Gasol was at the free-throw line, and Fisher was responsible for catching the ball.
Kobe, Odom, and Jordan Farmar sprinted down the court.
At this moment, Fisher caught the ball and pushed forward quickly. The three Lakers were approaching the three-point line when Fisher passed the ball to Kobe.
Kobe drew Larry Hughes and LeBron James towards him, then quickly passed to Jordan Farmar, who caught the ball and shot, making a two-point basket.
39-47.
After the Lakers picked up the pace, the Cavaliers' defense became somewhat precarious, especially with Jordan Farmar on the court. The Cavaliers' defense always seemed a step behind.
Fortunately, the Cavaliers' offense didn't falter this time. At a crucial moment, Tang Long stepped up.
He posted up Gasol, faked left and went right, shook off Gasol, and easily made a layup.
41-47.
The Lakers were the opposite of the Cavaliers. Although they also played inside, the Lakers' interior players were mostly used for screens.
Gasol drew Tang Long's attention in the paint. Fisher organized the offense, Jordan Farmar drove to the basket, either passing to Odom behind him or to Kobe at the top of the arc.
Fisher passed to Jordan Farmar, then to Odom, who made a mid-range shot.
41-49.
Mike Brown paced back and forth on the sidelines. After the Lakers scored, he could feel that their strategy was countering the Cavaliers' lineup.
It was indeed Phil Jackson. After a few games of observation, he had figured out the weaknesses of the Cavaliers' lineup.
Mike Brown glanced at the bench, where players like Joe Smith and Gibson were sitting.
Should he let Gibson play?
Mike Brown was conflicted.
Bringing in Gibson might allow him to keep up with Jordan Farmar, but it could affect the offense, as the starting lineup had been playing for so long.
While he was hesitating, LeBron James shot a three-pointer.
44-49.
Mike Brown's gaze shifted back to the court. This basket stabilized the team's morale and also made Mike Brown reconsider his substitution.
"This basket is nothing. Keep pushing. The Cavaliers are on their last breath. If we can extinguish that breath, these guys will surely conserve their energy for the next game, and that will be our chance."
LeBron's three-pointer made the Lakers players a little worried. They had been leading for so long, only to have the score brought back.
The sense of urgency had dulled. Kobe, as the team leader, naturally stepped forward to encourage his teammates.
Indeed, Kobe's encouragement was quite effective.
The Lakers players' anxious mood gradually calmed down.
Kobe also knew that words alone were not enough; he needed to respond with a three-pointer, or even two, to re-energize his teammates.
Kobe winked at Fisher. Fisher understood, received a pass from Gasol, and Fisher switched to playing inside to Gasol.
Facing Tang Long's tight defense, Gasol could only pass the ball back to Odom.
Drew Gooden also drove to the basket. Odom jumped to shoot but passed the ball to Fisher near the free-throw line. Fisher then passed the ball to Kobe on the left wing.
Kobe shot a three-pointer, almost carrying Larry Hughes.
44-52.
Immediately after, the Cavaliers' Larry Hughes missed a two-point shot. Gasol, facing Tang Long, used all his might to grab the rebound from above Tang Long's head.
This was the first time Gasol had grabbed a rebound over Tang Long, which made his blood boil. He roared and threw the ball to Kobe!
Kobe caught the ball and sprinted all out. Although Drew Gooden was in the paint, he not only made the shot but also drew a foul on Drew Gooden.
The slow-motion replay showed that Drew Gooden's jumping speed had slowed down.
Not only him, but even Larry Hughes and Pavlovic were much slower than in the first quarter.
The players' stamina was starting to catch up with them.
Although everyone was gritting their teeth and enduring, having played a full season and then five games in such an intense NBA Finals, it was understandable that their stamina was insufficient.
Tang Long looked at the empty mall points, feeling extremely conflicted.
He had once been a man with tens of thousands of points.
But now, he couldn't even afford a bottle of stamina water.
Earth Battle Song?
This item had a time limit. The second quarter was already halfway over. Using Earth Battle Song at this time would clearly be a waste!
Tang Long looked at Mike Brown.
He meant to ask for substitutions to play for a while. With halftime break, Larry Hughes and the others' stamina should recover a bit.
But Mike Brown had his own considerations. The Cavaliers were still trailing, and if the starters gritted their teeth and held on, the score wouldn't fall too far behind, and they might even be able to catch up!
He mainly lacked confidence in putting in the substitutes.
In the beginning, it wasn't that substitutes hadn't been put in. For a few minutes, the Lakers went on a scoring streak, and they almost lost at home. So, he didn't dare to make a rash substitution now.
Tang Long glanced at Mike Brown and saw that no players were standing up. It seemed Mike Brown had no intention of making a substitution.
Just then, Kobe stepped to the free-throw line and calmly sank both free throws.
And-one.
44-55.
Playing like this in the second quarter, they could easily collapse!
Tang Long stood at the free-throw line, looking at Larry Hughes, who was bent over with his hands on his knees, panting, and Drew Gooden, whose eyes were starting to wander. The drawbacks of insufficient stamina were becoming apparent.
"Larry, let's not fast break. Let's slow down for this period. Pass the ball to me in the paint, and I'll be responsible for scoring."
"Sure, no problem. Just give me the ball, and it's done."
Larry Hughes was more than happy to comply; Tang Long's suggestion was exactly what he wanted.
He was truly tired and was just gritting his teeth to persevere.
With Tang Long handling the offense in the frontcourt, it would allow him to get some relief and rest, while still ensuring there was a scoring option in the frontcourt.
As soon as the ball crossed half-court, Larry Hughes passed the ball to Tang Long. For Tang Long to receive the ball smoothly, he had to position himself well in front of Gasol.
This way, although he received the ball smoothly, his turn was more difficult, as he was easily double-teamed when he received the ball.
As soon as Tang Long got the ball, Gasol was already close, ready to block him the moment he turned to shoot.
Tang Long tried to force his way in, but with Gasol's weight, it was very strenuous to resist him. After advancing with great difficulty and just about to shoot, Kobe had already come to help.
"Oh, pass the ball! How can you force it like that?"
The commentator sighed. Even if this shot wasn't blocked, there was no chance to shoot. Facing a double-team, especially by Kobe and Gasol, Tang Long had no clear shot.
"Tang is still a bit selfish. He should have passed to his teammate... Oh my god, beautiful."
The commentator excitedly stood up and waved his hands.
The Cavaliers fans' cheers resounded through Quicken Loans Arena. The shot went in, and he even drew a foul on Kobe.
It was unbelievable. How could such a shot go in?!