Chapter 1307: Chapter 13: The No. 1 Shooting Guard (Part 3)
Many people criticize his poor defense, including his senior Gan Guoyang, who mocked his bad defense during the game and told him to train hard.
But Nash doesn’t take it to heart. He never thinks his poor defense is a problem. As a Point Guard, what matters most is offense.
He always focuses on running, passing, and shooting. Defense is important, but if he can’t do it well, he’d rather play to his strengths and avoid weaknesses.
This personality has its pros and cons. The positive side is that he can shield himself from negative information and focus on what he believes is right. Once the path is correct, the results can be extraordinary.
The negative side is also obvious. The proverb says, ’A wise man listens to advice,’ but believing only in oneself can easily foster a stubborn and self-willed character.
When his decisions involve only himself, being stubborn may not be a bad thing, but once more people are involved and the scope is widened, trouble follows.
Currently, Nash is just a rookie, a young player who needs to improve and hone himself through games. Being self-confident and not listening to others might not be a bad thing.
In the brief playing time during the first half, Nash tried hard to showcase himself.
Although Gan Guoyang suppressed him in a few plays, it was entirely normal.
Nash’s performance was impressive enough to unsettle Kobe Bryant, who was sitting off the court.
Originally, he should have been on the court like Nash, showcasing himself to the Portland fans.
Instead, he could only sit on the sidelines with a cast, observing from afar. For Kobe, who loves basketball and competition exceedingly, this is the greatest torment.
Some can’t play, while others complain about playing too much.
At halftime, Gan Guoyang and Larry Bird had a small dispute.
Gan Guoyang straightforwardly said, "Larry, this is preseason. You’re making me play without letting me rest? I see you’re settling personal scores."
Gan Guoyang played about 18 minutes in the two quarters of the first half, as if it was based on playoff standards during this preseason.
Bird replied, "Everyone bought tickets to see you play. It’s your return match, so it makes sense to play more."
"You let me play more in the regular season. In the preseason, why make me play? We should give more opportunities to others. We have a lot of problems, indeed."
Bird patted Gan Guoyang, ending their little argument.
Gan Guoyang was right. The issues that the Trail Blazers exposed in the half were numerous.
So many that Bird didn’t know where to start. He decided to continue with the plan in the second half and expose all the issues for the better.
After the second-half games started, Gan Guoyang only played for about 4 minutes and then sat out for rest, never returning again.
Bird gave opportunities to every player who could go on the court, especially the young players.
Little O’Neal’s performance in the second half improved much more than in the first half as he worked hard to adapt to the NBA rhythm.
He repeatedly reminded himself that this is still just preseason; the regular season will only be tougher than the preseason.
For an 18-year-old freshly graduated from high school, NBA games are indeed challenging, like an 18-year-old working in a factory without attending college.
His body hasn’t fully developed yet, lacking muscle mass, facing someone like Anthony Mason under the basket, Little O’Neal appears to be easily overwhelmed.
Little O’Neal was easily knocked around, failing to protect the defensive rebounds several times, which allowed the Suns to seize the opportunity for second-chance offense.
At this moment, he recalls how Ah Gan repeatedly advised him at the training camp to work out more and gain muscle mass.
Like most youngsters who hear the advice from elders but can’t take it to heart, Little O’Neal listens, but his understanding of muscle and strength is not deep or direct.
He worked hard enough in the gym but was far from being described as fanatic—Kobe is way more fanatic than him.
It wasn’t until he played in the game that he realized how painful it is to lack strength in NBA competition.
His desire for strength and muscle became urgent immediately.
Compared to the shortcomings in physical confrontation, the lack of experience is more deadly.
In high school, Little O’Neal faced peers of his age; everyone’s experience was about the same.
The NBA is a much more complex playing field, filled with old hands everywhere, where the unwary will suffer almost every play.
Watching from the sidelines and live broadcasts, Little O’Neal thought the Suns players like Mason, Robinson, Smith, and West were all manipulated by Ah Gan and were nothing to fear.
Only when he really faced them did he find himself being toyed around, his situation against Mason and West was no different than theirs against Ah Gan.
At this moment, he realized deeply how smart, strong, and experienced Ah Gan is.
Little O’Neal’s inexperience is a snapshot of the current Trail Blazers situation. Although they have Ah Gan, they’re a new team.
This is different from when Gan Guoyang first came to the Trail Blazers in 1984; back then, the Trail Blazers were a powerful team ranked second in the Western Conference.
They had a relatively successful 1983-1984 season and, despite losing to the Suns in the first round of the playoffs, that Trail Blazers team was complete and logically coherent.
They only lacked a good interior player, so they gritted their teeth and drafted Ah Gan, little knowing they’d land seven championships from that choice.
Gan Guoyang fit well with that Trail Blazers team, and from that moment, they embarked on the journey to compete for the championship.
