The final 40 seconds of 969—the decisive moment!
After Old Master Bo helped the Team America players work through their nerves, the five of them had finally returned to a normal state of mind. Wang Yi was still imitating their movements, but they no longer seemed affected.
They gave every possession everything they had.
All five were among the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time. Their teamwork and ability to finish in clutch moments were truly hard to fathom.
In those final five minutes, they had made almost every shot.
They showed the world why they were top NBA stars;
and why they were among the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time.
What was even harder to fathom was that Wang Yi, on China Team's side, had also made almost every shot.
He was taking on those five members of the NBA's 75 greatest entirely by himself.
He showed people what it meant to be one of the NBA's top stars;
and why he wasn't among the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time—not when the list had been drawn up, anyway. He'd only just started making a name for himself with the Los Angeles Lakers, so naturally he hadn't made the cut.
If they made the list this year, he'd be a sure thing.
Those brief minutes had left fans all over the world on the edge of their seats.
American fan: "Whoever wins or loses, this game is an instant classic."
Chinese fan: "This is absolutely the most classic game I've watched in my thirty-plus years as a fan. No contest."
Russian fan: "It's incredibly rare to see someone take on Team America all by himself, but China Team still needs someone else to step up."
There were 40 seconds left in the game.
China