[{"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-1177":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},1444716,1896,"Chapter 1177 - 23: Champion Genes_4","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1177",1177,"\u003Cp>This way, they can avoid the Trail Blazers for a bit longer, increasing the chances of reaching the West Finals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George Karl was quite bold, openly stating that if they had to beat the Trail Blazers anyway, they might as well face them sooner!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first game started quickly, and the Trail Blazers, having won possession, began their first attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They positioned themselves with dual-flank setup, with Gan Guoyang and Sabonis setting screens left and right in low-post positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their plan was to use their height and strength advantage inside to overpower the Supersonics’ interior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball was passed to Sabonis in the low post, and the Supersonics quickly double-teamed him with great speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabonis made a behind-the-head pass to the cutting Porter, tightly followed by Payton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Porter had no chance, so he passed to the other side to Ah Gan, but the ball was intercepted by Payton!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right from their first attack, the Trail Blazers’ offense was disrupted by the Supersonics’ defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s illegal defense!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang shouted to the referee, putting pressure on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics obviously had the intent to trap in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially in the center, Derek McKey almost completely ignored his defender, keeping an eye on Sabonis and Gan Guoyang, ready to double-team at any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McKey’s excellent wingspan posed a significant defensive threat; he averaged 1.4 steals per game in the regular season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the first attack, it was evident that the Supersonics had put in quite the effort in preparation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gan Guoyang immediately returned the favor on defense by giving McKey a big block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lewis deliberately left the middle open for McKey to break through, and McKey’s floater was firmly blocked by Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s mobility and exceptional defensive anticipation mean that the Supersonics’ forwards will not have an easy night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to last season, the Supersonics players have indeed matured a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While their defense is still aggressive, they have significantly reduced reckless actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against some of the Trail Blazers’ cunning tactical deceptions, the Supersonics stuck unwaveringly to their defensive strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Payton remained a faithful fan and friend of Ah Gan, but he refused to communicate with Gan Guoyang before the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also kept the naive Kemp away, not allowing him to talk to Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you want to win, don’t talk to this guy. Let’s win the series first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Payton was well aware of Gan Guoyang’s fearsome mental tactics and knew better than to fall into that trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Gan Guoyang didn’t intend to apply psychological pressure; the series hadn’t progressed to that point yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides showed low success rates in shooting during the first quarter, with defensive play being solid and cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both teams made every effort to disrupt the passing organization process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics employed swift switches and traps, exerting immense pressure on the ball handler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers’ main strategy was to set traps for the ball handler, leading them toward Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They eased off on the pressure against the midpoint ball handler, often allowing them to carry the ball into the Three Second Zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result was that when an attempt was made to attack the basket, Ah Gan would ghost over and deliver a powerful block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the opening four minutes, the score was unbelievably tied at 2:2, with all points coming from free throws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Both teams are playing very cautiously and intensely, with a focus on defense far exceeding that of the regular season. Let’s see if Ah Gan can break the deadlock on the offensive end,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trail Blazers’ commentator Bill Schonely could feel the tight playoff atmosphere, completely different from the regular season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the regular season, the Trail Blazers often had defensive lapses, but tonight their defense was watertight from the start; it’s unknown how long this can be maintained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics did not opt for outside shooting despite suffering several blocks, refusing to give up on attacking the interior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George Karl had made the strategy clear pregame: attack the inside on offense, and never avoid the Twin Towers out of fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you intentionally avoid an opponent’s strengths, you’re already halfway to losing the game!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karl’s strategy was the right one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics did not shy away from the formidable Twin Towers of the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kemp received the ball from Perkins on the outside, with a chance to take a jump shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t take the shot; instead, he faked a move, then drove with the ball down the middle, aggressively attacking Sabonis’s rim protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kemp, with his powerful drives and deceptive moves in the air, scored a layup for two points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beautiful attack, showing the steady improvement of this high school player, Kemp, season after season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the Trail Blazers, Petrović’s three-point attempt missed, and the Supersonics launched a fast break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ricky Pierce received the pass and accelerated, driving for a layup against Ah Gan’s block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball rolled off his fingertips, circled the rim, and fell into the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics took an early 6:2 lead, and the Trail Blazers needed to score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an advantage, the Supersonics pressed on, trapping and pressuring Porter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Payton switched to defend Reggie Lewis, while McKey subjected Porter to one-on-one high-pressure defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, the Supersonics have consistently employed a defensive style characterized by pressurizing the ball handler with bigger players, disrupting the opponent’s organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang quickly came out to receive near the three-point line and suddenly made an inside pass to the cutting Lewis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lewis received the ball, shrugged off Payton, and drove to score a layup; inside, Payton was helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with a full jump, he couldn’t block Lewis’s layup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first quarter was a neck-to-neck battle for both teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics maintained about a 4-point lead throughout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers played steadily, with Gan Guoyang consistently controlling the pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coaching staff, when formulating the strategy, hoped the team could minimize turnovers against the Supersonics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stress due to aggressive Supersonics defense could not cause impatience, as increased turnovers would provide the Supersonics too many counterattack opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the Supersonics also appeared to be playing very consistently, showing none of the recklessness they exhibited last year.\u003C\u002Fp>",1025,"2026-06-06T01:41:51.304Z",1,"novelbin.me","06e7367f6e61bf85618ed03dee584ef66488599812727837d23e1dc8feeef612","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1323","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1176",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]