[{"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-1989":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},1445539,1896,"Chapter 1989 - 40: Evil Weapon","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1989",1989,"\u003Cp>As night fell, the Staples Center was brilliantly lit. The 2001-2002 season playoffs, Western Conference first round, the game between the first and the eighth seed was about to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, the Eastern Conference’s first game concluded with the Boston Celtics easily defeating the Miami Heat on their home court, claiming the first victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In another less noticeable game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Detroit Pistons, the Hornets won by a single point at home, securing the victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason it was less noticeable was that only over 9,500 spectators attended in Charlotte, with more than half the arena left empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the playoffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wealth gap among the 30 teams was quite evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone’s attention was focused on the popular teams, while the smaller, underdog teams were ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was there no subscription for paid TV broadcasts, but even local fans were unwilling to watch the games live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hornets weren’t always like this. Their Charlotte arena can accommodate over 24,000 fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early years after the team’s establishment, the enthusiasm of Charlotte fans was extremely high, and tickets were sold out for 371 consecutive games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a staggering sales number, with over 24,000 fans roaring in the arena each game, hence the Charlotte stadium was called \"The Hive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, the Hornets had powerful interiors with Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson, and the outside had Mighty Mouse Bogues. The Hornets were a unique team, not with championship strength, but full of character and fighting spirit, worthy of fan support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But later, the team made one blunder after another, dismantling Mourning and Johnson, and repeatedly made decisions that antagonized the fans, leading to a significant drop in attendance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this season, \"The Hive\" went from being a tough ticket to fill to having only half attendance during the playoffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team actually had stars, with Baron Davis and David West, capable of reaching the playoffs, but the fans were heartbroken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contrary to Charlotte, the Los Angeles market was booming, and the Staples Center tickets were sold out early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter their private relationships, the Shaquille O’Neal + Tracy McGrady + Pippen combination doesn’t need to worry about selling tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, facing Las Vegas Radiance in the first round, against Ah Gan, the Los Angeles fans have longed for revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fans in the 2000s are crazier than those in the 80s and 90s, and they disregard Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What ten-time champion? That’s all history; Los Angeles is the new king of the league, Shaquille O’Neal is the number one center!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal showcased his powerful dominance during the regular season, averaging 28 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.5 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 59%, participating in 76 regular-season games, and had loud calls for consecutive MVPs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it weren’t for Duncan leading a team with a better regular-season record, and O’Neal having won the MVP last season, along with the media considering balance, this MVP would surely go to O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang respected O’Neal’s strength and performance. This guy was no longer a young shark, but a mature big black shark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hoped to play as the starting center and confront O’Neal directly, but Coach Tomjanovich vetoed it, insisting that Gan Guoyang play power forward or small forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our goal is victory. You’re not the same as before; you need to contribute in other areas and can’t expend too much on defense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomjanovich stayed firm in his decision, so Gan Guoyang had to agree, but he requested to jump for the opening tip to intimidate O’Neal a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Tang agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 7:30 pm, after both teams finished warming up, the game was about to start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lakers fans on the sidelines waved various slogan signs, with many comics of Gan Guoyang drawn on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some mocked Gan Guoyang to go home and take care of his kids, some said this was no longer his era, and he should stop clinging to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some drew O’Neal stepping on Gan Guoyang. In short, Lakers fans loved stirring things up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gan Guoyang first returned, everyone cheered. But as the regular season ended and the playoffs began, everyone feared his return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the complex emotion the basketball court holds for a once terrifying ruler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal felt the same way. When he stood in the center circle after the opening ceremony and saw Ah Gan opposite him, his heart skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In previous games between the Lakers and Radiance, Gan Guoyang played at the three or four positions, only occasionally matching up against O’Neal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the playoffs, is he going to confront me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>O’Neal had a grim expression, with a sense of facing death without fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight’s referees are Joe Derosa, Bernie Fleer, and Eddie Rush, all of whom started officiating from the 1989-1990 season, considered mid-generation referees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To them, Gan Guoyang was an ancient figure; back then, Earl-Strom was still working, going through Gan’s series of brutal fights from 1984-1989.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them were just getting started back then, and weren’t qualified to officiate the playoffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pre-game atmosphere was quite tense. Gan Guoyang casually said, \"Relax, guys, it’s just a game, want to grab a beer afterward?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone just smiled without saying a word, not knowing how to respond; it seemed better to stay silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The game quickly started, with Gan Guoyang winning the tip-off, still showing his explosiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bigger reason was that O’Neal was a beat slow in reaction; a psychological shadow over ten years isn’t easy to shake off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For O’Neal in this first round of the Western Conference playoffs, he hoped to break through his fear and reach the ultimate pinnacle.\u003C\u002Fp>",942,"2026-06-06T01:42:09.674Z",1,"novelbin.me","0bb5277281af44ef4ee025266540b9175b17b4ec6829525f7ec903f7df7ab49e","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1990","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1988",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]