Chapter 931: Chapter 4 Collision 1: Hitting the Wall 3
Gan Guoyang understood Sabonis’s feelings, patted his broad shoulder, and said, "The Soviet Union is gone, but it will forever remain in human history books. Nothing is eternal and indestructible; everything will eventually perish, but we still have to look forward, don’t we?"
The optimism and fiery Christmas atmosphere lifted Sabonis’s spirits considerably.
On the afternoon of December 25th, Memorial Coliseum, where games have become increasingly rare. By February, the venue will be replaced by the neighboring Rose Garden.
Today marks the last Christmas showdown at Memorial Coliseum, and the festive atmosphere on-site is palpable. The cheerleaders are all dressed in red skirts trimmed with pom-poms.
The Trail Blazers’ opponent tonight is the Denver Nuggets. Entering the 1990s, the Doug Moe era for the Nuggets officially came to an end, with Paul Westhead taking over as coach.
From one madman to another.
Westhead, after winning the championship in 1980, later had conflicts with Johnson, left the Lakers, tried an unsuccessful season with the Bulls, and returned to college basketball as head coach of Loyola Marymount University.
Although Loyola Marymount is a relatively small school and not traditionally an NCAA basketball powerhouse, Westhead’s arrival infused the team with fresh energy.
Westhead’s style is unequivocal: offense at all costs. This style is strikingly similar to early Doug Moe strategies.
In 1988, he led the team back to the NCAA tournament, advancing to the second round.
In 1990, Loyola Marymount stormed into the Elite Eight, drawing nationwide attention.
That year, the team’s central figure, Hank Gathers, suffered a heart attack during a March 4th game, collapsed on the court, and was taken to the hospital, but tragically passed away.
Hank Gathers’s death shook the entire American basketball community, dealing a heavy blow to Paul Westhead and his team.
Yet, even without their core player, Westhead guided the team’s offense into a whirlwind performance during the NCAA tournament.
At the time, the NCAA had already implemented a shot clock, albeit a 45-second limit instead of the NBA’s 24 seconds, keeping the pace relatively slow.
With the 40-minute game divided into two halves, NCAA games often ended with scores around 60 or 70 points.
However, Loyola Marymount exploded with 111 points in their first-round game against New Mexico State, clinching the victory.
In the second round against the University of Michigan, they racked up a staggering 149 points—a terrifyingly high score even in the standards of an NBA game—during the NCAA tournament, no less.
Loyola Marymount University instantly achieved fame, and Paul Westhead’s relentless offensive strategy brought him back into public focus.
They then defeated the University of Alabama, making history by advancing to the Elite Eight. Ultimately, they succumbed to Larry Johnson-led UNLV, who won the championship—a victory mired in controversy.
Following such accomplishments, Westhead set his sights back on the NBA, leaving college basketball to join the Denver Nuggets—a team renowned for its insane offensive focus over the past decade. He believed this would be the perfect fit.
Last season, under Westhead’s guidance, the Nuggets averaged 127 points per game—the highest in the league—but also conceded 130 points, the league’s worst defensive record.
This poor performance led to their disappointing season. During this year’s draft, management hoped to bring some defense to the team instead of solely focusing on offense.
As a result, they selected Cameroon center Dikembe Mutombo from Georgetown University—a massive black giant with outstanding defensive instincts, nicknamed the ’African Mountain.’
In his career debut against the Warriors, Mutombo posted a dominant stat line: 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
In his second game against the Houston Rockets, he delivered an even more impressive performance with 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 blocks—a truly superstar-level showing.
This 7-foot-2 center with an astounding wingspan, a protégé of Patrick Ewing, showcased his formidable defensive talent to the league.
Mutombo’s performance has remained consistent ever since, averaging 3 blocks per game and regularly scoring over 20 points—and occasionally 25.
Of course, this is closely tied to Westhead’s coaching style, which naturally inflates players’ scoring stats.
Mutombo’s confidence has soared alongside his numbers. On November 29th, in a game against the Seattle SuperSonics, Mutombo posted 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 blocks, leading his team to victory.
His stellar play earned him the Rookie of the Month award for November, and he has continued his dominance throughout December, consistently providing high scores, rebounds, and blocks.
The Rookie of the Year award beckons, should he maintain this form moving forward.
But now, on Christmas Day, Ah Gan stands in his way, determined to give this rookie a reality check.
