The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 816 One Ball

The last time Duncan looked this bad in a game was during his rookie season.

However, he's not an NBA rookie, but an NCAA rookie; he's just entered his first year at Wake Forest University.

Against the Clemson Tigers, he was outplayed on both ends of the court by the opposing center, Sharon Wright.

Duncan was still very young at that time, while Sharon Wright was already a mature senior player.

In the same year, Wright was selected sixth overall in the first round by the 76ers and entered the NBA.

It was normal for the young Duncan to be bullied by such players, as he was not yet able to compete with the highest level of NCAA strength at that time.

After the game, Wake Forest University coach Lamar Odom called Duncan into his office. Instead of criticizing Duncan, he comforted him.

Odom was worried that Duncan would lose confidence after such an embarrassing defeat, and confidence is more precious than gold.

Duncan was not discouraged or frustrated. He even smiled on his usually calm face and said to the coach, "Coach, I'm fine. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot."

At that time, Duncan was 18 years old and already quite mature, able to face failure correctly and learn from it.

In his sophomore year, Duncan really started to shine, averaging 16.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks per game.

Since then, he has consistently been regarded by scouts, coaches, and experts as the best basketball player in the United States, and a shoo-in for the NBA number one draft pick.

He never won an NCAA championship, and he lost many crucial games, but no one doubted his ability and strength.

Including Duncan himself, his confidence has been growing ever since he left the Virgin Islands for North America.

At first, people thought that the people of the Virgin Islands did not wear clothes and lived naked, and they were full of curiosity and prejudice towards Duncan, this "islander".

Duncan dispelled the prejudices of mainland residents with his performance. This giant who came from the sea had an unparalleled influence on the court.

But tonight, in the historic Boston Arena, at the moment of retiring the great number 00 jersey, under the gaze of Celtics basketball legends and the soul of the green, Duncan fell into unprecedented doubt about his abilities.

Three quarters, 0 points, not even a few decent shots.

All methods failed, and even catching the ball became difficult.

From the first quarter onward, Duncan seemed to have entered a shallow area, where the seawater washed over his feet, icy cold but not frightening.

He felt that he could simply turn around and leave, leave the dangerous sea, and go to safe land, where his sister had left him a basketball court.

As time went on, the tide rose rapidly, reaching above his ankles. The seawater grew increasingly cold, and his hands and feet began to go numb, making him move slowly.

But the sky was very blue, the wind was gentle, the seawater was covered with white foam, and my feet sank into the soft sand, which actually felt quite comfortable.

But soon, the sky turned dark, the wind became fierce and howled, the seabirds disappeared, and a typhoon was coming.

The water quickly rose above my knees and surged towards my waist. When I tried to turn around, I found myself no longer on the shallows, but in the middle of a dark sea.

The salty, fishy water rose steadily into his stomach and chest, and a fierce wind swept through the darkness, whipping up deadly waves. Just then, a huge shark fin appeared in the distance, appearing and disappearing in the waves...

"Tim, Tim!" Bobby Bellman yelled at Duncan from the noisy Fleet Center bench, "Focus! The game isn't over yet!"

Seeing Duncan slightly distracted, Bellman reminded him not to be overwhelmed by the current dire situation.

However, this dire situation was something Duncan had never encountered before and had not anticipated.

The fact that the greatest defender in history could go all out in one-on-one defense and still not score a single point is devastating.

The more you break down, the more anxious you become, the worse your performance gets, and then your mental state collapses even further, creating a vicious cycle.

This is a common situation when Gan Guoyang attacks his opponents, using this cycle to suppress them to a level far below his normal performance.

Whether one can break free from this cycle often depends not on technique or physical fitness, but on mental state and how to properly face the strongest players in history.

Some players can't get out of that mindset, and as a result, they always play terribly against Forrest Gump, falling far short of their normal level.

For example, Horace Grant's career statistics against Forrest Gump were appalling; he was a typical case of Forrest Gump phobia and a major culprit in the Bulls' two losses to the Trail Blazers.

Some players have emerged through different means, and some have even achieved a higher level of success.

For example, Sam Bowie recognized his own position, overcame his mental demons, actively fought against Forrest Gump, and had a great career.

Then there's Rodman, who knows he can't beat you but just won't give up. There's no vicious cycle; instead, he becomes stronger with each setback.

O'Neal was an outlier; he relied on self-deception and mental victory to forge his own path and calmly deal with Forrest Gump.

This time it was Duncan's turn. Facing Bielman's attention and encouragement, Duncan said, "Coach, I need to score. I have to make a basket."

Duncan himself knew that he had to score, he had to score over Forrest Gump's head, and break free from the shackles with his own hands.

In the ocean, he might choose basketball instead of swimming because he's afraid of sharks.

Now, he has no way back to the sea; he must continue fighting.

Bellman, however, did not quite agree with Duncan. He understood what Duncan meant, but he believed that Duncan's current condition would only get worse as the game progressed.

"You should try other methods to regain control of the game, instead of just attacking relentlessly. You should rest now!"

The noise from the scene made every exchange between the coach and the players a strained, shouting exercise.

Before the start of the fourth quarter, Bellman told Duncan to sit on the bench and rest, to think for a while and calm down.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang was also sitting on the sidelines, draped a towel over himself and drinking water. He looked up at the scoreboard and saw that the Trail Blazers' lead had widened to 15 points.

So far, Gan Guoyang has only scored 14 points. He has focused most of his energy on the defensive end, grabbing 15 rebounds, 4 blocks, and an amazing 7 steals.

Six of his steals were against Duncan. Tonight, he was like a master thief, seeing through Duncan's every move, especially his ball trajectory, which he predicted accurately and made without fail.

Bird, sitting next to Gan Guoyang, said, "Sonny, your defense is really going too far. Are you really not going to let the number one draft pick score a single point?"

Gan Guoyang said, "I didn't score either, Larry. It's quite interesting to be a player who focuses solely on defense sometimes."

Bird shook his head, thinking that this guy had a really twisted sense of humor, taking pleasure in tormenting people.

This kind of tight defense throughout a single match, resulting in a shutout, is a huge blow to the opponent.

Gan Guoyang couldn't care less about that now; he was completely absorbed in the fun of one-on-one defense.

He was still carefully recalling and analyzing the details of Duncan's offense in order to simulate the scenarios of defending him.

Before the game, Gan Guoyang had certainly watched the video and studied Duncan's offense and defense against him.

In November, the Celtics and the Utah Jazz played a game in which the Jazz won by more than 30 points at home.

This was the Celtics' worst loss so far this season, with Duncan scoring only 9 points on 4-of-12 shooting against Karl Malone's one-on-one defense.

Throughout the game, Malone single-handedly defended Duncan, holding his own in the low post, quick to receive the ball, and aggressive in stealing it. His control over the defensive center of gravity and position was excellent, resulting in a highly effective defense.

Throughout his career, Malone imitated and learned from Forrest Gump. In the later stages of his career, when he had mastered both offense and defense, Gan Guoyang also turned around and took the initiative to learn from Malone.

Gan Guoyang has been playing as a center who guards the rim and stays in the paint for many years. In terms of the details of one-on-one defense at the power forward position, Ma Long does have something he can learn from.

In particular, his ball-cutting and control of his center of gravity caused the inexperienced Duncan a great deal of trouble. Gan Guoyang combined these experiences with his own strength advantage and technique to completely disrupt Duncan's rhythm, preventing him from scoring a single point.

Analyzing these small defensive details brought Gan Guoyang a lot of pleasure.

He has time to think about these things this season.

Last season wasn't good; he had too many things to do.

Scoring, assists, rim protection, and playmaking are all important.

Many tasks are better done broadly than meticulously; they require a comprehensive approach and consideration of all aspects.

With a stronger roster this season, veterans returning, and newcomers developing, Gan Guoyang can take on more functional roles.

The situation on the court remained unfavorable for the Celtics; without Duncan, their defensive quality dropped significantly.

One good thing about Duncan is that, although he was defended so badly by Gan Guoyang on offense that he questioned his existence, he didn't fall behind on defense at all when he was on the court.

Unlike some players who, when their offense falters, their defense collapses, leading to passive resistance and a decline in performance, he doesn't play as well as others.

Despite his fear and discomfort on offense, Duncan tirelessly supported the team on defense, repeatedly blocking and disrupting the Trail Blazers' drives to the basket. With the Trail Blazers lacking a strong small forward, this significantly reduced their success rate in attacking the rim.

Therefore, even though Duncan scored zero points, he still made a significant contribution to the Celtics on the court.

Berman only kept Duncan on the bench for a little over two minutes. Seeing that the comeback was not going to work, he put Duncan back on the court after a timeout.

As soon as Duncan came on, Gan Guoyang immediately took off his sports jacket and reappeared on the court. Duncan could feel the shark fins approaching him.

“Sonny! He’s still a child!” Berman shouted to Gan Guoyang from the sidelines.

There was a hint of pleading in his tone, implying that Duncan was still a rookie and that he shouldn't be so ruthless.

Of course, Bellman knew that Gan Guoyang had already gone easy on Duncan, at least he hadn't trash-talked him, right?
However, those three shutouts were quite impressive. Bellman knew this was a necessary step in his development, but he was also afraid that Forrest Gump might go too far and cripple him.

Gan Guoyang smiled and shook his head, saying, "Bobby, towering trees don't grow in greenhouses. Besides, I'm still a child."

"Go to hell, you shameless bastard."

Bellman knew that Duncan had to break through this barrier on his own.

Regardless of the outcome tonight, it will ultimately become an important lesson in Duncan's growth.

On the other side, Kobe muttered to Duncan, "I told you, just shoot! Who cares, as long as you shoot, you have a chance! Let's get one in first!"

Kobe's mentality was completely different from Duncan's. If Kobe were Gan Guoyang's opponent, he would not have any fear or apprehension at all.

He only becomes more courageous in the face of setbacks, and continues to take action with overwhelming confidence until he achieves his goal. This is the result of differences in personality and upbringing.

At this point, the Celtics players knew they had to let Duncan dominate.

Winning or losing doesn't matter; what's unacceptable is seeing our top draft pick get shut out by Forrest Gump—that would be too humiliating.

Steve Nash sets up Duncan with a pick-and-roll at the high post, intending to pass to Duncan who is rolling to the basket.

But after Gan Guoyang broke up the defense, he didn't guard Nash, giving Nash space to attack the basket, and he didn't give Duncan the ball to attack the rim.

Nash's layup attempt failed because Gan Guoyang blocked it from behind. Duncan tried to put the ball back in, but Gan Guoyang jumped and blocked him again.

This was a clear case of one against two, and as the fourth quarter progressed, Gan Guoyang's defensive form came into play.

It's like a player entering the offensive zone and making every shot and every attack.

Gan Guoyang's defense is now incredibly effective, like he's put a cover on the rim, giving his opponents no chance to score under the basket.

After winning possession, Gan Guoyang passed the ball to Kobe. Kobe then launched a fast break, using his speed and explosiveness to drive directly to the basket. He dribbled in a different direction and then jumped to dunk!
Kobe has already scored 18 points tonight. His offensive efficiency is quite high. In each fast break, he dodges like a snake and puts the ball into the basket.

Compared to last season, his physique and skills have improved significantly.

Nash tried to feed the ball to Duncan again, but Gan Guoyang's three-quarter fronting blocked Duncan from receiving the ball, and he was almost intercepted again.

Fortunately, the ball was returned to Nash, who was hesitant to pass it inside anymore. Forrest is now like a monster in the paint, devouring all your offensive options.

The ball was passed to Dee Brown, who took a mid-range shot from the outside and made it. Nash's passing choice and technique were quite good.

In Phoenix, Nash did not receive full attention from the team. The Suns still centered around Kevin Johnson and treated the 23-year-old Nash as a backup.

The Suns never expected that they would make the same mistake they made with the Cleveland Cavaliers years ago.

At that time, the Cavaliers had Mark Price, and after drafting Kevin Johnson, they made him their backup.

Later, feeling that Price was enough, they traded Kevin Johnson and sent the Suns their backcourt core for the next 10 years.

Now, the same situation is happening again, only this time the Suns are playing the role of the Knights.

The Suns had Kevin Johnson, and they felt Nash was somewhat redundant, so they traded Nash for Walker.

After joining the Celtics, under the tutelage of Bellman, Nash has shown tremendous potential.

Including this basket, Nash has dished out 12 assists tonight, making him the Celtics' mainstay in this game.

But Nash knew that Duncan had to perform if the team wanted to win.

The Celtics successfully defended a Trail Blazers attack, and Nash initiated a fast break.

This might be their best chance to turn the tide. Nash spotted the way ahead and delivered a precise long pass to Duncan who was fast off the track!

At this moment, Duncan had a chance to break his scoring drought. Gan Guoyang's defensive position was not good, and he would probably have to foul to stop the ball.

Duncan received the ball and drove to the basket, faked a move to a better position, and Gan Guoyang was helpless, as Duncan had already secured a favorable position.

However, as Duncan went for a layup, the Trail Blazers' number 5 sprinted up from behind, leaped high, and swatted away Duncan's layup with a powerful block in mid-air!
A thunderous block from Jermaine O'Neal!

Fox got the ball, and when he went up again, Jermaine O'Neal jumped a second time but swatted the ball away again.

Blake gets the ball, and the Trail Blazers slow down the pace to run down the clock.

These two brilliant blocks not only thwarted Duncan's attempts to score but also disrupted the Celtics' comeback.

Tonight, the Trail Blazers' interior defense was impenetrable, with blocks and steals giving the Celtics a lot of trouble.

Kobe broke through the Celtics' defense again, passing the ball to Gan Guoyang, who drove to the basket and drew a foul from Duncan.

With both free throws made, the Celtics had very little time left, or rather, very little time left for Duncan to make a breakthrough.

It wasn't just Gan Guoyang who was hindering Duncan, but also the Trail Blazers' tenacious interior defense. Duncan felt like the sea was about to reach his neck.

The shark was still swimming nearby. He could even see its round, emotionless eyes, which seemed like lifeless black holes, devoid of any emotion, yet had witnessed countless killings.

Just when he was in a state of near despair, just when Duncan felt he couldn't breathe and the game was over, his mind suddenly clicked.

During a brief lull in play, he leaned over to Gan Guoyang and asked, "Sonny, how should I initiate an attack from the low post? How can I successfully score?"

Gan Guoyang was taken aback, thinking to himself, "You're really shameless to ask for advice when you can't beat someone."
The two hadn't spoken to each other before. Berman told Gan Guoyang not to chat, and Gan Guoyang kept his promise and didn't talk.

Duncan was even less likely to trash talk to Gan Guoyang, but in the final stage, he had a sudden inspiration: why not ask Gan for advice?

Is there anyone in this world who knows better than Forrest Gump how to deal with Forrest Gump?

Gan Guoyang didn't have much animosity towards Duncan; he'd had his fill of playing this game.

Since he had sincerely asked for advice, Gan Guoyang certainly wouldn't ignore him; he wasn't that petty.

A huge, terrifying fin rose from the water, revealing its true form beneath—it wasn't a shark, but an orca that was just playing around with you.

"You always try to position yourself too deep, but you're not strong enough to beat me. Try positioning yourself further out to receive the ball. Get the ball first, man. What are you doing if you can't even hold it?"

"Where's your 45-degree bank shot? If you can't get in, try a mid-range shot instead of just driving straight in. Have you lost your mind?"

"Multiple-sided offense, for me, facing the basket is harder to defend and easier to draw fouls. How many times did I face you tonight, don't you know how to learn from me? Are you dumbfounded? Also, Bobby only begs for mercy on the sidelines, doesn't he know how to give you some pointers? Fuck this bastard, show some fighting spirit."

With Gan Guoyang's guidance, Duncan quickly calmed down.

He also made the first basket of the game – a bank shot from the left side at a 45-degree angle.

Gan Guoyang tried his best to block, but Duncan still made the shot!

The ball did nothing to change the situation on the field, but the center of the fleet still erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.

On the sidelines, Berman breathed a sigh of relief. At least they weren't shut out; scoring a goal was good enough.

Ultimately, the Trail Blazers easily defeated the Celtics 110-96 on the road, extending their winning streak to 16 games.

Duncan only scored 2 points in this game, suffering greatly from Gan Guoyang's defense, but in the final moments, he used his wisdom to resolve the psychological crisis.

Duncan has realized that when facing Forrest Gump, saying nice things to him and praising him is more effective than anything else.

At the end of the game, Gan Guoyang and Duncan hugged on the court. Gan Guoyang patted Duncan on the head and said, "You played very well. I think the future belongs to you."

Hearing Gan Guoyang's praise, Duncan felt both fulfilled and a little lost, wondering when the future would arrive.

However, he quickly cleared his mind of these distractions and focused on preparing for the upcoming matches. He had enough patience to wait for his time to come.

(End of this chapter)