Vol 3 Chapter 547: Hosts that are not favored

?　　 The 2019 International Men's Basketball World Cup is a very important moment for the Great China. This is a landmark sporting event at the intersection of important history. Successfully hosting this event is an inevitable requirement for accelerating the construction of a sports power.
　　 But just doing it well will certainly not satisfy the expectations of the fans. As the host, everyone hopes that the national team can achieve a good result. Of course. Everyone knows that the men's basketball team is still a bit worse than the United States, Spain, and other strong teams. Even if he is in Asia, Australia, once the opponent strikes with all his strength, the men's basketball team will not be able to match it. However, the Chinese men's basketball team did enter this World Cup as an Asian hegemon.
　　 Before the game, neither the chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association Yao Ming nor the national team coach Li Nan made a clear statement. In their words, first qualify for the group. But everyone still has a standard in their hearts. Even if the men's basketball team has just gone through a period of cold wave, this standard has not changed.
　　 In everyone's mind, qualifying for a group is just the most basic task, not even a goal. Whether it is the current World Cup or the previous World Championships, including every Olympic Games, everyone's expectations for the men's basketball team are at least the quarterfinals. This is what the men's basketball team has done, and it has never been able to make further breakthroughs. But at the beginning of every international competition, everyone still expects the male basketball players to stand on the podium.
　　 However, for the upcoming World Cup, everyone did not put too much pressure on the men's basketball team. Able to advance to the quarterfinals, even if successful. It can at least show that after Yao Ming and his generation of players have retired, the Chinese men's basketball team has finally returned to its peak level after nearly a decade of downturn. Although they defeated Australia in Lebanon to win the Asian Cup two years ago, everyone did not really think that they were back to the pinnacle of Asia. After all, the players sent by the opposing team are little-known guys.
　　 Throughout the thirty-two teams participating in the competition, there are really strong ones.
　　 The United States is still the team most likely to win the championship. Although Harden, Davis, Irving, Paul George and others have withdrawn one after another, there are still star players such as Kemba Walker, Mitchell, and Tatum. Kemba Walker is a well-rounded point guard. In the NBA for many years, he has excellent scoring ability and was selected to the All-Star lineup three times. Last season, he was also selected as an All-Star starter. As a younger generation of small forwards, Tatum's strength should not be underestimated. In the rookie season, when Hayward was injured, the Celtics' starting small forward averaged 13.9 points per game in the regular season and 18.5 points per game in the playoffs. Mitchell is a guy who can be called Kobe's heir, and his personal ability is beyond doubt. So although many stars of the US team withdrew from the national team this year, the current players are also quite powerful, and it is difficult for teams from other countries to compete with them.
　　 In addition to the United States, Spain and Serbia are the two teams most likely to win the championship.
The Spanish team has a number of NBA players. Gasol and the golden boy Rubio have a strong combination of inside and outside. At the same time, there are also players such as Calderon, Navarro, Fernandez, Rodriguez and others. The overall strength cannot be underestimated. watch for. At the same time, the Spanish team has the experience of beating the US team in the Olympics, so they will pose a great threat to the US team.
　　 Serbia poses a greater threat to the United States than Spain. Not only are they one of the traditional basketball teams in the world, but Serbia left a very deep impression on basketball fans in the world at the Rio Olympics three years ago. They almost overturned the American Dream Team in the group stage and unfortunately lost by 3 points. In the knockout stage, he defeated the powerful, reached the finals and competed with the American team, and received a silver medal. Although they lost both games, the American Dream Team at that time was not comparable to this year's American team. This is not the first time Serbia has fallen at the feet of the US team in the final step of winning the championship. In the World Cup in Spain five years ago, they also lost to the United States in the final and won a silver medal. Now, the opportunity once again appears in front of Serbia, I believe they will not experience the taste of losing to the US team again.
　　 In addition to these three teams, France, Greece, Australia, etc. cannot be underestimated.
　　 Despite the loss of Tony Parker, the French team is still one of the strong contenders for the medal. Five years ago, the host Spain failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the Men's Basketball World Cup because it was blocked by the French. Although the team has suffered injuries, the French team led by Gobert and Batum will be a formidable team after strengthening the defense.
　　Greece is a strong European veteran team. Although the performance of the competition has not been outstanding in recent years, the Greek team now has the new NBA MVP Antetokounmpo. The Bucks had an incredible performance last season, and it was the team that built a "one star and four shot" lineup around "Letter Brother". This talented, offensive and defensive leader of the Greek team, EbookFREE.me, who is extremely desperate, is also going to do something big. Before the game, he said that compared to the honor of the NBA league, the achievements of Greece in the World Cup are more important.
　　 Although Australia lost the championship in the Asian Cup two years ago, their strength is still the best in Asia. Ben Simmons led by Mills, Ingles, Bolden, Baines and many other masters, strong.
　　 "America, don't think it is stable!"
　　 This is what Kobe said in the propaganda film. This is a recognition of international basketball and a warning for the American men's basketball team. The international game is very different from the NBA. Many rules and referees' penalties are very different. Whether these young people on the US team can adapt to the international arena as soon as possible determines how far they can go.
　　 Of course, in the discussion about the ownership of the championship, there is no host.
　　 Although the Chinese men's basketball team has come out of the trough and completed the reconstruction. But in the eyes of most people, this team is still unable to rank among the world's best teams. Even if the Chinese men's basketball team now has a new FMVP. It is difficult for a team to make a radical change based on one's ability alone. Without an organizer like Westbrook, it is still unknown whether Anluo can exert his fighting power like the Thunder. Furthermore, apart from Anluo and Yi Jianlian, this Chinese men's basketball team does not have any players that can do well. Compared with the strong teams where NBA players get together, it's really shabby.
　　 From this point of view, it is not surprising that the Chinese men's basketball team as the host is not favored by others.