The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 604 - 11 13 People_4

West had been thinking about the use of Gan Guoyang and Sabonis in a high-low combination, reminiscent of the Walton-Agarn connection.

Now, according to what Beelman was saying, there would definitely be some changes.

Moreover, whether Sabonis could start was still a question.

Thompson, though older, had worked with Gan Guoyang for many years and was Guoyang’s most capable, most trusted, and most loyal lieutenant.

Gan Guoyang had once said that as long as he was there, Mychal Thompson was an untouchable asset—no one should even think about trading the veteran top pick.

In the middle of last year’s Western Conference Finals, when Mychal Thompson got injured, West felt certain that the series was in the bag and, finally, they took down Agarn and the Trail Blazers with a pile of debuffs.

"What do you plan to do with Sabonis?" West asked.

"For now, let him come off the bench, and over the regular season, gradually adapt to the pace and his role."

"I think with Sabonis’s passing touch, nurturing him into a passing center is not out of the question," said West. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"That would be missing the near to seek the far. It’s better to let Agarn play more in the high post, especially since he’s really taken to mid-range shooting."

"But in doing so... do you mean to let Agarn adjust to a new role?"

"What does it matter? He’s the boss. He’s always got to do the hardest stuff."

The two of them looked, as if by some unspoken agreement, toward Gan Guoyang, who was sitting in the front row, intently watching the game.

At this point, the game went into halftime, with Sabonis’s team leading the Petrovich Team by four points, 46:42.

During the break, Petrović waved over to Gan Guoyang and asked, "Why aren’t you playing? Afraid of not making the cut?"

After a week of interacting, Petrović had become comfortable enough to joke with Gan Guoyang.

Adelman came over and said, "Agarn doesn’t even play in the main team’s scrimmages. His participation would disrupt the balance—your team might not even score a point."

Petrović was skeptical, "Let him go to Arvydas’s side then; I guarantee we can still score."

Divac signaled with his eyes, pleading for his brother to keep it down.

In the end, Gan Guoyang did not take the court; his presence on either side would greatly disrupt the balance.

The coaching staff usually refrained from letting Gan Guoyang participate in team scrimmages, as once he got going, there was no end in sight.

It was fine if his team won, but if they happened to lose by chance, then they’d just keep playing on and on indefinitely, as he would drag everyone down with him.

In the second half, Petrović’s three-point shot suddenly came alive; he successively hit from downtown, helping his team take the lead.

His cooperation with Divac was extremely tacit, displaying smooth pick-and-roll hand-offs, as well as nimble interior-exterior play.

At the same time, another player rose to prominence on defense, starting to hold his ground in the low post against Sabonis.

In the first half, where Sabonis scored easily from inside, he was now contained in the second half, missing several shots in a row.

This back-and-forth gave the Petrovich Team the advantage and turned the situation around.

Ultimately, the Petrovich Team managed a comeback in the second half, winning this internal scrimmage by a margin of 5 points.

While West, Beelman, and others focused on Petrović, Divac, and Sabonis, Gan Guoyang’s attention was mostly on the player in the No. 34 jersey—a short black player in the post.

After the game, Gan Guoyang went straight to West and said, "Our 13th man should be that No. 34."

West took a glance at No. 34, who was Anthony Mason from Tennessee State University.

In 1988, he was picked by the Trail Blazers in the third round but did not make it through the rookie camp and was cut, then went to play in Europe for a year.

This year he was back again and signed a 10-day contract with the Trail Blazers; seasoned by experience, he withstood the harsh training and lasted until the end.

His defensive showing in the second half caught Gan Guoyang’s attention and was noticed by West as well, who agreed with Guoyang’s assessment.

Even though the Trail Blazers now had three European talents, they could not afford to be complacent; they needed to prepare in terms of defense and toughness.

A Sanders on the perimeter, a Mason in the post—both were embodiments of this line of thought.

While neither was guaranteed to play a decisive role, as both players had limited talent and abilities.

But West knew that, in the championship journey, every spot and every player could have an impact.

Any team that overlooked the end of the bench risked suffering greatly during the long regular season,

even possibly causing a season’s efforts to unravel.