The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 967 Absolutely No Peeing
Although the wiretapping tactic failed, through the previous two games, video analysis, and this game, Gan Guoyang gradually figured out some details of the Kings' tactical system.

The saying goes, "An old man who doesn't die is a thief." Gan Guoyang has been in the league for so many years, and his experience playing basketball and his understanding of the game have reached a very deep level.

Of course, even with this level of experience, Gan Guoyang still needs to keep learning and summarizing, because the NBA is not static and there are new changes every season.

Through the development and strategic maneuvering of generations of players and coaches, the current game format has undergone tremendous changes compared to the past.

At halftime, the Kings led the Radiant 59-51, an 8-point advantage, demonstrating their formidable firepower.

In particular, they did a great job with transitions. Adelman used his substitutes very smoothly, and Turkoglu and Bobby Jackson were also very well-suited to the Princeton system.

During halftime in the locker room, Tomjanovich and the players reviewed the first half video together, analyzing the Kings' offensive patterns.

Everyone watched very carefully. Watching the video at halftime was Pat Riley's favorite thing to do back then, and now it has become common in the league. Players can get timely feedback and make adjustments in the second half.

After watching for a while, Gilbert Arenas, who was injured and did not play, suddenly said, "They have so many pick-and-rolls."

Tomjanovich paused the recording and said, "That's right! Gilbert, you're right, there were a lot of pick-and-rolls. Sonny, did you guys have this many pick-and-rolls when you played against Princeton?"

Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "No, when we played against Princeton, the most common move was to pass the ball to me or Sabonis across half-court. Back then, we didn't run pick-and-rolls much, as it was easy to get called for fouls, and it was also not conducive to one-on-one play."

“Things are different now. Pick and rolls will become more and more important. Webber and Divac still position themselves high up, but their primary task is to set screens. The ball is mainly in the hands of Bibby, Christie, and Jackson. Setting pick and rolls around screens is their most common starting point, and it has the most variations.”

"We need to practice more pick-and-roll plays," Gan Guoyang said. He knows that the pick-and-roll is an important indicator that distinguishes basketball from the 90s, 00s, and 10s.

As time goes on, pick-and-rolls are used more often, and the perimeter players get more possession of the ball.

“Is it too late, Sonny?” Potter asked.

"If you play for another two years, you'll definitely make it."

Potter shut up, pretending he hadn't said anything, and even wanted to slap himself for being so talkative.

As the second half began, the Glory team certainly couldn't immediately start playing pick-and-roll plays and go head-to-head with the Kings.

They continued with their previous training, focusing on transitions and attacks, while Gan Guoyang primarily operated at the 45-degree angle, increasing his mid-to-long-range shots.

At the start of the third quarter, Gan Guoyang received the ball near the free-throw line and made a mid-range jump shot.

Shooting skills are truly a veteran's best friend. They don't leave you with the passage of time, but rather stay by your side more and more firmly, becoming your most important weapon.

The Kings launched a counterattack. Bibby drove to the basket and passed the ball to Webber, who caught the ball at the left 45-degree angle and made a mid-range jumper.

Webber's mid-range shooting ability is also very strong, but it's hard to say what will happen in the final moments of the game.

Porter waited for Gan Guoyang to get into position, still at a 45-degree angle, a mid-range position, and passed the ball to Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang received the ball, turned around, faced the basket, and after a triple threat, pulled up and shot again, making the basket.

Webber tried to respond with one, but Gan Guoyang came up to defend him closely. Webber gave up the shot and instead set a handoff screen for Bibby. Bibby caught the ball and quickly jumped to shoot, and it went in again!

Both teams continued their smooth and beautiful offense at the start of the third quarter, with little physical contact under the basket and mostly jump shots.

Bibby not only made the shot, but also drew a foul from Porter, who went to the free-throw line and made the free throw.

Porter is getting on in years, but the ten-time champion is not someone to be trifled with. He drew a foul on the turn and made both free throws.

Subsequently, the Kings' offensive focus shifted from the Webber-Bibby duo on the left to the Serbian pair of Stojakovic-Divac on the right.

Stojakovic dribbles, Divac comes over to set a screen, but it's actually a fake screen. The ball is passed to Divac, who makes a direct pass to the basket. Christie receives the ball and makes a layup, a classic Princeton backdoor play.

The Glory's offense was quite good, but the problem is that if the Kings continue to play with such smooth teamwork, the Glory can't find any hope of catching up and taking the lead.

Gan Guoyang received a pass from Bell and completed an alley-oop dunk. He then quickly returned to defense and signaled to his teammates to form a zone defense.

This season, the Glorious have two key defensive weapons: zone defense and half-court double-teaming variations. Both of these were customized by Tomjanovich and his coaching staff based on the team's characteristics.

Zone defense goes without saying; all teams are researching and developing it. Old Tom has coached the US national team and played in FIBA, so he has some knowledge in this area.

Half-court double-teaming is a defensive tactic that involves suddenly double-teaming the opponent in half-court to attack the ball handler and disrupt their offensive organization.

Both of these defensive strategies emphasize a surprise attack, a change in form, and a change in rhythm and intensity, often catching the opponent off guard.

Tonight against the Kings, double-teaming in the half-court might not be very effective because the Kings have excellent passing and create a lot of space, so double-teaming them rashly would be dangerous.

Zone defense is more effective; a 2-3 zone defense can block the paint and use zone defense to block the cuts.

Of course, it's inevitable that there will be weaknesses in the three-point line on the wing; it all depends on how well the Kings can shoot from beyond the arc.

Stojakovic's three-pointer missed, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound and dribbled the ball to initiate a fast break.

Webber and Christie tried to steal the ball, but Gan Guoyang skillfully dribbled past them behind his back.

Then, Gan Guoyang dribbled past Divac with a back turn outside the three-point line and drove straight to the basket.

With one final step, he shook off Bibby and easily dunked the ball!
Even though he was an opponent, the fans at the Arco Arena still cheered for Gan Guoyang's spectacular dunk.

Even Adelman clapped softly, and it wasn't until someone behind him reminded him, "Coach!" that he realized what was happening.

Perhaps at this moment, he recalled the days he spent praising the sun in Portland.

This shot ignited the Glory's comeback, and the Kings still failed to score on their next attack.

The change in offensive patterns brought about by the zone defense disrupted the players' offensive rhythm, and Bibby's long-range shot also missed.

Gan Guoyang firmly controlled the long rebounds, and when needed, his rebounding ability remained among the best in the league.

He simply reduced his efforts in vying for offensive rebounds, but his anticipation and positioning for defensive rebounds have reached an extremely high level.

This time, instead of dribbling and fast breaking himself, he passed the ball to Porter, who then fast broke and pulled up for a three-pointer from the left 45-degree angle, which went in!
Porter Jr.'s signature move is the fast break pull-up three-pointer, which has a very high success rate when the rhythm is right.

In the prime of his life, this was the most terrifying weapon he used to devour John Stockton.

Mike Bibby, who was matched up against Porter in this game, was modeled after Porter when he first entered the league.

Adelman sensed something was wrong. Always a step behind in his on-court decisions, Adelman decisively called a timeout. He didn't want veterans like Agan and Porter to score consecutively and turn the tide of the game.

After the timeout, Chris Webber received the ball on the left baseline and made another mid-range jump shot!

This was his third mid-range shot in the third quarter. Webber had suffered too many losses against Forrest Gump in the past, but this season he has strengthened his resolve and vowed to the heavens that he would not back down when facing Forrest Gump again.

The glorious counterattack came quickly. Brad Miller, acting as a pivot, received the ball in midfield and quickly passed it to Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang, just inside the free-throw line, launched a floater from mid-air, the ball went in, and he also drew a foul from Christie, making the free throw and bringing the Glory team within one point.

Christie was dissatisfied and complained to the referee, saying that he had not committed a foul.

The referee tonight was Tim Donaghy, who explained, "You bumped into Forrest Gump's leg and invaded his space." "What kind of rule is that?"

"These are the rules now, just play your game, buddy."

The pressure on the Kings is increasing, and the Glory's offensive counterattacks are quite fierce.

The referee also favored Guanghui's performance at this stage.

The 12-game winning streak is both an honor and a pressure for the Kings; a series of victories can easily lead to complacency.

Christie received the ball and tried to get back, driving around to the basket for a reverse layup, but Gan Guoyang blocked it.

Attempting to challenge Gan Guoyang's rim protection under the basket is still not a wise move.

The block was spot-on; it was a block from behind that didn't touch the player at all, and the referee had no chance to find out.

Christie got a little angry and lost her temper.

Christie and Rodman had a good relationship; they were both reportedly in love with Madonna.

Rodman and his group were not convinced by Forrest Gump on the court, so they basically got a beating for it.

Rodman later became much more sober and was beaten less, but he was still inevitably abused.

Christie is a Rodman-esque figure on the Kings roster, known for his strong defense and tough playing style.

He attempted to neutralize Forrest Gump's offensive and defensive influence through his tough defense and aggressiveness.

Because everyone knows that Forrest Gump is the only core of Glorious, and if he loses power even slightly, Glorious will collapse.

Later in the defensive play, Christie committed a rather aggressive foul on Gan Guoyang, pulling him down from behind.

Gan Guoyang didn't tolerate it. He grabbed Christie by the collar and pulled him forward.

The force was immense, pulling Christie from behind to the front like a doll, almost lifting her up.

Fortunately, Divac and Webber quickly came over and pulled Gan Guoyang away, and the referee also came over to mediate, so Gan Guoyang let go.

Christie's collar was already torn, but he still tried to go forward. Webber hugged him and stopped him, saying, "That's enough, Daoge, that's enough. Don't anger Forrest Gump anymore. We can win, OK? Go back and change your clothes!"

Christie only then noticed that the collar of her clothes had been torn. Adidas clothes are of very good quality; it was so strong that it tore apart with just one tug.

Once she calmed down, Christie remembered how terrible Forrest Gump was.

In recent years, Gan Guoyang has rarely clashed with his opponents. One reason is that he is old and mild-tempered, and another reason is that his high status and strength make his opponents afraid to provoke him.

However, the tiger has not been showing its power for a long time, and with Gan Guoyang joining the new team Guanghui, some players have become complacent and underestimated the team.

Christie received a flagrant foul on that play, and Gan Guoyang also received a technical foul.

He stepped up to the free-throw line and made the free throw. After taking the inbound pass, Turkoglu came on and replaced Christie, who had gone to the locker room to change.

On the inbound pass, Gan Guoyang suddenly called for the ball in the low post. Miller made a long pass to Gan Guoyang, who boxed out Webber and turned to make a classic leaning shot. He not only made the shot but also drew a foul from Webber!

Webber slammed his hand on the ball, drawing boos from the crowd. "Another foul!"

Webber thought to himself, "So he's really taking his anger out on me. Why did I have to provoke him when I could have just played basketball properly?"

Gan Guoyang made the free throw, bringing the score to 4 points in one possession, narrowing the gap to just 1 point.

For the Kings, it was another crucial offensive possession. Mike Bibby, after being harassed and nearly having the ball stolen, passed it to Divac, who then handed it off from the top of the key and made a mid-range jumper!

It's hard to believe that he's only a third-year student, yet he plays with the maturity of a 30-year-old guard. His accurate and beautiful mid-range shooting makes it hard to believe that he's already playing like a 3-year-old guard.

Bibby's father, Henry Bibby, was also an NBA player who played for the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1977, he helped the team reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Portland Trail Blazers.

If Bi Bi had survived a few more years in the NBA, it would have been easy for him to compete against Gan Guoyang.

Now, when Gan Guoyang plays, he is starting to encounter the sons and nephews of his old rivals.

Bibby's mid-range jumper slowed the Glorious's comeback attempt, and the Glorious missed their next two shots.

However, the Radiant team also stabilized their defense, quickly switching from zone defense to man-to-man defense and disrupting the defense once again.

During the dead ball situation, the Glory made substitutions, with Eddie House replacing Porter and Mark Jackson replacing Miller in the paint.

Then, during the counter-attack, Gan Guoyang received the ball, attracted the defense, broke through the middle, and passed the ball to Paget on the wing.

Paget confidently launched a three-pointer and made it! This was his third three-pointer of the night! The score was now tied.

With more than half of the third quarter gone, the offensive battle between the two teams reached a fever pitch. The Glory team, relying on their efficiency in three-pointers and free throws, successfully tied the score.

At this point, Webber needed to step up and solve the problem. He received the ball at the left 45-degree angle where he had just made consecutive shots and took another mid-range shot, but the ball hit the front of the rim and did not go in.

Willis grabbed the rebound, giving the Glorious a chance to take the lead.

Eddie House, who came off the bench for Porter, received a pass from Gan Guoyang and set a solid screen, then fired a three-pointer from the top of the arc!
The ball swished through the net! House seized one of his few opportunities to play and hit a crucial three-pointer.

This play forced the Kings to call a timeout, much to Rick Adelman's dismay, as the team's defense was showing some problems.

Christie had already changed into his jersey and was sitting on the sidelines. Adelman didn't bring him on, afraid he'd get beaten up.

Christie, on the other hand, was quite nonchalant, saying, "Let him hit me! If he hits me, he'll be sent off anyway, and Glory will lose."

"Fool, do you think the Glory players are idiots? Didn't you see Eddie House and Jackson coming on? If you go on, they'll definitely beat you. Go on in the fourth quarter."

Adelman understood the situation; he knew that Glorious would definitely provide Forrest with henchmen now.

Anyone who dares to foul or make malicious moves against our only core player, I will definitely retaliate. Adelman doesn't want to get into such a reciprocal retaliation. It's just the regular season; injuries are not a good thing.

Adelman was rational and did not do anything wrong, but this also lowered the morale of the Kings, and the players did not feel the fighting spirit to fight to the end against their opponents.

This may also be one of Adelman's weaknesses as a coach.

By the end of the third quarter, the Glory team had gained the upper hand, leading by 3 points going into the fourth quarter.

They shot incredibly well from three-point range in this game, especially Paget, who was a surprise weapon, making 4 of 5 three-pointers and catching the Kings completely off guard.

This battle is destined to reach a critical moment.

I wonder if Chris Webber's legs will give way again.

The time has come to test him.

(End of this chapter)