[{"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-889":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},1444256,1896,"Chapter 889 - 53: Welcome to the Finals_4","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-889",889,"\u003Cp>He was worried that Ah Gan had realized this earlier than him, and was ready for the kill deep in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, he was still here tangled in friendship, which was downright laughable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why during the pre-game interviews, Jordan kept a stern face and avoided mentioning Ah Gan to show he didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in truth, he couldn’t help it—the entire Bulls team was watching Ah Gan’s every move, his comments, what he said, his pre-game warmups, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, Gan Guoyang and the Trail Blazers were calm and collected. After all, this marked their fifth time in the Finals in seven years—they had that level of composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the game drew closer, the Memorial Coliseum filled up with more and more people, with reporters crowding the sidelines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Trail Blazers’ locker room, the players were relaxed, chatting and laughing. The Finals were familiar territory for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Gan Guoyang knocked on a locker and said: \"Don’t get too relaxed, guys. The Bulls are strong, and they won’t be easy to deal with. Of course, we’re stronger, but we need to figure out how to leverage our advantage. I don’t want them taking us down in Game 1—that would be humiliating. And for the record, I’ve never lost the first game of the Finals, and I don’t intend to start tonight. Stay sharp.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in the locker room instantly grew tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang was like this—when everyone was tense, he’d ease things up and help them relax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And once the mood became overly relaxed, he’d crank up the intensity to keep everyone focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bobby Berman didn’t make any special arrangements, sticking to the usual postseason strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first game often served as a probing process for both sides, countering each other’s moves and gradually settling into the rhythm of the competition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The playoffs were different from the regular season, and the Finals were even more distinct from the standard playoffs—past matchups offered almost no reference points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This year, the Trail Blazers and Bulls represented the strongest offense and the best defense respectively—the ultimate spear vs. the ultimate shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In theory, there was bound to be a tug-of-war and a probing phase as both teams sought to find their rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Gan Guoyang had other ideas—he didn’t want to give the Bulls any opportunities. That was his style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, inside the Bulls’ locker room, Phil Jackson was still talking to Jordan, confirming one critical question: Who would take the lead on offense at the start?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phil Jackson believed the team should establish rhythm from the inside early on, suggesting the ball go to Cartwright for interior scoring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alternatively, Buck-Williams could attack the paint either through offensive rebounds or low-post plays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the opponents had been anyone else, Jordan would have agreed to this setup. But tonight was different—the opponent was the Trail Blazers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, if we stick to this plan, we’ll definitely fall behind at the start. The inside is their strength—are you seriously thinking about having Bill force his way against Ah Gan? That’s practically suicide!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordan didn’t hold back, even with Bill Cartwright nearby, fully able to overhear their conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bill Cartwright muttered, \"I’m not as bad as you’re making me out to be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jackson repeatedly emphasized that, no matter the opponent, the Bulls had to play their way to maintain control of the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having led the team to the Finals, Jackson’s credibility had grown substantially—many of the things he said were indeed correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, Jordan reluctantly agreed to Jackson’s approach, though he told himself that if things went south, he’d take over the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordan wanted to win—desperately. He knew exactly how Ah Gan played: He’d exploit every weakness you had, attacking you psychologically, technically, and tactically until you were utterly destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Play slow? Grind it out? Probe for weaknesses?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way. Ah Gan, with years of Finals experience, would undoubtedly go for the kill at full force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thought made Phil Jackson’s opening strategy—to use Bill Cartwright for early offense and Buck-Williams to attack the three-second zone—seem highly risky to Jordan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Jordan didn’t have the unilateral authority to overturn the plan entirely. Jackson had significant influence within the Bulls, so they stuck to the regular postseason framework.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 7 p.m. Pacific Time, the players took the court. Gan Guoyang once again emerged in the Memorial Coliseum to the sound of a majestic symphony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pre-game entertainers had cleared out, and the arena was finally ready for action. Tens of thousands of fans in the arena, along with millions or even tens of millions watching on their televisions, waited in anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>NBC TV Station’s commentator said: \"This might be the most anticipated Finals since 1985, possibly even surpassing 1985!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tonight, unless World War III breaks out, there’s nothing else that can match the attention on this game!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The next game with this level of anticipation... will be two days from now, on June 5th. Stay tuned to NBC for prime-time NBA coverage!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was NBC’s first time broadcasting the NBA Finals after signing with the league, and they immediately landed the epic Gan vs. Jordan showdown—an incredible stroke of luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ratings for this matchup were bound to break records, given how one side had a superstar with unprecedented popularity, and the other was the king of TV ratings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtside seats were brimming with celebrities, relatives, and friends of the players. Anyone attending the game in person tonight had undoubtedly gone through significant efforts to be there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it had the world’s attention, at the end of the day, this was still a basketball game. Both teams followed protocol as they stepped onto the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang and Jordan stood opposite each other and exchanged a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout the postseason, neither had had any contact—not even before this game. They had even avoided each other deliberately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their promise of \"meeting in June\" had finally been fulfilled. As they stared at one another, neither spoke, but the emotions ran deep and complex.\u003C\u002Fp>",1008,"2026-06-06T01:41:38.819Z",1,"novelbin.me","d2c4200f1d363358fac3ac176f37fb4c0a4ac81854c5b00da17c62c80a5e5777","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-890","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-888",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]