"Pavlovich seems to be working with Tang, are they trying for an alley-oop?"
The Phoenix fans and Cavaliers fans were stunned.
An alley-oop in the city of alley-oops?
As soon as the thought crossed their minds, they saw Tang Long raise the basketball high above his head with both hands, then lower them, smashing himself and the ball towards the hoop!
Boom.
The basket seemed to shake under the immense force. Tang Long grabbed the rim and swung around to regain his balance before landing on the ground.
"Roar!!"
Tang Long pounded his chest, cheering excitedly.
"That dunk was so cool."
Shaun, completely ignoring the scowling Catherine, raised his fist and cheered with the fans.
At the same time, Tang Long and Pavlovich enthusiastically high-fived each other.
Olney watched Tang Long stir up the game, his eyes filled with memories of his younger self.
He wasn't ready to admit defeat.
If Tang Long could do it, he certainly could too.
Tang Long only made the backboard shake, but he could shatter the tempered glass of the backboard!
Run and gun?
Screw that run and gun.
He was the league's number one center, and not only was he expected to be a role player, but they even wanted him to be fertilizer.
O'Neal was furious.
When Nash brought the ball to the basket, O'Neal was supposed to come over to set a screen, creating an opportunity for Nash to drive or shoot. But Nash dribbled repeatedly, while O'Neal remained in the paint, holding his position and refusing to come up.
Larry Hughes also kept poking around, and Nash knew he wouldn't get a shot.
But as time ticked away, Nash could only fake out Larry Hughes and pass to Grant Hill.
Grant Hill received the pass and drove inside, only to be blocked by Drew Gooden. He had no choice but to force up a shot.
The ball circled the rim twice before finally falling out.
"Damn it, that shot was too rushed."
The Phoenix fans cried out in disappointment. Before the drawn-out sound had even faded, they saw a figure as vast as a mountain grab the ball and slam it towards the hoop.
"Shaq, well done."
"I see the Big Shark who dominated the league in his prime!!"
O'Neal's powerful dunk gave the despondent fans a glimmer of hope. Who said Phoenix players only knew how to run and gun? 138 Reading Network
We have the league's number one center, the Big Shark O'Neal.
"Shaq, that was simply beautiful."
"It's like he took out all the frustration we've been holding in."
Hill and Marion ran over to praise him, as O'Neal's dunk was a response to Tang Long's consecutive dunks, which was crucial for boosting morale.
Tang Long shook his head helplessly. The former league's number one center was indeed no joke.
When O'Neal was serious, no one in the paint could really stop him.
"Tang, don't provoke our Big Shark, or you'll be done for."
"Chinese kid, now you know how powerful our American Big Shark is, right?"
"Kid, do you still dare to go head-to-head with the dominant Shaq?"
The Phoenix fans finally seized an opportunity, standing up to taunt Tang Long.
"Tang, Shaq is on fire. I haven't seen him play this hard in a long time."
James patted Tang Long on the shoulder. "Our score isn't too far behind. What do you say, want to keep challenging this old guy?"
"Of course, why not?"
Tang Long's eyes fixed on the opponent's half of the court. It was just a dunk, and he had never been afraid of anyone.
"Okay, that's the China Tang I admire."
James glanced at the other players. "Guys, give Tang and Shaq some space later for a one-on-one opportunity."
"No problem."
The other three players on the court all supported Tang Long.
Larry Hughes brought the ball past half-court and passed it to James. Two Phoenix players immediately came to defend.
James was waiting for this opportunity and made a reckless floater, passing the ball to Tang Long under the basket.
Tang Long caught the ball, took a step back, and faked a jump shot. O'Neal only moved a step, not jumping, maintaining control.
"Kid, I've been doing this stuff forever."
O'Neal mockingly taunted Tang Long. If such a childish move could fool him, he might as well retire.
But then, O'Neal saw a glint of mockery in Tang Long's eyes.
Tang Long directly passed the ball to Pavlovich in the corner.
O'Neal was stunned.
Didn't this guy say he wanted to go head-to-head with him?
Why did he pass to Pavlovich?
When did Pavlovich sneak to the corner?
Where are our teammates?
O'Neal then noticed that two players had been drawn in by James, and he and another help defender were staring intently at Tang Long, leaving Pavlovich unguarded.
Catch and shoot.
Pavlovich jumped directly, and the ball swished through the net.
Three points!
After making the shot, Tang Long quickly ran towards his own basket. As he passed O'Neal, he couldn't resist a jab: "Shaq, don't just grow fat, grow a brain."
O'Neal froze.
What happened to the promised one-on-one?
Why was there a pass?
Olney cursed Tang Long for not playing by the rules and, grumbling, started to run towards the basket. Just then, the referee blew his whistle.
Barbosa was subbing in for O'Neal, and Stoudemire would take over as center.
O'Neal's face fell, and he seemed reluctant to leave.
But sensing the awkward atmosphere on the court, he walked off with a dark expression.
D'Antoni believed that O'Neal on the court would slow down the team's offensive rhythm. He substituted in the more agile Barbosa, who was 1.91 meters tall, to continue attacking the Cavaliers' basket and extend their lead.
However, D'Antoni's plan overlooked the presence of Tang Long.
The reason Tang Long clashed with O'Neal in the paint was twofold: they were both centers, and it was their destiny.
Also, Tang Long wanted to gain experience by matching up against O'Neal.
His speed was not slow in the league.
Not to mention his league-leading average of 6.5 blocks.
Barbosa was indeed quick. Within seconds of entering the game, he broke through Gooden's defense and drove to the basket.
Layup attempt, Tang Long delivered a massive block.
Barbosa was clearly stunned.
Are centers clumsy and slow?
How did that guy manage that just now?
The Phoenix team was silent. The arena felt as cold as the Siberian wind.
What was Barbosa supposed to do?
While he was stunned, the Cavaliers didn't hesitate. James brought the ball upcourt and, under the defense of two players, managed to score 2 points.
At this point, the score was 30-29, with the Cavaliers trailing by only one point.
"Tang, how many points do you have now?"
James asked Tang Long as he retreated on defense, clearly relaxed.
He clearly didn't take the Phoenix Suns seriously!!