Wallace glanced at Tang Long, unable to speak.
He wouldn't dare venture inside to risk getting blocked!
Seeing Wallace being guarded, Billups found it difficult to pass him the ball.
He had to try and find a way to connect with Hamilton again.
Hamilton, displaying his seemingly inexhaustible energy, weaved back and forth across the Cavaliers' frontcourt.
Pavlovic, as if needing to prove himself, stayed glued to Hamilton.
Billups, seeing this, sighed and resorted to a solo attack.
Still utilizing his speed advantage to shake off Larry Hughes, he hit a pull-up jumper!
31:29
"Billups makes the mid-range shot! The Pistons have taken the lead!"
"This is the first time the Pistons have led tonight! All thanks to their team play!"
"After relentless pursuit, they've finally tied the score at the end of the first quarter!"
"As the second quarter begins, neither side has followed the convention of bringing in reserves; they're continuing to battle with their starters!"
"Whoever takes the lead with their starters on the court will essentially decide the course of this game!"
"The Pistons are quite fortunate; they've finally gained the advantage!"
The commentators analyzed the players' performances, and currently, the Pistons had the upper hand.
However, whether they could dictate the game's momentum still depended on whether Tang Long agreed!
On the court.
As soon as Tang Long reached the opponent's half, he immediately posted up deep, securing his position and calling for the ball.
Larry Hughes, holding the ball, passed it over without a word.
Wallace, now focusing all his energy on defense, had no time for trash talk.
Tang Long was equally direct. Upon receiving the ball, he immediately exerted force, driving backward. Wallace behind him was sent flying back a full step.
When Tang Long pushed for a second time, Wallace suddenly retreated!
He pulled the rug!
That kid is sly!
Of course, this was a defensive move every experienced interior defender employed!
The moment the offensive player exerted force, they would release their pressure, causing the offensive player to lose balance.
Wallace had encountered many strong centers, and this tactic had always worked.
But Tang Long seemed to show no instability whatsoever. As Wallace pulled the rug, Tang Long adapted, stabilized his footing, and jumped for a dunk!
After the dunk, he smirked, his eyes filled with disdain, "Rasheed, save these childish games for the playground, not the NBA court!"
It was known that Tang Long's post-up game was always steady and powerful, precisely because Tang Long's strength was so immense!
He didn't need to use his full strength to back down Wallace!
Even if he did, he wouldn't fall.
He was as unshakeable as a rooted tree, how could he be knocked over by a rug-pull defense?
Wallace's petty move was beneath Tang Long's notice!
31:31
Tang Long tied the score for his team!
Both sides were fiercely attacking, using every trick in the book to gain the lead.
A minute and a half into the second quarter, Hamilton finally shook off Pavlovic with his exceptional off-ball movement, received a pass from Billups in the right corner, and hit a three-pointer.
31:34
Two minutes into the second quarter, James drove, drew a double-team, and passed to an open Larry Hughes on the perimeter for a three-pointer!
34:34
Two minutes and ten seconds into the second quarter, Billups drove, pulled back, and made a steady mid-range jumper.
36:34
Two and a half minutes into the second quarter, Tang Long rolled to the basket after a screen, received a bounce pass from Larry Hughes, and slammed it home.
36:36
The Pistons and Cavaliers refused to yield, clinging to each other's coattails.
The atmosphere at the arena was incredibly tense, reaching a point where every possession was crucial.
By the halfway point of the second quarter, both starting lineups were panting heavily.
Mike Brown, seeing this, had no choice but to call a timeout.
LeBron James, in particular, aside from Tang Long who could share some of the ball-handling duties, was essentially handling everything else himself.
No primary ball-handler could shoulder 100% of the team's offense, especially not an incomplete LeBron James!
He was still in his "Little Emperor" phase, not yet a complete point-forward.
Playing like this would exhaust him!
This was just a regular season game, no need to play 45 minutes like a Finals game.
Moreover, tomorrow's game was a back-to-back, further testing the team's stamina.
Mike Brown waved his hand, preparing for a full substitution.
At this moment, Tang Long said, "Coach Mike, I'm feeling good right now; there's no need for me to rest."
Mike Brown nodded. Tang Long had sat out half the first quarter due to a technical foul, and now he was the freshest among all the starters.
On the other side, Pistons head coach Flip Saunders also had a premonition and kept Wallace on the court.
This time, his gamble paid off.
After the timeout, the game resumed.
Wallace chuckled and stood before Tang Long, "Damn you, Tang… Didn't expect this, did you? I figured you'd stay in!"
Tang Long shrugged indifferently, "Actually, playing against you or their reserves makes no difference to me!"
Wallace was enraged, but the thought of Tang Long's terrifying strength and isolation ability forced him to swallow his pride.
On a basketball court, the power of trash talk depended on skill!
The game continued, with the Cavaliers possessing the ball.
Tang Long posted up and immediately reached for the ball, preparing for another isolation play.
Wallace immediately concentrated, ready to defend.
It had to be said that while Wallace was a bit obnoxious, his defensive attitude and intensity were undeniable.
Tang Long, as usual, backed him down, pushed him away with force, and then turned.
He executed a graceful mid-range shot in the air.
His form was elegant, his movement fluid.
It could rival the technique of many shooters!
The ball arced beautifully through the air and swished through the net.
Wallace stood frozen for a moment.
After Tang Long's initial push, he had re-gathered himself, preparing for a second contact.
Unexpectedly, Tang Long suddenly turned and shot!
The speed was so great that Wallace didn't have time to react, staring blankly as Tang Long released the shot.
His touch was so soft!
When did Tang Long develop this move? It was eerily similar to another Chinese center.
With such height, he could gracefully turn and execute a smooth, floating mid-range shot.
This wasn't a center!
He was more like a Kobe-esque swingman!
Just without the exaggerated fadeaway.
However, the slight fadeaway combined with his considerable height and wingspan was comparable to Nowitzki's signature "one-legged fadeaway"!
This shot elicited gasps from the Pistons fans in the arena.
Immediately, they covered their mouths, wondering how they had cheered for an opponent's spectacular play without realizing it?
On the sidelines.
Pistons head coach Flip Saunders was also shocked.
He had studied many of the Cavaliers' games, and Tang Long's offense almost always relied on overpowering his opponents with sheer strength, rarely finishing with such elegance.
At most, he would take jump shots and floaters.
But now, a turn-around fadeaway jumper?
This was utterly unbelievable!!