Drummond missed the bonus free throw, and Yi Jianlian secured the defensive rebound.
6-6. After trading the lead early on, the two teams were tied.
"China Team! Let's go!"
The on-site fans took the initiative to cheer for the China Team.
China Team's performance after the opening tip had greatly lifted their spirits.
Amid the fans' cheers, Tang Tian drove inside and hit a fadeaway jumper.
Swish!
It went in again!
The arena's shouts instantly turned into cheers.
Unlike three years ago in Rio, when they had been suppressed throughout and trailed by 20+ points at halftime, China Team had battled the USA Team evenly from the opening moments tonight and had not fallen behind!
Li Chunjiang had also stepped to the sideline, his right hand clenched tightly into a fist.
His prediction had been right. After Fang Shuo made that three, the USA Team's double-teams were clearly not as decisive as in the previous possession.
Thompson missed a three after receiving the ball outside, but Drummond directly followed it with a dunk.
Tang Tian drove and kicked it out in the frontcourt. Yi Jianlian caught the ball, cut to the basket, and leaped for a dunk, but Drummond stuffed him directly.
A stir went up from the sideline. Drummond's presence had been a little overwhelming over these two possessions.
As the youngest member of the Brothers of Hard Work, his ability and fame were also the weakest.
Davis had not come due to injury, making him the USA Team's most reliable interior player.
They had been dunked on and blocked, and with little Offensive Time remaining on this possession, China Team was in danger of letting the score gap widen.
But in the crucial moment, it was Tang Tian again. The sideline ball was inbounded, and Tang Tian caught