Tensions flared between both sides, and no one could calm them down. Although Tang Long's side tried to explain that it had nothing to do with Sun Yue, the Argentine players were clearly blinded by rage and wouldn't listen. Tang Long himself became angry.
The referee kept blowing his whistle, but the players pushed him aside. The referee was stunned. He paused for a moment before quickly signaling for the two assistant referees to come over.
"Stop, it's not the Dragon Country players' fault."
At this moment, Ginobili struggled to get up and held back the Argentine players.
"I tripped and fell by accident. Sun Yue didn't even see me at the time."
The Argentine players were clearly taken aback, their expressions complex, a mixture of anger and confusion. After a while, the players reacted: "Manu, even if Tang is a star player, you're not bad either. You don't need to be afraid of him."
"Yeah, you all play in the US, not in Dragon Country. You don't have to be afraid of him. Tell us, did that guy from Dragon Country deliberately play dirty?"
Ginobili said helplessly, "It really wasn't. I jumped too high and sprained my ankle when I landed. It has nothing to do with the Dragon Country players."
The Argentine players were bewildered.
They had just aggressively gone to confront the Dragon Country players, thinking Sun Yue had played dirty. Who knew it was Ginobili who sprained his own ankle? They had been on the verge of a fight just moments ago, and now, in this situation, they didn't know what to do.
Beep.
Beep.
At this moment, the referee rushed in and blew his whistle repeatedly.
Tang Long and Da Zhi both received technical fouls, and three Argentine players also received technical fouls.
However, neither side reacted much to the penalties, especially the Argentine players, who were secretly thanking the referee. If the referee hadn't intervened to break the awkward silence, they wouldn't have known what to do.
Should they apologize?
Carlos Delfino looked at Scola.
Oberto and Andre also quietly backed away, hiding behind Scola.
Scola was Ginobili's teammate with Yao Ming, so he should be the one to ease the tension.
Scola was frustrated.
These guys had no integrity.
They had been roaring aggressively when they charged forward, and now they were all hiding behind him. What was more, they had all retreated so tacitly that no one had warned him. Now he was at the front and couldn't avoid speaking.
"Well... Tang, we were impulsive just now."
Scola said, looking at Yao Ming.
His meaning was clear: we're teammates, you have to help out now.
Yao Ming turned his head, pretending not to see.
If he stepped in as a peacemaker now, how could he gain a foothold in the team later?
The situation became stagnant again.
Seeing that both sides had calmed down, the referee, having called the fouls, stood aside, leaving these matters to the players.
The referee should have handled this, but he was too slick.
The players had disregarded him earlier, and now he was unwilling to do so.
At this critical moment, Ginobili stepped forward: "Everyone, I'm really sorry. My teammates were just too concerned about me, which led to the misunderstanding just now. It's all because of me. I apologize to you all."
"We're all men. It was just a misunderstanding. It's nothing."
Sun Yue stepped forward, waved his hand generously, and even looked at Ginobili with concern: "Manu, is your ankle okay?"
In this situation, it was appropriate for Sun Yue to speak up. Even if Tang Long had tried to make peace, it would have easily caused dissatisfaction among his teammates.
Ginobili shook his head slightly, forcing a relaxed expression: "I probably can't play anymore today. You guys fight hard."
Seeing that both sides had made peace, the referee then signaled for the Argentine head coach to make a substitution.
The head coach replaced Ginobili with Prigioni. After both sides made their free throws, the game resumed.
However, Argentina, lacking Ginobili, became increasingly passive. The team not only lacked a breakthrough point but also frequently made mistakes in the paint.
At the end of the first quarter, Dragon Country led Argentina by 19 points, 30-11.
This was the semi-finals.
Who would have thought that while the US was engaged in a fierce battle with Spain, Dragon Country would have such an easy time in the first quarter?
The US players and coaching staff sitting in the stands looked solemn.
The Dragon Country team was indeed getting stronger and stronger. It wasn't just Tang Long and Yao Ming; the other players had also gained confidence during this period. This was the truly terrifying aspect of Dragon Country.
James and Kobe exchanged glances.
It was highly probable that they would face each other in the finals.
However, compared to their previous ease, James and Kobe now felt the pressure.
"Oh, we can see that Tang Long is walking towards Ginobili."
"I don't know if it's because of what happened in the first quarter, but as the team's leader, Tang Long going over at this moment could easily cause misunderstandings between the two sides. Tang Long's decision doesn't seem very wise."
Tang Long, holding a water bottle, walked directly towards Ginobili.
"Manu, how's your ankle?"
"It's hard to say. I'll probably need to get it checked after the game."
He should have gone for a check-up first, but he was worried about missing the game, so Ginobili planned to have the team doctor examine it during halftime.
"To be honest, I've gained a new appreciation for you today."
Tang Long patted Ginobili's shoulder.
Ginobili was the best sixth man for the Spurs, but when playing against the Cavaliers, his playing time was almost the same as Parker's. During their matches, Ginobili was very agile and caused a lot of trouble for the Cavaliers. However, Ginobili's actions just now had earned Tang Long's respect.
"Have some water."
Tang Long handed the cup to Ginobili.
Ginobili didn't hesitate, took it, and drank.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Tang Long stood up and said, "I'll head back then, so you don't blame me if you lose."
Ginobili added, "Tang, don't celebrate too early. There are still three quarters left, and the outcome is not yet decided."
"Alright, then I'll make sure you're convinced."
Tang Long sauntered back to his own half, and his teammates looked at him with confusion.
"What are you all looking at me for? Look at the coach's tactical board."
...
"Although there were some disturbances in the first quarter, we also witnessed the players' unity and confidence. I believe that if we meet the US again, the players won't be hesitant like they were in the group stage and will play with confidence."
The camera cut back to the commentary booth, and the commentators looked relaxed.
Leading by 19 points in the first quarter, and with Argentina's main offensive threat, Ginobili, now injured, the victory was basically secured for Dragon Country.
At least a silver medal was guaranteed.
...