The rest is just noise

Canada can be said to be Yugoslavia in reverse.

Yugoslavia clearly has the SSR, but they are afraid of destroying internal harmony and dare not let it fight with all its strength.

Canada is different. The reason why they were able to win all four games in the group stage can be simply attributed to one name: Steve Nash.

In Canada's first game against Spain, Nash posted a terrifying performance of 22 points, 8 rebounds and 15 assists, which made the coaching staff and teammates confident in him.

Then, in the third game of the group, facing the seemingly invincible Yugoslavia, it was Nash again. This man could only serve as a substitute for Bodilloga in the Lakers. Even if he transferred to the Mavericks and played All-Star strength, he was still dismissed.

Widely regarded as a player who is not on the same level as the European magicians, he scored 21 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists, leading the Maple Leafs to an 8-point victory over their opponents.

It can be said that Nash brought Canada to a height that does not belong to them.

This also forced Louis to spend a lot of time studying the Canadian game.

He found that Canada's coaching staff absorbed the concept of beautiful basketball and did an excellent job in cooperating with the weak-side team and allowing the core ball-handling core to play pick-and-rolls and identify the opponent's defensive holes.

Without the strong technical and tactical support of the coaching staff, Nash would not be able to exert his full strength.

Louis calmed down and decided to arrange for Liu Wei to test Nash's strength tomorrow. If he couldn't hold it down, he would change Cheng Yan and team up with Kang Chengbiao to harass him.

In terms of strength, the overall men's basketball team is still stronger than Canada. Unlike Yugoslavia, which has irreconcilable internal conflicts, they can definitely defeat their opponents with their overall strength.

September 25, the last day of the group stage, was also the battle for the top spot in Group B, between the Chinese team and the Canadian team.

During the game, the Canadian's desire to win confused Louis.

They seem to have no idea about first place in the group stage.

At least judging from the players' fighting spirit and the preparation of the coaching staff, Louis can't see that the Canadians want to win.

Liu Wei can't guard Nash, but Nash's offensive desire is very low tonight and his condition is not good. If he doesn't perform at this point, Canada will not be able to compete with the men's basketball team on the offensive end.

The men's basketball team, facing a formidable opponent, gradually relaxed, and the game became decided from the end of the third quarter.

At the end of the game, 91 to 79, the men's basketball team defeated Canada by 12 points. It won all five games in the group stage and advanced to the quarterfinals as the first place in the group.

Louis believes that the Canadians will not give up strategically for no reason. After all, this is a battle for the top spot in the group.

Winning first place in the group means not meeting the US team before the finals.

Then, Louis discovered the weirdness of Group A rankings.

The U.S. team also won all five games and became the top spot in Group A.

According to the rules, the quarter-finals matchups are as follows: A1 vs. B4, A2 vs. B3, A3 vs. B2, and A4 vs. B1.

The other three teams in Group A that advanced to the quarter-finals are Lithuania, Italy and France.

France performed poorly in the group stage and ranked fourth in Group A.

But in the eyes of the outside world, France is fully capable of ranking second in the group.

Moreover, their style has always been very restrained and Canadian.

From this, Louis knew what Canada was thinking.

They want to avoid France and finish second in the group to face Italy, third in Group A, in the quarter-finals.

This is a far easier opponent than France.

Looking at it this way, even though we advance as the top team in the group, we have to face the French team in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals with a high probability of facing Lithuania. Only after passing these two levels can we be qualified to challenge the American team in the finals.

Although it is shameful to give up strategically, if you can avoid strong enemies, it is really a rare and good strategy.

For Louis, it doesn't matter if the road to the final is difficult, because if he wants to win the championship, he must defeat all his opponents.

Like when did Team USA care about their next opponent?

September 28

The match between the Chinese team and the French team is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Today's first quarter-final started at three o'clock and was played between Canada and Italy. In the end, Nash scored 30 points in a single game, helping the team defeat Italy with a 3-point advantage. After 16 years, Canada

He once again reached the semifinals of the Olympic men's basketball competition.

Five minutes before the end of the match between Italy and Canada, the Chinese team members arrived at the scene in advance.

They hope to enter the court as soon as possible after the game to warm up.

Hu Weidong was very excited.

This can be seen from his pre-game warm-up.

From a three-pointer at the top of the arc, Hu Weidong made 15 of 15 shots, which indirectly showed that his touch was very hot tonight.

Before the rise of the Afro-French, the main component of the French team was still white, and the most feared figure in this French team is Antoine Rigaudeau SF, who wears No. 6.

Hailed as one of the best players to never play in the NBA, Del Harris said he was the Benjamin Wilson of Europe, while the French respectfully called him "Le Roi" (The King).

As soon as the game started, King Rigoudou fired from two meters outside the three-point line in an attempt to scare the Chinese team.

This obviously cannot scare the men's basketball team.

Captain Hu Weidong decisively demanded the ball and responded with an NBA-range three-pointer.

The two sides immediately launched a fierce attack and defense. Louis can completely understand from this game why Canada would rather give up the top spot in the group to avoid the French.

Although the French team does not have 9 active NBA players like the Chinese team, most of their members come from top European leagues. They are tall and strong, and have a very tough style of play. They also highly value open offense and have an advanced offensive and defensive system.

Strong confrontation and accurate shooting, it can be said to be an upgraded version of Canada.

Louis did not hide it and let the players let go and compete with the French.

Hu Weidong's outstanding form was an important reason for the Chinese team's victory.

Throughout the game, Hu Weidong suppressed Rigodeau in all aspects. He hit eight three-pointers in a single game and scored a game-high 35 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. He led the team to beat France with a 14-point advantage and entered the semifinals.

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This is the first time in history that the men's basketball team has reached the semi-finals of the Olympic Games. Compared with the runner-up in the World Championships the year before, the Olympics is a higher stage, just like the World Cup in football. The importance that men's basketball teams in various countries attach to the Olympics is not at the same level as the World Championships.

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Some teams even regard the World Championships as a training ground, while the Olympics are a place where life is risked.

Therefore, reaching the semi-finals of the Olympic Games is a huge incentive for the entire men's basketball team.

On the other side, the strong Lithuania defeated Yugoslavia with a 15-point advantage, and Bodiloga could not recover with 25 points in a single game.

As the only country in Europe that regards basketball as its first domestic sport, Lithuania has long been a powerful force in the world of basketball.

Louis did not dare to be careless about this team that almost overturned the Dream Team in its heyday in the previous life.

What makes the men's basketball coaching staff troublesome is that this Lithuanian team is too balanced up and down.

They are in a rebuilding period, with 8 players selected for the national team for the first time. In this Olympics, 6 players became Lithuania's best players.

There is no key player, which is the biggest feature of the Lithuanian team.

Because anyone on their roster could be a key figure in the game.

Through reviewing the video, Louis locked in three dangerous figures of the Lithuanian team, one is the core defender Sarunas Jasikevicius PG, and the other is Saulius Strombegas

(Saulius Stombergas SF), outstanding leadership, lethal three-point shot, and a clutch killer at the same time. Finally, there is Gintaras Einikis C, a strong and rich player at the center position

An aggressive defender, he also possesses a precise long-range shot that is completely unlike what a center should possess.

As the troika of the Lithuanian team, these three people constitute the basic strength of the entire team.

This time, Louis did not hold back and directly asked Qi Chengyan to face Jaskovicius, and also asked Kang Chengbiao to start. If Enikis pulled outside to shoot, he and the center would switch defenses and chase the former closely.

September 29

Louis' targeted arrangement had an effect in the start of the semi-final against Lithuania.

In the first quarter, the men's basketball team took a 36-28 lead.

Qichengyan's defense made Jaskovicius very uncomfortable, Kang Chengbiao's physical fighting also made Enikis lose his touch, and Lithuania's leader Storm Begas could not find his form.

It seems that everything is going well?

Just when the men's basketball team leader Jiang Xingquan breathed a sigh of relief, in the second quarter, in less than five minutes, Lithuania tied the score under the leadership of substitute forward Dainius Adomaitis SF. At the same time, starting from

Chengyan was too involved on the defensive end and was called for two fouls in a row, so Louis had to replace him.

Qi Chengyan's end has revived Jaskovicius' condition.

The future European king began to play like a real FIBA ​​superstar, calling Yu Tiancan in pick-and-rolls, holding the ball and changing direction for pull-up three-pointers, grabbing rebounds and passing to his teammates for dunks.

Before half-time, Jaskevicius's wonderful performance allowed Lithuania to come back and win, taking a 6-point lead.

This is the first time since the start of this Olympic Games that the men's basketball team has entered the second half as a laggard.

Lithuanian journalist Roma Grinbergiene ecstatically praised: "Even if Emperor Vytautas the Great comes in person, he will praise the blood and courage of these young men. The Dragon of the East is not invincible!"

In the second half, Liu Yuqing's three-pointer and breakthrough layup allowed the men's basketball team to narrow the point difference to 1 point.

From this moment on, both sides never took a step back.

Either Lithuania led by 1 point, or the Chinese team went ahead by 1 point. The deadlock was broken two minutes before the end. Jaskovicius hit a four-pointer that was enough to kill the game against Chengyan's defense. At the same time,

This foul also caused Qi Chengyan to leave the game.

At that moment, Qi Chengyan held his head in his hands and protested to the referee excitedly. He burst into tears.

Louis pulled Qi Chengyan away before he angered the referee. At the same time, he asked Hu Weidong and Liu Yuqing to take turns in charge. He then replaced Yu Tiancan with Kang Chengbiao, and Wang Zhizhi stood at the fifth position.

Qi Chengyan's position was replaced by Wang Mukong.

Louis sent out three musketeers on the outside, and mainly played one and four small players around Wang Zhizhi, which showed that he had completely pushed the bet to the offensive end.

84 to 80

Lithuania led by 4 points, but Jaskevicius missed the extra penalty.

The men's basketball round had almost no pauses. Wang Zhizhi set up a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, and Hu Weidong dribbled the ball to create a shooting space before decisively shooting a three-pointer.

Hit!

The men's basketball team recovered by 1 point.

Before the game entered the last minute, Lithuania failed in attack, but soon they also used strong defense to make the men's basketball team miss three shots.

The competition is unprecedentedly fierce, and scoring a point is more difficult than ever.

The moment Jascovicius, who scored 27 points in the game, passed through the perimeter defense and went straight to the basket, the hearts of many Chinese team supporters almost stopped beating.

Then, Kang Chengbiao, who was delayed on the outside a second ago, flew out like a mad dog, roaring and nailing his layup to the backboard!

The Chinese team’s counterattack and fast break!

Wang Muchong caught the ball in the frontcourt and was violently blocked by the Lithuanian at the moment of layup.

That should be a technical foul, but calling a technical foul at this moment is tantamount to a death sentence for the Lithuanians.

Louis wanted to go out and strangle the referee, but he only gave him a common foul.

“Fuck you!￥#@%”

Van Gundy hugged Louis.

Wang Mukong must now go to the free throw line under terrible pressure.

He looked back at his teammates behind him.

Liu Yuqing, who was always as cold as the god of death, stepped forward and gently patted Wang Mukong on the shoulder, "I believe you."

As a result, teammates on the field approached Wang Mukong and encouraged him with various physical contacts.

In the NBA, Wang Mukong is just a trash fish that no one cares about, but in the national team, he is undoubtedly a highly trusted veteran.

He knew very well the weight of these two free throws.

"MLGBD" Wang Mukong said secretly, "If we fail to get the fine, our nationality may be confiscated."

At this moment, Australia at the scene sent out various disturbances with malicious intent towards the East, and the dome stadium in Sydney instantly became the noisiest place in the world.

Wang Mukong thought of the mental training of Kobe and Garnett. As the Lakers' know-it-all, he knew everyone's affairs.

He heard that Kobe gained peace through mental training and that Garnett became a better player because of it, but he didn't know what the specifics of mental thinking were.

Wang Mukong closed his eyes and imagined a picture in his mind in a foreign land full of noise.

An unkempt man was sitting around a bonfire, looking at the vast sunset over the horizon. He wanted to figure out the meaning of his life before tomorrow came - just like this game, why must these two free throws be scored?

Because the hope of the Chinese team to advance to the finals must not be ruined in his hands!

Wang Mukong opened his eyes, blew out a breath, and immediately took the first free throw.

"Whoosh!"

Louis pumped his fist vigorously, "Good job!"

84 to 84, the two sides tied.

Teammates came up and gave high fives.

Wang Mukong calmly took the second free throw from the referee.

There are only 8 seconds left in the game. If this free throw is scored, the Chinese team will turn defeat into victory.

This time, Wang Mukong took action at a normal pace.

Without any accidents, the basketball hit the net!

85 to 84

"The Chinese team took the lead! Only 8 seconds were left for the Lithuanians. Now, Lithuania requests a timeout. In a few dozen seconds, let's see how this suffocating game will end!"

Louis instantly recalled several sideline ball tactics commonly used in Lithuania.

After all the fouls, the No. 1 position is the biggest weakness of the men's basketball team, and Jaskevicius is also Lithuania's best player tonight.

Lithuania is very likely to give him the last ball.

At the last moment, the five players sent by Louis were Hu Weidong, Liu Yuqing, Du Shuai, Kang Chengbiao, and Yao Yueban.

Time seemed to slow down. Louis stood on the sidelines and watched the Lithuanian players standing on the sideline, as if he had suddenly returned to that night 23 years ago.

The Lithuanians' position indirectly told Louis what they were going to do.

Their entire tactic was within Louis' prediction, but even if they knew how their opponents were going to run the tactic, it would be difficult to destroy the tactic unless there were daring people who dared to do something crazy.

The Lithuanians moved desperately.

There is only one seat for the final. The Chinese want it, and so do the Lithuanians. If the Lithuanians get a ticket to the final, this year will be their most successful year since they became independent from the Soviet Union.

A country's dream rests on that little basketball at this moment.

The ball came from the sideline, and the defensive pressure Jaskovicius felt was obviously beyond the norm. He couldn't believe that Liu Yuqing dared to use such a foul action to take away his position.

At that moment, everything in Lithuanian's mind was filled with despair.

"OMG!!!" the FIBA ​​commentator yelled crazily, "Jiang Duo stole the ball!!!"

Liu Yuqing ran forward like a warrior, intercepted the Lithuanian's serve, and rushed straight to the front court. His speed was too fast, and no one could catch up.

The Lithuanian could only watch as he completed a layup in the frontcourt.

In the last few seconds, the Lithuanians, who had no timeout, had to serve from the backcourt, but because of the Chinese team's full-court press, they had to use a desperate backcourt three-pointer to seek a miracle.

That ball didn't even touch the basket!

it's over!

87 to 84, the Chinese team advanced to the finals.