The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 447 - 65 Public Opinion

Ramsay said that he hoped Gan Guoyang could play until he was fifty, but with this season’s usage, an average player would likely be worn out by the age of thirty.

This season, Ramsay changed his previous coaching style and devoted a lot of energy to integrating tactics, striving to organically combine Gan Guoyang’s one-on-one play with the existing system.

As a coach who once extremely detested isolation plays, under the brainwashing influence of Guoyang and Beelman, he realized that what he hated was not isolation plays, but inefficiency.

Gan Guoyang is a rare efficient isolation player. For most players, under the influence of physical fitness and the opponent’s defense, the success rate of scoring through isolation plays would drop significantly after a certain number of attempts.

Gan Guoyang was different. According to Beelman’s calculations based on observations from dozens of games this season, Guoyang’s efficiency curve remained smooth, even showing a trend of increasing as he played more.

This was due to Gan Guoyang’s terrifying stamina and his indiscriminate isolation plays, and of course, the tactical loopholes of the season.

Indiscriminate isolation meant that, facing any defender and any defensive method, Gan Guoyang could initiate an attack with the ball.

No need for switching defenders, no need for adjustments, no need for tactical assistance to find a better isolation stance; just spread out, give him the ball, and he could solve the problem.

In this aspect, the entire League only had Jordan who could rival Gan Guoyang. Both could play against any defender indiscriminately, unless you double-teamed them, otherwise it was highly likely a giveaway.

This gave the Trail Blazers a tremendous tactical margin for error in offense. A bad pass? No problem, just successfully get the ball to Ah Gan.

Having trouble in the backcourt, with little time left for offense? No problem, just successfully get the ball to Ah Gan, and he would find a way to score.

Didn’t get the effect from exterior screens and movement, can’t execute the play? No problem, give the ball to Ah Gan, his isolation success rate is even higher than your open shot success rate.

Of course, all this was built on the NBA’s unique defensive rules. The existence of illegal defense gave Gan Guoyang a lot of space for one-on-one plays, fully exhibiting his physicality and isolation skills.

Although Stern had rejected the proposal to change the rules mid-season in the meeting, more and more coaches, team owners, and media commentators expressed strong opinions, claiming "basketball is no longer a team sport in the NBA." The scoring duel between Jordan and Gan Guoyang on the leaderboards had turned the game into solo performances.

Jerry Buss persistently called and wrote to David Stern, urging the League to change the current rules, and joined other team owners in a meeting to discuss this issue at the All-Star Game.

David Stern verbally agreed to revise the rules for the next season, but with the playoffs approaching, there would absolutely be no changes this season.

This meant that the scoring title competition between Gan Guoyang and Jordan would continue until the end of the season.

Returning to Portland from Cleveland, after a team training session, Ramsay asked Gan Guoyang for a one-on-one talk.

It had been a long time since the two had directly communicated on basketball issues; last season Adelman had served as the go-between, and this season it was Bobby Beelman.

Ramsay was straightforward, saying, "Sonny, do you want to win the scoring title this season?"

Gan Guoyang didn’t expect Ramsay to ask this question, responding, "That’s never something I considered. I only care about the championship."

"I need you to consider it now; tell me straight, do you want to win the scoring title, do you want to surpass Jordan?"

On the scoring leaderboard, Gan Guoyang held a slight advantage over Jordan.

However, as the season neared its end, the Trail Blazers would likely forfeit some games.

If Gan Guoyang didn’t go all out, he would definitely be overtaken by Jordan in the race for the scoring title.

After all, with an average of 38 points per game, even if you have an average performance and score 30 points in one game—which is already good—you would need to score 46 points in the next one to break even.

Jordan was scoring high repeatedly, for one important reason: he had no choice. Besides him, there really was no one capable of scoring.

Gan Guoyang was different. He had many scoring experts by his side, Vandeweghe and Drexler, both of whom could average 20 points per game.

Because he gave up part of the ball rights, Vandeweghe averaged only 18.4 points this year despite being in excellent form, and Drexler’s average fell even further to 16 points, lower than the 84-85 season.

Given Vandeweghe’s form this year, unleashing him to play would easily result in him averaging over 25 points per game, and Drexler also had the ability to average 20 points.

Isolating too much can hurt the other players’ motivation, and Ramsay was worried that as the scoring title competition heated up, if Gan Guoyang threw himself into the contest, it might harm the team’s spirit.

"The season is nearing its end now, if you don’t want to go for the scoring title, I’ll reduce your playing time appropriately and distribute your shooting rights to others. Cheche, Clyde, Porter, Kossie, they should be able to take on that part of the shooting rights."

"Jack, are you worried that I’m shooting too much in my pursuit of the scoring title, which might affect the other players’ motivation?"

"Oh no, I... that’s not what I meant."

"Stop denying it, Jack. You’ve been worried about it all season. Of course, you’re also worried I might get injured, afraid I’m getting too tired. I know you care about me, Jack, I’m fine. As to whether I can win the scoring title or not, I think you shouldn’t be asking me. Although the scoring title is a personal honor, if it weren’t for the support of my teammates, their sacrifice, their help in defense and passing, I wouldn’t have had so many shooting opportunities, because I’m a center. So, this isn’t something I can decide alone, it’s a decision we all have to make together."

Ramsay hadn’t expected Gan Guoyang to respond like that. Following this, Gan Guoyang went to the locker room and gathered everyone together.

Walton’s legs were soaking in an ice bucket, Vandeweghe was massaging his back, Drexler was reading a book, and Mychal Thompson was lacing up his shoes.

Everyone was busy with their own stuff but gathered around when called by Gan Guoyang, who asked, "Jack just asked me a question, whether or not I want to win this season’s scoring title. I told Jack that it wasn’t up to me to decide whether I can win the scoring title; it’s up to you to decide. Cheche is sacrificing shooting rights, Clyde and Porter are passing me the ball, Mitchell is helping me defend and rebound inside, Kossie and Parkson quietly doing their supporting work. My high scoring is inseparable from all of you."

"The season is moving into its final stretch, and Jack is worried that playing iso will affect my physical condition and that you guys will be unhappy with having too few scoring opportunities, so he asked me this question. Now I’m passing it onto you, if you think I shouldn’t contend for the scoring title and need to rest, then I’ll cut back my time and shots, and we go for the championship. I don’t care about a scoring title, I’ve already won one before. If you think I should go for it, then let’s maintain the status quo, and I’ll put in the effort, then tell everyone that the honor of scoring champion belongs to the whole team."

Ramsay stood beside Gan Guoyang, not expecting him to openly and honestly discuss the chase for the scoring title with everyone, being so transparent.

In that moment, Ramsay once again felt the vast difference between Gan Guoyang and Wilt Chamberlain, seeing no hint of selfishness in him, but a robust confidence, willing to put everything on the line and share with everyone.

Championship, victory, glory, if you want it, come and get it; just follow me, and everything will be there.

And the Trail Blazers players looked at each other, with Vandeweghe being the first to speak up, "Sonny, what are you joking about? Everyone’s had such an easy time this season, why change it?"

Thompson also said, "Yeah, your high scoring, our winning, and being able to get plenty of rest — why change it? You go fight for your scoring title."

Walton said, "You don’t need to rest, what am I going to do if you rest more?"

Drexler added, "Just keep playing more, Sonny. If you don’t play iso, we’d have to run, run, run, which is too tiring."

After speaking, Drexler went back to his book, Walton continued soaking his feet, Thompson returned to lacing up his shoes, and Vandeweghe lay back down for Calvin to continue massaging his back.

Everyone went back to their own business, paying no further mind to Gan Guoyang and Ramsay. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Gan Guoyang said to Ramsay, "Jack, you see, they’re all beasts, treating me like an ox or horse. How much am I even getting paid?"

Ramsay patted Gan Guoyang’s shoulder and said, "This is the will of the people, you’ve won the people’s hearts, I was overthinking it. You should really play more, it’s time for your game to improve."

"My game is improving? If it improves any more, I’ll have to go to the moon!"

"Then you might as well shoot for the moon," Ramsay replied.