The bench of the Chinese Team was thrilled, while the atmosphere on the American team's bench... was okay as well.
As the Dream Team, playing against an opponent they deemed to have only two players, and being down by 7 points after the first quarter, was a bit embarrassing for them.
However, they had regained control of the game itself.
With Zhang San and the big man on the court at the same time, they had the capability to compete hand-to-hand with them. Without either one, even if the others exploded in performance, they could still assert their advantage. They still secured 30 points in the first quarter.
Of course, there were also concerns.
Kobe asked Okafor: "Has Jack gotten stronger again?"
Okafor replied: "He has been improving at a pace beyond my imagination."
How is this answer any different from not answering at all?