"Still trying to snatch the ball away from me? No way!"
Tang Long snorted softly and tapped the ball the moment Gasol did.
The basketball, which had been changing direction, spun in mid-air with their combined force and flew out of bounds.
With the delay, less than fifteen seconds remained in the game, and the ball possession was still with the Cavaliers.
At this point, Phil Jackson quickly called a timeout.
Trailing by five points, a comeback in fifteen seconds was unlikely, but the Zen Master clearly wasn't willing to lose the game so easily.
Moreover, basketball is a round ball, and anything can happen until the last second.
Phil Jackson meticulously devised tactics, deciding who would foul and what to do next after the foul.
The Cavaliers' plan was simpler.
Tang Long would inbound the ball to James, and if James was tightly guarded, they would pass to Drew Gooden, who would then pass to Tang Long or another player.
The twenty-second timeout passed quickly.
The players on both sides looked somber; no one could afford to make a mistake at such a critical juncture.
Tang Long walked to the inbound line. Djokovic flapped his arms back and forth to disrupt the inbound pass, while Kobe was already in front of James, blocking the pass.
Fisher was also eyeing Larry Hughes, with Odom positioned in the middle for a mobile defense.
This deviated slightly from Mike Brown's planned strategy. Tang Long held the basketball high, with no clear passing lane.
James and Larry Hughes ran various screens and crisscrossed their movements, but the Lakers' defensive formation remained intact, keeping pace with them.
The referee glanced at Tang Long. "Are you going to inbound the ball or not? If you don't pass soon, you'll be timed out."
Frankly, after playing so many games, Tang Long had never felt this nervous.
Watching his teammates move and the Lakers' relentless defense, Tang Long's pass became hesitant.
He now understood why some players, despite being very skilled, didn't play decisively in crucial moments.
The psychological pressure was immense!
Just then, Pavlovic broke free from his defender and emerged from the crowd.
Seeing this opportunity, Tang Long seized the chance to pass.
The ball instantly went into Pavlovic's hands. Simultaneously, Lakers players converged on him. Pavlovic, expecting a foul from the Lakers, played it by the book.
However, the moment he caught the ball, he charged towards the Lakers' basket, with the defenders behind him unable to catch up.
By the time the Lakers players managed to surround him, Pavlovic had already passed the ball.
The basketball landed in Tang Long's hands, and Djokovic immediately fouled him.
*Beep!*
The referee blew his whistle.
Only ten seconds remained in the game.
Unless Tang Long missed both free throws, the Lakers theoretically still had a chance. If he made even one, the Lakers' hopes of winning this game would be dashed.
Tang Long walked to the free-throw line. Odom began a verbal assault on him.
"Tang, don't you dare shake. If your hand trembles and the ball doesn't go in, and your team loses this game, you'll be the biggest sinner!"
"Lamar, you're just repeating what I said. The American translation isn't accurate enough, you need to understand it clearly. It's like I've spat something out, and you're eating it again."
Odom's face turned green at that remark, mostly out of disgust.
Whether it was from Odom's taunts or his distraction after taunting Odom, Tang Long's first free throw hit the inside of the rim and bounced out.
Gasol and the others were about to mock Tang Long, but the words caught in their throats.
They couldn't afford to provoke Tang Long further at this moment. What if it spurred him on?
Tang Long didn't disappoint on his second free throw, sinking it steadily.
91-97, the Cavaliers led the Lakers by six points on the road.
The Lakers needed at least two three-pointers to tie the game, but only nine seconds remained on the clock.
It wasn't entirely hopeless, as long as the Cavaliers didn't score.
*Beep!*
At this moment, Phil Jackson called another timeout.
...
"With nine seconds left, if the Lakers can make a three-pointer and then foul, and the Cavaliers either miss both free throws or only make one, the Lakers still have a chance to come back."
"Tying a six-point deficit in nine seconds isn't impossible. However, the Cavaliers will surely focus their defense on Kobe. Only Kobe would dare to take such a difficult shot. If the Cavaliers double-team him, this shot might not go in."
Yang Yi looked at Zhang Guide with surprise. "Do you think the ball will definitely go to Kobe? Manovich and Fisher have played well today. The Zen Master must know the Cavaliers will heavily guard Kobe. If Kobe forces a shot, his accuracy can't be guaranteed. It might be better to let those two take it!"
"That's a possibility, but I believe at such a critical moment, the mindset of role players becomes an issue. The value of a superstar lies in executing the final shot, as they all possess big hearts!"
The two commentators were still debating who would take the final shot when the referee's whistle sounded again, and the players returned to the court.
Three Lakers players had already crossed half-court. Gasol stood at the inbound line, with Fisher responsible for receiving the pass.
Mike Brown had clearly anticipated Phil Jackson's strategy, and Larry Hughes had moved up to apply tight defense.
After Gasol inbounded the ball, it reached Fisher. Larry Hughes spread his arms wide, blocking him.
Fisher dribbled between his legs, attempting to fake out Larry Hughes and drive forward, but Larry Hughes read his movement correctly, blocking his path and nearly stealing the ball.
Fisher could only protect the ball and call for his teammates to provide support.
Kobe ran back to receive the pass, but his rhythm was disrupted. Still a step away from the three-point line, he pulled up for a shot!
The ball hit the backboard and bounced away.
Tang Long grabbed the rebound and tightly protected the ball. Gasol came up to contest, but the referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game.
"Beautiful!"
"Cavaliers, you're amazing!"
The road fans erupted in thunderous applause. The players rushed onto the court, embracing the starting five, their faces beaming with unconcealed joy.
With a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
The Cavaliers had secured match point. With the next game at home, the championship was almost within their grasp!
Meanwhile, the big screen displayed the box score.
For the Lakers, Kobe shot 6-of-19 for 17 points. Gasol shot 6-of-13 for 17 points. Odom led the Lakers with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Although all five Lakers starters scored in double digits, none surpassed 20 points.
Furthermore, Vujacic shot 1-of-9 for only 3 points, which directly impacted the Lakers' offense.
For the Cavaliers, James shot 10-of-15 for 26 points, and Tang Long shot 8-of-14 for 21 points, along with a remarkable 16 rebounds!