Chapter 158 - Critical Moment

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During the regular season, Wang Chong had been the league's top scorer in isolation plays. Even Kobe Bryant, despite his high offensive power, slightly trailed behind in shooting efficiency. Although their points per game were comparable, Wang Chong's shooting percentage was significantly higher, underscoring his superior one-on-one scoring ability.

Seeing this, LeBron immediately tightened his defense, knowing full well the challenge he faced. Over the past three seasons, LeBron had realized that he couldn't fully shut down Wang Chong. Still, as the Cavaliers' best option to defend against him, LeBron took on the responsibility, hoping to at least limit Wang Chong and exhaust some of his energy.

Even under LeBron's tight defense, Wang Chong had to be more conservative in his shot selection. His scoring, though inevitable, wouldn't come as easily as it did against less capable defenders.

Wang Chong, looking at LeBron, also had a plan of his own.

"Alright, time to test out my Hall of Fame-level sharpshooter badge," he thought.

Although this was their third playoff matchup, Wang Chong and LeBron hadn't had many direct confrontations before, as Wang Chong usually didn't feel the need to attack LeBron head-on. But with the Bulls facing a tough situation in this game, Wang Chong was ready to unleash his full strength.

He dribbled the ball, accelerating past LeBron before pulling up for a jumper from around 20 feet—ignoring the fact that LeBron was right in front of him.

LeBron was momentarily stunned. Wang Chong didn't even attempt a fake move; he just shot, as if LeBron wasn't there. It felt like a direct insult to LeBron, who usually forced opponents into tougher shots with step-backs or pick-and-rolls.

LeBron's athleticism allowed him to make up for his slight height disadvantage, and his defense often led to contested or blocked shots. His long arms stretched out, completely obstructing Wang Chong's vision, and he was only a split second away from making the block. But just as LeBron extended his hand, Wang Chong released the ball, narrowly missing LeBron's fingertips.

LeBron felt confident that his defensive effort was almost flawless. He believed Wang Chong couldn't have seen the basket with his view blocked and was sure the shot wouldn't go in.

"Swish!"

The sound of the ball smoothly going through the net stunned LeBron. He turned around to see the ball bouncing on the floor while the referee signaled a valid three-pointer.

It went in!

LeBron took a hard look at Wang Chong, realizing just how terrifying an opponent he was. Few players in the league could make that shot, but Wang Chong did it effortlessly. Was it just luck?

Before LeBron could process it fully, the Cavaliers were back on offense. LeBron drew a foul while forcing his way to the basket and earned a trip to the free-throw line. His opponent, Luol Deng, was now in foul trouble and had to be subbed out. Brian Grant, a former star now relegated to a bench role, came in to defend LeBron.

Grant, once a solid player who averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds, was now just an expensive contract, contributing little on the court. His $14.34 million salary was more of a burden to the Bulls, who were likely planning to trade him in the offseason.

LeBron hit 1 of 2 free throws, adding a point to the Cavaliers' lead. But on the next possession, Wang Chong calmly handled the ball at the top of the three-point line once again. He faced off against LeBron, pulled up for another mid-range jumper, and just like before—swish! It went in.

LeBron, frustrated, couldn't believe it. Wang Chong had done it again, even under intense pressure. The Cavaliers' defense had barely any effect on him.

Wang Chong continued to test his newly acquired sharpshooter badge, attempting another shot in LeBron's face. This time, the ball rimmed out, giving the Cavaliers a momentary sigh of relief.

But the brief respite didn't last long. The Cavaliers turned the ball over when their point guard casually attempted a pass, only for Monta Ellis to dive in and steal it. Ellis, though not known for his defense, used his speed to disrupt the Cavaliers' offense and sprinted down the court for a fast break.

James was right behind him, closing the gap with frightening speed. The crowd at Cleveland's home court rose to their feet, knowing what was coming—LeBron's famous chase-down block. But Ellis, well-prepared after countless team reviews of LeBron's defensive tendencies, pulled back just before shooting and passed the ball to the corner.

LeBron's heart sank. Wang Chong was wide open in the right corner and wasted no time catching the ball and firing off a three-pointer.

"Swish!"

The Bulls had erased the Cavaliers' 10-point halftime lead in just a few minutes of the third quarter, with Wang Chong scoring 7 consecutive points. The Cavaliers, in contrast, could only muster a single point from LeBron's free throw.

Wang Chong's mid-range jumper and sharp shooting continued to dominate, leaving the Cavaliers scrambling. When they attempted to double-team Wang Chong, he quickly passed to Luol Deng, who used his off-ball movement to create easy scoring opportunities.

The Cavaliers tried everything, but they couldn't stop the Bulls' offense. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers' lead had been whittled down to just 2 points. With momentum on their side, the Bulls surged forward, taking the lead and building a 5-point cushion halfway through the fourth quarter.

LeBron, exhausted from carrying the Cavaliers on both ends of the floor, began to make mistakes. His once-dominant presence on the court faltered under the Bulls' relentless pressure.

By the end of the game, the Cavaliers' home crowd sat in stunned silence. Their once-commanding lead had evaporated, and the Bulls, led by Wang Chong's brilliance, emerged victorious. The fans were left questioning the gap between the two teams, as the Cavaliers' strength seemed to pale in comparison to the unstoppable force that was Wang Chong.

Chandler, hands raised and motionless, looked in disbelief as he angrily approached the referee to protest.

"Dude! I didn't even touch him! How is that a defensive foul?"

It's no wonder Chandler turned red on the spot; with this call, he had already committed six fouls and would be ejected according to NBA rules. With over four minutes left in the game, the Bulls would have to continue fighting against the Cavaliers without their main center.

I have to say, the referee might be the most stable player on the Cavaliers aside from James.

Wang Chong wouldn't let Chandler continue arguing with the referee. The other side might give him another technical foul, and the Bulls would be the ones to suffer.

The Bulls currently had the upper hand on the court. A five-point advantage is significant, especially since the Cavaliers were struggling to stop Wang Chong from attacking and scoring. Even without Chandler, Wang Chong was confident he could lead the team to victory.

However, Chandler's ejection was a major blow to the Bulls' defensive system. Without their main force protecting the basket, James' offensive efficiency returned to form. Big Z also began to recover offensively, scoring two consecutive baskets and narrowing the gap to just one point.

But this one-point gap later became insurmountable for the Cavaliers.

No matter how smoothly their offense ran, as long as they couldn't stop Wang Chong from scoring on the defensive end, the scores for both teams kept rising.

The game ticked down minute by minute, and amid the tension from the Cavaliers' home fans, it soon reached the final minute.

At this point, the score was 116-117, with the Bulls still leading by one point and only a minute left in the game.

The Cavaliers had the ball, and the basketball was still in James' hands. Even though James was exhausted, he was the only player on the team who could guarantee a high shooting percentage.

Holding the ball at the top of the arc, James lacked the energy to dribble and break past Luol Deng, who was defending him closely. So he raised his hand to call for a pick-and-roll and drove toward the basket with the help of his teammates.

Chandler, the Bulls' defensive anchor, had already fouled out and was sitting on the bench.

On the court for the Bulls was bench center Othella Harrington, an inside swingman who averaged eight points and four rebounds per game since joining the Bulls last season.

Seeing James charging toward him with the ball, Harrington didn't hesitate; he went straight up and threw James to the ground.

Since Chandler was ejected, Harrington had strictly followed the coach's orders—whenever James drives into the paint, he was to hit him hard! As long as it wasn't a particularly egregious flagrant foul, it was worth it to foul James defensively. After all, the opponent's ability to attack the basket was indeed exaggerated. Once the opponent broke through the outer defense and drove into the restricted area, it was better to foul him early and let him take free throws, thus avoiding the risk of a 2+1.

James fell heavily to the ground, momentarily dazed, but he was truly tough.

In terms of physical condition, no other player in league history has matched James' physicality.

If Wang Chong had a growth template card and had to choose among James, Durant, Antetokounmpo, and Bird, he wouldn't hesitate to pick James.

In his 20-year professional career, while James has earned many free throws due to flopping and superstar calls, there have been numerous instances where flagrant fouls against him were deemed ordinary.

To stop James's rampage, other teams in the league have tried every possible means. If some of the fouls committed against other players, like Durant, had happened to them, they would have been disabled long ago.

However, if other stars faced that kind of intense defensive treatment on the court, their opponents would likely have accumulated many flagrant and technical fouls long before.

But for James, those fouls are like mere tickles; at most, he suffers minor injuries. Looking at his career, he missed more games due to injuries at the end of his time with the Lakers, which highlights his remarkable physical fitness.

The outcome was the same this time.

James, knocked to the ground, stood up as if nothing had happened and walked to the free-throw line.

The Cavaliers fans held their breath, anxiously hoping James would make both free throws and change the score.

But they were destined for disappointment.

At the free-throw line, James took a deep breath, barely sinking the first shot. The second shot bounced off the rim.

Wang Chong anticipated where the basketball would land and immediately rushed out, leaping to secure the rebound.

With Chandler off the court, Wang Chong was the primary force in securing rebounds.

This season, Wang Chong averages nine rebounds per game—a respectable number.

Durant's peak rebounding ability is only 77, which is not particularly high, but he has exceptional height and wingspan for an inside player, combined with the agility and jumping ability of an outside player. Thus, Wang Chong's rebounding ability is solid. While grabbing offensive rebounds may require some effort, defensive rebounds come easily.

The same applies to Durant; he averages 7.1 rebounds per game over his career, comparable to James. Furthermore, the Cavaliers lack frontcourt rebounding specialists, making it easier to secure defensive rebounds.

After grabbing the basketball, Wang Chong chose not to pass but instead quickly advanced toward the backcourt.

Though it wasn't a fast-break counterattack, Wang Chong's speed was impressive, putting significant pressure on the Cavaliers. Even James, in front of him, was retreating to maintain his defensive position.

Soon, both sides found themselves in the Cavaliers' backcourt, with James retreating to the three-point line.

At this point, Wang Chong positioned himself at a 45-degree angle to the left of the three-point line, still a good one and a half meters away from it.

James thought this distance was safe, believing his opponent wouldn't shoot, so he positioned himself further back, near the edge of the three-point line, keeping an eye on other Bulls players.

But the next moment, Wang Chong suddenly took the ball and shot from over a meter beyond the three-point line.

James had never expected Wang Chong to be so audacious as to shoot from such a distance. By the time he reacted and moved to defend, it was already too late.

The basketball sailed toward the basket, tracing a perfect arc in the air before settling in the hoop under the watchful eyes of everyone.

For a moment, the entire arena fell silent.

Originally, after James made a free throw, the two teams were tied at 117-117, keeping a great chance of winning alive.

But with Wang Chong's ultra-long-range three-pointer, the score shifted to 117-120, creating a three-point difference. With less than 30 seconds left in the game, the Cavaliers had only one offensive chance left. They would need to attempt a three-pointer to tie the game and then do everything possible to defend against the Bulls' last attack to fight for a chance at overtime.

The Cavaliers didn't have a three-point specialist; Larry Hughes was their most accurate shooter this season, averaging 36.8% from beyond the arc.

The success rate of the Cavaliers' three-point shooting was too low.

The Cavaliers coach called a timeout to devise a strategy, but both the players on the court and the fans in the stands felt their hearts sink.

Although they tried to force themselves not to think about the consequences, it was hard to ignore that if the Cavaliers lost this game, they would be down 3-0... Would they still have a chance to come back? The answer was obviously no.

Wang Chong sat on the bench, listening to the coach loudly explain how to focus on defending against the opponent's three-point shots, but he wasn't paying attention.

At that moment, he felt it was karma.

When he shot that three-pointer, it was purely on a whim. He was standing in that familiar position at the left 45-degree angle, where Durant had delivered fatal blows to James and the Cavaliers for two consecutive years in the future, earning him the nickname "Grim Reaper" for his ability to strike with deadly precision.

So when Wang Chong found himself in that position, inspiration struck him, and he shot without thinking.

He was also surprised by the shot; he seldom attempted three-pointers from such a distance. Although he shared the same overall ability level as Durant, he couldn't guarantee a successful hit.

Unexpectedly, luck was on his side, and the shot went in.

It was unfortunate for James. After being defeated by Durant for two consecutive years at the peak of his career, now, early in his career, he had to endure the feeling of being outshone by a newcomer.

But it didn't matter; experiences like this would become more familiar with time, and he would have plenty of opportunities in the future.

The timeout ended quickly, and the Cavaliers inbounded the ball. James successfully caught it after running back, but the Bulls employed a full-court press strategy, with all players except the center tightly guarding the perimeter to prevent any opportunity for a three-point shot.

This was a logical move. Anyone who wasn't foolish knew the Cavaliers could only attempt three-pointers at this point; the Bulls needed to defend against shots rather than allowing any breakthroughs.

After both teams were locked in for more than ten seconds, the tension mounted as everyone waited for what might be the last shot. But then James made a choice that stunned everyone.

He suddenly accelerated with the ball, passing Luol Deng, who was closely guarding him, and drove straight to the basket, scoring with a powerful tomahawk dunk.

In that moment, everyone was taken aback.

The Cavaliers players were

 stunned, and even the Bulls players looked bewildered.

What was that? He chose to drive for two points?

Fourteen seconds elapsed from the moment James received the ball until he broke through and scored, leaving the Cavaliers with only 16 seconds of the 30-second game clock.

After scoring, the Cavaliers still trailed the Bulls by one point, 119-120, and the Bulls retained possession. Wasn't this essentially handing victory to the opponent?

James didn't seem to think so. After scoring, he shouted to his teammates: "Foul immediately after the ball is in! Bet they won't make their free throws!"

Upon hearing James, the Cavaliers players felt a bitter taste in their mouths. They wanted to protest but didn't know how to start.

Why would they place the game's fate in someone else's hands? Was the chance of the Bulls missing free throws greater than their chance of hitting a three-pointer?

The answer was obviously no.

The Bulls inbounded the ball, passing it directly to Wang Chong.

As a player who successfully entered the 180 club during the regular season, Wang Chong had the highest free throw percentage on the team. It was only natural for him to take the critical free throws.

James' hopes were dashed. Wang Chong stood at the free-throw line and made both shots steadily, pushing the score difference back to three points.

However, there was a notable difference now: the Cavaliers had previously enjoyed 24 seconds to organize their attack following a timeout. Now, after two seconds were consumed from the time the Bulls inbounded to when the Cavaliers committed a foul, the Cavaliers were left with only 14 seconds to attack. Having already exhausted all their timeouts, they had to move the ball from the backcourt to the front, which was significantly more challenging.

No one could comprehend what James was thinking when he opted to drive and dunk.

The only exception was Wang Chong.

He understood exactly what James was contemplating.

With that dunk, James officially reached 41 points, surpassing the 40-point mark.

As a first-time playoff player, scoring 40+ points in a game is certainly a point of pride. It would be even better if he could win, but if he failed, who would blame a player who gave his all to score 41 points for the team?

In the end, the score remained at 119-123.

After the Cavaliers shot free throws, James took control of the ball and pushed past half-court under pressure from the Bulls players. However, time was running out. James rushed to the three-point line, made a slight adjustment, and then forced a shot against a defender, executing a beautiful three-point attempt as time expired.

The Bulls successfully reversed the situation at the Cavaliers' home court, ultimately defeating them 123-119. They won the third game of the series, taking a commanding lead with a total score of 3-0 and were just one step away from sweeping the Cavaliers.

End of this chapter

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