James ignored the reporters and walked straight toward Whiteside.
Whiteside did not stop. Just as he was about to discuss the team's tactics, James cut him off.
"Come back to the locker room with me."
Without another word, James grabbed Whiteside and dragged him toward the locker room.
The scene looked just like a child who refused to eat after mealtime and got caught playing outside, then hauled home.
The reporters were unwilling to let them go, but after James came out, the arena security guards followed him out as well. They separated the reporters and let the two players go inside.
"If you don't want to play, keep breaking team rules."
Whiteside had wanted to complain a little, but after hearing James say that, he obediently shut his mouth.
His brain might not have worked too well, but he still remembered what had happened with the Pelicans. Tang Tian had said the same thing to him before.
He had not listened then, and sure enough, he had later been unable to play.
Whiteside was dragged away by James, so the Cavaliers' targeted tactics remained unknown.
The media only reported that the Cavaliers would have targeted tactics, and that Whiteside was full of confidence the Cavaliers could tie the total score.
"Hope we guessed right."
On the afternoon of game day, Gentry said this to Stevens after reading the news report.
"We did."
Stevens smiled but said no more.
He understood Lue's tactical level. Besides, there was only one point Tang Tian could be targeted on now.
That night, the Cavaliers and Pelicans continued their battle in Cleveland.
Fans flooded in and around Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, making the scene even more exaggerated than Game 3.
Fans in small cities were fiercely loyal. Back when James left, they had burned jerseys