At this moment, Gan Guoyang started calling for the ball in the low post.
O’Neal was crowding Gan Guoyang from behind, like a towering wall.
This guy is really massive, like a mountain.
In the pushing and shoving of minor movements, both felt the other’s strength.
Gan Guoyang didn’t engage in a direct battle, catching the ball from outside.
Turning with a Sigma Step, facing the basket, he feigned a shot.
O’Neal stepped up to block the shooting lane.
Gan Guoyang dribbled, spun, and took the baseline!
This move was completed in one swoop, extremely fast.
Because O’Neal stepped forward, he couldn’t follow through.
Gan Guoyang accelerated along the baseline, forcing away the Magic player who came to help.
With one hand, he slammed the ball into the hoop!
And O’Neal’s hand barely missed the ball.
Just a step slower, and O’Neal would’ve blocked it.
"Whoa, that was fast, almost got me blocked."
In this round, Gan Guoyang started revealing his fangs.
O’Neal felt a stronger sense of embarrassment.
He thought the TV camera would repeatedly replay these two plays.
His clumsiness compared to Ah Gan’s agility, damn it.
Next time on offense, O’Neal began actively demanding the ball in the low post.
But Sikels’ pass was interfered with by Porter, nearly intercepted.
O’Neal had to run out to control the ball.
He was almost at the three-point line, but he didn’t pass.
He had already planned his attack route:
Break facing the basket, feign going down the middle.
Stick close to the defender, spin, get near the basket, and attempt a close shot.
If he squeezed close enough, he could directly slam dunk with one hand.
Once given space to charge inside, no one could stop him.
He tried this move time and again, so he started dribbling inward from the three-point line.
Standing 7’1", he maneuvered with agile dribbles, changed direction, and turned guarding the ball!
However, the ball was gone from his hand.
At the moment he lifted the ball, Gan Guoyang swiftly reached out, poking the ball away from O’Neal’s hand.
Gan Guoyang not only had overall strength but also powerful finger strength.
Even with O’Neal holding the ball tightly with both hands, Gan Guoyang knocked it away.
Sabonis came over, intercepted the ball, and the Trail Blazers counterattacked.
Porter made a long pass to Lewis, Lewis dashed to the basket and scored.
"Good breakthrough, but pay attention to ball protection."
Gan Guoyang continued to provide guidance, O’Neal started feeling irritated.
Damn, usually with this move, if not a hundred percent, seventy to eighty percent of the time opponents couldn’t stop it.
Why couldn’t he even get the shot off this time? The ball got knocked away?
I clearly squeezed him out, created space.
O’Neal refused to believe it, continuing to call for the ball on the left low post.
He got the ball smoothly, but Porter came for the double team.
A simple double-team, yet O’Neal had no answer.
He could only retreat, jump up to pass to Torbert.
Torbert didn’t receive well, could only make a hurried shot.
Missed, Sabonis grabbed the rebound again.
"Slow down, Sabonis! Let me play in the low post!"
Gan Guoyang called off the counterattack, wanting to play in the low post.
O’Neal knew it, this was a demonstration tailored for him.
Suddenly, O’Neal seemed to understand, Ah Gan wasn’t planning to let him off tonight.
His praises and humility were just basic courtesy.
And he disdained to oppress rookies like Ewing.
What he aimed to do was to thoroughly defeat him with skills and experience on the basketball court.
This is the NBA. Once you become opponents, only one can walk away with victory.
O’Neal immediately realized, shedding the halo of idol worship.
Admire later, after the mutual praises post-game.
On the court, showing true ability matters!
Thus, O’Neal countered: "Want to be my teacher? You’re the second pick, and I’m the first pick!"
Gan Guoyang smiled, thinking this guy has caught on and started getting serious.
That makes it all the more interesting. He enjoys seeing opponents ignite their fighting spirit.
And the process of extinguishing that fire of resolve is quite fascinating.
Similarly on the left low post, Gan Guoyang got the ball, paused a bit.
He was waiting for the Magic to come for the blitz, and indeed Sikels came.
Gan Guoyang didn’t fluster like O’Neal.
Holding the ball single-handedly to avoid distraction, he calmly passed the ball to the top of the arc.
Sabonis caught it, quickly passing it to Porter under the basket.
Porter went through the back door, caught it effortlessly, and scored!
A Princeton tactic rendered the Magic’s low-post double-team ineffective.
The stark contrast between the two plays.
The same low-post double-team, Gan Guoyang remained calm, easily resolved it.
Whereas O’Neal visibly panicked, resulting in rushed offense and a miss.
Subsequently, Gan Guoyang showcased another move in the low post.
Breaking facing the basket, feigning a middle hook shot.
After tricking O’Neal, he easily evaded with McHale’s signature step move, cutting inside for a successful lay-up!
O’Neal lacked a solid defensive backup at the power forward, leaving him quite embarrassed against Gan Guoyang in the first quarter.
But O’Neal hadn’t realized yet, this was just the beginning.
It’s normal to be schooled by Ah Gan in several rounds at certain moments.
Even Ewing could teach O’Neal a lesson in many rounds during a match.
O’Neal could retaliate, even shaming Ewing at times.
No game is entirely one-sided between stars; they can always regain some ground.
Gan Guoyang’s difference lies in his torture and teaching, which are prolonged and enduring.
Systematic, planned, progressively deep, premeditated, combining mind and body.
Like the alarm of a morning drill waking you up, you think it’ll be done by lunchtime. No worries.
Unexpectedly, the drilling could last a month, persisting late into the night, tormenting you into a nerve-wracked state.