Tang Long regretted it, blaming himself for being too kind back then.
He should have focused on Gasol.
Indeed, when one is complacent, they tend to get carried away. He never expected the big-eyed, big-hearted Gasol to be such a sneaky player.
Regret was useless now. He carried Gasol inside, only to find Gasol felt as stable as a mountain!
After several attempts to push forward without success, Tang Long faked a move, a step-back for a layup. But as Gasol stepped up, he used a Euro step layup!
He had been fooled.
Gasol hadn't anticipated Tang Long's cunning; he had been tricked by this play.
96-90.
Tang Long clenched his fist after making the shot.
Although the shot was much harder than before, it proved his worth.
Turning his head, the Lakers suddenly launched a fast break.
Kobe was fast, and LeBron and Drew Gooden initiated their moves simultaneously. However, with their condition reduced by 20%, the gap was immediately apparent.
Kobe easily laid the ball into the basket. By the time the two players returned to the paint, the arena was filled with the cheers of Lakers fans.
96-92.
Mike Brown's expression grew increasingly grim, his eyes no longer as resolute as before.
If Tang Long and LeBron were playing so poorly on the court, bringing in others would likely yield no better results.
LeBron's face was also somber. Trailing Kobe by so much gave him a surreal feeling.
He couldn't understand why he was so inferior to Kobe, even though he was giving his all.
"LeBron."
Tang Long returned from half-court, intending to comfort LeBron. LeBron shook his head. "It's nothing. He's Kobe, after all."
After the ball was inbounded, the Cavaliers still opted for low-post offense.
Tang Long received the pass in the paint. Seeing this, Joe Smith had already run to the baseline. As Gasol closed in, Tang Long passed the ball to the cutting Joe Smith.
Joe Smith shot from the baseline, but unfortunately, it missed.
Tang Long and Gasol vied for the rebound, but Kobe surged from behind.
With his excellent leaping ability, the Flying Man snatched the rebound directly from their hands.
Fisher and Manorovic quickly crossed half-court, and the ball was tossed to them. Manorovic hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc.
96-95.
The Cavaliers led by only one point.
The spectators' breaths grew short, their eyes fixed on their players, wishing they could rush to the sidelines to cheer them on!
On the Cavaliers' next possession, LeBron wanted to pass to Tang Long, letting him be the primary scorer. However, the Lakers had tightened their defense on Tang Long, forcing LeBron to try and drive himself.
His change of direction and drive were successful, reaching the basket in two steps.
Thud!
The layup, which should have been a sure thing, hit the inside of the rim and bounced out.
The Cavaliers players, expecting the ball to go in, were momentarily stunned. By the time they reacted, the rebound was already in Gasol's hands.
Another fast break ensued, this time finished by Odom.
96-97.
The Lakers had regained the lead.
This 5-0 mini-run prompted Mike Brown to call a full timeout.
...
"How did the Cavaliers suddenly forget how to play? They're so different from their usual selves."
In the Dragon Country broadcast booth, Yu Jia looked at the other two. "Coach Zhang, how do you think the Cavaliers can turn this situation around?"
"The main problem for the Cavaliers right now is Tang Long and LeBron. Since the fourth quarter began, it feels like they're both playing awkwardly."
Coach Zhang pondered. "Actions that they used to perform with ease are now done with great effort in the fourth quarter. This makes it easy for defenders to predict their moves, and their offense struggles to execute."
"The same applies to defense. The Cavaliers' defense is always a step behind the Lakers. Before, Tang Long could accurately judge when an opponent was about to shoot.
"Now, he only jumps after the opponent has already jumped. This one-step delay has a huge impact on defense. It's the same for LeBron; if you're a step behind, opponents can easily drive to the basket."
Yang Yi continued, "Throughout the first three quarters, especially the third, the Cavaliers played brilliantly, making it feel like everyone had the potential of a superstar. But in the fourth quarter, they suddenly became inept, like the bottom-ranked teams."
Yu Jia asked, "Do you two think Mike Brown should bring back Big Z and Larry Hughes?"
Coach Zhang nodded. "Given the Cavaliers' current predicament, they should indeed bring back the lineup from the third quarter. Besides, Larry Hughes and Big Z were playing so well; it's understandable that they would have a temper if they weren't put back in now."
Hearing Coach Zhang say this, everyone seemed to understand why Larry Hughes was throwing a tantrum.
Even they couldn't fathom why Mike Brown wasn't playing these two.
As the Lakers re-established their lead, the criticism of Mike Brown grew. Both commentators and fans outside the arena questioned his player rotations.
Inside the arena, Mike Brown was unaware of the escalating external criticism. During the timeout, he focused on explaining tactics to his players, seemingly with no intention of making substitutions.
Larry Hughes exchanged glances with Mike Brown several times, but Brown ignored him.
After the timeout, both teams maintained their existing lineups, showing no intention of making changes.
However, the timeout did have some effect. On the Cavaliers' offensive possession, Varejao and Tang Long switched positions. Varejao took on the low-post offense, while Tang Long moved up two steps.
Gasol still shadowed Tang Long, needing to secure the paint, which gave Varejao an opportunity.
98-97.
This lead, however, did not crush the Lakers' fighting spirit. Instead, it seemed to invigorate them, as they now saw a chance to win the game!
But this time, the Lakers failed to score. Tang Long grabbed the rebound on the defensive end, but the Cavaliers committed a fatal turnover as they moved past half-court.
It was evident that after the timeout, both teams were playing more cautiously.
Their physical play also became rougher. The Lakers drove to the basket again, and as Gasol prepared to dunk, Tang Long swatted the ball away.
Gasol was startled. Seizing the opportunity, Tang Long pried the ball loose.
Just as he raised his arm to pass, Gasol charged forward, raising both hands to block Tang Long's pass while pushing him towards the sideline.
After a difficult pass, Drew Gooden's mid-range shot missed. Joe Smith grabbed the rebound and drove to the basket, only to have his shot blocked by Odom.
Beep!
The referee's whistle blew, not for an Odom foul, but for an out-of-bounds ball.
Crucially, possession was awarded to the Lakers. This angered the Cavaliers players.
What was the referee doing?
On the Cavaliers' home court, were they still going to favor the Lakers?