Chapter 20 Afternoon

On the afternoon of the 20th, after a night of rest, the Chinese men's basketball team welcomed their second opponent in the group stage of this World Championship:

The Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team.

As a traditional powerhouse in the world of basketball, this Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team, led by young players such as Miličić and Bogdanović, should have been a strong enemy on China's road to defending their title.

However, due to the dissolution of the country...

Currently, the morale of this Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team can be described as having fallen to the bottom.

In Su Feng's original timeline, this Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team even lost to Nigeria in the group stage in a shocking upset.

And for sports enthusiasts in Serbia and Montenegro...

2006 is undoubtedly a year that people on the Balkan Peninsula will be unwilling to recall many years later.

Because, in the German World Cup that ended earlier...

The Serbia and Montenegro men's football team, which originally had the most solid defense in Europe in the European qualifiers, not only failed to successfully qualify from the group due to low morale, but also created the biggest tragedy of that World Cup, losing 0-6 to the Argentina men's football team in the group stage.

And at the Sapporo Dome, during the pre-match warm-up...

Even across the half-court, Su Feng, Yao Ming, and others could feel the depressed mood coming from the other half-court.

Admittedly, this is just an ordinary men's basketball World Championship group stage match.

But for the Serbia and Montenegro players participating in this men's basketball World Championship...

When the Serbia and Montenegro national anthem is played in Sapporo, Japan...

They have to listen to their country's "funeral dirge" to compete.

Sometimes.

An adult's breakdown often happens in an instant.

Sapporo, Japan.

After the Serbia and Montenegro national anthem was played, accompanied by the sound of "March of the Volunteers", looking at those Chinese fans in the stands who were full of excitement and sang the national anthem along with the Chinese men's basketball team on the court...

On the court, the young Darko Miličić was already in tears.

The past of being taken away by a shell at any time in childhood, and the memories of his mother selling her property to support him playing basketball, just to exchange it for a cow, seemed like just yesterday...

But when the young man of the past grows up and wants to serve his country, who would have thought that he would have to attend his country's "funeral" first?

And on the CCTV commentary booth in front, when the live close-up was given to Miličić, Zhang Weiping also put away the jokes he had been making with Yu Jia before the match.

In Su Feng's previous life, many years later, there was a conjecture in the basketball circle.

That is, if Yugoslavia had not dissolved, could the American men's basketball team still dominate the world?

The result...

Even the most die-hard Dream Team fans, after seeing that Yugoslavian men's basketball team composed of Jokić, Vučević, Dragić, Dončić, Petrović, Kirić, and others...

Couldn't help but gasp.

Because in FIBA competitions...

Even if you put together the best players from other strong teams of the same period, you may not be able to match this luxurious Yugoslavia that lives in dreams.

It's a pity...

Reality has no ifs.

And in the center of the court, during the jump ball, Yao Ming was not polite to Miličić, who had just finished crying.

The best way to respect your opponent is to go all out on the court.

On the court, the Chinese men's basketball team's first attack, after Su Feng, Sun Yue, and Yao Ming formed a triangle, Yao Ming posted up Miličić on the free-throw line.

Unlike ordinary low-post killers...

Because Yao Ming can launch attacks from a farther position, theoretically, as long as the Chinese men's basketball team's perimeter can maintain enough distraction ability, Yao Ming cannot be defended.

In the past two years, Miličić has improved rapidly with the Lakers.

But facing Yao Ming, who is far taller and heavier than him, he has no way to deal with it.

"This is simply cheating!"

In the stands, watching Yao Ming on the court, the assistant coach of the American men's basketball team, who was arranged by Coach K to collect information on the Chinese men's basketball team, said with a look of grief and indignation at this moment.

No kidding.

In the opinion of this American men's basketball team assistant coach, if Yao Ming can maintain a certain touch every night...

Then wanting to defeat this Chinese men's basketball team...

Now, it has become something that the American men's basketball team must pray for a miracle to happen.

Swish!

Catch the ball, turn halfway, tiptoe and lean back.

On the court, after Yao Ming scored the first two points for the Chinese men's basketball team, the red waves in the arena instantly rolled up.

"Brother Feng, it would have been better if you had passed that ball a little higher just now."

While retreating, Yao Ming did not forget to "knock" Su Feng, looking at his "deputy."

Okay...

In front of the TV, if Boss Qiao could understand Chinese...

Then he would definitely jump up excitedly at this moment.

Su Thief!

You also have this day?

And in the Chinese men's basketball team's half-court, looking at Yao Ming, who was picking on his wonderful pass just now...

After giving Yao Ming a slight smile, Su Feng also wrote down a note for Yao Ming in his little notebook.

On the court, back again, it was the Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team's turn to attack.

Compared with when they played against each other in Indianapolis four years ago and in Athens two years ago, this Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team is now low in morale, so their offense, in colloquial terms, is:

Playing it by ear.

This ball, Miličić failed to single out Yao Ming in the low post.

Although when turning around, Miličić's technical movements are as handsome and洒脱 as his appearance...

But for Yao Ming, who suffered from Da Zhi's torment in his early years...

This kind of feint can't deceive him.

In the low post, after using his body to give Miličić enough interference, Yao Ming successfully forced Miličić to deform his hook shot at the last moment.

And on the other side, Bogdanović, who was blocked by Su Feng in advance, also failed to grab this offensive rebound for Serbia and Montenegro.

In the penalty area...

Yao Ming turned around very comfortably and picked up his first rebound of the game.

In front of the TV, at this moment, Ben Wallace, Shaquille O'Neal, and others were moved to tears, but we'll leave that aside for now.

The Chinese men's basketball team had possession.

After dribbling past half-court, Su Feng once again signaled Sun Yue to pull to the wing to form a triangle with himself and Yao Ming.

And at this time...

Looking at Su Feng, who was willing to be a "dribbling tool man" on the court...

Don't you see, Kobe's tears falling from the sky.

Flowing into the sea, never to return.

Damn it, Su Feng!

On the court, still the free-throw line.

Still relying on the same trick to make a living.

Facts have proved that on the basketball court, no matter how unremarkable a move is, as long as you can practice it to the point of being unsolvable, then you are equal to invincible.

Swish!

4 to 0.

Yao Ming, who scored 4 consecutive points for the Chinese men's basketball team at the start, is now becoming more and more confident.

In the Chinese men's basketball team's half-court, while retreating, even before Su Feng could speak, Yao Ming pressed Su Feng's head with his big hand.

Su Feng: "..."

Good fellow!

Clearly, are you saying that if your brother Feng doesn't show his power, you really think your brother Feng is Hello Kitty?

On the court, the game continued.

In the first quarter, the Chinese men's basketball team, which fully unleashed Yao Ming's power in the paint, used a textbook-like game to make basketball fans from all over the world in front of the TV fully feel the dominance of this Chinese Great Wall on the court.

The Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team, which had no morale, had no intention of fighting. On the court, in the first quarter alone, Yao Ming contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds for the Chinese men's basketball team.

In Su Feng's previous life, as the scoring champion of this World Championship, 2006 can be said to be a watershed in Yao Ming's career.

And simply put...

After years of basic skill accumulation...

At this moment, Yao Ming has ushered in the peak of his career.

Whether it was playing against Italy before, or playing against Serbia and Montenegro in this game...

Su Feng was deliberately making Yao Ming realize how strong he is now.

Because as the actual leader of this Chinese men's basketball team...

Su Feng is very clear...

This is the key moment for Yao Ming to "transform into a dragon when he encounters the wind and clouds."

Just like how Shaquille O'Neal, after leaping over the dragon gate, went from being a fathead to a Magikarp.

Maybe, this Yao Ming can't appreciate Su Feng's good intentions yet.

But in that Century Battle that Su Feng carefully planned in the future...

You must know...

Yao Ming is Su Feng's only teammate that he can trust at that time.

There's no way around it.

It's not that Wang Zhizhi and the others are not strong enough...

It's just because Su Feng knows that if the American men's basketball team continues to suffer a crushing defeat in this year's World Championship, then they will definitely send out a Gundam to fight in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Therefore...

If you want to defeat Gundam.

Then the Chinese men's basketball team must also send out a Gundam.

In the second quarter, after feeling that the Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team had no intention of fighting, on the sidelines, at Su Feng's suggestion, Zhang Bin, nicknamed "Oriental Zen Master", also sent on young players such as Chen Jianghua in advance.

In Su Feng's view, even if the Serbia and Montenegro men's basketball team failed to perform to their corresponding level in this game for various reasons, this is also a rare opportunity to train troops.

Looking back at the first decade of the 21st century.

The reason why the Chinese men's basketball team was able to defeat some traditional European powerhouses in world competitions was precisely because the players of the Chinese men's basketball team at this time often had the opportunity to compete with the world's strong teams.

In the 2010 World Championship, although the Chinese men's basketball team, which had entered the "Yi Jianlian era" at that time, was very fortunate to qualify from the group, but in terms of the process of that competition...

Whether it was facing Greece, Spain, or Lithuania in the knockout stage, the Chinese men's basketball team gave the opponent a lot of trouble.

But later, after missing the 2014 World Championship, and then to the 2016 Rio Olympics...

You can clearly feel the gap between the Chinese men's basketball team and the world's strong teams.

To put it bluntly, the reason why strong teams are strong teams...

It is because their game rhythm, game level, and confrontation intensity can make those weaker teams constantly make mistakes on the court.

Therefore, this is also why Su Feng brought the Chinese men's basketball team to Las Vegas to train with the American men's basketball team this summer.

Because when you are training every day, you are used to your opponents being James, Anthony, Wade, and others...

Even if your basketball level cannot be qualitatively improved in a short period of time...

Those technical moves that you couldn't do under high confrontation before can also be done as you please.

Sapporo Dome, at halftime, compared with the first game against Italy, tonight's second quarter saw good performances from the Chinese men's basketball team's young players.

In the game, Chen Jianghua even staged several one-stop breakthroughs.

And at this time...

Su Feng, who is both a father and a mother in this men's basketball team, can be said to have a feeling of seeing the dawn.

After the halftime break, in the second half, the Chinese men's basketball team directly put Yao Ming on the bench and changed Yi Jianlian to play center.

In this life, because he changed the bad habit of being afraid of confrontation in his early years while studying at North Carolina, so don't look at A-Lian being slightly thin in shape at this time, but when he really plays...

On the court, Su Feng can completely call him the "little chest-thumping monster of the Chinese men's basketball team."

"A-Lian, can I give you a suggestion?"

In the third quarter, looking at Yi Jianlian who scored after receiving his alley-oop, Su Feng patted him on the back and said.

Hearing this, Yi Jianlian nodded without even thinking, "Brother Feng, tell me, I'm listening!"

Look!

What is a well-behaved good younger brother!

That stinky younger brother like Yao Ming, who has no idea what's good for him and is always thinking about usurping the throne...

Seriously, if it weren't because he was Yao Ming...

I'm afraid Su Feng would have sunk him into the Pacific Ocean long ago!

"Well, it's just that you should be more excited after you make a dunk.

Look at Kevin Garnett.

Not to mention dunking, even if he makes a mid-range shot, I'm afraid he will do five push-ups to tell his opponent how fierce he is." Su Feng said, patting Yi Jianlian on the back.

"But...

Wouldn't that be too pretentious, Brother Feng?" Yi Jianlian asked, touching his head.

"Then have you seen anyone say that Kevin Garnett is pretentious?

Isn't the American media praising him all day long for his fierce style of play, saying that he is one of the fiercest inside players in the current NBA?" Su Feng said, looking at Yi Jianlian.

Nodding, Yi Jianlian also felt that what Su Feng said made sense.

Last season, with Deron Williams's careful feeding, Yi Jianlian's number of dunks in the game ranked first among the 05 rookies.

But in Utah, many media believe that Yi Jianlian's style of play is soft...

Therefore, today, after being reminded by Su Feng...

Yi Jianlian always felt that he had mastered the trick to becoming a tough guy on the court.

In fact, in Su Feng's original timeline...

Yi Jianlian will also have a similar experience in the future.

That is, he clearly hasn't changed his style of play much...

But because in the Changsha Asian Championship, Yi Jianlian showed his "true man" side many times after attacking...

So after the game, many media praised Yi Jianlian for finally having a leader's temperament compared to the past.

…

Sapporo Dome.

After training the troops for a full three quarters, in the end, the Chinese men's basketball team won another city with a score of 94 to 75, successfully achieving two consecutive victories in the group stage of the World Championship.

In this game, Yao Ming, who only played in the first half, scored a game-high 22 points.

And Su Feng, who was taking care of his children while playing the game, scored 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.

After the game, the media from all over the world sighed that the Chinese men's basketball team had already shown their championship appearance in the first two games of the group stage.

Because Su Feng hasn't used his full strength yet...

They have already won the two strongest opponents in this group stage.

On the 21st, the Chinese men's basketball team continued to face Senegal, their third opponent in the group stage of this World Championship, in Sapporo.

Compared with the previous two games, because this Senegal team's overall strength is weak, so after playing the first half of the game, Su Feng began his verbal instruction to the men's basketball players off the court.

In this game, Yi Jianlian successfully stole the limelight from Yao Ming.

Because in the third quarter, after a successful dunk, the scene of Yi Jianlian pounding his chest and roaring to the sky was too deeply rooted in people's hearts...

So after this game, even the Utah media, who had been critical of him before, believed that...

This Yi Jianlian has already transformed into the pillar of the Chinese men's basketball team's inside in this World Championship.

According to the schedule, the Chinese men's basketball team has no game on the 22nd.

After playing back-to-back for three consecutive days, on this day, in order to relieve everyone's physical fatigue, Su Feng also invited the men's basketball players to have a massage at a very famous "Wu Painless Acupuncture" physiotherapy shop in Sapporo.

In the field of modern sports medicine, because acupuncture has a very good effect on relieving fatigue, so if Su Feng remembers correctly, in the future in German football, Werder Bremen will also specially hire an acupuncturist to be responsible for providing physiotherapy to players after the game.

And the reason why this massage shop named "Wu Painless Acupuncture" is famous in Sapporo is because the acupuncturist Suzuki Sugiki is the designated acupuncturist for the Japanese national football team.

In addition, while chatting with this acupuncturist, Su Feng learned that the reason why Suzuki Sugiki used "Wu Painless Acupuncture" to name his physiotherapy shop was because when he was studying acupuncture in Canada in his early years, his teacher was a very famous Chinese acupuncturist in Canada.

"So, your teacher's surname is Wu?" Su Feng asked, looking at Suzuki Sugiki with a curious look.

"Yes, his name is Wu Qian, and he is the most amazing acupuncturist in all of Canada." Hearing this, Suzuki Sugiki, while giving Su Feng acupuncture, also replied with a smile. (Note 1)
Fa Biao De Wo Niu