Chapter 848: Chapter 39: Depth Charge_3
John Stockton claimed the title of assist leader with an average of 14.2 points per game, while Alvin Robertson became the steal leader with 3.0 steals per game.
Hakeem Olajuwon, with an average of 3.9 blocks per game, secured the title of block leader—even though he missed several games, his total block number was not as high as Ah Gan’s.
Olajuwon, Robinson, and Gan Guoyang each had an average of 3.9 blocks, with Gan Guoyang and David Robinson narrowly differing in total blocks.
In summary, in the data leaderboard of the 1991 season, the 1984 golden generation dominated all major statistical categories—including Charles Barkley, who committed the most technical fouls in the 1991 season, rightfully earning the title of Technical Foul King.
In a single game, Scott Skiles of the Magic, during a match against the Denver Nuggets, set a new NBA record with 30 assists.
On March 9, 1991, Olajuwon, who had returned from recovering from an injury, made a public declaration to officially change his name from Akeem to Hakeem to express his Islamic faith.
From then on, Hakeem Olajuwon became his official name, appearing in the NBA arenas.
Reporters speculated that Olajuwon made the change as he felt overshadowed by Ah Gan and sought divine help.
The "Cleveland Honest Man Report" mocked, saying, "Instead of praying for divine protection, why not just join the deities."
Gan Guoyang led the Portland Trail Blazers to a regular season record of 64 wins and 18 losses, marking the sixth time in his seven-year career that he achieved 60 wins in the regular season.
His ability to secure regular season wins, exceptional physical fitness, healthy physique, strong desire for victory, and endless passion for basketball drove him relentlessly on the path to victory, without any thought of stopping.
Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls followed closely, achieving a record of 63 wins and 19 losses, setting the Bulls’ first 60-win record and for the first time entering the playoffs as the top seed from the Eastern Conference.
This time, Jordan was confident enough to tell Ah Gan, "See you in June."
In the Western Conference, ranked second due to division rules was the San Antonio Spurs, ahead of the Suns and Lakers, with the third-ranked Phoenix Suns achieving 59 wins and 23 losses, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers with 57 wins and 25 losses, the fifth-ranked Jazz with 54 wins and 28 losses, and the sixth-ranked Rockets with 52 wins and 30 losses.
This season, six teams in the Western Conference had over 50 wins, illustrating the league’s "wealth gap," where the disparity between strong and weak teams widened, signaling more intense competition in the playoffs.
The Golden State Warriors ranked seventh in the Western Conference, and the Seattle SuperSonics, ranked eighth, were not easily defeated opponents.
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics secured a record of 58 wins and 24 losses, ranking second, their best regular season performance in the past three years.
The arrival of Divac and Hornacek greatly enhanced the team’s capabilities, though Bird’s ongoing injuries limited their potential.
The defending Eastern champions, the Detroit Pistons, only achieved 54 wins this year, with Isiah Thomas’s injuries slowing down the team’s rhythm.
However, at the end of the season, they achieved a significant victory at home against the Chicago Bulls, boosting the Pistons’ confidence to continue obstructing Jordan in the playoffs.
As time passed, the NBA in the early 1980s saw a strong line-up of Eastern teams, with the Lakers standing out in the West.
Now, the East has gradually become a powerhouse, while the West is filled with talented players.
Below the Pistons, the Eastern Conference lacked other strong teams capable of competing.
The Miami Heat successfully squeezed out the New York Knicks and caught the last playoffs ride.
The first round featuring Jordan vs. Drexler is highly anticipated, and the city battle between the Trail Blazers and the SuperSonics is equally attractive.
But everyone knows, these are just appetizers before the main course.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of June.
