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China Win Game Three Against NBA Legends 79-60
China boosted with more confidence to face the upcoming Sydney Olympic Games after they beat the NBA Legends, consisted of retired players from the National Basketball Association, in the Game Three 79-60 on Thursday.
With the 2000 Olympics about one month away, China are desperate of a victory against the Legends team, led by former NBA big names like Clyde Drexler, Buck Williams, Ronaldo Blackman, to put up their strength for the first game against the American national team of NBA pros in the Games.
Thursday's game was a best example for the Chinese, who won the eighth places in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, to play defensively,aggressively and consistently to handle the overwhelming NBA players.
After exchanging the lead with the Legends at the beginning of the game, China were fired up midway into the first half when they got a 11-2 run to make it 24-16 at 13:10. They held a slim lead on 31-27 before the break.
When they came back on the floor, center Bateer had a three-point play and forward Hu Weidong drunk two 3-pointers in a row to initiate a 15-4 run in just three minutes. The scoreline was 46-31 at 3:05 in the second half and the Legends never came within 10 points after that.
"We took control of the game with the defence," said Chinese coach Jiang Xingquan. "We played more aggressive tonight."
"China played with more character and heart in this game," the Legends coach Rick Barry said. "And Yao Ming played an exceptional game."
The 19-year-old Yao, 2.23 meters high, scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in 38 minutes.
Hu gave the outside help with five 3-pointers to hand in the game-high 22 points. Drexler, one of the NBA 50 Greatest Players, also had 22 points for the Legends.
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