[{"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-1160":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},1444686,1896,"Chapter 1160 - 19: Gap in Realms (Part 4)","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1160",1160,"\u003Cp>The Bulls attempted to start the game by having Grant go one-on-one in the low post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grant received the ball, used his footwork to face the basket, and bypassed Sabonis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his final hook shot was blocked by Gan Guoyang and went off target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang turned and grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Trail Blazers launched a counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Porter was blocked on the perimeter by the Bulls and passed the ball to the trailing Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang, holding the ball on the perimeter, organized the offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the strategy that defeated the Bulls in last year’s finals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, Phil Jackson practiced defending it multiple times during training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It basically requires Jordan, Pippen, and Grant, the three best defenders, to guard step by step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time Gan Guoyang wasn’t in a hurry to attack, instead passing the ball to Sabonis in the low post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabonis turned around and hooked the ball in for two points. The Trail Blazers took the lead, 4-0.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Bulls couldn’t find their footing, and BJ Armstrong attempted a three-pointer from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It missed, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the defensive rebound, providing another counterattack opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Petrović and Gan Guoyang performed a high pick-and-roll play, with Gan Guoyang rolling down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Petrović didn’t pass but drove in from the middle and executed a jump shot, scoring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Jordan, Petrović played with great confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his first shot since returning, and he made it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear that his focus was high, and his level of engagement was strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the month he was sidelined due to injury, he never dropped his pace in training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He practiced his shooting to maintain his touch, while also engaging in low-intensity contact training with teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sparring partner was none other than Mario Ely, with whom he previously hadn’t had a great rapport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two played similar positions and were of similar age; one attacked while the other defended, making them good training partners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mental barriers they once held dissolved as the season progressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their mutual love of basketball turned them into good friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With another 2 points, the Trail Blazers were in a strong position and the Bulls urgently needed to score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the bench, Phil Jackson shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He detested such beginnings whenever facing the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the Trail Blazers gained momentum, no team in the league could overturn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Ah Gan joined the Trail Blazers, their games have seen very few comebacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they lead, they suppress firmly, making a comeback very challenging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any victory against the Trail Blazers demanded relentless effort and a stroke of luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the first confrontation between the Bulls and the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pre-game advice was to seize the initiative and secure an early lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, after three exchanges, they dug themselves a small hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no choice; that’s how games go, with plans never keeping pace with change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this, Jackson refused to let it continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Known for allowing players to resolve issues independently, this time he called a quick timeout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We need to score, score, score! What the hell are you doing? Didn’t you listen to the pre-game XXXX?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jackson’s voice carried a hint of anger, and he started swearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, his temper with the Bulls had grown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget all the Zen, forget Buddhism; without victory or a championship, it’s all nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just look at Bobby Berman opposite him, who could practically compile a \"Profanity Sutra\" with his curses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clinging to Ah Gan’s coattail, he secured three consecutive championships and went along to Barcelona to snag a gold medal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His luck truly was something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Jackson wasn’t aware that Berman had also begun exploring Eastern philosophy lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It just goes to show that people often recognize their own shortcomings in others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the timeout, Pippen cut to the basket and received a pass from Jordan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his layup was swatted out of bounds by Sabonis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Twin Towers remained a tormenting obstacle for the Bulls when facing the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The possession stayed with the Bulls, and after much effort, Pippen finally used his individual skill to score a floater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang didn’t come over to provide additional defense; during the regular season, he was no longer fixated on single play outcomes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly moved to the right corner and completed a pick-and-roll with Petrović, received the pass from Petrović, and made a three-pointer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fast and accurate three-point shot brought the score to 9-2. The Trail Blazers had the upper hand and aimed to widen the gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordan hadn’t attempted any shots so far; he was consciously holding back, preserving his firepower for later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the finals of ’91 and ’92, Jordan had been dragged into endurance duels by Gan Guoyang more than once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time Ah Gan set up the pace and launched into a scoring frenzy, Jordan found himself unable to outlast Ah Gan’s energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that Jordan lacked stamina; his endurance was of the highest quality, seemingly endless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ah Gan was even more advanced, his stamina appearing limitless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could maintain a rhythm and intensity from the first quarter to the last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could withstand that? Who could keep up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Jordan calmed himself down at the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t rush into attack to level the game and continued to organize on the perimeter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the rest of the Bulls weren’t in great form tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BJ Armstrong even tripped himself while dribbling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Porter hadn’t knocked the ball out of bounds, it would’ve been another turnover for the Bulls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armstrong soon received a pass from Jordan after a drive and made a mid-range jumper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stay calm and sink the shots you’re supposed to make!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordan used his organization skills to stabilize the situation, showing his maturity and growth from the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right after, Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, was double-teamed, and passed to the cutting Porter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Porter then passed to the wide-open Sabonis on the wing, who was about to go up for a dunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordan suddenly flew from behind and blocked Sabonis’ sure-thing dunk with a big rejection!\u003C\u002Fp>",1020,"2026-06-06T01:41:51.304Z",1,"novelbin.me","6072b418e5b11f1c0cd341ac6e964789f7235d7543f3a44de5bba09b7552291e","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1310","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1309",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]