Classic Scene - Eight Parts That Explain Military Power

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Wang Chong's tomahawk dunk was completely different from James's. While it didn't have the violent aesthetic or sense of power that James's dunk possessed, the stretch of Wang Chong's body in an arch mid-air was absolutely perfect, creating a visual impact that was in no way inferior to James's.

The United Center erupted as a result. The fans in the stands cheered and screamed wildly not only because of Wang Chong's powerful tomahawk dunk but also because, during the one-on-one battle between Wang Chong and James, the Bulls had already secured a 7-4 lead. With the additional 7-point advantage from the first half, the difference between the two teams had grown into double digits!

The Heat immediately called a timeout and decided to put Wade and Bosh back on the floor earlier than planned.

Although the two hadn't rested enough, the situation on the court left them with no choice. If this continued, they would essentially be conceding the game!

The Heat sent their Big Three back onto the floor, but the Bulls only made slight adjustments. On the court, the Bulls had Billups, Thornton, Wang Chong, Gasol, and O'Neal.

Gasol played as a power forward, allowing O'Neal to take over the center position. This was a rare arrangement for the Bulls, and it was specifically designed to counter the Heat.

The Heat's interior defense was already weak, but facing two massive centers like Gasol and O'Neal, their paint defense collapsed instantly.

O'Neal, who had suffered an injury during the regular season and only played 46 games, didn't possess much athletic ability at this stage, but when he could catch the ball in the paint, there were very few players in the league who could effectively guard him, let alone the Heat's frontcourt. Against O'Neal, the Heat were left with defenders like Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem.

As long as the Bulls successfully fed the ball into the paint, O'Neal could easily score with an absurdly high shooting percentage.

On the defensive side, O'Neal didn't need to exert much energy either. Since Bosh was being defended by Gasol and Joel Anthony wasn't much of a threat offensively, O'Neal didn't need to make an effort on that end. He could simply hang out in the paint for three-second violations or roam outside, adding some extra pressure to the Heat's offense.

This allowed O'Neal to focus almost entirely on scoring. He didn't even need to rush back on defense, which extended his time on the court and caused serious damage to the Heat's paint.

After playing 5 minutes, O'Neal was subbed out. Given his current condition, it was rare for him to be able to stay on the floor for that long.

During those 5 minutes, O'Neal made 3 of 5 shots, 1 of 2 free throws, contributing 7 points and 2 rebounds.

In the 5 minutes after the Heat's Big Three returned to the game, the Bulls' lead not only remained intact but grew even further. It was now a 14-point advantage!

With the third quarter winding down and the Bulls having substituted their entire starting lineup, Heat fans were beginning to feel a sense of desperation.

Only the final quarter remained, but the gap was 14 points. Even Heat fans were starting to accept that it would be incredibly difficult for their team to close that gap and mount a comeback. After all, Wang Chong had yet to reveal his full strength. With 12 points in the third quarter alone, his current total was only 23 points.

Considering his previous games, where Wang Chong easily scored over 30 and even 40 points, it was clear the Heat could expect a fierce onslaught in the final quarter. It was doubtful that the Heat could withstand his attack, let alone make a comeback.

Indeed, in the final quarter, the Heat, led by Wade, launched a furious attack. However, Wang Chong was able to immediately respond each time, and they couldn't close the gap. As time ran out, the Heat could only watch helplessly as the game came to an end.

"Screech--!"

The buzzer sounded, and the Bulls defeated the Heat 107-95, a 12-point victory.

As the Heat's primary offensive weapon, Wade scored 34 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Heat's defeat. James added 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 46% from the field (6 of 13). Although that shooting percentage wasn't low, it was his direct face-off with Wang Chong in the third quarter that caused the Heat's lead to evaporate and the game to slip away.

As for Chris Bosh, the third member of the Heat's Big Three, he was practically invisible in this game. Under Garnett's defense, Bosh hit 6 of 14 shots for 15 points and 7 rebounds. Garnett, who also scored only 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, didn't fare much better than Bosh. However, Bosh, despite being younger and supposedly in his prime, struggled to handle Garnett, who was 34 years old and in the twilight of his career.

It's worth noting that Garnett, despite his injuries, still managed to hold Bosh in check, showing that the veteran's defensive savvy could still make an impact. The two players essentially played to a draw, but Garnett's ability to neutralize Bosh highlighted the young Heat star's limitations.

For the Bulls, Wang Chong led the way with a game-high 39 points, while Gasol added 21 points and 11 rebounds. Although Curry was the focus of Wade's defense, he managed to score only 14 points on 4 of 12 shooting. Nonetheless, the Bulls' offensive firepower was unaffected by this.

The Bulls claimed victory in the first game, which aligned with the expectations of most fans.

While the strength of both teams was clear during the regular season, the Bulls remained the more formidable team in the playoffs, despite the heightened intensity of the matchups.

After the Bulls secured their first win, they were ready to give it their all in the second game, two days later. They won again, 103-97, and took a commanding 2-0 series lead. The next two games were on the road, and if the Bulls could win one of them, they'd have a chance to close out the series.

For the Heat, there was no room for error.

As a "superteam" that had assembled the Big Three in the summer, the Miami Heat had only one goal: the championship. But now they were on the verge of falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals, and possibly not even making it to the Finals at all. How had things come to this?

On May 22, during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat felt pressure to respond on their home court. Wade exploded, shooting 13 of 20, 8 of 12 from the free-throw line, scoring 36 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists. He led the Heat to a narrow 95-93 victory, cutting the Bulls' series lead to 2-1.

With Wade firing on all cylinders, his ball-handling and attacking the rim were lethal against the Bulls. Garnett fouled out of the game, and Gasol also picked up 5 fouls.

However, Wade's brilliance was somewhat overshadowed by the advantage of the home whistle, which gave the Heat a slight edge.

In the Bulls vs. Heat matchup, Wang Chong vs. the Big Three was a highly anticipated battle. In the league's eyes, they certainly didn't want the series to end in just four games. Ideally, they'd stretch it to a dramatic finish, as the stakes and intensity of the matchup were simply too high to be decided so quickly.

On May 24, Game 4 took place in the American Airlines Arena, once again in Miami.

Wade continued his strong performance from the previous game, scoring 32 points.

In this game, Bosh finally stepped up under Garnett's constant pressure. He scored 24 points and grabbed 9 rebounds on 9 of 19 shooting, while Wade contributed 56 points in total. It seemed like this was another potential victory for the Heat.

However, no one expected that, when Wade and Bosh played well, James would completely fall apart.

In the first three games, although James wasn't the team's primary offensive leader, he had still played solidly, averaging over 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. He had been a great complementary piece to Wade.

But in Game 4, James seemed to disappear. He played listlessly throughout the game, scoring only 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists on 3 of 11 shooting.

James's poor performance was the Heat's undoing. They had the lead at halftime, but the Bulls launched a 12-2 run in the second half and managed to defeat the Heat 92-89.

This loss was a huge blow, as it put the Bulls ahead 3-1 and they were now just one game away from clinching the series.

Heat fans were stunned. How had this happened? Nine points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in a must-win game? Shooting 27%? Was it possible that James, upset about Wade being the focal point of the offense, had intentionally sabotaged the team's efforts?

Wang Chong had not expected this iconic "military power release" scene to occur so early, in the Eastern Conference Finals, not the Finals. Although James scored one more point than in Game 3 (

9 points), the outcome was no different.

The Heat's loss was entirely James's fault, and no amount of excuses could change that.

The only consolation for James was that, given the state of the Heat's roster, it wasn't too hard for fans to accept that the Bulls were likely about to win the Eastern Conference Finals.

By contrast, in the 2011 Finals, when the Heat faced the Mavericks, no one thought the Mavericks had a chance to defeat the Heat. The talent gap between the two teams was so vast that when the Mavericks upset the Heat, it felt like an earth-shattering surprise.

In the end, higher expectations led to greater disappointment.

But regardless of the level of expectations, James was now facing the lowest point in his career. The Big Three had failed to win a championship together, and his own poor performances in crucial moments were a major part of the reason why.

If James failed to win a championship with the Heat, it would surely go down as one of the biggest jokes in NBA history.

After Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, James avoided speaking to the media, appearing only at the post-game press conference. If paparazzi managed to snap a shot of him traveling, he was usually seen wearing a dark, unhappy expression.

But what was coming next was still ahead.

On May 26, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals took place at the United Center in Chicago.

The Bulls, firmly in control at home, gave the Heat no chance, defeating them 87-83 and knocking the Big Three out of the playoffs with a 4-1 series victory, advancing to their fifth consecutive Finals.

Although the Big Three's performance wasn't terrible—Wade scored 28 points, James had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, and Bosh added 20 points and 10 rebounds—there was a glaring issue: no other player on the Heat had a double-digit scoring game. Aside from the Big Three, only Mike Miller (7 points), Mario Chalmers (4 points), and Joel Anthony (3 points) scored.

This anomaly in scoring was stunning and highlighted the Heat's current predicament: apart from their Big Three, there was no reliable talent on the roster.

When the final buzzer sounded, James immediately walked off the court, heading to the locker room without a backward glance.

Wade, with a resigned smile, stepped forward to embrace Wang Chong and offer his congratulations.

"I'm convinced that we're no match for you when we team up. You're going to the Finals and fighting for your fourth championship."

End of this chapter

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