The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 272 Experimental Field

Gan Guoyang scored 31 points in the first half, but the Trail Blazers only led by 8 points.

The Bucks didn't collapse; they played with great resilience. After all, they had come back from a deficit of more than ten points in the previous game on the road.

During halftime, Stu Inman went to the Bucks' locker room and watched as Don Nelson laid out the team's defense for the second half.

Gan Guoyang's incredible dunk seemed to have made Don Nelson realize where Gan's limits were, and he no longer insisted on letting Gan Guoyang play one-on-one.

He still assigned Cummins to defend Gan Guoyang one-on-one, while instructing Brewer, Moxki, and others to come up and double-team him at any time.

"Let him go to the baseline, but absolutely do not pass him the ball at the top of the line. If he wants to shoot, let him shoot."

"If necessary, I will bring on two towers. Be prepared for both offense and defense."

When Stu Inman heard Don Nelson say he wanted to build a twin towers lineup, he knew Nelson was serious and wouldn't let Gan Guoyang attack in the low post anymore.

Of course, Nelson's twin towers are different from those of other teams. The Bucks put up twin towers to stop the opponent's low-post players from taking one-on-one shots.

This brilliant coach has his brilliant ideas. He won't let the twin towers huddle in the paint and wait to be overwhelmed by Gan Guoyang's varied offensive tactics.

"Forrest Gump is the Twin Towers killer," Inman reminded Nelson.

“My Twin Towers aren’t your average Twin Towers, you know that.”

Inman nodded, and Nelson asked Inman, "You really hate the Trail Blazers and Forrest Gump."

Inman shook her head and said, "No, I just want him to be put to some tests."

"Really? Then the Bucks are just a test for him, right?"

"..."

Inman was speechless for a moment, but he really had no intention of staying with the Bucks long-term; it was too cold here.

The second half began, and Moncrief hit a jump shot from beyond the arc, making it 63-57, a difference of 6 points.

When Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, the Bucks quickly collapsed their defense and surrounded him.

Especially with the Bucks players completely blocking the paint in the three-second zone, Gan Guoyang could no longer walk to the baseline and attack the basket directly through the middle as he did in the first half.

Going to the baseline, there were already people waiting under the basket, Cummins only gave Gan Guoyang one option: a baseline turnaround jump shot.

Alternatively, he could pass the ball to the perimeter, allowing Vandeweghe, Paxson, and Drexler to finish the attack.

The Trail Blazers' outside shooting percentage was mediocre tonight. If they had a high shooting percentage and plenty of energy, Ramsey wouldn't have let Gan Guoyang carry the team alone.

Vandeweghe received the ball and missed a shot from the outside. Moncrief grabbed the long rebound and launched a fast break. Paul Plessy received the ball and drove in from the baseline, scoring two points with a right-handed floater.

Gan Guoyang then received the ball on the left low post. Before the double team came up, he turned and pushed his way past Cummins. He then drove hard to Brewer for a layup but failed.

Brewer was suspected of committing a foul, but the referee did not call it. The Bucks grabbed the defensive rebound, and this time it was Plessy who drove the ball up the court.

Although Plessy is only 6 feet 5 inches tall, which is the height of a guard, he has excellent shoulder width, wingspan, and big hands, earning him the nickname "Pterodactyl," so he can definitely play as a small forward.

Plessy averages 7.8 assists per game and is the core of the team's offensive organization. When he has the ball, it is difficult for defenders to judge whether he is going to pass the ball or attack the basket directly.

Plessy, who had just scored, chose to pass this time. He went to the baseline and suddenly made a low cross. Cummins caught the ball and dunked it with both hands!
Plessy was a passing prodigy in college; his underhand no-look pass and behind-the-back pass were signature moves in West Texas College basketball, and he is the only NBA player in the school's history.

In the third quarter, the Bucks started with a 6-0 run against the Trail Blazers, narrowing the gap to 2 points.

Jack Ramsey called a timeout. He wasn't angry; instead, he calmly asked Gan Guoyang, "Gan, can you still fight?"

Gan Guoyang said, "Of course, this is only the third quarter, and it's my time to shine."

Ramsey nodded and said, "Okay, our tactics remain the same. We'll continue to have Forrest attack in the low post. But we need to make some changes on the defensive end. Clyde, you'll guard Plessy. We'll also tighten our defense, leaving the flanks open and blocking the middle to prevent them from getting in. Bill, you're coming on, replacing Mitchell. Block the middle. I know everyone is tired tonight, so cherish your energy and use your brains when you play."

In these back-to-back away games where players are exhausted, simply emphasizing intensity is not enough; some trade-offs need to be made when necessary.

After a timeout, the game resumed, and Gan Guoyang continued to hold his position in the low post. His stamina was so great that even Brewer, who was defending him, was amazed.

"Aren't you tired?" Brewer asked.

To be honest, Brewer was getting tired of defending and was numb from being hit so many times by Gan Guoyang.

"How can playing basketball be tiring?" Gan Guoyang replied.

He once again positioned himself in the low post, received a pass from Drexler, and turned to shoot a jump shot before the double team could close in!

With two points scored, the Trail Blazers finally scored in the second half, making it 65-61, maintaining a 4-point lead.

The Trail Blazers opened up their wings to the Bucks on defense, and Plessy made a three-point jump shot.

Gan Guoyang still received the ball in the low position, and was double-teamed. This time, Gan Guoyang turned and walked to the baseline, making a small pass inside.

Walton catches the ball and dunks it!

Nelson, watching from the sidelines, shook his head, thinking, "Forrest Gump's usage rate tonight is probably over 70%, right? His stamina and consistency are truly amazing. Dr. Jack, are you testing Forrest Gump's limits too?"

Nelson glanced at Ramsey on the other side of the field. Ramsey stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed, his face expressionless.

In fact, Gan Guoyang's playing time this year is lower than last year, dropping from a typical 41 minutes to 38 minutes.

The reason Gan Guoyang was allowed to attack so aggressively in the low post tonight was partly due to the fact that everyone else was exhausted from playing back-to-back away games.

Only Forrest Gump, that beast, still has plenty of energy, and he always gets better with each game, so there's no need to worry about him running out of steam. On the other hand, Ramsey really wants to see what the effect will be if Gan Guoyang has a huge amount of possession in the low post.

Ramsey is trying to build a system that is completely different from the past, but it is still in its infancy.

At 60 years old, Ramsey had spent half his life immersed in the traditional basketball system. If he hadn't met Forrest Gump, he would have carried his past glories and inability to adapt to the new era with him, heading towards a normal decline and demise as a coach.

This is the natural law of development for everything, and it is also the normal metabolism in the sports world.

But Gan Guoyang's arrival has constantly given the old man new inspiration. Since last season, he has been trying new things and striving to break through his limits.

Gan Guoyang began to change his low-post attack strategy. He no longer went to the top of the court or easily entered the encirclement from the baseline. Instead, he trusted his shooting touch.

After receiving the ball, he made a slight adjustment and then immediately took a turnaround jump shot or hook shot from the baseline, making three consecutive shots. The Trail Blazers widened the gap again to 69-61, and this time it was Nelson's turn to call a timeout.

Gan Guoyang has already scored 37 points.

Nelson switched to a twin-tower lineup, with Brewer and Moxki partnering in the frontcourt.

Lister was left seeing stars after being dunked on by Gan Guoyang in the first half, and lost all confidence.

Even if Gan Guoyang scores 50 points on Mokski, a seasoned veteran, he won't feel frustrated.

Players like Moxki, Laimbeer, and Boults are all of the same type.

A white center with average physical attributes, but capable of shooting from the outside and employing many dirty tricks on defense.

He was never considered to be star player material from a young age, unlike some talented black centers who are not so arrogant.

Therefore, they have better mental fortitude and are willing to go to great lengths during competitions, even resorting to underhanded tactics, all in order to win.

Individual performance and statistics don't matter at all; their happiest moment is seeing their opponents frustrated.

Of course, it's inevitable that such players will get beaten up during matches.

After Moxki entered the game, he did not focus on guarding Gan Guoyang, but instead roamed the perimeter, looking for opportunities to double-team Gan Guoyang.

This is a tactic invented by Nelson, which involves having big men like Moxki linger near the top of the key and the three-point line on the strong side, and then using his wingspan and long strides to double-team the opponent's low post center at top speed.

This effectively avoids the problem of perimeter players being unable to double-team the ball handler in the low post due to illegal defensive rules. Even if a small guard is fast enough to double-team, he can't match the speed of a long-legged, long-armed center like Moxki in a single step.

Meanwhile, Moxki has outside shooting ability on offense, so he won't block the space under the basket. Therefore, the Bucks' twin towers are atypical twin towers, and they don't take up too much space and resources on offense and defense.

This move made things very difficult for Gan Guoyang. He was unable to receive the ball comfortably in the low post for several consecutive possessions, forcing the Trail Blazers to move the ball around and revert to their usual tactics.

Once the Trail Blazers start moving the ball, the Bucks' double-teaming and switching defenses can get going, and the game starts to descend into chaos. This is the rhythm the Bucks like; they have many guards and are good at creating chaos.

Hodges stole the ball from Terry Porter on the perimeter and scored, then drew a foul on Porter with a dunk on the fast break, making the free throw and bringing the Bucks within 3 points again.

This time, Ramsey didn't call a timeout; he wanted to see how Gan Guoyang would solve the problem.

Gan Guoyang began to actively set screens for Porter, drawing the opponent's defensive attention after cutting to the basket.

Porter made a mid-range jump shot.

Porter shot decisively, knowing that Gan Guoyang could provide offensive rebounds under the basket.

Once the game gets into positional play, the Bucks don't have many options, with Walton and Vandeweghe completely blocking the middle lane.

With the wings and baseline open, the Bucks could only manage mid-range shots or allow Cummins to score in the low post after all their efforts.

Cummins missed his shot, Walton grabbed the rebound, Porter slowed down with the ball, and Gan Guoyang came over to set a screen again.

Porter moves down the middle, Gan Guoyang cuts to the wing, receives a bounce pass from Porter, and immediately hits a mid-range jump shot!
The strategy of double-teaming tall players can be broken by a simple pick-and-roll. Moxki's long legs and tall stature are actually a disadvantage when defending pick-and-rolls.

Nelson exclaimed, "A smart guy!"

Gan Guoyang high-fived Porter, whose ability to pull up and shoot from the outside is key to the effectiveness of pick-and-rolls.

As the match progressed, the chaotic skirmishes between the two sides increased, and the physical confrontations became more and more intense.

The coach's tactical routines gradually fell apart, with counterattacks, defense, fouls, rebounding, second-chance points in disarray, and individual skills becoming the only solutions...

Neither Nelson nor Ramsey called a timeout, allowing the players to solve the problem and devise their own strategies for counter-strategies.

This is where a player's experience, football intelligence, talent, and a bit of luck are tested.

The Bucks had good luck tonight, hitting several three-pointers when the Trail Blazers' defense collapsed and they couldn't find many good opportunities.

Plessy, Pierce, and Moncrief all hit tough three-pointers, which proved devastating to the Trail Blazers' defense.

However, Gan Guoyang, as the team's defensive commander, called on everyone to stick to the previous strategy and firmly retreat.

Meanwhile, on the offensive end, Gan Guoyang continued to attack in the low post, ignoring how many opponents were double-teaming him, turning around and driving to the baseline to break into the basket.

Either he gets blocked, or he scores and you foul him; that's how Gan Guoyang scored 15 points in the third quarter.

He scored 46 points in three quarters, and it looks like he's aiming for 60 points again.

The Trail Blazers maintained their 4-point lead over the Bucks at 88-84, and the game entered the most intense and grueling fourth quarter.

I've caught a bit of a cold, but it's not serious. I'll still be able to update; I'll post as much as I write. I can't schedule updates anymore, so please forgive me.

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(End of this chapter)