Chapter 822: Chapter 31 Reconciliation
[We’ve screwed up the education of our kids, teaching them that the only way to succeed is to make big money.]
[And now we’re complaining that they’re killing each other for jewelry, drugs, and money, so we try to close the barn door after the horse has bolted. What were we doing earlier?]
————Charles Barkley, "Charlie Rose Interviews," January 15, 1992.
[I wish every kid could become me, but they can’t. They need to be educated and get a job.]
[People think the life of an NBA player is all about money, cars, and being on TV every day, but you have to understand, I didn’t just wake up one morning and suddenly became Charles Barkley.]
[To become Barkley, I had a whole lot of things to do.]
————Charles Barkley, "The Arizona Republic," February 7, 1991.
Charles Barkley’s fame soared again nationwide after nabbing the All-Star game MVP.
The big-mouthed fan favorite was widely adored and pursued by many media outlets, endlessly providing topics to discuss.
Phoenix was quite a fit for him; the city was sunny, played attractive offensive basketball, and wasn’t as conservative or stifling as Washington, giving him the freedom to speak his mind without restraint.
The Suns performed quite well this year, inching closer to the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings.
As the Trail Blazers, Lakers, and Suns were all in the Pacific Division, according to the division ranking rules, it’s highly likely that they can’t overtake the Trail Blazers for the first spot, and they might have to give up the second.
So, the Lakers and Suns were going all out to fight for the third in the Western Conference to avoid slipping to fourth and facing the Trail Blazers in the semifinals.
After the All-Star game, Barkley boasted, "Our goal is to be first in the Western Conference, first in the League, not fighting for some third place. Who the hell comes to the NBA to fight for third?"
Of course, after making that statement, Barkley showed a different face to Ah Gan, "Bro, I’m just talking big, don’t take it to heart. It’s highly likely we won’t catch up with the Trail Blazers."
Gan Guoyang didn’t get into an argument with Barkley; he knew Barkley was that kind of person, one who couldn’t keep his mouth shut and loved to brag.
Moreover, Gan Guoyang also didn’t dare to underestimate the Suns and Barkley; their frontline strength had significantly increased after the early-season trade.
In his years with the Mavericks, Sam Bowie didn’t make waves like his draft classmates Jordan, Gan Guoyang, and Olajuwon did with their shining stardom.
However, just like Sam Perkins, Stockton, and others, he was forged over time into a formidable presence.
The expectations for him shifted from being a super center like Jabbar to a steady defensive big man.
You could say Sam Bowie did quite well at this when he was healthy.
In Phoenix, the dry Arizona weather was even more conducive to his injury recovery.
Before the All-Star game, the Suns racked up an impressive nine-game winning streak, putting them just half a game behind the Lakers in the standings.
It’s fair to say that Sam Bowie’s presence in the paint, along with his reliable rebounding protection, has legitimized the Suns for an arm-wrestle with the top teams in both conferences.
Otherwise, facing either the Trail Blazers or the Lakers, the Suns’ disadvantage in the post would be magnified during the playoffs.
Acquiring Sam Bowie to bolster their front court also liberated their guard Dan Majerle, giving him more playing time and opportunities.
Moreover, looking across the entire league, there aren’t many who can go toe-to-toe with Ah Gan without losing too much ground, and Sam Bowie is definitely one of them.
The Bulls really wanted Sam Bowie; in the two playoff series against the Trail Blazers in the ’80s, his performances were noteworthy.
Even in certain game stretches, he could use his talent to suppress Ah Gan, securing victory chances for his team.
Mentally, Sam Bowie was not afraid of Ah Gan and could robustly compete with him through a series.
This is what the Suns valued most about him; with Sam Bowie, the Suns and Barkley already had the chance to challenge the Portland Trail Blazers for their throne in the Western Conference.
This sense of triumph as a top team made Barkley feel over the moon; he became even wilder on and off the court.
Barkley incessantly got into verbal sparring matches with everyone from the Washington Bullets’ owner Pollin down to the janitors at away venues.
Whenever there was a chance, Barkley never spared anyone with his mouth, always fighting back and defending himself with sharp words.
He wasn’t Ah Gan. Few dared attack Ah Gan because Ah Gan’s physical game was too powerful; Barkley wasn’t quite there yet.
Barkley was more about mental warfare, trash-talking, and soaking in a battle of words, including against fans on the sidelines.
After a two-day break post-All-Star game, the Suns began their East Coast road trip, embarking on a tour of the Northeast.
Their opponents included Barkley’s former team the Washington Bullets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and New Jersey Nets.
Keen to prove himself on the East Coast, Barkley came out with guns blazing for this road trip.
The Suns’ first game after the All-Star break was against Barkley’s old team, the Bullets, in a scoring duel between him and Bernard King.
Bernard King’s recovery can be called a medical miracle; after sustaining a serious injury, and several seasons of treatment and rehabilitation, he miraculously returned to All-Star level.
This season, after Barkley was traded to the Suns, Bernard King became the top scorer for the Bullets, his average hitting 28.7 points per game to become once again one of the league’s top scorers.
