He Ximeng and Ginobili entered the court, finally stopping the widening point difference for the international team.
After breaking through, He Ximeng pretended to pass to Ginobili on the wing, but instead, a no-look, behind-the-back pass went to Nesterović, who was following up in the middle!
Nesterović hadn't touched the ball for the past few minutes, being used as a role player by Yuta Tabuse and Liang Dongge for rebounds. He was already full of frustration. Upon receiving He Ximeng's brilliant pass, he immediately fought back, delivering a powerful two-handed dunk to vent his inner anger!
At the same time, due to the height advantage of He Ximeng and Ginobili over Yuta Tabuse and Liang Dongge.
He Ximeng was now 1.89 meters tall, Ginobili 1.96 meters, while Yuta Tabuse was 1.75 meters and Liang Dongge 1.80 meters.
With the increase in height on the international team's guard line, the intensity and quality of their defense also improved significantly. The American team's substitute players could no longer freely take jump shots in the mid-range. As for attacking the paint, honestly, Nesterović was a tall center, and with the perimeter defense holding steady, his rim protection was quite capable.
Following that, He Ximeng collaborated with Da Zhi and Teletović, activating their outside shooting abilities. By the end of the first quarter, they had successfully narrowed the gap to 4 points.
The international team wasn't lacking in skill, but rather in an organizational hub. In one-on-one situations, the international team was naturally no match for the American team. However, when playing team basketball, the European players could confidently say they were not inferior to American basketball.
At the end of the first quarter, during the break, Bobby Jones once again emphasized the importance of team basketball.
"If you want to defeat the American team, you must rely on the power of the team, otherwise, you will only lose miserably..."
Of course, Bobby Jones's statement was mainly directed at the two Asian guards on the bench.
As the second quarter began, Bobby Jones sent out an all-substitute lineup again.
This time, Yuta Tabuse and Liang Dongge did not dare to jump around aimlessly, instead, they honestly fed the ball to their teammates in the paint. Although they were still being dominated defensively by the American team, their offensive efficiency did improve.
Relying on the shooting of a bunch of big men inside and around the paint, the international team's bench gradually showed some spirit. The score difference remained fluctuating around 5 points.
In the latter half of the second quarter, James Worthy gradually returned to his full starting lineup, and Bobby Jones followed suit, bringing back the international team's starting lineup.
After Kobe came on, he hit two mid-range jumpers, temporarily widening the gap to 9 points!
As a result, on the international team's side, He Ximeng's first play was a direct pass to Gasol in the paint, who then backed down and scored against O'Neal.
For the second play, He Ximeng drove and passed back to Nowitzki, who took a turnaround jumper from the edge of the paint, helping the international team score their second basket.
Although these two passes couldn't be considered assists for He Ximeng, the 4 points scored by the international team were tangible results.
Kobe's plan to establish victory with a run in the first half was easily thwarted by He Ximeng.
In the third quarter, Kobe returned with a vengeance, not driving to the basket, but taking jump shots from mid-range and beyond, once again extending the lead to 11 points!
Just as all the spectators believed the American team was about to crush the international team with a run, He Ximeng suddenly stepped up, hitting a transition three-pointer and a catch-and-shoot three from the top of the arc after a movement without the ball, scoring six consecutive points for the international team!
The deficit for the international team returned to 5 points!
"What just happened?"
"Didn't that number 4 point guard for the international team not score?"
"Who the hell told you the number 4 point guard couldn't score?"
"Uh... My notebook clearly states that the number 4 point guard had 7 assists in the first half, along with 2 steals and 2 rebounds. His scoring column showed zero points..."
"Then what about his shot attempts?"
"Um... also zero!"
"That settles it, doesn't it? He didn't even attempt a shot, so how do you know he can't score?"
"But that's not scientific! If he's good at scoring, why didn't he score in the first half?"
"He's a point guard, and organizing is his primary objective. This choice is perfectly fine! I actually admire this kind of selfless passing point guard... There are fewer and fewer players with such a selfless playing style among the younger generation..."
He Ximeng's unexpected outburst caught Tyronn Lue completely off guard.
In the first half, Tyronn Lue had been provoking He Ximeng for a long time, wasting a lot of saliva, but He Ximeng remained unfazed.
Then, at the start of the second half, just as Tyronn Lue relaxed slightly, He Ximeng hit two quick three-pointers, like two swift slaps, leaving Tyronn Lue with no dignity.
Turning around, Tyronn Lue attempted to drive for a layup against He Ximeng, but He Ximeng disrupted his rhythm, nearly blocking the shot. In the final moments, Tyronn Lue elevated his shot arc, avoiding He Ximeng's block, but the accuracy was completely lost. The ball bounced off the rim, and He Ximeng himself grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball for a fast break.
Just as everyone expected He Ximeng to hit another three-pointer, he faked a shot from beyond the arc and then passed the ball on the bounce to a cutting Ginobili. Ginobili pulled away from Kobe and made a layup at the buzzer!
At the end of the third quarter, the international team successfully narrowed the gap to 3 points!
The game situation instantly became tense. The outcome that the audience had expected, with the American team dominating the international team, did not materialize.
In the early stages of the fourth quarter, both coaches initially put their reserve players on the court, and the American team once again extended their lead to 6 points.
Bobby Jones, unable to contain his desire to win, initiated rotations early, bringing on his starting lineup one by one.
As soon as the starters entered the court, He Ximeng assisted Kirilenko on a beautiful backdoor layup.
Kirilenko, with his long arms and legs, had primarily showcased his defensive prowess today.
Stephen Jackson, a master of chaos for the American team, repeatedly missed shots under Kirilenko's tight defense, playing below his usual standard.
On offense, Kirilenko didn't have many standout plays, but when opportunities arose, he was decisive, as was the case just now.
Following that, the American team attempted to counter the international team with a backdoor layup after an off-ball screen, but the international team's twin towers in the paint, Gasol and Nowitzki, cooperated seamlessly. They didn't need any verbal communication; they naturally positioned themselves in the optimal defensive spots... This was a display of basketball IQ! Under the same training conditions, some individuals were naturally better than others.
The American team's backdoor layup was successfully blocked by the international team's twin towers.
After grabbing the rebound, Nowitzki passed the ball to He Ximeng to advance. He Ximeng brought the ball up to the three-point line and passed it back to Nowitzki, who had established position in the paint. Nowitzki faked and then took a turnaround jumper!
This shot bounced off the rim!
However, He Ximeng quickly drove in from the perimeter, getting to a favorable position ahead of the big men. He jumped high and gently tapped the ball with one hand, successfully converting the put-back...