The Golden Age of Basketball

[In Game 6 of the 1993 Western Conference Finals, for the first time, I felt some resentment towards my parents, why didn't they make me taller!

I also resented Charles's parents; if he were taller, my pass wouldn't have been so low, and Gan Guoyang wouldn't have intercepted it.

Of course, this was a very fleeting resentment, just like that defeat, the pain came quickly and left just as fast.

Back then, I thought, there would always be opportunities in the future, we would make a comeback.]

———— Excerpt from an interview after Kevin Johnson concluded his term as Mayor of the City of Sacramento in 2017.

The 1993 Western Conference Finals, Charles Barkley fought until the very last moment.

He rushed toward Gan Guoyang, who had secured the backcourt rebound, trying to snatch the ball or possibly force a jump ball again.

But everything was too late, and all was in vain, as Gan Guoyang firmly controlled the ball and turned to block Barkley.

Barkley had no choice but to commit a foul, sending Gan Guoyang to the free throw line, widening the lead to 6 points.

There wasn't enough time left, so Westphal called the last timeout to show their final resistance.

Then, as Marley's three-point attempt from the outside missed, the Suns' magnificent 1993 season came to a close.

Charles Barkley received the highest individual honor of his career, winning the MVP in the breakout season of this golden generation of 1993.

But he ultimately couldn't surpass the Supreme Peak, as the Trail Blazers defeated them 4-2 to advance to the finals for the fourth consecutive year.

When Gan Guoyang lifted the silver Western Conference championship trophy for the seventh time, the Rose Garden Arena echoed with the unified chants of "Fourth time, fourth time."

In NBA basketball arenas, fans rarely chant slogans or make waves as uniformly as European football and basketball fans do.

This is a major difference between the NBA and European professional football and basketball leagues.

European football and basketball are club-based, and fans are broadly members of the club.

Community residents are connected through football and basketball and unite to cheer for victories and honor.

But the NBA is like a grand touring show with dozens of teams appearing to be rivals, yet theoretically one family.

They just spread out to various cities for performances, offering fans exciting games, and players freely move between teams.

Local fans naturally support their home team, but fan communities aren't as loyal, united, or fervent as European club fans.

Especially after the 1990s, Stern gradually transformed the NBA into a weekend haven for middle-class families to enjoy a wonderful sports experience, diminishing the NBA's rivalry and intensity.

Of course, Americans have their own basketball spiritual homeland, not in the NBA, but in college, where true community and family unity is found.

However, in Portland, it's different. Blazermania is not just empty talk; this team is the spiritual backbone for all Portland people.

Back in the 70s, as the Trail Blazers rooted themselves in Portland, this small city in the Northwest, other teams were still racking their brains and praying to sell tickets, the Trail Blazers already sold out tickets at the Memorial Coliseum game after game – in the 23 years since 1970, there has never been a ticket left.

Fans in other cities often struggle with watching baseball, football, or hockey, but basketball is the only choice for Portland people.

Every year during the playoffs, some local primary and secondary schools in Portland organize a "Write a letter to your favorite team" activity.

Nearly all letters, numbering in the tens of thousands, are addressed to the Trail Blazers, and the letters received each year can cover the entire Memorial Coliseum.

These students grow up and, as adults, become die-hard Trail Blazers fans, cheering for the team alongside their families.

The arrival of Gan Guoyang undoubtedly strengthened this loyalty. Those 17- and 18-year-old college youths who enjoyed the championship celebrations in 1986 were mostly working and raising families by 1993.

They had greater purchasing power and became the backbone of the Trail Blazers fan base, cheering on every glorious achievement of the Trail Blazers.

And those older or younger joined the loyal ranks with one victory after another and one championship after another.

The West Finals ended, but a large number of fans were reluctant to leave after the award ceremony. They stood on the stands chanting "Fourth time" in unison.

Gan Guoyang wanted to leave the court and return to the locker room, but it seemed impossible; the fans' enthusiasm prevented him from leaving.

He had no choice but to take the microphone and say a few words to the fans, and the arena finally quieted down.

Gan Guoyang thanked the Portland fans for their long-standing support and said that the four-peat was the team's only goal; having come this far, they will never back down.

"Finally, I think the necessary condition for winning the four-peat is to let the players go back and rest well. We don't yet know our opponent for the finals; the series might be held in Portland, but it might also take us to Miami, in which case we must prepare early."

After Gan Guoyang's speech, the fans' fervor gradually cooled down, as everyone knew they had to go home and sleep eventually.

Moreover, this magnificent 1993 season was not yet over, and the strongest among the '84 golden generation had yet to be determined.

The epic West Finals between the Suns and the Trail Blazers set a new viewership record, and the peak confrontation between Gan Guoyang and Barkley left people eagerly anticipating the Finals.