Tang Long looked at Da Yao in front of him, his eyes filled with pity.
If Yao Ming could have remained healthy, his achievements in the NBA would have been far greater.
In terms of skill, Yao Ming was undoubtedly a center who could go toe-to-toe with O'Neal.
There was no question about that!
Even O'Neal himself had praised Yao Ming's abilities.
Seemingly sensing a shift in Tang Long's mood, James walked over, clapped him on the shoulder, and offered comfort, "Don't worry about it, he's currently the top center in the NBA!"
As the leader of the Cavaliers, James was excellent at this aspect.
"I believe you can defeat him!"
Tang Long hadn't expected James to suddenly show concern, but then he understood the reason.
After all, he had never shown such an expression in previous games.
Perhaps in James's eyes, he was only showing such a hesitant expression because of Yao Ming's strength.
"Thank you, LeBron, I'm fine!"
Tang Long shook his head and turned to look at Yao Ming seriously.
Then, with the change of possession, Tang Long moved towards the basket.
Seeing the fighting spirit in Tang Long's eyes, James nodded with satisfaction.
While Yao Ming was indeed a top center, James believed Tang Long could handle him.
Cavaliers' offense.
Larry Hughes brought the ball up to the top of the arc.
Seeing Tang Long already extending his hand for the ball, he passed it to Tang Long without hesitation.
Tang Long held the ball with his back to the basket, while Yao Ming firmly held his position.
"Brother Yao, I'm feeling really hot today, be careful."
Tang Long said to Yao Ming with a smile.
"Then come and try, let me feel your core strength too."
Yao Ming responded loudly, defending Tang Long with even greater intensity.
Suddenly, Tang Long spun around, raised the ball high, and made a shooting motion.
Yao Ming immediately reached out to block Tang Long's shot.
From what he knew, Tang Long's mid-range shooting percentage was incredibly high, not inferior to some small forwards.
However, this was merely a pump fake by Tang Long.
After the spin, Tang Long bounced the ball on the floor again.
Then, he spun like a top.
With another beautiful spin, he completely shook off Yao Ming's defense.
"Such a fast spin! Is that... the Dream Shake?!"
Yao Ming's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had spent an entire offseason specifically studying Hakeem Olajuwon's Dream Shake.
Unfortunately, the results were minimal, and his execution was far less effective than Tang Long's.
Tang Long's spin speed was incredible, almost comparable to a point guard.
Combined with his excellent balance, this made his spin move so lethal.
Ultimately, it was because Tang Long's body flexibility was far superior to Yao Ming's.
Tang Long drove to the basket, with no help defense.
His drive was too swift; the Rockets players hadn't even reacted.
Then, Tang Long executed a graceful little hook shot, sending the ball into the basket.
The Cavaliers fans on the sidelines cheered for Tang Long, "Oh my God! Tang, you're amazing, that's how you play, well done!"
"You are our best player, that Dream Shake reminded us of peak Hakeem Olajuwon."
"Let those Houston guys see how good our Cavaliers are."
Even James, standing nearby, was impressed by Tang Long's performance.
As Tang Long's teammate, James could feel that Tang Long's skill level far exceeded his imagination.
Frankly, even he would find it difficult to execute such a realistic pump fake from that position.
More importantly, as a rookie, Tang Long remained calm and composed, with excellent rhythm.
Unbeknownst to everyone, in his seventeen games played, Tang Long had become an indispensable player in the Cavaliers' frontcourt.
Whether on defense or offense, Tang Long's impact was immense!
His excellent rim protection, and his judgment for help defense, were exactly what the Cavaliers needed most.
And on offense, his diverse array of scoring moves greatly enriched the Cavaliers' offensive options.
He had also contributed significantly to the Cavaliers' fifteen-game winning streak.
James was certain.
Even when Big Z returned, he would still strongly advocate for Tang Long to be the Cavaliers' starting center.
Although Big Z had more experience and court time than Tang Long, in terms of on-court performance and leadership in leading the team to victories, Big Z was clearly no match for Tang Long.
Without a doubt, Tang Long was the most suitable center for the Cavaliers, and the most suitable big core for James.
Of course, Tang Long was completely unaware of James's thoughts at this moment.
He was already retreating to his own half of the court. And on television.
The Chinese fans watching the game were so excited they were about to jump off their seats.
The peak duel between Da Yao and Tang Long undoubtedly delivered a powerful shock to their young hearts!
The two were locked in a fierce battle, refusing to yield.
On the official commentary channel, Zhang Weiping of CCTV5 couldn't help but exclaim, "Yao Ming and Tang Long, these two are truly worthy opponents, a match made in heaven!"
"Without a doubt, their current abilities make them the best centers in the entire NBA!"
"Whether it's Tang Long's performance or Da Yao's play, both are superb. They have both firmly established themselves in the NBA. Who says we Chinese players can't reach the international stage?"
"They are now both top-tier interior players in the NBA!"
Yang Yi also strongly agreed with Zhang Weiping's assessment. He couldn't help but praise, "Tang Long's performance is indeed outstanding. It's hard to imagine a player who has only played seventeen games in the NBA can deliver such a performance!"
"Da Yao is also doing great, keep playing hard and win this game!"
Although Zhang Weiping was jokingly nicknamed "Tang Weiping," he showed no bias in such a match.
Zhang Weiping even hoped that Yao Ming would lead his team to victory, ending the Cavaliers' fifteen-game winning streak.
He was already picturing it.
If Tang Long could represent the country, and team up with Yao Ming to form a twin tower lineup, they would be a formidable force even on the international stage, with few opponents.
If there was ever a moment when fans could set aside their prejudices.
Then, without a doubt, this was it.
All Chinese viewers began to enjoy the game.
And from this game onwards, every match between the Cavaliers and the Rockets was as fiercely contested as a thunderous clash!
Especially the interior battle between Yao Ming and Tang Long.
The two truly gave their all, fighting tooth and nail on the court.
This also became a brilliant part of the cherished memories of Chinese fans.
Returning to the game, the fierce battle between the Cavaliers and the Rockets had just entered its white-hot stage.