Walton and Bynum stood on the perimeter, setting screens for each other off the ball. Kobe weaved around them and then set a pick for Walton.
The situation on the court became chaotic. LeBron was pinned by Kobe, losing sight of his target. Walton managed to break free for an open shot, and this time Tang Long couldn't rotate to contest, allowing him to shoot with confidence.
Unfortunately, Walton's mental fortitude wasn't quite there. The ball bounced a few times on the rim before popping out. The Lakers missed a golden opportunity to extend their lead.
Phil Jackson, pacing the sideline, couldn't help but curse, "Shit!! Such a good chance and they couldn't capitalize."
Tang Long grabbed the rebound and decided to bring the ball up himself. This surprised Larry Hughes and LeBron for a moment.
As he reached the frontcourt, Tang Long planted his feet on the three-point line and pulled up for a jump shot over Bynum. The shot was so sudden that Bynum couldn't react, only managing a token raise of his hand.
The ball arced like a rainbow and swished through the net.
"Swish!"
Two points.
49:49!
"Tang Long ties the game! He hit a crucial game-tying shot."
"From bringing the ball up himself from the backcourt, to shooting over Bynum."
"Tang Long orchestrated this entire offense himself!"
"The Cavaliers have finally erased the deficit!"
At the start of the third quarter, the Cavaliers went on a 9:2 run.
On the sideline, Phil Jackson's expression was grim. The Lakers had actually been tied. From a significant early lead to a Cavaliers comeback. From the Cavaliers narrowing the gap to four points, to the Lakers re-establishing their lead. Finally, with Tang Long's incredible performance, the Cavaliers had successfully tied the game.
Mike Brown's eyes were wide with disbelief. It could be said that he hadn't drawn up any specific plays; it was Tang Long's individual ability that pulled the Cavaliers back from the brink.
In the inner ring of the stands, Scarlett rubbed her eyes. A scenario that felt like a dream was unfolding before her eyes, orchestrated by Tang Long. He was single-handedly battling the Lakers! His terrifying blocks and help defense, his cold-blooded shooting, his ferocious dunks, all struck Scarlett's heart with every impact. Especially the last play where he brought the ball upcourt and calmly pulled up for a long two-pointer. It caught everyone off guard, sudden and deadly. A fatal blow!
"Tang is so cool, playing basketball so effectively!" Gal Gadot, a beauty pageant contestant, said to Scarlett Johansson, her face flushed. "I've fallen in love with this guy from the East Dragon country."
For some reason, hearing Gal Gadot say this made Scarlett feel a pang of annoyance. He was strong and tall, with a handsome face and well-defined features. He was exactly her ideal type. Scarlett's fondness for the Lakers was merely due to geographical reasons. She didn't have any particular favorite players. Between a handsome guy and a favorite team, of course, a tall, handsome guy took precedence! Scarlett was already quite famous in the entertainment industry and had met plenty of wealthy and handsome men. But Tang Long was a truly special kind of man. Initially, she had disliked Tang Long somewhat due to her affiliation with the Lakers, but after watching his performance, she had fallen for him! Furthermore, Gal Gadot's comment made Scarlett inexplicably jealous.
"He is indeed very handsome. I thought the media reports were just exaggerations, but I didn't expect him to be the real deal!" Although jealous, Scarlett maintained a polite demeanor. "Haha, I've been following Tang for a month now. I've watched all his games, and this time I specifically came to Los Angeles to watch him play. Seeing his explosive performance live is so exhilarating. I'm going to ask for his contact information after the game."
Scarlett's heart tightened. Was she encountering a love rival? She was already preparing to ask for his contact information. She couldn't fall behind!
"That's right, he completely surprised me. I'm going to go after the game too!"
"But this guy is really explosive. I've never seen such a powerful player." Gal Gadot said animatedly.
"Hey! Tang was just joking with you. He's always been known for his explosive physicality."
"Your Tang? You're already so proactive before even exchanging contact details?"
"Haha, I let it slip. It can't be helped; I've been his fan for so long, I've wanted to win him over for a while now!"
Scarlett began to assess Gal Gadot beside her. As expected of a beauty pageant winner, her face and figure were top-notch. An angel's face and a devil's body – a true nemesis for men. Although confident in her own appearance and figure, Scarlett still felt a sense of urgency. She realized she needed to seize this opportunity later.
On the court, Tang Long was in the zone for the entire third quarter, exhibiting an extremely terrifying performance! Even though Kobe later used low-post isolation to score many points for the Lakers, it still couldn't stop the Cavaliers from winning. By the end of the third quarter, the Cavaliers led 65:62. The starters, who had battled for almost the entire third quarter, were finally exhausted. Both the Lakers and the Cavaliers decided to bring in their reserves. Only Tang Long seemed to be playing with a frenzy, continuing to exert himself fiercely at the start of the fourth quarter. If the starters couldn't handle it, the reserves certainly wouldn't. The Lakers had no choice but to put their starters back in, and both teams plunged into another intense battle!
With three minutes left in the game, under another barrage of attacks from the Cavaliers, the Lakers couldn't hold on. Ultimately, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 89:82. The low scores for both teams indicated the intensity of the defensive struggle.
After the game ended, the Lakers walked dejectedly into the player tunnel, refusing post-game interviews. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, began their victorious celebration at the Staples Center! Kobe scored 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists, barely meeting his average. Walton and Fisher both scored 11 points, underperforming. For the Cavaliers, LeBron had 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, uncharacteristically failing to record a double-double. Tang Long was named the MVP of the game and achieved a career-high in points! Forty-one points! He scored half of the Lakers' points himself. Furthermore, all these points were two-pointers, with very few free throws. 41 points, 18 rebounds, 11 blocks! A super-sized triple-double! With Tang Long putting up such numbers, it was hard for the Cavaliers not to win. Cleveland maintained its fourteen-game winning streak and completed a major comeback against the Lakers! From trailing by more than ten points to a successful reversal! Cleveland created its own miracle!
"Tang, you're like a god descended from heaven! You are the god in my heart!" LeBron hugged Tang Long excitedly, like a 200-pound child.