"We can't let Tang keep shooting from outside anymore; we need to limit his perimeter shots."
"Radmanovic, go substitute for Walton!"
Radmanovic was a small forward with a strong physique. While not as offensively skilled as Walton, he was more effective defensively against powerful small forwards.
Against a small forward like the future Durant, known for speed and shooting, Walton might have been a better defensive player.
For containing James, Radmanovic was more suited.
Previously, Phil Jackson had intended to widen the gap through offense.
Combined with Fisher's double-teams, defending James' drives shouldn't have been a problem.
Who knew that Tang Long would present an unexpected threat, with his shooting extending to the three-point line, enough to disrupt Phil Jackson's strategy.
"If Tang goes for a one-on-one, immediately double-team him. Don't give him any shooting opportunities."
"If LeBron goes one-on-one, only Fisher will double-team; others must not lose their assignments."
The referees were urging the players back onto the court, and Phil Jackson seized the moment to issue his final instructions.
The players from both teams returned to the court, with the Lakers having possession.
Fisher brought the ball up the court and passed it to Odom.
Drew Gooden, strictly following Mike Brown's instructions, either forced Odom towards the three-point line or let him drive, but never gave him opportunities in the mid-range.
Odom was frustrated and could only attempt a tentative three-pointer.
Unfortunately, his three-point percentage was quite poor, and the ball bounced off the rim.
Bynum tried to box out Tang Long, but the difference in strength was too great; he couldn't withstand it.
Tang Long simply pushed him aside with his strong backside.
Tang Long grabbed the rebound again.
The Lakers were now doing a very good job of defending fast breaks. As soon as a shot was taken, Fisher and Kobe immediately ran back on defense.
Facing them, James didn't have many good offensive ideas.
Phil Jackson's defensive strategy was meticulously laid out, and the Cavaliers' offense immediately ground to a halt.
No matter how strong Tang Long was, he couldn't play one-on-three.
James was tormented by Fisher's double-teams and even committed an offensive foul.
On the sidelines, Mike Brown seemed helpless and quite troubled.
To be honest, it was a matter of talent. The Cavaliers' roster was somewhat inferior to the Lakers'.
Especially in terms of perimeter shooting ability, the Lakers could afford to double-team boldly.
Aside from Pavlovic, the Cavaliers didn't have a single qualified three-point shooter.
Although this era emphasized interior play, many teams valued three-point shooting, like championship coach Phil Jackson.
Mike Brown resignedly sat on the bench; the Lakers were indeed a tough opponent.
Tonight would serve as a lesson. He would need to thoroughly train Tang Long's ability to break double-teams upon their return.
And also Larry Hughes' three-point shooting.
Mike Brown even considered making trades, to provide Tang Long and James with two guards adept at shooting, which would greatly increase the team's potential!
At halftime, the Lakers led by seven points, 47:40.
It was slightly better than the first quarter, but the Lakers still held the advantage on the court.
The Cavaliers were even struggling to score.
Except for James and Tang Long, the other Cavaliers players were somewhat discouraged.
Pavlovic, in particular, desperately wanted to use his three-point shooting to help the team close the gap, but Kobe's defense was suffocating, never letting him get free!
When the Cavaliers were on offense, Kobe was no more than a meter away from Pavlovic, shadowing him constantly.
The other Cavaliers players seemed invisible to Kobe.
Facing such defense from the league's number one player, Pavlovic had no response.
He only took two shots in the entire second quarter, both missing.
As the team's starting shooting guard, this number of attempts was clearly unacceptable.
Drew Gooden was also struggling. While stronger than Odom, Odom's agile footwork and speed always bothered him at crucial moments.
Drew Gooden found himself in a passive position.
In the locker room, all the players were dejected.
Perhaps they should just accept it. The Cavaliers had already achieved a thirteen-game winning streak, setting a franchise record, and they should be content.
Being ranked first in the league was enough proof of their capabilities.
It was just a bit of unwillingness.
For any team, winning streaks are incredibly difficult to maintain.
The NBA's schedule is very tight, with an average of 3.5 games per week.
The initial victories were certainly exhilarating, but as the streak lengthened, it became more tiring.
In many cases, teams would strategically concede certain games.
For instance, when the opponent was in momentum, or when the team was exhausted from consecutive games and many players were in poor form, they had to give up.
The current Cavaliers were facing such a problem; their opponent, the Lakers, had a formidable momentum tonight!
Most importantly, both mentally and physically, the Cavaliers players were exhausted.
Their desire for a winning streak had also diminished.
Unless it was the 1971-72 Lakers, who achieved the longest winning streak in history with thirty-three consecutive wins!
They had the iconic Jerry West, the ancient beast Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor.
The strength of that Lakers team far surpassed the rest of the league, which allowed them to easily achieve thirty-three wins.
They didn't even deliberately pursue the streak; it just happened naturally.
But this Cavaliers team was clearly not the same. Their strength was only considered upper-tier in the league.
The assistant coach quietly spoke to Mike Brown, "Mike, maybe we should just let it go. Let the reserves play. If a starter gets injured due to overexertion, it would be a loss far outweighing the gain!"
Mike Brown pondered for a moment, then nodded. They were at their limit.
"Starting from the third quarter, the starters will come off to rest and recover."
"Before the start of this season, both the media and the Cavaliers management expected you to at least make the playoffs with a fourth or fifth seed in the Eastern Conference."
"With the formation of the Big Three in the Celtics, the team basketball of the Pistons, and the significantly strengthened Magic, all were formidable opponents."
"In terms of pure talent, we were certainly inferior to them, yet we defeated them all!"
"You have done more than enough. The coaching staff and management are proud of all of you!"
"You have created the Cavaliers' longest winning streak, thirteen games, and each of your names will be recorded in the team's history."
"It is enough. Get some good rest."
After these words, even LeBron James sank back onto the bench, truly exhausted.
Carrying the team forward in every game, facing the Lakers now was simply too much.
Just as everyone was preparing to give up, Tang Long stood up and said, "Let's try a bit longer. There's still half a game left. It's too early to give up now!"