Chapter 2245 - 48: Hill (End of Volume)

Chapter 2245: Chapter 48: Hill (End of Volume)

Glory was already prepared to win the championship in Las Vegas.

They had three chances here to end the Cavaliers and secure the team’s second championship title.

During this period, hotel room rates in Las Vegas surged by fifty percent, with a large influx of fans and tourists.

Basketball’s economic effect on Las Vegas was considerable, and by 2007, Atlantic City had completely fallen into being a "historic tourist site."

Vegas became the true gambling center of the world, all of which was decided when Glory settled in the Desert City.

But for Gan Guoyang, none of this was particularly important; his most urgent issue was to make his back feel more comfortable.

In the morning, he woke up once again on the hardwood floor, momentarily unsure of where he was or what year it was.

"Aunt Chen... Aunt Chen?" Gan Guoyang dreamed back to the days of living in the orphanage, which was very far back now.

The room was empty, and since entering the playoffs, he had been sleeping alone at home.

He and Wang Fuxi were a longstanding couple, but their feelings had not deteriorated in twenty years, still full of passion.

At this age, during the playoffs, Gan Guoyang had to abstain, or else his back wouldn’t stand it.

Gan Guoyang sat up, the warm but rough blanket on the floor feeling like the towel from an old bathhouse.

Naturally, Gan Guoyang had the money to buy the best wool blankets, but lying on the floor, he preferred this old, coarse blanket, as it made his body feel like returning to childhood.

"Dad? Are you awake?"

Someone pushed the door open; it was his daughter, Gan Wenyi. She glanced at Gan Guoyang, who was sitting on the floor, a bit dazed, and said, "It’s nine o’clock, you overslept."

Gan Wenyi was already fifteen, graceful and upright, her long hair casually tied into a ponytail, wearing a simple white T-shirt and denim shorts.

She had inherited her mother’s enchanting fairness and her father’s resolute demeanor, adding a touch of coldness to her beauty.

Unlike her brother, she hadn’t delved into the sports industry or ventured into film or art but surprisingly immersed herself in mathematics and architecture.

This summer, at just fifteen, she had been accepted into UCLA’s Department of Architecture, focusing on architectural design.

Originally, prestigious universities like MIT and Stanford had also offered her invitations for their math departments, but Gan Wenyi deliberated, believing her talent wasn’t enough to reach a higher level in mathematics, so she decided to learn architecture as a backup.

As for why someone of her background would need a "backup," it’s simply a matter of pride.

"It’s already nine? Why didn’t you wake me earlier?"

"You said you wanted to sleep until you naturally woke up; everyone’s waiting for you to have breakfast."

Gan Guoyang gradually became clear-headed, realizing who he was, where he was, and what time it was.

June 14th, 2007, the fourth game day of the NBA Finals, just after nine in the morning.

There were over ten hours until the night’s game.

He washed up and went to the al fresco dining table on the balcony for breakfast.

The Vegas climate was perfect for outdoor activities.

Dry, sunny, and with little rain.

After moving to Vegas, Gan Guoyang specially set up an outdoor dining table at his residence.

Wang Fuxi looked well; she had long adapted to the life of a boss.

Among all the women married to big stars, Wang Fuxi was undoubtedly one of a kind.

She hadn’t become a shopaholic housewife or a restless socialite, nor did she use her husband’s fame to start a business to pretend as an independent woman.

She wasn’t merely an assistant at home; she had built a kingdom with Gan Guoyang.

Here, there was her sweat and effort, and she was the undisputed queen of Vegas.

In contrast, Gan Guoyang seemed more like a laborer, playing basketball every night to increase the city’s traffic and economy.

The family enjoyed an ordinary breakfast, and Gan Youwei quickly finished eating, put on his glasses, and began reading the newspaper.

The sports section was the part Gan Youwei looked at every day, not because he was a sports fan, but because it was the best way for him to maintain his memory.

His Alzheimer’s was worsening, and he frequently forgot where he was in San Francisco, forcing Gan Guoyang to bring him back to his side.

Beside his son, Gan Youwei’s condition improved significantly.

The newspaper showed many media outlets already crowning Gan Guoyang.

On June 12th, in their third game, Glory won against the Cavaliers 91-90, with a 1-point advantage.

Although it seemed like a close call, it wasn’t dangerous at all; until the last minute before the game ended, Glory was ahead by 7 points.

Glory simply abandoned attacking, and the Cavaliers launched an aggressive attack, including the last offense when James forcefully drove to the basket for a layup, resulting in a foul and a 3-point play.

At that moment, even if the free throw was successful for 3 points, it was too late.

James’ final scoring spree pushed him to 25 points, but the Cavaliers were already on the brink of losing.

Gan Guoyang and Allen Iverson both scored 30 points and relied on tough defense to pressure the Cavaliers continuously.

Arenas, who performed well in the first two games, had a poor showing in this game, scoring only 14 points, one of the main reasons for the Cavaliers’ defeat.

Glory executed a strict double-team defense on Arenas; he passed the ball, but the Cavaliers’ perimeter missed repeatedly.

Additionally, Arenas expressed dissatisfaction with James’ offensive coordination, and the two had a heated dispute during the game.

This became the focus of news reports afterward, with people speculating about what Arenas and James were arguing about.

The newspapers suggested that Arenas might have been frustrated with James constantly failing to score or break through on offense, which increased the defensive pressure on himself.