[{"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-1342":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},1444759,1896,"Chapter 1342 - 21: You Are Already a Dead Man_3","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1342",1342,"\u003Cp>Kemp and Mourning were almost about to rush to the sidelines to cover Van Gundy’s mouth to stop him from talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy’s verbal attack successfully enraged Gan Guoyang, who scored only 10 points in the first half but went all out in the second, racking up 31 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks’ so-called defensive trap didn’t seem like much to Gan Guoyang, as there were plenty of gaps between the three-second zone and the three-point line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s inevitable; no defense can cover everything, and trying to cover everything often means no aspect is strong enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many teams will appropriately relax their defense on mid-range shots because it’s a relatively inefficient way to score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Bobby Berman proposed \"efficiency basketball,\" many teams in the ’90s began focusing on overall efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for individual players, the mid-range is the best weapon, offering the most extensive space for performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time and again, step-back shots, rhythm shots to find gaps, and senseless three-pointers in counterattacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third and fourth quarters, Gan Guoyang played so well that Madison Square Garden fans felt on edge, narrowing the score gap to 2 points at one point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the Knicks ultimately held onto their advantage, and at a critical moment, the referee called Gan Guoyang for traveling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately afterward, PJ Brown was called for a foul on defense, sending Kemp to the free-throw line, who made both shots to stabilize the lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the last strong three-point attempt missing, the Trail Blazers could only foul, eventually losing the game by 5 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the match, Gan Guoyang approached Jeff Van Gundy and said, \"See you in Portland, Coach Van Gundy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy didn’t respond, a trace of anxiety appeared on his panda-like face with heavy bags under his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in the locker room, Van Gundy exhaled a sigh of relief, and Mourning asked, \"Coach, are you okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy replied, \"I’m fine. I thought Ah Gan would come to hit me; I was scared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourning said, \"He wouldn’t randomly hit people; Ah Gan follows the rules. But you were really brave to provoke him. The best part is, we won.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy said, \"I didn’t mean to provoke... okay, I did provoke him. I wanted to give you guys some motivation. We can’t always be afraid of him, right? If we can not fear Ah Gan, then surely, we won’t fear Michael Jordan either!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the Knicks, their biggest rivals in the East are still the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The locker room erupted in cheers, and the players recognized Van Gundy’s brave act of provocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his short stature, looking like a dwarf among giants in the NBA, he truly possessed courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the Knicks soon had to visit Portland next week, where the Trail Blazers and Ah Gan would certainly respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy nervously asked Mourning, \"If I get into a fight with Ah Gan, will you help me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourning looked down at the pudding-like Van Gundy and said, \"I’ll tightly hug Ah Gan’s leg to stop him from rushing over to hit you. That’s all I can do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Younger inside players like Mourning grew up watching Ah Gan fight during their student days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His takedowns and several bloody nights in the Silverdome are deeply etched in their minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially now, Ah Gan looked even stronger than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wouldn’t dare to fight him, and holding onto a leg to save you would be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-----------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, the Trail Blazers, with a 2-2 record, ended their East Coast trip and flew back to Portland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire team breathed a sigh of relief, as they could finally return to their home court to adjust properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This period had a packed schedule, with more away games and fewer home games, and back-to-back away games were exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only were the players physically drained, but the coaching staff also had no time to stop and properly recap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in Portland, the players would get a day to rest, and the coaching staff would organize an important practice session to address the issues faced by the team during this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the plane, Gan Guoyang was sullen over the loss to the Knicks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just because of the loss, but also being mocked by Van Gundy as \"unsuited for this era?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the time since his comeback, such comments had been emerging incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s individual performance was impeccable, but the Trail Blazers were struggling, unlike their former glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The media and fans wouldn’t care if the schedule was tough, whether there were many rookies, or if the team was newly built.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A loss is a loss; after all, the Portland Trail Blazers’ dominance in the regular season back then offended nearly all the league’s fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they were winning, no one said a word, but lose, and someone would jump out to criticize, saying Gan Guoyang shouldn’t have come back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leaving with seven rings was the best ending; the comeback is just scavenging for leftovers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is a new era, and Ah Gan can no longer call the shots in this era.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah Gan’s return mostly provides those once wronged by him a chance for revenge.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a place like New York, known for its sarcastic media, they wouldn’t miss the chance once it’s there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the start of the comeback, there were cheers everywhere; the king has returned, they celebrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after two or three weeks into the season, it turned into \"You shouldn’t have come back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s nothing to do about it; public opinion always flip-flops like this, constantly slapping its own face as part of the daily routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang could choose not to pay attention or respond to such things, turning a blind eye to avoid annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time will provide the answers, and he has the patience to watch the newbies grow and enjoy the process of gradual improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>",982,"2026-06-06T01:41:52.877Z",1,"novelbin.me","e04385ebc468dc07f68a2a6c35fd0f40e6c25ac1aac6e02b1187c263e815ed1e","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1343","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1341",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]