[{"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-1212":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},1444829,1896,"Chapter 1212 - 30: Iron Curtain (2)","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1212",1212,"\u003Cp>Barkley made both free throws, then received the ball in the low post, faced a triple team, and hit a turnaround jumper to tie the game once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the final moments, Barkley received the ball again, charged aggressively at the basket, and drew a second foul on Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang fouled out with six fouls. After being called for the foul, he stood in front of Bavetta, hands on his hips, without saying a word, making Bavetta extremely nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leave the court, Sonny, leave,\" Bavetta communicated with Gan Guoyang in the gentlest voice possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The live audience fervently fueled the fire, constantly booing and shouting, \"Hit him! Hit him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when Gan Guoyang had the worst temper, Bavetta tried to cause trouble with the whistle and was sent to the hospital by Gan’s elbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he’s been penalized, Bavetta is scared, fearing he might be hospital-bound again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang just shook his head, patted Bavetta on the shoulder, said nothing, and left the court to return to the locker room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Gan Guoyang rarely resorts to violence now; the purpose of fighting then was to avoid fighting later, as there can’t be more enemies with each fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secondly, the series isn’t over, and if he gets suspended for fighting, it would definitely drag into a Game 7.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it goes to a Game 7, and they return to Phoenix, the situation would be completely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a scenario that must be avoided at all costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, the Suns won 114-112 against the Trail Blazers, thanks to Barkley’s last four free throws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The series score moved to 2-3, with the Trail Blazers holding the match point as they return home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Suns won tonight, but Paul Westphal didn’t have much of a smile on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the three-pointer hot and the home-court advantage, and helped by the referees, they only won by two points in the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Westphal was increasingly able to understand why Barkley fought so hard in the second game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had won the second game, then the fifth game, with home advantage and referee favoritism, the match point would have been theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, they would have one foot in the finals; even if they lost the sixth game, they could go back to Phoenix for a Game 7.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Barkley had a deep understanding of the series, or perhaps a deep understanding of Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Playing against a team like Ah Gan and the Trail Blazers requires seizing the initiative and capturing any small opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Ah Gan rarely makes mistakes, his control is strong, and the more the series progresses, the more he gains the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can’t afford not to secure an early advantage and seize the initiative; if the Trail Blazers get control, it’s basically Game Over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the true terror of two three-peats, the League’s six-time champions, as stable and solid as a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, how can they achieve so much victory year after year, against wave after wave of opponents, in ever-changing environments, with fluctuating personal states?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They are the new Boston Celtics, even stronger because today’s NBA is not the NBA of the 1960s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Game 6 returned to Portland, and the Trail Blazers would not give the Suns another chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terry Porter had a day’s rest, and his calf injury had eased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Barkley, after the fifth game, developed fluid buildup in his right elbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout the first five games, he had been wearing a thick white elbow brace. Now the fluid buildup was becoming severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the flight to Portland, the team doctor drained fluid from his elbow to give him some comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving in Portland, Gan Guoyang invited Barkley to play golf at Oswego Lake Park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, with an elbow injury, Barkley shouldn’t be playing golf, not to mention that Ah Gan isn’t like Jordan; he’s not a golf enthusiast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, whether it was an urge to play golf or because he owed Ah Gan a golden pizza, making it hard to refuse, Barkley agreed to play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two had a great time on the golf course. Gan Guoyang continued his style of strong, miraculous shots, while Barkley carefully minimized the use of his elbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After golf, they attended a comedy show, gambled a little, and finally had dinner at Gan Guoyang’s home, where Gan Youwei personally cooked Barkley’s favorite burgers and pizzas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating and having a good time, Gan Guoyang drove Barkley back to the hotel. As they parted, Barkley said, \"Sonny, you can’t bribe me with these tricks; I’ll go all out in tomorrow’s game.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang smiled and said, \"On the court is on the court, off the court is off the court. I’ve always kept those separate. Besides, Charles, you guys don’t have a chance; I can feel it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Feel what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Feel... I can’t tell you, but you know in your heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t act all mysterious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your best chance is gone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barkley was silent for a while, hit directly by Ah Gan’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still responded, \"The best opportunity is always the next one, always in the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang expressed no opinion. As he left, Barkley didn’t look back, just waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang also extended his hand for a gentle goodbye, behind Barkley’s back where he couldn’t see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the calendar turned to June, and the steps of summer were approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s seventh career finals were within reach, just one victory away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, the Rose Garden was as hard to get a ticket for as ever; an important festival for the Portland people was near at hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After lunch, Wang Fuxi began preparations, took care of the kids, and had Quentin get the car ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole family was going to the arena to watch the Trail Blazers play against the Suns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His son, Gan Wenshan, was four years old and could communicate well with his father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with a slight lisp and often mixed English and Chinese.\u003C\u002Fp>",1005,"2026-06-06T01:41:51.875Z",1,"novelbin.me","a6ac93921288bf88ed56a961f61bbb1ebc13d163ba484d3e9a9c7813c4a70c2f","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1213","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1211",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]