"Looking for teammates during offense can certainly contribute some brilliant assists, but it can also reduce your own scoring effectiveness."
"I’ve won the assists title, but I must admit, I’m not a great passer. My assists come from focus, not from observation."
Gan Guoyang was advising Nowitzki, and he could feel this German youngster was learning, earnestly learning.
During the Mavericks’ offensive turn, Nowitzki bravely caught the ball on the perimeter and initiated an attack facing Guoyang’s defense.
Dribble, breakthrough, spin, slow down, pause slightly, then suddenly accelerate along the baseline, passing Gan Guoyang!
Passing through the right side of the baseline to the left side, Nowitzki turned and was about to dunk with both hands!
A very smooth transition from dribbling, lowering the ball, spinning, raising the ball, to accelerating, all in one fluid motion.
The rhythm was quite perfect, and the tempo change with the pause was almost artistic, but Gan Guoyang managed to catch up, extending his long arm to block the shot directly.
The collision in the air made Nowitzki fall to the ground, and possession was once again taken by the Trail Blazers for a counterattack.
Nowitzki immediately got up and sprinted to the backcourt to join the defense.
The ball was passed to Gan Guoyang, and the Trail Blazers slowed down, not rushing for a quick counterattack.
Gan Guoyang caught the ball, posed a triple threat beyond the three-point line, dribbled, stopped quickly, and took a jump shot!
A very simple and clean quick stop jump shot, not needing much dribbling to shake the defender’s center of gravity and adjust his own rhythm.
In just two seconds, he could make the shot, the ball flew over Nowitzki’s fingertips and swished through the net! A difficult mid-range shot, scored!
"Keep it simple, sometimes think simpler."
"Your spin and hesitation were very good, I was almost beaten by you."
"But you did something unnecessary, insisting on attacking from the other side of the basket, which gave me time to react."
"You should attack the basket directly, and if you’re unsure about the dunk, a quick stop jump shot is a great option, trust your shot."
As Gan Guoyang retreated on defense, he continued to advise Nowitzki, who nodded to show he understood.
But the Mavericks, aiming to catch up in points, didn’t pass the ball to Nowitzki in the following turns.
You simply can’t get past Ah Gan, so giving you the ball again would be a waste? Nowitzki had to fight for offensive opportunities on his own.
As the third quarter was about to end, the Trail Blazers led 90:80, ahead of the Mavericks by 10 points, both teams fiercely attacking.
Yet, the Trail Blazers had slightly more firepower, and as the third quarter was about to conclude, Gan Guoyang had already scored 33 points.
Old Nelson was determined to let Nowitzki single defend Gan Guoyang tonight, clearly showing that winning or losing didn’t matter, tonight I’m using Ah Gan to sharpen him.
As for whether this blade would be sharpened or worn down, it depended on whether Nowitzki would collapse or learn under the pressure and friction.
Obviously, Nowitzki didn’t collapse; if it were his rookie season, he probably would have crumbled, and Nielsen wouldn’t have let Nowitzki face Ah Gan alone back then.
Having endured the rookie season’s torment, being jeered at, carrying bags, fetching water, delivering burgers for the team’s veterans, missing home, and feeling uncomfortable in America, Nowitzki persisted.
He didn’t return to Germany but stayed in America, stayed in the NBA, and this season he evolved.
In many games, he played beautifully, quite beautifully; his face-up attack, his shooting, his footwork, and his body’s coordination were all astonishing.
Of course, in the current NBA environment, he seemed a bit "soft."
This is an era of muscle collision, pursuing strength.
The role model on the perimeter is Michael Jordan, stronger than many on the inside, like a powerful black panther.
The role models inside the paint are Gan Guoyang and O’Neal, a force king, and a giant shark, both are major threats in the three-second zone.
As for a white big man shooter like Nowitzki? Who is the best example? Larry Bird?
That guy was not soft at all, truly tough, and Nowitzki was clearly not as sturdy as Bird.
But Nielsen, and the Mavericks’ management, believed firmly that Nowitzki wasn’t soft and that he would usher in his own era.
It’s just unclear how many years it would take for that day to arrive, five years, ten years, or even longer.
Nowitzki didn’t dwell on it much, he found an offensive opportunity, receiving the ball at the top of the key.
He used a teammate’s screen, coming out like a shooting guard, and upon catching the ball, immediately lifted for a three-pointer!
On this shot, Gan Guoyang couldn’t keep up to contest, Nowitzki’s shot was quick but not sloppy, and it was a straight-on attempt.
The ball precisely went in, a three-pointer! A beautiful three-point shot!
After scoring, Nowitzki was extremely excited, sticking his tongue out and raising both arms to signal three points with his fingers!
With the third quarter nearly over, this was unbelievably his first basket of the game!
It was really joyful, Nowitzki felt like he surfaced from the water, finally able to breathe.
Indeed, Gan Guoyang couldn’t do anything about it, defending the perimeter is not like sticking close to someone in the paint.
Through movement and screens, there will always be an opening, and whether it goes in or not depends on the player’s shooting feel.
Nowitzki’s shooting feel was evidently very good, soft touch, consistent body power without break, and a very high arc on the ball.
His shooting style was clearly different from Gan Guoyang’s, which in Gan Guoyang’s view, had a higher possibility of being contested.
However, in shooting, making the basket is most important, and finding what suits you.