The Golden Age of Basketball

The little incident with Rick Barry did not affect Gan Guoyang's festive mood during the Christmas of 1983.

In fact, during the evening activities that followed, Barry and Gan Guoyang got along quite well.

The reason why Barry was so annoying was mainly because he spoke without any filter, regardless if it was a teammate or an opponent, a colleague or a boss, an elder or a younger person, a fan or a friend, he would indiscriminately express himself, and such a person would not be liked anywhere.

Now that he was getting older and had retired for a few years, he found a job as a TV commentator and his temper had somewhat mellowed—although it was said he still had a terrible relationship with his colleague Bill Russell.

But Gan Guoyang was magnanimous by nature, treating everyone with neither servility nor overbearing pride, and he never took minor frictions to heart.

Barry even offered rare commendation for Gan Guoyang's shooting skills and discussed front-basket offensive techniques and three-point shooting with him.

Barry was surprised at Gan Guoyang's positive attitude toward three-point shots, considering that when the NBA decided to introduce the three-point line in 1979, there was widespread opposition from players, coaches, owners, and fans.

By 1983, the three-point shot was still seen as an anomaly in the eyes of most NBA coaches, something flashy but insubstantial, and anyone who shot a three-point shot in a game without it being absolutely necessary would be scolded by the coach, even if the shot went in.

Barry could be considered a pioneer of the three-point shot, having played in the ABA for a few years, where he was not resistant to it.

In the last season of his career, 1979-1980, both his three-point attempts and conversions were second in the league, and he was more confident in his long-range shooting than Bird.

"I've always said that playing in the ABA is more fun than the NBA, because of the three-point shot. The three-point shot is a great thing, but none of those old fogies care. They would rather abolish the 24-second shot clock, and they'd be happiest if there were no three-second area, too. Just let some tall guys toss the ball into the basket like monkeys picking bananas.

If that were the case, who would come watch the games?"

After a few drinks, Rick Barry began speaking recklessly again. Terms like "monkeys" and "bananas" carried connotations of racial discrimination, but the good-natured Nate-Sermonde just shook his head and did not get angry after hearing this.

He knew that was just how Barry was, after all, this was a man who publicly said that Bill Russell's smile looked like a watermelon—what else could you expect from him?

After finishing their meal, Gan Guoyang wanted to head back early. Sermonde walked him out of the bar and said that next time, he definitely would not let that guy Barry come to the Christmas gathering.

Gan Guoyang did not plan to stay in San Francisco for long, and the day after Christmas, he took a direct flight to Portland because he had a game on the 27th.

It was a 4-day "Far West Classic Basketball Tournament" held in Portland, with multiple teams participating, and the venue was at the Portland Trail Blazers' home court, Memorial Coliseum.

Before leaving, Gan Guoyang called Wang Fuxi and said he would arrive in Portland on the afternoon of the 27th.

However, on the 27th, Portland was hit by a blizzard, and flights to Portland from various places were canceled, forcing Gan Guoyang to delay his trip there.

He could not play in the evening game against Morris University, and Les McPhee, Stockton's roommate and the third highest scorer on the team, Stockton's backcourt partner, was also unable to play due to a fibula fracture.

Lacking two key players, the Bulldogs showed strong fighting spirit in the game on the 27th, not at all surrendering due to the absence of their mainstay and core strength.

John Stockton, who usually focused on organizing and passing as his primary responsibility, showcased his impressive offensive abilities in this match.

In the game, he scored 25 points and had 8 assists, and he also contributed the most steals of the game with 4, helping the Bulldogs to a comfortable 73:60 victory over Morris University, which had traveled all the way from Moon Town, Pennsylvania.

This victory greatly boosted the team's morale, and upon returning to the hotel, Stockton called Gan Guoyang to inform him of the day's game situation.

"Gan, I think you don't need to come anymore; you might as well go back to Spokane," Stockton said.

"Man, you lead the team to one win and start to get cocky? Without me in the semi-finals tomorrow, I don't think you guys can make it."

"The semi-final is at three in the afternoon tomorrow, can you make it in time?"

"If there's no delay, I should be able to catch the second half. Oh, how's McPhie's injury? Nothing serious, right?"

"No big issues, Coach Delong said he'll recover in about a month. You should still come, I know your girlfriend is in Portland, even if you can't play, you'd want to come!"

Gan Guoyang didn't deny it, but he and Wang Fuxi hadn't reached the boyfriend-girlfriend stage yet.

The relationship between men and women is delicate, like a pawn on a chessboard, only able to move forward, not back.

Friends at first, one step forward into lovers, and if it feels wrong and you want to step back into friendship, it becomes very difficult.

The two of them were still like the pawns that hadn't crossed the river, unable to move left or right, but still maintained a hope of moving forward.

On the 28th, Gan Guoyang went to San Francisco Airport in the morning and called Wang Fuxi before boarding.

Over two hours later, in the hall of Portland Airport, Gan Guoyang saw the waiting Wang Fuxi, her pink baseball cap making her instantly recognizable.

Worried that he wouldn't be accustomed to the sudden drop in temperature from San Francisco to Portland, she specifically brought him a long fleece blanket and a red scarf.

"This is for you," said Wang Fuxi, handing the scarf to Gan Guoyang, her expression as shy as ever.

Gan Guoyang took the scarf, remembering how in novels girls often knit scarves for the male lead, but usually before the scarf is finished, either they break up or one falls for someone else.

He graciously tied the scarf around his neck and said, "Thank you, it's very warm."

"It's nothing, it was my roommate knitting it for her boyfriend, but they broke up before she finished. It seemed such a pity, so..."

"Ah? They really broke up? So, did you finish the rest of it?"

"Me? Knit? I can only code. I helped her with her assignments, and she finished knitting the scarf for me. You don't mind, do you?"

Gan Guoyang shook his head, smiling. He didn't mind at all, he appreciated Wang Fuxi's frankness and straightforwardness.

He believed that in a relationship, honesty is more important than anything. Usually, interactions between men and women start with sweet nothings, then turn to flowery words, followed by cold remarks, and eventually progress to rough and rude words, ending up in madness and silence - utterly meaningless.

They chatted and got into a cab, rushing to the Memorial Coliseum. By the time the car arrived, the game had already been going for over forty minutes, and it was the second half.

Once out of the car, Gan Guoyang grabbed Wang Fuxi's hand and ran toward the coliseum, entering the locker room through the player's tunnel.

He quickly changed his clothes and then asked Wang Fuxi, "How's it going, what's the situation on the court?"

Wang Fuxi said, "I went to check, you're trailing by 20 points, there's still 15 minutes left in the second half."

"Still 15 minutes? That's good, we can make it."