[Heavenly Block]
[Absolute Rebound]
[Hyper-Speed Dribble]
Tang Long's seamless execution left the entire arena in silence.
Wade was stunned.
After playing in the NBA for so long, he had never truly admired anyone, not even Kobe or Jordan.
While people would say in interviews that Jordan was their childhood idol, it was often just for the media. It was like how many Portuguese players would claim Ronaldo as their idol, only to refuse to pass him the ball during games and complain about him taking up space.
Wade wasn't that extreme, but as an NBA star, he admired many players, yet few truly impressed him.
However, today, Wade clearly realized that the era of Tang Long was about to begin!
57-65.
Dragon Country was still trailing, but the deafening cheers from the crowd made it seem as if Dragon Country was leading the Flower Country by a significant margin.
Beep!
Coach K immediately called a timeout.
Tang Long's play was simply incredible. Not only did he block Wade's sure shot, but he also grabbed the defensive rebound and then broke through a double-team.
He finished the play with a fast-break dunk.
This was definitely a contender for the Play of the Year.
If he hadn't called this timeout, he would have started to wonder if Dragon Country could actually come back and take the lead.
...
"My goodness, this play is unbelievable!"
Yang Yi's face was flushed with excitement.
"Although our team's strength isn't as good as Flower Country's, and we're trailing in score, this dunk is incredibly satisfying and inspiring."
"To be honest, I was a bit nervous when Tang Long provoked Flower Country. If we lost this game badly, I'm sure many people would have used it against him. But with this dunk, I believe very few people will criticize Tang Long. We scored a spectacular play against the Dream Team, which is enough to make all of us proud."
"Gentlemen, in terms of strength, Flower Country is still ahead. If they stick to their current strategy, it's unlikely we can win. But is there a possibility?"
Director Zhang swallowed and paused before continuing, "What if they get too caught up in the moment and focus their entire offense on Tang Long?"
"Hiss..."
Yang Yi and Old Bai gasped.
Tang Long had just vividly demonstrated his absolute dominance. Among the current players, very few could gain an advantage against him one-on-one.
If Flower Country abandoned their strengths and decided to go head-to-head with Tang Long, the game would instantly become a fifty-fifty match. At that point, Dragon Country might actually have a chance to win.
The thought of this possibility left them all stunned.
Defeating Flower Country?
Beating the team with the world's top players?
This couldn't just be described as their best historical result; it would be a groundbreaking moment in Dragon Country's basketball history.
The three of them fell silent, their slightly heaving chests betraying the surging excitement they were struggling to suppress.
...
As the referee's whistle blew, both teams returned to the court.
This time, Kobe had the ball on offense.
After dribbling past half-court, Deron beckoned to Tang Long, "Tang, I admit you're pretty good in the paint, but do you dare to come out of the paint and guard me one-on-one?"
"Afraid of you?"
Tang Long didn't hesitate and moved out from under the basket, preparing to guard Deron one-on-one.
However, as everyone spread out for the isolation play, Deron unexpectedly passed the ball to Howard, who had stealthily cut to the basket.
Boom.
He finished with a thunderous dunk!
57-67.
"Boo..."
The arena erupted in boos. Both the spectators in the stadium and those watching on television were flabbergasted.
Was this still the powerful Flower Country that so many had anticipated?
This was incredibly unsportsmanlike.
What's more, Howard celebrated as if he were in a dunk contest. Even the critics felt embarrassed by this display.
Deron's expression was also uneasy.
The players certainly didn't want to resort to such tactics; they all had their pride. But with strict orders from the head coach, they had no choice but to comply. It was just that, in their mutual awkwardness, the task ultimately fell to Deron.
"Where's the integrity? What about the promised sportsmanship?"
Tang Long was frustrated.
Deron's face turned a deep shade of red, but he could only force himself to say, "Don't take it so seriously. We were just playing around with you. Look how worked up you are."
"Shameless."
"Didn't I tell you? We were just messing with you. Why are you getting so agitated?"
"Forget it. We won't stoop to his level," Howard advised Deron. "He can't handle it, so we won't play with him anymore. It seems Dragon Country players just aren't up for it."
Tang Long understood.
They were trying to drag him into their rhythm and use their experience to defeat him.
But after giving themselves such a flimsy excuse, they completely changed their strategy and reverted to their previous play style.
They repeatedly scored, utilizing their physical advantage.
With more than half of the third quarter gone, the score was 60-75, and Flower Country's lead had further increased.
At this point, Coach Jonas substituted Yao Ming back into the game.
Seeing Yao Ming on the court, Flower Country immediately accelerated their offensive pace.
Dwyane Wade, with incredible speed, drove to the paint. The defender guarding him couldn't keep up.
60-77.
Offensive and defensive transition. Yao Ming posted up Howard.
With his superior strength and height, he easily made the shot.
62-75.
After Yao Ming scored, Howard immediately switched to a denial defense, fully utilizing his agility and mobility. It became difficult to receive the ball inside, so Sun Yue had to pass it to Tang Long.
As soon as Tang Long received the ball, double-teams swarmed him.
Tang Long didn't force the play. He passed the ball to Yi Jianlian. Yi Jianlian set a screen for Ah Lian, who used the opening to take a shot.
It was an airball.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Kobe and Wade of Flower Country executed a coordinated play. The ball was in Kobe's hands one second, and the next it was in Wade's. While guarding against the pass, the other player used the opportunity to quickly drive to the basket.
With one minute remaining in the third quarter, Dragon Country trailed by twenty-one points, 62-83.
The gap was widening, and Tang Long was starting to feel the pressure.
If they continued playing like this, even if they activated their "Great Earth War Song" in the fourth quarter, the skill gap might not be enough to equalize the score. Coming back from a 21-point deficit would be extremely difficult.
So, this time, Tang Long abandoned teamwork and opted for a direct attack.
Facing a double-team from LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, he almost lost the ball, but luckily the referee blew his whistle, calling a foul on LeBron.
Tang Long made both free throws, bringing the score to 64-83.
In the final minute, they had to prevent the opponent from scoring at all costs.
However, with five star players on the opposing team, each one being an offensive threat, defense was incredibly challenging.
Tang Long made a decisive move: a full-court press!
Instead of waiting for them to cross half-court and have scattered offensive threats, it was better to shut them down from the start.
Perhaps they wouldn't pass the ball and would try to dribble it up the court, which would give him an opportunity to steal it.