James and the Cavaliers unfortunately became the first unfortunate victims of the season!
With three minutes left on the clock, and only 2.1 seconds remaining in the game.
James inbounded the ball from the baseline, drove headlong towards the half-court line, and was forced to take a buzzer-beating shot.
Unfortunately, He Xi Meng's three-pointer was a calculated shot within his range, whereas James's three-pointer was a forced, uncertain attempt outside his comfortable shooting zone, leading to vastly different outcomes.
He Xi Meng's shot swished cleanly through the net, while James's ball hit the backboard directly, the rebound only grazing the edge of the rim...
At halftime, the visiting Celtics, propelled by He Xi Meng's sudden burst of offense, held a 6-point lead over the Cavaliers.
During the halftime break, the familiar sound of LeBron James rallying his teammates with words of encouragement echoed from the Cavaliers' bench.
James desperately did not want to lose this game!
He knew all too well that if he lost this one, his season would essentially be over.
To come back from a deficit on the Celtics' home court would be nothing short of a fool's dream.
Therefore, James, who had played conservatively in the first half, was ready to unleash his full power in the second half, with no reservations.
As the second half commenced, James initiated the offense with the ball at the perimeter. Spotting an opportunity as Yao Ming and Zazunas jockeyed for position, James drove hard against Tony Allen, penetrating the Celtics' interior, and let out a soaring slam dunk, signaling the start of the Cavaliers' fight to the finish!
"You going or me?"
As the Celtics prepared for their counter-attack, He Xi Meng asked Carter.
Carter, surprised, retorted, "You can still dunk?"
He Xi Meng waved his hands dismissively, "Dunking is out! My professional career will largely be free from such violent activities!"
"I just can't believe your recovery ability is this strong?"
"Can't dunk, can't dunk. If I were to counter, I'd use a three-pointer! Three points versus two points, even if the momentum isn't quite as impactful, at least the score won't be at a disadvantage."
"Hmm... How about I try first? After all, the opponent dunked, and if we can respond in kind, it should hit their confidence harder!"
"Alright!" He Xi Meng shrugged. "I have no objections."
Yao Ming, passing by, overheard their conversation and stopped, asking if they needed his assistance.
"Keep an eye on the offensive boards!" He Xi Meng instructed. "If Vince's dunk gets disrupted, you can try for a put-back!"
"No problem!" Yao Ming readily agreed.
On the sidelines, head coach Kerr watched his star trio discussing strategy on the court with immense satisfaction.
"It's so good to have plenty of capable players! Back in the regular season, there was no tactical flexibility, and all the pressure had to be borne by one person, which was so frustrating..."
Having a big three from the start of his coaching career, Kerr's future coaching path might not be smooth.
For it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury back to frugality.
Sometimes, starting too high is not necessarily a good thing.
Those accustomed to holding three aces will find it hard to adapt to a hand with no aces at all.
On the Celtics' next possession, as agreed upon by He Xi Meng and Carter, He Xi Meng attracted the Cavaliers' defensive attention with the ball on the perimeter. Carter, after a screen from Tony Allen on the wing, suddenly cut towards the paint!
James switched defensively too late, and Carter blew past him!
He Xi Meng's pass was perfectly timed. Carter caught the ball in the low post, adjusted instantly, and soared into the air, directly slamming the ball through the hoop in the face of Zazunas, who was attempting to block him.
When it came to dunking, Carter was never afraid!
This play, Carter strongly countered James, thwarting James's attempt to energize the Cavaliers with a dunk.
Because Carter's dunk appeared even more graceful and spectacular than James's earlier slam...
Would James continue to dunk?
In fact, in such a fierce game, dunking is much more difficult than fans imagine.
James didn't dwell on it and instead attempted to respond with a three-pointer on the next possession!
But unfortunately, James's contested three-point attempt from the top of the arc missed!
As a shooter, James was the first to know this shot wouldn't go in.
So, he immediately drove inside the three-point line and accurately anticipated the ball's trajectory, leaping high to secure the rebound before the big men could arrive. He then attacked the basket in the ensuing chaos, scoring on the put-back.
Well, a strong self-created offensive rebound and score!
This kind of play is only possible for players with extraordinary physiques like James!
He Xi Meng, for one, felt inadequate, so he didn't even consider fighting for the rebound himself. Instead, he used a high pick from Carter, took a step back, and shot a three-pointer that swished through the net...
The Cavaliers had two consecutive possessions where James's surge was effectively shut down by the Celtics.
But James remained undeterred. On the third possession, he abandoned seeking opportunities beyond the three-point line. Instead of crashing the boards for a second chance, he decided to drive directly to the basket! This way, he could at least conserve some energy.
Unfortunately, the Celtics seemed to have anticipated this choice.
Yao Ming, Gortat, and Carter all converged to trap the driving James, adopting a "foul if necessary, but don't let him score directly" mentality. The Celtics sent James to the free-throw line.
James's free-throw performance was steady, making both shots and not wasting this valuable offensive opportunity.
However, the Cavaliers' defense on the subsequent possession truly broke James.
Yao Ming caught the ball on the three-point line for an assist, Carter drove into the paint, and He Xi Meng moved to the right corner.
The Cavaliers players were so focused on chasing Carter and He Xi Meng that they completely left Yao Ming open on the three-point line.
Seeing such a golden opportunity, Yao Ming felt it would be a disservice to the entire Cavaliers team not to shoot... So, he decisively stepped into a three-pointer from beyond the arc...
The ball hit the net perfectly, leaving James utterly despondent.
Despite James's best efforts during this period, with a dunk, a put-back, and free throws, he single-handedly scored 6 points!
But on the Celtics' side, Carter responded with a dunk, He Xi Meng with a step-back three, and Yao Ming with a catch-and-shoot three...
For James's 6 points, the Celtics replied with 8!
If this rhythm continued, how could the Cavaliers possibly have a strong comeback?
Enraged, James immediately signaled to the head coach on the sidelines, requesting a timeout.