The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 726 C, kill me!
The Trailblazer's private jet flies in the stratosphere, and the modified fuselage has a very spacious interior.

The genuine leather and mahogany trim, along with specialized soundproofing, make the entire interior space quiet and comfortable.

The seats have all been replaced with comfortable sofas suitable for basketball players' height, and square tables have been set up for playing cards, dining, drinking, and reading.

The players can sit on the sofa to read books, newspapers, and listen to music, or they can lie down and take a comfortable nap.

The plane is equipped with a kitchen and a chef, so you can eat whatever you want when you're hungry, thirsty, or craving something.

In the front, a dedicated cockpit is equipped with a television, a video recorder, and a computer.

The coaching staff can hold meetings here, watch videos, develop tactics for away games, or summarize the previous game.

This can effectively improve the work efficiency of the coaching team.

To ensure the players had the most comfortable travel experience, Lao Tang even specially arranged a team of flight attendants to serve them.

They were all carefully selected, and their looks, figures, and service levels were all top-notch.

Since the Portland Trail Blazers were acquired in 1988, the Blazers players have enjoyed the best air travel experience in the league.

This greatly helped the Trail Blazers players have a better away game experience.

It is estimated that a good travel experience can improve a team's win rate by about four to five games per season.

This excellent logistical support undoubtedly played a crucial role in the Trail Blazers' three-peat.

Of course, as the league becomes richer, more and more teams own private jets.

The days of having to fly commercial airlines to play away games and squeezing into seats with other passengers are gone forever.

NBA players will receive special treatment, and the logistical advantages that the Trail Blazers and Pistons once had are diminishing.

On this flight, the Trail Blazers were heading to Florida to begin their road trip in the southeast.

Most of the time, Gan Guoyang would just fall asleep as soon as he boarded the plane.

After waking up, I ate something, chatted with my teammates, and then went back to sleep.

One reason why Gan Guoyang has such extraordinary energy on the court is that he can eat and sleep well.

Excellent gastrointestinal function can efficiently digest food and convert it into sufficient energy.

Quality sleep allows cells to recover well, and fatigue is always swept away and does not accumulate.

Every time Gan Guoyang sleeps, his breathing is long and deep.

Teammates often say that sitting next to Forrest Gump and listening to him sleep improves their own sleep quality.

Like John Havlicek, Gan Guoyang also has lungs as large as a horse's.

This provides his body with a continuous supply of oxygen.

However, Gan Guoyang did not sleep on the flight to Orlando.

He sat in the coaching staff's conference room, watching Orlando Magic game footage with Bellman, Adelman, Shalov, and others.

Gan Guoyang held the Magic's starting lineup and a colorful statistical table in his hand—Bellman's data table was very comprehensive.

Looking at Gan Guoyang's serious expression, Berman said, "Sonny, you haven't done any pre-match preparation for the past two seasons, you don't even look at the schedule. What's wrong with you today? Are you scared?"

"Your jokes are getting better and better, Bobby. It's not fear, it's respect. We respect a worthy opponent."

Bellman knew who Gan Guoyang was talking about.

The Orlando Magic's number one draft pick, Shaquille O'Neal.

This guy, nicknamed Shark, stirred up a huge wave on the south coast.

In his career debut, O'Neal scored 12 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, blocked 3 shots, and dished out 2 assists, leading his team to victory.

His opponents in the first game were the Miami Heat and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Although his scoring was suppressed by Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal proved his talent with rebounds and blocks.

In his third career game against the Hornets, facing second overall pick Alonzo Mourning, O'Neal delivered 35 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks, declaring that the number one draft pick truly deserved his position.

In the games that followed, O'Neal continued to perform consistently, a super center who averaged 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.

His physique, strength, agility, and explosiveness make him stand out on the court.

Although Forrest Gump's performance was more perfect, Shaquille O'Neal's performance was more visually impactful.

Because he is 7 feet 1 inches tall, has a stocky build, and a quirky personality.

He was loved by fans across the league and became a darling of Orlando.

Although the Magic's attendance rate did not increase as a result, since it was already at 100%, there was no room for it to rise.

But O'Neal's arrival caused Magic ticket prices to soar, significantly increasing the team's box office revenue.

This first-ever clash between the Magic and the Trail Blazers, with Forrest Gump versus Shaquille O'Neal, drove ticket prices to astronomical levels.

Even someone as confident as Gan Guoyang put aside his arrogance and made proper preparations for the competition.

Gan Guoyang not only wanted to win the game, but also wanted to give O'Neal a rookie gift.

For Gan Guoyang, finding enjoyment during the long NBA regular season is an important way to maintain his form and desire to win.

It would be quite interesting to encounter a super rookie like Shaquille O'Neal and give him a little psychological trauma.

This not only helps increase the enjoyment of the game, but also helps to gain a psychological advantage in future confrontations.

Gan Guoyang has been doing this throughout his entire career.

Like a devil, sowing seeds of terror in the other person's heart.

Create nightmares, exploit nightmares, gain an advantage in your position, and secure victory.

It's extremely rare to find a rookie opponent as good as Shaquille O'Neal.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang was too excited to sleep on the plane.

He felt his mindset was similar to that of his early years in the league.

He hadn't spread enough terror in the league yet; it was time to sow the seeds.

With fertile land becoming increasingly scarce, a fat piece of meat like Shaq is truly tempting.

"Stop, rewind, watch this part again."

Gan Guoyang asked Shalov to replay the video footage to observe O'Neal's technical details.

It was evident from his rookie season games that many of O'Neal's techniques were still quite raw.

He turned very quickly, but his turning radius was small because his feet were not positioned correctly.

When making attack choices in low positions, he is somewhat impatient, often charging in headfirst rather than making careful selections.

They have a strong desire for offensive rebounds, and once they get the ball under the basket, they are difficult to stop.

He's only 20 years old, but he already weighs 285 pounds.

Its torso and arms are extremely thick, but not bulky.

The core muscle groups are very large (back, waist, abdomen, and buttocks), and the explosive power is very strong.

They certainly possess beast-like physical abilities, as well as top-notch coordination and agility.

He can dribble from the backcourt and drive straight to the basket for a dunk, like a bulldozer, and no one dares to stop him.

His blocks are very powerful, and opponents often underestimate his speed and explosiveness, resulting in a hasty shot that gets blocked.

Sharov repeatedly adjusted the recording speed and asked, "Sonny, this guy might be just as physically capable as you."

Gan Guoyang said, "If we're talking about pure strength, the gap between him and me isn't that big. But in terms of details... he still has a lot of room for improvement."

If someone else heard Gan Guoyang say this, they might think he was bragging.

But Shalov, having served as an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers for so many years, has a clear understanding of Forrest Gump's strength.

This guy is really muscular, with muscles that seem to grow into his bones; he's incredibly strong.

Moreover, Gan Guoyang possesses neural recruitment abilities that surpass those of ordinary people.

The coaching staff conducted some tests on Gan Guoyang.

His reaction speed far exceeds that of the average player.

Muscles can generate power quickly and gather strength rapidly.

Moreover, Gan Guoyang is not small at all, standing at a solid 6 feet 10 inches, which makes him appear even more imposing than some 7-foot centers.

Karl Malone, known as the NBA's Mr. Bodybuilding, looked noticeably smaller than Forrest Gump.

On February 8, 1993, the Magic had just finished their road trip in Utah.

O'Neal scored 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting in a one-on-one game against Karl Malone on the road.

Malone's one-on-one defense against O'Neal was quite good.

Of course, rookie O'Neal scoring 22 points against Malone was also an outstanding performance.

Now, all eyes are on the matchup between the Trail Blazers and the Magic.

Gan Guoyang left the tactical conference cabin and sat on the sofa to rest as the plane began its descent.

His mind didn't stop; he kept simulating the confrontation with O'Neal in his head.

The more I thought about it, the more excited I became, and I couldn't sleep at all, so I had to save my sleep for the hotel.

Gan Guoyang was excited for another reason: he could finally meet a center in the league who could match his strength.

For nearly 10 years, Gan Guoyang has been the undisputed king of strength in the league, and no one can match him in low-post confrontations.

Once he's made up his mind to start using a bulldozing tactic, no one can stop him.

Since the two have never faced off in a match before, it remains to be seen who is stronger.

Gan Guoyang was eager to know who was stronger in the overall physical confrontation on the court.

In the summer, Gan Guoyang kept his weight at around 265 pounds, which was slightly heavier than during the Olympics.

The reason for doing this was to avoid having too much of a weight difference between O'Neal and Riki-Oh in their matchup.

While Gan Guoyang was making thorough preparations, Shaquille O'Neal was equally focused on this game for the Magic.

Unlike Gan Guoyang, who focused on tactical and technical preparations, O'Neal primarily worked on psychological preparation.

And dealing with the endless questions from the media, who bombarded O'Neal with questions before the game.

They wanted to hear about the conflict between the two, the hatred and grudges between the new and the old king, and the long-planned attack.

However, O'Neal heeded his father's teachings to remain humble, especially in the presence of true champions.

After half a season of games, O'Neal's confidence had swelled considerably.

But he hasn't become so arrogant as to think he can defeat the league's number one player, his idol Forrest Gump.

“I hope to learn more from Sonny. You know, I’ve always been a Forrest Gump fan, and I wore Skyscraper before I signed with Reebok. I love the way he plays, his unique style, which redefined the center position. I’ve learned a lot just by watching his game film, and this game is definitely a great opportunity.”

O'Neal's words were measured and watertight.

This fully demonstrates respect for the veterans of the basketball world.

But it's impossible to say that O'Neal was completely convinced.

It's impossible for athletes not to be competitive, especially star athletes who have achieved remarkable success.

Shaquille O'Neal is playful, has a rich off-court life, and a quirky personality, but he is just as competitive on the court.

Like many giants, he had a sensitive heart, having grown up on a military base.

He would retaliate tenfold against any mockery or disdain.

This is almost the fate of giants: either they die silently in the cold eyes of the world, or they erupt into true giants under the spotlight.

Orlando fans still remember the first matchup between O'Neal and Ewing.

Ewing was O'Neal's favorite center besides Forrest Gump.

He studied and imitated Ewing's playing style in high school.

Last November, O'Neal faced Ewing for the first time at Madison Square Garden.

He took the initiative to go up to Ewing and greet him, saying, "Hello, Mr. Ewing."

Ewing responded fiercely, "I'm going to beat you up, rookie."

The Knicks won that game.

But Ewing only managed 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting against a tightly guarded O'Neal.

O'Neal had 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

When the Knicks visited Orlando in January of this year, O'Neal became much more assertive.

17中10，22分13个篮板5次封盖，率队1分绝杀尼克斯。

Under O'Neal's defense, Ewing made only 9 of 27 shots, an abysmal shooting percentage.

Ewing scored one point less than O'Neal, highlighting his weakness on offense against top-tier low-post defenders.

Although Ewing fought hard to regain his footing in their subsequent encounters, he still managed to win every time.

But O'Neal was no longer afraid of Ewing, and his advantage over Ewing grew stronger and stronger.

The key reason lies in their first encounter, where Ewing allowed O'Neal to play without fear.

As a senior, you neither respect me nor can you beat me.

To put it bluntly, he's just a blustering but cowardly guy.

With such an image, how could O'Neal be afraid?

Furthermore, during the All-Star voting phase, Ewing was furious because O'Neal had surpassed him in the votes.

With Hakeem Olajuwon moving to the Eastern Conference, Patrick Ewing is likely to be squeezed out of the All-Star roster by Shaquille O'Neal.

He took advantage of his job in New York and told NBA officials that he wanted to ban rookies from the All-Star Game.

Let's create a separate Rookie All-Star event for rookies.

This overly stingy personality caused Ewing's former idol image to crumble in O'Neal's eyes.

In the future, O'Neal will not hold back whenever he encounters Ewing and the Knicks.

On the evening of February 11th, O'Neal will face an even stronger and more towering idol.

Around 6 p.m., both sides began to enter the arena to warm up.

The Magic arrived at the court first to practice shooting.

O'Neal's mind was entirely on the players' tunnel.

The Trail Blazers players don't know when they will enter the court.

Soon, a commotion arose in the stands next to the players' tunnel.

The Trail Blazers players, dressed in white tracksuits with red and black stripes, ran onto the court.

The one leading the group was Forrest Gump.

He emerged from the shadows, chewing gum.

He looks stronger than he does on TV.

The fans in the stadium began to cheer loudly.

Despite playing away from home, Gan Guoyang enjoys immense popularity at any stadium across the United States.

Especially for newer teams like Orlando and Miami, fans aren't as loyal to their home team yet.

Many of the people who came to watch the game were tourists; they were there just to see the excitement.

Gan Guoyang high-fived the fans who reached out from the sidelines and signed autographs for some of them.

He seems to be more popular in Orlando than Shaquille O'Neal.

A pang of jealousy stirred within O'Neal.

This is clearly his home turf; here he acts like a king.

But why did these guys turn against him as soon as Forrest Gump arrived?
Especially those young fans, look at them, they're all wearing the Trail Blazers' number 11 jersey.

There was a little guy wearing a Magic 32 jacket. As soon as Forrest Gump arrived, he lifted up the jacket to reveal a black 11 jacket underneath and asked Forrest Gump for an autograph.

Before the game, O'Neal was thinking about learning from and respecting Forrest Gump, but in his heart, he was already planning to defeat Forrest Gump in the game.

"We need to smash a knife over his head."

O'Neal was obsessed with dunking on Forrest Gump.

One of O'Neal's goals was to dunk on every center he was matched up against in the entire league.

Thinking this, he took the ball, turned around, and jumped up, delivering a powerful dunk with both hands.

The basketball hoop shook violently, startling the reporters who were crouching below, who stood up abruptly.

Since he damaged the rim in Phoenix, rims have been reinforced in various arenas.

After landing, O'Neal looked at the intimidated reporters with a smug grin.

He was a mischievous big boy who liked to play pranks on people.

"Shaq! That was a great dunk!"

O'Neal turned around and saw Forrest Gump, who was walking over with the ball.

When the two met up close for the first time, O'Neal was surprised that Forrest would take the initiative to greet him.

For a moment, his mind went blank, and all the fantasies of dunking on Forrest Gump's head vanished.

He wiped his hands on his trouser leg as Forrest Gump reached out to him, and their huge hands clasped together.

O'Neal thought Gan Guoyang would squeeze his hand hard.

His muscles were tense, and he was ready to fight back.

Unexpectedly, Gan Guoyang was very polite and shook hands with him very gently.

"Incredibly large hands, perfect for basketball. Someone must have asked you to play football, right? But you still prefer basketball."

Gan Guoyang's praise flattered O'Neal.

He quickly replied, "Yes, that's right. I played rugby in high school, but I didn't like it at all. Basketball is much more suitable for me! I love basketball, I...I also..."

O'Neal really wanted to say, "I also really enjoy watching your games. I love watching you play."

He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He was afraid that saying this would make him seem too much like a fan.

Unexpectedly, Gan Guoyang said, "I've seen you play on TV."

"The NCAA game was amazing, and your dunk was exhilarating."

"And the combination of your flexibility and strength is truly amazing."

"It's hard to find another center as tall as you who is so agile and can operate with a low center of gravity. You're a one-of-a-kind guy."

Gan Guoyang showered O'Neal with compliments, making O'Neal quite embarrassed.

He felt ashamed of his pettiness.

So this is what a true giant is: generous and magnanimous.

Look at the younger players with appreciation.

As Gan Guoyang turned to leave, O'Neal was still worried that Gan might turn around and say, "But I'm going to beat you to a pulp today."

Gan Guoyang did not.

O'Neal, instead, asked, "Hey Sonny! Are you going to beat me tonight?"

Gan Guoyang turned his head and smiled, saying, "No, we're just exchanging tips and techniques. It's just a regular season game, relax, kid."

Upon hearing this, O'Neal actually relaxed.

He thought to himself that it made sense; it was a regular season game, a chance for everyone to practice and exchange ideas.

The match will begin in a few tens of minutes.

The Magic's entrance ceremony at home is very dazzling.

Shaquille O'Neal appeared under the spotlight, surrounded by cheerleaders, dancing hip-hop.

This guy is definitely an eye-catching and fun fellow.

Many people consider superstar centers to be eccentric, but Forrest Gump was a relatively normal one.

O'Neal not only looked normal, but also very optimistic and quirky, which was really inconsistent with his huge size and superhuman strength.

Of course, O'Neal often used quirky antics to mask his small and sensitive nature.

When Gan Guoyang appeared, he simply smiled and waved, but the cheers from the audience were quite loud.

This is something that O'Neal still envies. Is this the best player in the league?

The game officially started at 7:00 AM Eastern Time.

The Trail Blazers' starting lineup remained the same: Gan Guoyang, Sabonis, Lewis, Porter, and Petrovic.

Gan Guoyang and Sabonis no longer distinguish who is the center and who is the power forward.

Both players can play positions four and five, and their chemistry blurs the lines of their roles.

However, Gan Guoyang was the one jumping for the ball with O'Neal in the center circle tonight.

The Magic's starting lineup consisted of Shaquille O'Neal, Nick Anderson, Scott Skiles, Anthony Bowie, and Tom Tolbert.

The Magic's roster originally lacked some talent, but their backcourt and forward lines had considerable depth.

When O'Neal arrived, the Magic's interior defense and overall talent level improved dramatically.

As a young, new team, the Magic are willing to try many new things.

For example, more three-pointers, more drives to the basket, and fewer post-up plays.

They represented the trend of the league in the 90s: tall, precise, defensive, and complex and diverse positional warfare.

Shaquille O'Neal is the foundation of all of this; having O'Neal makes the Magic worthy of respect.

No team visiting Orlando should treat this away game like a day trip to Disney World.

The ball soared into the air, and the game began.

During the jump ball, O'Neal won the ball and passed it to Skiles.

In their brief collision, they both felt each other's strength.

O'Neal was somewhat surprised, because he had always dominated everyone in the past.

From high school to college, and even after entering the league, he found that many professional players were just thin as paper.

Karl Malone was the only one who bothered him, but Malone's height was a problem.

But just now, he felt like he had bumped into a rock.

Gan Guoyang, on the other hand, was excited; he too had bumped into a rock.

Finally, someone could rival him in terms of strength. The two sides began tentative attacks and defenses.

O'Neal pushed his way to the basket, and Gan Guoyang kept an eye on him.

However, the Magic started with a baseline drive.

Nick Anderson caught the ball and made a jump shot.

This tall, sharpshooting guard, who entered the league in 1989, has become the Magic's most important scoring option on the perimeter.

He averages 19 points per game and has a very good mid-range and three-point shooting ability.

The Trail Blazers were called for a screen foul during their offense.

Then he was called for a blocking foul while defending.

Two fouls in less than a minute.

It seems like the home-field advantage is quite obvious tonight.

The audience wasn't there to watch the whistle; they wanted to see a showdown between Forrest Gump and Shaquille O'Neal.

Soon, on the second offensive possession, O'Neal had a chance to back down Forrest Gump in the left low post.

Skiles comfortably passed the ball to O'Neal—anyway, no one on the Trail Blazers side wanted to stop him.

Playing against Forrest Gump in the low post?
Go ahead and fight if you want.

I'll beat you until you don't want to anymore.

The television station gave a close-up shot of the two's first showdown.

O'Neal seemed a little nervous, pausing for a moment when he received the ball.

This shows that he wasn't using muscle memory, but rather thinking.

This line of thinking cost him the initiative; when he tried to push it in, he found he couldn't budge it.

In reality, due to his height and high center of gravity, O'Neal's low-post power post was not entirely unstoppable.

Sometimes, O'Neal couldn't get past defenders who were well-positioned and had excellent lower body strength.

In this respect, he is not as good as Forrest Gump, and he is not even as good as Charles Barkley.

These two have a lower center of gravity and more solid footwork.

O'Neal's greater advantage lies in his height, wingspan, and explosiveness.

He possesses speed and acceleration that are disproportionate to his size.

The turn and the move were swift.

After realizing he couldn't get any further, O'Neal opted to turn and launch a straight lob shot.

As soon as the ball left his hand, he knew it was gone, and Gan Guoyang turned around and easily grabbed the rebound.

After handing the ball to Porter, Gan Guoyang said to O'Neal, "Bad choice, you could have done better, buddy."

O'Neal seemed a little embarrassed, like a student who had been called on by the teacher to answer a question but got it wrong.

O'Neal told himself to get closer to the basket; he was a bit too far ahead.

At this point, Gan Guoyang also started calling for the ball in the low post.

O'Neal stood behind Gan Guoyang like a high wall.

This thing is really huge, like a mountain.

In the subtle pushing and shoving, both of them felt the other's strength.

Gan Guoyang didn't try to fight head-on; he received the ball in a position on the outside.

Sigma steps around to face the basket, feigning a shot.

O'Neal took a step forward to block the shooting line.

Gan Guoyang passes the ball, dribbles, turns, and walks to the baseline!
This move was executed in one smooth motion, at an extremely fast speed.

O'Neal's move made it impossible for him to catch up.

Gan Guoyang accelerated his drive from the baseline, pushing aside the Magic player who came to help defend.

He slammed the ball into the basket with one hand!

And O'Neal's hand will fly over the ball.

If you're just one step slower, O'Neal will have blocked the ball.

"Woh, so fast, it almost covered me."

In this round, Gan Guoyang began to bare his fangs.

O'Neal felt an even stronger sense of shame.

He figured the TV cameras would be replaying those two balls repeatedly.

My own clumsiness, and Forrest Gump's nimbleness, damn it.

On the next offensive possession, O'Neal began to actively demand the ball in the low post.

But Skiles' pass was interfered with by Porter and was almost intercepted.

O'Neal had to run out and control the ball.

He was almost at the three-point line, but he didn't pass the ball.

He had already planned the attack route:

He broke through the defense and pretended to move into the middle.

Stick close to the defender, turn around, get close to the basket, and launch a close-range floater.

If they get close enough, he can dunk with one hand.

Once given space, the basket can rush in, and no one can stop it.

He had tried this trick many times and it worked, so he started dribbling from the three-point line into the paint.

At 7 feet 1 inches, he can dribble, change direction, and even turn while protecting the ball!
However, the ball in his hand was gone.

The moment O'Neal launched the ball, Gan Guoyang quickly reached out and knocked the ball out of O'Neal's hand.

Gan Guoyang is not only strong overall, but also has strong finger strength.

The ball that O'Neal was holding tightly in both hands was suddenly poked away by Gan Guoyang.

Sabonis intercepted the ball, and the Trail Blazers launched a counterattack.

Porter made a long pass to Lewis, who drove to the basket and scored.

"A great breakthrough, but be careful to protect the ball."

Gan Guoyang gave him more detailed instructions, which made O'Neal irritable.

Damn, if you use this move normally, your opponent won't be able to defend against it 70% or 80% of the time, if you're not 100% sure.

Why couldn't he even shoot this time? The ball got knocked away?
I clearly pushed him aside and made room for him.

O'Neal refused to believe it and continued to call for the ball on the left low post.

He managed to receive the ball, but Porter came over to double-team him.

A simple double-team, but O'Neal had no answer.

He could only retreat, jump up, and pass the ball to Tolbert.

Tolbert's response was poor, forcing him to act hastily.

Missed, Sabonis grabbed the rebound again.

"Slow down, Sabo! I'll take a shot from the low post!"

Gan Guoyang called a halt to the counterattack, as he wanted to score from the low post.

Did O'Neal know that this was meant to set an example for him?

Suddenly, O'Neal seemed to realize that Forrest Gump wasn't going to let him off the hook tonight.

His praise and humility were merely basic politeness.

And he disdains suppressing newcomers like Ewing did.

What he needs to do is use his skills and experience on the basketball court to completely defeat himself.

This is the NBA; once you become opponents, only one can take the victory.

O'Neal immediately understood and shed the aura of idol worship.

If you want to admire someone, wait until after the game when you're praising each other.

The real test will be on the field!

Shaquille O'Neal retorted, "You want me to be your teacher? You're the second overall pick, I'm the first!"

Gan Guoyang smiled, thinking to himself that the kid had come to his senses and was getting serious.

That makes it even more interesting; he enjoys seeing his opponents' fighting spirit ignite.

The process of extinguishing that fighting spirit is what's really interesting.

Gan Guoyang received the ball on the same low left side and paused for a moment.

He was waiting for the Magic to double-team him, and Skiles did indeed come.

Gan Guoyang was not flustered at all like O'Neal.

He held the ball with one hand to avoid the interference and calmly passed it to the top of the arc.

Sabonis received the ball and quickly passed it to Porter under the basket.

Porter went through the back door, received the ball, and easily made a layup!

A Princeton offense rendered the Magic's low-post double-teaming ineffective.

The two balls create a strong contrast.

When faced with a double team in the same low position, Gan Guoyang remained calm and easily resolved the situation.

O'Neal was clearly flustered, which led to his sloppy offense and missed shots.

Then, Gan Guoyang demonstrated another move from a low position.

He broke through the basket, feigning a hook shot down the middle.

After faking out O'Neal, McHale used his signature step-back move to dodge and then drove to the basket for a successful layup!
O'Neal lacked a strong defensive partner at the power forward position, which made him quite embarrassed when facing Gan Guoyang in the first quarter.

But O'Neal hadn't realized that this was just the beginning.

It's normal to get taught a lesson by Forrest Gump in a few rounds.

Even Ewing could teach O'Neal a lesson in many possessions during the game.

O'Neal was able to retaliate, and in some rounds even outplayed Ewing.

There is no such thing as a completely one-sided game for star players; they can always find a way to win back some ground.

What sets Gan Guoyang apart is that his torment and lessons were long and enduring.

It is systematic, planned, gradual, premeditated, and combines mind and body.

Like the sound of a power drill waking you up in the early morning, you think you can just bear it, and by lunchtime the renovation will be finished and everything will be fine.

Unexpectedly, this electric drill renovation could last for a month, continuing until late at night, tormenting you to the point of nervous breakdown.

When you're in a panic and rush upstairs, frantically knocking on doors to ask why the renovations are still going on, the property management tells you that nobody lives there at all.

At the end of the first quarter, Gan Guoyang had scored 10 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and made 3 steals, a respectable performance.

O'Neal only scored two points, from a dunk after a teammate passed him the ball.

He slammed the ball down with all his might, as if he wanted to tear the rim apart.

He played very frustratingly in the first quarter because the Trail Blazers defended him very successfully.

He tried to push Forrest Gump from a low position, but found he couldn't. The two were evenly matched.

Going inside, you either get double-teamed and can't pass the ball, or you get intercepted.

Gan Guoyang's three steals were all against O'Neal.

Clearly, Gan Guoyang had carefully studied O'Neal's offensive habits.

His timing for scoring, his movement characteristics, and his weaknesses in protecting the ball were all analyzed in detail.

This poor low-post offense not only left O'Neal scoreless, but also disrupted the Magic's offensive rhythm.

The Trail Blazers quickly built an 8-point lead.

The Magic could only rely on outside shooting to score, their twin towers in the paint blocked the way, and with O'Neal being contained, it was difficult for them to score.

The Magic didn't get any offensive rebounds in the first quarter, and their power forward, Tolbert, was a soft, white forward.

He could offer O'Neal far too little support against the Trail Blazers' twin towers.

During the break, Magic head coach Matt Gukas comforted O'Neal: "It's okay, it's normal to get beaten like this by Forrest Gump, don't be discouraged."

Gukas didn't even try to motivate O'Neal, and almost all coaches in the league did the same.

Because you encourage your rookies to go head-to-head with Forrest Gump, the end result is that both the team and the players suffer.

Challenging the boss too early and aggressively often doesn't yield good results.

But O'Neal's competitive spirit was ignited at this moment, and he said, "Coach, let me play more in the second quarter, I can do it."

Gukas hesitated for a moment, patted O'Neal on the shoulder, and said nothing.

He recalled his time playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

At that time, one of his major tasks in the team was to protect Chamberlain, prevent him from being worn down or harassed by the opponents, and relieve his pressure.

In the 1966-1967 season, they won the championship, ending the Celtics' eight-year winning streak.

Right now, O'Neal doesn't have a forward like him around, nor does he have an inside helper like Luke Jackson.

The Magic need a good defensive big man.

In the second quarter, the two teams' substitutes played evenly.

The Trail Blazers maintained a 10-point lead, and Gukas called a timeout.

Both sides rotated their key players back onto the field.

O'Neal couldn't wait to get on the court; his competitive spirit had been ignited.

As soon as he entered the game, O'Neal started calling for the ball in the low post, and this time he was much faster.

Upon receiving the ball, he turned and pressed inside, trying to overpower the opponent using his weight and height!
Gan Guoyang stepped aside, allowing O'Neal to enter the paint.

O'Neal suddenly leaped up, ready to dunk with one hand!

Most defenders would be pinned down by O'Neal at this point and unable to jump.

Then I watched helplessly as I was crushed by Mount Tai, suffering a humiliating dunk.

Gan Guoyang actually held his nerve and went head-to-head with O'Neal!

He blocked O'Neal's dunk with one hand!

During the duel between the two, both lost their balance in mid-air.

O'Neal fell heavily to the ground.

Gan Guoyang fell backward and crashed into the soft padding of the basketball hoop.

The ball fell into the hands of a Magic player, who made a layup.

The Magic scored that basket, but it wasn't O'Neal who made it.

O'Neal struggled to his feet and threw himself into defense.

Gan Guoyang had already crossed half-court and driven into the paint.

Porter made a long pass to the inside, where Gan Guoyang received the ball.

O'Neal couldn't catch up in time, and Gan Guoyang easily dunked the ball.

O'Neal slammed the ball down, frustrated; he couldn't catch up with Forrest.

O'Neal was already fast, but Gan Guoyang was even faster.

O'Neal still wanted to get the ball in the low post for an attack.

This time, Gan Guoyang started to go around to the front, directly blocking O'Neal behind him.

A fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued, with neither side giving an inch.

O'Neal tried to create space, but Gan Guoyang firmly controlled the area.

This was the first time the two had encountered a worthy opponent on the field.

In fact, Gan Guoyang was stronger.

O'Neal was exhausted, and the ball ultimately didn't go in.

The shot went in from the outside, and Gan Guoyang quickly anticipated the rebound.

O'Neal tried desperately to steal the ball, but Gan Guoyang held him back and passed it to his teammate.

The Trail Blazers still had possession of the ball.

O'Neal tried his best, but couldn't even touch the ball.

This made the emotional young man very angry.

In the next round, it will be difficult for him to continue his strong attacks from the low post.

Any center needs to take a short break after a series of strong attacks.

But Forrest Gump is an exception; he can keep attacking.

Thus, in the latter part of the second quarter, O'Neal's nightmare began.

Gan Guoyang entered a mode of continuous low-position attacks.

No matter how many people double-teamed him, no matter how O'Neal defended him, he would still take the ball and attack aggressively.

A low-post offense full of power and physical confrontation, featuring the most intense physical contact.

Turnaround jumper, hook shot, floater after cutting into the middle.

There's also the layup where he drove right up to O'Neal using sheer strength.

When Gan Guoyang scored six goals in a row, O'Neal was really on the verge of collapse.

Dude, is your stamina bar infinite?

Aren't you tired of such an intense confrontation?

You're not tired, but I'm exhausted from defending!

But it wasn't over yet; Gan Guoyang continued to play the seventh ball.

Sigma steps around the basket, continuing to show off his skills.

Gan Guoyang doesn't shoot mid-range shots, nor does he attempt three-pointers, and he doesn't run pick-and-rolls.

He wanted to use his body to force his way through the basket, driving past O'Neal to get inside.

Once again, he drove to the baseline and attempted a reverse layup. This time, O'Neal got impatient and slapped him across the face without hesitation.

It hit Gan Guoyang's shoulder, but the ball still went in.

Two points made, plus a free throw!
O'Neal was stunned by the blow, standing there with his hands on his hips wiping away sweat.

Damn, this must be a nightmare!
What kind of nightmare is this? Why am I constantly losing points?

Why can't I defend? I'm so tired, I can't keep up.

O'Neal has great physical fitness, but he can't withstand the high density of continuous high-intensity offensive and defensive confrontations.

Gan Guoyang didn't even want to give O'Neal a rest during free throws; he would just grab the ball and shoot, and it would go in.

O'Neal has given up on post-up attacks and is giving them to his teammates; he needs a rest.

Skiles' layup attempt was blocked by Gan Guoyang.

The entire Magic team was somewhat stunned, and the point difference was heading towards 20 points.

Gan Guoyang called for the ball in the low post for the eighth consecutive time.

Three Magic players surrounded him, and Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Lewis.

Lewis took a step forward and passed the ball to Gan Guoyang, who then walked outwards with the ball.

Outside the three-point line on the bottom side, a spot unsuitable for double-teaming.

O'Neal had to go one-on-one, again and again.

At this moment, O'Neal looked at Gan Guoyang with a somewhat confused expression.

He was covered in sweat, his mouth slightly open, looking like he was on the verge of fainting.

He thought to himself, "Brother, let's go for a mid-range shot. I'll just give it a shot."

As a result, Gan Guoyang adjusted his breathing and broke through the baseline again!

Baseline penetration was a weakness in O'Neal's defense.

Because of his large size, he had to make way for the breakthrough player.

Otherwise, he would be obstructing.

In addition, he was a little slow to turn around and had no teammates to help him at the baseline.

Therefore, he has never had a way to break through the bottom line.

Fortunately, few people use this move; which center would drive to the baseline all the time?

But Forrest Gump would, once he figured it out, he'd keep hitting you relentlessly.

O'Neal gave up the chase and also gave up the foul.

Gan Guoyang walked to the baseline, jumped with both feet from the side, and dunked with one hand.

This dunk technique allows you to use your shoulder to block the impact, which is beneficial for scoring a 2+1 play.

Unparalleled attention to detail led to a 17-2 one-sided massacre of O'Neal.

At halftime, Gan Guoyang said to O'Neal, "The second quarter was not bad, keep it up in the third quarter. You know, I'm good at exerting myself in the third quarter."

O'Neal broke down in anger, glaring at Gan Guoyang and saying, "Did I mess with you, Gan? Did I mess with you?"

Gan Guoyang calmed O'Neal down, saying, "This is a game, Shaq. I admire you a lot, so I gave it my all. Did you do your best?"

O'Neal was left speechless.

Come on, second half, third quarter king, come on!
C-kill me!
(End of this chapter)