The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 983 The Kiss of Death
In the first quarter, the Glory team was completely overwhelmed by the Lakers.

This was actually within Tomjanovich's expectations. If the away team wins the first game of the playoffs, the home team will inevitably bounce back in the second game.

Just like in the previous two matches, if the home team is leading 2-0, then in the third match, when they go to the away game, they will definitely face a fierce counterattack from the opponent and extremely aggressive physical confrontation.

Experienced NBA coaches, and even NBA fans who watch a lot of games, are used to these things.

Tomjanovich had no intention of giving up on this game. Although the team did gain home-court advantage after winning the first game, home court advantage is not as important as one might imagine in the playoffs.

Agan is right. We must seize the opportunity, take advantage of the team's good form, win the first two games, and take the match point early to put all the pressure on the Lakers and not give them any chance to breathe.

In this way, the youthful brilliance, lacking a solid foundation, has enough confidence to overthrow its opponents.

After the start of the second quarter, Gan Guoyang remained on the court, while Tomjanovich fielded a lineup with better defense.

The pairing of Gan Guoyang and Kevin Willis in the paint forms a powerful veteran defensive duo, maximizing the height and muscularity of the paint.

Kevin Willis and Gan Guoyang entered the league in the same year. No one expected that this short-armed guy could survive in the league for so long. He has had more seasons than Gan Guoyang and is already 39 years old this year.

During the regular season, despite averaging only 15 minutes of playing time per game, he still managed to contribute an average of 6 points and 6 rebounds, making him a competent substitute.

With two veterans from the Class of '84 on the court at the same time, they twice thwarted the Lakers' offense and firmly controlled the rebounds in the backcourt.

The Glory team's offense still didn't improve much, missing outside shots and wasting two opportunities to close the gap.

Gan Guoyang was not in a hurry. He continued to provide high-quality rim protection and rebounding under the basket, and on the offensive end, he tried his best to set up his teammates so that they could gradually regain their shooting touch.

Brilliance, who is usually quick and decisive, has slowed down this time.

They wanted a slower pace to give the players a chance to catch their breath.

The Lakers also slowed down the pace at this point. With a 15-point lead, it was a slow and steady back-and-forth.

However, this was a mistake the Lakers made. Instead of launching a fierce attack to extend their lead, they temporarily maintained their 15-point advantage.

The arrogance brought by being the top team in the West still affected the team. Even though they lost the first game, even though the opponent was Forrest Gump, the defending champions and the best record in the West still gave the Lakers a feeling that "the advantage is in our hands".

Before leaving the court, Gan Guoyang made a three-pointer and then went back to the bench to rest.

The point difference has reached 12 points. It seems that Glorious failed to seize this opportunity to catch up, but in fact the team has stabilized its position.

As the team's defense gradually solidified, the Lakers' multi-pronged attack from the perimeter gradually transformed into a "lazy man's style" of play, with O'Neal posting up.

Give the ball to Shaq, and everyone can sit on their hips, smoke a cigarette, and catch their breath on the perimeter.

The feeling of everyone participating in the first quarter quickly disappeared, and Guanghui was not afraid of O'Neal's rampage under the basket.

If all else fails, foul, Hack-a-Shaq, and send O'Neal to the free-throw line.

O'Neal was fouled three times in three possessions, going to the free-throw line, but only made two free throws.

On the Guanghui side, after Gan Guoyang left the court, Van Exel made a mid-range shot.

Raja Bell then received the ball and fired a three-pointer from the left corner, which went in!

Brilliant's three-point shooting touch is returning, which is the last thing Jackson wanted to see.

The point difference was back to single digits, so Jackson called a timeout to reorganize the offense.

McGrady entered the game and repeatedly drove to the basket, making Glorious hesitant to foul him.

We fouled O'Neal too much just now, and if we commit another foul, every move we make will result in free throws.

McGrady scored 6 consecutive points, helping the Lakers continue to widen the gap. Tonight, it's the Lakers' turn to suppress Guanghua.

The resilient Glory team did not relax their defense at all. Tomjanovich insisted on man-to-man defense from the second quarter onwards, abandoning the zone defense, in order to put pressure on his players.

Zone defense can rely on teammates, while man-to-man defense requires each player to take on defensive responsibility individually; you must keep an eye on the player you are guarding.

Coach K of the NCAA, for example, insists on man-to-man defense and rarely uses zone defense because he firmly believes that man-to-man defense can cultivate players' sense of responsibility and willpower.

As a team based in the desert, Glory is indeed as resilient as a desert creature.

After the point difference was widened back to double digits, they continued to maintain their defensive intensity, chasing back point by point.

Van Exel scored for Glory by driving to the basket, drawing fouls, and taking one-on-one shots.

He made both free throws, scored a mid-range jump shot, and then made a layup after a drive.

Fan Fengzi controlled his three-point shooting urge well and did not take any shots when his touch was off.

The point difference has narrowed from 14 points to 8 points.

The Lakers quickly adjusted and launched a counterattack.

An 8-0 run extended their lead to 16 points!
Gan Guoyang was sitting on the sidelines, looking a little anxious, but Tomjanovich held him back and said, "Wait two more minutes, just two more minutes."

Gan Guoyang could only endure it. As a 38-year-old veteran, he was still eager to come on and save the day when the team was in trouble.

But Old Tang was truly calm; he was confident that the players on the field could hold their own.

He wanted to compress Forrest Gump like a spring, so that he could unleash his energy at the last moment.

Sure enough, despite trailing by 16 points, Glory didn't panic. Van Exel suddenly pulled up for a three-pointer and made it!
Lakers' Fisher missed an answer ball, Gerald Wallace grabbed the rebound, crossed half-court, passed to Van Exel, who dribbled between his legs on the right side, drove to the basket, pulled back, created space from his defender, and launched another three-pointer!

Goal! Fan Fengzi has gone berserk again; when he gets into a hot hand, he's terrifying.

The Lakers seemed to have reverted to their previous approach, turning to O'Neal first when faced with a problem.

Raja Bell committed a foul, sending O'Neal to the free-throw line.

He made one of two free throws, bringing the score to 11 points. Van Exel got the ball again, and the entire stadium panicked.

Compared to Forrest Gump's steady bulldozing, Fan Bingbing is a madman; you never know when he'll strike, and it's really hard to handle.

This time, Van Exel leaped into the three-second zone and unexpectedly passed the ball to Willis at the top of the arc.

Willis received the ball, took a mid-range shot from the free-throw line, and the ball went in!
Gan Guoyang jumped up from the bench. Even without him, everyone was doing their best to support him.

With just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter, the score was 38-46, with the Glory trailing by eight points.

The Glory team called a timeout, and Gan Guoyang took off his sports jacket; he had rested long enough.

Tomjanovic replaced Van Exel with Porter, took out his tactical board, and said, "In the last four minutes, we'll start pressing full-court."

When Lao Tang said that, the team members became tense.

Four minutes of full-court press – a desperate attack in the first half.

"Our goal is to narrow the gap to within 5 points, or even tie the game!"

"If the situation is not right, abandon the press and revert to joint defense."

"Guys, this is it. Let's fill the hole we dug in the first quarter and get back to square one in the second half."

After the timeout, during the offensive play, Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, turned past Holly, and dunked with one hand!

With the score at 40-46, just 6 points behind, Lakers fans at Staples Center started to panic.

Jack Nicholson, who said he wouldn't watch this game after the last one, still showed up.

He started pulling his hair again, thinking, "Damn it, it's happening again!"

Gan Guoyang, who scored the goal, did not return to defense and began to surround the Lakers' backcourt with his teammates in the frontcourt!
The Lakers faced increased pressure on the ball, making it difficult to inbound the ball from the baseline. Bell almost stole the ball, and Gan Guoyang and Wallace double-teamed McGrady, forcing him to jump and pass, resulting in a turnover!
Miller got the ball, and Gan Guoyang immediately went to the basket. Miller passed the ball to Gan Guoyang with a bounce pass. Gan Guoyang caught the ball and dunked it in with both hands! Two more points, 42-46, only 4 points behind.

The Lakers have scored 17 points so far, which is not bad, but their defense is starting to struggle against Brilliant's sharp dissection.

The Princeton offense, as a basketball approach, certainly has its advantages and can improve a player's overall game thinking.

Phil Jackson called a timeout, realizing that the Radiance were going to use a full-court press and that they had to break through it immediately.

Otherwise, if they continue to lose points, the team's previous lead will be completely wiped out.

The Lakers rearranged their offensive strategy and successfully got the ball to the frontcourt through ball movement.

O'Neal rushed to the basket, received the ball, and slammed it home with a powerful two-handed dunk!
Gan Guoyang immediately dominated in the low post, turned and hooked the ball in, bringing the score back to 4 points.

Subsequently, the Lakers made another passing error, with the pass being intercepted by Wallace.

The ball was passed to Gan Guoyang, who faked a three-point shot, shook off the defender, rushed into the three-second zone, and pulled up for a jump shot that went in!

They've closed the gap to just 2 points! 44:46, the Lakers' lead built up in the first quarter is almost gone.

The Radiant continued their high press in the frontcourt, the Lakers inbounded the ball, and then committed another turnover! They were panicking.

Gan Guoyang intercepted the ball from Pippen, regained possession, and then made a steady play.

The fans at the stadium were incredibly anxious. How could things have changed so drastically in just one quarter?
Gan Guoyang dribbled slowly, and before the Lakers could double-team him, he suddenly started moving, shook off Pippen, and then executed a classic Kiki-step, stepping back and launching a three-pointer!
Gan Guoyang's powerful strength ensured that the ball could still fly steadily toward the basket after various movements.

"Whoosh!" Hit!
Gan Guoyang's second three-pointer of the game helped the Glory team take the lead!
After the goal, the Staples Center was no longer silent, but filled with wailing.

Tomjanovich raised his hands; his strategy had succeeded.

Forrest Gump was like a spring that had been suppressed for a long time, bursting forth with tremendous energy.

The Lakers' tight triple-teaming strategy in the first quarter has been completely forgotten as time goes on.

Moreover, the Glory team applied full-court press, leaving the Lakers with no time to organize an effective defense after losing possession.

The first half was wide open, and they didn't dare to double-team, which resulted in Agan scoring repeatedly.

They took a 47-46 lead, and then O'Neal received the ball under the basket, trying to score quickly and close the gap.

Gan Guoyang held off O'Neal, and as O'Neal turned to dunk, a big block brought him down!
A powerful block, but O'Neal was too hasty and couldn't push Gan Guoyang aside.

O'Neal was completely blocked by Gan Guoyang and fell to the ground. The ball was lost, and Guanghui regained possession and launched a counterattack.

Porter dribbles the ball, pulls up for a mid-range jump shot, and it goes in! He takes a 3-point lead, a glorious comeback.

O'Neal had just rolled over and stood up; he looked utterly disheveled.

With the second quarter nearing its end, McGrady's final three-point attempt missed, leaving the score at 49-46, marking the end of the second quarter for the Golden State Warriors.

After scoring only 14 points in the first quarter, they scored a whopping 35 points in the second quarter, successfully turning the tide.

Moreover, Gan Guoyang was not on the court for nearly half the time, yet they were not broken through by the Lakers and instead stabilized the situation.

Back in the locker room during halftime, Gan Guoyang hugged each of his teammates and said, "You guys did a fantastic job, fantastic!"

He was thinking to himself, "It feels so good to ride on my teammate's coattails. After so many years in the playoffs, this is finally a proper time to ride on his coattails. It's really comfortable."

"Let's keep working hard in the second half, win this game, and not give the Lakers any chance! Let's try to end the series in Las Vegas!"

Gan Guoyang is a player who never tries to build up good karma. He always announces his goals without any restraint, without worrying about being embarrassed if he fails to achieve them.

Because Gan Guoyang's personality is such that he wants to win and is not afraid to lose, rather than being afraid to lose and not believing that he can win.

The Radiant team's morale soared once again. It's fair to say that since arriving in Los Angeles, the team has been like a pyramid scheme, completely brainwashed during this period.

The players were united and in a trance-like state, unaware of fear, tension, or pain.

Normally, if a team plays like that in the first quarter, their morale will collapse and their performance will be ruined.

They can't make shots, and they can't defend, especially young players, who can easily fall to the bottom.

A few words of encouragement from Lao Tang alone are not enough; the most important thing is the mindset: unity, a shared goal, fearlessness, and not thinking about anything else.

On the contrary, the Lakers were overthinking things, which prevented them from focusing all their energy on the game itself.

Instead of pressing forward aggressively, they were content with their 15-point lead, feeling that there wasn't much of a problem.

Little did they know that the Lakers would be tied and even overtaken by the halftime mark, and the tension and pressure in the Lakers' locker room at halftime was palpable.

Jackson's meditation had lost its effect, the players were restless, and there were even instances of them blaming each other.

After the start of the third quarter, the Lakers managed to stabilize the situation thanks to the individual abilities of their players.

However, Gan Guoyang remained on the court throughout the third quarter, firmly controlling the team's offensive organization.

The Lakers started using triple teams again, but it wasn't as effective as in the first quarter because the rest of the Glory team found their rhythm.

Moreover, Brad Miller would immediately go over to receive the ball, and after getting the ball, he would immediately look for other attacking options and put the ball into the basket.

The two teams traded baskets, but the Lakers' outside shooting was definitely better than in the previous game, with their three-pointers being much more accurate.

They briefly took the lead, but Glorious was able to adjust quickly and regain the lead.

With the Lakers leading 80-79 going into the fourth quarter, what was initially expected to be a big win for the Lakers turned into a physical battle.

Both sides seemed to be running out of steam in the fourth quarter, having fought too fiercely in the first three quarters with too much fluctuation.

The Lakers took the initiative, with McGrady scoring on consecutive drives to the basket. Without Gan Guoyang guarding the paint, the Lakers' interior defense was inadequate.

When Gan Guoyang returned to the court in the fourth quarter, the Lakers trailed the Warriors 85-88 by 3 points.

At this point, Gan Guoyang didn't need to worry about anything else and switched to center low post mode.

At crucial moments, he received the ball in the low post, turned and made jump shots, keeping the score close.

The score remained close, from 85-88 to 94-96, with both teams exhibiting very low scoring efficiency.

O'Neal completely disappeared at the end of the fourth quarter, either failing to receive the ball or being too afraid to shoot when he did receive it under Agan's defense.

At this point, there were just over thirty seconds left in the game, and it was the Glorious team's offensive turn.

They had a 24-second shot clock, and Gan Guoyang received the ball again in the low post. The confrontation had become incredibly intense.

Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, but the Lakers double-teamed him. The opportunity wasn't good, so he passed it again to Raja Bell.

Gan Guoyang received the ball, quickly turned around, seemingly about to take a step back and jump shot, but after being double-teamed, he suddenly passed the ball to Bell, who was standing at 45 degrees.

Bale receives the ball, has enough time to aim, and then shoot!

Three-pointer! The ball's arc was perfect, but Gan Guoyang still went to the basket to position himself for the rebound.

But the ball went in! A three-pointer, and Glorious took the lead! Only 7 seconds remained for the Lakers.

After scoring, Raja Bell blew a kiss towards the Lakers stands, as if to say goodbye to the Los Angeles fans.

Goodbye, Los Angeles folks, you've missed your chance.

(End of this chapter)