After the game ended, the Kangaroo players claimed in an interview that they had encountered unfair play.
"We don't think we lost this game. We're just not as wicked as the Dragon Country, who manipulate games by influencing the referees."
Bogut even made an obscene gesture directly in front of the camera.
"Bogut, the last Greek player who made such a gesture was challenged by Tang. Do you also want to fight Tang?"
Bogut was still defiant, immediately stating that he was not the Greek player Seskilitis and that he was not a loser.
As a result, a reporter immediately offered to challenge Tang Long on his behalf, scaring Bogut into flying back to Kangaroo that very night.
Tang Long saw the news and could only shake his head helplessly.
It seemed that post-game duels had become quite popular.
There was a reason why ice hockey had become the second most popular sport.
Meanwhile, the results of another game were also out.
Argentina narrowly defeated Greece 80-78.
The final quarter-final match concluded.
The game was fiercely contested, with Vasillopoulos hitting a three-pointer to narrow the gap to 78-80. At this point, Ginobili missed a layup, leaving Greece with 9 seconds of possession.
Greece could have opted for a two-point shot to force overtime, but the head coach called for a game-winning play.
The three-pointer missed, Scola grabbed the rebound, and threw the ball high into the air as the game ended.
The Olympic top four were decided.
Dragon Country, Flower Flag Country, Spain, and Argentina.
Only Argentina from Group A advanced to the semi-finals.
The draw pitted Dragon Country against Argentina, and Flower Flag Country against Spain.
After the game, coach Jonas did not give the players a day off, and they began recovery training the next morning at 10 AM.
In the afternoon, after a brief tactical session and a scrimmage, Jonas announced the end of training but strictly forbade the players from leaving the practice facility.
Tang Long locked himself in his room and opened his attribute template.
The recent winning streak had earned him over two thousand points. He exchanged them all for five bottles of stamina potions and two bottles of healing potions, just in case anyone got injured on the court.
At this stage of the tournament, any unnecessary casualties could lead to a disastrous outcome.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, the game between Spain and Flower Flag Country kicked off first. Facing Flower Flag Country's all-star lineup, Spain played with great spirit, leading 42-40 at halftime.
In the second half, Flower Flag Country gradually started to get serious. In the third quarter, James and Howard decimated Spain, and the score was reversed.
In the fourth quarter, Spain fought back desperately, even narrowing the gap to just five points. However, Flower Flag Country did not give them any further opportunities, with James stepping up to hit two consecutive three-pointers to seal the victory.
The entire Flower Flag Country team, after a massage and some rest, returned to the court without delay to watch the game between Dragon Country and Argentina.
Coach Krzyzewski of Flower Flag Country considered the previous loss to Dragon Country a disgrace and believed that closely observing this game was crucial, as they were likely to face Dragon Country in the finals.
Of course.
Krzyzewski would have preferred Argentina to win.
While Argentina was a tough opponent, without Tang Long, who was like a cheat code, Flower Flag Country's lineup could defeat Argentina if the players took the game seriously.
On the evening of the 22nd, at 10 PM, the players from both teams appeared in the tunnel.
The stadium was packed for this game, and the viewership was soaring.
As Tang Long emerged from the tunnel, a reporter suddenly appeared, holding a microphone to interview him: "Tang, although Bogut has already fled back to Australia, you are still rivals in the NBA. If you meet on the court, will you challenge him?"
This was not only a question on the minds of reporters but also clearly of the fans.
No matter what Tang Long said, it would arouse immense interest.
Everyone loved a spectacle, regardless of nationality.
It was human nature, not a matter of race.
"That depends on whether that guy accepts the challenge. Frankly, it's hard to have such an exciting boxing match in the league again. However, after my duel with Seskilitis, I've fallen deeply in love with this sport. Therefore, I don't mind Bogut having the same hobby, and I believe it's my duty to help him develop a liking for it."
"Tang, what about Flower Flag Country's current..."
Before the reporter could finish, he was escorted away by security.
After all, the pre-game press conference had allowed reporters to ask questions, even if Tang Long had not attended.
"See? Your teammates are here."
While waiting to enter the court, Yao Ming gestured towards the Flower Flag Country players, clearly understanding why they were there.
"You say that, but Scola is also your teammate. Why aren't you two greeting each other? It's a bit... You can still be friends off the court, right?"
"I think it's better not to, to avoid misunderstandings. Let's win the game first."
As they were talking, someone alerted them that it was time to enter the court.
With 10 minutes left before the game, some of the substitute players on the roster were on the court, shooting to get a feel for the game.
Tang Long clearly had no such intention.
Coach Jonas was explaining some important points to him.
Ginobili was an old opponent of Tang Long, but back then Tang Long played center and guarded Duncan more often. Now, with Tang Long tasked with guarding Ginobili, Jonas needed to explain the tactics to him again.
...
"This Argentine team is really strong. Besides Ginobili, there are also Oberto and Andres. Scola is Yao Ming's teammate and knows him very well. We must be careful in this game."
In the broadcast booth for the top four, the commentators had increased to four, with Yu Jia joining the original three.
As soon as the camera cut back, Yu Jia began: "We've reached the semi-finals, just one step away from a medal. We must win this game. If we can win, we'll have at least a silver medal, which will mark a brand new page for Dragon Country basketball."
Even before the game started, Yu Jia's voice was filled with excitement.
Despite everyone's initial hopes for Dragon Country to simply qualify, winning a medal was the best-case scenario. Now, with the possibility of winning the championship, how could the people of Dragon Country not be thrilled?
From now on, the long-standing weakness of Dragon Country basketball would be completely rewritten. For years to come, any opponent facing Dragon Country would have to think twice about whether they could defeat them.
How could the people of Dragon Country not be excited?
"Among Argentina's starters, besides the four players who play in the NBA, pay special attention to Carlos Delfino."