Chapter 114: Wang Chong Wins Olympic Gold Medal and Earns MVP!
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The initial application of small ball tactics proved to be highly effective. It was evident that this approach had a strong counter-effect on zone defense.
Moreover, Dream Team VI's roster was well-suited for this tactic. Beyond the five starters Wang Chong selected, most players on the team could adapt to the fast-paced style. For instance, Shawn Marion, known for the Suns' future run-and-gun style, Lamar Odom, the Lakers' versatile left-handed magician, and Carlos Boozer were all capable of playing the center position in small ball tactics.
Only Tim Duncan and Emeka Okafor had relatively limited mobility on Dream Team VI. However, even their "limited mobility" was only in comparison to their teammates. Against the centers from other national teams, Duncan and Okafor were still much more athletic.
In the final group stage game, the U.S. men's basketball team faced Angola, arguably the weakest team in their group. The Dream Team won convincingly, 97-51, beating Angola by 46 points and once again showcasing their dominance on the global stage.
This game also highlighted the effectiveness of small ball tactics. Duncan played only 18 minutes as the team made multiple lineup rotations to test which players fit this fast-paced style.
The results pleased Larry Brown. As expected, aside from Duncan and Okafor, the other ten players on the team adapted well to the small ball tactics. This strategy maximized the players' strengths and abilities.
Even Larry Brown, known for his rigid approach, couldn't help but admire Wang Chong's insights.
"How did this kid… come up with such an idea?" Brown wondered.
It wasn't surprising that Brown was shocked. If Wang Chong had been a seasoned veteran with over a decade of experience, such vision might be expected. Many head coaches were once professional players themselves.
But Wang Chong was different. The 2003-04 season had just been his first in the league.
Larry Brown wasn't fond of rookies, believing they lacked game experience, tactical discipline, and were prone to impulsive plays on the court. He never imagined that Wang Chong, a freshman, would not only defeat his Pistons in the Finals but also teach him a lesson at the Olympics!
The U.S. men's basketball team won all their group matches, finishing first and drastically altering history. Originally, they should have entered the knockout stage as fourth in their group, but now they advanced as group leaders, changing the quarter-final matchups.
In the quarter-finals, the U.S. team faced the fourth-ranked team in Group B, which happened to be China.
The matchup was almost surreal. Wang Chong never expected to go head-to-head against the Chinese men's basketball team.
It felt a bit awkward.
After all, Wang Chong had ties to China and might even play alongside them in the future. He didn't want to go too hard against them. He scored a symbolic 10 points and then left the court for other players to sub in.
The Chinese men's basketball team, especially in 2004, still lacked the strength to compete. Yao Ming had not yet reached his prime, Abdul-Jabbar was still a rookie, and Dazhi couldn't participate due to suspension.
Even against the weakest Dream Team in recent Olympic history, the Chinese team struggled, especially when Dream Team VI, under Wang Chong's influence, used full-court pressing and fast-break tactics. The Chinese team's poor fundamentals and lack of physicality were exposed.
The U.S. men's basketball team won 95-71, defeating China by 24 points and advancing to the semi-finals.
Despite the defeat, the Chinese team's performance was commendable, tying their best Olympic result by reaching the quarter-finals. Chinese fans were especially excited by Yao Ming's 29-point performance, which was almost as impressive as Marbury's 31 points for the Dream Team.
No matter what, China finally had a top NBA player. Fans couldn't help but wonder: would Wang Chong ever return to play for China?
In the semi-finals, the U.S. team's opponent was Argentina, the same team that historically eliminated them from the Athens Olympics.
The tournament bracket ensured that the top-seeded teams from Groups A and B wouldn't meet until the final, making the competition structure as fair as possible.
Originally, the U.S. men's basketball team, as the fourth seed from Group A, would have met Argentina after beating Spain in the quarter-finals. But now, after finishing first in Group A, the matchups shifted, and they faced China in the quarter-finals before meeting Argentina in the semis.
The other semi-final featured Spain, the top seed in Group B, against Lithuania, the second seed from Group A.
Facing the Argentine men's basketball team was definitely the most challenging match of the tournament. After all, Argentina had won the gold medal at the Athens Olympics by defeating the U.S. Dream Team head-on.
As Wang Chong anticipated, Argentina started strong.
Ginobili scored repeatedly, leaving the U.S. team helpless for a time.
Previously, the U.S. men's basketball team hadn't faced any guard with such exceptional individual skills, so their weakness hadn't been exposed yet.
But Argentina was a different story. Ginobili, a key player in the Spurs' famed "GDP" trio, showcased his brilliance.
The Dream Team's primary defenders? Iverson and Marbury.
Realistically, how effective could these two guards be on defense? Neither of them specialized in defense, nor did they seem interested in it.
As a result, Ginobili thrived, scoring 11 points in the first quarter alone and leading Argentina to dominate early.
The Argentine team was an international powerhouse, skilled in zone defense tactics that disrupted the U.S. team's rhythm, particularly Iverson, who shot just 1-for-6 in the first quarter under intense defensive pressure.
Wang Chong couldn't take it anymore and offered a suggestion to Larry Brown during the break.
"Coach, we need to find a way to contain Ginobili. Let Wade guard him. Wade is great at defense and can disrupt Ginobili's game."
Offensively, Wade wasn't necessarily better than Iverson or Marbury, but defensively, he was far superior.
Larry Brown, whose respect for Wang Chong had grown throughout the tournament, agreed. Dissatisfied with Iverson and Marbury's lackluster defense, Brown replaced them with Wade in the second quarter to defend Ginobili.
The impact was immediate.
Although Wade couldn't completely shut down Ginobili, his defensive presence caused far more disruption than Iverson and Marbury combined. Brown capitalized on the moment by subbing in Odom and Marion, switching to a fast-paced small ball lineup.
Just like with previous opponents, full-court pressing and fast breaks severely hampered Argentina, even with their standout players.
While Ginobili was praised for being on par with the likes of Kobe and Wade, this was largely overhyped. Ginobili never consistently averaged more than 20 points per game, even at his peak. His limited stamina and physical conditioning often constrained his efficiency.
Under Wade's relentless pressure, Ginobili started to make mistakes, which led to turnovers and U.S. fast-break opportunities. The U.S. men's basketball team seized control in the second quarter, erasing the deficit and tying the game by halftime.
Of course, Wang Chong also played a crucial role in closing the gap.
No matter the strategy, Wang Chong was almost unstoppable under FIBA rules.
Standing 2.10 meters tall and playing as a small forward, he was a nightmare matchup for any team.
Defending Wang Chong with a traditional small forward didn't work, as they couldn't contest his shots. Teams couldn't assign centers to guard him either, as pulling their big man out of the paint would disrupt their entire defense.
The only option for Argentina was to hope that Wang Chong had an off shooting night.
But Wang Chong's touch was impeccable.
With a mid-range shooting value of 95 and numerous gold badges, Wang Chong's mid-range and long-range accuracy were unmatched. In fact, only Nowitzki and Kobe, at their best, could rival him in mid-range shooting.
In the second quarter, Wang Chong tore through Argentina's defense, scoring 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including three three-pointers. Combined with the U.S. team's speed in transition, Argentina struggled to keep pace.
Although Argentina, led by Ginobili, tried to mount a comeback in the second half, the U.S. always had an answer, particularly Wang Chong. Argentina couldn't find a way to stop him, making it impossible to close the gap.
The final score was 95-87.
The U.S. men's basketball team defeated Argentina by 8 points, advancing to the finals.
Their finals opponent would be the Spanish men's basketball team, who had defeated Lithuania.
This victory over Argentina gave Wang Chong a huge sense of relief. It meant that Dream Team VI had cleared its biggest hurdle.
Spain had been defeated by Dream Team VI in the original 2004 Olympic quarter-finals. Now, with Wang Chong in the lineup and the U.S. team's new fast-paced strategy, Spain stood little chance.
Meanwhile, Spain had already improved its situation. Originally eliminated in the quarter-finals without a medal, they now guaranteed themselves at least a silver.
Argentina, the original gold medal winners, now found themselves in a bronze medal match against Lithuania.
For Argentina, unaware that they could have won gold, the bronze medal was still a good outcome.
There wasn't much to say about the final.
The U.S. men's basketball team defeated Spain 104-91, claiming the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In the final, Larry Brown fully embraced the strategy of maximizing the players' potential and gave Wang Chong plenty of scoring opportunities. Wang Chong did not disappoint, scoring 28 points, second only to Pau Gasol's 29 points.
Throughout the game, Spain had no answers for Wang Chong's mid-range shooting.
In the end, Wang Chong was awarded the Olympic MVP title, bringing the U.S. men's basketball team back to Olympic glory after the Sydney 2000 gold medal!
End of this chapter
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