The draft and signings have always been quite unsuccessful; they have never found a core player capable of sustaining the team’s system.
Besides waiting, there’s nothing they can do but hope for another O’Neal to appear.
In the starting lineup, Yao Ming scored 13 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and made 2 blocks for the game.
Yao Ming performed well in blocking. With Gan Guoyang guarding the power forward position, Yao could camp at the center position. Even with the three-second defensive restriction, he managed to shrink his activity range to a smaller area.
He remained unmoved, focused on close-range rim protection, while opponents couldn’t entirely abandon attempts near the rim.
At this point, Yao could swat at shots like swatting flies, disrupting opponents’ shots as much as possible; a brief lapse in attention from them would lead to a block.
On offense, Yao occasionally executed some low-post moves but mostly served as an inside finisher, converting passes from Gan Guoyang and Jordan into points.
Yao is gradually transitioning from the absolute core inside player of the CBA and the national team to a secondary core player on an NBA powerhouse.
Once someone finds a position that suits them, their state and performance on the court become increasingly stable.
The season kicked off at the end of October, and throughout November, both Gan Guoyang and Jordan, in great condition and full of vigor, gave their best performances with no reservations.
With rich experience, they understood that winning as much as possible early in the season helps create room for error later on.
In 16 games, they had 15 wins and 1 loss; the only loss was against the Memphis Grizzlies. The two went too far, wagering before the game on how many points they could score using only their left hands.
Gan Guoyang once scored 27 points in a half, totaling 45 points in a game using only his left hand against the Supersonics many years prior.
Jordan’s left hand was equally remarkable, allowing him to shoot smoothly like a natural left-handed player, with such a silky touch that no one could tell he’s right-handed.
In Memphis, they didn’t seem to regard the Grizzlies players as people, using left-handed shots, hooks, and free throws throughout the game. Gan Guoyang ended up with 28 points, and Jordan with 24.
While they scored a lot, their efficiency was undoubtedly lower than when using their right hands, and they increased their turnovers, with Jordan committing 5 turnovers in this game.
A crucial passing error at a critical moment led to the Glory team losing 99-101 by 2 points to the Grizzlies.
This was the only loss for the Glory team in November, all thanks to the antics of these two seasoned players.
Yet, the live audience had a blast watching this unique version of Ah Gan and Jordan, the left-handed edition.
Other fans were equally amazed by their effortless and ambidextrous super abilities, showcasing the allure of god-level players to the fans.
Of course, post-game, the two began to shift blame and criticize each other. Gan Guoyang claimed that Jordan’s mistakes cost them the victory and the show.
Jordan criticized Gan Guoyang for relying on him since switching to his left hand, claiming he didn’t dare take charge of the game.
"At least 20 of his 28 points came from opportunities I created for him; he just stayed in the back, maintaining his pathetic shooting percentage! Sure, his stats look better than mine, but my impact on the game was greater; otherwise, why was it me who made the mistake at the end and not him?"
Gan Guoyang couldn’t believe Jordan could come up with such an argument for his mistake, truly impressive.
But the argument was just a verbal spat between them.
With Jordan’s personality, it would be hard for other players or even management and the owner to tolerate him.
He indeed talks too much; he doesn’t have issues with work but is always trying to one-up people in everyday communication.
Ranging from small jokes to performance on the court, he always wants to compete, which is quite uncomfortable for others.
That’s why, during his time with the Bulls, his relationship with the owner and management was so poor; it wasn’t entirely Reinsdorf and Klaus’s fault—Jordan bore a significant portion of the blame.
Yet on the Glory team, Gan Guoyang is the only one in the league who could completely suppress Jordan, in every aspect.
Whether it’s personal honors, court performance, game stats, or verbal disputes, Jordan is no match for Gan Guoyang.
Once suppressed, Jordan doesn’t seem as annoying to his teammates and even appears somewhat pitiful, garnering their sympathy and support.
Lately, Jordan hasn’t been doing well publicly due to his divorce from Juanita, which has become a media frenzy.
The two have been separated for over half a year, starting from the previous season until now.
Since Jordan moved from Seattle to Las Vegas, they’ve been communicating via lawyers and through the media.
Juanita accused Jordan of being unfaithful in their marriage, with multiple affairs and various types of mistresses.
Besides, Jordan spends a lot of time in gambling, golf, parties, and other entertainments, leaving little time for family, especially his children.
Unable to endure such a marriage life, Juanita chose to divorce, yet Jordan has never agreed, undoubtedly due to the division of assets being involved.
Divorce would cost him too much financially, over hundreds of millions of US Dollars and the consequent damage to his reputation.
Jordan is trying to save this marriage since their youngest child is only 9 years old, attempting reconciliation and relationship repair.
However, this doesn’t stop him from seeking pleasures in Las Vegas, which paparazzi have caught.
Regardless, the matter drags on; Jordan’s playing form remains unaffected. He just feels happier playing with Ah Gan than staying home with his wife.