"Tang, you're the best!"
"Go crush them!"
"Come on, if we win this one, victory will be ours."
Amidst the roar of the fans, the Cavaliers launched a five-second fast break. Pavlović hit a super-long three-pointer, bringing the score to 15-15.
"Oh my god, what am I seeing? It was Pavlović who shot a super-long three-pointer! Pavlović, who has had so few highlights this season, just sank a super-long three-pointer on the Finals stage!"
The live commentator's voice was stretched with excitement.
Beyond this incredible shot, it was also a sign that a Cavaliers player had finally stepped up and taken a decisive shot!
Tang Long was naturally pleased to see this happen. After all, if his teammates dared to shoot, the Lakers would have to dedicate players to defend them.
This would give LeBron more space to attack and prevent him from having to battle Gasol in the paint for possessions.
The Lakers, however, did not get caught up in the game with this super-long three-pointer and continued to play at their own pace.
In the first few minutes of the game, six of the fifteen points were scored by Fisher, crucially all on three shots.
This shooting percentage, combined with his playmaking ability, made Mike Brown extremely wary.
There was no choice but to have Pavlović guard Fisher.
Fisher was already 34 years old and playing point guard, so stamina was an issue. Among the Lakers' starting five, Fisher had the fewest minutes.
Veteran players like him would always consciously conserve energy and play a style that avoided excessive exertion.
Mike Brown had initially planned to switch Pavlović to man-to-man defense, and Fisher then intentionally passed the ball to Kobe. But Mike Brown had clearly overlooked one crucial factor.
That factor was the importance of the game. This was the NBA Finals.
The Lakers had nowhere to retreat, and moreover, the entire Lakers team was fueled by a burning desire!
Therefore, Fisher clearly had no intention of conserving energy in this game.
As he crossed half-court against Pavlović's defense, Fisher slowly dribbled the ball. Just as Pavlović thought he was matching his pace, Fisher suddenly accelerated, driving past him to the basket.
Gasol positioned himself to block Tang Long, creating space for Fisher's layup.
Drew Gooden came over from the other side to help defend. Fisher, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, spun the ball and passed it directly to Odom.
Odom caught the ball and slammed it home. It was a fluid, seamless play, earning cheers from the Lakers fans in the arena.
15-17.
The Lakers' offense had clearly changed in these recent possessions. They were no longer trying to force the ball against Tang Long, nor were they avoiding him.
Instead, they were using Pau Gasol to obstruct Tang Long's vision and position, then creating opportunities for others.
This approach immediately amplified the strengths of the Lakers' player configuration!
Tang Long walked to the free-throw line, his brow furrowed.
He had scored six of the Cavaliers' fifteen points, all from tough drives against Gasol in the paint.
The team's offensive capability was decent, but Tang Long had a nagging feeling that if they continued to play this way, he might not succeed every time, which would give the Lakers opportunities.
"Tang, hurry up and inbound the ball!"
Tang Long nodded and sent the ball in.
He didn't follow the play downcourt as he usually would. He handed the ball to Larry Hughes and slowly ambled towards the Lakers' basket.
Gasol never left the paint, only stepping out briefly before returning.
After dribbling past half-court, Larry Hughes passed the ball to LeBron James. Tang Long saw this and proactively stepped up to set a screen for LeBron.
LeBron chose to drive hard to the basket. Gasol's anticipation was accurate. As soon as LeBron drove in, Kobe and Odom converged to double-team him.
In this situation, LeBron's shot was contested by three players and missed the rim.
Kobe grabbed the rebound, and the Lakers immediately picked up the pace, crossing half-court and attacking the Cavaliers' basket in less than six seconds.
Tang Long hadn't expected Kobe to be so fast. With a few quick strides, he was already behind Kobe.
Kobe, realizing Tang Long was closing in, exploded with speed like a leopard hunting in the jungle.
He lived up to his reputation as a seasoned star. As his foot touched the paint, he paused momentarily before rising up for a dunk!
Tang Long felt he could block the shot and followed through with the contest.
*Beep!*
The referee's whistle blew.
Kobe made the shot and drew a foul on Tang Long.
Tang Long was instantly frustrated.
The previous games had been too smooth, leading him to underestimate Kobe a bit.
This basket served as a stark reminder: he was facing Kobe, one of the greatest players in NBA history, a Hall of Famer. He should not have been so careless!
At the free-throw line, Kobe was as cold as iron. Despite the frenzied interference from the Cavaliers fans, Kobe calmly sank both free throws.
15-20.
The Lakers were back up by five points!
*Beep!*
Just as Tang Long was about to inbound the ball, Mike Brown called a timeout.
This was the first timeout Mike Brown had called so early in the first quarter, just six minutes in.
He couldn't afford not to call it.
Especially on their home court, if they lost this game, it would be even harder to win back at the Lakers' home court, and there was even a possibility of losing the next games!
...
"Coach Zhang, what's your take on both teams' performance in this game?"
"This game is going to be tough for the Cavaliers," Coach Zhang said after some thought. "Their current passive situation is different from before. Previously, a large part of it was the Lakers crushing the Cavaliers' morale, leading to the Lakers' advantage when the Cavaliers' players were down.
But in this game, the Cavaliers' players don't seem to have the same spirit. Mike Brown needs to figure out a way to break through the Lakers' tactics."
"And what do you two think the Cavaliers need to do right now to regain control of the game?"
Yang Yi looked at the other commentators and, after a moment's hesitation, said, "The offensive problems aren't too big; the Cavaliers can basically execute their plays. The main issue is defense.
Phil Jackson has made some adjustments to the triangle offense. While Kobe is still the spearhead, he's become like a barb. It's easy to penetrate, but it takes time to extract."
"I actually think the Cavaliers don't need to dwell on these things right now. They should play their own game. If they try to break down the Lakers' tactics, it will inevitably disrupt their offensive rhythm and make the players less comfortable.
It's better for everyone to compete offensively. They should dismantle the Lakers' tactics through offense. As long as the Cavaliers lead, the Lakers will be forced to change their tactics!"
"Yang Yi's analysis is a good tactical approach... The game has restarted, let's see what changes the Cavaliers make."
"Mike Brown has made a substitution, taking out Drew Gooden and bringing in Anderson Varejão. It seems the Cavaliers want to add a stable scoring option on offense!"
Yang Yi had guessed Mike Brown's intentions correctly.
Varejão immediately hit a shot.
17-20, contributing two points for the Cavaliers.