"These guys are shameless, let's just ignore them."
He had thought James genuinely wanted to treat him to a meal, and that the guy had finally learned to be considerate. Little did he expect this trick.
Playing away was already tough, and being down 4-0 was a huge blow to morale.
"Agreed, we should be careful. Let's focus on playing and ignore these guys. See what they can do then."
Gasol chimed in with agreement.
The Cavaliers weren't a dirty-playing team, and "Gentleman Tang" wasn't just a nickname for nothing.
Often, even when unable to block an opponent's dunk, Tang Long would still try to protect the opposing player, refraining from any retaliatory actions out of frustration.
Therefore, the Lakers weren't particularly angered by the Cavaliers' tactic of distraction. Despite their grumbling, they found the opponents a bit childish.
The Lakers launched another offense, with Fisher bringing the ball across half-court.
The Cavaliers deployed a 1-3-1 zone defense, with Tang Long covering the paint and defending the perimeter shots. Considering it was early in the game and everyone had ample energy, their shooting accuracy was precise.
Old Fish assessed the situation on the court. Opportunities for outside shots were limited. It was either Kobe driving to the basket or Gasol posting up Tang Long.
Fisher pondered for a moment and then decided to pass the ball to Kobe.
James stepped up to contest but failed to stop him.
Kobe initially wanted to mock him, but as he opened his mouth, he swallowed the words back.
Who knew if this guy would try to ambush him again by exploiting his distraction?
"Hey, Kobe, don't be so tense. I just stole the ball once, and look at you. You're a top-three player in the league!"
James, while shadowing Kobe's movement and playing defense, chattered on, "Kobe, I'm not flattering you, but you are definitely the greatest player in league history, besides Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and who else..."
James scratched his head, trying to recall who else might rank above Kobe. Kobe's pace also slowed at this moment. He stared at James and asked, "And who else?"
"And..."
James stretched out his sentence, drawing Kobe's attention, and then made his move to steal the ball.
Kobe's footwork was clearly faster. A nimble spin not only faked James out but also successfully opened up Lucien for a drive to the basket.
He certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity.
Next, Kobe transformed into a powerhouse, breaking through to the basket with lightning speed. Under the spotlight, he glided and unleashed a powerful tomahawk dunk towards the hoop!
"That was an amazing play! We see LeBron driving and Kobe taking advantage of the opening to drive to the basket. This is star-level individual skill. Only a player like Kobe can pull off such a magnificent move... Wait..."
"Tang is making a move! He actually blocked that shot... Oh, it's Kobe after all. He managed to get that shot off even in this situation."
"Two points are good. That was a spectacular offensive play."
Kobe, having scored, nudged his chin towards Tang Long, his message clear.
Kid, jumping high is useless; you can't stop me.
Tang Long curled his lips, clearly signaling to Kobe that he shouldn't get too cocky, as the game had just begun.
At the same time, Tang Long sighed inwardly. It really was Kobe. His move just now was fluid and incredibly difficult!
If it had been anyone else, the ball would have been blocked. But Kobe, while falling, still had the strength to push his hand away.
He followed up with a hook shot, sinking the ball into the basket. This was something Tang Long hadn't anticipated.
He should have just swatted it away!
Tang Long was annoyed by his lapse in concentration and quickly jogged back to defend Kobe under the basket. He even broke out in a cold sweat. This guy Tang Long was even stronger than when they last played!
"It's okay, let him score. The more Kobe scores, the more stable our win will be."
Tang Long's remark amused his teammates.
But, to be fair, his words did help all his teammates relax.
After all, this was the Finals. It was impossible not to be nervous, especially for James, who had fallen on the Finals stage before.
This time, facing the Lakers in the Finals, no one favored the Cavaliers to win. As the Cavaliers' star player, the pressure on him was immense!
Mike Brown, the coach, nodded slightly from the sidelines.
Tang Long not only possessed excellent skills but also a unique ability to rally his teammates at crucial moments.
This kind of strength surpassed even LeBron's.
If Tang Long were a domestic player, playing power forward with an offensive focus, he would undoubtedly be the most popular star in the league!
Switching between offense and defense, Mike Brown pushed aside his thoughts and focused on the team's offense.
After crossing half-court, Larry Hughes passed the ball to James. Perhaps influenced by Kobe's solo attack, James also faked out his defender and drove straight to the basket.
Gasol and Odom double-teamed him. Tang Long, positioned on the left, was open. James hesitated and didn't pass, choosing to shoot against the double-team of Gasol and Odom!
Being able to shoot the ball under a double-team was already quite difficult, but unfortunately, the ball just skimmed past the rim.
Kobe and Manocic rushed in to secure the defensive rebound. Manocic even positioned himself directly in front of Tang Long.
Before the game, Phil Jackson had specifically instructed his players to secure the defensive rebounds!
The Cavaliers excelled at scoring on second chances from offensive rebounds, especially Tang Long. Out of his average of 16.5 rebounds per game, at least 5.5 were offensive rebounds.
Therefore, the Zen Master had specifically instructed that when Gasol was drawn out, Manocic was to block Tang Long, even if it meant sacrificing the possession.
Manocic hunched over and leaned against Tang Long, his arms spread wide behind him to prevent Tang Long from jumping. But the moment he extended his hands to catch the rebound, Tang Long struck with a delayed move!
Without any hesitation, he caught the ball and immediately put it into the basket for a put-back dunk!
"Fuck."
Manocic jumped up in anger.
Tang Long had almost pushed off his shoulders to jump and put the ball into the basket over his head.
His height was almost the same as Tang Long's. Although he was a shooter now, it didn't mean his physical abilities were limited to shooting.
Despite all that, he was still dunked on by Tang Long over his head. How could Manocic not be angry?
...
"Commentator Zhang, have you noticed that the Cavaliers are playing very flexibly in this game, with more tactical variations?"
Commentator Zhang chuckled, "I've noticed that too. The first two plays at the start of the game are a bit different from the Cavaliers' usual openings. This reminds me of the reasonable suggestions fans have given Tang Long on the forums."
Yang Yi winked at Commentator Zhang, "Commentator Zhang, do you also visit the Cavaliers' forum?"
"Heh heh, I just glanced at it a few times. I found it interesting, so I took a look inside."