What a prodigal child, so troublesome.
This is a stamina potion redeemed with points, and he has no idea how to cherish it.
Tang Long sighed helplessly.
"Tang, be more decisive in the paint during the fourth quarter. Gasol is weak inside, it's your time to rise. Hammer him, understand?"
Mike Brown then looked at Drew Gooden: "Drew, you need to contain Odom, try not to give him opportunities for help defense, and create space for Tang Long."
"LeBron, you are the engine of the team. Opposing players' attention is all on you. Only when you move can you attract the attention of opposing players and create offensive space for your teammates. In the fourth quarter, you must attack the basket. Leave the shooting to Pavlović!"
After observing the first three quarters, Mike Brown found that Gasol was at a disadvantage against Tang Long, and Odom often needed to provide help defense.
This was good news because it meant one player would always be open.
Tang Long also knew that Gasol's interior play had always been criticized for being soft. If Bynum hadn't been injured this season, and the Lakers had Bynum as well, then no one could have stopped the Lakers from winning the championship!
In fact, in the next two seasons, the Lakers defeated the Magic in the finals and avenged the Celtics precisely because they had Bynum and Artest.
Metta World Peace had a tough playing style, which indeed compensated for the Lakers' weaknesses in their style of play.
BEEP!
The referee blew the whistle for the start of the fourth quarter.
The Lakers made a slight adjustment to their lineup. Fisher was getting old, so Jordan Farmar replaced him as the Lakers' point guard in the fourth quarter.
Although Jordan Farmar was only 1.88 meters tall, he differed from Fisher in that he was better at controlling the tempo of the game.
He was very good at using his speed to attack opponents, and he was also a good pick-and-roll player.
The Zen Master sent him in clearly to be a pest.
Seeing the Lakers make another personnel change, Mike Brown rubbed his chin, wondering if he should make corresponding adjustments.
After hesitating for a moment, Mike Brown decided to observe the game situation further.
After the Cavaliers took the lead, the Lakers' play was no longer as unhurried as before. The substitution of Jordan Farmar was also intended to speed up the tempo.
As soon as he came on, Jordan Farmar drove past Drew Gooden and scored two points with a jump shot from the paint.
77-75.
"Pavlović, switch positions with Drew, you guard Farmar."
Drew Gooden's one-on-one defense against Jordan Farmar was clearly too slow. Mike Brown immediately substituted Pavlović to defend him.
Mike Brown's vision was indeed sharp.
After Pavlović was moved over, Jordan Farmar's drives were unsuccessful several times, and he had to pass back to his teammates for pick-and-rolls, which prevented him from using his advantages.
After all, he came in to use his speed to set the tempo. Now that he couldn't drive in, and it was the finals, the ball naturally returned to Kobe's hands. Without the ball, he couldn't leverage his speed advantage.
This gave the Cavaliers better offensive opportunities.
LeBron and Tang Long worked together to draw the attention of the Lakers players, combining inside and outside play, and went on an 8-2 run.
The Zen Master couldn't sit still and called a timeout.
85-75.
...
"This is how the Cavaliers should play, attack the paint, force the Lakers to double-team Tang Long, and create opportunities for the perimeter players."
"Although Jordan Farmar is fast, he's not tall enough to defend Drew Gooden and LeBron's offense. The Cavaliers' strategy is very reasonable."
"So, Coach Zhang, how do you think the Lakers will adjust next?"
"Fisher will likely come back on. Fisher is better at reading the game. If the Zen Master wants to win this game, he might also put Vujacic in, as Vujacic has a decent shot. We'll see what adjustments the Cavaliers make next."
"I actually think the Cavaliers' adjustments won't be significant. They might not even make any substitutions, as the current lineup is playing very cohesively."
Coach Zhang paused and said, "Shouldn't the starters get some rest? After all, they're leading by ten points, so the pressure isn't that high."
"Mike Brown is under a lot of pressure right now. He can't afford to make mistakes, so I don't think he'll substitute anyone."
This was the first time Yang Yi and Coach Zhang had different opinions on lineup changes.
Of course.
They were both professional commentators and had their own understandings. They quickly changed the topic to this season's top 100 plays and top 10 plays.
Not long after they started chatting, the screen switched back, and the game resumed.
This time, Yang Yi was actually right.
Mike Brown made no substitution adjustments; the starting five remained on the court. It was rare for the starting five to play from the first quarter to the fourth.
Coach Zhang also had his insights. The Lakers put in Vujacic and Fisher.
After Fisher came on, the Lakers' offense stabilized.
He would always find an opportune moment to pass a good ball to Kobe, but in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers also intensified their defense on Kobe, so despite Kobe having many opportunities to shoot, his accuracy was not high.
The current situation was that the Cavaliers' players were gradually getting tired, and the Lakers had no way to immediately break the Cavaliers' momentum.
Tang Long, the only Cavaliers player with abundant energy, became the team's stabilizing force on the court. He was as solid as a rock in the paint, and even Kobe was hesitant to drive into the paint at this point.
With Tang Long solidifying the paint, his teammates could play more comfortably, and the defensive pressure was less than that of the Lakers. With the middle opening up, there were more opportunities for drives from the sides.
By the middle of the fourth quarter, both teams' scoring ability began to decline.
Odom drew a foul on Drew Gooden, but he only made one of two free throws, bringing the score to 90-81.
Tang Long grabbed the rebound, and from the backcourt, he passed to James, who received the ball and drove straight to the basket.
92-81.
The Zen Master's brow furrowed even tighter.
He had hoped that the substitutions would break the passive situation, but the changes seemed to have little effect. He was getting anxious and looked towards the bench again.
Ronnie Turiaf?
His playing style was aggressive, and most importantly, he had a strong desire to perform. Perhaps coming onto the court could boost the team's current low morale.
"Ronnie, get ready."
"Yes, coach, I'm always ready."
Ronnie Turiaf jumped up enthusiastically, waving his towel.
The Zen Master was flustered, feeling that his decision had been a bit hasty.
When he looked back at the court, Vujacic hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc, making the score 92-84. The Zen Master was conflicted.
He couldn't possibly substitute Ronnie Turiaf for Odom, could he?
What would that look like, he couldn't predict.
To stabilize the team's morale, the Zen Master stood still and pondered.