Gan Guoyang clearly conserved his energy in the final stages.
It's not that he didn't want to win, but after much thought, he believed it's best not to awaken Team USA.
Let them continue in the Olympics under the current trend.
Chaotic starters, deformed lineup, weak shooting—this Dream Team has many issues.
If the China Team went all out in the final moments and toppled Team USA, public opinion would surely be in an uproar.
At that time, Team USA would undoubtedly reflect on their first defeat, draw lessons, and reorganize their starters and rotation.
Carlisle is just inexperienced and lacking authority; he's not incapable. In fact, his ability to develop tactics and strategies is strong.
If Carlisle takes advantage of failure to gain control of the team, and the Dream Team unites, their strength would certainly increase.
Moreover, the Olympics have just begun, they have sufficient time to adjust, and by the knockout stage, an evolved Team USA would be disastrous.
