Lian Dao's alley-oop to David Lee earned him his first assist of the game. Moments later, he and Derrick Rose connected for a fast-break lob, with Lian Dao soaring for a half-court dunk. On the next play, he threaded a crotch-pass to Joe Johnson, who finished with a two-handed slam. The crowd roared, ignited by the flair.
On the bench, Lian Dao had strategized. To break the James-Wade-Bosh clique, he saw two paths. First, fracture their unity from within—but the 2003 draft class, with its tight-knit "Big Three" Heat legacy, was too cohesive. Second, rally everyone else against them. This felt doable. James wasn't yet the kingpin of future years, and not everyone was his ally. Veterans might coast in the All-Star Game, but younger players like Derrick Rose, David Lee, and even Al Horford could join Lian Dao's counteroffensive.
He chose teamwork over solo heroics, drawing defenders with relentless drives and dishing precise passes. On one play, he lofted the ball to the basket's right side, where Rose cut in for a windmill alley-oop dunk. On another, he absorbed the defense under the rim, then whipped a behind-the-back pass to Horford for a slam. The West's defense, typically lax in All-Star settings, couldn't keep up.
With four minutes left in the second quarter, Lian Dao drained a three off Rose's pass. He and Lee were subbed out, leaving the East ahead 69-65—a four-point swing from their earlier three-point deficit. Lian Dao's stat line gleamed: 14 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds. A double-double in an All-Star Game was a rare feat for a rookie.
James, Bosh, and Paul Pierce replaced Lian Dao, Lee, and Horford, while Wade stayed on. Pierce, a veteran superstar, got starter-like minutes despite being a reserve—Stan Van Gundy knew better than to shortchange him. Lian Dao, as a rookie starter, understood his role carried less clout than the old guard's.
James felt the heat. Lian Dao's shoot-pass-drive versatility made scoring effortless in the All-Star's loose defense, especially with his three-point prowess—a weapon akin to his dunk contest dominance, just without the one-minute clock.
But the tide turned post-substitution. Kevin Durant buried two straight threes for the West, flipping the score to 69-71. Lian Dao's absence stung the East, a subtle jab at James. When James was off, the East thrived; when he returned, they faltered.
Pierce, unfazed, answered with a three to steady the ship. But the ball rarely reached James. Van Gundy unleashed the Celtics' Big Three—Pierce, Garnett, and Rajon Rondo—who froze out James and Bosh with seamless teamwork. Rondo ignored James' calls, feeding Garnett and Pierce for slick plays. Garnett, relishing the chance to needle his playoff rival, spun past Nowitzki for a dunk.
Lian Dao, watching from the bench, nearly laughed aloud. James' frustrated expression was pure gold. The wicked get what they deserve.
The first half ended with the West up 85-83. James led all scorers with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, but Lian Dao's 14-10-4 line held its own.
At halftime, CCTV's Yu Jia noted, "James has the edge for MVP if the East wins, but Lian Dao's making a case." Zhang Lili added, "Without Kobe, Carmelo Anthony's carrying the West with 18 points. If they win, he's the MVP favorite." Both avoided dwelling on Lian Dao, wary of fueling his critics. A big tree attracts the wind, as the saying goes. Online, haters pounced, sneering at Lian Dao's "foreign" hype, oblivious to the irony: respect abroad stems from a strong homeland.
During the break, Joe Johnson, Horford, and Rose chatted with Lian Dao, while Howard offered a friendly nod. His anti-James coalition was taking shape.
The second half opened with both teams' starters. James clanked two outside shots, while Stoudemire feasted inside. Wade missed, but Howard grabbed the board and fired it to Lian Dao. Returning the favor, Lian Dao sliced through Anthony's defense, faked a pass, and lobbed to Howard for a thunderous alley-oop. On the next play, Howard bypassed Wade, handing the ball straight to Lian Dao, who set up Garnett for a mid-range jumper.
The script flipped from the first quarter. James and Wade were now the outcasts, while Lian Dao, Howard, and Garnett dazzled. James, still a point forward, kept dishing to Wade for highlight plays, but he couldn't fully freeze out Lian Dao—team success demanded cooperation.
At 6:04 in the third quarter, Lian Dao was subbed out, his stat line now a sparkling 19 points, 15 assists, and 6 rebounds—a massive double-double. Few expected a rookie to dominate like this.
Bosh and Gerald Wallace replaced Lian Dao and Garnett, and the East reverted to a James-Bosh-Wade show. James fed Bosh for easy buckets, while Nowitzki, catching Kidd's pass, hit a jumper for the West. Bosh countered with a slam. At the third-quarter buzzer, Deron Williams' mid-range shot rimmed out, leaving the score 118-116, East up by two.
The fourth quarter began with Van Gundy leaning on the Celtics' Big Three—Rondo, Garnett, Pierce—plus Wade and Horford. The game tightened, with both sides dialing up the defense. The West struck first: Chauncey Billups splashed a three, then set up Durant for another. Rondo answered, feeding Garnett for a mid-range hit, while Wade Euro-stepped for a layup. The East held off the West's surge, but the score leveled at 122-122.
The intensity spiked. Pau Gasol bullied David Lee for a 2+1, but Pierce responded, driving for a layup and drawing a blocking foul on Zach Randolph. For three minutes, the teams traded blows, locked at 129-129 with eight minutes left.
A dead ball prompted Van Gundy to sub in Lian Dao, James, and Horford, forming a lineup of Rondo, James, Lian Dao, Garnett, and Horford. The East's perimeter defense was elite, but Rondo and James' shaky outside shooting pushed them to attack inside. Lian Dao, playing off-ball, darted for open looks beyond the arc.
James, initially reluctant, drove into Duncan's defense and, with no other option, kicked it out to Lian Dao. The pass was crisp, and Lian Dao, catching it cleanly, fired a three before Deron Williams could close out. Swish.
The West had banked on James' ego, focusing their defense on him. But with victory on the line, James swallowed his pride. Lian Dao's shot forced a recalibration—they couldn't ignore him anymore.
No fight, just cooperate, Lian Dao thought, smirking. MVP or not, he was shaping the game.