After the training, players from both sides left the training hall one after another.
Before leaving, Zhang Weiping took Sun Hao aside and told him something.
This game will be broadcast live in China, and there will be an interview before the game requiring his cooperation.
It was only at this time that Sun Hao noticed a detail.
Although this game is just a summer league, it is a very crucial game for domestic fans.
Because this is the first time that a Chinese person appears on an NBA team and plays against a Chinese team.
This is more attractive than any derby.
The first battle in front of the people of the whole country.
Sun Hao felt some pressure coming.
The Mavericks did not practice in the afternoon, so Sun Hao continued to practice his step-back and catch-and-shoot techniques in the system.
Bale is nowhere to be seen again, probably going to the training hall for extra practice.
Two hours before the game started, Sun Hao came out of the system and Bell also came back.
He was sweating all over, so he must have gone to training.
Sun Hao knew that he was a loner, so he didn't say much. He just said hello and left.
After eating something and resting for a while, he went to the competition venue.
He warmed up to find his touch, and soon fans began to arrive.
"Sun, can we take a picture together?"
What Sun Hao didn't expect was that as soon as he walked to the sidelines, fans came over with cameras.
Although he has only played one game, his performance in the first game seems to have earned him a lot of fans.
However, at this time, Sun Hao's identity as a yellow man was actually helpful, because his skin color was eye-catching and his performance was more likely to attract attention.
Everything has a good and a bad side. If you do it right, it will develop towards the good side.
People came one after another to take photos and get autographs.
Sun Hao handled it calmly. He was already used to this when he was in Europe.
“Our big star is there.”
Just then, Sun Hao heard a familiar voice.
He looked up and saw that it was old Nelson and Cuban who had also come.
After he finished signing, old Nelson pulled Cuban over to say hello to Sun Hao.
Cuban is really humble. Even though Sun Hao was just a rookie, he not only shook hands with him, but also gave him a firm hug.
No wonder Nowitzki stayed with the Mavericks throughout his career. Such a boss is indeed rare.
But in comparison, old Nelson liked Sun Hao more and kept saying that he played well in the first game.
Sun Hao felt that it was really lucky to be able to play under him.
But this is not the end.
Just after Cuban and Nelson went to the stands, two old acquaintances came a short while later.
Nowitzki and Nash, they are here too!
This summer league has attracted a lot of attention.
Nowitzki came up and punched Sun Hao in the chest.
"I heard that you scored 26 points in the first game. Steve said that he deserved to lose."
Because they are both from Europe, he truly loves his younger brother Sun Hao.
"I didn't say that, but I was thinking about winning it back."
Nash also smiled and reached out to Sun Hao.
The plastic friendship between him and Nowitzki is vividly demonstrated.
After finishing talking with Nowitzki and others, Sun Hao couldn't help but take a deep breath, and then his eyes lit up.
Although he had seen many big scenes in both his previous life and this life, the attention paid to this summer league was much greater than he had imagined.
That made him feel invisible pressure, but also stimulated his competitive spirit.
Mamba spirit, tempered into steel.
Before the warm-up began, Zhang Weiping took Sun Hao to do a pre-match interview as he had said before.
"Hello, everyone watching TV, I am in Los Angeles bringing you a pre-game interview of the Mavericks vs. the Chinese men's basketball team in the summer league.
Standing next to me is Sun Hao, Sun Hao, say hello to the domestic fans. "
"Hello everyone, I am Sun Hao."
As Sun Hao spoke, he smiled and waved to the camera.
Even as he was saying hello, countless people in front of television sets across the country were shouting out in excitement.
The living Sun Hao!
"How do you view tonight's game, because today's opponent is very special."
"I know. I watched the men's basketball team's training this morning. They are very strong. This will be a very meaningful game."
"We know that you were unable to catch up with the Olympic training camp due to the draft. Will you participate in the national team's competitions later?"
"Of course. If the national team needs me in the future, I will definitely participate."
"We all know that you scored 26 points in the last game. Did you set a goal for yourself in this game?"
"30 points."
…
Sun Hao was selected by the NBA, and most domestic fans knew him and his achievements in Europe.
But those concepts remain literal, even Sun Hao, who only knows the name.
After all, Sun Hao’s recognition was not that high during the talent show.
However, with the popularity of Su Qun's article , and the fact that this time the game was against the national men's basketball team.
This time is the peak of Sun Hao’s attention, which is why so many people have expressed their feelings of “a living Sun Hao”.
And after watching the pre-match interview, they really felt like they were in love.
Chinese people are often shy in front of the camera, but Sun Hao is really different!
Definitely, 30 points, these words reveal decisiveness and confidence.
In fact, not to mention the fans in front of the TV, even Yao Ming, who was preparing to warm up, was standing not far away, looking at Sun Hao with admiration in his eyes.
"Yao, warm up."
It was not until Wang Zhizhi came over and patted him on the shoulder that he looked away and followed him onto the court.
After Sun Hao finished the interview, he also started to warm up.
Maybe they felt a little stressed after watching the men's basketball training yesterday. Alexander and Harvey both dunked several times in a row during the warm-up.
The two are rookies like Sun Hao, but they did not perform well in the last game, so they are trying hard to prove themselves in this game.
As the warm-up was about to end, the starting lineups of both sides were announced.
There are some changes on the Mavericks side compared to the last game.
Bell was removed from the starting lineup and another undrafted player, Terrence Jefferson, replaced him in the starting lineup.
This is also the cruelty of NBA competition, especially for undrafted players, who may only have one chance.
The other positions have not changed. The point guard is still Sun Hao, the forwards are still Alexander and Harvey, and the center is Saunders.
For the Chinese men's basketball team, the outside players are Guo Shiqiang and Zhang Jinsong, the small forward is Sun Jun, and the inside players are Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming.
After the warm-up, both sides shook hands before the game.
To be honest, Sun Hao felt a little weird at this time, after all, he was playing against his own national team.
But if you think about it, this is a good thing.
He can get familiar with the men's basketball team in advance, so that he will be familiar with the game when he plays for the country in the future.
And for him too, this is a chance to show his quality in front of the fans and the national team.
In other words, the outcome of the game is secondary. The primary thing is the performance, that is, the process of the game.
After the warm-up, the starting lineups of both teams came on the field one after another.
Jump ball between Yao Ming and Sanders.
He is really tall, 2.23 meters, just like a giant from the movie come to reality.
Especially when compared with Sanders, who is 2.08 meters tall, he looks taller.
The fans at the scene couldn't help but make a commotion.
When did China produce such a giant center?
As the referee blew the whistle, Yao Ming used his long arms to push the ball back to the Chinese team's half, officially kicking off the game.
The Chinese team played a high-low position right from the start.
Yao Ming holds the ball in the high post, Wang Zhizhi is in the low post, and the guard runs around the baseline and interweaves positions.
I have to say that the tactical quality of this men's basketball team is really high.
The ball finally came into Wang Zhizhi's hands. He backed down Harvey, made a fake move to walk out, and then turned around and hit the bank.
Xavi reacted quickly. He was shaken the first time but recovered the second time, but he was not tall enough to interfere.
The basketball hit the backboard and fell into the net.
Wang Zhizhi won the first place for the Chinese team.
The Mavericks' offense advanced to the frontcourt. After receiving the ball, Alexander did not follow any tactics, but directly took the ball and broke through.
From the opening warm-up, you could feel that he was determined to prove himself.
Sun Jun's confrontation was not as good as Alexander's, and he was forced to the free throw line by him.
However, the Chinese team's tactical quality is really high, and the defense from both wings came over immediately.
Alexander...chose to believe in himself and made a quick stop and jump shot after squeezing out Sun Jun.
He does have personal ability and earned himself a good chance to shoot.
The ball went over the defense.
"boom!"
But what no one expected was that he was greeted with a big block!
Yao Ming's block!
He was already hiding there before Alexander made his move!
The ball was blocked by Sun Jun, who made a long pass from the backcourt. The Chinese team had already launched a fast break.
Guo Shiqiang received the ball in the frontcourt and assisted Zhang Jinsong to score two more points!
The Chinese team started with a 4-0 lead!
And this is far from the end.
It's not just Alexander on the Mavericks side, Harvey also has to prove himself.
The two men rushed in with the ball, but were met with blocks from Yao Ming.
And after every block, as long as the ball falls into the hands of the Chinese team, there will be a violent defensive counterattack.
Even without a counterattack, Wang Zhizhi had the upper hand against Xavi in ​​positional warfare.
Xavi is one of the few players in this era who can play either game, but in this game he was completely neither.
Halfway through the first quarter, the score was 16 to 6.
Wang Zhizhi showed his true colors as a young man chasing the wind and scored a game-high 8 points.
Yao Ming also had outstanding statistics of 2 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.
This pair of moving Great Walls of the Chinese team, one attacking and one defending, made the Mavericks a little lost.
Harris was forced to call a timeout.
He encountered a big challenge in his coaching career.