[{"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-1645":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},1445162,1896,"Chapter 1645 - 10: The Forum (Part 3)","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1645",1645,"\u003Cp>In the second quarter, the Lakers’ strategy to catch up wasn’t necessarily wrong, but they were a bit too hasty, and the play on the perimeter became increasingly erratic. The running tactics centered around Jide began to crumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without effective support from the outside line, the Lakers gradually fell into a tough battle. Although the score remained close, it was a painful struggle, lacking fluency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally enduring until the end of the first half, the Lakers were still trailing the Trail Blazers by 6 points. It seemed the Blazers were much more at ease, gliding along the right track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lakers, on the other hand, played chaotically, with the pressure of turning the game around in the third quarter resting entirely on O’Neal’s shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first half, he conserved energy and reduced one-on-ones precisely to recharge for the third quarter and strive for a comeback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before entering the second half, O’Neal took a deep breath, eager to change the course of the game in this quarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as soon as the third quarter began, what O’Neal feared most happened: the Trail Blazers adjusted their defensive matchups, and Gan Guoyang came over to guard O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal’s heart sank, thinking if the team’s plans were seen through by the Trail Blazers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dude, you only took three shots in the first half. Anyone would know you’re planning to push in the second half!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever facing Gan Guoyang in the low post, O’Neal’s legs turned weak, even hesitating to back him down upon receiving the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he’d pass out or show off his skills, opting for mid-range hooks, trying to avoid Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This played right into Gan Guoyang’s hands; he never intended to go head-to-head with O’Neal as he’s not so young anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This hefty guy, without much effort, just needs to lean on you, and you’re already exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It appeared that the seed of shadow once planted in O’Neal’s fragile heart was effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, this season, the gap in ability between O’Neal and Gan Guoyang was the smallest in history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If O’Neal fought tooth and nail against Gan Guoyang, a 35-year-old Gan Guoyang would not easily escape unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in O’Neal’s heart, Ah Gan is still that Superman in the Three Second Zone who could easily crush him, knock him out with one punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how strong he becomes, or how hard he trains, or how dominant he is against other opponents in the playoffs, he automatically feels inferior when facing Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal made some shots, Gan Guoyang couldn’t completely stop him, but O’Neal’s gameplay seemed too weak, lacking any offensive threat, posing no harm to the Trail Blazers’ defensive formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two teams were in a standstill, with the Lakers scoring, and the Trail Blazers scoring as well, maintaining a margin of around 5 points as time dwindled away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During a timeout, when Del Harris criticized O’Neal for lack of aggressiveness, O’Neal retorted, \"I’ve already scored 10 points on Ah Gan! 10 points, who the hell can do that in a quarter?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But you didn’t draw a single foul from him, not even once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s the point of a foul if I can’t make free throws anyway...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Del Harris was momentarily speechless with anger at O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon reflection, he thought it made some sense — if he can’t make the free throws, then maybe it’s better not to draw fouls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal scored 12 points in the third quarter, yet the Trail Blazers still held onto a 6-point lead entering the fourth quarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang only scored 4 points in the second and third quarters combined. He evidently wasn’t employing his former \"King of the Third Quarter\" style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he knew his stamina and explosiveness weren’t what they used to be, he needed to postpone the decisive battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, overexerting in the third could lead to declining stamina in the fourth, making it easy to collapse against a younger team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, delaying the decision point might decrease control over the game, leaving less room for error.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are signs of aging — aspects that can’t be shown in statistics but are clear to Gan Guoyang himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the Trail Blazers maintained their lead, rather than trailing into the fourth needing to catch up, which could make the match chaotically uncontrollable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang requested Bird not to sub him out at the start of the fourth quarter but to keep him in to play alongside Kobe and Little O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang first set a pick-and-roll with Kobe, followed by a fake jump shot, driving into the paint with a move-hook, scoring two points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then on the fast break, after receiving a pass from Kobe, he shot a three from the right 45 degrees, making it, adding 5 points quickly to halt the Lakers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Del Harris knew that Ah Gan and the Trail Blazers were aiming to seal the game, and they had to hold on; losing this match would lead to a 1:3 deficit, ending the series.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only would the series end, but Del Harris’s tenure with the Lakers would likely be over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what could a timeout possibly solve?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the most crucial moment, no one on the Lakers could step up to break the impasse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jide wouldn’t do it, and Tracy McGrady, West’s choice, was still in his second year and also couldn’t step up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holi, Fisher, and the others were just role players, unable to make decisive impacts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for O’Neal, by the fourth quarter, getting him the ball was a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he got it, the Trail Blazers were likely to employ a fouling strategy against him, blinding the Lakers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching from the bench, Jerry West looked gravely concerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched the Trail Blazers continually expand their lead as Kobe and Ah Gan cooperated seamlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Kobe, whose strong playmaking was envy-inducing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>West couldn’t help but think how great it would have been if Kobe hadn’t been snatched by the Trail Blazers and came to the Lakers instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all just ifs now, as the Trail Blazers played better and better in the fourth quarter. Following the timeout, they went on another 11 to 4 run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap instantly widened to 15 points. The Lakers fought for three quarters, but when the Trail Blazers pushed, they still collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The game gradually lost suspense as the Trail Blazers won 106:93 on the road, with a 13-point advantage, taking a 3:1 lead in the West Finals matchpoint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the next game moved to Portland, it was highly probable this would be the final NBA game played at the Great Western Forum Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, even if the game wasn’t close early on, the fans at the scene were reluctant to leave before the match officially ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stayed, and before it fully cleared out, gave a round of applause to bid farewell to the arena that witnessed many great games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang wasn’t a Lakers player, yet during his basketball career, many critical, classic games took place here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a deeper connection with the Great Western Forum than any of the current Lakers players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While exiting, Gan Guoyang kissed the floor of the Great Western Forum Arena, and the crowd erupted in cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a display of respect and recognition for the Lakers’ greatest adversary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subsequently, the arena’s management removed the sign forbidding Gan Guoyang from morning training at the arena, gifting it to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang held up the sign and took photos with the arena staff, many of whom had been there since the ’80s, witnessing his brilliance and victories in person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a player reaches such greatness, even his enemies will respect and admire him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because being a formidable opponent is a form of honor in itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving a precious photograph, Gan Guoyang and his teammates departed from this arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along with many wonderful memories, they faded with the setting sun.\u003C\u002Fp>",1315,"2026-06-06T01:42:05.612Z",1,"novelbin.me","8052c0d6c39d033c50214b383101d5ba387b56b67747545a140b8aa30732e928","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1646","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1644",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]