Chapter 852: Chapter 41: Time for Revenge Again
After wrapping up the first round with ease, Gan Guoyang had one last meal with Payton before leaving Seattle.
Payton looked deeply frustrated. Although he knew facing the Trail Blazers in the first round meant there was little hope of winning the series, he still had high hopes for exceptional personal performance in his first playoff appearance.
Back in 1990, when Payton decided to declare for the draft, "Sports Illustrated" dedicated a feature column to him and made him the cover star of that issue.
The article was full of praises for Payton, including an NBA coach’s evaluation: "When I think of another player who elevates those around him to such levels, Magic Johnson comes to mind."
Ultimately, Payton entered the league as the second pick, bearing immense expectations, yet his performance in the regular season was mediocre at best.
Once in the playoffs, he performed even worse than in the regular season, averaging only 4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.
His inability to shoot was magnified in the playoffs, where KC Jones’ half-court offense heavily relied on shooting. The Trail Blazers could easily sag off him and block his drives, leaving the young Payton helpless.
With weak offensive capability and a poor fit for the system, Payton lost Jones’ trust. Although he started games, whenever critical moments arrived, Jones would substitute him, as he wasn’t an indispensable core player in the coach’s eyes.
"It’s just so painful, Sonny. I think I can endure for one more season at most. If I can’t perform how I want next season, I’m leaving," Payton said.
Payton once again expressed to Gan Guoyang his dissatisfaction with staying in Seattle. For someone as ambitious as Payton, his rookie season left him deeply disappointed.
Gan Guoyang, who had previously offered comfort and guidance to Payton, was in no mood for extensive consolation this time. He bluntly said, "If you want to leave, at least show some value first, don’t you think?"
Those words hit Payton hard. Based on his performances in both the regular and postseason, it would be difficult to get a good trade value for him. He wouldn’t have much say in the process either.
From Payton, Gan Guoyang could clearly sense the difference between the new generation of players and the veterans from the past.
They were more impatient, more eager to achieve success quickly, driven by an intense ambition and desire for fame.
The NBA stage was growing bigger and brighter, and with it, the competition became fiercer.
Magic Johnson, Jordan, Gan Guoyang, Bird, David Robinson, Olajuwon—these prodigies set the example for young players. They were stars from the moment they entered the league, quickly achieving success and becoming celebrities.
To Payton, Gan Guoyang was his top idol. Ever since their high school matchup, Payton had been tracking Gan’s journey.
Gan Guoyang repeatedly made headlines, becoming the basketball hero of San Francisco, California, and the entire West Coast.
Gan Guoyang inspired countless young people to dream big, though most quickly realized how unattainable Gan’s level truly was.
Even someone as talented as Payton could feel reality pounding him relentlessly, leaving him unable to hold his head high.
During the preseason, the brash Payton dared to provoke Michael Jordan at a bar, believing Jordan wasn’t as great as people said. After all, even Jordan couldn’t beat Gan Guoyang, and at best, he was on Payton’s level.
It took a full season for Payton to comprehend just how vast the gap truly was. Michael Jordan was the one genuinely close to reaching Gan Guoyang’s level.
The two of them chatted for a bit more after their meal. Gan Guoyang had always taken good care of his younger peers like Payton. Seeing him so dejected and lost, Gan Guoyang reminded Payton that this was the inevitable trial every young player must endure.
Payton, feeling defiant, replied, "Why didn’t you have to go through this? You dominated right out of the gate—you’ve never truly lost."
"No, I have faced it. You just don’t know about it," Gan Guoyang responded.
Gan Guoyang and his teammates left Seattle together. Winning these three games felt as effortless as drinking water to them.
Now, they patiently awaited their Western Conference semifinal opponent: the winner between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz.
Gan Guoyang couldn’t even recall how many times he had waited in the playoffs for a meeting with John Stockton.
Both players had entered the league seven seasons ago, and since their rookie year, they’d been eager to face off in a playoff series.
But time and again, they’d been left waiting—their teams still hadn’t crossed paths.
The Trail Blazers were consistently ranked within the Western Conference top three, while the Jazz lingered in fourth or fifth place, a mid-tier position.
This ranking discrepancy made it almost impossible for the teams to meet in the first round. The Trail Blazers easily advanced past the opening round, only to wait for the Jazz in the semifinals.
Unfortunately, the Jazz had been notoriously inconsistent over the years, repeatedly being upset by weaker teams, earning the reputation of being a "regular season team."
This season, the Jazz maintained their stable and efficient lineup, as Stockton and Karl Malone entered their peak years.
In the summer of 1990, the Jazz traded with the Bucks to acquire Jeff Malone, boosting their backcourt offense and compensating for Stockton’s shortcomings.
They hoped to make a big impact in the playoffs, but this season they ran into the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the Jazz, this matchup felt profoundly unfair.
Based on win-loss records, the Jazz should have faced the Spurs in the first round.
Given the Spurs’ first-round performance, the Jazz likely would have defeated them with little trouble.
However, with the Suns, Lakers, and Trail Blazers—three top-tier teams—all belonging to the Pacific Division, the Spurs, despite being first in the Midwest Division, were relegated to the Western Conference’s second seed due to inferior overall records.
