Li Feng was long past the stage of arguing with his matchups, so he paid no mind to Westbrook's serious demeanor.
At this moment, Yao Ming had established position in the paint and signaled for the ball. Li Feng immediately passed it over.
Perkins couldn't stop Yao Ming, but the Thunder had prepared for this, and Ibaka immediately came over to double-team Yao Ming.
Yao Ming knew Ibaka was a great leaper, so he gripped the ball with his right hand, faked, and baited Ibaka into jumping.
Then, Yao Ming calmly half-turned and took a jump shot!
With his reduced weight, Yao Ming's movements were fluid and effortless.
Perkins and Ibaka could only watch as Yao Ming calmly made the shot!
Against the Thunder, Yao Ming was the Knicks' strongest point, and no one on the Thunder could match him.
Therefore, the Knicks' strategy was to focus on Yao Ming in the first half, and for Li Feng to finish the game in the third quarter!
The Thunder were not an easy team to deal with. On the next possession, Durant faced Stoudemire and hit a pull-up jumper!
There was no way around it; with his height and long arms, he was so steady!
Li Feng wasn't worried. Durant's scoring was that consistent, and he couldn't be contained. So, as long as they could keep it close in the first half, Durant's stamina would become an issue in the second half.
Furthermore, Stoudemire's offensive presence would also drain Durant's stamina, which was another tactic for the Knicks.
Indeed, on the next possession, the Knicks attacked, and the ball was given to Stoudemire.
Ibaka dared not double-team because he had to remain vigilant about Yao Ming's offense.
So, Stoudemire began to pound on Durant.
To be fair, Durant's defense wasn't weak, given his physical attributes. Stoudemire didn't have an easy time against him.
But the Knicks deliberately had him attack Durant, solely to drain Durant's stamina.
As expected, S. "Stoudemire" drove hard against Durant, making it very difficult for him. Although his final shot was off, he managed to draw two free throws.
Durant was furious, shaking his head constantly. He knew this was the Knicks' strategy.
S. "Stoudemire" made both free throws, giving the Knicks a 4-2 lead.
Coming back, Westbrook wanted to drive.
Li Feng wouldn't allow it. Westbrook was Li Feng's responsibility, and he had to shut him down!
Westbrook used a teammate's screen and drove into the paint, attempting a thunderous dunk. Who would have thought that Li Feng would overtake him on the turn and leap at the same time as Westbrook?
The scene was spectacular!
Two of the league's top point guards soared through the air.
In the end, Li Feng was one step ahead, subtly tipping the ball away just as Westbrook released his shot.
After landing, Westbrook glared at Li Feng, but Li Feng ignored him and immediately launched a counter-attack.
The ball Li Feng tipped was near Yao Ming. Yao Ming secured the ball and passed it to Lowry.
The "Little Cannon" quickly crossed half-court.
At this point, the Thunder's Ibaka was also retreating quickly, staying close behind Lowry.
Despite Lowry's good physical condition, the height difference with Ibaka was too great, and his vertical leap wasn't as good as Li Feng's, so he dared not go for a layup.
Lowry slowed down, waiting for his teammates to catch up.
Stoudemire and Li Feng also crossed half-court, coming to support Lowry.
Lowry, with his peripheral vision, saw Li Feng and made a no-look pass, flicking the ball behind him to Li Feng.
Li Feng motioned for Stoudemire to push up the left flank while he feigned a drive up the middle.
Ibaka was delighted; he had been itching to block Li Feng.
Li Feng reached the basket and leaped into the air. Ibaka followed suit from behind, wanting to avenge his good buddy Westbrook.
Just as Li Feng took flight, he gently tossed the ball towards the upper left corner of the backboard.
Ibaka was shocked. What was Li Feng doing? It didn't look like a layup or a dunk, so he couldn't block it!
Just as Ibaka was about to land, Stoudemire exploded from the left flank, caught Li Feng's rebound pass, and slammed it home with two hands!
Such a play required years of chemistry to execute.
Yet, in reality, Li Feng and S. "Stoudemire" had only played together for a few games!
The reason was simple: don't forget that S. "Stoudemire" was a disciple of D'Antoni and had played with Nash for many years.
Compared to Nash, Li Feng's passing ability was not inferior, so the chemistry between S. "Stoudemire" and Li Feng improved rapidly, not requiring that much time!
After making the basket, Stoudemire hung on the rim with one hand, pointing at Li Feng with the other. Li Feng laughed and nodded.
This brilliant play sent the Knicks' home crowd into a frenzy. They all jumped to their feet, clapping and cheering.
They all looked up at the big screen, where Li Feng and S. "Stoudemire's" chemistry was being replayed from various angles, like a work of art!
Having been toyed with by the duo, Ibaka walked to the baseline to inbound the ball, utterly dejected.
The ball again found its way to Durant, the Thunder's only strong point, so they had no choice but to rely on him.
After receiving the pass, Durant faced Stoudemire, faked left and right, found space, and pulled up for a fadeaway jumper.
Despite Stoudemire's best efforts to contest, he couldn't stop the "Grim Reaper's" scythe, and Durant scored again!
Although Durant scored, it also tired him out considerably. After the basket, he was gasping for air.
Isolation plays were exciting to watch, but they were truly exhausting!
The Knicks' offense was much smoother. Li Feng observed his teammates' cuts.
Seeing that Yao Ming was already being double-teamed, he passed the ball to Scola.
Since Scola joined the Knicks, his tactical importance had slightly decreased, but he also conserved energy and became more efficient.
After receiving the ball, Scola had no one in front of him, as everyone else had gone to help defend Yao Ming and Li Feng.
So, Scola used his Argentinian dream steps, drove to the basket, and under Perkins' defense, he turned and made a layup with ease, scoring two points!
Scola's field goal attempts this season were not high, averaging only 7.7 attempts per game, yet he made 5.6, making him incredibly efficient.
His average points were even 1.3 points higher than last season.
Therefore, Scola had also found a second spring with the Knicks.
His addition was crucial for the Knicks' tactical richness.
Often, when Li Feng and Yao Ming were heavily guarded, Scola's agile footwork would exploit the opening and deliver a heavy blow to the opponent!
After scoring, Scola ran over and high-fived Li Feng. He knew Li Feng's passes were purposeful, accurate, and sharp!
8-4!
The Knicks had a dream start!
Thunder head coach Brooks' face was ashen as he stood by the sideline with his arms crossed.
He finally understood why the Knicks could win championships: their ability to adapt to every situation was incredible.
The Knicks had designed tactics for every detail, targeting the Thunder's weaknesses, making it very difficult for them to play.
Although Durant could score, he was too tired, and his isolation plays didn't involve his teammates.
Furthermore, on defense, the Thunder couldn't contain the Knicks' balanced attack.
With the impetus from the strong points of Li Feng and Yao Ming, everyone else knew exactly what they needed to do.
Such a Knicks team was truly terrifying.
Brooks didn't call a timeout; he was waiting for the official timeout.
Both teams continued to play their own games. The score difference wasn't widening, but the Knicks were clearly playing more relaxed.
With 5 minutes and 33 seconds remaining, the score was 11-8, with the Knicks leading by 3 points, entering the official timeout.
Li Feng had not scored any points, but he had 3 assists. Yao Ming had 6 points, Scola had 2 points, and Stoudemire had 3 points.
The Thunder's 8 points were all scored by Durant.
Durant was truly tired; each of his baskets took over 10 seconds.
Westbrook had been locked down by Li Feng. Apart from two defensive rebounds and one assist, he had contributed nothing.
After the timeout, the game resumed.
The Thunder replaced Westbrook with Harden.
Brooks hoped Harden could alleviate some of Durant's pressure and brought in the "Big Beard" early.
Li Feng and Harden had a good personal relationship; they had even met before the game.
Harden's impact was immediately apparent after he came on. He used the pick-and-roll to pass to Ibaka for an alley-oop dunk.
Durant let out a sigh of relief, finally able to rest on the court.
Li Feng also admired Harden's basketball IQ. Harden was very smart, effectively using the pick-and-roll to evade Li Feng's defense.
With Harden's influence, the Thunder gradually closed the gap, and the game became a back-and-forth affair.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 32-31, with the Knicks leading by one point.
Li Feng played the entire first quarter, scoring 5 points and dishing out 6 assists, truly the engine of the Knicks.
Yao Ming played 7 minutes in the first quarter before resting.
The Thunder's bench primarily relied on Harden. Now that Harden had come on early, the bench's strength was significantly reduced.
Led by Billups and Felton, the Knicks extended their lead.
With 5 minutes and 51 seconds left in the second quarter, the score was 42-33, with the Knicks leading by nine points.
Brooks couldn't sit still any longer and quickly brought his starters back onto the court.
Billups' arrival had completely solved the Knicks' bench problems.
Although Lowry could still shine coming off the bench, the starting lineup needed him more.
When Billups first arrived at the Knicks, he was a bit dissatisfied because he felt he was better than Lowry.
However, during team practices, he realized that Lowry indeed possessed skill and had immense potential, progressing rapidly.
Most importantly, Lowry was young and had a high basketball IQ.
Therefore, Billups was content to lead the bench, providing significant help to the Knicks, allowing the starters to rest on the sidelines with peace of mind.
The starters from both teams clashed again.
When Westbrook was on the bench, coach Brooks had a conversation with him, telling him to utilize his strengths and not get caught up in a direct confrontation with Li Feng.
Westbrook was also a bit intimidated. He took his coach's words to heart.
Upon returning to the court, he began to avoid Li Feng and his teammates constantly set screens for him.
With the Thunder's talent, as long as they didn't rush things, they were still comparable to the Knicks.
The score difference slowly narrowed, and the Knicks' play became less smooth.
With just over a minute left in the first half, the teams were tied again.
Li Feng's brow furrowed. He had been focusing on organizing the offense rather than scoring.
But as the Thunder gradually adapted to the Knicks' playstyle and their shooting touch returned, Li Feng had to step up.
So, Li Feng faced Westbrook and suddenly executed a step-back three-pointer.
This was Li Feng's first three-pointer of the game, so Westbrook didn't expect it at all; he thought Li Feng was going to pass again.
After the shot, Madison Square Garden erupted in cheers. They had waited for this for so long.
They didn't understand why Li Feng hadn't been attacking, so many fans were getting anxious.
Just as the Thunder players were building momentum, Li Feng delivered a blow that stunned them.
On the next possession, Durant had the ball.
Li Feng suddenly appeared beside Stoudemire and shouted, "I'll guard him!"
S. "Stoudemire" was taken aback. He couldn't quite understand how Li Feng, with his height disadvantage compared to Durant, could guard him.
But since Li Feng had said it, he could only comply.
Durant became particularly nervous seeing Li Feng, as he had suffered at Li Feng's hands many times before.
Although Li Feng wasn't tall, his defensive skills were exceptional, and his speed and strength were top-notch.
Li Feng excelled at guarding taller players. He stayed close to Durant's lower body, preventing him from jumping easily.
This was the most uncomfortable situation for Durant.
For shooters, leg strength was the foundation for maintaining stable shooting.
Many shooters saw their shooting percentages plummet in the latter stages of their careers, primarily due to insufficient leg strength.
Durant was stifled, unable to jump. Li Feng stuck to him like glue, without fouling.
In desperation, Durant passed the ball to Westbrook.
With Li Feng no longer guarding him and Lowry now on him, Westbrook decided to drive.
Who would have thought that Lowry was no weaker in terms of strength and could firmly hold his ground against Westbrook?
Westbrook, with the shot clock winding down, was forced into a hurried shot, which rimmed out.
Yao Ming secured the rebound and made a long pass to Stoudemire.
S. "Stoudemire" streaked down the court and scored two more points!
The Knicks now led by 5 points.
Li Feng's sudden offensive outburst caught the Thunder off guard, leaving them all stunned.
Durant, in particular, looked dejected, completely helpless against Li Feng's defense.
Under Li Feng's leadership, the Knicks went on a mini-run in the final minute of the first half, entering halftime with an 8-point lead.
Thunder head coach Brooks wore a wry smile. He realized that whenever Li Feng decided to score, he would inevitably extend the lead.
It was the same when the two teams played last season.
Although many media outlets had high expectations for the Thunder, given the abundant talent of the "Thunder Four" and their potential to become superstars.
Before Li Feng's transmigration, it had already been proven that these four individuals could indeed carry a team, with Durant, Westbrook, and Harden all becoming dominant forces and winning MVP awards.
Although Ibaka was not of the same type as the other three, before his major injury, he was a top-tier defender in the league, nearly winning Defensive Player of the Year.
However, Brooks knew in his heart that the Thunder's budding superstars did not possess the same level of dominance as Li Feng.
There was no alternative; the gap between stars was also significant.
Li Feng could dictate the flow of the game, while Durant, Westbrook, and Harden all had weaknesses that opponents could exploit.
This was what limited them from becoming top-tier superstars.
During halftime, the Thunder locker room was deathly silent, with no one speaking.