"Yes, an obvious foul."
Thomas shook his head, Ah Gan’s aggressiveness was too much.
Standing on the free-throw line again, Gan Guoyang didn’t forget to ask Stoudemire, "Did you see the ball clearly?"
"Um... it seems..."
Thomas, standing nearby, was anxious, just say you saw it clearly, couldn’t you!
If you still can’t see it, I’m the one getting hit!
"Still didn’t see clearly."
Damn!
"Then I’ll go slower next time so you can see it clearly."
As he was speaking, Gan Guoyang easily made the free throw.
"Did you see my free throw? I’m not like some idiots who chant spells while shooting free throws! Free throws rely on technique, talent, and mentality, not wishing."
Stoudemire hastily nodded, am I here for a lesson or to play ball today?
Tony Parker made a mid-range shot, Gan Guoyang called for position under the basket for the third time.
The Suns started to double-team, can’t let Kurt Thomas continue to be abused like this, keep getting hit and we’ll lose the only strong defensive point under the basket.
Yet Gan Guoyang, under triple-team pressure, managed to pass, receive, box out, receive again, dribble entrance, pivot, jump shot, and score.
This time because Kurt Thomas dodged, Gan Guoyang didn’t lean forward to press on others but shot normally, easily making the basket.
"If there’s no one leaning, no need to push forward either. The purpose of pushing forward is mainly to suppress opponents, not to be closer to the basket. Distance is never the issue, the people blocking in front are."
Gan Guoyang said, at this moment Stoudemire seemed to have an epiphany.
However, when he tried to receive a pass and lean forward to shoot, he got blocked solidly by Yao Ming.
"Why isn’t it working when I play like this!"
"Because you’re not me, you can’t learn it."
"..."
Soon after saying this, Yao Ming received a pass in the low post, turned around for a fadeaway jump shot, and scored.
Seeing this, Stoudemire thought, even Yao Ming wouldn’t, still using turnaround fadeaway jump shots, maybe I shouldn’t blindly try it, can’t learn it anyways.
Halftime ended, Glory Team 61:55, leading the Suns by 6 points, both sides scored very high.
Gan Guoyang scored 15 points in the second quarter, participating in multiple fast breaks, dominating underneath the basket, showcasing his good form and superb skills.
During halftime break, even Jordan couldn’t help but admire Gan Guoyang again, "Your skills are truly enviable."
Just saw Gan Guoyang smoothly weaving in and out during fast breaks, and swiftly turning around for shots, truly dashing and delightful.
"I can teach you."
"Forget it, when you retire, open a training camp to swindle money maybe."
"I really feel sad, Michael, such a good technical system probably won’t be passed down."
"Basketball development keeps moving forward, we will all become dust, it’s nothing."
On this point, Jordan has always been optimistic, about the wins and losses, glory and shame, he has his own thoughts.
"Maybe one day, the turnaround fadeaway jump shot technique might slowly be lost, after all, it’s too troublesome isn’t it?"
"There’s indeed a possibility, techniques will get simpler, only the most efficient ones will remain. But will such basketball games still be exciting?"
"Can’t worry about that, mate, as long as we are playing, we must give the best performance, right?"
"You know, I rarely agree with you."
After the second half began, both teams freed their hands for offense, showcasing their exquisite offensive skills.
Both teams didn’t shoot many threes, mainly Antoine Walker on the Suns, who liked throwing as soon as he got the ball outside.
In other positions, like the shooting guard Joe Johnson, every move slightly resembles Jordan.
Gan Guoyang jokingly said, "Michael, this is your successor, modern-day Jordan!"
"This guy is far off."
Jordan said while accelerating his pace in the third quarter, scoring continuously with fadeaway and sudden stop mid-range jump shots.
Joe Johnson similarly responded with mid-range jump shots, although his fadeaway wasn’t as flashy as Jordan’s, it was quite decent.
Once called the true successor of Jordan, Grant Hill, completely played his style.
Instead, he seemed like a mini Gan Guoyang; although his technique wasn’t as delicate as Gan Guoyang’s, his speed and offensive choices had traces.
In the duel with Andre Miller, Tony Parker showcased his talent for speed, turning Miller around several times with beautiful dribbles, sudden stop jump shots, and under-the-basket floaters.
These were well done, but as a point guard, he wasn’t steady enough, prone to making errors.
This caused the Suns’ offense to be fragmented, unable to organize sustained intensive attacks, always lagging in scores.
In the third quarter, Glory Team scored 34 against the Suns’ 28, both teams scored high, but the Suns clearly couldn’t keep up with Glory’s pace.
At the start of the fourth quarter, main players went to rest, Yao Ming and Stoudemire’s final duel would decide the outcome.
Stoudemire had some impressive points but overall was suppressed by Gan Guoyang, his stats were average, only scoring 10 points.
On the other hand, Yao Ming, under his teammates’ assistance, soon scored 15 points, his efficiency in attacking under the basket also very high, able to score as soon as he caught the ball.
Tall, with soft hands, once Yao Ming found his comfort zone for shooting, it was too hard for opponents to block him.
After nearly a season of adjustment, lineup experiments, Glory Team generally concluded the initial positioning and planning for Yao Ming was very accurate.
He shouldn’t be handling too much ball possession, more suitable as a secondary attacker, when shot amount was limited to certain range, within a comfort zone for shooting, his efficiency would be terrifyingly high.
On defense, Yao Ming could keep from dragging the team’s performance, and in certain specific lineups and matchups, playing a very significant role.
In certain matches and matchups, Yao Ming was vulnerable, needed to be hidden to cover his flaws.
Yao Ming gradually accepted this position, he himself felt impossible to have Ah Gan’s level of energy.
This guy could withstand the volume, withstand tactical capacity, also acting as the core in defense.
Thinking about it, able to lead the Chinese team to Olympic victory, shouldn’t one know what kind of monster they are internally?
Just the level of the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team, even if improved, what level can it reach, shouldn’t one have an idea internally?
With these thoughts in mind, Yao Ming became clearer about his plans and ideas.
Unlike certain media and reporters boasting of him to act as Ah Gan’s successor, the next Chinese giant to dominate the NBA, establishing a "Ming Dynasty."
Isn’t this just nonsense? Just do what has to be done, aim for a Championship Ring in the career, play beautifully, and that would be great.
Thus lately, Yao Ming’s body was tired, but his mind remained tranquil, positively affecting his game state.
At the start of the fourth quarter, he first received Barry’s pass, turned around for a hook shot and scored.
Then in defense, frontally blocked Stoudemire’s ball-holding breakthrough dunk!
This was the first official direct duel tonight between the two, Yao Ming’s block greatly boosted morale.
In the counterattack, Yao Ming received a pass from Van Exel, cut through mid-range for a dunk!
Playing well on both ends, Yao Ming continued accumulating points, slowly gaining dominance in the debate for the best rookie in this match.
When both teams’ main players resurfaced, the Suns, unable to rally during the transition phase, found it even harder to turn over from behind.
Eventually, at home, Glory Team defeated the Suns 116:108, winning by an 8-point margin.
Yao Ming finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists.
While Stoudemire only managed 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 assist.
Actually, Stoudemire had some remarkable plays, but unfortunately, Yao Ming had someone supporting him.
This match greatly influenced the decision for the Rookie of the Year award later on.
A week later, the NBA regular season ended, the standings for the Eastern and Western teams settled, the playoffs were about to begin.
Glory finished their last Eastern Conference season match, achieving a record of 61 wins and 21 losses, ranked second in the Eastern Conference, only behind the defending champion Boston Celtics with a 63-19 record.
Top eight in the Eastern Conference were: Celtics, Glory, 76ers, Pistons, Nets, Pacers, Heat, Bucks.
Glory Team would face the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs, O’Neal dodged for an entire season, but couldn’t escape the fate of being hunted by Ah Gan.
The Shark from the South Coast was heading to the desert in Las Vegas to search for water.