NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

Besides the Chinese team, the American team in the other group also easily secured first place in their group.

The US team also won all five games, with a net point differential of over 20 points in each of them. Their average point differential is even higher than that of the Chinese team! This is because they achieved a net point differential of over 70 points in their game against Iran!

There's nothing we can do; the number one spendthrift is right here.
Iran is another team, besides China and the United States, that has already secured its ranking in this tournament.

Last place!

With five consecutive defeats, all of which were utterly crushing, the Iranian team suffered a miserable bottom-place finish and went home.

In Group A, the second-place match between Argentina and Lithuania was fiercely contested. Both teams had a record of 3 wins and 1 loss before meeting, having only lost to Hebei China Fortune.

In this game, both sides fought all the way to overtime for the title of second in the group. Finally, Ginobili's breakthrough and floater with 40 seconds left in the game widened the gap to 5 points and secured the victory!

Ultimately, Argentina finished second in the group with a record of 4 wins and 1 loss, Lithuania finished third with a record of 3 wins and 2 losses, and Croatia took fourth place.

These four teams also advanced to the quarterfinals.

In Group B, the United States easily took first place. Although Spain was thrashed by the United States by 30 points, they had an easy time against other opponents, securing a solid 4 wins and 1 loss and ranking second in the group.

The third-place finisher in the group was Greece, the reigning European champions, while the fourth-place finisher was Germany, the reigning European runners-up!
With this, all eight teams that have advanced to the knockout stage have been revealed.

The two sides will form four groups, A1 vs. B4, A2 vs. B3, and so on, to determine the four teams in the semifinals.

China will also face the formidable Germany in the quarterfinals!
The German team in this tournament is indeed a force to be reckoned with. They not only won the runner-up title in the 2005 European Championship, but their star player Dirk Nowitzki is in his prime, and the team has also acquired Chris Kaman, a near-All-Star caliber center.

Unfortunately, they were up against the Chinese team.

Although their interior strength is formidable, the Chinese team also has three mobile Great Walls, especially Yao Ming, whose current strength, even if not as good as Nowitzki, is not far behind.

With Germany's advantage in the paint neutralized, and no one on the perimeter who can compare to Lin Tian, ​​apart from Kaman and Nowitzki, the rest of the German team is indeed much weaker!

Or to put it another way: in a parallel world without Lin Tian, ​​the Chinese team was able to defeat Germany and advance to the quarterfinals. Now that Lin Tian is here, Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, Xu Yong, and others are even stronger than in the parallel world.

lose?
Why should we lose?

What makes Germany think they can beat China?
Unless you change the grass field, even if you bring in players like Ballack, Kahn, Schweinsteiger, or Podolski, you'll still likely be able to beat the Chinese team.

Unfortunately, it was a lost cause on the basketball court!
105: 70!

Having entered the knockout stage, the Chinese team became increasingly fierce and energetic, giving the German team no chance in this game. They completely widened the score gap in the third quarter, and the difference between the two sides even reached as much as 45 points in the middle of the third quarter!
That is, Jonas quickly substituted his main players and put role players on the field.

The most significant problem for the Chinese team is that, apart from a few key players, the gap between the rest of the team and world-class players is quite obvious.

So without Yao Ming, Lin Tian, ​​Yi Jianlian, and others, their substitutes were overwhelmed by the German team's substitutes in the fourth quarter, losing the quarter by 10 points.

This match first showcased the formidable strength and dominance of the Chinese team, but it also exposed their weaknesses, such as insufficient substitute players and a lack of available talent for bench rotation.

Especially when Lin Tian and Yao Ming are both absent, the rest of the team is unable to carry the team and find it difficult to organize an effective offense or provide a stable output.

But if either of these two players is present, this Chinese team will be extremely competitive and capable of competing with second-tier teams in the world. If both of them are present, well, then the Chinese team will be the invincible champion team that has been undefeated for the past eight years!
More importantly, Yi Jianlian, Da Zhi, and Xu Yong are all stronger than in another parallel universe. Shooters like Zhu Fangyu and Wang Shipeng are a perfect match for Lin Tian. As long as they run, the basketball will definitely be in their hands. Lin Tian will not let them down!
With most of the players in their prime, aged 27-30, this Chinese team is definitely at its strongest!

And their number one opponent is clearly ready!

Just like they wanted to see who could win more cleanly and spectacularly against the Chinese team, the American team also went all out against Croatia in the quarterfinals, and in the end they won by 41 points!
This year, the US team's goal is crystal clear: to beat all opponents to a pulp! The US team's strongest, most famous, and most formidable strength lies in its rotation. Their starting lineup and substitutes are all at least world-class stars, and any one of them could be a star player on any other team.

Therefore, there is absolutely no situation where resting the main players leads to the substitutes being overwhelmed.

When their starters are resting, their substitutes are even more ruthless!

Why are we guys, who are all big brothers and city kings in the team, only able to play garbage time here?
He was full of resentment and felt incredibly frustrated, so when he went on stage to beat the dog when it was down, he was ruthless!

Besides wanting to vent my anger, the most important reason was: what if we did a good job and Old K pulled us guys out from next to the water dispenser?
Fight! Fight them to the death!
We must fight them to the death!
In short, the US team easily advanced to the semifinals by maintaining their aggressive playing style throughout the game!

Their opponents, on the other hand, were Argentina, who had fought a bloody battle and narrowly defeated Greece!
As for China's opponent, it was Spain, who suddenly showed their fangs after entering the knockout stage and stopped pretending to be dead!
It's worth mentioning that more people actually favored Lithuania in the match between Spain and Lithuania! This is because Lithuania is more stable and united, and the team has been playing together for a long time, with many players even being teammates at their clubs.

However, once the match started, it turned out to be one-sided.

From the start of the game, Spain completely dominated Lithuania with the height of the Gasol brothers and their control of the paint. Then, Spain's outside players, such as Fernandez and Navarro, came out on top, and by the end of the first quarter, the score had already surpassed double digits!
Although Spain did not continue to widen the score gap in the second quarter, they suddenly surged again at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter, launching another wave of attacks and widening the gap to more than 20 points!
Then they maintained that point difference until the end of the game!
98: 74!

Spain secured a resounding 24-point victory, eliminating Lithuania from the semifinals.

To be honest, Spain winning this match wasn't a particularly big upset. Before the match, the general consensus was that the score was 5.5 to 4.5, with Lithuania having the upper hand, but they would have to pay a price to win.

But who could have imagined that the Spanish team would control the pace of the game from the very beginning? They dominated the game and gave Lithuania almost no chance. Two high-scoring moments directly secured the victory!

At this point, many people were surprised to discover that this Olympic Games might not be a battle between two giants at all, but rather a Three Kingdoms-style competition!

Spain's ability to defeat top powerhouse Lithuania in such a way suggests that their true strength is far greater than what they showed in the group stage and warm-up matches!

"Don't underestimate these bastards who only know how to abuse animals," Lin Tian said in the team's internal meeting before the semi-finals. "They are strong! They are much stronger than we thought! In fact, I think if they can beat us, they will be the champions."

"Uh... that seems like a no-brainer. How could we not win the championship if our team beat us?"

"I would bet on Spain to win if they face the USA in the semifinals!"

Lin Tian's words were, of course, an exaggeration. Spain's chances against the United States were at most 4:6. They were still firmly suppressed, only having the power to resist and fight back.

But what time is it now? It's a pre-battle meeting, so we must portray the enemy as powerful enough! We must put the whole team on high alert and not underestimate them.

Even though Lin Tian was confident that his team had at least a 90% chance of winning against Spain, he wouldn't underestimate them.

Underestimating the opponent is a prerequisite for a disaster, and he won't give Spain that chance.

"In this match, we must be on high alert from the very beginning! We must completely overwhelm them from the start, and nip their momentum and drive in the bud!"

"Don't give them a chance! Don't give them any chance at all!"

"Kill them!"

"Kill them!"

"Five consecutive championships!" "We are a dynasty!"

The Chinese team players cheered and raised their arms in unison. Even if Lin Tian hadn't said anything, they would never have let their guard down at this moment.

Now that Lin Tian has brought it up, the Chinese players, who idolize him like a big brother, will naturally not slack off in the slightest. Everyone has expressed that they will definitely give their all to deal with Spain!
"Coach, it's up to you now. Please give us a thorough analysis of Spain's tactics and lineup." Lin Tian smiled at Jonas, who was sitting to the side, indicating that his part was finished and it was up to him now.

After boosting morale, it's time to get down to business. Jonas and the coaching staff will share the video footage they collected and highlights of the Spanish team, and thoroughly analyze and dissect the Spanish team's tactics!

From now until the semifinals begin, the Chinese team will not have any heavy training. Every day they will just shoot some hoops, run around, warm up, and maintain their condition and excitement. Almost all the rest of the time will be spent on tactical analysis classes.

As for why it's almost all the time, it's because everyone also goes to the track and field to cheer for Lin Tian.

During the group stage, Lin Tian had already taken the time to run the preliminary round of the 100-meter sprint, and now he has successfully advanced to the semifinals.

The semifinals and finals of the 100-meter dash at the Olympics are held on the same day.

It happened exactly one day before the semi-final match between China and Spain.

After Lin Tian finishes his run, he will have plenty of time to recover and prepare for the competition!
Lin Tian was actually quite looking forward to this 100-meter race.

That man is coming!

The people Lin Tian had dealt with before, while not exactly rotten potatoes or bird eggs, were still a bit lacking. His strongest opponents were all sickly and ill.

This time, Lin Tian is finally about to meet the greatest super genius in the history of the 100-meter race.

I wonder if, inspired by him, I can unleash an even better performance than I did back then?

Lin Tian had been preparing for this ultimate 100-meter showdown for at least six months.

I adjusted my weight and body fat to transform my slightly overweight physique from the beginning of the season into a sculpted, perfect one. I also intentionally incorporated more training related to explosiveness and reaction time into my daily workouts.

He wants to be in top form to face the strongest enemy!

It's like if you asked Lin Tian now which championship he likes the most, Lin Tian would definitely say the one from 98, because that's the year he beat Jordan!
The most exciting thing is to take down the strongest and greatest guy.

This time, Lin Tian's opponent is none other than Usain Bolt, the Jamaican lightning bolt!

Lin Tian felt quite excited every time he thought about this.

This time, he had his personal expectations set to the maximum!
Of course, that's Lin Tian's job tomorrow night. Right now, he still needs to work with the team to review the Spanish team's lineup and tactics!
“Pau Gasol is absolutely the core of the Spanish team. Due to his technical characteristics, he is more powerful in FIBA ​​than in the NBA. Especially after this year’s playoffs, Gasol is more like a man than a softie.”

As Jonas finished speaking, he glanced at Lin Tian with a resentful look, as if to say, "Why did you have to provoke our opponent? Wouldn't it be better to let him continue acting like a girl?"

Jonas continued, "If you were to choose the number one player in the world of basketball today, it would definitely be Lin! But if you were to choose the number one center in the FIBA ​​world, Howard, Bosh, the Greek Shark, or Nowitzki would all be inferior."

"In my opinion, the battle for FIBA's best center today is a fight between two people."

"Yao, you and Gasol absolutely have to settle this! I personally think you're the best center in FIBA, and I hope that after this game, you can convince others to think the same way!"

"Marc Gasol, Gasol's younger brother, grew up with Gasol. Their chemistry goes without saying; they are almost telepathic. Their high-low post play and inside passing combinations are their killer moves in the paint!"

"At the same time, it cannot be ignored that although Marc Gasol's skills, shooting range and ability are not as good as his brother's, his physical strength is obviously better than Pau Gasol's. He is a standard, hard-hitting, traditional center!"

“Yao, although you need to compete with Pau Gasol in the game, you should spend more time guarding Marc Gasol.”

"I understand." Yao Ming nodded without saying anything more.

"Besides the Gasol brothers, the Spanish team also has Reyes, Garbajosa and others in the paint. These are all standard European white bear-type big men: fierce in physical confrontation, good small skills, solid fundamentals. If you give them open looks and opportunities, they can also hit a three-pointer at any time!"

"In short, Spain's interior lineup is quite formidable, with each player being tall, strong, and fiercely competitive! When facing them, don't be afraid, don't back down, just go for it! When it comes to aggression, I believe we won't lose to anyone!"

"The Spanish team also has a wealth of talent in the 2 and 3 positions. 'Bomb' Navarro is their core outside player and number one offensive point. Although his physical attributes are average and his running and jumping ability is not worth mentioning."

"But his sense of rhythm, physicality, and touch are all top-notch, especially his close-to-the-basket floater, which is unpredictable. Many people call Navarro's floater the most undefendable offensive technique in all of Europe!"

"This move also earned him the nickname 'Bomb'."

"Then there's Fernandez. This guy is a completely different type from Navarro. He has explosive athleticism, can run and jump, and has boundless stamina that makes him almost tireless. In addition, whether it's driving to the basket or shooting, this guy is quite strong!"

"His scoring consistency may not be as good as Navarro's, but his explosiveness and ability to score consecutive points are better than Navarro's! These two are also the two most important outside scorers for the Spanish team."

"Next up is their key defender Calderon, Xu. He'll be your teammate next season. His trademark is his consistency!"

"He's like a calmer version of Navarro who can't score. His specialties are organizing attacks, passing, directing the overall situation, and revitalizing the team. With him around, Spain's attack will never fall apart and will always be organized."

"At the same time, although he has only averaged 4 points per game in this Olympics so far, if you give him the opportunity, his three-point shooting percentage is as high as 48%, and he has not missed a single free throw! He is a cold-blooded assassin with low offensive desire but absolutely not to be ignored!"

"Next up is their youngest player, nicknamed 'European Golden Boy,' Ricky Rubio. Interestingly, he's a completely different type of player from Calderon!"

"Rubio's passing is unpredictable; he always finds his teammates in all sorts of amazing ways. He plays with great beauty and creativity, as elegant as an artist. Although the price he pays is a fairly high turnover rate, he is also considered a top-five NBA draft pick!"

“更重要的就是：他今年只有18岁，却已经在欧青赛和世青赛中都打出了具有统治力的表现，单场4双、单场50分、单场40+20这种怪物一样的数据都出自他的手下。”

"Although he doesn't have a huge role in the Spanish team right now, his ability to push fast breaks and create transitions should not be underestimated!"

"These four perimeter players on the Spanish team must be closely guarded, and there can be no lapses! These guys are all highly reliable players with top-notch skills, especially considering that the Spanish team has a strong interior presence and tall stature, which can draw the opponent's attention to them."

"Their outside shooting is even more prone to unleashing terrifying energy!"

"In the end, it all comes down to Gasol!"

After briefly introducing several key players of the Spanish team, Jonas slammed his fist on the table and said, "Defending against Gasol is not just about stopping his individual attacks, but more importantly, stopping his passes and disrupting the entire Spanish team's system!"

"With Gasol on the field, the Spanish team is a cohesive unit, a fluid whole! Their connection between inside and outside, and even between inside and inside, will be flawless!"

"So, the next video we'll be watching will be about Spain's inside and outside passing, Gasol's possession, attacking, or passing. I hope we can find Spain's problems and the areas we need to focus on marking from this!"

"Alright, play the recording!" (End of Chapter)