[{"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-1659":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},1445076,1896,"Chapter 1659 - 15: Forgiven","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1659",1659,"\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s control over the game has indeed declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He has gradually transitioned from \"full offense\" to a \"focused offense\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is estimated that in a few more years, he will transition to \"full defense\", and in the later stages, perhaps just \"focused defense\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, before such a decline happens, it’s hard to say whether Gan Guoyang will continue playing in the NBA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this focused offensive stage, Gan Guoyang needs to appropriately loosen his control over the game and unleash his sharpest force at key moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with keen eyes can see that in the third quarter, the Knicks are reversing their decline, with the Trail Blazers leading by only three points. The game has reached a moment where the balance scale of victory determines the direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bird’s timeout was called at the right time, and Carl’s tactical layout was also flawless—using penetrating passes to score easily and reclaim the advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gan Guoyang sees further. He doesn’t just want to easily score two points; he wants to truly harm the opponent in offense and score through direct confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks are a tough team, and in Gan Guoyang’s philosophy of basketball, trickery is never the right way—fighting to the end is the key to victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the lion hesitates, the hyenas will attack in packs. The wolves of New York have been waiting for this day; Gan Guoyang must not retreat or divert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bird instantly understood Gan Guoyang’s intention: this is not about tactics, but about momentum, determination, and the courage to defeat the opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bird can best understand such feelings; after the timeout ended, he squatted at the sidelines, keeping a close watch on the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sideline ball, Sabonis serves, the Knicks’ defense is very tight; they also know that the opportunity to reverse the situation has arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobe comes out to receive the ball but doesn’t pass it as Sprewell is marking him too tightly. Brellock comes over to assist and barely receives the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang immediately comes out to screen, the two perform a pick-and-roll, Brellock breaks through and passes the ball back to Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This pick-and-roll wasn’t successful because the Knicks predicted that Brellock would pass back, keeping tight defense on Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ineffective combination, Gan Guoyang receives the ball and must rely on himself to force a play, dribbling horizontally as the Knicks’ defensive focus converges on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gan Guoyang doesn’t pass, instead using his body to force speed, breaking through with his right hand, pressing against Shawn Kemp as he moves inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed isn’t fast, but the power is immense, forcing Kemp to retreat step by step. Mourning comes to aid the defense but it’s no use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang lifts the ball among four arms like a tyrant lifting a cauldron and shoots toward the hoop. The ball doesn’t touch the backboard; it goes through the net smoothly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, before the ball went in, the referee blew the whistle, calling a defensive foul on Kemp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rose Garden Arena, silent for quite a while, erupted instantly; Bird stood up, raising his arms high, cheering for the goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kemp licked his lips, his face full of helplessness, thinking, \"How the hell do you defend against this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this still a basketball game? Looks more like playing football, pushing hard under the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing at the free-throw line, Gan Guoyang made the additional free throw, helping the Trail Blazers re-establish a six-point lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A morale-boosting shot, widening the score gap again while causing damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks didn’t have a chance for a quick counterattack, having to grind out their formation again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The highly motivated Trail Blazers started full-court pressure defense, disrupting the Knicks’ perimeter ball movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, the tactic fails, forcing the ball to Sprewell for isolation play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobe tightly marks Sprewell, not giving him the chance to shoot a three-pointer—this quarter, the Knicks’ three-pointers are quite terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sprewell chooses to break through and attack the basket, his shooting in motion, obstructed by the defensive Gan Guoyang, didn’t go in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabonis grabs the defensive rebound, Trail Blazers counterattack, Kobe dribbles to break through, splits the ball to the wing for Brellock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks retreated very quickly; there was no chance on the inside. As both sides settled in positions, the low post ball goes to Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Backs down Kemp, rotates hard, pressing against Kemp towards the basket, a high-difficulty lay-up, scores!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee’s whistle blows again, Kemp fouls, Kemp fouls again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two consecutive 2+1s left the Knicks speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy, furious, protested to tonight’s chief referee Bavetta, believing this play wasn’t a foul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bavetta didn’t explain much, pointed to the overhead big screen and said, \"There will be a slow-motion replay later, watch it carefully.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 1999 season, NBA broadcast setups with slow-motion replays were already quite advanced and developed; key scenes like this would definitely be reviewed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, when Gan Guoyang pushed away Kemp lifting the ball for the lay-in, Kemp clearly hit Gan Guoyang’s hand, a very evident foul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kemp was at a disadvantage with the height and wing span; if a taller player defended this ball, Gan Guoyang surely wouldn’t use the lay-in, he’d likely go for a hook or use more skillful footwork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This maneuver of lifting the ball and forcing a score over your head is simply taking advantage of your inferior physical condition, leaving no method to counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Gundy had to begrudgingly accept the result, substituting the overly fouled Kemp during Gan Guoyang’s free throw, putting in Kurt Thomas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Kemp fouled out, Trail Blazers’ morale soared even higher, and the Knicks suffered a significant blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Kemp has gained a lot of weight, his impact on both offense and defense is very powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is more versatile than Mourning, capable on defense of holding and running, can defend from the five to one position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Offensively, he places considerable pressure on the Trail Blazers’ inside players, his aggressive offensive rebounds making Gan Guoyang have to respond with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight Gan Guoyang hasn’t gotten a single fast-break opportunity, aside from the Knicks’ quick defensive transition, his duty to guard the defensive rebounds is a crucial reason.\u003C\u002Fp>",1030,"2026-06-06T01:42:06.061Z",1,"novelbin.me","ca52f1996e0fab749a999531d802dae457ff5c88308e4a0153e0ead635d0b99d","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1660","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1658",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]