[{"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-635":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},1444502,1896,"Chapter 635 - 27 Changing Ideas","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-635",635,"\u003Cp>On June 27, 1988, a week after the NBA finals, Michael Spinks and Mike Tyson squared off in Atlantic City for a battle to claim the heavyweight boxing champion’s golden belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before this matchup, neither fighter had been defeated, and boxing promoters billed this fight as the \"ultimate\" showdown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I loved watching boxing matches, and when I was younger, nothing was more thrilling than a fierce boxing match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Evander Holyfield, including Mike Tyson, were all people you’d want to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, mixed martial arts have taken some of the spotlight from boxing, but in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Tyson’s matches were the ones to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the match, I had met Tyson a few times. We weren’t great friends, but I knew his manager, Don King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mike kept in touch with me, and years after the Spinks match, I even visited him in prison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1992, he was convicted of rape and was sent to the Plainfield Reformatory, about 20 miles from downtown Indianapolis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I went to Indiana for matches, I would visit him, and for Tyson, having visitors felt like a holiday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his prime, Tyson fought like a lion devouring raw meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never wasted time punching his opponents; his punching speed was so fast that he could finish them off in no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So if you bought a ticket, all you had to do was get to your seat before the first round started, or you’d miss the fight and the knockout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tyson was not someone to mess around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1988, I wouldn’t miss the match held at the Atlantic Convention Center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I came to the venue with Michael Jordan and Chicago Bears’ defensive end, Richard Dent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many celebrities attended that night, including the newly crowned champion, Ah Gan, and the Trail Blazers’ new owner, Donald, along with many Hollywood stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just an ordinary face in the crowd, and Michael’s expression turned complicated when he saw Ah Gan, who had already won three consecutive championships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides celebrities, there were thieves, prostitutes, and cheats everywhere, just like the society in America.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the match started, someone stole Richard Dent’s wallet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We arrived at the venue on time, and it was very, very right to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Tyson ended Spinks’ career in just 91 seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One round, a few clean punches, one knockout, the match was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, however, I got punched too—not by Ah Gan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the match that evening, I learned I had been traded from Chicago to the New York Knicks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news spread around Atlantic City, though I can’t remember who told me. I directly relayed it to Michael.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The accompanying Michael was very upset and wanted to immediately call Klaus for an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah Gan, meanwhile, was jokingly recruiting me to play in Portland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I joked back, asking him when he would fight Tyson for the champion’s golden belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah Gan responded earnestly, \"If I were a professional boxer, you’d be my first opponent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Te, I’m not afraid of anyone in the NBA, but when it comes to fighting, Ah Gan truly is intimidating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suspect that if wrestling were allowed, Ah Gan might be able to beat Tyson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, I wouldn’t want to fight Ah Gan unless absolutely necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>————Published in 2022, an excerpt from Charles Oakley’s autobiography, \"The Last Enforcer\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang’s advice was always effective, practical, and spot-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Sabonis’s massive fists, if he gave Ewing one punch, Ewing definitely wouldn’t make it to tonight’s game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Ewing, the Knicks’ offense and defense would crumble significantly, no hope of winning this game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Trail Blazers without Sabonis?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem to affect them much; Gan Guoyang stepping up as center made winning the game easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the face of Sabonis’ sincerity, Gan Guoyang laughed and patted him, saying, \"Just focus on defense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first quarter, it was a close battle, with Ewing doing quite well, scoring 8 points, 3 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Knicks led the Trail Blazers by 2 points, 28:26.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stu Jackson’s strategy was a critical continuation of Rick Pitino’s past approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retained the perimeter three-point shooting and the overall agile offensive style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Jackson significantly emphasized Ewing’s importance in the Knicks’ offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the first quarter’s set plays, over ninety percent of the Knicks’ offensive possessions had to go through Ewing’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was somewhat reminiscent of the 1986-1987 season’s Trail Blazers, where every positional attack had to give Ah Gan the ball to go one-on-one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>оличество=msgid=\"text.javascript\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he’d rest for a longer period during the second quarter to give younger players more opportunities to practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Sabonis sat together, analyzing and explaining the mistakes Sabonis had made defending Ewing in the first quarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabonis listened intently, as this was his necessary path to improvement, with every game offering much to learn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guiding Sabonis also allowed Gan Guoyang to refine his own defensive strategies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one’s defense is perfect, and just because Gan Guoyang could handle Ewing didn’t mean he’d always have the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He too would make mistakes, suffer setbacks, and could end up as a backdrop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key was to find the best solution, to maximize the discomfort of the opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process of explaining and interacting was also one of mutual adjustment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a piercing whistle from the referee was heard on the court, as the Trail Blazers and Knicks players had a conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang hurriedly stood up from the bench, and a referee rushed to the sideline to hold back Guoyang, \"Calm down Ah Gan, calm down, it’s nothing, nothing happened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out that Petrović, during a breakthrough, was pushed by Charles Oakley and flew out of bounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Petrović was furious, and as he got up he charged towards Oakley, only to be pushed away when Oakley extended both arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee intervened to stop the conflict; Charles Oakley didn’t even give Petrović a straight look, but rather glanced towards the Trail Blazers’ bench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the referee holding back Ah Gan reassured him somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oakley was a tough guy, but not mindless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, Guoyang appeared calm, merely conversing with the referee on the sideline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gan Guoyang re-entered the court and faced off against Oakley, he said, \"Be nice to our rookie, play seriously, and don’t bully.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oakley defended himself, \"It was just normal defense, normal confrontation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really? How about I give you some ’normal’ defense and confrontation, too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oakley didn’t reply, avoiding a direct conflict with Gan Guoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guoyang didn’t escalate physically, unlike two years ago when he would’ve seized an opportunity to elbow Oakley in support of Petrović.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With age and increasing status in the league, Gan Guoyang was becoming more restrained, seeking other ways to handle conflicts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t resort to violence unless absolutely necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main reason was, Larry Fleisher had advised him more than once not to physically fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Fleisher had passed away, Gan Guoyang felt deeply saddened whenever he recalled Fleisher’s advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So whenever he felt hot-tempered, he’d remember Fleisher’s words to calm himself down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Off the court, Oakley and Gan Guoyang got along well, so Guoyang settled for just a verbal warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of escalating, the game, fueled by this conflict, seemed to calm down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oakley’s clash with Petrović had a reason behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering the game in the second quarter, Petrović continuously broke through for jump shots and layups, scoring 6 points in a row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, but he also assisted Cliff-Robinson in scoring a layup, and the Trail Blazers managed an 8:3 offensive run, widening the gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Ewing’s absence, Knicks’ defense struggled to contain Petrović, prompting Oakley to resort to physical confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, Petrović played smartly; after substituting in, he utilized screens set by Divac to cut into the three-second zone and attack the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Petrović had cooperated for years in the national team, showing great understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Petrović heeded Beelman’s advice, realizing that while he couldn’t quickly improve his physical confrontations, he must learn to play smarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seized his limited playing time, showcasing himself as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beelman didn’t correct his playing style but encouraged him to continue as he did at Real Madrid, initiating attacks on the basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Beelman was aiming to develop Petrović into a sixth man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At halftime, the score was 51:58, with the Trail Blazers leading the Knicks by 7 points thanks to Petrović’s performance after entering the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ewing was the most outstanding player of the first half, picking up 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 assists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabonis, however, was dominated by Ewing, devoting most of his energy to defending Ewing one on one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With only 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 assist, Ewing seemed even harder to handle than David Robinson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabonis’s height, weight, and playing style meant he could handle players like Robinson, who had an attacking style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ewing’s technique, mid-range excellence, solid back-to-basket skills, ability to distribute the ball, and to cut to the basket made Sabonis’s height and weight advantage ineffective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight was the biggest test Sabonis had faced in the NBA yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the halftime break in the locker room, Sabonis, who had played 16 minutes in the first half, felt a slight swelling in his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his mind, he replayed the matchup with Ewing, feeling dejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t defended well against Ewing, making many mistakes, despite Ah Gan’s numerous tips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet on the court, most decisions boiled down to instinctual muscle memory rather than rational judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was lacking in game, training, and thus in muscle memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, he thought, \"Maybe Ah Gan’s suggestion is right, I should have just punched Ewing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peoples’ thoughts are always changing with time and circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>",1633,"2026-06-06T01:41:34.788Z",1,"novelbin.me","59f0d8cb62d9f48d3e77249c6944e5e9ccb493cef8f85612238d70ccdd6040f5","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-636","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-634",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]