"Someone online is reporting that Wade is going to join the Cavaliers!"
"Really? Wade is the soul of the Heat! How could the Heat let him go?"
"Besides, if he goes to the Cavaliers, it will definitely affect LeBron's ball possession. LeBron might not agree either!"
"It's just some Chinese person stirring things up for traffic."
"The one upstairs, this Chinese person is verified. He's a reporter for CNN, the biggest TV station in the US. How could his tweet be fake? The internet is going crazy. Many people support it, and of course, many oppose it!"
"If star players keep forming superteams, how can teams with limited financial resources compete?"
"This is fake news. Who would take a pay cut for Wade to join the Cavaliers? LeBron and Tang Long? Is Gilbert willing to pay the luxury tax penalty?"
Fans were discussing heatedly, and the topic of Wade joining the Cavaliers instantly became a trending topic on fan forums.
Fans from the neighboring football world were already analyzing who else could stop the Cavaliers after Wade's potential addition.
In the United States, across the ocean, the American fan base and team owners were also engaged in fervent discussions.
Fans were fine with it, as the Cavaliers' games would surely become more exciting with Wade on board.
However, the team owners had more significant opinions.
Wealthy owners were delighted, while owners of smaller teams voiced strong opposition. Some owners even approached Stern to protest the formation of superteams through player transfers.
Tang Long, the instigator of this news, was currently at home with LeBron and Wade, watching the fans' discussions.
"Tang, are you sure this will really work?"
Honestly, Wade was feeling a bit uneasy.
He thought the transfer would be simple, but he hadn't expected his move to the Cavaliers to attract so much attention, with even NBA team owners getting involved.
"Don't worry, with me here, it's no problem!"
Tang Long patted Wade's chest, reassuring him.
Of course, Tang Long's actions weren't just to generate buzz on Twitter, but also to test the waters.
Regarding star players forming superteams, many small team owners would object, but the staunchest opponent was Stern. He was resolutely against star players forming superteams.
This was because many teams had only one franchise player. If all the stars formed superteams, who would watch the games of those smaller teams?
This would also impact the excitement of the playoffs. If all the stars joined together, the playoffs would become one-sided, and who would want to watch such predictable games?
However, opposition was futile. In later years, the reason Paul's move to join Kobe was halted was because the Hornets were in receivership.
The Heat, on the other hand, were not in receivership, making this a normal transfer operation, and Stern had no grounds to object.
The only party that needed convincing was the owner of the Miami Heat.
Tang Long's actions were also intended to mobilize these owners, making the operation smoother and providing sufficient time.
The countless discussions among fans made the upcoming game between the Cavaliers and the Celtics receive unprecedented attention, with viewership ratings even surpassing those of last year's NBA Finals.
"Guys, Coach Brown just said that this game's popularity has surpassed last year's Finals. We've really made a name for ourselves. We have to play well in this one!" Larry Hughes exclaimed excitedly, looking at everyone.
"Really?"
All the Cavaliers players became ecstatic.
This meant that if they won this game, they would not only advance to the Finals but also defeat the Celtics in front of such a large audience.
If they performed exceptionally well, their value could increase.
"The Celtics are nothing. As long as we continue to lock down Pierce, this victory will surely be ours!"
The Cavaliers players all believed this, as they had easily defeated the Celtics on the road in the previous game by shutting down Pierce.
As soon as the game started, Tang Long won the tip-off against Garnett. Garnett, standing at 2.11 meters with a standing reach of 3.83 meters, possessed undeniable jumping ability.
Both players soared into the air, with only a hair's breadth separating them.
LeBron was preparing to receive the ball and drive to the basket. In a flash, a large hand reached out, and in that split second, the ball was stolen.
Pierce led the fast break. While the Cavaliers players were still retreating, he had already reached the basket and immediately slammed down a dunk!
"Yeah!"
The Celtics fans erupted in cheers.
The Celtics took the lead with a decisive opening play.
Fast!
Incredibly fast!
Tang Long raised an eyebrow slightly, sensing something different about the Celtics today, but he didn't dwell on it.
It was the Cavaliers' turn to offense.
The ball was inbounded, and LeBron attempted to drive but couldn't shake Pierce, so he passed the ball to Drew Gooden in the elbow area.
As soon as Drew received the ball, Perkins was already closing in!
Facing Perkins' defense, Drew Gooden was decisive in his shot this time, but unfortunately, the ball rimmed out.
Tang Long battled for the rebound under the basket. As soon as he secured the ball, Garnett's hand was there, denying Tang Long any space to jump.
Tang Long stepped back, preparing for a shot, when Ray Allen, from behind, swatted it away.
Admittedly, although Ray Allen was a shooter, he was surprisingly effective and imposing on defense when he got serious!
This forced Tang Long to alter his shooting angle, and the ball also missed the rim.
The missed shot fell directly into Garnett's hands. While the Cavaliers players were still watching the rim, Garnett lofted a pass to Rajon Rondo.
Rondo ran like the wind, reaching the Cavaliers' basket in what seemed like an instant!
A simple layup, and the Celtics scored another two points.
Immediately after, Tang Long inbounded the ball. As Larry Hughes brought it past half-court, Rajon Rondo was already playing tight defense on him. Hughes' first option was naturally to find LeBron.
However, LeBron was being heavily guarded. Hughes then looked towards Tang Long.
Garnett and Tang Long were jostling for position, and the passing lane was somewhat compromised. Larry Hughes dribbled the ball himself, only to have it stolen by Rajon Rondo.
Another two points on the fast break!
In less than a minute of the game, the Celtics had a 6-0 lead over the Cavaliers.
Whistle!
Mike Brown immediately called a timeout.
He had intended to stick to the game plan from the previous match, focusing on shutting down Pierce to build an advantage. He hadn't anticipated the Celtics abandoning their half-court offense and launching a fast-break barrage.
Indeed, the best defense is a good offense!
Mike Brown glanced at his starting five and said sternly, "The Celtics clearly want to disrupt our rhythm with their fast break. We need to slow down our pace and not let them dictate the game."
"Tang, you need to step out more. Don't battle Garnett in the paint. You need to utilize your mid-range jump shot!"