[{"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-1658":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},1445075,1896,"Chapter 1658 - 14: Level Lake_3","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1658",1658,"\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang received the ball and pushed inside, causing Mourning to fall back. Gan Guoyang seized the opportunity to quickly turn around, lean forward, and shoot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This move reminded old Knicks fans of Bernard King’s style, with his quick turn and release, and the ball swished through the net without touching the board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crisp and clean two points, Mourning didn’t even have time to adjust and jump to block, only turning to watch as the shot went in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After making this shot, Mourning knew that Ah Gan was getting serious, which was completely different from trying a few shots in the first half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kemp hesitated in the subsequent offense, attempting a drive after a fake, only to be surrounded by Gan Guoyang and Sabonis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kemp didn’t have the ability to pass through traffic and couldn’t pass the ball to the weak side, so he had to return it to Sprewell on the strong side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A messed-up play, forcing Sprewell to isolate on his own, only to be called for traveling by the referee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Trail Blazers’ turn, Gan Guoyang continued to call for the ball in the low post, with the Knicks’ illegal early double-team looming, the referee showed leniency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang adjusted his position, received the ball in a shallower spot, immediately took a Sigma Step facing the basket, and went for a strong drive along the baseline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourning was passed in one step, Kemp came over for help defense, but was met by a powerful dunk from Gan Guoyang right over him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a two-handed dunk, and Kemp was knocked back several steps before he could stabilize himself. The referees once again showed leniency by not calling a defensive foul on Kemp, otherwise, it would have been a sure 2+1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd cheered, followed by boos, believing Kemp should have been called for blocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether on the Supersonics or the Knicks, Kemp, though not tall or heavy enough, usually had no problem defending most centers in the league.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing someone like Olajuwon, Kemp could often make contributions on both ends of the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not against Ah Gan. Against Gan Guoyang, anyone shorter than him would be dominated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the opponent who has an advantage in height, where Gan Guoyang is not naturally outstanding, can gain some edge in the matchup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy sensed trouble and immediately called a timeout to adjust the strategy, deciding to let Kemp continue to front defend Ah Gan, using Mourning for backup defense, thinking it might be more effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it would actually work out would still depend on fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning from the timeout, the Knicks made a mistake on offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chais’s drive was knocked away by Gan Guoyang, turning the ball over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers counterattacked and the Knicks quickly retreated on defense, with Kemp sticking tightly to Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gan Guoyang was trying to position himself for the ball, Kemp scrambled to deny an easy reception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brellock still passed the ball inside, Gan Guoyang jumped to catch and turn, and the Knicks’ four interior players converged on him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang passed the ball to the top of the arc, where Kobe caught it and took a mid-range shot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clang!\" It was still a miss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a great opportunity, but Kobe couldn’t take advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang, surrounded by four Knicks players, couldn’t grab the offensive rebound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gan Liliang! You missed that shot!\" Gan Guoyang cursed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No time to blame Kobe, Gan Guoyang quickly got back on defense, with another charge from Sprewell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers shrank their defense, and Sprewell passed the ball to Houston, who faked and then passed back to Sprewell cutting to the outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sprewell took a three-pointer in stride, making it! Another three-pointer made!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Letting you settle the rhythm, and you still miss!\" Gan Guoyang shouted at Kobe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why didn’t you shoot?\" Kobe retorted, thinking Gan Guoyang was going to shoot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Four people double-teaming!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn’t four people a good opportunity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang had nothing to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the Knicks, unable to score inside, the three-pointer is a good choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks didn’t stick to their established tactics and boldly absorbed the opponent’s experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle for the paint reached a fever pitch, and Kemp was exerting all his effort on defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when Sabonis was facilitating at a high position, the connection between the two towers left the Knicks’ defense helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did Gan Guoyang quickly score after receiving the ball, but he also drew a defensive foul from Mourning and made the free throw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, over on the Knicks’ side, Chais received an outside pass from Houston and nailed another three-pointer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s three consecutive three-pointers, more than they made in the entire first half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks’ three-point shooting in the third quarter was phenomenal; no one expected their accuracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Knicks players themselves were surprised; it came down to the players’ initiative and rhythm on the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to score inside, with inefficient mid-range shooting, why not go for threes, and whether it goes in depends on skill and luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teams that make it to the finals aren’t pushovers; they’re all teams of strong luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks, as the Eastern fourth seed, eliminated the Eastern first seed, the Celtics, and beat the Pacers to reach the finals, showing they had something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tactical concepts of the two teams indeed had generational differences, but the Knicks suddenly seemed to open up, thinking, are three-pointers exclusive to you Trail Blazers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We can shoot threes too, and we can make them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure shifted to the Trail Blazers, with Gan Guoyang’s low-post receptions facing rapid three-man double-teams from the Knicks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He passed the ball to Kobe cutting in, Kobe faced Mourning, and was blocked on his layup again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks started gaining momentum, and things seemed a bit uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks countered, with Sprewell again, facing Kobe’s suffocating defense, dribbling back and forth before stepping back for a jump shot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, it didn’t go in, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the defensive rebound, giving the Trail Blazers a breather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang didn’t go to the low post again, Kobe had continuously missed opportunities, and the Knicks’ double-teaming would surely be more aggressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang moved to a high position, Sabonis went low, in their high-low post coordination, Sabonis turned around for a hook shot facing Mourning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It missed, but Gan Guoyang swooped in to grab the offensive rebound over Mourning, quickly turning for a jump shot, and scored!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A steady two-point shot! After a period of intense battle, it was still Gan Guoyang’s offensive rebound that broke the deadlock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fans at the Rose Garden Arena all breathed a sigh of relief, though the atmosphere remained tense, the Knicks clearly found their rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Kemp and Mourning hit consecutive mid-ranges, struggling to score inside, but managing to make their shots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks didn’t launch an offensive surge, but their precise shooting chipped away at the Trail Blazers’ lead bit by bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy realized his thinking wasn’t wrong, the Trail Blazers’ defense had aged, and Ah Gan was indeed declining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could only remain loose outside while tightening inside; relying on shooting wasn’t a bad choice as long as the players found their touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Knicks played with increasing daring on defense, their double-teams on Gan Guoyang becoming more adept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang feared not the Knicks’ double-teams, but he feared his teammates’ cold shooting streak, as Kobe’s misfires seemed to spread to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Lin’s three-point attempt was directly blocked by the flying Sprewell, with the Knicks gaining more momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the game while taking notes on the sidelines, Gan Youwei wrote: \"The Knicks’ momentum is getting stronger, continuing like this, they may indeed have a chance to win.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Someone needs to step up to break this momentum.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My son, 5 years younger, can easily cut off the opponent’s head.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Youwei had a strong intuition, sensing the situation silently reversing, which wasn’t good for the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also noticed that his son’s control over the game wasn’t as strong as when he was younger, even though his performance seemed fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation was subtly shifting for the Trail Blazers; perhaps deciding to strike in the third quarter wasn’t the best decision?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The consecutive three-pointers at the start of the half were very important for the Knicks, while Kobe’s misses hurt the Trail Blazers’ momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dynamic was subtly changing; in the finals, players’ psychology is crucial, as any emotional fluctuation can affect the result.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With three minutes left in the third quarter, Bird called a timeout, with the Trail Blazers still leading the Knicks 78 to 75 by three points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it felt precarious. Bird sensed it too, realizing the Trail Blazers needed a strategy, hoping the players could spread out and execute a cut to the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" Just as Carl was halfway through drawing up the play, Gan Guoyang abruptly interrupted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give me the ball, I’ll handle it, we must aggressively attack the opponents.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s voice and attitude were as resolute as ever, his gaze calm like a lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carl almost didn’t think at all, just put down the tactic board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Bird, who nodded and then encouraged the players with a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they were stepping onto the court, Bird said to Gan Guoyang, \"You better make it work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang replied, \"If I can’t handle them, you handle me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1571,"2026-06-06T01:42:06.061Z",1,"novelbin.me","d55ecf2ba11f22726f5ba07674374d3f8fa1a6ecd7996a2384ae03f20129575e","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1659","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1657",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]