United States vs. Yao Ming
And ... it was basically that. America convincingly ran past the Chinese to a 120-90 victory. Yao Ming played an impressive game because I am biased as hell and because he is coming back from a summer long recovery from a broken foot. Posting 21 points and 10 rebounds, he was the only factor for China, even though the US swarmed him relentlessly on the defense.
Yao had trouble against his new teammate Battier.
The US played a decent game. However, it was the guards of China who could not dribble past the full court pressure, nor find a way to get the ball down low into Yao or Yi. Yi had a quiet 13 points and 7 rebounds but found a way to break for a sweet dunk in the third. The commentators questioned his age and when he'll be allowed to declare for the NBA. There was a funny tidbit on ESPN.com from Chris Sheridan suggesting that a couple of Chinese writers know Yi is actually 24 years old, not 19 which we all believe. Though China found it difficult to bring the ball up the court, they were quite impressive from behind the 3pt line. Wang and Zhu combined for seven 3pters which kept the game closer then it seemed.
Scary to think Wade can get any better.
The US fell asleep after halftime, letting China sneak back into the game. But then Wade took the game over and started to look more like Kobe Bryant! Chris Paul is starting to make a believer out of me. Is it fair to say Paul could be the next Baron, or is that insulting to Paul?
I had to TIVO this game because I'm out on the West Coast. Did anyone see it live on TV? Any GSoM fans in China?
More GSoM FIBA coverage:
- FIBA Posters are Sweet + Greatest Hoops Poster of All Time?
- Yi Jianlian According to FIBA
- Ike Diogu According to FIBA + Ike vs Team USA
- Arenas Down + The Final Cut
- Mickael Pietrus According to FIBA + The +'s of MP2
- Yi is FIBA's Interview of the (Long)Week
- FIBA 2006: Warriors World Championships
- RECAP: Team USA 119, China 73
- OPEN THREAD: China vs USA- It's Yi Time!
- RECAP: Team USA 114, Puerto Rico 69