LeBron James running away? He's going all in on Curry.

Chapter 19 Opening Match! The First Signs of a Three-Point Rain

The 2011-2012 NBA regular season has finally begun amidst much anticipation.

Cleveland, Quicken Loans Arena.

Half an hour before the start of the new season's opening game, the entire arena was already packed.

Despite widespread pessimism from the American media regarding this Cavaliers team "without Kyrie Irving" and composed of a bunch of "blue-collar puzzle pieces," Cleveland's die-hard fans still chose to believe in the young owner who shouted "Trust the process."

Inside the highest-class, exclusive luxury box reserved for the owner of the stadium.

Su Yang held a glass of champagne and leaned back lazily on the leather sofa.

Beside him nestled a stunningly beautiful woman who drew the attention of countless male fans and the broadcast cameras.

It was Su Yang who brought Dilraba from China to the United States, where she was "nourishd" in a luxurious villa in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles for a whole year.

A year of living the life of a pampered young lady in a wealthy family, coupled with the management of a top-notch styling team, has allowed Dilraba to completely shed the naivety of a college student she had when she first arrived.

At this moment, she wore a black haute couture deep V dress that outlined her breathtakingly hot curves. Her snow-white skin glowed with a charming luster under the soft lights of the private room, and her every move exuded a lazy yet alluring oriental charm.

"Boss, you specially called me all the way from Los Angeles for this opening game. Aren't you afraid of neglecting the one in Cleveland?" Reba nestled against Su Yang's chest, her fingers gently tracing circles, her tone carrying a hint of spoiled coquettishness.

Su Yang glanced down at the beauty in his arms, chuckled, and casually pinched her soft cheek: "Nazha's been taking figure classes in New York lately, so she hasn't had time for you. Besides, you've been doing well in English this year, so I brought you here today to witness what a real competition is like, consider it a reward."

"Thank you, boss~" Dilraba smiled sweetly, obediently peeled a grape and fed it to Su Yang, then looked down at the stadium with him.

Tonight, the Cavaliers' opening game opponent is the Toronto Raptors from the North.

While the Raptors may not be considered a top-tier team, they possess a scorer with explosive athleticism like DeMar DeRozan and a stretch big man like Andrea Bargnani, making them a force to be reckoned with.

In the pre-game betting odds, almost all experts predicted that the Raptors would easily defeat the Cavaliers, who were still in the "integration period," on the road.

"beep--!"

With the referee's whistle, the match officially began!

The Cavaliers' starting lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Paul Millsap, and Marc Gasol.

Raptors center Bargnani and Marc Gasol jump ball at center court.

With his more solid foundation and strength, Marc Gasol tipped the ball back to his own half. Stephen Curry caught the ball steadily and began to advance the ball up the court.

"Here they come! Let's see what tricks this Cavaliers team, which claims to be aiming for the playoffs, can pull off!" the ESPN commentator said with a look of anticipation.

However, the very first round that followed left the audience and commentators wide-eyed.

After dribbling the ball across half-court, Curry didn't call for a pick-and-roll or a one-on-one like a traditional point guard would. Instead, he passed the ball directly to Marc Gasol, who was coming up from the top of the key.

Then, Curry, like a slippery eel, instantly plunged into the paint!

At the same time, Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard on the wings also started a frantic off-ball movement!

Paul Millsap set a solid off-ball screen for Curry near the free-throw line, effectively blocking the Raptors guard Calderon from chasing him.

Curry used the screen to instantly circle out to the left 45-degree angle beyond the three-point line!

Gasol, positioned at the top of the key, displayed exceptional vision and delicate technique that belied his bulky physique. With a "whoosh," the basketball was passed to Curry with the precision of a guided missile.

Catch the ball, jump, and shoot.

The movements were as smooth as silk, without the slightest hesitation!

"Whoosh!"

The crisp sound of the net swishing echoed throughout the stadium. On the first attack of the game, a three-pointer swished through the net! 3-0!

"Beautiful off-ball screen and high post play! My God, Marc Gasol just delivered a point guard-like pass!" the DJ in the arena shouted excitedly.

The Raptors' head coach frowned on the sidelines, but didn't seem to care much, loudly urging his players to counterattack.

However, on the defensive end, the Cavaliers' discipline was even more suffocating.

Raptors star DeRozan attempted to use his footwork to isolate and attack rookie Leonard, but he was horrified to find that the expressionless rookie in front of him had his large hands like two doors, completely blocking his path to the basket!

DeRozan was forced to stop the ball and tried to pass it to Bargnani in the paint.

But the moment he passed the ball, Millsap, who was covering from the side, pounced out like a cheetah and stole the ball!

"Counterattack!"

The Cavaliers launched a fast break instantly! Curry took the lead, received the pass, stopped abruptly beyond the three-point line, and without even glancing at the basket, pulled up for a three-pointer while facing the retreating defender!

"Whoosh!"

Another goal! 6-0!

The fans at Quicken Loans Arena went wild!

This is the prototype of the system that Su Yang has painstakingly built during the offseason! There is no ball-dominant carry who holds onto the ball for too long, only fluid movement, selfless ball sharing, and a barrage of three-pointers!

As the game progressed, the Raptors displayed remarkable resilience. DeRozan began scoring frequently with his mid-range jumpers, keeping the score close throughout.

But this Cavaliers team truly fought with one heart and one mind today!

During the second quarter rotation, veteran Shane Battier, who was handpicked by Su Yang to stay on the court, took to the field.

Facing the Raptors' backup guard's fierce drive, Battier positioned himself outside the restricted area, protecting his groin with his hands and chest out, taking the full force of the blow before crashing heavily to the floor!

"Beep—!" The referee blew his whistle, offensive foul!

The entire stadium rose to their feet and applauded this veteran warrior!

On the offensive end, when Curry was double-teamed by the Raptors, the ball was quickly moved to the corner.

Battier, completely left open, received the ball and calmly drained a three-pointer!

"Old soldiers never die! Shane Battier sank his second three-pointer of the game!"

Not only Battier, but Patrick Beverley on the bench also attacked the opposing point guard like a mad dog throughout the game.

DeAndre Jordan repeatedly executed alley-oops in the paint; while rookie Klay Thompson showed the potential of an excellent 3-and-D player, his three-pointers were as accurate as a machine whenever Curry passed him an open shot!

The game was a close contest until the final minute of the fourth quarter.

With the score tied at 103, the air inside the Quicken Loans Arena seemed to freeze.

Inside the private room, Dilraba gripped Su Yang's clothes tightly, barely daring to breathe.

"Don't be nervous, the game is about to end." Su Yang patted Reba's hand, his eyes fixed on the number 30 figure on the court.

In a crucial possession, the Cavaliers launch an attack.

The Raptors deployed two defensive stalwarts to double-team Curry at the top of the court.

But just a second before the double team closed in, Curry calmly bounced the ball to Millsap, who was cutting down the court.

Millsap received the ball, drew the Raptors' center to help defend, and then selflessly passed the ball to Klay Thompson, who was lurking in the right corner.

The entire Raptors team desperately rushed towards Klay.

However, Klay didn't shoot. Instead, he flicked his wrist and passed the ball back to Curry, who had already slipped back to the top of the key with Gasol's screen!

At this moment, Curry had a wide-open space in front of him, as wide as the Pacific Ocean!

Hand up, knife down!

The basketball traced a perfect rainbow arc through the air.

"Whoosh!!!"

A devastating three-pointer! 106 to 103!

The entire stadium erupted into complete frenzy! The cheers from the fans nearly lifted the dome off the arena!

With the Raptors missing a three-point attempt in the final moments, the Cavaliers secured the defensive rebound, forcing the Raptors to resort to fouling tactics.

Curry stepped to the free-throw line and made both shots, effectively ending any suspense in the game!

"drop--!"

The final red light comes on, the game is over!

108 is more than 103!

The Cleveland Cavaliers narrowly defeated the Toronto Raptors by 5 points at home, securing a winning start to the new season!

In the broadcast booths on the sidelines, the commentator's voice trembled slightly as he watched the full match statistics displayed on the big screen.

"Incredible...absolutely incredible! Let's see what kind of report card the Cavaliers delivered tonight!"

"The team's absolute core player, Stephen Curry, scored a whopping 32 points and dished out 7 assists, shooting 8-for-14 from three-point range!"

「马克·加索尔,12分8个篮板外加6次助攻!保罗·米尔萨普,14分9个篮板!新秀克莱·汤普森命中三记三分拿下11分!科怀·伦纳德10分4次抢断!」

"Plus, DeAndre Jordan scored 11 points off the bench, and veteran Shane Battier hit two crucial corner threes and drew a foul, finishing with 10 points!"

The commentator swallowed hard and shouted into the nationally televised camera:

"Seven players scored in double figures! The team made 16 three-pointers!"

"This is no bad team at all! Their discipline, teamwork, and the barrage of three-pointers they unleashed made them look like a brand new war machine!"

"The Cavaliers have sent the strongest warning to the entire league—they really are going to deliver on their promise to make the playoffs!"

Inside the luxury private room.

Hearing the cheers from the crowd, Dilraba blushed with excitement and threw herself into Su Yang's arms, giving him a big kiss on the cheek: "Boss! We won! Curry was so accurate, everyone was amazing!"

"This is just the beginning."

Su Yang stood up, put his arm around Dilraba's slender waist, and looked at Stephen Curry, who was surrounded by his teammates celebrating passionately in the center of the court.

Seven players scored in double figures, showcasing the ultimate in team basketball.

"See that, LeBron?" Su Yang sneered inwardly.

While Miami was still embroiled in a power struggle over how to distribute ball possession, Cleveland's "blue-collar puzzle pieces" had already unleashed a team storm sweeping the entire league in this new era dominated by three-pointers!

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