China's men's basketball team was unstoppable, conquering all opposition, leaving more and more media in shock!
"China Men's Basketball Secures Three Consecutive Wins, Defeating Strong Opponents, Team USA Faces Biggest Challenge!"
"Li Feng, Carrying the Momentum of Three Consecutive NBA Championships, Is Unstoppable!"
"Olympic Men's Basketball Matches Fierce, China Men's Basketball Shows Its Prowess!"
...
Currently, China's men's basketball team ranks first in Group B points, tied with Team USA's Dream Team 10 in Group A.
That evening, Li Feng returned to his hotel room and, after a shower, prepared for bed.
His phone rang. Li Feng looked and saw it was Harden calling.
"What urgent matter could this big bearded guy have?"
Li Feng pressed the answer button—
"Brother Deng, what's up? Didn't go look for those big-bootied girls today?"
Hearing Li Feng's teasing, Harden chuckled.
"I didn't go look for girls. The coach is being extra strict this time, not letting us go out."
Li Feng's heart skipped a beat. Dream Team 10 seemed ambitious, with even stricter discipline. It looked like they were truly aiming for the gold medal.
"I knew it. So you have no girls to keep you company, and you're here to amuse yourself?" Li Feng laughed.
"No, I have something to ask you, Li Feng. Your step-back move, why is the range so large? Can you teach me?"
Li Feng's brow furrowed slightly, feeling a bit annoyed.
Normally, if Harden wanted to learn any skill, Li Feng would teach him without reservation.
But this was during a major competition, and the two teams might meet in a few days.
At this crucial juncture, he wants to learn my skills?
Isn't that a bit...
Seeing Li Feng didn't reply, Harden felt he had been a bit presumptuous. He chuckled sheepishly and said, "Never mind, pretend I didn't say anything. I just watched your game earlier and thought your step-back three-pointer was so cool..."
If it were anyone else, Li Feng would have hung up the phone.
But Harden, being a simple and honest guy with no hidden motives, was someone Li Feng knew well.
So Li Feng smiled and said, "Hey, it's just a step-back three-pointer. I'll teach you!"
"Really? That's great! I'll find a gym, you come over too!"
"Okay, send me the address!"
...
Li Feng had already gotten into bed. After hanging up, he started putting on his jacket again.
Jenna, having just showered and drying her hair, emerged from the bathroom and saw Li Feng about to go out again. She asked curiously, "It's already this late, why are you going out again?"
Li Feng recounted Harden's call, and Jenna was half-believing.
"Don't believe me? Come on, let's go together. You and Harden know each other anyway."
Since they were all famous in the US, they were friends.
Jenna thought that she was bored staying in the hotel anyway, so she agreed.
She changed into sportswear and went out hand-in-hand with Li Feng.
Harden had found a gym and was waiting at the entrance for Li Feng.
Seeing Li Feng and Jenna walking over hand-in-hand, Harden feigned anger and called out, "You can't do this, Li Feng! Why are you feeding me dog food so late at night!"
Jenna giggled and said, "It's okay, I was just bored and came out for a walk. You guys practice, don't mind me!"
Harden said enviously, "Look at you, Jenna. You've even changed into Chinese sportswear. Have you really become a Chinese daughter-in-law?"
Jenna proudly hooked her arm around Li Feng's, "Of course! I am a Chinese daughter-in-law. Don't you agree?"
"I agree, how could I not? You were completely dominated by Li Feng in the finals. What else could I disagree with?"
Harden said with a hint of grievance, making Li Feng and Jenna burst into laughter.
The three of them entered the gym and began practicing.
Actually, Harden's step-back three-pointer was already quite good, considered top-tier in the league.
But compared to Li Feng, his rhythm and speed were slightly lacking.
Also, the catch of the ball was not as smooth as Li Feng's, making it easy to be stolen by defensive stalwarts.
Harden was also troubled by this. He had been stripped twice by Li Feng and Lowry in the finals.
Therefore, he had always wanted someone to guide him.
However, within the team, Durant and Westbrook were technically not as good as Harden.
Durant's talent was evident; he didn't need a step-back, just a pull-up jumper, so he hadn't researched the step-back technique much.
After much thought, he could only seek advice from Li Feng.
But Li Feng had returned to China directly for his wedding during the offseason, so Harden had to wait until the next season.
Now, participating in the Olympics, Harden finally got his chance.
Li Feng was very patient, explaining the details of the step-back to Harden without reservation, performing the movements slowly so that Harden could see clearly.
However, there was also a gap in their physical abilities.
Although Harden was a lottery pick with top-tier talent, Li Feng was the first overall pick and even more powerful.
So, when Li Feng performed those moves, Harden always felt something was missing.
But Harden also had his strengths; his comprehension was very high. After following Li Feng's demonstration a few times, he found a move that suited him.
Li Feng watched for a while and gave a thumbs-up, praising, "Brother Deng, not bad! Your step-back is also very effective, much better than before!"
Harden wiped the sweat off his brow and chuckled honestly, "I have no choice. My talent is a bit lacking, not as smooth as yours, so I have to compensate with rhythm."
Li Feng shook his head, "Using rhythm is the highest form of skill. Your comprehension is excellent."
They practiced for over an hour, and it was already past ten o'clock at night.
Jenna hadn't been idle either. On the other side of the court, she was happily practicing layups, having a great time.
All three were getting a little hungry.
So Li Feng suggested they go for some late-night snacks.
The Chinese Olympic delegation had their own chefs, so Li Feng invited Harden to the Chinese delegation's restaurant.
Harden was naturally very willing. He had always heard that Chinese cuisine was the best in the world but had never had the chance to try it.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Li Feng specifically instructed the chefs to prepare a few of their signature dishes.
The chefs had a very good relationship with Li Feng because they would secretly ask Li Feng for autographs and photos. Li Feng was very approachable and obliged them all.
So, when Li Feng mentioned it, the chefs readily agreed and immediately started cooking!
In less than half an hour, five or six dishes were served, an astonishing display of efficiency.
Harden's mouth was watering.
Li Feng suddenly asked, "Brother Deng, can I ask you a question?"
"What question? Can't you wait until I'm done eating?" Harden clumsily picked up his chopsticks, ready to start.
"Wait a moment. I wanted to ask you, does your big beard affect your eating?"
Harden pretended to be angry, glaring at Li Feng, "I knew you'd ask such a silly question. Look at how chubby I am, does it affect me?"
Li Feng and Jenna burst into laughter, nodding repeatedly, "That's right, it really doesn't affect you, haha!"
After a happy late-night meal with Harden, Li Feng saw that it was getting late and bid farewell to Harden.
Before leaving, Li Feng deliberately teased Harden, "Brother Deng, I can break your step-back!"
Harden's expression changed instantly. He didn't say anything, just glared at Li Feng.
Li Feng laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Don't worry, we might not even meet, haha!"
Jenna and Li Feng returned to their room. They couldn't hold back anymore. Jenna jumped onto the bed, rolling with laughter, "Harden is so funny! You saying you could break his step-back just now, he was stunned!"
Li Feng stopped laughing now. He had a new understanding of Harden.
Before, he thought Harden was a player without competitiveness, someone who liked to indulge in pleasures and was content with mediocrity, a simple star.
He didn't expect that Harden had been continuously honing his skills and working hard to improve himself. It was truly admirable.
Li Feng silently prayed that the Thunder management in this parallel world would be helpful and not let Harden go to save a few million dollars.
Although Li Feng also wanted to win championships, he still hoped that the Thunder team could help the "Big Four" reach new heights.
The stronger the opponent, the more brilliant his championship trophy would be!
...
On August 3rd, two group stage matches were played.
In Group A, Nigeria played against the formidable US team, resulting in an astonishing score of 73:156.
In Group B, Great Britain played against Spain, with a score of 78:79, and Spain won by a narrow margin.
On August 4th, there were four matches.
In Group A, France played against Tunisia, with a score of 73:69, France winning.
The US played against Lithuania, with a score of 99:94, the US winning by a small margin. This match earned the respect of many fans for Lithuania.
To push the US team to this extent, Lithuania was the first to do so in this Olympics.
In Group B, Spain played against Russia, with a score of 74:77, Russia winning.
The fourth match was China against Brazil.
Brazil had a record of 2 wins and 1 loss before this game, their only loss being a one-point defeat to Russia, indicating their strong capabilities.
Therefore, before the match, the media and fans focused their attention on this game.
Brazil's South American basketball style was very passionate, with players leaning towards American techniques and good tactical discipline.
Especially since several Brazilian players played in the NBA, this made Brazil one of the most challenging teams in this Olympics.
For example, Barbosa, known as the "Brazilian Flash," was a former member of the Suns' run-and-gun offense, fast, consistent on layups, and a strong player.
Nene, the Wizards' center, nicknamed the "Einhorn," was a center with excellent physical attributes and strong scoring ability near the basket.
Valanciunas, even more so, the Cavaliers' center, was known for his realistic fake moves, especially his skill in drawing fouls, which could be compared to a Hollywood superstar.
Additionally, Splitter was a pillar of the Spurs' interior, and after Duncan got older, Splitter became another pillar of the Spurs' interior.
And there was also...
Most of the other Brazilian players played in European leagues and were top players.
Therefore, compared to Brazil, China's players, aside from the "Big Three," had obvious disadvantages.
This match was a test for China.
Before the game, bad news emerged from the Chinese men's basketball team: Yao Ming was experiencing ankle soreness and would miss the fourth group stage match.
In fact, given Yao Ming's temperament, he would insist on playing, but the coaching staff decided that Yao Ming had to stay healthy.
Moreover, the team currently had three consecutive wins, giving them the right to let Yao Ming rest for a game.
Although China's men's basketball team was centered around Li Feng, the importance of the inside game on the international stage was undeniable.
After entering the knockout stage, Yao Ming would be needed even more.
...
At 11:30 PM, China's fourth group stage match kicked off against the formidable South American team, Brazil!
China's starting lineup was Li Feng, Zhang Zhaoxu, Yi Jianlian, Sun Dasheng, and Chen Jianghua.
Chen Jianghua returned after a one-game suspension, and some of his fans cheered from the sidelines.
Brazil's starting five were Barbosa, Nene, Splitter, Taylor, and Garcia.
At the tip-off, Nene secured the first possession for Brazil.
Without Yao Ming, the pressure on China's inside game was immense. Brazil's double big men clearly targeted the interior.
Under FIBA rules, there is no defensive three-second rule.
This rule is very important for centers, which is why centers often perform better in international competitions.
However, the NBA introduced defensive three-seconds to make the game smoother, making it increasingly difficult for interior players to survive.
Taylor dribbled past half-court, and Chen Jianghua stepped up to defend him closely.
In terms of height, Chen Jianghua had an advantage, but Taylor was strong. He played soccer in Brazil as a child, so his movements were very quick.
Swish!
Taylor didn't call for a screen and directly used a change of direction and acceleration to get past Chen Jianghua!
Li Feng was also surprised. He was defending Barbosa off the ball.
Barbosa was already fast, known as the "Brazilian Flash," and this Taylor was not slow either!
With such perimeter players, combined with Nene and Splitter's double big men inside, China was in for a tough time.
After getting past Chen Jianghua, Taylor drove to the paint, and Yi Jianlian came to help defend.
Suddenly, Splitter screened Zhang Zhaoxu, Nene drove to the basket, Taylor tossed the ball up, and Nene alley-ooped!
Bang!
A powerful dunk for points!
This was Brazil's style of play: sharp perimeter drives and height inside, making them hard to defend.
Li Feng had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. It was going to be dangerous today.
China's offense, Chen Jianghua dribbled the ball from the backcourt, and Taylor suddenly pressured him.
Chen Jianghua was also stubborn. He had been easily beaten by Taylor just now, and this time he had to retaliate!
Who knew that as he changed direction, Taylor's hand shot out like lightning, slap!
He had knocked the ball away from Chen Jianghua.
Chen Jianghua rushed to reclaim the ball, but his motion was too large, knocking Taylor down. The referee's whistle blew, calling Chen Jianghua for a foul.
The ball changed possession, and Brazil entered their half-court offense.
Chen Jianghua was annoyed, patting his head. Li Feng quickly went over and comforted him a few words.
At this time, it was crucial not to lose spirit, as the game had just begun.
Brazil initiated their offense again. Small forward Garcia passed the sideline ball directly to Splitter.
Facing Yi Jianlian, Splitter turned and made a hook shot, sinking the ball!
4:0!
Brazil caught China off guard right from the start.
The gap in the interior was quite significant. Brazil's strategy was clear: target your weaknesses and exploit them relentlessly!
Deng Huade frowned. His pre-game arrangement was for China to pick up the pace.
For teams with an interior advantage, playing at a faster tempo, i.e., the run-and-gun offense, could suppress them.
However, Brazil's perimeter players were also not slow. The combination of Barbosa and Taylor's speed wasn't much slower than Li Feng and Chen Jianghua.
China launched another offensive. This time, Li Feng held the ball in the backcourt. Barbosa, knowing Li Feng's prowess, did not pressure him but waited near the half-court line.