The Golden Age of Basketball

Taking advantage of the few minutes Gan Guoyang was off the court, James seized the moment to score using his speed and impact, taking control of the team’s main offensive play.

No way around it; Ah Gan’s defense was indeed very troublesome for James.

Among all the defensive stalwarts in the NBA, the one James feared most was Gan Guoyang.

Surprisingly, against spider-like players like Garnett, James wasn’t scared; he could score against Garnett despite his defense.

Garnett’s long-arm blockade often fails in the face of absolute explosiveness, impact, and power.

Heavyweights like Howard and Duncan do intimidate James a bit, yet once he gains momentum and adeptly uses his footwork, he can break through their defenses and score.

Only Gan Guoyang consistently let James shoot instead of driving, expertly blocking his paths, and with the added trouble of Yao Ming or Mutombo at the back, James was left with only the option of shooting contested shots.

When in good form, he could gain some advantage, but when not, he had to switch to a clever mode, bypassing opportunities and mismatches.

From an efficiency standpoint, this approach isn’t wrong; scoring is better than missing shots, avoiding direct confrontation while playing to one’s strengths isn’t a bad strategy.

However, the tougher portion of the match had to be handled by Gilbert Arenas.

In this regard, Arenas stepped up without hesitation; he was a disciplinant of Ah Gan, always remembering the teachings of Lao Gan, striving to set an example, unite teammates, and lead the team.

So, even though the Cavaliers’ management, owner, and many fans supported James, Arenas still received his teammates’ support, especially veterans like Miller and Weber, who considered Arenas the leader in the locker room. Miller stated, "In Arenas, I see the shadow of Ah Gan."

Although James secretly competed, he was never the type to openly tear relationships and compete overtly; moreover, their play styles complemented each other well. Arenas’s ball handling and shooting, along with his ability to space the floor, were exactly what James needed, with Rick Carlisle anchoring the team, maintaining a delicate balance within the Cavaliers.

This balance reached a "tightrope" point this season; if any side tilted, the balance would immediately be disrupted.

For example, should LeBron James’s battle power expand further, Arenas weaken, or Rick Carlisle decide to fully support one side.

In terms of time and probability, the advantage lies with James; being younger, with greater potential and commercial value, waiting patiently ensures the Cavaliers will ultimately be his team.

In-game, James was also patient enough, precisely calculating Ah Gan’s playing and rotation times, capitalizing on the offensive, accelerating the pace, and adding points for the Cavaliers.

Within three minutes, James combined drives, shots, and free throws to score 8 points, pushing the score from 41:32 to 45:40, with the Cavaliers trailing the Glory Team by only 5 points.

The home crowd cheered loudly; James’s ability in fast breaks and transitional plays was indeed formidable. Without anyone controlling him in advance, from the backcourt to a reverse lay-in, his impact was considerable.

Although James’s shooting had notable issues, his finishing at the rim remained excellent; under strong air-based confrontation, he maintained stable shooting, successfully scoring, and his scoring percentage at the basket looked impressive.

Seeing this, Porter called a timeout, bringing Gan Guoyang back onto the court. Before entering, Porter said, "Sonny, you can’t play just half and leave in the second half."

Gan Guoyang nodded and said, "I understand, I’ll be with LeBron. No worries, the game is still long."

As Gan Guoyang entered, James voluntarily sat back on the bench, taking a rest without Carlisle’s orders.

"LeBron, finish the first half."

"I think I need a break to store energy for the second half," replied James.

Carlisle couldn’t say much, having to adjust the tactical setup, letting Arenas carry the team’s offense.

A dual-core team indeed has its advantages; in the current defense-oriented environment, having two main ball handlers take turns leading ensures much better offensive continuity, reducing the chances of stalling.

In this match, both teams essentially fielded their strongest lineups, going all out, without deploying a large batch of substitutes for lineup chemistry.

Both Porter and Carlisle valued the tactical experiment outcome of this match, given the possibility of encountering each other in the Finals.

Regarding James taking a rest to conserve energy, Carlisle was rather displeased, while Arenas was even less satisfied.

In this match, Arenas’s offense was fractured by Glory’s defense, lacking good opportunities, with the rhythm in shambles.

However, in Arenas’s view, instead of Glory’s defense being too formidable, it was more about James’s erratic rhythm.

In favorable conditions, he would push aggressively; when disadvantaged or facing Ah Gan’s primary defense, he passed the tough assignments to Arenas.

In usual games, this wasn’t seen, even when playing against the Celtics, where James performed valiantly.

Privately competing, yet publicly they were Cleveland’s twin stars, the hope of the Cavaliers, cooperating seamlessly on the court.

Arenas acknowledged James’s talent; with this guy supporting on the wing, the team’s plays became indeed difficult for most teams to resist.

However, every time against Glory, Arenas felt something was off, playing clumsily. Tonight, it was utterly clear; you were just avoiding Ah Gan!