In 1992, when the Dream Team defeated Croatia 117-85 to win the gold dal...
"They knew they were facing the best team in the world," said then-Team USA coach Chuck Daly after the ga. "They can go ho and tell their children later in life, ’I played against Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.’ The more they play against our top players, the more confident they’ll beco."
Without a doubt, the Dream Team from sixteen years ago swept through the entire world of basketball with an invincible deanor.
Back then, The New York Tis even described it this way: "We dominated the Olympics in an extrely unfair way. We sent the planet’s best basketball players and doused the enthusiasm of other countries participating in Olympic basketball with one boring slaughter after another."
However...
Sixteen years later, when the Dream Team once again stood on the Olympic final stage, The New York Tis said, "The world’s new GOAT is destroying this sport. He has destroyed basketball’s past and present, and for the Redemption Team to realize redemption at the Beijing Olympic Gas, it’s only a theoretical possibility."
Before the finals, U.S. dia generally underestimated this Redemption Team led by Kobe and Jas.
So much so that the topic fans were most interested in on the U.S. internet wasn’t whether this Redemption Team could pull off an upset against the Chinese Team, which included Qin Yue, but whether the star-studded Dream Team from ’92 could collectively encircle Qin Yue, the new GOAT.
On paper, Robinson and Ma Long from the Dream Team could match up against Qin Yue, and Pippen and Barkley could effectively restrict Qin Yue on the wings through double-teaming.
As for Yao Ming, Ewing could contend with him.
Plus, at a critical mont, Chuck Daly, who knows Jordan best, would certainly let this old GOAT press the Celestial God Descending switch...
So, if this mythical battle could occur, the ’92 Dream Team seed to have a good chance of defeating this incredibly despairing Chinese Team.
But since it’s a mythical battle, Arican fans’ speculation is destined to remain just speculation.
And with such speculation...
All Arican fans realized once again that the decline of Arican basketball is an irreversible fact.
August 24, 2008.
Wukesong Basketball Hall.
The Olympic n’s basketball final between the host Chinese Team and Team USA unfolded as scheduled.
During the pre-ga warm-up phase, seeing Yao Ming bricking shots, Qin Yue patted him on the shoulder, comforting, "Don’t be nervous, you’re the NBA Finals MVP."
"The entire nation expects us to offer this gold dal as a gift for the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Gas," Yao Ming took a deep breath. "Do you know how many eyes are on us right now?"
Qin Yue glanced at the Olympic champions from various Chinese delegations in the stands, there to cheer for the Chinese n’s Basketball Team, and said, "There must be over a billion viewers."
As the pillar of this Chinese n’s Basketball Team, Qin Yue certainly understood the pressure the Chinese Team would face in this match.
However, since his college days, Qin Yue had already developed a good habit of keeping calm in every major battle.
At this mont, Yao Ming felt Qin Yue’s heart was so strong it didn’t seem human.
But in the next second, when Yao Ming t Qin Yue’s ever-fiery eyes, he found that his originally restless heart gradually cald down.
Is this the reason Qin Yue’s teammates never drop the ball in crucial battles? (Paul: ?)
In the center of the court, after both teams’ warm-ups, Qin Yue’s old friend Carl Jungbrand walked to the center circle with the ball.
Amid the cheers of the audience, Yao Ming won the jump ball, and the Chinese Team had possession.
From the start, Team USA employed full-court press defense.
Compared to the previous opening match, Jas showed 200% commitnt in leading the defense against Qin Yue.
Though in his later career, Jas indeed left many laughable defensive monts.
It must be stated that when Young Jas went all out on defense, he pressured the ball handler with body contact, making it absolutely suffocating.
Typically, in the process of defending the opposing ball handler, Jas only fears two types of players.
One type is those who are so fast he can’t keep up.
The other type can ignore the body contact he gives and instead use their technique to punish his defensive habits.
So the question is, which type does Qin Yue belong to?
The answer is the third type.
On the court, Qin Yue suddenly dribbled with a lowered center of gravity. In the mont he shouldered aside Jas, he unexpectedly charged towards Team USA’s basket.
Inside Team USA’s line, Howard, who was in the help position, tried to apply strong interference before Qin Yue finished his shot, but Qin Yue, proactively seeking body contact, still hovered in that damned sky after colliding with Howard!
As Howard landed first, he could only watch as Qin Yue threw the ball towards the backboard from mid-air.
Bang, swish!
Beep——!
The ball went in, and the whistle blew for an opening AND-ONE!
Qin Yue overwheld Howard, known for his athletic prowess, with talent.
"Arica’s Superman really is declining with each generation."
Before stepping onto the free-throw line, Qin Yue criticized Howard’s defense.
In front of Qin Yue, Howard dared not talk back and could only endure in silence.
Qin Yue completed the free throw, and on the return, Team USA had possession.
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