Coach K implemented a host of desperate strategies, including moving Carmeron Anthony to power forward and having Chris Paul rapidly push the pace. He also tried having Brad Miller and Dwight Howard control the paint simultaneously, or having Wade relentlessly attack and draw fouls.
These tactics always yielded some results.
No one could deny the Dream Team's absolute dominance in one-on-one situations.
But they were facing the Chinese Team—the Chinese Team led by Goat Su Xi and FIBA's number one center. Whenever they patched up one weakness, another would be exposed.
And so the cycle repeated, over and over.
The Chinese Team consistently maintained its lead, keeping it at a margin of seven or eight points.
As the game drew to a close, Su Xi took over with back-to-back isolation plays. First, he hit a jump shot over Wade. Then, he drained a pull-up jumper from a meter behind the three-point line.
This completely crushed the Dream Team's hopes of victory.
