting when a perfect, thorough result is in sight.
After deciding to poach from Riley, Gan Guoyang immediately made a long-distance call from Sydney back to America, contacting the former Trail Blazers general manager, now the Miami Heat's HR director, Stu-Inman.
After Riley poached Inman, he worked until the 1995 season, retiring after Riley led the Heat to a championship.
He returned to Portland, back to Lake Oswego, where he worked at a high school as an assistant coach, helping to develop high school basketball players and pass the time in his later years.
Although he left the Heat, many of the current high-level executives in the Heat's management were promoted during Inman's time as HR director, and Inman was their old leader.
In Portland, it was just after 5 AM, and Inman had just woken up and was about to get out of bed when a phone call almost gave him a heart attack.
He thought there was an emergency in the community or school, but when he answered, it was Ah Gan?! Why was this guy calling?
"Oh my God, Sonny, is that you? What's up, do you want to come coach at Lake Oswego High School? You're welcome."
"No way, I'm not suited to coaching high school basketball; I'd go crazy. Stu, how have you been lately? How's your health?"
The two exchanged greetings, Inman being older, chatted for quite a while with his old friend who called.
Although he "betrayed" the Trail Blazers for the Heat back then, Inman always hoped deep down that Gan Guoyang would do well and become the greatest player.
Later, witnessing Gan Guoyang atop history, becoming undoubtedly the number one in history, satisfied and calmed him, so he was happy to engage in basketball education at a high school.
After reminiscing for a while, Inman asked why Gan Guoyang was calling, and Gan Guoyang got straight to the point, asking if Inman could recommend any talent in team management.
"If they're currently working in the NBA, especially with the Miami Heat, that would be ideal."
Inman, though 74, had a sharp ear and immediately caught the meaning in Gan Guoyang's words.
"What's up, Sonny, you're thinking about forming a new team?"
"That's the idea. I wanted to hear your opinion."
Gan Guoyang initially just wanted to consult Inman regarding the Heat's HR, but now he'd listen to Inman's broader insights.
When the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970, Inman was one of the founders, worked as a scout, coach, and eventually became general manager.
With unparalleled experience and understanding on how to build, shape and develop a team.
Hearing Gan Guoyang's ambitions, Inman immediately perked up, got up, and started discussing with Gan Guoyang.
It had been 30 years since 1970, and the NBA had transformed significantly, but some fundamentals remained unchanged.
Inman suggested a few valuable pointers: firstly, find a reliable financial worker to manage and account for all funds.
