[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-golden-age-of-basketball":3,"chapter-the-golden-age-of-basketball-the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1129":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Golden Age of Basketball",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1444546,1896,"Chapter 1129 - 13: Can’t Hit the Brakes","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1129",1129,"\u003Cp>At halftime, in the locker room, Beelman couldn’t help but ask, \"Sonny, aren’t you being a bit too aggressive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beelman felt that Gan Guoyang might be being too harsh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second quarter was full of solo plays, all attacking the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly targeting O’Neal, showing that he doesn’t need to use mid-range shots to punish him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s challenging his strong points, testing his pride in his physical strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Proving who is the league’s top power king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, every seemingly reckless charge was actually full of nuances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Choosing footwork facing the basket, attacking direction when back facing, all meticulously planned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal had never faced such fast, precise footwork from a center before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While still matching his impact, the young man clearly got overwhelmed afterwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trail Blazers teammates joked, \"Sonny’s petty, seeing Shaq’s popularity, beats him to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sonny, you’re bullying the newcomer! Just for the All-Star votes leader.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To protect his top center position, the boss strikes mercilessly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The locker room was full of cheerful ambiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the NBA, veterans battering rookies, disciplining newcomers is a scene everyone loves to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like veterans in the troops training new soldiers, new soldiers become veterans, then train the next batch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang smiled and said it’s all slander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I admire Shaq, he’s very talented.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Played like this in the first half, it’s not Shaq’s problem, it’s the Magic’s issue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Their setup and tactical literacy need improvement, shouldn’t expose Shaq like this, should protect him well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang was speaking the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second quarter, when O’Neal was repeatedly scored against, the Magic should have made adjustments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if still unable to defend, they should have pulled O’Neal from the front line against Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let other inside players take on, outside players actively double team, utilizing team defense effectively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s essential to protect the core center who shoulders the team’s offensive and defensive duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a powerful, all-round aircraft carrier, it must have a fleet to escort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Past Russell, Chamberlain, Jabbar, now Ewing, Olajuwon, all have protective bodyguards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A power forward who can withstand, hold, and play, a substitute big guy who can play fifteen to twenty minutes, are standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang, as the league’s top figure, physical monster, the Trail Blazers continually search for power forwards and backup centers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In comparison, O’Neal’s defensive power is currently too weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power forward Tom Terbert at only 6 feet 7, it’s tough enough for him to go against Sabonis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending him to guard Ah Gan is simply asking for trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal’s backup center is former Celtics mascot, Greg Kite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 80s, his main role in the Celtics was attacking and wearing down Jabbar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He faced Gan Guoyang during the 86 finals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang had forgotten about this guy, no threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the only usable inside player on the Magic’s bench is Jeff Turner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also a white forward, member of the 1984 American Olympic Basketball delegation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He trained alongside Gan Guoyang and was left till the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on the NBA court, he was just mediocre, ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the increasingly intense 90s, the Magic’s three rotating inside players are all white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the mid-to-late 80s, big white inside players began lagging behind the league’s pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The days when a roughly 7-foot big white center could squeeze into the top ten draft picks with just height and some shooting, defense is long gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, these three white inside players of the Magic don’t even have the height advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the situation of O’Neal being repeatedly attacked, no one from the Magic stepped up to shield O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were the Knicks, if Ewing were being beaten like this by Gan Guoyang, Oakley would definitely step up to face the challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the Knicks defense wouldn’t let Gan Guoyang repeatedly focus on low positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this aspect, the Magic seemed too young, lacking the morale and experience to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Magic’s locker room, O’Neal seemed very dejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat in front of the locker, letting sweat drop continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coach Guokas comforted O’Neal, but O’Neal was silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind was blank, it was the first time he was beaten so embarrassingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first half, he scored only 6 points, while Ah Gan got 27 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those 27 points were mostly scored against O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every point was a result of O’Neal’s defensive failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal didn’t realize it wasn’t his fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was mainly because the team wasn’t adequately prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guokas had no cards to play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also realized that making O’Neal compete directly with Ah Gan in the first half was a mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When arranging second-half tactics, Guokas asked other players to actively double-team Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Double team, every ball needs to be double-teamed, three or even four players if necessary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You all need to help Shaq, give Shaq enough support!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Offense needs to be more flexible, utilize spatial advantages, be decisive with three-point shots.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guokas finally realized he should provide enough support to O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal is the Magic’s top card, but he’s not quite the true leader yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teammates don’t have the instinct to protect him, this needs cultivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal slowly recovered from the first half’s dejection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guokas reminded him of defensive key points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t let Ah Gan easily move you to the outside, let him shoot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold the baseline, one step is enough, you can do it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",884,"2026-06-06T01:41:50.199Z",1,"novelbin.me","6b5fa694cb4c195eb1703265ed1af57f21fca38950885e98266733c60a8b8f7f","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1130","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1128",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]