"Tang, I feel like something's not quite right with this game today," James said, walking over to Tang Long as he was about to serve.
Tang Long had already noticed it. With the team emphasizing defense, Drew Gooden and Pavlovic were playing further from the basket, leaving the frontcourt support a bit lacking. Players like Fisher and Odom were role players for the Lakers, but on other teams, they would easily be considered Sixth Man of the Year candidates.
Tang Long could handle one-on-one situations without issue, but facing two or even three defenders, even in his zone state, he couldn't dominate the entire court. This made his offensive efforts incredibly strenuous. If James were also to be contained, the frontcourt offense would be practically impossible to break through. While they were stopping the opponent's scoring on defense, it was far more exhausting than a normal offensive exchange.
"Let's discuss it with the coach during the next timeout," Tang Long suggested.
"That's all we can do," James sighed. He was also playing passively in this game. Odom's height and reach were among the best in the league, and James couldn't always succeed in driving past him. Moreover, Gasol was waiting at the basket.
The Cavaliers launched another offensive. Larry Hughes looked for opportunities along the three-point line. Tang Long, lacking support at the basket, found himself in a physical battle and had to move out from under the rim to provide an outlet.
Manolic was guarding him closely. The Zen Master had specifically instructed that Gasol would handle the paint, while Manolic would defend Tang Long outside the three-second line. As they moved away from the basket, a space opened up on the right. Larry Hughes drove to draw attention, then passed the ball to James, who had cut along the baseline.
Receiving the pass, James drove to the basket for a layup. Two points, scored steadily! The layup was indeed spectacular. Tang Long’s movement away from the basket had drawn the attention of the Lakers' defenders, creating the open space on the right, allowing James to successfully cut in.
Back on offense for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant went one-on-one against Larry Hughes. Gasol and Odom positioned themselves at the elbows on either side for the assist, while Fisher came up to set a screen for Kobe, creating space for him to drive. After one step, Kobe passed the ball to Odom on the right, who easily sank the shot. It was a typical Lakers pick-and-roll combined with their triangle offense.
The Lakers executed this play very smoothly, especially with Kobe as the focal point. His ball-handling offense could draw the attention of two to three defenders, creating opportunities on both sides. With Tang Long guarding Gasol alone under the basket, Odom could easily make layups.
Of course, the Lakers had employed this strategy before, and the key player was Gasol. If Gasol couldn't draw Tang Long's attention, Tang Long would have more opportunities to block Odom's shots. Odom had already experienced Tang Long's powerful blocks in the previous two games! Now, Gasol was playing assertively under the basket, drawing Tang Long's attention on both offense and defense. This created opportunities for other Lakers players near the basket, and also on the defensive end.
After a few successful possessions like this, the Lakers had extended their lead to six points.
It was the Cavaliers' turn to attack again. James brought the ball upcourt, and Tang Long was once again double-teamed. Seeing this, James decided to drive to the basket himself. The shot missed, and the ball bounced high off the rim. Manolic and Gasol converged on Tang Long, preventing him from jumping. Furthermore, Gasol's height and reach provided a significant advantage.
As Gasol reached for the rebound, Tang Long made a decisive move.
"Absolute Rebound!"
He quickly entered his zone state, shoving Manolic aside. Just as Gasol's fingers touched the ball, he felt a dark shadow rise from the ground, and the basketball was slammed into the hoop with force. A dunk! And this was while being double-teamed!
The Cavaliers' fans in the away arena immediately jumped to their feet, cheering Tang Long's name.
"Tang, well done!"
"That's the way, Tang, beat them!"
The score was 16-12. With less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Cavaliers were still trailing by four points.
Manolic's face darkened. He had felt an overwhelming force surge towards him, pushing him back uncontrollably! If he hadn't given Tang Long space to jump, Tang Long wouldn't have had the opportunity to dunk.
"His physical abilities are impressive even to me, don't dwell on it too much," Gasol said, patting Manolic's shoulder, signaling him not to be discouraged. This tactic had proven effective. Allowing the opponent to score a few points wasn't a major issue, after all, Tang Long was now one of the NBA's superstars, and not everyone could defend him.
"I understand you a little better now," Manolic said, looking at Gasol with sympathy. He was only providing help defense; Gasol was the one directly matching up against Tang Long. This was already the third playoff matchup between them!
...
"Director Zhang, don't you feel that the Cavaliers' players seem disconnected today? Everyone is playing as an individual. Although the Cavaliers are only trailing by two points, if they continue playing like this, they might lose this game!"
"Home-court advantage in the Western Conference is always difficult to overcome, and the Lakers are the top seed in the West this year. Mike Brown clearly considered these factors and decided to avoid their immediate strength, aiming to stabilize the situation on the road."
Director Zhang paused. "However, by doing so, it has limited the Cavaliers' original effectiveness. Like in previous games, the Cavaliers played very well. If you pull back your lineup, doesn't that give the Lakers opportunities for double-teams?"
"I think Mike Brown is being a bit too conservative. I'm not sure if Mike Brown will make any lineup changes later on!"
Yang Yi asked curiously, "Then, Director Zhang, how do you think the Cavaliers will change their lineup?"
"They don't need to change too much; they should just play at the pace of the first two games. Although the defensive intensity might be slightly lower, at least the frontcourt play would be more comfortable. Currently, they're making the Lakers' offense less fluid, but their own offense is also largely nullified. It's like hurting the enemy a thousand, but damaging yourself eight hundred!"
Director Zhang shook his head after speaking, not anticipating Mike Brown's next move. He had adopted a strategy of meeting change with no change.
By the end of the first quarter, Mike Brown hadn't called a timeout, his furrowed brow making it impossible to read his thoughts. Fortunately, thanks to Tang Long entering his zone state early, he scored 10 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the quarter, bringing the score to a 20-20 tie.
By the end of the first quarter, the Cavaliers' players were already drenched in sweat. While the Cavaliers' defense was well-executed, this defensive stance was extremely draining. Moreover, their enthusiasm wasn't as high as in the previous two games. Even when trailing in points before, the players' morale was still high. Now, back on the bench, the players looked tired, subdued, with no one joking around. They quietly replenished their fluids and listened intently as Mike Brown explained the tactics.