Chapter 691: 60 Chapters Joker_2
An NBA player who hasn’t been tested in the playoffs can hardly be considered a truly strong player, and his stats and honors won’t be truly recognized.
For the Trail Blazers, although they achieved a record of 69 wins, a group of young players are still facing their first ever playoffs baptism.
The Eastern European trio, Cliff-Robinson, Anthony Mason, and others, are diligently preparing before the playoffs begin.
Petrović spends these two days immersing himself in the gym, hoping to improve his physical confrontation ability slightly.
It is said that the level of physical confrontation in the playoffs is completely different from the regular season, and if one cannot adapt to the intensity, the performance can be dismal.
Training alongside Petrović is Anthony Mason, whose passion for fitness seems to exceed that of basketball.
Sabonis chooses to stay in his apartment and repeatedly watch videos of previous regular season and playoff games.
He watches the Trail Blazers’ games, the Nuggets’ games, and also games from the previous season.
Through these videos, he continuously constructs tactical patterns for the team in his mind and identifies problems with himself and his opponents.
For professional players, game experience needs constant updating because basketball games are ever-changing, without a fixed pattern.
Divac didn’t go to the gym or stay home watching videos but went to visit Gan Guoyang at his home.
Since the Blazers’ lineup is strong, Divac didn’t get much playtime this season.
However, Divac’s skills have improved noticeably, mainly because he has been practicing a lot with Gan Guoyang.
Divac is now Gan Guoyang’s designated sparring partner, and he doesn’t train with Sabonis, because Sabonis, at 25, is nearing maturity in all aspects and needs more guidance on basketball thinking and polishing details.
Whereas Divac, at 21, is still unformed and is a rough gem worthwhile to carve.
Therefore, Beelman instructed Gan Guoyang to spend a lot of time and effort to privately coach Divac, shaping his techniques and style of play.
When Divac gradually adapts to the torment by Ah Gan, he will find facing any inside player in the league very comfortable.
Now, the two of them have a very good relationship, and Divac often visits with his wife.
Divac is very talkative, unlike Sabonis and Petrović who are reserved and focused solely on basketball.
When the Trail Blazers have away games, Divac’s wife Snezhana often visits Gan Guoyang’s house to check on Wang Fuxi.
Since Wang Fuxi had children, her free time has reduced significantly.
Even though there are nannies, household help, and bodyguards at home, and she doesn’t need to worry too much about the kids,
becoming a mother feels different, her heart is always concerned about the children, unable to fully relax.
For a while, when Gan Guoyang was playing away games, Wang Fuxi suffered from insomnia and startled wakefulness, leading to nervous debility.
After learning about it, Snezhana often visited to keep Wang Fuxi company and help her care for the children, taking the opportunity to learn some parenting skills.
Divac and Snezhana are trying to conceive, planning to also have a child next year.
The company of a friend made Wang Fuxi’s mental state much better, but with the playoffs approaching, she became anxious again.
She and Snezhana complained, "Every time the playoffs come around, it’s like he enters a Muslim’s fasting period, no longer sharing a room with you, throwing all his energy into the game. There’s preparation before the game, full effort during the game, and summary after the game, everything revolves around the game. During the regular season, he would still find time for me and the kids, we’d participate in many activities. But during the playoffs... this is his holy war, and everyone except his teammates is the enemy."
Snezhana quietly asked, "Would you ever wish that he doesn’t make it into the playoffs?"
Wang Fuxi said, "We’ve known each other since high school, he always managed to win championships, reaching the finals. Do you know why we were able to date? Because in his freshman year he was benched for a year without playing in official games, we could correspond, date, fall in love, that’s why we got together. Later, when he started playing games... that was back in 1983, and up till today, he’s played in almost all possible games, won all possible championships. But thankfully, there is one summer each year to rest. Just worried that someday he might play for the national team and even that one summer would be taken away."
"But... I still hope he wins, can keep winning. Back then, we agreed, I would always support him."
Snezhana looked at Wang Fuxi and saw a kind of radiance.
This radiance wasn’t her own, but from being illuminated by someone else.
During the few rest days of the playoffs, Gan Guoyang carved out limited time to spend with his family, cooking for them.
The Ah Gan at home is completely different from the one on the court; he is gentle, meticulous and patient, with many traits resembling Gan Youwei.
Being a wealthy and famous basketball star, many things could be solved with money, surrounded by a large circle of people ready to serve at his whim.
But Gan Guoyang still tries to do what an ordinary husband should, actively participating in family life, calling home every day when away for games, and since having a son, he spends time hugging the child, preparing his formula, changing his diapers, and soothing him to sleep.
The stout, league-leading power player, Gan Guoyang, the first time he held Gan Wenshan, was clumsy like a clown, afraid his immense strength might hurt the child.
