The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 273: Killing
Before the start of the fourth quarter, Gan Guoyang sat on the sidelines to rest.

Adelman sat down next to Gan Guoyang and asked, "Aren't you tired of playing like this, Gan?"

Gan Guoyang took a sip of water and said, "It's alright, but I think you should give me more money for playing like this."

Adelman laughed and said, "Even with all these points, our lead is still not big enough."

Gan Guoyang said, "Nonsense, my points are no more valuable than anyone else's. The Bucks are not easy to beat, and everyone is exhausted. We've already made 14 mistakes tonight, that's too many."

The Bucks' aggressive double-teaming and defensive pressure forced many turnovers from the Trail Blazers. Cort and Terry Porter, two relatively young guards, need to learn how to handle pressure.

"How about I let you control the ball?"

Gan Guoyang looked at Adelman with disbelief and said, "What? Are your coaching staff even human? You're making me handle all the ball control?"

"You've done it before."

Gan Guoyang did dribble the ball across half-court on his own during high school and college.

The main reason was that my teammates were too bad at that time and couldn't withstand the opponent's double-teaming.

Let Gan Guoyang control the ball and break through the opponent's full-court and half-court pressing defense.

After entering the NBA, Gan Guoyang would occasionally showcase his unique skill of dribbling the ball and launching a fast break.

In this respect, he was indeed at least three versions ahead of other interior players at the time, and his ball-handling skills were top-notch among interior players.

"You can't use me like this, to the point of exhaustion, can you?"

Gan Guoyang was prepared to suffer in silence tonight, but he didn't expect to feel so wronged.

"I was just making a suggestion, don't take it too seriously," Adelman said, handing Gan Guoyang a towel.

Gan Guoyang thought to himself, "Don't I care? Your suggestions are all that old man Ramsey's ideas. You came here to sound him out."

Now you're telling me to control the ball? Next time you might as well let me coach!

The Bucks and Trail Blazers continued to play a close game, with Ramsey fielding a smaller lineup.

Thompson, Kenny Carr, Drexler, Cort, and Paxson.

In response to the Bucks' three guards' interference, Nelson was determined to drag the game into a chaotic scramble in the fourth quarter.

The three tall players on the field represent order, while the three defenders represent chaos; this is a struggle between order and chaos.

Ramsey didn't stubbornly try to challenge the Bucks' defense with his three big men in the MECCA; he was thinking of getting through the transition period first.

When Gan Guoyang returned to the court, he sealed the victory in the fourth quarter.

Nelson kept making substitutions, sending his 6-foot-5 guards onto the court one after another.

Tonight, Nelson's rotation expanded to 11 players. Apart from the 12th man, Derek Roland, who rarely plays, the rest of the players went up and played at least three rounds.

Moncrief was also resting on the sidelines. He has been suffering from plantar fasciitis all season and often plays through the pain.

Nelson will control his playing time. He performed poorly in the first three quarters, and the Trail Blazers did not focus on backcourt offense, which prevented him from making any significant contributions to the defense.

The Bucks' real standout player tonight was Ricky Pierce. He played smartly, drawing fouls repeatedly off the bench and scoring the safest points at the free-throw line.

Colter and Terry Porter both suffered against this super sixth man.

With Gan Guoyang absent, Drexler carried the Trail Blazers on both offense and defense.

His counter-attacks and mid-court breakthroughs are the Trail Blazers' most powerful offensive weapons.

The score went back and forth, from 88:84 to 94:90.

The Bucks kept the score close, while the Trail Blazers struggled to maintain their lead.

Thompson grabbed several offensive rebounds in the paint, but couldn't score.

The two sides frequently scrambled for the basket, making the situation increasingly chaotic.

During a dead ball situation, Gan Guoyang thought it was time for him to take the field.

Ramsey waved at him, signaling him to continue resting.

"It's my turn to go on."

"No, you continue to rest and wait for the last 5 minutes."

"The last five minutes? They've already overslept."

"It won't be too much. Trust your teammates. Take a rest."

Gan Guoyang followed Ramsey's instructions, and Walton came on to replace Thompson.

Ramsey had his reasons; Gan Guoyang's offensive efficiency declined somewhat in the second half.

He hopes that Gan Guoyang can save his best form for the decisive moment.

After Walton entered the game, the Bucks sped up again in an attempt to wear down the lame giant.

But Drexler blocked Plessy's shot on defense, and then Walton made a high-post through pass to the inside, where Kenny Karl caught the ball and made a layup!

At this moment, the Bucks' luck turned again, and Pierce received the ball on the outside and hit a three-pointer!
This was their fourth three-pointer of the night, making it 96-93, narrowing the gap to 3 points.

Shrinking the wings comes at a price, but the Trail Blazers have no choice.

For the next two minutes, neither side scored. They went back and forth, attacking fiercely, but the basket seemed to be covered.

The Trail Blazers' backcourt faced a severe test, as Moncrief and Plessy are both excellent at close-marking and stealing the ball.

They have already contributed 7 steals in this game, putting immense pressure on the Trail Blazers' backcourt ball handlers.

Of course, the Bucks' backcourt is also in trouble. Drexler's athleticism, height, and wingspan are even better than Plessy's.

Ramsey made the right decision to send him to guard Plessy; Drexler had already made four tackles, making Plessy extremely cautious when facing him.

With five minutes remaining in the game, Ramsey called a timeout. The score remained at 96-93, and Gan Guoyang prepared to return to the court.

"Are you fucking playing football? You can't even score a goal!" Gan Guoyang questioned.

"I'm so tired I feel like throwing up," Drexler complained.

He slept the least last night and had the worst sleep quality.

This guy loves to sleep, so it's really hard for him to not get a good night's sleep.

However, Drexler played exceptionally well tonight, and he gave it his all.

"Don't worry, I'll take over, things will get better."

The game entered its final decisive moment, and although the Trail Blazers were exhausted, their morale was high.

The Bucks, meanwhile, are aiming to sweep the Trail Blazers and defend their home court.

As soon as Gan Guoyang entered the game, Cummins immediately closed in, and the Bucks' defensive attention was entirely focused on Gan Guoyang.

The Trail Blazers spread out on all four sides, using outside passing to create space for Gan Guoyang to score in the low post.

Paul Moxki moved to the strong side and used his long arms to constantly disrupt the defense.

Vandeweghe passed the ball to Gan Guoyang, and Moxki immediately stepped inside the three-point line to surround Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang immediately passed the ball to Vandeweghe, who immediately shot and scored two points!
“Flanking me doesn’t work, you guys need to try something else!” Gan Guoyang shouted at Moxki.

"At least I won't let you make a move!" Moxki retorted stubbornly.

The Bucks were bogged down in positional play and had few options, with Cummins attempting to overpower Gan Guoyang in the low post.

After a brief pause, Moncrief received the ball on the outside, accelerated through the middle, and passed it to Pierce on the wing.

Pierce attempted another three-pointer but missed, and Gan Guoyang grabbed the rebound, leading to a Trail Blazers counterattack.

But Drexler's dribbling advance was intercepted by Plessy.

This guy's long arms often lead defenders to underestimate him, making them think he won't get the ball. After stealing the ball, Plessy accelerated through the middle, but Gan Guoyang blocked him.

Plessy made a back pass to Moxki without looking at his opponent.

Moxki attempted a dunk, but Gan Guoyang turned around and blocked it!
A classic one-on-two defense, but the referee called a defensive foul on this play.

Gan Guoyang was too lazy to complain to the referee. The MECCA Center was unbearably hot and stuffy, and no one wanted to talk.

Milwaukee was cold in January, but as the game progressed, the heat generated by tens of thousands of people gathering in the arena made the temperature inside rise higher and higher.

The rising temperature is one factor, but the main problem is that this old stadium is poorly ventilated to keep it warm, and the stadium is small, so it feels very stuffy.

"Damn it, which idiot turned off the air conditioner?" Gan Guoyang complained.

Moxki made his first free throw and smiled at Gan Guoyang, saying, "Don't be naive, kid. There's no air conditioning at the Mega Arena."

MECCA was built and opened in 1950. Although it is better than the dilapidated Boston Garden and Chicago Stadium, the small size of the venue and the aging facilities are inevitable.

The new arena is already under planning and construction, and it's only a matter of time before the Bucks move out. But for now, the players still have to fight under the basket in this sweltering environment, sweating profusely.

Gan Guoyang returned to the low position, and Cummins was starting to struggle. The tough guy sighed and, while still grappling with the situation, uttered the same question as Brewer: "Aren't you tired?"

"Playing three more overtimes might be a bit tiring."

As Gan Guoyang spoke, he received another pass from Vandeweghe.

Moxki double-teamed the ball, passed it out, and Moxki dived to make the save.

Gan Guoyang squeezed in another step, and Vandeweghe lobbed the ball in again.

Gan Guoyang received the ball, dribbled, turned around, and unleashed a skyhook shot, which went in!

100:95, the Trail Blazers lead by 5 points, Gan Guoyang's low post play is too solid.

And he has already scored 50 points.

It's unbelievable that a player could score 50 points almost entirely through hard-post play.

This means he attacked his opponent in the low post more than 30 times, demonstrating an astonishing level of stamina.

Nelson shook his head and muttered, "Even plantation owners aren't as ruthless as you, Jack."

After scoring, Gan Guoyang clenched his fist and roared. This kind of game made him more and more excited as he played.

Moncrief then used a screen to shoot and made a jump shot, making it 100-97, still a three-point difference.

There were two minutes left in the game.

The Bucks suddenly switched to a full-court press defense!
Drexler was double-teamed and passed the ball to Vandeweghe, but it was intercepted by Cummins!

Cummins stole the ball and drove hard to the basket, but Gan Guoyang blocked Cummins' layup.

But Plessy followed up and scored on a putback, leaving Gan Guoyang with no options. 100:99.

With the Bucks trailing by only one point, Ramsey called a timeout. The Bucks' full-court press caught the Trail Blazers off guard.

Ramsey devised a throw-in tactic, which was executed quite successfully.

By utilizing Gan Guoyang's strong position on the left side, Jim Paxson was able to find opportunities on the right side.

Walton passed the ball to Paxson, who caught it and made a jump shot!

102-99, the Trail Blazers scored the crucial basket with just over a minute left in the game.

Nelson didn't call a timeout; he was yelling "fast break! Run! Fast break!" from the sidelines.

With three guards sprinting, Moncrief once again drove to the basket, but Gan Guoyang defended him well.

Moncrief's defensive positioning was almost perfect, and he didn't jump easily, so Moncrief could only slow down and retreat.

The ball was passed to Pierce, who caught it and launched his third three-pointer of the game.

The ball swished through the net! 102-102, the Bucks tied the game in the final moments!

The other Trail Blazers players couldn't keep up on defense, and they were exhausted.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang inbounded the ball from the baseline, but the Bucks pressed him with full-court pressure and couldn't get the ball in.

He had to call a timeout, which was the Trail Blazers' last timeout of the game.

Ramsey devised another tactic, bringing on Mitchell Thompson.

The Trail Blazers' classic clutch plays in the last two seasons: after a screen on the perimeter, the player cuts to the middle and shoots directly, with Gan Guoyang grabbing the offensive rebound.

This tactic is now known and countered by many teams, but it can still be effective sometimes.

This time it was Vandeweghe who took the shot. Gan Guoyang knew Vandeweghe's shooting arc, so the ball didn't go in!

He was entangled with three Bucks players under the basket, but still managed to grab the rebound thanks to his judgment of the ball's trajectory and his strength.

After receiving the ball, he immediately flicked his wrist, and the ball flew towards the basket, bounced a few times on the rim, and went in!

104-102, the Trail Blazers have taken the lead again, with Gan Guoyang already scoring 52 points.

Don Nelson was so angry on the sidelines that he didn't know what to say; three people couldn't beat one.

Brewer and Moxki are so big and meaty, it's all because they ate so much.

"The three of you can't even take one!" Nelson cursed angrily.

“He’s a beast, I couldn’t stop him,” Moxki complained.

"He has no idea what fatigue is. My calves are aching, but he's still jumping around like crazy," Brewer said, rubbing his legs.

Nelson sighed deeply. He had never coached a good center in his life. Bob Lanier was the only one, but when he came to the Bucks, he was already half-crippled, with only one knee left.

Nelson knew that a good inside player could make the game much easier, but sometimes he was stubborn and wanted to prove that he could succeed by relying on the outside players even without a good inside player.

Nelson devised a clever tactic: Moncrief and Pierce repeatedly circled the baseline to disrupt and distract the Trail Blazers' defense, while Moxki, setting a high screen, suddenly cut to the basket.

Plessy made a through pass to Moxki, who scored with a left-handed layup, making it 104-104!
The MCEEA arena erupted. The Trail Blazers had run out of timeouts and had only 6 seconds left in the game.

They must inbound the ball from the backcourt, and the Bucks' full-court press will be activated instantly. If the Trail Blazers make a mistake on the inbound pass, they are likely to suffer a defeat.

Bill Walton stood on the baseline, momentarily unsure who to pass the ball to. Drexler Vandeweghe? Or that rookie Terry Porter Jr.?

Walton only has 5 seconds; going past the time limit would be a mistake, and he has to make a decision.

"Give it to me!" A familiar voice rang in Walton's ears.

Gan Guoyang rushed to the basket and waved to Walton.

Give it to Forrest Gump? Is that okay? There's no time!
Walton delivered the ball precisely to Gan Guoyang.

The Bucks' guards didn't expect the Trail Blazers to let Gan Guoyang receive the ball.

Gan Guoyang received the ball and did not stop, but immediately turned around and dribbled towards the frontcourt!

He strode past Moxki and simultaneously pushed Cummins away with his ball-shielding hand.

Moncrief, Pierce, Plessy, and others couldn't catch up.

With the road wide open, Gan Guoyang's eyes were only on the basketball hoop and the terrified Bucks fans around it.

Before the timer reached zero, Gan Guoyang leaped up and slammed the ball into the basket with one hand!

The ball goes in, the light comes on, the game ends, 106-104, Gan Guoyang's dunk sealed the victory for the Bucks.

After scoring, Gan Guoyang and his teammates rushed back to the locker room, yelling wildly, like a herd of pigs entering a pen, not giving the referee a chance to reset the clock.

Gan Guoyang had only one thing on his mind right now: he wanted to take a shower, and nobody was going to stop him.

(End of this chapter)