In the match against Angola, Jonas decided to give the main players more rest.
However, what Jonas didn't expect was how difficult it was to beat Angola with Tang Long and Yao Ming off the court.
In the fourth quarter, he simply let Tang Long and Yao Ming continue to sit on the bench, intending to observe the performance of other players in their absence.
The game was a tough one, and the Long Country team lost to Angola by a single point, 86-85.
"What kind of game was that?"
"Is this a fixed match? These guys got a little success and started getting arrogant. They could beat Huaqi Country and Banya, but they lost to Angola."
"It's unbelievable. I didn't bet on the first two games, but I put a lot of money on Angola, and these guys have no shame."
"You guys didn't see it either. After playing Banya, Tang Long and Da Yao were so tired they were lying on the sidelines. Why are you complaining about losing to Angola?"
"Championship fans can watch Huaqi Country, or Banya. Oh, right, Huaqi Country and Banya lost to us."
After Long Country lost to Angola, the fans split into two groups.
One group supported their team, believing that besides letting the main players rest, the team also needed to consider the knockout stages.
The other group was simpler: after beating Huaqi Country and Banya, the entire Long Country team got a bit carried away!
In the game against Angola, Tang Long and Yao Ming were made to sit on the bench for a long time. Even when they were trailing in the second quarter, Jonas didn't adjust immediately, only letting Tang Long and Yao Ming play in the third quarter and then not letting them play at all in the fourth.
The fans were extremely dissatisfied, especially those who had paid for tickets and expected to see Tang Long and Yao Ming dominate.
Not only did they play for only a little over ten minutes, but they also lost the game, which was unacceptable to the fans.
Furthermore, with the large fan base of Huaqi Country, some people, in defense of their favorite stars, used this opportunity to criticize Tang Long and Yao Ming.
While some external players were very dissatisfied with Jonas's player rotation, some leaders internally also expressed their lack of understanding.
Their group rivals, Banya, defeated Germany, and Huaqi Country decisively beat Greece, while only Long Country lost to Angola.
With such a favorable situation, they let their main players rest and used fatigue as an excuse, which greatly displeased the higher-ups, who felt they couldn't even overcome such minor difficulties.
However, Jonas was an foreign coach, and the anger from above was directed at Captain Guo.
Captain Guo was scolded severely, which left him feeling depressed.
Fortunately, Jonas also understood Guo's pressure and promised Guo Qiang that he would ensure a sufficient lead in the next match before letting Tang Long and Yao Ming rest.
Guo Qiang just breathed a sigh of relief, but then he suddenly remembered that their next opponent was the German Panzer.
They also had two superstars, Nowitzki and Kaman. It would be difficult to establish a large lead.
Moreover, Nowitzki had always been Yao Ming's nemesis. Even if he played seriously, it was not guaranteed that they could defeat Germany.
This made Guo Qiang break out in a cold sweat. He repeatedly asked Jonas if he would make any more lineup adjustments in the game against Germany.
On August 16th, upon seeing Jonas's starting lineup, Captain Guo finally relaxed.
After a game of adjustments, Jonas fielded Long Country's strongest five again for this match.
Tang Long, Yao Ming, Da Zhi, A Lian, and Sun Yue.
The German team also sent out their strongest lineup.
Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman formed the inside combination, with Green, Hamann, and Weishock starting.
Chris Kaman and Yao Ming had faced each other many times, and Kaman was a notch below Yao Ming in terms of skill.
His footwork was a bit slow, but he made up for it with his mid-range shooting. Defensively, he was diligent and often fought for second-chance points for the team, which was his strength.
Before the game, German head coach Bauermann said in an interview, "Our center is a great center!
Although Yao Ming has a height advantage, he cannot be as agile as Kaman, nor can he have the ability to shoot with both hands like Kaman. I believe the German team will emerge victorious!
As for Tang Long.
It must be admitted that he is indeed an excellent player!
And his stamina has been depleted. Germany is not Huaqi Country or Banya; they won't give Tang Long too many opportunities to receive the ball. In this game, we will completely freeze Tang Long.
After Guo Qiang finished reading Bauermann's interview, he clapped his hands and jumped for joy.
He was originally worried that Jonas would mess around with the lineup again in this game, but now, even if he wanted to, Tang Long wouldn't agree.
Guo Qiang directly took Bauermann's interview to Tang Long.
The implication was clear: since someone said that about you, you should at least show respect for the game.
For Bauermann's timely help, Captain Guo was almost shouting "Old Iron!" at him.
Guo Qiang understood Tang Long.
At the beginning of the game, Tang Long scored four points with a mid-range jumper and a driving layup.
Nowitzki scored two points with his signature fadeaway jumper.
Seeing that Yao Ming had the upper hand against Kaman and Nowitzki was roaming the paint, Tang Long took the initiative to defend Nowitzki.
Under his tight defense, the German team's offense faltered. Kaman was not a match for Yao Ming, and the Long Country team went on a 13-4 run.
Bauermann couldn't sit still and quickly called a timeout.
"Weishock, you need to screen more for Dirk, dribble more, and create comfortable offensive opportunities for Nowitzki so he can shoot when he gets the ball!"
After Tang Long started defending Nowitzki, if no one set screens for him, Nowitzki couldn't get quick shots off.
Tang Long directly limited Nowitzki's effectiveness, so Bauermann had to arrange for someone to free him up.
Tang Long was a very difficult player to deal with; whoever he guarded was usually severely restricted.
Kaman was no match for Yao Ming, and if Nowitzki was also restricted, the German team would have a hard time winning this game.
However, it was easier said than done to restrict Tang Long. When the players returned to the court, Hamann caused some trouble.
Tang Long quickly realized Germany's intention. After Hamann blocked him and created an opportunity for Nowitzki to score a layup, Tang Long called Da Zhi over.
"Brother Zhi, block that guy Hamann later. He's more annoying than a fly."
Da Zhi glanced at the agile Hamann and nodded seriously, "Don't worry, I'll handle it!"
On offense, Yao Ming faced the defense of Kaman and Nowitzki. He completed a hook shot layup against both of them, igniting the crowd.
Many fans had been holding their breath after the previous game against Angola. Seeing Yao Ming play so aggressively from the start, they felt a sense of catharsis.
Germany regrouped for an offensive play.
Hamann tried to repeat his move, but as soon as he started, Da Zhi clamped down on him. Tang Long quickly closed in on Nowitzki.
Seeing Tang Long approach, Nowitzki quickly used his signature move, the fadeaway jumper!