The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 241 - 126 Exposure_2
To crack the defense, the solution sounds simple: it’s whether or not you can hit some mid-to-long range shots.
The vulnerability of zone defense is precisely the mid-to-long range shot, but due to the instability of shooting from that distance, the purpose of a zone defense is often to force you to shoot, betting that you won’t have a high shooting rate tonight.
In the intensity of the playoffs, this gamble has a high probability of paying off.
During half-time in the locker room, Ramsay strategized extensively and finally asked Gan Guoyang, "Ah Gan, how’s your shooting touch tonight?"
Gan Guoyang shook his head and replied, "Not great."
In the first half, Gan Guoyang had attempted some mid-to-long range shots, but his touch was off.
"Can you figure something out?"
"I can."
Their exchanges about basketball were always this brief, no need for elaboration.
As the second half was about to start, Rick Adelman approached Gan Guoyang and said, "Ah Gan, Cheche and Parkson will shoot more in the second half. Leave the defense to Thompson and focus on offensive rebounds, trying to get to the free-throw line."
Gan Guoyang nodded his understanding. This was Ramsay’s intention; he needed Gan Guoyang to find his shooting rhythm through free throws.
However, competing for offensive rebounds against the Mavericks wasn’t easy, despite their smaller lineup. They were the team with the fewest offensive rebounds lost in the whole league.
The players’ active protection of rebounds was one aspect; on the other hand, the Mavericks’ fast break with a smaller lineup was very sharp, and opponents often didn’t dare to crash the boards for fear of being punished on the fast break.
In these games, Gan Guoyang had hardly crashed the offensive boards, always retreating quickly to prevent the Mavericks’ counterattacks.
In 1983, the reason Moses Malone could rebound so fearlessly for the 76ers without affecting defense was because they had exceptional defenders in Irving and Morris Cheeks as well as perfect role-players like Mark Iavaroni and Bobby Jones backing them up.
Gan Guoyang dared to crash the boards against Twin Towers teams like the Rockets and also against the Lakers, not because the Lakers couldn’t fast break, but because sometimes retreating didn’t hinder the Lakers’ fast breaks, so it was worth the risk.
Now, Ramsay had devised a new strategy. In the third quarter, the team had to take a risk. If it didn’t pay off, they would face a surge by Aguirre and Blackman, widening the gap even further.
But Gan Guoyang remained composed, moving to the baseline to inbound the ball and quickly running to the frontcourt near the three-second area.
Sam Bowie maintained a certain distance from Gan Guoyang, just like in the first half, dividing his attention between Gan Guoyang and the three-second area.
At the same time, nearby Aguirre and Vincent were sneakily watching Gan Guoyang, ready to double-team him the moment he looked to receive the ball.
Theoretically, if the remaining four Trail Blazers positioned themselves outside the three-point line, Gan Guoyang could be isolated one-on-one.
However, in 1985 NBA coaches had yet to devise such a radical one-on-four strategy, or perhaps some had thought of it, but it wasn’t practicable at the time, and moreover, Ramsay always disliked isolation plays.
At that moment, Gan Guoyang was merely a decoy. Using a simple screen, Vandeweghe got the ball and, with a clean step back, launched a long two-pointer from just inside the three-point line.
It was a difficult shot. As the ball descended halfway, Gan Guoyang predicted it would go in and turned back to defend.
True to his prediction, the shot was accurate, as Vandeweghe scored the first points of the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 9 points, 52:61.
But immediately, Aguirre received the ball quickly along the baseline, shaking off Vandeweghe to drive toward the basket. Facing Gan Guoyang’s defense, he made a beautiful pass to Sam Bowie, who slammed the ball home with both hands!
52:63. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Sam Bowie was having quite a night—calm, rational, with not a single reckless shot (something he had been too fond of trying from the top of the arc in the past); all his points came from easy finishes, putbacks, and free throws.
He firmly kept in mind Dick Motta’s words, "Ah Gan is an eagle, I am a duck, but even a duck has its way of surviving."
Vandeweghe attempted another step-back long shot, another high-difficulty shot that missed.
Bowie secured his position under the basket, but since it was a long shot, the ball ricocheted far out. Gan Guoyang correctly anticipated the landing spot and grabbed the rebound over the heads of Vincent and Aguirre.
As he turned to shoot, Bowie immediately moved to block, but the moment he jumped, he realized he had been fooled—it was a pump fake!
A thought of "darn it" crossed Bowie’s mind. Gan Guoyang had tricked him, but he didn’t drive straight to the basket. Instead, as the two collided midair, Gan Guoyang hooked the shot, missing.
The referee blew the whistle—Bowie was called for a defensive foul, and Gan Guoyang stepped to the free-throw line.
He relaxed his shoulders and adjusted his breathing, then released the first shot. The ball tapped the front of the rim before finally bouncing into the net.
Gan Guoyang adjusted the force of his release for the second shot, which smoothly went in, hinting at his returning shooting form.
54:63.
Half-court offense, the Mavericks failed to find any weaknesses in the Trail Blazers’ defense, and Aguirre once again broke through Vandeweghe’s defensive line.
This time the Trail Blazers’ rotation was good, Guoyang left only a baseline for Aguirre to pass through, Thompson blocked Sam Bowie.
Aguirre tried to make a comeback with a turnaround jumper of high difficulty, but it did not hit the target, and Guoyang grabbed the defensive rebound.
"Damn it," Aguirre cursed under his breath.
Aguirre hated guarding Guoyang, his technically rich details and tricks were useless when faced with someone taller, faster, and stronger than himself. In the end, he could only rely on brute force and touch, which was the least efficient.
Jim Paxson scored with a jump shot on the fast break, and the Trail Blazers’ outside shooting was starting to recover.
56:63.
The Trail Blazers caught up by 4 points, and Dick Motta immediately called for a timeout.
They played a beautiful baseline move tactic, Aguirre shook off the defense and caught the ball at the left 45-degree angle, fake drive inside, followed by a quick stop and jump shot off the backboard that went in.
56:65.
On the Trail Blazers’ perimeter, Vandeweghe with the ball on the left side went one-on-one against Aguirre, took a direct shot and scored.
58:65.
Blackman’s drive was blocked by Guoyang, the Trail Blazers quickly counter-attacked, with Paxson deliberately slowing down, waiting to set up.
This was very rare for Ramsay’s team; they were actually not taking the chance for a fast attack.
Paxson’s long shot did not go in, and the ball bounced far, Guoyang grabbed another offensive rebound!
In front of three Mavericks players, he continued to jump and tap the ball up, then secured the rebound.
Persistently driving to the basket drew a foul from Vincent, and he was headed to the free-throw line again.
This time Guoyang did not make many adjustments, he sank both free throws effortlessly.
60:65.
Sam Bowie had his hands on his hips; he had a bad feeling.
The Trail Blazers’ offense was actually very monotonous in the third quarter, consisting mainly of mid-to-long-range outside shots. If it hadn’t been for Guoyang’s two offensive rebounds, the Mavericks could have extended their lead to 15 points by now.
But those two offensive rebounds and four free throws changed everything.
After that, Vincent’s floater missed again. Sam Bowie tried to grab the offensive rebound but was effectively boxed out by Guoyang and unsuccessful.
The Trail Blazers counter-attacked, Valentine was calm, played a pick and roll at the high post with Guoyang, passed the ball back, Guoyang shot from the arc.
The ball described a high arc, deadly accurate! A three-pointer!
Many Mavericks fans in the stands held their heads; they sensed trouble.
63:65, the gap between the two teams reduced to only 2 points within a few minutes.
Dick Motta did not call for a timeout; he had just called one not long before and was holding out.
However, the Mavericks’ morale was in chaos, especially on the defensive end; their concentration was dissipating.
Aguirre attempted to power through to the basket, but Thompson interfered with his floater, and Guoyang secured the defensive rebound.
On the counterattack, in the same spot, Valentine and Guoyang’s screen-play combination, Guoyang received the ball.
This time Sam Bowie came out to defend, but Guoyang broke through into the paint, shooting a moving hook shot!
The ball seemed to float lightly, as if weightless, falling right into the center of the basket, barely grazing the net, without even touching the rim’s edge.
A perfect hook shot, impossible to defend.
65:65, all tied up.
Dick Motta finally called for a timeout.
Sam Bowie, gasping for air, returned to the bench and thought to himself, "The duck has revealed itself in the reeds."
