Yi Jianlian received Li Feng's pass, soared up, and slammed the ball down with both hands, adding another 2 points for China!
After scoring, Yi Jianlian gratefully ran to Li Feng and they high-fived to celebrate. He knew very well that Li Feng could have easily scored himself. But Li Feng, without hesitation, gave the opportunity to Yi Jianlian.
Ginoobili, being a seasoned superstar, was frustrated by Li Feng's continuous interference. He was getting annoyed, and the game was heating up. Argentina's defensive intensity also increased.
During a change of possession, Ginoobili bumped into Li Feng. The referee called a blocking foul on Li Feng. Although Li Feng disagreed, he just shook his head and didn't complain to the referee.
With over seven minutes played in the second quarter, Li Feng already had 2 fouls. Coach Jonas, being cautious, immediately substituted Li Feng out. In international games, five fouls result in disqualification. Li Feng, as China's most crucial perimeter offensive and defensive core, needed to be prepared to play the entire game.
After Li Feng was subbed out, Ginoobili, without his primary obstacle, began to shine. Before Li Feng left the court, China was leading by 7 points. However, after Li Feng's departure, Argentina, led by Ginoobili, went on a mini-run and took a 2-point lead! While Yao Ming remained dominant in the paint, China's perimeter defense was unable to contain, and their offense couldn't penetrate.
Sitting on the bench, Li Feng was anxious but did not show it. Instead, he would occasionally jump up to cheer for his Chinese teammates, acting as a cheerleader. However, trailing by only 2 points at halftime was acceptable for China, considering they often trailed by around 20 points in the group stage.
Argentina led 53:51 heading into halftime. In the first half, Li Feng played 15 minutes, scoring 14 points, dishing out 7 assists, grabbing 6 rebounds, and recording 2 steals and 1 block. He truly performed as the perimeter offensive and defensive core. Yao Ming played 16 minutes, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, living up to his reputation as China's pillar in the paint! For Argentina, Scola was the leading scorer with 16 points, while Ginoobili had 15 points and 6 assists. Both stars performed well, but Li Feng's shorter playing time indicated higher efficiency.
During halftime, Ginoobili and Li Feng were interviewed by reporters separately. As both were crucial players whose performances determined the game's momentum, reporters hoped to capture some sparks between them. Ginoobili understood the nature of knockout games. While he was a gentle man in his personal life, he knew how to ignite his team's fighting spirit and suppress the opponent's morale during games. Thus, when interviewed, Ginoobili confidently stated, "I will lock down Li Feng in the second half. I'd rather not score myself if it means defeating China. Even if I only score 1 point in the second half, it will be 1 more point than Li Feng!" When this statement reached Li Feng, he responded just as directly, "In that case, I won't let you score even 1 point!" Of course, this was just competitive banter during the game; the media needed such material, and fans enjoyed seeing the stars respond.
In the locker room, Coach Jonas first gave a motivational speech, urging the players not to get discouraged and to continue playing with their all. He also made tactical adjustments, asking Sun Dasheng to help Li Feng with perimeter defense as much as possible. This wasn't due to Li Feng's weak defense, but rather the inconsistent refereeing. If Li Feng were to receive two quick fouls, he would have to sit out. Offensively, Jonas instructed the other players to be more decisive and to finish plays with conviction. Despite trailing at halftime, the Chinese players were full of confidence, subconsciously believing that with Li Feng on the court, a comeback was not an issue.
Yao Ming's stamina was significantly drained in the first half, as Argentina, being a top world team and the defending champions, applied constant pressure in the paint. Seeing that Yao Ming was tired, Li Feng walked over and said, "Brother Yao, in the second half, why don't you change your strategy and shoot a few threes from the perimeter? What do you think?" Yao Ming was worried about his stamina. He knew this was a tough battle, and the outcome would likely be decided in the final moments. However, with his height and weight, if he expended too much energy, he would have no stamina left in the fourth quarter. The highly competitive Yao Ming wanted to contribute at crucial moments. Hearing Li Feng's suggestion, Yao Ming's mind raced. For years, Yao Ming had been battling opponents in the paint. Among the older generation of players, centers were expected to play this way; shooting threes would be considered soft. For example, Dirk Nowitzki had excellent shooting ability, sometimes taking mid-range shots or firing from beyond the three-point line. This was an evolution of modern basketball, reflecting the increasing shooting prowess of tall players. Yao Ming pondered for a moment, then nodded vigorously, "Okay, in the second half, we'll surprise them!" Moving to the perimeter would conserve Yao Ming's energy and disrupt Argentina's defensive formations, achieving two objectives with one move.
...
The second half of the game began. After the halftime break, Ginoobili's stamina had largely recovered. From the start of the second half, he entered a "demon-slayer" mode. Facing Li Feng's defense, Ginoobili avoided his direct pressure, called for a screen, and then drove to the paint. The "Demon Blade" was indeed formidable, with incredibly fast penetration. Just as Ginoobili used a Eurostep to fake out Yao Ming and prepared for a layup, Li Feng suddenly appeared. He leaped into the air as if propelled by springs. "Slap!" A thunderous block sent Ginoobili's sure-shot flying away. Ginoobili's face was filled with shock. Turning around, he saw that the Chinese team had already launched a counterattack. Li Feng's block sent the ball far away, and Sun Dasheng grabbed it, quickly crossing half-court. Zhu Fangyu drove to the corner, and Sun Dasheng immediately passed the ball to him. "Swish!" Zhu Fangyu unleashed a flurry of three-pointers, scoring 3 points. China immediately took the lead, 56:55! The crowd erupted in deafening cheers. Less than 30 seconds into the second half, China had taken the lead, and Li Feng was the primary contributor to this turnaround. His epic block had thwarted Argentina's offense, paving the way for the counterattack. Ginoobili's expression soured. He had intended to build on their lead in the second half. Unexpectedly, Li Feng's aggressive defense had disrupted this play. Morale was crucial, and in this single possession, China had subtly gained the upper hand. On Argentina's next possession, Ginoobili once again had the ball, but he gave up on driving to the basket, somewhat intimidated by Li Feng's elusive defense. After crossing half-court, Ginoobili directly lobbed the ball to Scola. The "Diamond" had played exceptionally well in the first half, shooting 6-of-9 and being Argentina's main scoring threat. Thus, Ginoobili wanted Scola to respond in kind.