"Tang, we've set a record, seventeen consecutive wins!"
James hugged Tang Long excitedly.
As the Cavaliers' star player, James felt a sense of pride in leading the team to glory.
"Tang, well done! If it weren't for you, we would have given up. Guys, what should we do?"
"Throw him!"
Before Tang Long could react, Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes had already tossed him into the air.
"Tang, I love you, you're too fierce!"
"Tang, you're a hero to Cleveland!"
Cavaliers fans chanted Tang Long's name at the top of their lungs, and the Quicken Loans Arena was immersed in a sea of joy.
...
"Seventeen consecutive wins! Led and inspired by our Dragon Country player, the Cavaliers have set a new winning streak record. We can see how popular Tang Long is with the Cavaliers."
"Coach Zhang is right. Tang Long is the first Dragon Country player to be so popular in the NBA."
Yang Yi's face was filled with pride. After being an NBA commentator for so long, it had always been about how great foreign players were and how strong their talent was. Now, finally, there was a Dragon Country player who could inspire people!
Similar to the two commentators, the Cavaliers' seventeen-game winning streak quickly became hot news, attracting more domestic fans to follow the NBA.
For a time, posts about the Cavaliers and Tang Long flooded the Cavaliers' tieba and Hupu forums. Posts made just a moment ago were already buried by the next.
"Who says Asian players aren't good enough? Tang Long will teach you how to play!"
"Tang Long had a triple-double in this game, with 40 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals. Tang Long's performance was so stable, and he was instrumental in the win. My Tang is truly incredible!"
"Tang is incredible?"
"What do you mean Tang is incredible? Incredible is just a fleeting moment. Tang Long has been playing consistently for many games."
"I'm not bragging, but Tang Long is on par with Yao Ge as the best active center!"
"I really want to see Tang Long face off against O'Neal!"
"I also want to see Tang Long face off against Howard. These two have similar height, physique, and playing styles. Their matchup would definitely be intense!"
Discussions about Tang Long in China were increasing. At this time, domestic fans were unaware that a foreign host had made a public bet in front of over a million fans.
Friends studying abroad had also edited videos and posted them on domestic forums, which everyone then saw.
"Did that idiot Jack eat the table yet?"
"Is this guy going to be like Barkley, who said he'd kiss Smith's butt, but ended up bringing in a donkey!"
"Heh… are flags meant to be set so casually? If he doesn't eat it, we Dragon Country fans won't stand for it."
"Which brother can report back and tell us if this guy actually ate it?"
Fans were glued to ESPN Sports, but the players were unaware of these developments.
As Tang Long, James, and others returned to the locker room, they saw owner Gilbert cheerfully greeting everyone.
"Tang, your situation has been investigated and cleared up. You were framed intentionally."
"Who was it?"
"That's still under investigation," Gilbert replied.
"Then how was it cleared up?"
"This..." Gilbert was quite embarrassed. Stern had only told him that someone had sent over a video, but not who that person was.
"Boss, I heard you have something to announce?" At this moment, Mike Brown changed the subject.
"Yes, there is indeed something to announce!"
At a critical moment, Mike Brown's intervention made Gilbert like the old man even more.
"The league greatly commends Tang for saving the homeless man and plans to reward Tang with one million dollars, widely promoting the heroic deeds of NBA stars. Additionally, Tang will lead the New Year's greeting for Dragon Country this year!"
Tang Long was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood. Stern intended to heavily promote him and simultaneously open up more markets in Dragon Country.
Gilbert was so happy because he saw how the Rockets went from being on the verge of collapse to their value multiplying several times each year.
As long as the Dragon Country market was opened, money would flow into his pockets like water.
"Tang, congratulations."
James and his teammates all came to congratulate Tang Long.
Money was secondary. Everyone knew that if the league promoted a positive figure, the future benefits would be immense.
"Thanks!"
It was evident that his teammates were genuinely happy for him.
Tang Long did not refuse the league's deliberate promotion either.
After all, once he became famous, he could do more things.
Especially in a market like the United States, fame meant more money, including beautiful women.
With a harmonious atmosphere, the Cavaliers continued to perform exceptionally well in their subsequent away games.
In their first game of December 2007, they easily defeated the Indiana Pacers on the road.
The score was a resounding 125:100 victory.
By the second half of the third quarter, the Cavaliers had built a thirty-point lead, and Mike Brown had substituted all the starters. The fourth quarter was a period of garbage time for both teams.
A solid eighteen consecutive wins were secured!
Returning home, the Cavaliers hosted the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings were not a strong team in the star-studded Western Conference. However, in a league where the West was stronger than the East, the Kings often played at a high level against Eastern Conference teams.
Especially with Artest now on the Kings, even though they were playing away, they gave the Cavaliers a tough fight.
However, the Kings' roster was ultimately thin. Despite having players like Kevin Martin, Peja Stojaković, and Mike Bibby, their overall strength was rather average. Facing the powerful inside presence of Tang Long and James, the Kings were helpless.
The two teams engaged in a fast-paced game, and in the end, the Cavaliers defeated the Kings at home with a score of 115:105.
Nineteen consecutive wins!
The Cavaliers attracted the attention of countless people both domestically and internationally. Even those who didn't regularly watch basketball began to follow the Cavaliers.
Especially throughout China, Tang Long's fan base grew exponentially!
The number of followers on Tang Long's Baidu tieba was approaching one million, making it arguably the biggest sports forum in China!
Tang Long was unaware that he had become a top figure in China's sports circle, as the next game was relatively interesting.
The Cavaliers were heading to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks on the road.
Although the Knicks were ranked second to last in the league, they had players like Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph, and Jamal Crawford, making them a tough opponent.
Averaging 96.9 points per game, while this score might not compare to some offensive-minded teams in the West, the Knicks were not only a "team of streaks" in the league but also ranked among the top in the East for home scoring, typical "home dragons."
Tang Long did not dare to be careless when facing the Knicks, especially since the team had achieved twenty consecutive wins, surpassing the Wizards to rank third in the East, trailing only the Pistons and Celtics.
Upon entering Madison Square Garden, Tang Long was stopped by a beautiful reporter.
"Tang, do you have confidence in this game?"
"What kind of question is that?" Tang Long patted his chest. "It's just the Knicks, a piece of cake. We'll definitely win!"
Tang Long only intended to be humorous and cheer on his teammates, but the reporter, being less than ethical, turned around and showed Tang Long's interview to Marbury.
"Stephon, Tang said the Knicks cannot stop the Cavaliers. Do you agree?"