[{"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-1355":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},1444922,1896,"Chapter 1355 - 24: You’ve Got Guts_4","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1355",1355,"\u003Cp>So Gan Guoyang is in a sage period, with average excitement for the game tonight, focusing more on passing and assisting, giving young players more opportunities to perform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Garnett? He temporarily isn’t qualified to be a serious matchup for Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy is really too skinny, although he gained weight to 240 pounds after a season, his height still makes this weight seem lean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garnett is one of the few who reported himself shorter in the draft, a fact clearly seen when compared to Jermaine O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter the occasion, photo, or angle, they both claim to be 6 feet 11 inches, yet Garnett always appears much taller than Little O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang only needed a glance to realize this guy is definitely 7 feet tall; he looks not much different from Shaquille O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because he’s too skinny, he visually appears a size smaller. Tonight the two did not directly matchup at the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defending Gan Guoyang is the Timberwolves’ starting center, Dean Garrett, another player they fished from overseas leagues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many times, the Timberwolves just have no choice, as any player with some fame in the free market doesn’t want to play here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They can only rely on drafts and overseas finds, piecing their roster with those who haven’t achieved success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geniuses like Garnett and Marbury are rare encounters for the Timberwolves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garrett has broad shoulders, good wingspan, and decent physical conditions, resembling Kevin McHale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The highlight of his basketball career was in college; in 1987, he represented Indiana University and won the NCAA national championship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, such a championship member went without a role in the NBA, roamed in Europe for eight years, before being recruited by the Timberwolves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It can be said that the expansion of the NBA offered many players chances to play and work, but it also indicates that the overall level of NBA players is declining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garrett had no way to deal with Gan Guoyang during defense; as soon as the game began, Gan Guoyang scored three consecutive low post plays against Garrett, forcing the Timberwolves to start double-teaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once double-teamed, Gan Guoyang began passing, initiating the team’s offensive movement, creating more and better opportunities for teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After half a quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Timberwolves by 18:10, with Philip Saunders calling a timeout for defensive adjustments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garrett sat on the bench panting heavily, drinking water incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he is a veteran from the 1987 draft, this year is his actual first year playing in the NBA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So like Kevin Garnett, Garrett was also facing Ah Gan for the first time in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang is a typical American center blended with the style of a European center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garrett, having played in Europe for eight years, had never encountered such a strong, solid interior player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He prided himself on having decent defensive skills in the low post, but after five minutes, Garrett told himself, \"No way, I can’t guard him at all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap in strength often induces the most desperation, especially being easily pushed inward in the low post, unable to jump, watching the ball being scored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is more damaging than being dunked on or having someone make a direct pull-up shot; you realize there’s nothing you can do afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Coach, I can’t handle Ah Gan alone,\" Garrett was straightforward; he didn’t want to pretend to be a hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this situation, Saunders looked at Garnett, not yet asking, when Garnett shouted, \"I’ll handle him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The NBA hasn’t had someone this brave in a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Saunders remained calm and said, \"You can’t handle him alone, but you can help on defense. Pay attention to double-teaming Ah Gan, don’t let him play one-on-one or pass easily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garnett nodded, his hand shaking as he held the water bottle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The timeout ended, and back in the game, Kobe was substituted by Bird, replacing AC Green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garnett greeted Kobe, who asked, \"How about it, confident in guarding Ah Gan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garnett replied, \"I’ll handle it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Remember to call the code if you can’t handle it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need! I don’t need that kind of thing at all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang had no idea what these two little guys were chatting about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he wasn’t taking this game to heart, the moment it started, he was still focused and put in full effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a good habit, like someone with OCD; he doesn’t allow anything unclean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers were in the lead, so Bird didn’t make any adjustments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bird firmly believed if a method works, it should continue to be used until it no longer works.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Ah Gan was very effective in the low post at the start, so he would continue to initiate attacks from there until the opponent made adjustments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the opponent adjusted, he would still play the same way, if they could affect him, making it hard for him to play well, he would adjust too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the opponent’s adjustment had no effect, and his play remained effective, he would keep playing the same way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the ball was still given to Gan Guoyang, and Kevin Garnett came over to assist on defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is a tall, long-armed interior player quick with his hands, sometimes playing the small forward position on the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang, with his rich experience in dealing with double teams, immediately dribbled outwards to create space and distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PJ Brown had an opportunity under the basket; Gan Guoyang made an immediate pass down low, PJ Brown caught it and went up strong for a layup!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Garnett actually rotated back to guard, disrupting Brown’s layup, defending the ball down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great defense!\" shouted Saunders from the sideline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Timberwolves’ counterattack, with Garnett leading the way, charging ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stephon Marbury initiated the fast break, making a beautiful bounce pass to Garnett.\u003C\u002Fp>",971,"2026-06-06T01:41:54.549Z",1,"novelbin.me","78f7c736aebd47014bbc08639b382ab3abb2c3b3641de269cd65daf34ed1ed2f","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1356","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1354",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]