[In my life, I have discovered that I excel in two areas:
Overcoming adversity and inspiring exceptional individuals to achieve their absolute best.
This was vividly demonstrated through the Portland Trail Blazers.
When I acquired the Trail Blazers at their peak in 1988, the team swiftly fell into turmoil by 1989.
Along with them, my businesses—casinos, hotels, and airlines—suffered devastating blows.
Suddenly, I was drowning in debt, and the banks and financial institutions that once revolved around began avoiding . They either withdrew loans or aid to liquidate my assets.
Soone suggested selling the Portland Trail Blazers to pay off the debt, but I imdiately declared that was impossible. I vowed to restore the Blazers to glory; temporary hardship would not defeat .
The 1990 season changed everything—I brought in Jerry West and reinforced the squad with stellar talent. Through an astonishing performance, we reclaid the NBA championship. I delivered on my promise.
During monts of crisis, I gritted my teeth and persevered. I provided the team with private planes, top-notch training facilities, ample wages for staff, and substantial contracts for players. I even planned the construction of a new arena, striving to make the Trail Blazers the greatest team in NBA history.
The Trail Blazers’ players were all outstanding. With my encouragent and guidance, they beca the best athletes in the league, while I beca the league’s best owner.
What is the biggest difference between Michael Jordan and Ah Gan? It lies in their owners—Jordan had Reinsdorf, while Ah Gan had .
Of course, Ah Gan is the most remarkable leader I have ever encountered. Many of his thoughts and actions, in turn, influenced .
We share many similarities and get along exceptionally well. During his relentless championship pursuit, I saw much of myself in him.
The achievents I refer to aren’t solely about wealth—money is just one component. More important are your actions along the journey, every single thing you do.
When you’re affluent, it’s not difficult to be generous—anyone can do that.
But what I admire are those who sacrifice themselves, those who abandon selfish human nature and integrate into the shared fate of humanity.
The most important lesson I learned from Ah Gan is purity.
He loves basketball. He has earned vast wealth, garnered many honors, and secured nurous victories. Yet his original intention has never wavered—he loves this lifestyle.
When I realized this and embedded it into my own philosophy, I beca unstoppable.]
———— Excerpt from T-rump’s autobiography "My Na is Tang Jianguo", published in 2017.
In the 1991 playoffs, from the first round to the second round, every series was surprisingly easy—there were no Ga Sevens or even Ga Fives.
The Trail Blazers displayed their dominance in the Western Conference through 3-0 and 4-0 sweeps. Beginning with last season, they had already set a record of five undefeated series in the Western Conference playoffs.
wins and 0 losses—a terrifying record that showcased the stark disparity between the Trail Blazers and other Western Conference powerhouses during playoff ti.
This was an inevitable result of talent dilution as the 1990s began.
In the 1980s, the Western Conference still featured juggernauts like the Lakers, who twice crushed the Trail Blazers, and the Houston Twin Towers, who pushed the Blazers to the brink two consecutive seasons with their back-to-back No.1 picks.
Now, the Western Conference had no such talent-packed teams. The Lakers had gradually declined, and the Rockets no longer had the luck of landing two No.1 overall picks. Teams were rely piecing together what they could.
So as the 1990s arrived, the Trail Blazers found the Western Conference easier to navigate, breezing through the first two rounds before waiting for the victor between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
It was also a matchup without much suspense—the Suns had an absolute edge in overall strength, while the Warriors had a dark-horse flair. Making it past the first round was already exceeding expectations; defeating the balanced roster and interior-dominant Suns was imnsely challenging.
However, prior to their matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, no one believed the Warriors, as the seventh seed in the West, could defeat the second-seeded Spurs. In basketball, nothing is 100% certain.
In the end, the Suns comfortably eliminated the Warriors with a 4-1 series victory, setting up a Western Conference clash with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The battle between Gan Guoyang and Charles Barkley was about to ignite—a showdown fans had long been anticipating.
The situation in the Eastern Conference wasn’t much different from the West. The Miami Heat, having squeezed into the playoffs, faced the top-seeded Chicago Bulls.
Before the series, the dia hyped up the showdown between Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan, debating who was truly the league’s top shooting guard.
In reality, the topic shouldn’t have sparked much doubt. The only reason for discussion was the three glittering championship rings on Drexler’s hand.
Additionally, Drexler truly excelled this season, establishing himself as the core of the Miami Heat and Pat Riley’s new Magic.
During the regular season, Drexler averaged 22.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per ga, earning him a spot in the MVP conversation for the first ti in his career.
With the Trail Blazers, he had always lived in Gan Guoyang’s shadow. In Miami, he was becoming their shining sun.
However, Riley had no intention of turning the Heat into another Los Angeles Lakers. On the contrary, starting this season, Riley placed extre emphasis on defense.
Under Riley’s coaching, the Heat’s defense beca exceptionally tough. With the acquisitions of McDaniel and Mason, Riley continued to load up on muscle-bound players at the forward positions.
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