Salt Lake City Salt Palace Arena is one of the most terrifying home courts in the league. For all teams who have arrived here to play, the high decibel noise from beginning to end will make people feel that playing in a wood processing factory. The coach must yell when setting up tactics. Players can basically hear the communication on the court. Fans will make huge noises from beginning to end, doing everything possible to interfere with the visiting team's game state.

Therefore, the Yangong Stadium is also a nightmare for many players. The layout of this venue is mainly cool tones. Once you enter it, you will feel like you are in the snowy mountain, and the noise will invade the eardrum like an avalanche.

For Gan Guoyang, the Yangong Stadium has many beautiful memories. For example, Gan Guoyang's first time playing in an NBA-level venue was at the Yangong Stadium in Salt Lake City. At that time, he and Stockton represented the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the national competition, and they defeated Princeton University in this venue.

At that time, he also met Mark Eaton, who had entered the NBA. The two were half of the UCLA alumni. This big man always maintained a good friendship with Gan Guoyang; and the Jazz Bob Hansen, who went to Hansen's hometown with Stockton in the summer of 1985, where they had a wonderful holiday.

It can be said that the Jazz and Gan Guoyang are quite destined to be together, but this does not prevent Gan Guoyang from being overturned by Jazz fans when stepping into the Yan Palace Arena. Any star of the visiting team here will be treated like this, and Gan Guoyang will never show mercy to the Jazz.

If the Cleveland Cavaliers are the biggest surprise in the East this year, then the Utah Jazz is the little dark horse in the West this year. The Jazz achieved fifth place in the West last season, which should be said to be pretty good, but they were eliminated by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round. Gan Guoyang averaged 3015 per game in that series, leading the Trail Blazers to play the Jazz 4:1.

The reason is that the Jazz always pursued a strategy of not having to double-team in the series, allowing Mark Eaton to defend Gan Guoyang. They believe that the best defensive player, and the blocking king Eaton can curb Gan Guoyang.

But in the first game, Eaton's defense was effective and helped the Jazz win the first game, Eaton could no longer limit Gan Guoyang in the next four games. He was completely defeated by Gan Guoyang, and the Trail Blazers also easily passed the level and the gentleman swept it.

This season, the biggest change the Jazz has ushered in is not their lineup, but their head coach.

The former Jazz's meritorious head coach Frank Rayden decided to voluntarily resign as coach after 17 games this season. The amiable fat grandfather became the general manager of the Jazz. He had two positions before, and he handed over his coaching authority to his successor, Jerry Sloan.

Jerry Sloan, who has always been an assistant coach of the Jazz, should be said to have perfectly taken over Rayden's class, successfully completed the transition, and became the Jazz head coach.

However, after taking office, like all new coaches, he has gone through a difficult period. The team suffered four consecutive losses. With a good record in the start of the season in November, his winning rate continued to decline in December. However, in January 1989, Sloan and the Jazz finally got better. The team's record began to stabilize, and they firmly occupied the top spot in the Midwest Division, putting the previous Midwest Rockets and Nuggets behind them.

However, facing the Pacific Zone's two Trail Blazers and Lakers, the Jazz are still not sure, especially against the Trail Blazers. After Gan Guoyang changed to No. 4, Sloan put another problem in front of him. Will he attack Gan Guoyang?

In the trend of attacking Gan Guoyang across the league in January, many teams thought they had found a way to curb Gan Guoyang, but they didn't know that Gan Guoyang suddenly transformed into a small prince of central shots. In the horn position, the mid-range shot at the top of the arc was unsolvable. These two positions were the most difficult to double-team, and the ball-dividing routes were well-connected, and the joint shots were often not worth the loss.

After thinking about it for a while, Jerry Sloan decided not to double-team Gan Guoyang. He decided not to spend energy with the Blazers on defense, but to overwhelm the Blazers in offense, that is, "Since I can't defend you, then don't try to defend me. Then I will win if I score more than you."

This strategy is the core idea commonly used by the Trail Blazers in the regular season at present, which is based on their extremely powerful offense. As for the Jazz, Sloan's confidence is very simple, which comes from their power forward, Carl Malone.

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After Gan Guoyang walked onto the stadium, he was very familiar with everything in the Yangong Arena, and even the opponents on the other side were very familiar with him. He could even walk forward and talk and laugh with Stockton and Mark Eaton, but both sides knew that they would not recognize each other when the game started later.

Carl Malone ignored Gan Guoyang and instead practiced mid-range shots there silently. This hardworking power forward never missed any opportunity to improve himself.

From being unpopular with those who entered the league from 1985 to 1986, to being a All-Star in the regular season in 1987, he became a league scoring master in 1988. This year, he has performed strongly in succession and scored 40 points in a single game many times. If Gan Guoyang and Jordan hadn't scored even more crazy, Malone would have received more attention.

In the All-Star Game, Ma Long, who was unwilling to be a supporting role, directly snatched Gan Guoyang's limelight at the last moment, won the All-Star Game MVP, and completed a counterattack of a low-post lotto show.

Gan Guoyang looked at Carl Malone who was practicing mid-range shots there, but he didn't have the impression that Malone gave him in later generations. In 1989, Ma Long was not as strong as later, his hair was not shaved, his arms had not turned into iron pliers, and his face felt a little green.

Gan Guoyang also knew that Ma Long is still a fierce inside line, which is a typical power forward, center strength, small forward speed, and position attack. Gan Guoyang sometimes can't stand it, and his speed is as fast as Drexler, and his impact is extremely strong and his confrontation is very good. He often hits 21, which is a powerful weapon for charging.

However, Gan Guoyang, who has more experience, has already figured out how to deal with him in the game.

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"The game is about to begin, get ready to die, a country bumpkin, crybaby." When the players on both sides stood on the court to start the game, Gan Guoyang came to Ma Long and started his trash-talking attack.

This little bit of trash is a pediatric for Ma Long. Ma Long also knew that this guy Gan Guoyang was like this. The two fought many times, and Ma Long gradually got used to it. He ignored Gan Guoyang, but focused his attention on the jump ball. Standing in the middle circle were two super giants, Sabonis and Mark Eaton.

Eaton has been playing in the league for many years, and blocking is invincible, but his bounce is average. Many times, relying on his height and long arms, he can knock down the opponent's ball without jumping.

Sabonis is different. Sabonis has not been troubled by a knee injury at this time. Under the careful protection and treatment of the Trail Blazers, Sabonis still maintained excellent physical fitness. Therefore, Sabonis, who has the advantage of jumping ball with Eton, was the first to touch the ball, and he pushed the ball towards Gan Guoyang.

At this time, Karl Malong was prepared. He took the lead and pushed Gan Guoyang away. He took the lead and took the lead and grabbed the ball with one hand. Gan Guoyang was not very prepared and almost staggered by Malong.

After Malone grabbed the ball, he rushed to the frontcourt with the ball. There was no one on the Trail Blazers who could stop Malone. Porter tried to steal but Malone was avoided. Finally, Malone ended with a dunk with his left hand on the back of his head, and also fired the first shot of the game.

The Yangong Arena suddenly became even more noisy.

Ma Long ran back to the backcourt proudly, and then said to Gan Guoyang: "I learned this action from you."

Ma Long still remembers that he had just entered the league and faced the Portland Trail Blazers for the first time. He missed the game due to injury. During the game, Gan Guoyang showed his left hand on the back of his head and then his right hand dunked, which left a deep impression on Ma Long.

Jerry Sloan stood on the sidelines and watched Malone perform well and vigorously at the beginning, and he was a little sure of his heart. He knew that after the absence of Dantley, Malone was the most important output point for this Jazz. Apart from him, the team did not have the second point per game to average 20 points. As long as Malone can output stably, the Jazz will have a chance to win.

However, Sloan's mind has not been turned yet, and the Trail Blazers have also opened. Gan Guoyang picked and rolled the top of the arc with Drexler, then stepped back and made a jump shot, making a three-pointer.

Since Gan Guoyang's range of movement has been set in the fan area and has played a lot of pick-and-rolls, his three-pointers have become more and more terrifying.

"The girls always shoot outside." Ma Long was careless and didn't even guard against Gan Guoyang's three-pointer.
Chapter completed!