Gan Guoyang's opening three-pointer didn't alert the Nuggets players and fans to the looming danger.
For a team like the Nuggets, it didn't matter how many points the opponent scored, as long as they scored even more.
Fatt Lev, after coming to the Denver Nuggets from the Portland Trail Blazers, deeply felt and was immersed in this team culture.
He, Natt, and Cooper had worked together for two years with the Trail Blazers, executing their roles meticulously within Jack Ramsay's system.
1984 was the best year for the Trail Blazers after the Walton controversy, with a regular-season record of 48 wins, second in the Western Conference, and a robust lineup with one or two strong players in every position.
Although they lacked an absolute core player, under Jack Ramsay's tactical system, they each played their roles, producing the sixth-highest average scores in the league and a medium-level defensive scoring, making them a well-balanced and formidable team.
