Fans all knew that Li Feng's greatest strength was his ultra-long three-pointers.
And Li Feng hadn't even exerted his full effort today, nor had he shot any threes.
With the team's suffocating defense and Li Feng's drives and assists, they were already leading.
How was this game supposed to be played?
The defending champions were indeed the defending champions, their strength was too great!
The Grizzlies players were all dejected. They had trained the hardest during the offseason.
Coach Hollins had barely rested, continuously training with the players. The entire team was ambitious.
They never expected that in their second regular season game, they would narrowly lose to the Thunder.
And in their third game, they faced the defending champions and started the game so miserably.
During the timeout, Hollins didn't get angry. He knew that the defending champions were not easy to deal with.
Therefore, he repeatedly emphasized the need for a combination of inside and outside play, and not to solely focus on attacking the interior.
In other words, perimeter players like Conley and Gay also needed to take decisive shots to relieve pressure on the inside.
Conley was excited; he felt his opportunity had come!
Because in 2010, any team with the Twin Towers would naturally prioritize the inside game, so Conley didn't dare to attack easily.
Now that he had the coach's instructions, he decided to have a peak showdown with Li Feng.
Of course, this was only what he perceived as a peak showdown. Li Feng didn't even consider him a worthy opponent.
The timeout ended, and the game resumed.
Conley dribbled past half-court and faced Li Feng, preparing to drive straight at him!
Whoosh!
Conley's explosiveness was quite good; he flew past quickly on the left side.
But Li Feng's feet were as if he were on a skateboard, moving like a shadow, staying tightly on Conley, giving him no chance to pass or shoot.
Conley drove to the left and found Li Feng still by his side, feeling very uncomfortable.
In desperation, he had to turn around, intending to break through the middle.
Who would have thought that Li Feng had anticipated it in advance, quickly repositioning himself, and blocking Conley's path once again.
Conley was about to cry. He had been in the league for several years, but had never experienced such defensive intensity!
At this moment, Gasol thoughtfully ran over, blocking Li Feng, giving Conley a moment to breathe.
Using Gasol's screen, Conley drove to the edge of the paint, preparing for a floater.
But who would have thought that Lowry would suddenly appear, leap up, and swat Conley's ball out of bounds with a palm!
They say Lowry is a weakened version of Li Feng; the reputation was well-earned. He had learned sixty percent of Li Feng's defensive techniques.
Although the Grizzlies retained possession, only 2.2 seconds remained on the shot clock.
Gay threw the inbound pass directly to Randolph. Randolph made a hasty shot, which bounced off the rim and out. Yao Ming secured the rebound.
The Knicks initiated a fast break once again.
The run-and-gun offense was too fast.
As soon as Yao Ming grabbed the rebound, he passed it to Scola, who was outside the three-point line, and Scola then passed it to Stoudemire.
Little Stoudemire crossed half-court, facing Tony Allen's defense. He didn't try to be greedy, passing the ball horizontally to Lowry.
Lowry shot a three-pointer from the 45-degree angle. Swish!
The Little Steel Cannon's three-point shooting had also improved significantly, a precise hit!
The home fans fell silent. They realized that the Knicks' offensive possessions only took a few seconds.
Whereas the Grizzlies' possessions almost always took the full 24 seconds.
The gap was too large.
It felt like playing a basketball game from two different eras.
As the first quarter reached 9 minutes and 42 seconds, the score was 27:13, with the Knicks leading by 14 points!
A dream start!
The game, which was expected to be evenly matched, had such a large score difference!
The Grizzlies' head coach, Hollins, looked ashen. He lacked the energy to speak.
Both teams gradually brought in their substitute lineups.
The Knicks' current bench lineup was truly not inferior to any other team.
Billups, Felton, and Jordan Hill coordinated well, combining inside and outside play, and continued to hold the advantage.
The lead continued to widen. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 36:20, with the Knicks leading by 16 points.
In the second quarter, Yao Ming only played for a little over 5 minutes, the intention being to let him rest more.
The Twin Towers, taking advantage of Yao Ming's absence, managed to score 8 consecutive points.
However, Li Feng quickly entered his rhythm.
Swish, swish, swish!
Li Feng unleashed a rain of three-pointers.
Even though Conley kept trying to contest his shots, Li Feng's release was too quick, and Conley couldn't defend him at all.
The lead was once again extended.
Randolph and Gasol held their heads with their hands on their heads, stunned by Li Feng's three-point barrage.
At the end of the first half, the score was 64:41, with the Knicks leading by 23 points.
During the halftime break, the Grizzlies' locker room was silent, no one speaking.
For them, the Knicks' style of play was a higher level of basketball, which had dealt a devastating blow to their "worldview."
Their worldview comprised their views on basketball, techniques, and victory and defeat.
Randolph broke the quiet air, sighing, "No wonder the Knicks are champions. Their playstyle is too advanced. I feel like my own playstyle is already outdated."
It's worth noting that Randolph was a top-tier interior player in the league, and many teams wanted to acquire him.
Yet, he had uttered such words.
This showed he was completely subdued by the Knicks.
Gasol felt the same way, but as a teammate, he walked over to comfort Randolph.
"Don't say that. Among so many teams in the league, only Li Feng has this capability. How can you say we're outdated?"
Randolph maintained his view: "Three-point shooting is definitely the future trend. We should also make changes."
Easier said than done, but a player's playstyle had been fixed for so many years; how could they change it?
The second half began, and Randolph reduced his post-ups, starting to pass to the perimeter, hoping to catch up with three-point shots.
However, the Grizzlies' three-point shooting was originally infrequent. Today, they suddenly increased their attempts, making the perimeter players a bit flustered.
As a result, they missed consecutive shots from beyond the arc.
In the third quarter, the Grizzlies attempted 14 three-pointers but only made 2.
The Grizzlies' head coach Hollins let out a wry smile from the sidelines, shaking his head helplessly.
By the end of the third quarter, the Knicks were leading by 32 points.
The Grizzlies' momentum was gone.
Ultimately, the Knicks won a decisive victory over the Grizzlies on the road, securing their third regular season win.
After the game, Randolph and Gasol walked up to Li Feng and hugged him.
They said with wry smiles, "Li Feng, you've changed basketball, you've changed the NBA. We have nothing more to say."
Li Feng could only humbly reply, "Don't be like that. You all are very skilled. As long as the team makes some adjustments, the Grizzlies are still very strong."
"Alas, we really need to change our playstyle, but you Knicks are already in a leading position in the league."
Before Li Feng's transmigration, Pau Gasol did indeed change his playstyle. In the latter part of his career, his three-point shooting was very accurate, and he became a stretch big man, continuing to play in the league for many years.
Randolph, on the other hand, never developed his long-range shooting ability and, coupled with injuries, retired within a few years.
Having achieved three consecutive wins, the Knicks, along with the Heat, Thunder, and Bulls, were tied for first place in the league, all with three consecutive wins.
The Heat's Big Three, the Thunder's Young Four, and the Bulls' "Windy City Rose" were the hottest stars this year.
And Li Feng was the star of stars, a mountain pressing down on them!
The Knicks' next game would be back at home, facing the 76ers from the Eastern Conference.
This year's 76ers, with Iguodala and Brand as their core, had achieved a good record, currently standing at two wins and one loss.
However, in front of the Knicks, they were still no match.
In the first quarter, the gap between the two teams was not large. The 76ers' Brand performed excellently, essentially outplaying Stoudemire and scoring 11 consecutive points.
But as the game progressed, the Knicks intensified their defense on Brand, and Brand began to falter.
Despite Iguodala's solid performance, Li Feng led the team in a surge, dominating the game in the latter part of the first quarter.
By the end of the first half, the Knicks led the 76ers by 9 points.
Starting the second half, the Knicks unleashed their "Third Quarter Madness" again. Li Feng and Lowry rained down three-pointers, crushing the 76ers.
It is worth mentioning that the 76ers' Holiday had already displayed strong defensive ability and breakthrough capabilities.
He caused some minor trouble for Li Feng.
But once Li Feng began to take him seriously, Holiday suffered, being scored on multiple times by Li Feng, eventually losing his spirit.
In the end, the Knicks defeated the 76ers at home without much effort, achieving their fourth consecutive victory!
The next game finally piqued the fans' interest.
The Knicks would host the Thunder at home.
The Thunder had already begun to show their strength last season, but due to inexperience, they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
This season, they returned with the four young stars maturing further and their chemistry becoming more seamless.
As a result, the Thunder also had a four-game winning streak.
Now, the Thunder challenged the Knicks. Which team's undefeated streak would be broken?
Durant had already showcased his "first-generation Grim Reaper" ability in the past few games, averaging 32.7 points per game with terrifying efficiency over four games.
Westbrook was also fierce, averaging 23.6 points, 8.7 assists, and 9.5 rebounds per game.
He was already showing the makings of a triple-double king.
Harden, coming off the bench, provided stable offensive output.
In two games, when the Thunder's starters were losing, it was Harden who, leading the reserves, managed to close the gap.
Furthermore, Ibaka's defensive prowess gave the Thunder the shadow of a dynasty team.
Ibaka averaged 3.4 blocks and 10.6 rebounds per game in four games, making him the undisputed defensive anchor for the Thunder!
At the pre-game press conference, Li Feng and Yao Ming accepted media interviews.
"Mr. Li Feng, the Thunder have had a strong start this season. Do you have confidence in defeating them?"
Li Feng responded with a poker face, "We are the defending champions and have the confidence to defeat any opponent. However, the Thunder are indeed very strong, and they have the ability to defeat any opponent."
This wasn't Li Feng being diplomatic; he was speaking the truth.
After all, team games are not just about on-paper strength but also about in-game performance.
The reporter then turned to Yao Ming.
"Mr. Yao Ming, what are your thoughts on the Thunder's interior players?"
Yao Ming replied earnestly, "The Thunder players are very young and possess great talent, but we have better overall defense, so we will not fear them."
Seeing that Li Feng and Yao Ming had answered politely, the reporters wanted to deliberately provoke a reaction.
One reporter asked, "Li Feng, Durant's scoring ability is extremely strong. His height and reach make him difficult to defend. Who among you can stop him?"
Durant indeed possessed historical-level scoring ability. His mid-range shots and layups were simply unstoppable; it all depended on his own shooting touch.
Li Feng was well-prepared for such questions.
He let out a cold laugh and replied, "We have a hundred ways to stop Durant. He won't score more than 20 points tonight."
During interviews, Li Feng rarely made strong pronouncements against specific players, as it wasn't his nature.
However, today, Li Feng uncharacteristically targeted Durant, making a bold statement.
Even Yao Ming found it incredible and looked at Li Feng in surprise.
Li Feng was doing this intentionally. He knew Durant was a future superstar, so he wanted to teach him a lesson today.
One-on-one isolation plays are not always effective!
The reporters whispered amongst themselves, becoming excited. Another reporter continued to ask, "Mr. Li Feng, would you like to make a bet? What if Durant scores more than 20 points?"
Li Feng smiled and said, "If Durant scores more than 20 points, I will apologize to him in an interview!"
The reporters burst into laughter; this was excellent material.
The NBA today was increasingly emphasizing relationships and camaraderie. Everyone was like brothers; if you were good to me, I would be good to you.
Therefore, fans rarely saw the grudge matches with trash talk from the past.
Li Feng's words today once again ignited the interest of fans and the media.
This statement naturally reached Durant's ears.
When the reporter informed Durant of Li Feng's words, Durant's expression changed.
He didn't want to compete with Li Feng. Durant had played against Li Feng many times and was almost completely subdued.
During the 2008 Olympics, Li Feng had almost matched the Dream Team.
Durant, watching the finals at home, was deeply impressed by Li Feng's performance.
Last season, in the two matchups between the Knicks and the Thunder, the Knicks had also held the upper hand, winning both games.
Therefore, Durant could only smile politely and replied, "Li Feng is last season's MVP, DPOY, and FMVP. Whatever he says is correct. You don't need to ask me."
Reporters: "..."
They were all disappointed. Durant didn't show the fiery spirit of a young player; instead, he seemed a bit cowardly.
In reality, they didn't understand Durant yet. This was his personality; he wouldn't easily make bold statements.
But on the court, Durant would definitely give his all and try his best to defeat his opponent.
At seven-thirty in the evening, at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks hosted the Thunder.
Both teams were on a four-game winning streak, tied for first place in the league.
After this game, one team would continue to lead the entire league, while the other would suffer its first loss.
The Knicks' starting lineup remained Li Feng, Yao Ming, Stoudemire, Scola, and Lowry.
The Thunder's starting five were Durant, Westbrook, Perkins, Ibaka, and Thabo Sefolosha.
Yao Ming secured the first possession for the Knicks.
Li Feng dribbled past half-court, and Westbrook stood menacingly in front of him.
Last season, Li Feng had the advantage in his matchups against Westbrook, but Westbrook was unconvinced and trained rigorously during the offseason.
He always considered Li Feng his lifelong rival, so he had been eagerly anticipating today's game.
Seeing Westbrook guarding him one-on-one, Li Feng did not dare to be careless. He observed his teammates' movements.