“Hey… damn guy, he’s looking down on us!”
Larry Hughes was about to charge at Marbury to reason with him.
“Larry, calm down. That guy just wants to provoke us.”
Tang Long pulled Larry Hughes back. Although the Lone Wolf played selfishly, his mind was sharp enough. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been famously called Politburo Member Ma later.
“What happens on the court should be settled on the court.”
Larry Hughes shot Marbury a fierce glare.
Marbury was not to be outdone, and he even winked at Larry Hughes, almost reigniting Larry Hughes’s temper.
This also caused Larry Hughes’s playstyle to become somewhat isolated after they returned to the court.
He could have passed the ball, but instead of passing to James or Tang Long, he chose to force a layup himself, only to be emphatically blocked by Chandler.
“Larry, you’re too weak. I really don’t know how you train. You can even be a starter for the Cavaliers with this level? I’ve found the reason why the Cavaliers falter in the playoffs, and it’s all because of you.”
Marbury taunted Larry Hughes as he dribbled the ball.
“Say that again if you dare!”
Larry Hughes angrily reached out to swipe at the ball controlled by Marbury. The latter was waiting for this exact moment. With a very beautiful fake, he faked out Larry Hughes and accelerated.
Larry Hughes naturally couldn’t let Marbury drive to the basket, so he chased after him.
Just as he reached the three-point line, Marbury stopped abruptly and shot.
Seeing this, Larry Hughes jumped up to contest the shot.
*Slap!*
He didn’t hit the ball, but he hit Marbury’s arm. Following that, Marbury tossed the ball towards the basket.
The ball didn’t go in, but Larry Hughes was fouled.
Three free throws.
Marbury’s free throw percentage was also very high. He made all three, and the Knicks led by thirteen points.
The Cavaliers inbounded the ball.
Tang Long passed the ball to Larry Hughes and reminded him, “Larry, don’t fall for Stephen’s tricks. Stay calm.”
Larry Hughes glanced at Tang Long and nodded.
As he brought the ball past half-court, Marbury came up to defend Larry Hughes, reaching out to steal the ball occasionally and spewing trash talk to provoke Larry Hughes.
“Larry.”
Larry Hughes was getting worked up and intended to continue arguing with Marbury, but at this moment, he heard Tang Long’s call.
Tang Long was posting up near the basket, extending his hand to ask for the ball.
Larry Hughes made a grounded bounce pass, and the ball safely landed in Tang Long’s hands.
The moment he received the ball, Chandler was already firmly posturing against Tang Long, while Jared Jeffries also surrounded Tang Long to prevent him from having any space to jump.
Tang Long held the ball high, swaying left and right, but the two Knicks players had already sealed off all his passing lanes.
“Kid from China, you’re too green to try and score on me.”
Chandler said this as he seized an opening in Tang Long’s movement and reached out to swat the ball.
The moment he reached out, Tang Long accurately seized that gap and unleashed his signature move.
【Destructive Hammer】
Chandler had faced off against O’Neal. Even O’Neal could at most push him out of position.
However, the air current from Tang Long’s jump almost knocked him over.
*Boom!!*
With a solid dunk, the ball smashed firmly into the basket.
“China Tang…”
The Cavaliers’ bench erupted in cheers.
When the Cavaliers were at a disadvantage and struggling to get anything going, Tang Long’s 【Destructive Hammer】 was a release of their pent-up frustration. It also gave the exasperated fans a vent.
The Knicks initiated a fast break. David Lee passed the ball directly to Marbury. Relying on his dominance over Larry Hughes, he tried to pull off the same trick again. However, this time, Larry Hughes only blocked him and didn’t foul.
*Clang!!*
The ball hit the rim and bounced out.
The Cavaliers gained possession and also launched a fast break. James drove to the basket and followed it up with a windmill dunk.
Two dunks left the Knicks players somewhat stunned. Just as they grabbed the rebound and were about to pass to David Lee, Tang Long, with quick reflexes, jumped up and swatted the ball.
Seeing the ball about to fly out of bounds, Drew Gooden dove to retrieve it.
James received the ball and immediately followed up with a three-pointer.
The Cavaliers reeled off seven unanswered points. The Knicks missed another shot. Marbury’s lone wolf mentality was amplified at this moment.
*Clang!*
Another jump shot missed.
Following that, James hit another three-pointer.
The score was now 78:75, with the Cavaliers only trailing by three points.
“Stephen, you were quite cocky just now, weren't you? Why don’t you keep scoring then?”
This time, it was Larry Hughes who felt triumphant.
However, Larry Hughes had Tang Long, who could calm him down when he got angry and motivate the team to catch up.
On the Knicks’ side, after consecutive missed shots, some players started to complain.
“Damn Stephen, you should have passed the ball to David Lee. He was already at the baseline, unguarded. If you’d passed him the ball, David could have easily laid it in.”
“Chandler, how do you know David would have made it? Don’t you know his shooting percentage?”
David Lee was offended. “Stephen, what do you mean by that? Is your shooting percentage better than mine?”
“Of course!”
“Just talking smack, anyone can do that.”
Seeing the team gradually falling into a passive situation, Thomas quickly called a timeout.
The Cavaliers’ main lineup had also expended some energy. Now, with the well-rested starters coming back in, it would be easy to maintain their lead.
Moreover, with Eddy Curry and Randolph on the court, the team’s rebounding was also secured.
Thomas’s considerations were thorough, and his on-court management was also flawless, but he had overlooked human nature.
After being substituted, Marbury was clearly seething with anger. He wiped the sweat from his brow and forcefully threw his towel on the ground.
Thomas glanced at Marbury. That action was certainly captured by the courtside reporter, and the media would undoubtedly be interested in the sideline antics of this game.
What made the courtside reporter even more excited was that after the Knicks’ starters returned to the court, the game became even more captivating.
It was often a back-and-forth of dunks and three-pointers.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 90:85.
The point difference was not significant, indicating that the fourth quarter would be the deciding factor where both teams would go all out.
As soon as the fourth quarter began, Nate Robinson drove to the basket and then, with a between-the-legs dribble, dodged Tang Long’s outstretched hand and followed up with a beautiful layup.
The Cavaliers refused to be outdone. Tang Long received a pass from James and made a mid-range jump shot.
Only two points behind!
“Brothers, put in more effort! As long as we can catch up, the Knicks will surrender!”