The answer is no. But I hope it is an interesting game. Former Lithuanian National Team Coach Kazlauskas is now an assistant coach with China. Perhaps he can give the Chinese players a little insight that might help them. In any case China is way over-matched in this one. But I think it would still be fun to watch.
Even though I'd like to think otherwise, there's probably a "So you're telling me there's a chance" of China beating Lithuania.
the only way i think china has a chance against lit is if they drastically improve their perimeter defense and limit the # of 3s lit shoots otherwise i dont think they odds will favor them. and also get yao establish early and force feed him and get lit in the penalty early china from what i've seen so far are a pretty decent FT shooting team so that will be a plus for them
No, China's perimeter defense is horrible and will allow tons of 3's. I expect Lithuania to get 100+ points.
If the perimeter players on the CNT suddenly think all of them are Steve Kerr and shoot lights out, China can win. Realistically, unless they shoot 150% from 3s, they will lose. Since no one can shoot more than 100% from the floor, CNT will lose.
Control the tempo. Don't run your own big man to exhaustion. Keep the score close. Anything can happen in the 4th quarter.
There is absolutely no chance whatsoever that China will beat Lithuania. At best, they can keep it somewhat respectable and lose by about 20 points.
C'mon folks, anything can happen in basketball. Just as a reminder here, Lithuania barely squeezed by #12 Angola 78-73 a week ago. What was remarkable about this game is that Lithuania out-rebounded Angola 47-21. Lithuania almost had more offensive rebounds (18) than Angola had as a team!! Of course, Angola played a great game from the 3pt line, shooting 15/29... which is a little higher than 50%, but not as high as the 150% postulated by some others. (Puerto Rico also lost only by 8 to Lithuania, jacking up 26 3-ptrs in the process.) So, I think it's a little outlandish to claim Lithuania can't be beat.
I think if China can go about 20-30 from behind the arc, they can win. Of course, the chance of a 20% 3-point shooting team putting up that kind of accurate shooting is ridiculously small, but not exactly zero.
Go to Yao everytime. If he hits 60% China will demoralize Lithuania and control the pace. Shock and Awe. Shock and Awe. China 72 Lithuania 68.
go to yao and have to hit their open shots. HAVE TO. they made their key shots in the serbia montenegro game that they didn't show they could make in the previous games. that dude li nan has to show up like he did against SCG.
Lithuania have their own big man who's 7'2" so pretty much without Yao dominating this game it is over with Lithuania winning by 20+ points. How can China who's the worst in almost every categories is going to beat maybe teh best team in the tournament? This game won't even be close right from the beginning. Expect the Chinese players to play their worst way once again after a decent showing against Serbia. I have a feeling Yao is going to foul out for trying too hard for once again being the one man team.
Lithuanians are big, so they are relatively slower comparing to Spain and Agentina. TO might not be a factor if the CNT can control the tempo (slow tempo, that is). Perimeter defense is not what I worried. It cannot be too bad with zone. Beside, no one can defense the perimeter if you opponents get a hot hand beyond the arc. The no. 1 factor could be peremiter offense. Without outside shooters, the Lithuanian can just collapse completely over Yao. Yao's still have problem facing quick double team in a zone defense. And Lithuanian are big! The CNT have some good 3 point shooters but none of them showed up the past few game except the last one, the No. 10 of CNT hit 3/4 3 pointers the 1st half.
The zone defense isn't designed for perimeter defense. In fact, any well-trained half-court offense can consistently get open shots on the perimeter when facing a standard zone.
