[{"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-511":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},1444128,1896,"Chapter 511 - 14 I’m Not Investing Anymore","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-511",511,"\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry about where it comes from, are you in or not? Next time, we’ll bet on dunks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I...I’m in, I’ll put down 20 US dollars!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drexler had never figured out where Gan Guoyang got those buckets he always brought out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Drexler still generously took out 20 US dollars and joined the betting game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To players, money isn’t important. A few dozen or a hundred dollars is just petty cash, just a little extra fun for the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drexler had his own ulterior motive for joining these betting games, as it was the only opportunity to \"oppose\" Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, no one on the Trail Blazers could oppose Ah Gan, as it had already been proven that opposing him didn’t lead to anything good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only in such small betting games could you stand against Ah Gan—He chooses high, you go low; he picks low, you stand high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It gave Drexler a psychological thrill, as if he could challenge Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This psychological suggestion was important to Drexler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a proud man, but now he found that not only was he drifting further away from Ah Gan, but even the gap with Jordan was growing wider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This trip to the Eastern Conference included a stop in Chicago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The media had already started hyping the new season’s \"Gan vs. Jordan\" storyline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Drexler, he had been forgotten in a corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just a supporting player at the same position as Jordan, similar to Jordan’s sidekick Oakley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Drexler wasn’t Oakley; he had the potential to be a superstar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Gan Guoyang around, Drexler knew he would always be a supporting player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only counter Gan Guoyang in these betting game stakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang seemed to sense Drexler’s emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, in the finals, Gan asked Drexler, \"Do you want to win FMVP?\" which gave Drexler quite a shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang gathered up the money-filled bucket and stashed it in his locker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He put his arm around Drexler and said, \"Clyde, how about next time we bet on who scores more points?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drexler gave a wry smile and said, \"That’s just giving you money.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about assists then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The ball is in your court.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you want it? I can share some with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drexler didn’t say anything else. He always felt like Gan Guoyang could see right through him, and the feeling made him break out in a cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, since December, Gan Guoyang had indeed shared some of the ball-handling responsibilities with Drexler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His average points per game fell from the peak of the last season’s 38 to an average of 31 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of those 7 points went to Drexler, who improved his average to 24 points per game and contributed 5 rebounds and 5 assists, which put him into the league’s top-tier of stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team’s lineup and tactical arrangements gradually developed a dual-core, inside-out driving mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their pick-and-roll plays were quite powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one thought of this as the Ah Gan-Drexler team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trail Blazers were Gan Guoyang’s team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight’s game started at seven o’clock, and the stadium had a good turnout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some Eastern teams, Jordan and Ah Gan were like gods of wealth. Their games always sold tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By his fourth year in the league, Gan Guoyang had witnessed the transformation of the Cavaliers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Lenny Wilkens took over, the Cavaliers had been in disarray for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From 1980 to 1986, in a span of six seasons, the Cavaliers changed coaches eight times, with one coach even making a second round—leaving and then coming back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrival of Lenny Wilkens ended such chaos, and the Cavaliers gradually got back on track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the summer of 1986, the Cavaliers underwent a management change, and Wayne Embry was appointed as the new general manager of the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had played for the Cincinnati Royals and worked with Oscar Robertson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, he became Bill Russell’s backup for two years on the Celtics, proving to be a very savvy black manager (Russell’s backups had a knack for managing and coaching).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 1986 draft, Wayne Embry used the No. 1 pick to select Daugherty and also picked promising rookies such as Ron Harper, Mark Price, and Johnny Newman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1985, they picked the exceptionally talented forward John Williams, but he was banned from play for a year due to a game-fixing scandal and officially returned to the game last year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the ’87 draft, they picked Kevin Johnson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Cavaliers team is young and full of talent, led by a coach with a strong will and rich experience, and naturally its fighting power is stronger than the past chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, their record is 12 wins and 12 losses, a 50% winning rate, which is already enough to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it weren’t for Ah Gan and Jordan’s visit, the attendance at Richfield Coliseum wouldn’t be bad, and it wouldn’t be called \"the world’s largest graveyard\" anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack Ramsay still remembers the past when visiting Cleveland to play, during the game you could hear the echo of the ball hitting the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, when compared to the Portland Trail Blazers, the difference in strength is apparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s pre-game blocking bet was actually to take advantage of the Cleveland Cavaliers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for bringing up blocks was that the Trail Blazers’ defensive efficiency had notably declined recently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a team is deteriorating, its defense collapses faster than its offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A championship-caliber team often begins to falter by having problems with their defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last season, the Trail Blazers often kept their opponent’s scores around or below 100 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, opponents scoring over 100 has become easy, and games where they score 110 are increasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lakers even scored over 140 points on them, indicating that the players’ defensive determination is slipping away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is an unsolvable problem because defense is exhausting and doesn’t offer much in terms of statistics, which role players need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a long season, not every player can maintain relentless defensive enthusiasm like Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Guoyang gets tired, distracted, and lets down in some games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the end of December, Guoyang felt it necessary to tighten up the team and wind up the defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Make a push for a good record in December and January, then loosen up appropriately before the All-Star game, rest well during the All-Star break, and gradually enter the playoff state after it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After playing for several years, Guoyang has gained experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the lengthy regular season, rhythm is important. Seizing the right moments to push for victories and when to adjust ensures the best form for the playoffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushing too hard in the beginning can lead to running out of steam, and poor early results can lead to desperate catch-up efforts, which can spell a lack of energy reserves and declining form in the playoffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only by managing load properly can a team fully gather energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Christmas over, now it’s time to draw the bow and shoot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Cavaliers’ starting lineup is Daugherty, Price, John Williams, Tyrone Corbin, and Craig Ehlo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This lineup, like Lenny Wilkens’ coaching style, is stable and traditional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 7-foot center, a 6-foot-11 power forward, a 6-foot-6 small forward, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, plus a white point guard of shorter stature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kevin Johnson is backing up Price, sitting on the bench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Daugherty stood at center court to jump ball with Gan Guoyang, Guoyang turned to Daugherty and said, \"Brad, you know you’re going to shoot more tonight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching his ear, Daugherty asked, \"Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve made a bet tonight to rack up blocks; you could help out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daugherty felt choked up, ’Big bro, don’t play me like that!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the summers of ’86 and ’87, Guoyang and Daugherty had both attended Newell’s Big-man training camp and had developed a private friendship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daugherty, much like Joe Barry Carroll, wasn’t overly passionate about basketball; certainly, he was no basketball fanatic like Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Carroll was such due to his personality, Daugherty’s reason was that his favorite sport was not basketball but auto racing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was born into a family that loved racing, and his childhood dream was to become a race car driver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his height made it impossible, forcing him to switch to basketball, where he unintentionally became the NBA’s top draft pick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daugherty, having trained with Guoyang, knew just how terrifying Ah Gan could be, more frightening than even Kermit Washington.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he said he’s going to block your shots, then you need to be extra careful with every shot you take today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Daugherty made a decision: I’m not shooting today; I’m passing the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>",1446,"2026-06-06T01:41:29.192Z",1,"novelbin.me","770d09910be2cc916d4c7cbdfa2d1ca5b5e424b13a27c331b1993370510bfcc5","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-512","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-510",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]