The game continued.
With Yao Ming's alley-oop dunk, the score was tied again at 4-4.
Only two minutes had passed in the game.
It was the Cavaliers' possession.
Larry Hughes dribbled the ball to the top of the arc and passed it directly to James at the 45-degree angle.
This time, it was a pick-and-roll between James and Tang Long.
James raised two fingers, signaling Tang Long for a screen.
Seeing James' gesture, Tang Long immediately understood.
He then ran to the perimeter and screened off McGrady, who was guarding James, positioning himself to McGrady's right.
Meanwhile, James, having created space, swiftly drove towards Tang Long.
This was James' first step, using the pick-and-roll to gain driving space.
It had to be said that Tang Long's screens were of very high quality.
Even though McGrady reacted, he was still too late to chase down James.
His body was effectively blocked by Tang Long.
At this moment, the Rockets' players reacted quickly.
Shane Battier was aware and rotated to cut off James.
As a forward known for his defense, Shane Battier's rotations were extremely fast.
His defensive awareness was excellent; he was practically in front of James as soon as he drove to the paint.
In fact, the Rockets' ability to consistently secure a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference relied on role players like Battier.
Their performance during the regular season had been quite impressive.
At the same time, Yao Ming was also ready to help defend James.
James' drive, like a bulldozer, was difficult for Battier to stop alone.
However, everyone on the Rockets had overlooked the presence of one player.
Tang Long, on the perimeter, suddenly changed direction and sprinted towards the basket.
He used his screen with James to roll to the basket for the score.
At this moment, everyone's attention was on James.
It wasn't until Tang Long was close to the basket that they realized what was happening.
Tang Long's speed attacking the basket was incredibly fast, almost instantly breaking into the paint.
At the same time, James flashed a knowing smile.
This was the second step of their strategy.
Using the screen, Tang Long rolled directly to the basket for the offense.
Not only was Tang Long's screen quality very high, but his cutting awareness was also excellent.
When he was off the ball, he could get from the three-point line to the paint in less than three seconds.
"This is a great opportunity for an alley-oop!"
James' eyes narrowed, and he threw the ball towards the right side of the basket.
For a moment, everyone's eyes widened.
"Is there a chance for this shot?"
"Here it comes! The much-anticipated James-Long connection!"
"A thunderous dunk from China Tang..."
"Give them an alley-oop back, show them what we're made of!"
The Cavaliers fans by the sidelines roared their encouragement for Tang Long.
If this shot went in, it would significantly boost the Cavaliers' morale.
However, Yao Ming under the basket was by no means an easy opponent for Tang Long.
This time, Yao Ming had already spotted the offensive tactic between Tang Long and James.
He had been waiting in position under the basket, not blindly rotating to defend James.
Seeing Tang Long approaching him, Yao Ming showed no panic.
He immediately raised his hand, jumped forcefully, and snatched James' alley-oop pass right in front of him.
This caught everyone by surprise. They thought Yao Ming under the basket had no defensive opportunity against such an attack.
But who would have expected that the score James and Tang Long were determined to get was intercepted by Yao Ming in the air?
Tang Long, who should have easily dunked, was disrupted by Yao Ming.
Seeing that the situation was impossible, Tang Long could only choose to retreat on defense.
However, the Rockets' next move shocked everyone even more.
After a moment of hesitation, Yao Ming immediately threw the ball towards the Cavaliers' half of the court.
This pass was stunning. It was hard to imagine that Yao Ming, known for his steadiness, would make such a flashy pass.
At this point, McGrady and Alston had already advanced to the three-point line on the frontcourt.
McGrady's speed was incredibly fast; fast breaks were his specialty.
Yao Ming's full-court pass gave the Rockets players on the frontcourt a great offensive opportunity.
More importantly, this was a chance to take the lead.
McGrady caught the ball a step inside the arc and immediately passed it to Shane Battier on the side.
Battier didn't hesitate and pulled up for a three-point shot.
With the sound of the ball swishing through the net, Battier's three-pointer was steadily made.
In this possession, the Rockets' defensive strategy and fast break were clearly well-prepared.
On defense, they first used multiple players to double-team, successfully limiting James' individual performance.
Then, they broke the James-Long connection, and Yao Ming's role under the basket was crucial.
He successfully disrupted their connection.
Although the Cavaliers' execution of their strategy was flawless, individual errors occurred.
This led to the Cavaliers' offense not achieving the desired effect.
James' expression was grim, clearly surprised by the turn of events on the court.
The game's momentum was supposed to be in their control, but now the Cavaliers seemed to be following the Rockets' lead.
James couldn't accept such a low-level mistake.
With Battier's three-pointer, the score difference widened to three points.
This was the first time the Rockets had taken the lead in the game.
Tang Long's face showed a hint of embarrassment.
He never expected that their brilliant play between him and James had been seen through by Yao Ming in advance.
Glancing at Yao Ming, he squinted slightly and said, "Brother Yao truly lives up to his reputation as the best active center!"
Although Tang Long had a significant advantage in physical fitness, Yao Ming's experience was clearly more seasoned.
With this experience, Yao Ming could go toe-to-toe with Tang Long.
At this moment, the "Yao Song" once again echoed from the sidelines.
The Chinese fans in Cleveland began to cheer enthusiastically for Yao Ming on the court.
Up to this point, Yao Ming's performance had been outstanding.
He had dominated his opponents on both defense and offense.
Yao Ming's passing was also an often-overlooked advantage; it would be difficult for an ordinary big man to pass the ball so steadily to McGrady.
But this was the difference between Yao Ming and ordinary big men.
His full-court pass perfectly delivered the ball to McGrady on the other side.
Combined with Battier's three-pointer, they gained a three-point lead.
More importantly, the Rockets had now found their offensive rhythm, and the team's morale had completely lifted.
The multiple possessions and changes in possession at the start of the game had already foreshadowed the course of this match!
...