LeBron James, your house got robbed.

Chapter 113 The Wolf King's Bloodlust Buff

Garnett's incredibly tenacious return as a king completely changed the momentum of the game.

The referee quickly issued a ruling, firstly stating that it was a clear shooting foul, as Garnett was already attacking the basket with the ball.

At the same time, Westbrook was given a Flagrant Foul 1, which was an unnecessary physical contact.

Garnett stands at the free-throw line and will take four free throws in a row.

A huge chorus of boos erupted at the Energy Arena in an attempt to distract the free throw.

After feeling the ball firmly with both hands, Garnett slapped it three times in a familiar rhythm, brought the ball to his chest, paused briefly, and then shot.

"Swish"

The commotion at the Energy Arena subsided instantly.

From Chen Shuo's angle, it was clear that Garnett was nodding emphatically and muttering to himself, probably very satisfied with his performance.

Garnett then became even more dominant, making all his free throws.

5:17

Energy Arena's four consecutive attempts to disrupt the game ultimately failed, which significantly dampened the home team's momentum.

Garnett's free throw percentage this season is 82%, and it's close to 8% throughout his career. Keep in mind that the free throw line is the sweet spot for a tough, high-flying jump shot.

The problem with Wolf King is that he's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to playing. He doesn't like to seek contact and draw fouls, which results in a consistently low number of free throws and prevents him from increasing his overall output.

A malicious foul resulted in two free throws and possession of the ball.

After the Cavaliers inbounded the ball from the sideline, they passed it to the red-hot Garnett again.

Faced with continuous probing, Ibaka stood firmly on his feet this time, as if rooted to the spot. Garnett didn't hold back either, raising his hand and unleashing a powerful jump shot.

Ibaka launched himself forward like a cannonball, displaying terrifying talent, but he could only watch as Garnett completed his shot.

5:19

"You're like a robot, you idiot."

"Rookie, could you jump any higher? You almost blocked my shot."

Ibaka's shot was clearly an overreaction after being fooled, and in his nervousness, he forgot that Garnett relied on his big jump shot for his livelihood.

Frustrated by Garnett's incessant chatter, Ibaka turned and went back to the basket to inbound the ball.

At this moment, Garnett was practically on steroids, and his mouth was naturally constantly moving.

"Kid, guard that guy. If he scores on you, I'll kick your ass."

"Give that skinny, softie some weight, stop fucking letting him catch the ball so easily."

"Guys, show them what Finals-level defense is all about."

"Go ahead and defend boldly, don't fucking hesitate, I'm right behind you."

The camera pans to Garnett, who is slapping the free-throw line with one hand, his center of gravity low, his muscles tense, and his eyes fixed on the front like a predatory beast.

In an instant, the Cavaliers' defense escalated to an almost frantic level.

Jeremy Lin stepped forward and used his chest to block Westbrook's charge. While stabilizing himself, he stretched out his arm and aggressively pressed down on the basketball.

On the other side, Leonard lowered his center of gravity, pressing his shoulder against Durant's waist, making it difficult for Durant to even stand. His large hands acted like iron hoops, restricting Durant's range of movement.

Thompson used a different approach, constantly moving in small, quick steps in front of Harden, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, sometimes in front, forming a dynamic barrier to prevent Harden from receiving the ball.

Battier left Sefolosha unmarked, his skillful movement roaming the entire formation. A sudden double-team appeared behind Durant, forcing the latter to expose the ball.

With a blank expression, Leonard was like a tiger unleashed from its cage. In an instant, he covered the ball with both hands, his muscles bulging, and snatched the ball from Durant's hands.

Perhaps spurred on by Garnett, Leonard flicked the ball forward, revved the engine, caught up with the ball in the frontcourt, jumped up, knocked Westbrook aside in mid-air, and shoved the ball firmly into the basket.

His powerful physique was unmistakable.

Throughout the first quarter, the Cavaliers maintained an extremely high level of energy, relentlessly attacking the Thunder with their frenzied and aggressive defense and unwavering fast breaks, completely stunning the Thunder players and the entire Energy Arena.

10:32

"The Cavaliers, without Paul, led the Thunder by 22 points in a single quarter; their momentum was completely unstoppable."

"Every Cavaliers player on the court was like a wild beast that hadn't eaten for ten days."

In the first quarter, the Cavaliers played their starters for the full 12 minutes, using that momentum to gain a starting advantage.

During the timeout, Chen Shuo handed a towel to Jeremy Lin and looked at him, saying, "You only have two to three minutes to rest."

Jeremy Lin took the towel and wiped the sweat off his hair.

"I don't need to rest."

"I can play the entire game."

"I've been waiting for this opportunity all my life."

Chen Shuo stared into Jeremy Lin's pupils, clear-headed yet filled with longing, then turned and beckoned Chandler over: "Tyson, set screens for Lin at the high post, give him plenty of space."

Chandler patted his chest and gestured to Jeremy Lin.

Chen Shuo looked at Jeremy Lin again and said with absolute certainty, "Don't hesitate at all, and don't worry about what happens. Just go in and follow your heart."

The referee blew the whistle, and the second quarter began.

The Cavaliers have almost completely changed their starting lineup.

Chandler, Parsons, Ariza, Green, and Lin's unexpected outburst in the first quarter ignited the Cavaliers' inner frenzy, as if giving the Cavaliers players a bloodthirsty buff, making them fight and bite without regard for their own energy or stamina.

While building a 22-point lead, they also completely exhausted the starting players' stamina.

Therefore, Chen Shuo must ensure that the starting lineup, including Garnett, gets enough rest.

The Thunder, on the other hand, adopted a bolder rotation strategy.

They only rested Durant for two minutes at the end of the first quarter, and the strongest lineup of one big man and four small men was still on the court in the second quarter.

With Ibaka, Durant, Sefolosha, Harden, and Westbrook, the Thunder had no other options. If they didn't come back in the second quarter, the rest of the game would be over.

In the first game back, Westbrook put a lot of pressure on Jeremy Lin, and his excellent physical attributes gave him an absolute advantage in this matchup.

Fortunately, after Chandler inbounded the ball, he kept looking for opportunities in the backcourt, using his body as a pillar to help Jeremy Lin get away.

When he reached the top of the arc, Chandler's broad body appeared next to Westbrook once again. Jeremy Lin seized the opportunity, exerted force with his feet, and quickly broke free with his first step.

Unfortunately, Ibaka was well-positioned, blocking Jeremy Lin's path to the basket.

For guards like Jeremy Lin who rely on their first step, their driving routes are straightforward. Once their first step is blocked, they can only collect the ball.

Fortunately, Parsons was quick enough to keep moving around, which allowed Jeremy Lin to successfully pass the ball.

However, Parsons was also unable to attack independently against Durant. After a series of passes on the perimeter, Ariza on the wing finally managed to get a shot off 24 seconds before the buzzer.

"Duang"

Brooks, however, looked even more serious on the sidelines.

Although the Cavaliers' bench failed to score, they also did not commit any turnovers. The most frightening thing was that the moment Ariza released his shot, all the players were already in the right defensive positions.

Chandler abandoned the offensive rebound and ran back to the backcourt to position himself in the paint.

Ariza clung tightly to Durant, while Green stayed right next to Harden.

Jeremy Lin immediately locked onto Westbrook, stealing the ball the moment it went inbounds. Meanwhile, even Parsons, who hadn't played much in the playoffs, was hovering near the mid-court line, ready to double-team Lin at any moment.

This bench unit has a pitifully weak offensive development capability.

Their ferocity and madness on the defensive end are in no way inferior to those of the starters.

Garnett, who was substituted off the court, did not sit down to rest. Instead, he stood on the sidelines, talking incessantly and urging his teammates to make runs and rotate.

"God, the Cavaliers are practically cheating. They have six players on defense, and KG is leaving his bloodlust and passion on the court."