Behind the U.S. team's advancement to the quarterfinals are the tears of Argentina's golden generation

Before the start of the quarterfinals, Ginobili was amazed at the U.S. team's thrilling trip to the group stage: "I was a little surprised that in two games, they were only one goal away from being dragged into overtime or even losing the game." The Las Vegas warm-up defeat was still fresh in my mind, but in the blink of an eye, the dream team that slaughtered Argentina by 37 points seemed to stagger back to 04 as if in a dream. For the Argentine team, which had just won against Brazil in two overtime, it suddenly became the best opportunity to hack the US team in eight years.

Yet Ginobili later added, "It's going to be a very tough game." His old teammate Scola also admitted, "It's hard to win against this U.S. team." The reality for the two 14-year veterans of the U.S. resistance was harsh. In a close double-overtime group win over Brazil, Ginobili, 39, scored 13 points and 4 assists, Scola, 36, scored 14 points and 10 rebounds, while cutting a game-high 37 points was - at age 37 - Nocioni.

Fourteen years on, from Iverson playing to Irving, these three remnants of Argentina's golden generation, three old guys who could retire tomorrow, cut down a good chunk of the team's points.

As they said, want to compete in the U.S. team's head to win the odds, only to win by surprise. Argentina's thinking is very clear, the opening of the game to actively press, and pinch the passing route, to win counter-attack opportunities, using the speed advantage of the junior Capasso to play fast-paced offense, to come up to confuse the United States, to establish a lead.

Argentina played successfully, the sixth minute of the first quarter, Campaso broke the ball to push the counterattack, distributed to follow up to the outside of the Nocioni, Nocioni well aimed at a meal of time, shot, Argentina led by ten - this is their largest lead of the game.

Yet the U.S. quickly responded, and isn't this our favorite way to play? They grabbed the ball from the defensive end, with continuous switching, pressure on the ball, and wrapping up the ball carrier ...... They used high-intensity defense to make Argentina's veterans scream, and the U.S. took advantage of the situation to brush up a 16-2 comeback, and the game has been in the U.S. rhythm ever since.

In the international arena, the U.S. team is known for its tight defense, "Every time I pass the ball, it feels like there are a million hands in front of me." So lamented point guard Delfino after the 2008 semifinal loss to the United States.

That game was the battle of revenge for the United States, to avenge the humiliation of the Dream 6 team's loss to Argentina four years ago, the United States sent a luxury lineup second only to the Dream 1 team. In Paul, Kobe, James, and a host of defensive stalwarts, Argentina lost six turnovers in the opening five minutes. Argentina turned the ball over 16 times in the whole game, "Turnovers! Turnovers are killing them!" The commentator was anxious.

This is not just an isolated case, every time Argentina and the United States meet, the cool teamwork in Argentina always pays the price of a lot of mistakes. Interestingly, Argentina's defensive style of play is also quite aggressive, in Ginobili first entered the NBA, Popovich often for his gambling steals headache: "I do not know how many times I yelled at him, do not just lay off the ball, but he always my way." Although Argentina lost by a disastrous 20 points, they also forced 15 U.S. turnovers - with Ginobili coming off the bench with an injury.

After playing this semifinal, the Argentines asked for the game ball, and they gathered after the game to lament Manu's injury and mourn the loss of the game - all like the Men's World Basketball Championship six years ago, except that the golden generation was young and they beat the unbeatable Dream 5 team, and although Manu's injury made Argentina missed out on the title, they are hopeful for the future. Spurs manager RC Buford, who was eating on the sidelines, exclaimed afterward, "This is the most amicable team I've ever seen."

2 years later at the Athens Olympics, Manu was 27, Scola 24, and Nocioni 25, the best Argentine team ever. In a narrow semifinal matchup with the Dream Six team, Ginobili scored a game-high 29 points on 9-of-13 shooting and finished the half with 13-6 assists for both teams. "I want to thank my teammates, we worked together and helped each other to get to today I want to thank my teammates for working together and helping each other to get this win, we are incomplete without anyone." As soon as the words left his mouth, Ginobili turned around and threw himself into the arms of his teammates.

The Golden Generation celebrating on the court would not have imagined that this was the first - and last - time their group would beat the U.S. on the Olympic stage.

After the 2012 semifinal defeat to the United States, the Argentines lost their voices in the post-game dinner, they have reason to be so out of shape: the Argentine men's basketball team has been exhausted, eight years ago to win the Golden Generation over thirty years old, the decline in athletic ability is obvious, no one is optimistic about them, "I thought this was the last time we would participate in the Olympics together. " He was already 35 years old, Prigioni said so.

After four years, the Golden Generation either said goodbye to basketball or quit the national team. No one expected that Ginobili, Scola, and Nocioni, names that had been resounding in the international arena for 14 years, would once again appear on the roster of the Argentine men's basketball team. Then, people reacted, this time it is right, this is the golden generation of people ends ringing.

The United States eventually eliminated Argentina with a score of 105-78. The game was out of doubt from the second quarter, with all three veterans scoring in double figures, once again accounting for more than half of the team's points.

At the end of the game, Ginobili took the game ball and had a long hug with his old rival of 14 years - Anthony and Coach K Sr. When walking towards his teammates, he finally couldn't hold back his tears, and in the applause of the whole salute, he rubbed the heads of Galino and Capasso with red eyes, as if he was saying: the old guys are leaving, it's up to you guys from now on.

After the game, Ginobili and Nocioni announced their retirement from the national team, at this time, I suddenly remembered Ginobili before the Olympics posted an old photo of him and Scola 20 years ago, with the words: "People say 20 years is nothing."