[{"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-1184":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},1444727,1896,"Chapter 1184 - 24: I’ll Get 50 Points (Part 6)","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1184",1184,"\u003Cp>The Supersonics were still too young, following the Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang’s lead, rather than \"being led by themselves\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second half, the Supersonics had to shift into a frantic catch-up mode, but catching up to the Trail Blazers was incredibly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The margin for error was too low; Ah Gan was always ready to deliver a crushing blow at critical moments, forcefully suppressing the Supersonics’ momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, fighting away from home, the referees’ calls favored the Trail Blazers, making it even tougher for the Supersonics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the Supersonics managed to close the gap to just 5 points at one point in the second half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, in the fourth quarter, Petrović suddenly exploded, partnering with Gan Guoyang for successive pick-and-roll plays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Together, they scored 14 points in five minutes, once again outpacing the Supersonics with their offensive efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>107:115, the Trail Blazers claimed the second game with an 8-point advantage, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the second game ended, Karl left the court without saying anything to Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the post-game press conference, Karl said: \"See you in Seattle. Honestly, the Trail Blazers are still strong, but we don’t fear them. A week later, the series will look different.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karl was as bold as ever, but what he said was indeed the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the Trail Blazers led 2-0, both wins weren’t easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, those victories relied more on tactics and experience, rather than sheer strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang still had a dominating performance, scoring 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in the second game, achieving another triple-double.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, aside from Gan Guoyang, the performances of others became increasingly unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the second game, Terry Porter’s calf injury flared up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After examination, the team doctor confirmed that Porter wouldn’t be able to travel with the team to Seattle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left the Trail Blazers’ backcourt stretched thin, prompting media criticism that management should have signed another guard instead of acquiring the not-so-useful Bernard King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers could only take two point guards to Seattle, and unlike the regular season, in the playoffs, Beelman had to balance Petrović and Curry’s playing time carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Petrović was also injured; if he had to sit out again, the Trail Blazers’ backcourt would be in shambles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past few years of pursuing the championship, the Trail Blazers had rarely been troubled by injuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The core players had always been healthy, partly due to good medical management and partly due to luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But luck always runs out; this year, the Trail Blazers were destined to go through the playoffs amid injury problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics were different; they were very young, with not enough game experience to feel fatigued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to Seattle, they seemed recharged, accumulating the emotions of the first two games, launching a fierce attack on the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seattle fans were as crazy as Portland fans; the two cities had always had a competitive relationship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fans at KeyArena shouted desperately, disrupting every offensive, free throw, and defensive play of the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third game, the Trail Blazers showed their vulnerability, playing in a disjointed manner without Porter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang had to shoulder too much responsibility in offense, defense, and organization; he couldn’t score 100 points alone in a game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics achieved a big win in the third game, 94:114, securing a 20-point victory at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the game ended, the entire arena was cheering, assaulting the Trail Blazers players with crazy noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an interview, Gan Guoyang said: \"A terrible loss, rare in my career. But I’ll quickly forget it. Whether it’s a win or a loss, once it happens, it’s a fact, indisputable, no need to dwell on it. Next game, prepare for the next game.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reporters had conducted many interviews with Gan Guoyang after wins, but very few after losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The media across the country extensively reported on the Trail Blazers’ rare big loss, attacking the weakness of the king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sports world always has this tendency; when the wins are impressive, there’s a lot of hype, as if they can sweep the opponent immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once a game is lost and weaknesses are exposed, it’s as if the sky is falling, immediately predicting a series of defeats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, when facing a strong opponent, quick wins or losses are both incorrect; one must be prepared for a prolonged battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, the Trail Blazers had achieved quick victories in the Western Conference, leaving opponents with no chance to fight back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, the team declined significantly, encountering more back-and-forth, and even being beaten quite badly by opponents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth game was still in KeyArena; after winning the third game, the Supersonics were extremely motivated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had tremendous fighting spirit at home, losing just eight games at KeyArena in the regular season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their home win rate was 80%, 27% higher than their away win rate, typical of a team strong at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this game, the Supersonics once again unleashed their full power, and at KeyArena, their offensive level automatically increased by 30%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supersonics leveraged their strong momentum, continuously attacking the interior at the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the support of the home whistle, they had already drawn two fouls on Ah Gan in the first quarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang had to sit out early, collapsing the Trail Blazers’ offense and defense instantaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At halftime, the Trail Blazers were trailing by 11 points again; the Supersonics’ relentless offense and defense were suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George Karl got smarter, deliberately slowing down the pace in the third quarter to conserve energy for the fourth quarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang initiated a counterattack in the fourth quarter, repeatedly hitting mid-range jumpers, narrowing the gap to 1 point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Glen Rice hit two consecutive three-pointers at critical moments, which were devastating for the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glen Rice hit four three-pointers in this game, setting his personal playoff record for three-point shooting.\u003C\u002Fp>",989,"2026-06-06T01:41:51.304Z",1,"novelbin.me","e4c438a103b94e69e0dc93b1c7dcd46e4456a556969e056c9dcdee59db6a0f51","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1327","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1183",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]