The moment the ball went in, a tsunami of cheers erupted from the crowd.

Those two three-pointers were worth a fortune, instantly narrowing the point difference to single digits!

More importantly, the momentum was shifting; the Chinese team was gaining momentum!

Popovich shook his head helplessly.

James' help defense was already in place, but Lin Yi was able to make the shot purely through individual ability.

With the increasing development of information, it's becoming more difficult for overseas players to be selected as the top pick. Lin Yi being able to beat out a group of American rookies to be selected as the top pick really meant something.

And if he can make shots like that, it means Lin Yi is on a hot streak tonight.

Just like how the probability of heads or tails on a coin is 50%, but that doesn't mean you'll get one of each if you flip it twice, the same principle applies to shooting percentage in basketball games.

If Lin Yi is feeling it, a 39% shooting percentage is meaningless; he could make shot after shot.

Although reluctant, Popovich signaled to his team to adjust their defense.

Davis scored a basket in the frontcourt for the American team, widening the point difference back to 11 points.

Back on offense, Tang Tian ran a pick-and-roll with Lin Yi again, and the American team's defense changed.

After the change, Durant guarded Lin Yi, leaving only Davis to defend Tang Tian, while James on the weak side was ready to help at any time.

Tang Tian was very familiar with Davis' defense, and after seeing the formation, he used an unparalleled move to force Davis to retreat, then suddenly stopped and pulled up for a jumper.

James couldn't get there in time to help, and Davis couldn't recover; it was practically an open shot.

"Swish!"

Tang Tian's two-pointer went in, and the point difference was back to single digits!

The Chinese team had just put together an 8-2 run!

"Defense! Defense!"

The emotions of the Chinese fans in the stadium were completely ignited.

Defense depends on ability and momentum. Amidst the deafening cheers, Durant and Leonard's successive attacks on the basket were both stopped by the Chinese team!

Lin Yi grabbed the rebound, and the Chinese team advanced to the frontcourt, running the Tian-Yi pick-and-roll again.

They were focusing on that one play!

The American team switched again this time, but Tang Tian popped out this time, and with Davis unable to close out in time, Tang Tian fired from beyond the three-point line.

"Swish!"

He made another one!

Popovich looked helpless.

Tang Tian, his former disciple, was already enough of a headache, and now there was also a big center, Lin Yi, who could keep making three-pointers.

This Chinese duo had given him an unsolvable problem tonight!

The American team tried to leave Lin Yi open again, but Lin Yi kept making three-pointers from the outside, hitting three of them this quarter! And he was three for three!

The American team didn't dare to leave him open anymore, which meant that without an immediate double-team, they couldn't stop Tang Tian at all.

What was even worse was that the Chinese team was playing with more and more momentum, and their defense was full of desperate plays, causing the American team's offensive efficiency to drop significantly compared to the first quarter.

With the last possession before halftime, Tang Tian casually hit a logo three-pointer, tying the score between the Chinese team and the American team at 48!

After the starters returned, the Chinese team relied on the Tian-Yi pick-and-roll to make up a 15-point deficit!

Lin Yi had 11 points in the first half, and Tang Tian had an explosive 27 points!

Their combined score accounted for more than 80% of the team's total.

During the halftime break, it was the Chinese fans' turn to be proud.

"I heard the American team is very strong?"

"The American team is very strong, but we are just as strong! The opponent's awesomeness is to highlight our own awesomeness!"

"Popovich must be having a headache at halftime. The Chinese team is just running the pick-and-roll with Tang Tian and Lin Yi, and the American team just can't defend it!"

"I really want to see the Chinese team win. If the strongest American men's basketball team can't beat the Chinese team, does the NBA need to be reformed?"

"That's right, our CBA has already been reformed, and it seems to be very successful. Should the NBA learn from it? (Wry smile)"

"Tang is still the strongest! He scored more than half of the team's points, a true one-versus-five superstar!"

…

Halftime tie, Tang Tian was also in a good mood.

He still had the golden skill of "Death Assist." Just like at last year's World Cup, as long as the American team didn't have a big lead going into the last five minutes, the Chinese team had a good chance of winning.

After the halftime break, the Chinese team attacked first.

The Chinese team continued to run the Tian-Yi pick-and-roll, and Lin Yi made another three-pointer after receiving the ball!

His outside touch was red hot tonight! Even the halftime break didn't cool him down!

Seeing this, Popovich immediately signaled a change in defense.

The American team scored on an offensive possession in the frontcourt. When they returned to defend the Tian-Yi pick-and-roll, they immediately collapsed both wings toward the inside.

Seeing this, Tang Tian passed the ball to Abudushalamu in the corner at the first opportunity, but the latter hesitated a bit on his shot and was interfered with by James, who had recovered, causing him to miss.

"Don't hesitate when you have the chance! If you miss, it's on me!"

Tang Tian reminded his teammate as he retreated on defense.

The American team's defense changed so quickly; it must have been Popovich's arrangement during halftime.

First, test whether Lin Yi's touch is still there. If it is, then force Tang Tian to pass the ball to someone else.

The first half had already proven that not double-teaming Tang Tian was suicide, so what the American team could do was force the ball into the hands of others and let the other Chinese players shoot.

Leonard posted up Abudushalamu, turned, and drew a foul on Lin Yi on his layup, sending him to the free-throw line where he made both shots, giving the American team the lead.

Both sides were in a state of intense back-and-forth at the start of the second half.

Tang Tian continued to run the pick-and-roll with Lin Yi in the frontcourt. This time, he passed the ball to Yi Jianlian, who was in the corner, for a three-point attempt.

"Clang!"

Yi Jianlian's three-pointer was off.

Popovich breathed a sigh of relief. The Chinese team's outside shooting touch was average; his defensive strategy had worked.

But as soon as he thought that, Tang Tian leaped up and slammed the ball into the basket before Davis!

Tang Tian was too familiar with Davis; he knew what he was going to do just by seeing him wiggle his butt. He directly took position and successfully tipped in the rebound!

This dunk greatly boosted the morale of the Chinese team on the court.

Because Tang Tian had said earlier that he would take responsibility if they missed, and as a result, Yi Jianlian missed, and he tipped it in!

The Chinese team had taken the lead!

But on the next possession, Durant immediately responded with a mid-range shot!

The Chinese team continued to run the Tian-Yi combination, and the American team continued to collapse. This time, Tang Tian passed the ball to Ding Yanyuhang, who was at the 45-degree angle on the right side, for a three-point attempt.

With Yi Jianlian's previous shot as a foundation, Ding Yanyuhang's shot was decisive and confident.

"Swish!"

Fortune favors the bold, and the basketball went in, giving the Chinese team the lead again!

The cheers from the fans in the stadium rose and fell.

The two teams were locked in a battle of wits and courage, and the alternating lead was thrilling to watch.

The Chinese fans in the stadium were also very excited.

Unlike the first half, where they were constantly trailing, the Chinese team's performance of not being at a disadvantage reminded them of the Chinese team from last year.

Back then, the Chinese team and the American team played in the finals, and it was like this now, deadlocked until the very end.

Then came that familiar run.