Amidst the roar of the crowd, the game was about to begin.
Howard and Tang Long stood on opposite sides of the center line.
"Dwight, I think you don't need to jump for the ball. You can let that 1.96-meter guard of yours do it," Tang Long said.
Howard blinked, "What do you mean?"
"You can't jump higher than me anyway, so let him try. Save some face!" Tang Long continued.
"Damn it, Tang, are you trying to provoke me!"
Howard was about to retort when the referee walked over, ready to start the game.
Howard could only swallow his pride, vowing to win possession.
The referee blew the whistle and tossed the ball up.
Anxious, Howard jumped too early.
Tang Long sighed, timed his jump perfectly, grabbed the ball, and tipped it to his teammate.
"Sigh, I should have let Jamal jump!"
Howard was fuming, but there was nothing he could do. He had lost the tip-off.
At the frontcourt, Larry Hughes had the ball.
Tang Long intentionally set a screen for James off-ball. Howard was drawn to the perimeter by Tang Long, leaving the paint empty!
James, sensing the open space, cut to the baseline, received a pass from Larry Hughes, and dunked!
"Wow! LeBron opens with a thunderous dunk! What a fantastic start for Cleveland!"
"China Tang's screen was superb! Not only did it draw Howard's attention, but it also cleared the path for LeBron!"
"Dwight shouldn't have made that mistake; the Magic's paint is undefended!"
Commentators Jack and Frisco exclaimed. As neutral announcers, they had no bias towards the Magic.
They were willing to cheer for any spectacular play.
In contrast to the commentators, the arena fell silent.
Who wanted to see their team concede such an opening score?
"Offense! Offense!"
"Offense! Offense!"
The Magic fans spontaneously began to chant, cheering for their team.
They absolutely couldn't let the visitors gain momentum from the start!
"Great screen!"
James gave Tang Long a thumbs-up.
Tang Long returned the gesture, but a discordant voice came from behind him.
"Kid from Long Kingdom, you're not just good at dirty work like screens, are you? What about your isolation plays?"
Tang Long turned around. It was Howard.
"You want me to back you down?" Tang Long asked with a dismissive smile.
Howard shrugged, "What else?"
"This is the first time I've heard such a request! I'll fulfill it on the next possession!"
The game shifted.
Nelson had the ball at the top of the arc.
Howard posted up deep in the paint, repeatedly signaling for the ball.
"Pass it, Jamal! Do you think I can't handle this kid?"
Howard cursed, complaining about why Nelson wasn't passing.
Nelson observed for a moment before passing to Lewis.
Why not pass to Howard?
Tang Long was behind Howard, and James had set a trap in front.
A reckless pass would have resulted in a steal and a fast break for the Cavaliers!
"Damn it!"
Howard, not receiving the ball, was frustrated and quickly moved out of the paint.
If he didn't leave, he'd be called for a three-second violation!
Lewis, on the other end, received the ball and drove against Drew Gooden.
After a smooth post-up spin, he laid it in.
2:2...
"Hey! If you had passed to me, it would have been a dunk!"
Howard was still grumbling to Nelson.
Tang Long keenly noticed Howard's agitated state.
If he stirred the pot now, Howard's emotions would surely explode!
Cavaliers' ball.
After getting good position in the paint, Tang Long also signaled for the ball, continuously trash-talking.
"Dwight, your status on the team isn't as good as mine. No one's paying attention to you when you ask for the ball. If it were me, my teammates would definitely pass it to me!"
Before he finished speaking, Larry Hughes passed him the ball.
"See, Dwight? Aren't you the leader of the Magic? Why is no one paying attention to you? So weak!"
Howard's anger surged, and he lost control, shoving Tang Long forward a couple of steps.
"Beep!"
The referee's whistle immediately blew, calling a defensive foul on Howard.
Active defensive force, resulting in a foul.
Seeing his plan succeed, Tang Long continued to taunt relentlessly.
Howard was about to explode: "Tang... are you Chinese people only good at these cheap tricks!"
"No, I'm going to dunk on you!"
After the inbound pass, the ball was back in Tang Long's hands. The other four players consciously spread out, leaving the stage for Tang Long.
"Dominate him, Tang! Prove yourself!" Larry Hughes cheered from the side.
Tang Long smiled slightly, showing Howard no mercy, and powerfully drove in two steps.
Howard couldn't withstand the pressure!
As he was being pushed back step by step towards the paint, Howard was horrified.
This kid's strength is incredible!
Even Shaq didn't have this kind of core strength!
Not only was it core strength, but his technique for applying force was also spot on.
He couldn't resist at all!
In full view of everyone, Howard was pushed back step by step!
[ Shattering Hammer ]
Upon reaching the restricted area, Tang Long didn't hesitate and unleashed Murasakibara Atsushi's signature move!
He soared into the air, spun, and slammed the ball fiercely into the basket!
Peng!!!
Howard, unable to stop his retreat, only stopped when he bumped into the basket stanchion.
Tang Long's trash talk followed, "You should thank Orlando's basket; it saved you a little dignity."
The arena was utterly silent.
All the fans' mouths were agape, unable to utter a sound.
This was the peak "Monster" Howard!
Not Perkins, that fat guy.
Nor was it Haywood!
This was the Magic's star forward!
One of the top centers in the league today!
The man who could be traded for LeBron!
Yet, he was no match for Tang Long.
What kind of terrifying strength could make Howard almost fall?
The fans' hearts were severely battered.
If this were a test, Howard's strength would be 95 points, and Tang Long's would be 120 points.
It exceeded human limits.
Commentators Jack and Frisco also took a moment to react: "Oh my god! Did I see that right? Did I really see that right!"
"Was Dwight, that big guy, pushed to the brink of falling by China Tang?"
"China Tang dunked over Dwight? And it was an aerial spin dunk!"
"This is unbelievable! I can't believe it!"
"Top 5 play! Absolutely a Top 5 play! Not just for today's games, but for the entire season!"
James on the sidelines was also stunned.
He knew Tang Long had explosive physical talent and immense strength, but he never imagined it was this formidable!
What other surprises did this young Chinese center hold that he didn't know about?!