[{"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-516":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},1444133,1896,"Chapter 516 - 19: Keeping Promises","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-516",516,"\u003Cp>Unimpressed with Reggie Miller’s finger provocation, Gan Guoyang did not even glance at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not say to Ramsay, \"Let me play earlier, I want to take on Reggie.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What level do you think you are? Do I need to compete with you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan didn’t look down on Miller; Miller just wasn’t worth his full attention yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would simply play his game, and if they were both on the court at the same time, he would give him a little newcomer’s gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re just a rookie trying to provoke me, I’m not interested in indulging you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Gan’s disregard, Reggie Miller felt somewhat embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the brief stoppage, Gan did not return to the court; Ramsay gave him a rare extended rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, Gan’s playing time had also slightly decreased, more than two minutes lower than last season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the rotation, Ramsay increased the playing time of Hornacek and Dell Curry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes the old man would even play three guards on the court, Hornacek, Drexler, and Terry Porter, or switch Curry for Hornacek, as a tribute to Old Nelson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the downside of three guards is defense, but the advantage is a smoother offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fluid offense helps make regular season play a bit easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, Hornacek and Curry were quite diligent on defense, after all, the boss had spoken—they needed to defend well and block shots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, Reggie Miller tried to provoke Gan, and Gan did not bother with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his juniors, Hornacek and Curry certainly couldn’t stand idly by; the two went to teach Miller a lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During defense, Hornacek and Curry kept pushing Miller with their elbows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a common defensive move for NBA perimeter defense back then because handchecking was allowed, although the rules stated, \"Hands could only be placed on the waist without exerting force.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But referees weren’t all-seeing; discerning whether force was used was difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, referees spent most of their time watching the ball-handler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller, skilled at off-ball movement, was accustomed to defenders pushing and nudging him—that was standard practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next decade or so, night after night in games, Miller would encounter this kind of jostling and elbowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rookie Miller was undaunted; he found an opportunity on the wing, rushed over to receive the ball, and made a mid-range shot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pacers kept closing the gap, but Hornacek responded too. He cooperated with Jones in the low post, cut to the basket after a hand-off, and made the layup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pacers’ interior defense was indeed awful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, Hornacek became entangled with Miller once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two had similar technical styles, both were prolific without the ball, shot with precision, and had excellent positioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller had better physical attributes and a significant advantage in height and wingspan that allowed him to score despite intense defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, Hornacek was more versatile, especially in terms of dribbling and ball-handling attacks, where he had an edge over Reggie Miller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What they shared was the toughness of their gameplay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hornacek might look harmless, but he often used his elbows aggressively in actual play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared to confront bigger players during screens and defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even during pick-and-rolls, he was bold enough to act as a wall to block the opponent’s center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While blocking, he would brace his arms across his chest to fend off the opponent’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This kind of bravery and toughness earned Ramsay’s appreciation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season he gradually replaced Jim Paxson to become the team’s primary guard substitute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was inevitable for two players with such tough playing styles to clash, especially since they were both young and hot-headed rookies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon Hornacek got into a scuffle with Miller on defense; he grabbed Miller’s jersey, and Miller, turning around, elbowed Hornacek’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The move was subtle, seemingly shaking off Hornacek’s hand, but in reality, Hornacek took a hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such tactics were commonplace in the games of the 80s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from a few players like Mark Price who played very cleanly due to their moral scruples, others would engage in such maneuvers to some extent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, then there were players like Gan who didn’t bother with such dirty tricks and went straight for the play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hornacek was riled by Miller’s elbow and shoved him hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A conflict broke out on the court, and the referee quickly intervened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Hornacek was called for a defensive foul, and it was the Pacers’ sideline ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Gan entered the game; he replaced Jones and partnered with Greg Anderson in the interior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller had finally waited for Gan’s entry, and he was very excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a sideline play, Miller circled around pretending to receive the ball but suddenly cut inside, signaling to his teammate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This seemed like a great opportunity. A teammate lobbed a long pass to the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan seemed to react slowly and did not immediately follow; Miller caught the ball and went straight for the layup without dribbling!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan suddenly sprang into action, using his left hand to definitively block Miller’s shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Gan had reacted on time, he should have immediately turned around to the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with his arms raised, he would have formed a barrier in front of Miller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Miller had caught the ball, it would have been very difficult for him to attempt a layup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gan didn’t; he purposely gave Miller the space to catch the ball and attempt the layup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he was confident he could block the rookie’s shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The block was light, just a tap, and Miller got the offensive rebound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unconvinced and wanting to go up again, he was blocked by Gan once more!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball flew to Wayman Tisdale’s hands, who went for a left-hand hook shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan leaped a third time and blocked the ball again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time he was careful with his power, just lightly tapping it, then leaping to secure the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three blocks in one play, tonight Gan was hosting a block party in the paint for the Pacers’ players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan never swatted balls like a volleyball player; his blocks always seemed desperate, just barely touching the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such blocks always kept the ball in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that he couldn’t make a massive block, he just knew how to control the timing and height of his jumps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jumping too aggressively made it easy to get faked out and left him unable to adjust, which wasn’t to his advantage when guarding two players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Hornacek, choosing not to start a fast break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hornacek muttered, \"All the money’s been taken by you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan replied to Reggie Miller, \"Welcome to the NBA, Miler.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miler? My name is Miller!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, Miler.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang deliberately mispronounced Miller’s name, which really lit a fire under him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On defense, Miller tried to double-team Gan, but Gan made a beautiful low-post play, passing to a cutting Hornacek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hornacek caught the ball and scored with a layup, giving the Trail Blazers control of the game once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Gan Guoyang’s arrival, the Trail Blazers’ defense immediately improved by several levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hornacek stopped tangling with Miller and let him go on one side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was Ah Gan, go ahead and challenge him if you dare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller really did take up the challenge; he thought he would not go for a layup but rather pull up for a jump shot instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gan Guoyang predicted Miller’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller used a screen to get the ball on the baseline, driving on the left to the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan was three steps away from him, and Miller wanted to pull up for a quick shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, Gan took a huge step forward, leapt high into the air, and swatted Miller’s shot out of the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a perfect prediction, and Miller was simply too inexperienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had passed the ball inside instead, the lane was open and he could have set up his teammate for an easy layup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Williams couldn’t help but complain, \"You should have passed the ball, rookie!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller didn’t respond, and the Trail Blazers regained control of the ball again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang made a long pass to the frontcourt where Jerome Kossie received it, drove past halfcourt, and scored with a layup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap widened once again, with Miller eating three blocks in a row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His inexperience and lack of finesse were glaring, and he was completely suppressed and targeted by Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the following plays, his teammates stopped passing him the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without explosive drives and low-post attacks, the Pacers relied on perimeter shooting for scoring, which was inefficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang dominated the paint, making life difficult for the attacking team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller knew that if they continued like this, the coach would call a timeout, and he would be benched to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t want to leave the court in such a disheartened state after being blocked three times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still moved actively, seizing an opportunity to shake off Hornacek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cutting from the middle to the paint, he received the ball and tried to use his speed to get past Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s defense in the middle was different from other centers of the same period.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the absence of a defensive three-second violation, other centers would often choose to stay under the basket, lying in wait for opponents to come to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This method had the advantage of saving energy and countering movement, but it lacked pressure, was inflexible, and was vulnerable to floaters and pull-up jump shots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan was different; he liked to extend his defense, putting pressure on opponents further out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left the duties of clogging the inside to players like Thompson, Walton, and Jones, and now it was Anderson and Gilmore doing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This kind of high-pressure defense was very stressful for the ball-handler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In last year’s finals, whether it was Thomas, Dumars, or Johnson, they all found it tough facing this kind of defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Miller tried a normal drive, with his lack of speed and strength, there was no way he could shake off the beast-like defense of Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the moment Miller caught the ball to dribble, he threw his elbow into Gan’s stomach!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elbow is the hardest part of the body, while the stomach is the softest and most vulnerable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone with a strong core like Gan couldn’t take such a hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instantly bent over, his steps faltered, and then Miller shook off the defense and scored with a layup!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After scoring, Miller even jumped in front of Gan, watching him for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee didn’t call a foul on Miller, and Gan, rubbing his stomach, said to the referee, \"He elbowed me just now, did you not see it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s a normal move, but if he did it on purpose, I’ll call a foul on him next time,\" replied the referee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee still gave Gan some face; plays like that were common in league games and hard to spot every time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan didn’t argue with the referee or even glance at Miller, completely ignoring his provocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, Gan actively set up a pick-and-roll with Hornacek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pacers switched on defense, and Miller was left to guard Gan one-on-one on the outside!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fans in the stands all stood up, thinking to themselves, this number 31 is really tough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that physique, he dares to guard Ah Gan one-on-one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan held the ball in one hand, backing down Miller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller felt like he was being crushed by a mountain, but he held his ground with effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a dribble, Gan nudged inside, and Miller was immediately pushed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan then spun around with the ball, his left hand dribbling, his right elbow rising, and with a spinning blow, landed an elbow right on Miller’s brow bone!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miller felt a darkness in front of his eyes, and then he went down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he came to, his left eye was drenched in red, blood soaking into his eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sure did get a taste of Gan Guoyang’s colors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly a man of his word.\u003C\u002Fp>",2013,"2026-06-06T01:41:29.192Z",1,"novelbin.me","bb1f4810f254cc1d315d99eb7a300b1d613923c1a3d3b51bebd451b22ff5287a","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-517","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-515",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]