Chapter 694: Chapter 62 Slowly Whittling Away
After the Utah Jazz were eliminated by the buzzer-beating Phoenix Suns, the first round of the 89-90 playoffs concluded, with the semifinal matchups set.
The situation was the same in the Eastern and Western conferences, with strong teams advancing, but the fifth seed managed to upset the fourth seed.
The young New York Knicks defeated the aging Boston Celtics and will face the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, in the next round.
Patrick Ewing averaged 31.6 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game in the series, showcasing his ability as a superstar center.
In the decisive Game 5 at Boston Garden, Ewing scored 31 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 10 assists, and blocked 4 shots on 14-of-26 shooting.
Aside from his perennial failure to box out for rebounds (Oakley grabbed 17 rebounds), Ewing was nearly perfect in every other aspect.
As ESPN reported, "Ewing’s performance in the first round this year is already close to Ah Gan’s playoff performance during his rookie season."
The author of this report is none other than Wu Zhixiong, and his current reporting is all centered around Ah Gan.
Such remarks naturally provoked great dissatisfaction from the New York media, who considered it an insult.
But when ESPN pulled out Gan Guoyang’s 1985 season stats and the 60 points he scored against the Nuggets, the usually tough-talking New Yorkers fell silent.
For players like Gan Guoyang and Jordan, their performances during the regular season and playoffs of their rookie year are heights many stars can’t reach in their entire careers.
Jordan’s Bulls easily defeated the Bucks in the first round, and their semifinal opponent will be the Washington Bullets.
Jordan and Barkley will meet in the Eastern semifinals, and these good friends will have a great battle.
Since then, the Eastern and Western conferences have essentially completed their generational shift, with stars of the 80s either old, retired, or defeated, leaving very few remnants.
The NBA has officially entered the colorful and intense 90s.
Advancing to the semifinals, Suns head coach Fitzsimmons led the team to Portland before the semifinals.
During an interview with reporters before the training session, Fitzsimmons stated: "The Trail Blazers are a very strong opponent; they have been highly competitive in the past few seasons. Last season we were pushed to a Game 7 and unfortunately lost. We hope we can deliver another exciting game this season."
Fitzsimmons is not Doug Moe; he doesn’t make outlandish statements. When he has the advantage, it’s "You need to score 60 points to beat me," and when he’s at a disadvantage, "We don’t stand a chance." His statements are always calm and even.
As early as 1970, the young Fitzsimmons became the head coach of the Suns, replacing the team’s then-head coach, Jerry Colangelo.
At that time, Colangelo also served as the Suns’ head coach, general manager, marketing director, and scout. In 1968, at just 29, Colangelo became the Suns’ general manager, the youngest executive in NBA history.
Fitzsimmons spent three years with the Suns, then moved between the Hawks, Spurs, and other teams, but his home was always in Phoenix, and his relationship with Colangelo was very good.
Until 1986, Colangelo recruited Fitzsimmons back to the Suns as an assistant coach.
In 1987, the Suns faced a devastating drug scandal, the team’s franchise was sold, and Colangelo gathered a group of new investors to buy the Suns, with Colangelo continuing as general manager.
The "Red cardinal" of the Suns, through a series of trades, drafts, and signings, quickly built a new roster.
Drafting Dan Majerle, trading for Kevin Johnson, Danny Ainge, Mark West, and Eddie Johnson, and signing free agent Tom Chambers were all excellent moves.
The previous focal points of the Phoenix Suns—Walter Davis, Edwards, and Larry Nance—were cleared out, and a completely new Suns team was born.
Fitzsimmons became the head coach of this new Suns team and was welcomed by Phoenix fans and critics.
After the chaos of the 1988 season, the Suns returned to the playoffs in 1989 and in the Western semifinals took the Trail Blazers to Game 7.
This year the two teams meet again in the Western Conference semifinals, with both having improved from last season.
The Trail Blazers’ strength is a given, and for the Suns, Kevin Johnson is entering his prime, having been selected to the All-Star game this season.
Teaming up in the backcourt with Johnson is the cunning and in-form 30-year-old Danny Ainge.
On the front line, the Suns’ starting lineup is peculiar, employing a small-ball three-forwards approach without a true center.
The 6-foot-10 Mark West, the 6-foot-10 Tom Chambers, and the 6-foot-8 Kurt Rambis.
This made the Suns’ lineup quick, agile, and exceptionally strong at outside shooting.
On the bench, the Suns also had two forward powerhouses, Dan Majerle and Eddie Johnson.
It could be said that the Suns were a team with two excellent guards plus a group of forwards.
Their versatile and powerful frontcourt caused huge trouble for the Utah Jazz.
In the first-round games, Jazz’s interior behemoth, mammoth Mark Eaton, saw his playing time reduced to 25 minutes, the shortest playoff appearance since his rookie season.
His stats diminished, and his performance on the court was even less remarkable. In the fifth game’s do-or-die final quarter, Mark Eaton failed to play his defensive role, watching Eddie Johnson hit a crucial three-pointer to overtake the score, and a deadly 2+1 field goal. This miraculous six points completely reversed the game’s situation, laying the groundwork for Kevin Johnson’s final buzzer-beater.
Therefore, although head coach Fitzsimmons was very modest before the game, the Suns were still very confident in themselves.
In their view, the Portland Trail Blazers were just an enhanced version of the Utah Jazz.
A massive center, a versatile power forward, and a three-tall combination, with a thin small forward position and a crowded and undersized backcourt.
Almost identical personnel configurations meant that for the Suns, there was no need to change their tactics, they could just play the same way they did against the Jazz.
Although everyone knew that Ah Gan was fearsome, in the 1989 season, they still pushed the Trail Blazers to a Game 7, just one step away from winning the series.
This gave the Suns confidence and determination. In the Western Conference Semifinals, they were bound to give the whole league a bit of a surprise and a shock.
Just as the Suns were all geared up in Portland, ready to show the Trail Blazers a thing or two and aiming to secure the first win, Gan Guoyang left Portland and took boss Tang Jianguo’s private jet for a trip to New York.
Because this day was the first anniversary of Larry Fleisher’s memorial.
Gan Guoyang, along with Fleisher’s family and friends like Jim Quinn, went to the cemetery to bring flowers for him.
A full year had passed since Fleisher’s unexpected death, and Gan Guoyang immersed himself back into life and competition, continuing his dominance in the NBA. Fleisher’s son followed in his father’s footsteps to become a basketball agent, focusing mainly on Europe, while Jim Quinn continued his legal work. With the NBA’s labor agreements stabilized, his focus shifted to the NFL, fighting for player free agency.
Everyone had a promising future ahead, but Larry Fleisher remained frozen at the moment one year ago.
Hearts heavy and unable to let go, the somber and sorrowful atmosphere at the cemetery weighed on everyone, all thinking how wonderful it would be if Larry were still alive.
Mark Fleisher would have received his father’s personal teachings and extensive basketball resources.
Quinn could have gotten professional and incisive advice from Fleisher, aiding in the battle.
Gan Guoyang would continue to have Fleisher’s protection and guidance, steadily progressing in the increasingly competitive and intricate world of the NBA.
Moreover, Fleisher was a good friend to Ah Gan, and beyond basketball, they had much to talk about and share.
In Fleisher’s grand vision, Ah Gan held an important role; he wanted to spread high-quality basketball games around the globe...
But everything ended with the withering of life, just like those heroes in history, both Chinese and foreign, who left this world with great unrealized dreams.
In private, Jim Quinn asked Gan Guoyang, "When are you planning to run for Union Chairman? Larry really wanted you in that position, and if you run, there will surely be many who support you."
After the labor agreement was reached in 1988, then Union Chairman Alex English completed his historic mission and chose to resign from the chairmanship.
At that time, although Fleisher wanted to promote Ah Gan to the position of Union Chairman, due to nationality and experience issues, he chose to withdraw.
Vice-President Charlie Grantham was successfully elected as the new head of the Union, supporting Isiah Thomas. Ultimately, he was elected as the new Players Union Chairman.
Gan Guoyang said, "Although Thomas might not be likable, he does a decent job in the Union. And you know, being the Union Chairman is a thankless job. The labor agreement will not expire until 1994. I will aim for the chairmanship before its expiration to help players secure the best agreement possible. But before that, I need to establish my own dynasty, which is certainly what Larry would have wanted to see more."
Quinn nodded, and Fleisher undoubtedly hoped for Gan Guoyang to achieve greatness on the basketball court, to become the second Bill Russell.
After the memorial, Gan Guoyang left New York by plane to return to Portland, ready for the semifinals.
A dynasty is to be built, little by little.
