Tang Long unleashed the "Mugen no Kata" (Mugen no Kata) from Aomine Daiki, an unstoppable fadeaway jumper!
Under any circumstances, as long as there was a sliver of space to shoot, the shot could be completed.
This was one of Aomine Daiki's signature moves!
At the crucial moment, Tang Long entered Daiki's "Zone" state and completed this spectacular shot.
"Oh my God! What did I just see? Under a triple-team, Tang actually managed to shoot and made it! With Tang's basket, the Cavaliers not only tied the score in the third quarter but also took the lead!"
"28:26. The Cavaliers surged in the latter half of the third quarter and, led by Tang, completed the comeback. We can hear the entire Quicken Loans Arena chanting Tang Long's name!"
Indeed, the entire arena was roaring Tang Long's name in unison.
"Tang!"
"We love you, Tang from Long Kingdom."
"Tang, take them down, victory will surely be ours, Cavaliers!"
The Cavaliers fans cheered loudly, and Tang Long, amidst the cheers of his teammates, walked back to his bench.
"You, my man, always manage to surprise us!"
LeBron James excitedly high-fived Tang Long.
Even he himself might not have been able to make that shot every time, let alone Tang Long, who was a center.
"LeBron, no need to be so surprised, it's a piece of cake for me."
"I'm telling you, my friend, are you secretly practicing extra every day?"
"Indeed I am, so you better work hard, or I'll surpass you!"
"Tch." James slung an arm around Tang Long's shoulder, "Look at you, what's the big deal about surpassing me? I also rely on you to lead the team this far. If you want to be great, be like Chamberlain, someone who can carry the entire team, that's a true legend!"
Tang Long paused for a moment, then chuckled and nodded.
Now he finally understood why LeBron could still lead the Lakers to the highest score of the game at nearly forty years old and remain an NBA superstar. This kind of magnanimity was definitely one of the reasons for LeBron's success.
"Everyone, pay attention. Garnett and Pierce will definitely come back in at the start of the fourth quarter."
Mike Brown, holding his tactical board, called the starting five over: "Tang, I need your range to extend beyond the paint. Garnett will definitely use pick-and-rolls to exploit you, so you need to step out, not only anticipate Garnett's catches but also apply strong pressure on him!"
"Gooden, you need to assist Tang in guarding the inside. Once Tang leaves the paint to defend Garnett, you need to keep a close eye on Perkins."
"LeBron, your assignment is to defend Pierce, and simultaneously initiate fast breaks. We must ensure our shooting percentage."
The Cavaliers currently held the lead, and as long as their shooting efficiency was guaranteed, they could definitely win this game.
Mike Brown scanned everyone's eyes.
"Only one quarter left. If we can secure this quarter steadily, we'll have a two-game lead. Then we'll show those media outlets that we, the Cavaliers, are the true powerhouses, and the championship will be ours in the end. Does everyone have confidence?"
"Yes!"
The Cavaliers players shouted with high morale. Just then, the camera cut over, and commentators Yang Yi and Yu Jia in the broadcast booth couldn't help but feel excited.
"It's evident that this Cavaliers team, both their players' mentality and fighting spirit, are at their peak. Who says the championship must belong to the Lakers? The current Cavaliers are definitely qualified to contend with the Lakers."
"Coach Yang is right."
Yu Jia added, "During the regular season, Tang Long had already proven that he was not inferior to Gasol when matched up against him. Even Gasol didn't play to his full potential under Tang Long's restriction. It's not like Gasol suddenly became a genius after joining the Lakers!"
"Haha, listening to you, I'm now eagerly anticipating a Finals matchup between the Cavaliers and the Lakers."
"Me too."
The two exchanged a glance. Yang Yi reacted faster and quickly changed the subject: "That's looking a bit too far ahead. We still need to focus on the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers' lead is less than ten points, it's not time to celebrate yet."
...
"Is this guy an iron man? He's played three quarters straight and is still full of energy!"
As the players re-entered the court, the Celtics players were frustrated to see Tang Long still striding purposefully. How could he not look tired at all?
"This guy's stamina is incredible!"
Perkins said with envy, "I've even watched his game footage carefully. When the starters are resting, he often plays with the reserves. The key is that from the regular season until now, he hasn't been injured or shown any signs of fatigue."
They were all professional athletes, and they naturally knew that overusing the body, especially in a high-intensity game like the NBA, would lead to muscle damage from fatigue.
"What are you talking about?"
Garnett looked at Perkins displeasedly.
What was he implying? That he was getting old?
"Alright, it's time to focus on the game now."
Ray Allen scanned the others, "Let's execute the coach's strategy!"
Doc Rivers made a tactical change in the fourth quarter, using Garnett and Pierce to draw the Cavaliers' attention, creating opportunities for Ray Allen at the three-point line.
As the fourth quarter began, Garnett received a pass from Pierce in the elbow area. Tang Long, strictly following Mike Brown's instructions, came out to block Garnett.
Seeing Tang Long step out from the basket, Garnett hesitated. He didn't pass the ball to Ray Allen at the top of the arc and chose to drive against Tang Long.
Swish!
With only half a step separating them, Garnett shot.
Tang Long knew he couldn't stop Garnett's shot anymore and swung his hand towards Garnett's eyes.
The human instinct is to avoid danger, and Garnett was no exception.
He could gamble, betting that Tang Long wouldn't actually hit him in the face. With this swing, Tang Long would at least be suspended for one game.
But what if Tang Long was determined to be a villain on the court? Even with a suspension and a fine, for someone of his current stature, a few tens of thousands of dollars would be nothing.
In Garnett's moment of hesitation, he could only turn his head to the side.
When two armies clash, the brave one wins!
During Garnett's struggle and indecision, his shooting accuracy was compromised.
Air ball!
The ball grazed the rim and flew out of bounds.
Cavaliers ball. Garnett immediately became displeased and rushed to argue with the referee: "Ref, foul! He fouled! Didn't you see?"
The referee, with a stern face, said: "I only saw the ball go out of bounds."
"What kind of eyes do you have? Didn't you see his hand swing towards my face?"
The referee looked at Garnett with frustration: "Did he hit you?"
"Well..."
Garnett was conflicted. Tang Long's move was indeed hard to judge. It could be argued that his defensive action was aggressive, but he didn't raise his elbow, nor did he hit him. It would be difficult to call a foul on Tang Long.