"Chris, if your mom's chest got bitten by a venomous snake, but you could win the championship by sucking out the venom, would you do it?"
At the pre-game press conference, the reporter didn't ask Chris Paul about whether the team could end the Cavaliers' 30-game winning streak, nor any other basketball-related questions. Instead, they threw a soul-searching question right off the bat.
The Hornets' head coach, Byron Scott, was stunned.
As for Chris Paul, his eyes bulged so much they almost popped out of their sockets.
Unbelievable.
What kind of ridiculous question was this?
Of course, Paul was still relatively refined. If it had been Shaquille O'Neal, he would have definitely said, "No, but if it were your wife, I'd be more than happy to."
And then the venue would have erupted in laughter.
But now, the reporter's dark humor clearly hadn't achieved the desired effect.
An awkward silence fell over the room, making everyone feel so embarrassed they could dig out a three-bedroom apartment with their toes. Even the reporter who asked the question looked a bit bewildered.
Fortunately, Byron Scott, with his vast experience, quickly took the microphone. "This reporter friend might not be awake yet. Next question."
Everyone had prepared many questions for the Hornets, including their thoughts on the Cavaliers' recent winning streak and their confidence in ending it on the road. Now, it was clearly impossible to continue.
A hastily concluded pre-game press conference marked the beginning of the Cavaliers' home game against the Hornets.
The Cavaliers' starting lineup remained unchanged. The Hornets fielded Chris Paul, David West, Peja, Tyson Chandler, and Bonzi Wells.
Chandler, at 2.16 meters tall, while possessing average scoring ability, compensated with his active rebounding.
Averaging 11.7 rebounds and 11.8 points, he could achieve double-doubles and was considered a top "blue-collar" player in the league!
Furthermore, Chandler averaged 4.4 offensive rebounds per game, second only to Tang Long's 6.8 offensive rebounds. This guy was also a player who enjoyed fighting for offensive boards.
However, Chandler's shooting percentage wasn't very high. As a center, his field goal percentage was only 62%.
This was one of the reasons why Chandler, despite grabbing so many rebounds, had never managed to become a superstar.
Whoosh!
As James tossed the anti-slip powder high into the air, followed by the roaring cheers of the Cleveland fans, the game officially began.
...
"It's all your fault for not leaving earlier."
Scarlett hurriedly got out of the car, simultaneously complaining to Gal Gadot.
Taylor Swift, following behind them, saw the two starting to bicker again and couldn't be bothered. She rushed towards the arena.
Ever since the incident at the farm last time, the friendship between the three girls had become strained.
Gal Gadot and Scarlett would often jab at each other but always seemed to show up together.
This time, the three of them had come to Cleveland intending to watch the Cavaliers' game and cheer them on. They hadn't expected that these two sisters would take too long getting ready and makeup, thus appearing at the arena entrance only after the game had started.
"What do you know? I wanted to give Tang a surprise."
"That excuse is just too flimsy."
Scarlett glared at Gal Gadot and quickly caught up with the retreating Taylor Swift.
As the three of them entered the arena, they were met with a deafening roar of cheers.
At that moment, the jumbotron was replaying Tang Long's tomahawk dunk over Chandler.
The Cleveland fans, despite having witnessed many spectacular dunks from Tang Long, couldn't help but cheer for him!
"See? You missed such an amazing dunk because of your laziness."
"And you're blaming me? You weren't exactly fast yourself."
As they continued to bicker, the two sat down in the front row. Taylor Swift had already found her seat, taken off her glasses, and was cheering along with the fans.
"Tang, look, your little fan girls are in Cleveland again."
As he retreated on defense, James happened to see the three of them enter the arena and gestured towards them, teasing Tang Long.
Following James's gaze, Tang Long also saw the three of them sitting in the second row, waving at him.
Tang Long gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, then turned back to James and said, "What do you think, aren't you envious? Want me to teach you a few tricks?"
"Tsk, be careful. I know ESPN's Katherine has been keeping an eye on you lately. Watch out for any gossip."
"You're just jealous!"
Tang Long shot back quickly, then jogged to his defensive position.
Paul brought the ball past half-court, and Pavlovic stepped up to guard him.
However, Paul clearly had no intention of driving. He carefully protected the ball and patiently observed the situation on the court.
David West had made his way near the free-throw line, guarded by James.
In the past, Paul would have passed to West. But now, with the Cavaliers on a winning streak, even James was focused on defense. Paul didn't dare pass to West, fearing a steal by James.
He could only feign a drive, drawing Pavlovic, and then pass the ball to Bonzi Wells at the baseline.
Bonzi Wells, at only 1.96 meters tall, was also considered a quick and agile forward. He didn't choose to shoot a three-pointer upon receiving the ball, instead driving towards the basket.
Seeing his intention to go for a layup, Tang Long quickly moved to block him.
However, this left an open man behind him, and Peja Stojaković appeared near the basket. He received the pass from Wells and scored easily.
"Why did this guy run inside?"
James frowned and looked at Larry Hughes.
In his Warriors era, Peja would have been a sought-after player, with his shooting skills being top-notch in the league.
Especially his three-point shooting percentage, which was over 40% for his career, showcasing Peja's shooting prowess.
Before the game, Mike Brown had provided a detailed introduction to the Hornets' players, and Tang Long had a vivid memory of Peja's three-point shooting.
This player could shoot and also handle the ball, averaging 24.3 points and a two-time Three-Point Contest champion!
Therefore, the Cavaliers' defense against him was primarily focused on the perimeter. They hadn't expected him to drive to the basket.
"My bad."
Larry Hughes looked a bit embarrassed. He was supposed to be guarding Peja, but let him score so easily.
"It's okay, just keep an eye on him!"
Tang Long patted Larry Hughes on the shoulder.
The score was currently 5-6, with the Cavaliers trailing by only one point. It was still the Cavaliers' possession, so there was no need to rush.
Tang Long inbounded the ball to Larry Hughes and quickly ran towards the opponent's basket, receiving a pass from Larry Hughes in the low post.
Chandler had clearly studied Tang Long and was already anticipating a turnaround jumper.
However, Tang Long faked a pass, and as Chandler relaxed, Tang Long executed a quick turnaround jumper.
The two-point shot was good.
"Tang, well done!"
The fans on the sidelines applauded Tang Long, and cheers echoed throughout the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse!