When pride still matters

Chapter 435 When redemption is completed

"You know what, if we beat Team USA, I'm going to retire immediately. Because this is the pinnacle and I can't do any better than this."

A few hours before the start of the group stage match between host China and the United States, Yao Huang spoke in an interview about what would happen if they win against the United States.

This is another emanation of Yao Huang's famous sense of humor.

"If Yao Huang has one fan left on earth, it's me. If he retires, I will cease to exist." Yu Fei responded to Yao Huang's remarks, "So, in order to prevent him from retiring, we will Win the first game.”

For the sports world, the Olympic group stage of the Chinese and American men's basketball teams is a basketball game with historical significance and global influence.

But the result is no suspense.

The Chinese team showed its strength and was evenly matched with the U.S. team in the first half. In the second half, the U.S. team increased its intensity and established the victory through a large number of counterattacks and precise outside three-pointers.

American sportswriters may be the biggest midfielders in basketball.

ESPN's international basketball expert Chris Sheridan wrote in a post-game article: "More than a billion people around the world watched this game, and in the end, the United States was the winner. The country that owns basketball past and present pays tribute to the country that might have His future country shows how to play at the highest level."

The two sides had played against each other before the Olympics.

Because now is the heyday of NBA in China.

Yao Huang's successor, Kong Kongyi, had a rough night.

Yao Huang opened this window, and Yu Fei raised it to an unprecedented level. This generation of NBA stars have quite a few fans in China.

Yao Huang's words made Yu Fei couldn't help laughing: "See you in the finals."

Yu Fei could tell that Yao Huang hadn't fully recovered yet. His steps didn't look smooth and he was very cautious when making movements.

After defeating the Chinese team, the American team will be treated like home court in every game in the Olympics.

"Take care." Yu Fei said.

8 April

Tonight, the Aussies look the same as ever.

And Yu Fei also lost the team's bet. He didn't find a chance to dunk on the big man.

As long as their opponent is not China, fans will cheer for them.

The United States faces quarterfinal opponent Australia.

It was that game that made American basketball experts less confident that the Dream Team would win gold at the Olympics.

"Okay, see you in the finals."

This wall has lasted since February, and Space Yi still has not broken him.

Yao Huang failed to block Yu Fei tonight.

"Thanks to you, I don't have to retire."

In the remaining games of the group stage, the United States easily won all the games.

Until February of this year, Space Yi was considered one of the five best players in the 2007 class and was a definite candidate for the Rookie of the Year team. But then, he hit a wall. The basic problem is that his efficiency at the basket is low, he likes shooting but his shooting rate is not high, he has the ability to attack with the ball but only knows his right hand, and his absolute confidence in his own physical fitness developed in China since he was a child leads to no use of fake moves, while in the United States , there are too many people who can match his physical quality, and that kind of domineering operation will make him often blocked.

After the game, Yao Huang made a joke to Fei.

"They're playing like criminals," Bosh complained to those around him when he was in pain from an Australian player named Mark Worthington.

The main problem for Team USA tonight is their inability to hit three-pointers.

The Australians' confrontation was so brutal that almost everyone was lost in it.

Yu Fei's breakthrough and distribution kept the U.S. team ahead, but to make a run, they needed to hit three-pointers from the outside.

即使于飞全力以赴，美国队在半场结束时也只领先8分。全队仅有4次助攻，其中3次来自于飞⑴。罚球10中3，三分球13中1。

⑴ During this period, FIBA's statistics on assists were very strict. Even if you catch the ball and just dribble the ball, it will not be counted as an assist.

Although the American team's hard power is strong enough to win steadily even in hand-to-hand combat, what Old K wants is a big victory.

In the second half, Old K activated Stephen Curry.

It turned out to be the key move of the night.

In the first three minutes of the second half, Yu Fei hit consecutive NBA-range pull-up three-pointers from outside the 45-degree three-point line on the left and right sides. When they double-teamed Fei, Curry became the target of being let go.

Shorting Stephen Curry?
After today, no team will ever try that again.

Curry continued Yu Fei's touch and hit three consecutive three-pointers.

The American team started the second half with a 15-0 offensive, defeating the Australian team in one fell swoop.

Ku's gravitational pull began to show up on the court.

Even though this kind of defensive appeal is far from being as stable as the 1.5 opponents' attention per round that he used in his peak period, for the U.S. team, a fledgling college student solved the urgent need on the outside in a anxious game and became an influence. A key piece in the situation, what more could they ask for?

Yu Fei began to become a flash point on the flank. Double teams worked for him at first, but then he tried to challenge the double teams that blasted his opponents.

This is the time for the current No. 1 player in the basketball world to show his strength.

The sound of the Chinese fans at the scene made Yu Fei feel like he was back in Seattle.

Whenever he gets the ball at the top of the arc, nearly 20,000 fans at the scene will roar in unison: "Hit! Hit!! Hit!!!"

Then Yu Fei will blow up the Australian players in front of him.

The Australian team, which only lost by 8 points in the first half, lost by 35 points in the second half and ultimately lost by 43 points.

Yu Fei scored 44 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists. Such a violent performance made the Australians suspect that he had taken doping.

"There was one round when Frye faced three double-teams and still chose to play singles and score. You knew they had no chance at all." Chris Bosh reviewed Yu Fei's most abnormal moment tonight, a one-on-three breakthrough. Dunk, "Such an offense will really kill the opponent's fighting spirit."

Interestingly, one person from each country’s participating teams will be randomly selected to take a doping test after each game.

Tonight, the person randomly selected for Team USA is Yu Fei.

Therefore, Yu Fei did not accept a post-match interview. He just told reporters at the scene: "I used a stimulant called 'I hate losing', and I hope they can't detect it."

Two days later, the United States faced Argentina in the semifinals.

Four years ago in Athens, it was Argentina that defeated the United States.

But four years can change a lot of things. Only three people from the U.S. team four years ago are still in the lineup.

They are Wade, Anthony and Boozer.

However, this much-anticipated game lost its suspense from the beginning.

Not long after the start, Ginobili sprained his ankle and was basically unable to move. He posed no threat even while standing on the court.

The Argentinians tried to use zone defense to block the US team, but were shot through by Yu Fei, Kobe Bryant and Anthony's three-pointers.

The problem for Team USA is that they suddenly relax.

Therefore, the Argentine, who was always nervous, once narrowed the 24-point difference to 11 points.

However, the biggest difference between this American team and the past few failed American teams is that they have two leaders who take the game seriously.

Yu Fei, who was already preparing to take a break, returned to the game with a livid face, staring at each of his teammates like a god of death, with an expression on his face that said "If the score difference continues to be narrowed, you can swim directly back to the United States."

The other was Kobe, who took the lead in defense and stopped Argentina's offensive. Then under the leadership of Yu Fei, the point difference widened to 18 points again.

In the fourth quarter, Yu Fei broke through the barrier on his own and rushed directly into Argentina's zone defense. After starting, he pulled the lever three times in the air, and in the crowd, he used his left hand to pick the ball to the top of the backboard and bounce it into the basket.

That was the highlight of the night.

The place was so noisy that other sounds could hardly be heard.

Yu Fei turned sideways and showed his hands to the Argentinian like Jordan in 1992.

You can't guard against five people, are you serious?

This may not be what he meant, but the Argentinian's defense was indeed penetrated.

At the scene, a fan with a wretched appearance sighed: "Ah, if Frye played for the Chinese team, maybe he could really make Yao Dasha retire."

At this time, the Yao Mi next to him were furious: "Are you the stupid Luoyang Huakai (the famous Yao Hei) on the Internet?"

The United States defeated Argentina, and Yu Fei continued his heroics against Australia, scoring 35 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists in a single game.

For Fei, there is only one last step left to save American basketball, and the only factor that makes the Redemption Team as special as the 1992 Meng Yi is the final gold medal.

From the perspective of marketing and publicity, Yu Fei must achieve his personal myth with a perfect victory.

Two days later, the U.S. team faced Spain, which has a golden generation, in the finals.

In Yu Fei's previous life, the two teams staged a battle. Although the American team won by 9 points in the end, the process was very intense and it was a classic game that can be recorded in history.

But tonight, if there is any theme in this game, it is Yu Fei's dominance throughout the Olympics.

Yu Fei in the NBA is an all-around monster who can play from the first to the fourth position. When he comes to FIBA, this omnipotence becomes a terrifying power that can do anything.

He challenged the Gasol brothers in the low post and beat Ferlanders in the high post. The golden boy Rubio only played 2 minutes before being kicked off by Yu Fei because he was a flaw on the court.

Yu Fei scored 22 points in the first half and another 23 points in the second half. While his personal offense was almost unsolvable, he also used passes to revitalize the team.

Under his shadow, Kidd's role as a master of field control has disappeared.

Paul also became a supporting role with nothing to do.

And siege hammers like Kobe, Wade, Anthony, etc. all played their role on the offensive end.

In the end, 121 to 88, the American team reached the top unstoppably.

“弗莱·于，赛会上场均28分12篮板6助攻3抢断2盖帽，三项命中率是不可思议的60+50+88，毫无疑问，这是FIBA历史上最伟大的个人表现。”——ESPN
(End of this chapter)