In the 2001 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Wei Guo with the 58th overall pick in the second round, from Georgetown University. With that statement, Wei Guo became the second Chinese pla...
The Chinese men's basketball team's offense still revolves around Yi Jianlian setting screens for Liu Wei!
However, Duncan and James fronted Wei Guo to prevent him from receiving the ball. Wei Guo waved to Liu Wei to pass the ball to Zhu Yu, who was hiding in the three-point corner with no one guarding him!
Liu Wei passes the ball very quickly...
After receiving the pass, Zhu Yu first went to observe the defenders and discovered an awkward scene. Of the five players on the US men's basketball team, Howard blocked Wei Guo, Kobe failed to steal the ball and immediately went up to double-team Wei Guo with James and Duncan, leaving only Kidd, who showed no intention of rushing to help defend.
After adjusting for several seconds, Zhu Yu finally released the shot!
Zhu Yu is a sharpshooter with plenty of experience in major competitions... he's not a naive newbie. But this was the Olympic final, and his open three-point shot was ridiculous!
"That shot was absolutely terrible!"
Wei Guo forcefully broke free from the triple-team of Kobe and charged towards the basket!
Howard was about to grab the rebound when he suddenly felt a darkness above his head and a weight on his shoulders, as if someone had climbed onto his shoulders. He looked up and saw Wei Guo grab the basketball in mid-air with one hand and slam it into the basket.
16:19!!
The Chinese men's basketball team is still trailing by 3 points.
Holy crap!!!
Holy crap!!!
Holy crap!!!
Only this interjection can express the audience's feelings.
to be honest...
The tens of thousands of spectators at the scene had mostly only watched the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league live, and very few had ever watched an NBA game live in the United States. Therefore, this putback dunk was extremely visually impactful for them. First, he broke free from a triple team, and then, riding on Howard's neck, he put the ball back into the basket.
The head coach and bench players were all amazed by Wei Guo's putback dunk, completely forgetting Zhu Yu's absurd three-pointer just now.
Only Wei Guo remained calm, urging his teammates to quickly return to defense. This putback dunk was nothing special; the key issue was that the Chinese men's basketball team was still behind. The American men's basketball team was clearly well-prepared, unlike the Spanish men's basketball team. If they were down by 10 or 20 points going into the fourth quarter, it would be very difficult for Wei Guo to turn the game around by himself!
......
US men's basketball team is on offense. Kidd is left wide open beyond the three-point line!
Kobe received the ball outside, but the Chinese men's basketball team continued to collapse their defense inside, not giving the American men's basketball team a chance to attack the basket, forcing them to try three-pointers. Logically speaking, this kind of defense has a big drawback. Even in a high-intensity game like the NBA, no one would leave Kobe open beyond the three-point line, let alone in international basketball where the three-point line is even shorter. For Kobe, this was just a mid-range shot.
Kobe takes a three-pointer, and Liu Wei lunges at him!
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
"It doesn't matter..."
Wei Guo comforted her, saying, "If they keep shooting three-pointers from the outside, we'll have a 70% chance of winning this game!"
US men's basketball bench!
Gentry said worriedly, "We've figured out our tactics. We can't keep shooting threes from the outside, or we'll lose..."
"yes!"
D'Antoni chimed in with a comment.
Shooting three-pointers in a regular game is much more difficult than in a three-point contest. A three-point contest only requires you to shoot a certain number of shots within a set time, but there is no defensive pressure. In a regular game, even if Liu Wei helps defend, it will bring a certain amount of defensive pressure. Under this defensive pressure, the three-point shooting percentage will inevitably be reduced!
Because of Wei Guo's incredible shooting touch, the US men's basketball team had to score in every open game and keep trying to shoot three-pointers. As their stamina dropped, their shooting percentage also dropped. Even if the whole team maintained a three-point shooting percentage of over 60%, they still couldn't compare to Wei Guo!
Wei Guo's three-point shooting percentage has consistently been above 60%...
His three-point shooting percentage in crucial moments is close to 90%. This is the Olympic final, and it can be said that he is fighting for national honor. Given Wei Guo's personality, his shooting percentage tonight will definitely exceed 90%, and there is a 100% chance.
......
The Chinese men's basketball team was on offense. This time, Yao Ming went to the three-point line to screen for Wei Guo, allowing Wei Guo to get rid of the defense and receive the ball. Almost without any adjustment, Wei Guo stepped back to the three-point line and shot!
"Beep!!!"
The referee blew his whistle and called a defensive foul on Duncan!
"It's over..."
Gentry slapped his forehead. "If that goes in again, we're finished..."
Duncan came from behind to help block the shot, grabbing Wei Guo's arm and completely deforming Wei Guo's shooting motion. If Wei Guo still managed to throw the ball into the basket, it can only be said that he was protected by the gods of China.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
Gentry's face was grim; tonight was likely to be even more difficult than he had imagined.
20:22!!
After Wei Guo made the free throw, the Chinese men's basketball team trailed by 2 points.
Anthony and his teammates on the sidelines were dumbfounded. So this was Wei Guo... He played seven seasons in the league, leaving behind countless records that were hard to break, but in fact... Wei Guo hadn't even exerted his full strength?
......
Since there is no three-second rule in international basketball, Yao Ming directly guarded the paint, while Wei Guo facilitated the play around the restricted area!
This is a major difference between the NBA and international basketball. Fortunately, Howard and other big men have adapted to this rule after two months of training. However, because the Chinese men's basketball team all stayed inside, it greatly increased the difficulty of attacking the basket, forcing the US men's basketball team to keep trying mid-range and long-range shots!
More than half of his shots were open looks, but that didn't guarantee that every shot would go in!
With Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, and Wei Guo, the Chinese men's basketball team's ability to protect the boards is in no way inferior to that of the US men's basketball team. In the first nine minutes of the game, the Chinese men's basketball team did not lose a single defensive rebound.
......
The US men's basketball team also called a timeout and made personnel adjustments.
at the same time...
Tactics also need to be adjusted.
37:33!!
The Chinese men's basketball team is already leading by 4 points.
Both teams had ridiculously high shooting percentages, but it was clear that the Chinese men's basketball team was even more outrageous. The Chinese team made 15 of 19 shots, with Wei Guo making 14 of 14 and Yao Ming making 1 of 1, for a total of 37 points. The US team made 13 of 18 shots, for a total of 33 points. Both teams had shooting percentages of over 70%, with the Chinese team's shooting percentage being six points higher than the US team's.
Even more frightening is that Wei Guo made all 14 of his shots!
Although Gentry is an assistant coach, the US men's basketball team follows his tactical instructions tonight. "You can tell from the shooting percentage that no matter how we defend, we can't stop Wei from scoring, so what we need to do now is to absolutely prevent Wei from receiving the ball!"
"I just don't believe it..."
Boozer scoffed, "His stamina won't drop by the fourth quarter!"
Kobe laughed and said, "Young man... you haven't played against Wei Guo enough times, you don't understand. He's the kind of player whose shooting percentage and stamina increase as the game goes on. Just like Old Jin said, he made 14 of 14 shots in the first quarter, and he won't miss a single shot after that!"
"Is it really that terrifying?"
Boozer looked at his other teammates, seemingly asking a question.
Almost everyone nodded in unison, "It really exists!"
"My God!"
"He didn't even use his full strength when he was facing me," Boozer said dejectedly.
Garnett and the others didn't respond, their hearts filled with disdain. A player of your caliber... dares to challenge Wei Guo to go all out? Even if Duncan and Garnett were to go toe-to-toe with Wei Guo under the basket, they wouldn't dare say that Wei Guo would go all out on offense.
"Enough with the small talk..."
Gentry tapped the tactics board. "Next up is the third plan."
The US men's basketball team has prepared many plans, all of which will be used in the game, but the plans will be implemented according to the progress of the game... In Gentry's view, the ideal situation is to use the third plan near the end of the second quarter, but now it seems that it will not be possible to wait that long.
......
The timeout ended, with only one minute remaining in the first quarter.
US men's basketball team on offense!
All the key players have gone to the bench to rest. The players currently on the court are Bosh, Garnett, Anthony, Wade, and Paul!
Paul dribbles the ball up the court...
Wade cut in from the left, and Bosh and Garnett blocked Wei Guo, not giving him a chance to help defend. Paul made a brilliant pass to Wade, who took a big step and made a reverse layup, drawing a foul from Yao Ming.
Paul smiled!
Wei Guo frowned slightly. Old Jin has no sportsmanship... he actually used the tactic of drawing fouls!
This is the third plan of the US men's basketball team. This plan is not aimed at Wei Guo, but at Yao Ming. It is to block Wei Guo from attacking Yao Ming. Whether the ball is scored or not does not matter. As long as Yao Ming is fouled, the tactic will be successful. Once Yao Ming fouls out, Wei Guo will inevitably be left to fight alone!
Yao Ming is a very rational player, but when he guards the paint alone, he can't withstand the opponents drawing fouls one after another.
"Whoosh!!!"
"Whoosh!!!"
Wade made both free throws!
37:35!!
The Chinese men's basketball team still holds a two-point lead.
With 41 seconds left in the first quarter, Wei Guo had one more offensive opportunity. After running past midcourt, he suddenly turned back, shaking off the double-team of Anthony and Garnett. Liu Wei handed the ball to Wei Guo, who reached out to steal it, but Wei Guo easily dodged it with a turn!
Another butterfly flitting through the flowers, and Garnett was knocked off his feet!
"Whoosh!!!"
A long-range three-pointer hits!
Seeing James slap his thigh at this play, Anthony's risky steal was unacceptable, giving Wei Guo the opportunity to attack. Garnett hastily tried to help but was faked out. This was pure individual skill. He got past Anthony and Garnett, and although he shot just past midcourt, it was one of Wei Guo's few easy shots tonight.
Only Weiguo on this planet has this capability!
Because he understands Wei Guo, James only uses physical contact when defending him and never risks stealing the ball. As long as Wei Guo has even the slightest chance to shoot, James can put the ball into the basket.
40:35!!
China's men's basketball team is leading by 5 points.
Wei Guo reminded his teammates, "Be careful to protect Yao Ming, they're trying to draw a foul on him!"
It's the same tactic again...
Anthony and Garnett blocked Wei Guo, Wade received the ball and drove to the basket, but before he could get close to Yao Ming, Zhu Yu appeared out of nowhere and blocked the two of them, colliding with Wade.
"Beep!!!"
The referee blew the whistle again.
This is a clear blocking foul...
Wei Guo helped Zhu Yu up and praised her, "Well done!"
The teammates also knew the gap between them and Wei Guo. When Wei Guo was instructing his teammates during the preparation for the Olympics, although he did not swear, he would criticize when necessary. At most, he would give a few words of encouragement. Wei Guo rarely said words of praise like "you did a good job". Zhu Yu felt very comfortable when he heard them and became full of energy.
Perhaps stunned by the collision, Wade missed his first free throw. After a brief adjustment, he took his second free throw...
"bang~~~"
Still no luck!
Wei Guo grabbed the defensive rebound—he really hit the jackpot!
If they can prevent the US men's basketball team from scoring on one attack, they will have a chance to extend their lead.
With 13 seconds left in the game, Gentry shouted, "They're going to inbound the ball directly to Wei Guo and double-team him!"
I'm getting a little excited...
Old Jin no longer calls himself Brother Wei, but instead calls himself Weiguo.
This was exactly the tactic of the Chinese men's basketball team. How could Anthony and the others let Wei Guo receive the ball so easily? The three of them surrounded Wei Guo in the middle, and as Wei Guo moved, they just wouldn't let him receive the ball. Da Yi had no choice but to send the ball up the court. Yao Ming was unguarded in the frontcourt. As long as Yao Ming received the ball, he could score!
"Wade, intercept the ball!"
Kobe stood up and shouted.
Dwyane Wade's nickname is "The Flash," referring to his speed. Yi Jianlian's pass wasn't very high quality, but Wade rushed in front of Yao Ming, jumped, and intercepted the ball in mid-air!
The US men's basketball team erupted in excitement, shouting, "Nice!!!"
A successful steal, even without scoring, can prevent the Chinese men's basketball team from scoring. Just as Wade was trying to stall for time, Kobe shouted again, "Watch out for Weiguo!"
......
Let's go back to three seconds ago!
Wade made a beautiful steal in mid-air, and Anthony and the others were busy getting excited. Wei Guo took the opportunity to get rid of the double team and appeared next to Wade as if he had teleported!
*Smack!!!*
He reached out and snatched the basketball, but Wei Guo managed to steal it!
Wade turned around to try and steal the ball back, but Wei Guo wouldn't let him succeed. He dribbled in circles and, at the last second, finally released the shot.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
......
The first quarter has ended.
43:35!!
China's men's basketball team is leading by 8 points.
The US men's basketball team played incredibly well, without holding back at all. This made the audience realize just how terrifying Wei Guo is. He made 16 of 16 shots and scored 41 points in a single quarter. And this is in an international game where a quarter is only 10 minutes long. In the semi-final against the Spanish men's basketball team, Wei Guo was already a god in the fourth quarter. In this game against the US men's basketball team, he scored 41 points in the first quarter. No one can predict how many points Wei Guo will score in the whole game tonight!
The Chinese men's basketball players were all very relaxed, which made Wei Guo frown slightly.
No one realized that Yao Ming had already committed two fouls. If he committed another foul in the second quarter, he would have to leave the court to rest. Without Yao Ming, the team would have to rely on Wang Zhizhi to guard the paint, which would inevitably be less effective.
Back then...
The Chinese men's basketball team is bound to face difficulties.
On the US men's basketball team side, Gentry was encouraging the players, telling them to give it their all when they were behind. These players were all star players on their respective teams, and each of them had a strong desire to win. Moreover, all of them had played against the US before and knew how formidable the US team was.
......
The second quarter begins!
Wang Zhizhi replaced Yao Ming, Sun Xin replaced Liu Wei, and Wang Peng replaced Zhu Yu. Only Wei Guo and Yi Jianlian remained on the court as key players.
This was the setup before the match...
What Gentry could think of, Wei Guo also thought of. The US men's basketball team would definitely try to draw fouls on Yao Ming, and they did just that. But even with Wei Guo's reminder, they couldn't prevent things from happening. They were facing the world's strongest US men's basketball team. When the US men's basketball team targeted any player other than Wei Guo, they were sure to be able to defeat that player.
The next five minutes will be very difficult without Yao Ming on the court!
The US men's basketball team is on offense. Kobe cuts to the basket, receives a pass from Paul, and uses a mid-air layup to dodge Wang Zhizhi, easily putting the ball into the basket!
43:37!!
The Chinese men's basketball team still has a 6-point lead.
The double-teaming of Wei Guo was even more terrifying than in the first quarter. This time, James, Anthony, and Wade were the three of them guarding Wei Guo, not giving him any chance to receive the ball from the baseline inbounds. If it were his NBA teammates, they could find an angle to pass the ball to Wei Guo, but there is indeed a gap in ability between national team teammates and NBA teammates!
Sun Xin attempted to pass the ball high to Wei Guo, but it was intercepted in mid-air by James.
Then...
Bosh scores on a fast break layup!
43:37!!
The lead is getting smaller and smaller.
These situations were all within Wei Guo's expectations. He had told his teammates that he needed their help in the second quarter... Now that Yao Ming was stuck on the bench due to foul trouble, there were very few people who could help Wei Guo. It all depended on the performance of Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian. After Sun Xin made a mistake on his first pass, he chose to pass the ball to Wang Zhizhi on his second pass!
Wang Zhizhi's mid-range shot was blocked by Bosh!
Paul got the ball...
It's worth mentioning that the players on the US men's basketball team were Paul, James, Anthony, Wade, and Bosh. These five have a good relationship and a high level of teamwork. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the US men's basketball team quickly caught up with the score.
......
Four minutes later, Yao Ming walked towards the scorer's table.
51:51!!
The US men's basketball team has tied the score.
In four minutes, the US men's basketball team scored 16 points, with each attack lasting no more than 7 seconds. This is thanks to D'Antoni, who brought the fast-paced, whirlwind style of play to the team. Meanwhile, the Chinese men's basketball team only managed 8 points thanks to Wei Guo's performance, all of which came from the inside!
James and his teammates didn't give the guards any chance to receive the ball on the perimeter!
Wei Guo finally managed to shake off the double team and get inside the three-point line, scoring 8 points with a dunk and a mid-range shot.
This is the scene Gentry most wanted to see...
Wei Guo hasn't missed a single shot so far, but if he only scores two points per shot, it relieves a lot of pressure on the US men's basketball team. The real threat is Wei Guo's unreasonable three-pointers, so the US men's basketball team must go into the second half with a lead. As for the fourth quarter... they need to lead by at least 10 points.
......
China Men's Basketball Team's offense: Wei Guo breaks through and dunks, drawing a foul from Bosh in the process!
Yao Ming returned to the court...
The US men's basketball team also made adjustments to its roster, with Kobe, Duncan, and Howard all returning to the court. The previous roster only retained James and Paul. Perhaps because he had coached for a year, Gentry was more comfortable using Paul than Kidd.
"Whoosh!!!"
Wei Guo makes the free throw!
54:51!!
China's men's basketball team is leading by 3 points.
Since the start of the game, Wei Guo has not missed a single shot or free throw. Of course... he has only had two free throw attempts. This is largely due to Gentry's coaching. Gentry constantly reminds the players that they must be physical and never foul. Fouling Wei Guo is the most unwise choice.
Not only will it not affect his score, it will also incur a foul for nothing!
Both teams employed unconventional tactics, which was largely due to their respective rosters. The US men's basketball team was stronger overall, and their simple zone defense was easily exploited by the US team, who had an over 80% chance of putting the ball in the basket. Therefore, the Chinese men's basketball team tightened their interior defense.
The US men's basketball team doesn't have any pure shooters. You're Kobe, you're LeBron, but if we leave you outside the three-point line, we'll only try to contest your shot before you release it. If you make it, we'll accept it.
The defensive strategy of the US men's basketball team was even more outrageous. At least three players double-teamed Wei Guo when he was off the ball, just to prevent him from receiving the ball. This was because Wei Guo was too terrifying. As long as he got the ball, the game turned into a boring shooting game. So they would rather let Wei Guo go to the basket than let him shoot three-pointers from the outside.
James hit a three-pointer to tie the game!
With 4 minutes and 39 seconds left in the first half, at this pace, it shouldn't be a problem for either team to score over 70 points, because their offensive efficiency is just too high!
Wei Guo drives to the basket!
Yao Ming lobbed the ball to Wei Guo, faked a shot, and Duncan and Howard rushed over at the same time, trying to block Wei Guo's shot from the left and right. Unfortunately, it was just a fake move. After shaking off the two, Wei Guo turned and hooked the ball!
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
Duncan and Howard are both defensive-minded players, yet they were easily shaken off. This simple move by Wei Guo left Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speechless and Hakeem Olajuwon in tears, because Wei Guo perfectly combined the Dream Shake and the Skyhook. If the two of them had learned this move, their careers would have reached a new level.
56:54!!
China Men's Basketball Team leads by 2 points.
The commentator said, "Wei Guo is even more difficult to defend under the basket, but the US men's basketball team must force Wei Guo to attack under the basket. If Wei Guo is allowed to shoot from beyond the three-point line, this game will become a boring three-point shooting contest."
They say it's because they're bored...
It was just a joke, but the audience's eyes are sharp. They saw how difficult it was for Wei Guo to make each shot. He was always surrounded by three players outside the three-point line. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't even be able to get a shot off. Wei Guo not only had to find space to shoot, but he also had to put the ball into the basket. It can be said that every shot was a high-difficulty basket.
After this match, every single one of Wei Guo's attacks could be included in a highlight reel!
......
Howard received the ball under the basket and jumped to dunk, but was blocked by Yao Ming!
Paul regained possession of the ball and passed it to James. James took a powerful step and drove to the basket for a layup. Wang Zhizhi quickly closed in on him, but James still managed to score the layup despite being overpowered by Wang.
"Beep!!!"
The referee's whistle blew.
The players on the court all looked at the referee. Wang Zhizhi's defense was clean, so why was he called for a foul? After seeing the referee's gesture, the Chinese men's basketball team was relieved, and the audience applauded.
"What???"
James spread his hands, looking speechless!
The referee actually called a traveling violation on him. He did attempt a layup over Wang Zhizhi, which was fine, but his footwork was clean... However, there was no need to argue with the referee, because the referee doesn't decide the game, and the US men's basketball team just wants to win the game, so they won't cause any conflict with the referee or the Chinese men's basketball team.
even...
After the game, regardless of the outcome, most of the players from the US men's basketball team went to visit Wei Guo as a group. They had heard from Lao Jin that Wei Guo's family was extremely wealthy, and they were determined to freeload off him for a few days.
......
Possession changes hands, China Men's Basketball Team inbounds the ball.
If they can score two more points, they can further widen the gap. With a lead, Wei Guo can confidently attack the paint. It's the same tactic they've been practicing for a month: Sun Xin lobs the ball to Da Zhi, Da Yi sets a screen for Wei Guo, Wei Guo cuts into the paint, and Da Zhi throws the ball over the basket.
"Bang!!!"
Wei Guo completes an alley-oop and scores with a dunk!
"Bang!!!"
Howard, who was trying to steal the ball, was knocked to the ground by Wei Guo!
If this were the NBA, Wei Guo might be called for an offensive foul, but this is an international basketball game, and the officiating standards are similar to those in European leagues, which encourage physical contact between players.
58:54!!
China's men's basketball team is leading by 4 points.
Gentry made a tactical gesture, and James and Kobe nodded simultaneously!
Wei Guo was completely bewildered...
The US men's basketball team was very well prepared. It was a very unfamiliar tactical gesture, which was obviously only understandable to US men's basketball players.
US men's basketball team on offense!
Paul dribbled the ball upcourt and passed it to James. Duncan and Howard moved towards the basket, preparing to grab the rebound. Apart from Wei Guo... even if Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, and Yi Jianlian combined, they wouldn't be a match for these two when it came to rebounding. Wei Guo was taken away by Kobe, and James boldly shot a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
Before James entered the league, Wei Guo had said that he possessed top-tier physical talent and that while his technique wasn't flashy, it was very mature. The only problem was that his three-point shooting needed to be developed. At that time, Wei Guo realized that three-point shooting would be a major trend in the league because the star cards he drew all had very high three-point shooting attributes for players who hadn't yet entered the league.
James listened to advice and kept practicing his three-pointers.
58:57!!
The Chinese men's basketball team still holds a one-point lead.
Offense and defense transition...
Wei Guo received a pass near the free-throw line, dribbled like a butterfly, turned several times to get past two players, and twice switched hands in mid-air to avoid Duncan and Kobe's blocks before putting the ball into the basket.
Then...
James hit another three-pointer!
60:60!!
The score is tied!
......
The first half has ended.
73:75!!
China Men's Basketball Team is down by 2 points.
In the final four minutes, the two teams almost went crazy. In those four minutes, the Chinese men's basketball team took 9 shots, while the American men's basketball team took 11 shots. The Chinese men's basketball team made 6 of 9 shots, while the American men's basketball team made 7 of 11 shots. Two of their passes were intercepted, which is why the Chinese men's basketball team had two fewer shots. The Chinese men's basketball team only had Wei Guo who made 6 of 6 shots, and missed all of his remaining 3 shots!
While marveling at the strength of our nation, we also witnessed the gap between the Chinese men's basketball team and the US men's basketball team!
If Gu Tao hadn't been injured, he would have been able to become Wei Guo's right-hand man, just like Yao Ming. Even if Gu Tao returned after Wei Guo retired, it would be difficult for the Chinese men's basketball team to reach such heights. The semifinals might be their peak in the future.
Halftime break of fifteen minutes!
This is Gentry's forte; he motivates players and awakens their full potential. The Chinese men's basketball team doesn't have this kind of talent. The tactics have been explained very clearly, and these fifteen minutes are for rest.
......
The second half has begun!
Liu Wei and Zhu Yu returned to the field, and both sides substituted their main lineups.
The US men's basketball team has a relatively large number of players on the court...
Besides the main players, five substitutes have also played. So far, only Boozer and Prince have not played. These two joined the Dream Team to experience what it's like to be a benchwarmer. Although they are key players in their respective teams, their strength will be lower in the Dream Team. Ten players in rotation is enough.
For the Chinese men's basketball team, only Wang Peng, Wang Zhizhi, and Sun Xin played as substitutes.
It lasted for one minute...
Both players missed their first two shots, and it seems that after resting for fifteen minutes, their shooting touch has cooled off. Wei Guo received the ball once in that minute, but was surrounded by four players and couldn't shoot. He managed to pass the ball to Zhu Yu, but Zhu Yu missed a three-pointer and was then replaced by Wang Peng!
China Men's Basketball Team on offense!
Wang Peng received a pass from Liu Wei, dribbled to the three-point line, and pulled up for a three-pointer!
The decisive shot was also Wei Guo's idea. When Wei Guo inbounded the ball from the baseline, he reminded Wang Peng that he would cut to the basket. As long as there was no one guarding him, Wang Peng should shoot boldly. It didn't matter if he missed, as Wei Guo would grab the rebound.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
76:75!!
China Men's Basketball Team leads by 1 point.
Wang Peng became the third player on the Chinese men's basketball team to score points, following Yao Ming and Wei Guo. Yao Ming scored 4 points and Wei Guo scored 69 points. It's a certainty that Wang Peng will score over 100 points tonight. It's not that Yao Ming is a bad scorer, but if you focus on him, he can still score over 30 points.
If that's the case...
The US men's basketball team will crush the Chinese men's basketball team 150-60 because Yao Ming will be cautious with his shots because he needs to score on every offensive possession. He will only let Wei Guo shoot if he can't get the ball to Wei Guo. Other players will only try to shoot if they can't get the ball to Wei Guo at all.
The Chinese men's basketball team's head coach was also helpless. Most of his shots were open, but he only scored 7 points. If his shooting percentage were as good as in training, how could the US men's basketball team have dared to triple-team Wei Guo so boldly? He still hasn't played a tough game. In the group stage, everyone played more and more happily. In three games, Wei Guo's score ranked only third in the team.
They showed their true colors in the semifinals, and in the finals, they were like wilted eggplants. The pressure from Kobe and others was too great. Their dribbling was unstable and they made passing mistakes!
......
There is 1 minute and 27 seconds left in the third quarter.
101:109!!
Both teams scored over 100 points, with the Chinese men's basketball team trailing by 8 points.
Wei Guo's score has exceeded 90 points. Apart from him, the remaining 11 points for the Chinese men's basketball team came from Yao Ming (7 points) and Wang Peng (4 points). The Chinese men's basketball team pays more attention to team cooperation when attacking, and there are five players with double-digit scores. Kobe and James both scored 30+ points. If it weren't for Wei Guo's hard work, the Chinese men's basketball team could have surrendered long ago.
Wei Guo called a timeout!
Gentry's eyes never left Wei Guo's face; he was constantly observing Wei Guo's micro-expressions. Once the players had all returned, Gentry said, "A three-pointer from the backcourt is coming..."
"So early?!"
James' eyes widened. "What should we do?!"
"Double-team him, don't let Weiguo receive the ball, that's the only way!"
"knew..."
"Next..."
D'Antoni sighed, "It's going to turn into an extremely boring ball-throwing contest."
The bench of the Chinese men's basketball team.
Wei Guo said, "My vertical reach is more than 20 centimeters higher than Duncan and Howard, but my jumping speed is faster, so when you pass the ball to me, you should pass it as high as possible."
Don't be fooled by the fact that Wei Guo's vertical reach is only about 20 centimeters higher than Howard's. Those 20 centimeters is a very impressive number. Howard's vertical reach is about 3.84 meters, and the NBA vertical reach record (excluding Wei Guo) is only 3.89 meters. Wei Guo's vertical reach is more than 20 centimeters higher than Howard's, which means he is almost 20 centimeters higher than the vertical reach record.
Half of the month of team training was spent practicing how to serve Wei Guo at the right time.
because...
When it comes to the crucial moment, the offense can no longer rely on anyone. It's all about Wei Guo's endless one-on-one play. As long as he can get the ball out, the other four can stand in the corner smoking or even playing mahjong.
......
The timeout has ended, and the game has resumed.
First, Sun Xin inbounded the ball from the baseline. Despite being over two meters tall, Sun Xin plays point guard and his passing ability ranks among the top three in the team. Even though Wei Guo was surrounded by three players, Sun Xin still accurately delivered the ball to Wei Guo, allowing him to receive the basketball smoothly. Sun Xin had practiced this passing move for a month.
Four players surrounded Wei Guo, giving him no space to get the ball in!
Wei Guo had done tests before, and the 'shooting rune' wasn't omnipotent. It wasn't that Wei Guo could guarantee the ball would go into the basket just by throwing it. Things like throwing it forward and into the back basket, which violated the laws of mechanics, wouldn't happen. The prerequisite for a goal was that Wei Guo's shot had to be in the correct direction and with roughly the right amount of force!
There's no space to get the ball down, so having a 'shooting rune' is useless.
Kobe, James, Duncan, and Howard surrounded Wei Guo. Wei Guo was the first to grab the basketball. If he hadn't protected the ball in time, James would have stolen it. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that these four are currently among the top ten players in the world. These four completely ignored all of Wei Guo's feints and just squeezed Wei Guo in the middle!
If you can't get the ball across half-court within 8 seconds, it's a violation.
Seeing that all sorts of methods were failing...
Wei Guo used the 'Prophecy Rune' again, and after seeing through the four people's next move, Wei Guo emerged from among them like a ghost. Even the referee did not see Wei Guo's move clearly, nor did he know whether Wei Guo had committed a traveling violation just a moment ago, but Wei Guo had already released the shot.
The time wasn't long!
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
104:109!!
China's men's basketball team is down by 5 points.
Gentry stared wide-eyed. He hadn't seen Wei Guo's movements clearly either. He didn't understand how Wei Guo could suddenly break through the encirclement when the four of them were surrounding him so tightly. As for hitting a three-pointer from the backcourt, that was nothing special. For Wei Guo, it was just basic stuff.
perhaps...
The only moves that Wei Guo wouldn't know are the "Dragon's Regret" and "Whirlwind Slam Dunk" techniques, right?
Howard walked to the baseline to inbound the ball with a bewildered look on his face. He had been dominated by Wei Guo under the basket in his rookie season, but now he was glad that he was a center and not a guard. Being dominated under the basket was just because his physical talent and skills were not as good as Wei Guo's, which was barely acceptable... He never thought that he could become the greatest center in history.
If you were playing as a defender, you'd have no choice but to kneel down and beg for mercy if you faced a defender like that.
Kobe missed a three-pointer!
His mentality was also affected. Wei Guo grabbed the defensive rebound, and Duncan hugged Wei Guo tightly while shouting, "I fouled!"
Even the honest Duncan did this, which was also Gentry's instruction. Once the four players were forced to double-team Wei Guo, they would foul him as soon as Wei Guo got the ball. If the foul was a little late, and Wei Guo got a chance to shoot, he would make a three-pointer. The league spent seven years looking for a way to defend Wei Guo.
Popovich inspired Gentry.
In the game where he scored 109 points, Popovich fouled Wei Guo endlessly in the fourth quarter. Those who didn't know better might think that Popovich gave Wei Guo a chance to score 109 points in a single game. Only Gentry knew that if Popovich hadn't done that, the Spurs would have been killed by Wei Guo's three-pointers and wouldn't have lasted until the last minute.
There's one minute left in the third quarter!
Zhu Yu quietly slipped to the frontcourt. Sun Xin stared at Wei Guo, feinted, and passed the ball to Da Yi. Da Yi immediately threw the ball forward, and Zhu Yu caught it and scored a layup!
106:109!!
The US men's basketball team has only a 3-point lead left.
Gentry was stunned again...
Why not play by the rules? In the NBA, no matter how difficult it is, you have to find a way to pass the ball to Wei Guo. But the Chinese men's basketball team actually chose to avoid Wei Guo and made two wide passes, allowing Zhu Yu to easily score a layup. Who came up with this tactic?
......
"USA Men's Basketball Team requests a timeout!"
......
Gentry called another timeout, making it two timeouts in one minute, revealing his nervousness.
"The Chinese men's basketball team doesn't play by the rules..."
Gentry said, "In our opinion, we should go find Brother Wei no matter how difficult it is."
Kobe said, "I think this is the tactic. The passing strategy is very clear... This must have been thought up by Wei Ge. There must be a pattern to passing. When to pass to Wei Ge, and when to run a tactic."
What is this pattern?
"It's hard to say..."
Kobe rubbed his teeth and said, "It could be a tactical gesture, or it could be a numerical pattern. It's like giving Wei a chance to run a play."
Not only was the US men's basketball team prepared, but the Chinese men's basketball team was also prepared. Just now, Da Yi and Zhu Yu were running the play, and Wei Guo deliberately drew away the defender. Sun Xin, whose eyes were practically glued to Wei Guo, passed the ball to Da Yi instead. This shows that this attack was not a coincidence, but an offensive tactic that had been practiced many times.
"Could it be a language barrier? After all, none of us understand Chinese!" Buzel asked.
Absolutely not!
Kobe shook his head. "Old Jin speaks with a thick Northeastern Chinese accent, and LeBron and I also have a background in Chinese, so we can understand what they're saying."
Gentry said, "Pay attention to their gestures and eyes. I'll try to figure out the passing patterns. The most important thing is... In the upcoming games, no matter how many amazing goals Wei scored, I need to ignore them and not let it affect my mentality."
......
The timeout has ended, with 46 seconds remaining in the third quarter!
Anthony replaced Howard... At this point, we need to increase our offensive firepower from the perimeter.
The US men's basketball team is on offense. Kobe passes the ball to Anthony, who takes an open mid-range shot!
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
106:111!!
The US men's basketball team is leading by 5 points.
The worst thing is not scoring. As long as the US men's basketball team can score on every offensive possession, the probability of winning is still very high. Kobe missed a three-pointer just now, which was also affected by Wei Guo's mentality.
This time!
However, Kobe and Duncan double-teamed Wei Guo, while Anthony and James were about three meters away from the three. If Sun Xin passed the ball to Wei Guo, there would be about one or two seconds, enough time for the two to move up and surround Wei Guo. If other players were running a play, they could also come up to help defend!
Yao Ming walked to the baseline and served the ball to Zhu Yu!
Da Yi has reached the frontcourt. Sun Xin runs to the frontcourt and shouts for Zhu Yu to pass the ball so that he can facilitate and then pass it to Da Yi, who can easily score a layup!
Anthony charged forward...
Duncan was about to chase after him, and James was about to catch up when he suddenly realized something was wrong and stopped!
"Notice!"
Gentry shouted, "This ball should be given to Wei..."
Not only James and Gentry noticed something was wrong, but Kobe also realized it. He was left to defend the country alone, and the basketball was already flying towards them. James, who had stopped, suddenly appeared from the side and intercepted the ball in mid-air!
"Well done!"
Gentry jumped up and down excitedly.
Thankfully, James reacted quickly, passing the ball to Wei Ge, who then delivered another devastating three-pointer from the backcourt.
After James made the steal, Kobe immediately positioned himself in front of Wei Guo, almost giving it his all... He had to stop Wei Guo, leaving only Yao Ming under the basket. James had a high probability of successfully scoring a layup against Yao Ming, and that's exactly what James did, rushing to the basket and scoring a layup over Yao Ming.
"Beep!!!"
The whistle blew!
Yao Ming committed a foul...
This is fantastic news for the US men's basketball team. Yao Ming has committed four fouls and has to return to the bench. Although Yao Ming didn't score many points, his height increased the difficulty of the US men's basketball team's offense. Without Yao Ming, the defensive intensity of the Chinese men's basketball team dropped another level. It's no exaggeration to say that if neither Yao Ming nor Wei Guo were on the court, even if they were down by 40 points, the US men's basketball team could catch up within ten minutes.
"yeah!"
"yeah!"
"yeah!"
Everyone went up and gave James a high five!
This was definitely a major turning point in the game. First, he intercepted Zhu Yu's pass, then made a layup and scored a '2+1', causing Yao Ming to commit his fourth foul of the game.
"Whoosh!!!"
James made the free throw.
106:114!!
The US men's basketball team is leading by 8 points again.
......
Yao Ming walked back to the bench with a calm expression.
Before the final, Wei Ge reminded him that the US men's basketball team would definitely target him. Whenever there was an opportunity, they would attack him, not for the sake of scoring, but to draw fouls. His task tonight was to last for three quarters. As long as he didn't get fouled out in three quarters, the rest would be up to Wei Guo.
Yao Ming played a very important role...
Without him guarding the paint, the US men's basketball team's offense would be much smoother, and the Chinese men's basketball team might be down by 20 points right now.