"Yi, looks like you're feeling good today, I'll pass you the ball more!"
Point guard Maurice Williams high-fived Yi Jianlian with a smile.
He preferred Yi Jianlian over the lazy and scowling "Browless Wonder."
While neither of them was great defensively, one was lazy and unwilling to defend, while the other was eager and willing to practice.
Naturally, anyone would prefer the latter.
Unfortunately, Williams didn't have the authority to decide the team's roster, so he could only offer more help to Yi Jianlian during practices and games.
Yi Jianlian nodded with a smile, genuinely grateful to Williams.
It wasn't the meticulous care LeBron showed Yao Ming, but overall, Williams was quite supportive.
Speaking of which, Yi Jianlian did indeed feel he was in great form today.
Especially his first step when backing down Drew Gooden, Yi Jianlian had never felt so effortless.
Of course, Yi Jianlian was unaware that it was the effect of Tang Long's jersey, attributing his performance solely to his own good condition.
Possession changed hands, and James drove the ball forward.
Upon reaching the frontcourt, James prepared to go one-on-one.
Bucks small forward Mason had decent physical attributes when compared to most swingmen in the league.
Compared to James, however, he was like a twig.
It wasn't surprising, considering James could hold his own against most centers.
James feigned a move to his left, then forcefully drove into the paint from the right.
Mason, losing his balance and strength, couldn't establish position and could only hope for help defense from the inside.
Fortunately, Bucks head coach Chris Koveyak had repeatedly emphasized help defense in the paint before the game, especially when facing James's drives, stating that centers or power forwards must be in position immediately.
Yi Jianlian reacted swiftly, raising his hands high and positioning himself directly in front of James.
With Yi Jianlian ahead and Mason behind, James hesitated.
It wasn't impossible to force it, but the success rate wouldn't be high, and James disliked unreliable plays.
Just then, Tang Long's voice echoed: "LeBron, over here!"
Despite his surprise at Tang Long's presence in the post, out of trust, James immediately passed the ball to Tang Long.
He managed to do so just before Mason and Yi Jianlian could trap him.
Tang Long caught the ball in the post. Bogut's defensive range didn't extend that far, so he could only weakly extend his hand to contest.
And Tang Long's mid-range shooting rating of 70, while not exceptional, was respectable.
When unguarded, he could make seven out of ten shots.
Tang Long smoothly executed a mid-range jumper, and the ball swished through the net.
This shot immediately caused a stir in Longguo.
"When did Tang Long develop a mid-range game?"
"Wasn't Tang Long always a traditional center, dominating inside but losing his offensive ability once he stepped out of the paint?"
"When did Tang Long start shooting from this distance, and it went in cleanly?"
"Was it a fluke? But even a fluke wouldn't be executed like this on the court, especially when he could have driven for a dunk just now!"
"I can't figure it out, let's just keep watching the game!"
Zhang Weiping and Su Qun were also bewildered.
On the court.
"Tang, when did you get a shooting ability? I've never seen you use it in practice!"
James looked at Tang Long, dumbfounded.
After passing to Tang Long, James had envisioned Tang Long backing down Bogut and then driving for a layup.
But Tang Long, unexpectedly, didn't follow the script and just shot!
James was momentarily taken aback.
Tang Long laughed heartily and waved his hand, saying, "I've always had some shooting ability, but it wasn't great."
On the sidelines.
Mike Brown looked at the assistant coach beside him, a puzzled expression on his face: "Does Tang's scouting report mention shooting ability?"
The assistant coach shook his head confidently. He was responsible for that area and wouldn't make a mistake.
"Did this kid develop a new skill? He should have told us earlier, I would have designed more plays for him!"
Back on the court, Williams brought the ball up. He kept his word, and upon reaching the frontcourt, he decisively initiated a pick-and-roll with Yi Jianlian.
Yi Jianlian rolled out after the screen, received the pass from Williams, and took a shot.
"Swish!"
5:4
"Yi Jianlian's touch is excellent today, two shots, two makes!"
"Tang Long and Yi Jianlian both have great touch today, both two for two."
"It looks like we're in for an exciting basketball feast for the Longguo fans today!"
This start was a dream start for the Longguo fans.
On the sidelines, the "Browless Wonder" felt a sudden unease.
He was already unhappy about not starting today.
He and Yi Jianlian had been vying for the starting spot, and he had started the previous few games.
Today, he was benched. Was it because of this "Longguo Derby"?
To sell more tickets?
Villanueva scoffed at the idea.
Although Yi Jianlian's skill level was comparable to his own, he looked down on that guy from Longguo.
In international competitions, Longguo's best achievement was reaching the quarterfinals, and they were already proud of it.
Meanwhile, Huaqi Nation had always been the dominant force in world basketball!
What good players could come out of a basketball desert like Longguo?
How could he compare to himself?
This was one of the reasons for Villanueva's complacency.
He believed Yi Jianlian couldn't possibly snatch his starting position.
But today, Yi Jianlian's touch was so exceptional?
Even head coach Chris Koveyak's gaze towards Yi Jianlian held a hint of delight and trust.
This was a bad sign!
Villanueva suddenly felt a sense of crisis. He had to perform exceptionally well when he got on the court later!
On the court, Larry Hughes advanced the ball.
Upon reaching the frontcourt, he called for a play.
Tang Long and Drew Gooden both moved towards the three-point line on the right, setting a non-ball screen for Pavlovic.
Among the Cavaliers' starting five, only Pavlovic's three-point shooting was considered outstanding.
James and Larry Hughes were both penetration-oriented players, and Tang Long was an inside force who never attempted a shot from outside the paint.
Therefore, most of the Cavaliers' shooting plays were designed for Pavlovic.
The screen between Drew Gooden and Tang Long was highly effective, allowing Pavlovic to get open with ease.
Unfortunately, his shooting touch was slightly off today, and the ball bounced off the rim.
Drew Gooden immediately rushed to the basket, preparing to rebound.
To conserve energy, Tang Long often delegated these dirty jobs to Drew Gooden.
Drew Gooden was also a good rebounder, firmly establishing his position under the basket.
Just as he was about to secure the rebound, a large hand suddenly reached from the right and snatched the ball from in front of Drew Gooden.
It was Yi Jianlian.
Not with a brutal dunk like Tang Long's, but by fully utilizing his wingspan!