After the timeout, the game continued, and the Knicks made targeted adjustments.
However, the Heat were no longer a team in the early stages of the season that needed to find their rhythm; their tactics were very mature.
After numerous attempts, the Heat in the third quarter had found the best way to deal with the Knicks.
James stopped going head-to-head with Li Feng and continued to pressure the Knicks' forwards. When Lowry and Li Feng defended him, they were screened by Heat teammates.
Wade's drives also began to show their power. He and James coordinated from both sides, constantly breaking down the Knicks' defense.
In the latter half of the third quarter, the Heat went on a run and surprisingly retook the lead.
Li Feng shook his head in frustration; the lead of over ten points was erased in an instant.
It seemed the Heat's Big Three were truly formidable, and winning would not be easy.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 92-90, with the Heat leading by two points.
Li Feng, uncharacteristically, lost his temper, kicking a chair and cursing.
It was the first time his teammates had seen Li Feng like this.
While they weren't afraid, they all kept their distance, as Li Feng needed a moment alone.
Yao Ming intentionally sat next to Li Feng and patted his shoulder.
"What's wrong, Li Feng? The Big Three are a historically great combination. Even if we lose, it's normal. I rarely see you so agitated!"
Indeed, although Li Feng was a rookie, Yao Ming greatly admired Li Feng's maturity. From the Olympics to the NBA, Li Feng had almost never shown impulsiveness or losing composure.
But today, Li Feng was somewhat out of sorts.
Was it a case of the saying holding true?
When a person has nothing, they are at peace, but when they have everything, they become anxious about losing it?
Under Yao Ming's guidance, Li Feng's emotions slowly calmed down.
"Brother Yao, I really wanted to beat LeBron that badly. So, when the score was caught up just now, I found it a bit hard to accept mentally."
"I understand how important this game is to you, but the Heat are a top team in the league. We have to play to our strengths to beat them!"
"Alas, I was wrong, Brother Yao," Li Feng said gratefully, patting Yao Ming's thigh.
"Don't say that. Everyone has emotional fluctuations. For the Knicks to go further, it still depends on you. You are the team's spiritual pillar; you absolutely cannot break down!"
Yao Ming's words completely ignited Li Feng's sense of responsibility. He shot up and walked in front of his teammates, high-fiving each one and loudly exclaiming, "Brothers, in the fourth quarter, we must work together and win this game!"
The teammates knew Li Feng had been in a bad mood earlier. Seeing him back to normal now, they were all very happy. Everyone stood up and shouted back in unison.
D'Antoni also noticed Li Feng's emotional shift, but as the head coach, it was inconvenient for him to comfort a specific player during the game.
Seeing Li Feng rally, he nodded subtly. Coach D'Antoni felt very fortunate to have Yao Ming and Li Feng as his core players, which saved him a lot of trouble.
In the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, both teams' bench players were on the court.
As it was the most crucial moment of the game, the bench players knew the importance and played with all their might.
Neither team had a high shooting percentage; it was a bit of a brawl, with players often falling, and the referees' whistles blowing frequently.
After more than four minutes of play, the Heat had extended their lead over the Knicks to five points.
101-96!
D'Antoni, worried about the game getting out of hand, had to bring his starters back onto the court.
However, Yao Ming did not come on yet; he needed a bit more rest. Jordan Hill and Bill Walker remained on the court, substituting for Yao Ming and Scola.
Heat coach Spoelstra was still hesitating and didn't make any substitutions, as his bench players were performing well and could hold on for a bit longer.
As soon as Li Feng came on, he drove to the baseline and hit a pull-up jumper, scoring 2 points and narrowing the gap to 3 points.
Then, on defense, he stole a pass from Baron Davis intended for Mike Miller. He and Lowry broke across half-court, assisting Lowry for 2 points.
In less than 30 seconds, Li Feng had cut the deficit to 1 point.
Spoelstra let out a wry smile. It seemed his starting Big Three couldn't withstand Li Feng's ferocious attack without being on the court.
When the Heat were inbounding the ball, Spoelstra quickly called a timeout.
During the timeout, D'Antoni knew the opponent would substitute their starters, so he earnestly instructed his Knicks players to actively help on defense and not let James and Wade get going.
Li Feng and Lowry were the first line of defense against James and Wade, and they had to throw themselves in the way. At the same time, Bill Walker and Stoudemire also needed to actively provide help defense.
Furthermore, if all these defensive lines were broken, Jordan Hill had to do his best to block shots in the paint, even if it meant fouling, as he was a substitute and Yao Ming was still coming.
The entire Knicks team was fully prepared.
After the timeout, the Heat's starters returned to the court, the Big Three brimming with an aggressive aura, aiming to crush the Knicks in one fell swoop!
As expected, the Heat immediately executed a pick-and-roll between James and Wade. James drew the defense and passed the ball back to Wade, who was left open.
Wade faced Lowry, faked, and scored with a jump shot.
This tactic, while not complex, was highly effective because both James and Wade were powerful drivers who could break through defenses.
Although James's shooting was not his strong suit, as long as he got close to the paint, he required double-team defense.
103-100, the Heat once again led by 3 points.
The Knicks' home crowd was extremely tense. With the fourth quarter winding down, the Heat's offense still seemed incredibly sharp, and the Knicks had few answers.
Li Feng was thinking rapidly on the court. He walked over to Stoudemire and Bill Walker and whispered, "Your defensive positions need to be wider; don't just wait in the paint!"
The two nodded vigorously. They were a bit flustered now, waiting for Li Feng to direct them.
On the Knicks' possession, Li Feng made a gesture in the backcourt, and Lowry and Bill Walker simultaneously set a screen for him.
The Heat grew a bit flustered, knowing Li Feng was going to attack himself, but Li Feng was too fast. After crossing half-court, he directly took a logo three-pointer!
Swish!
It was good!
Wade was a step too late and could only watch as Li Feng sank the three-pointer.
103 all!
Li Feng responded to the Heat's offense with a powerful display.
James and Wade exchanged glances, their hearts filled with shock. Who played like this?
Didn't the coach care? Shooting from that far out?
It was no wonder that for such three-pointers, it would take years for Curry to start "recklessly shooting" like this, making logo threes a regular weapon.
Even years later, it would still be jaw-dropping because no one else shot like that.
Li Feng, by bringing Curry's long-range shooting moments forward by several years, was naturally even more astonishing.
The Heat's possession, James and Wade ran another pick-and-roll.
They found that Stoudemire and Bill Walker had expanded their defensive coverage and were switching out promptly.
Li Feng and Lowry were even more aggressive, gnawing at James and Wade, almost forcing them into turnovers.
In the ensuing chaos, the Heat's shot clock was nearing its expiration.
James, with no other option, took a hurried shot from the top of the arc.
Clang!
It missed, and Jordan Hill secured the rebound.
Jordan Hill launched a long pass to Li Feng, who was near the half-court line. Li Feng, with the ball, drove across half-court.
Although Wade reacted quickly and started at the same time, Li Feng's acceleration was faster. Wade chased for several meters before giving up.
In front of the home crowd, Li Feng delivered another 360-degree spin dunk!
The Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden were treated to Li Feng's incredible slam!
Two points!
105-103!
With 5 minutes and 42 seconds remaining.
There was still plenty of time, and the point difference was not large. Both teams had a chance.
But both coaches knew that every possession was critical now. If one team's offense faltered, it would be easy for the score to widen and lose the game.
As the fourth quarter progressed, players were physically depleted, and this was a stage where willpower was tested.
The two teams exchanged blows, executing their strategies, but their success rates were not high.
The scores alternated, remaining tightly contested.
With 4 minutes left in the game, Yao Ming re-entered the game, and Jordan Hill had already accumulated five fouls, having given his all.
Upon entering the game, Yao Ming immediately made a decisive impact on defense, while Li Feng remained sharp on offense.
The two Chinese superstars began to dominate the game.
Although James and Wade played tenaciously and made several extremely difficult shots, Yao Ming and Li Feng's inside-outside combination was more effective.
With Yao Ming sinking a three-pointer from the corner, the Knicks extended their lead to four points.
112-108!
At this point, with 1 minute and 26 seconds remaining.
Spoelstra reluctantly called a timeout.
James, Wade, and Bosh walked off the court with their heads down. Today marked the greatest challenge they had faced since forming the Big Three.
With little time left, if they didn't respond strongly, the Knicks would secure the victory.
D'Antoni was ecstatic. If they could sweep the Heat both home and away, it would be a huge boost to the Knicks' title defense path.
Li Feng did not let his guard down; he still had no smile on his face and continued to encourage his teammates.
For a top-tier team, a minute and a half and a four-point deficit were not significant.
After the timeout, the players returned to the court.
James's expression was serious. He knew the outcome of today's game was crucial, potentially deciding the All-Star MVP race between him and Li Feng, and even influencing the trajectory of the playoffs this year.
Therefore, as soon as he stepped onto the court, James, using a teammate's screen, initiated another drive.
Although the Knicks were prepared, James was still difficult to stop when he drove, reaching the basket.
However, with Yao Ming guarding the paint, James dared not attempt a layup. He looked around and passed the ball to Chalmers in the corner.
Chalmers' shot was quick, but someone was even quicker: Li Feng.
As James drove, Li Feng observed the movement of the Heat players. He noticed Wade drawing Lowry away and Chalmers running to the corner.
Li Feng could have gone to defend Chalmers earlier, but he was being cautious. He intentionally paused, allowing Chalmers to catch the ball before rushing over.
As Chalmers released the ball, a shadow suddenly appeared and snatched the ball out of the air.
This kind of "catch-and-block" was the most humiliating.
There were many types of blocks. A forceful swat was imposing, but it wasn't the most effective defense. Directly catching the ball in the air was the most terrifying.
Li Feng's leaping ability was once again showcased, and Chalmers was stunned.
After catching the ball, Li Feng didn't hesitate and directly passed it to Bill Walker at the 45-degree angle.
Compared to Scola, Bill Walker was more explosive in transition, while Scola had more options in half-court sets.
Bill Walker swiftly crossed half-court, and James gritted his teeth and chased after him.
It had to be said, James in his prime was truly fast. He was initially more than three meters behind Bill Walker, but in the blink of an eye, they were neck and neck.
Li Feng and Lowry also crossed half-court to receive the pass, both knowing that it would be difficult for Bill Walker to score under James's defense.
Bill Walker was also startled. He thought there was no one in front of him and he could easily score, but he heard footsteps behind him and glimpsed James out of the corner of his eye.
Bill Walker was not a reckless player. The reason D'Antoni dared to keep him on the court at the crucial moment was his composure.
Swish!
Bill Walker made a cross-court pass to Lowry on the right wing.
Lowry drove to the right side of the paint and suddenly lobbed the ball, which hit the backboard directly.
Just as James went to grab it, Li Feng flew past him, snatched the ball, and slammed it fiercely into the basket!
Beautiful!
This kind of coordination was something they occasionally practiced in training. But at such a crucial moment today, Lowry actually delivered a flashy pass.
Li Feng didn't miss the opportunity, easily dunking the ball!
James was furious. His fast break defense had been outmaneuvered by three Knicks players.
Of course, there was no shame in that, because only those who defended fiercely could be outmaneuvered; those who didn't defend would never be.
James was still respectable.
After the basket, the Knicks' lead had extended to six points!
The home crowd erupted, with almost all the spectators standing up, wildly waving their arms to cheer on their heroes!
The Knicks teammates also high-fived and bumped chests. At this moment, a six-point lead essentially secured the victory.
With 47 seconds left in the game, 114-108!
Spoelstra didn't call a timeout, staring blankly at Li Feng.
It was supposed to be Chalmers' opportunity to make a three-pointer, but Li Feng had ruthlessly disrupted it.
Were the Heat's Big Three destined to lose to Li Feng?
James held the ball and crossed half-court. He was also filled with frustration, so he directly drove, not even calling for a screen.
Reaching the paint, James took a pull-up jump shot.
Although his shooting was average, his shooting was quite reliable in crucial moments.
Swish!
Two points made, 114-110!
With 38 seconds left, James's offensive possession took less than 10 seconds, showing incredible efficiency.
Li Feng dared not be careless. He communicated with his teammates, telling them to stay calm, and also made a gesture, signaling for an inside play.