In the Knicks' locker room, Li Feng was chatting and laughing with his teammates.
Today's "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy had made the Knicks players feel it was quite fun, so everyone was joking around.
"Li Feng, what made you think of that? I saw O'Neal's face turn completely dark, haha!" David Lee couldn't help but laugh continuously.
"Yeah, when I held O'Neal, he even cursed at me, but I didn't care, haha!" Jeffries also said with a big laugh.
Li Feng enjoyed this locker room atmosphere and said with a smile, "O'Neal's power in the paint is too great, so this is his only weakness, and we must exploit it!"
Du Hong was still a bit worried, saying, "LeBron's strength is too formidable; he definitely won't let this go."
Li Feng nodded in agreement, "Yes, even without O'Neal, LeBron is enough to lead the team to victory. We still need to keep fighting!"
...
The second half of the game began.
O'Neal did not come out to play, having been benched.
The Knicks had to seize this opportunity to widen the score difference.
Li Feng led the charge, continuously driving into the paint and drawing two fouls from Varejão.
The Cavaliers' inside presence was already lacking, and with Li Feng's onslaught, the Cavaliers were in a difficult position.
The Knicks' lead kept growing, and LeBron was truly getting anxious.
He also started to frequently drive into the paint.
The game became exciting, and it seemed like Li Feng and LeBron were in a direct competition.
If you shoot a three-pointer, I'll respond with a three-pointer.
If you drive into the paint to score, I'll drive into the paint to score!
The fans hadn't seen such an intense game in a long time and were very excited.
LeBron had many fans, and they didn't want to see LeBron lose to Li Feng.
Kobe had led the Lakers to defeat the Knicks, proving himself. If LeBron lost to Li Feng, his fans would lose face in the forums.
At this time, it was the peak of the "Kobe-fans" versus "LeBron-fans" battle.
Li Feng's sudden emergence was quite subtle because his fan base was growing too rapidly.
The rapid increase in his fans disrupted the balance between Kobe and LeBron fans.
Thanks to LeBron's efforts, the score difference remained within 10 points.
Li Feng didn't dare to slack off; he knew that the outcome would only be decided in the fourth quarter today.
At 7:22 remaining in the third quarter, O'Neal returned to the court.
His teammates were all looking at Li Feng, waiting for his command, whether to "Hack-a-Shaq" again.
Li Feng waved his hand, signaling his teammates to continue with the "Hack-a-Shaq"!
And so, Jordan Hill once again embraced O'Neal.
O'Neal was furious, shaking his head repeatedly and reluctantly walking to the free-throw line.
After aiming for a long time, O'Neal missed both free throws again.
Jordan Hill grabbed the rebound and passed it to Du Hong.
Du Hong, Li Feng, and Jeffries advanced together, crossing half-court.
LeBron, Mo Williams, and Hickson quickly retreated to defend.
With a few passes, the ball returned to Li Feng's hands.
LeBron was sticking close to Li Feng. Seeing him receive the ball, he immediately raised his hands high, determined to defend this possession.
Because the key to the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy was whether you could score.
If you hacked O'Neal but couldn't score, then the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy would fail.
Therefore, LeBron had to defend this possession to keep O'Neal on the court longer.
Both sides were engaged in a battle of wits and psychological warfare!
Li Feng also knew the importance of this fast break; he had to score!
*Bang!*
Li Feng intended to use his body to pave the way, but LeBron was simply too strong.
His historical-level talent was like a tank; Li Feng bumped into him, but LeBron didn't budge.
However, Li Feng's dribbling was not affected, and he still maintained firm control of the ball.
LeBron was also greatly surprised. He had seen many guards, but Li Feng was the first one he had encountered who could collide with him without falling or losing balance.
Even Wade and Kobe would be pushed back a step.
Seeing that brute force wouldn't work, Li Feng switched to a crossover, a极限变向 (extreme change of direction), and drove to the basket.
LeBron was indeed beaten by Li Feng, but he still had one trick up his sleeve: the chase-down block!
LeBron's chase-down blocks were incredibly dominant. In the Cavaliers-Warriors battles of his previous life, there was the famous scene of LeBron blocking Iguodala.
This block was even selected as one of the top 100 plays in NBA history.
Li Feng, of course, knew LeBron's signature move, so he immediately threw himself into the air.
LeBron jumped almost simultaneously, raising his right hand, waiting for Li Feng's layup.
Li Feng held the ball in his right hand, seemingly preparing for a bank shot.
Just as LeBron's right hand was about to swat the ball, Li Feng suddenly switched the ball to his left hand.
It was so fast!
LeBron couldn't react in time. By the time he tried to block Li Feng's left hand, it was already too late.
Li Feng extended his left hand forward, evading LeBron's reach, and then tossed the ball up!
*Swoosh!*
*Swish!*
The basketball steadily dropped into the hoop, and at the same time, both players landed.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
This play was definitely going to be a top-10 highlight; it was simply too beautiful!
Irving sometimes also used this kind of running layup, which was also spectacular, but Li Feng's layup possessed a greater sense of power and beauty.
LeBron stood stunned under the basket, looking at Li Feng, finding it unbelievable.
His teammates ran over to high-five Li Feng in celebration; this basket was hugely significant!
With this spectacular layup, Li Feng declared that the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy was successful!
Next, the Cavaliers attacked, and David Lee once again "hacked" O'Neal.
O'Neal helplessly walked to the free-throw line and made one of two.
The Knicks scored again!
After a few more possessions, Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown had no choice but to substitute O'Neal out again.
After this ordeal, the Cavaliers players had lost their confidence.
They felt like they couldn't unleash their full potential.
After being suppressed in the paint, their outside game also faltered, with Li Feng's help defense significantly lowering the Cavaliers' shooting percentage.
LeBron seemed a bit discouraged.
The third quarter ended with the Knicks leading the Cavaliers by 15 points, 86:71!
No one expected such a result in a clash between two powerhouses like the Cavaliers and the Knicks.
However, Li Feng did not relax, as the Knicks players had accumulated many fouls due to the "Hack-a-Shaq."
This meant that if they continued to "Hack-a-Shaq" in the fourth quarter, players would be fouled out.
Furthermore, the league had a new rule: no fouling off-ball players in the last two minutes of the game.
Therefore, Li Feng still didn't relax. He urged his Knicks teammates to maintain their effort and fighting spirit.
The fourth quarter began with both teams' bench players entering the game.
The Cavaliers' Derrick Williams suddenly surged, scoring consecutively.
This was Williams' strength; his isolation scoring ability was extremely strong.
In the third quarter, he and Li Feng had been on the court together for two minutes.
Li Feng had proactively defended him, which had managed to contain him.
But now, with Li Feng on the bench, Coach Brown had specifically instructed him to come in and score against the Knicks' reserves.
The deficit was further narrowed, and D'Antoni started to panic a little.
At this point, only a little over three minutes had passed in the fourth quarter.
Li Feng immediately stood up. He was the only one on the Knicks who could contain Williams.
Seeing Li Feng about to come onto the court, Williams also felt a pang of anxiety because Li Feng's speed and strength were superior to his, making him very uncomfortable to defend.
As expected, after Li Feng entered the game, Williams' scoring dried up again.
Li Feng's tight defense gave Williams no opportunity to shoot and even made it difficult for him to receive the ball.
The lead widened again, and the Knicks fans finally breathed a sigh of relief. Li Feng's entry into the game could solve problems.
LeBron also stood up. His stamina was already astonishing, and now with Li Feng on the court, he had to step up!
At this moment, the score was 89:77, a 12-point difference.
And O'Neal had also entered the game.
The final showdown had begun.
Since the Knicks' starting players had all accumulated four fouls, they could not afford any more fouls.
O'Neal was brimming with pent-up energy. He re-entered the game with a roar, ready to unleash his fury.
As expected, on the first possession, O'Neal received a pass from LeBron and slammed home a dunk!
After scoring, O'Neal forcefully shook the basket again, causing it to tilt for the second time today.
The staff were helpless; this was the second time O'Neal had done this today.
After the adjustments were made, the game resumed.
The score difference had returned to 10 points, with over six minutes remaining.
With O'Neal on the court, a 10-point deficit was not much, so the Knicks players were very tense.
Li Feng loudly encouraged his teammates, urging them to stay focused and not fear O'Neal.
The Knicks were on offense.
Li Feng had to respond to O'Neal's dunk.
So, after crossing half-court, he uncharacteristically called for a screen.
David Lee screened Mo Williams, and Li Feng took advantage of the opportunity to move to the 45-degree angle. Before LeBron could provide help defense, he sank another three-pointer!
O'Neal was already posturing for a rebound under the basket.
Upon seeing Li Feng's three-pointer, O'Neal once again shook his head in frustration.
"I just made a two-pointer, and now you make a three-pointer? How infuriating..."
The Cavaliers attacked. This time, LeBron drove quickly to the basket and scored on a layup.
This was LeBron's killer move; his layup touch was truly excellent, historically great.
It had a certain finesse to it.
O'Neal and LeBron, inside and out, continuously attacked the Knicks' defense, and only Li Feng could step up for the Knicks.
Fortunately, David Lee and Jordan Hill had good shooting hands. When Li Feng was tightly double-teamed, they could make open shots.
The score difference remained around 10 points.
This made LeBron very anxious.
As he became anxious, his movements became a bit more aggressive.
During one of Li Feng's drives, LeBron rushed over and knocked Li Feng down from behind and to the right.
The collision was not light; Li Feng rolled several times on the ground before stopping.
Even with the protection of his "damage resistance skill," LeBron was just too strong, and the impact genuinely hurt.
Li Feng lay on the ground for over a minute before slowly sitting up.
The crowd at Madison Square Garden was terrified.
Li Feng was now their "precious gem." If he got injured, the Knicks would be finished.
The referee pointed at LeBron and only gave him a common foul.
Although the crowd was dissatisfied, the referee remained unmoved.
Li Feng slowly stood up, moved his body, and found no major issues.
The team doctor came over to ask a few questions, then breathed a sigh of relief. Li Feng went to the free-throw line.
LeBron watched from a distance, greatly alarmed. He had used his full strength just now. Logically, Li Feng should have at least been sidelined for a few minutes.
However, Li Feng seemed unfazed. This kid's body... was too terrifying!
Li Feng continued to play under the cheers of the crowd.
At this point, the momentum had completely shifted to the Knicks.
In the remaining minutes, the Knicks scored consistently from both inside and outside.
Although the Cavaliers' offense was also good, and O'Neal frequently scored in the paint, the score difference remained above 10 points and was uncatchable.
With just over a minute left, the score was 103:94, a 9-point difference.
Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown conceded defeat, substituting O'Neal and LeBron and other key players.
D'Antoni was very pleased and also substituted Li Feng and other key players off the court.
Ultimately, the Knicks won at home by a score of 107:99 against the Cavaliers, maintaining their top position in the Eastern Conference.
Li Feng played 34 minutes, scoring 35 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists, another triple-double!
LeBron played 36 minutes today, scoring 33 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists, also a triple-double.
Both players delivered all-around performances.
After the game, Li Feng expected LeBron to chat with him for a bit, but LeBron went directly back to the locker room.
O'Neal came over and hugged Li Feng.
In the TNT broadcast booth, O'Neal had previously served as a guest commentator, and he had liked Li Feng very much at that time.
Just like later, O'Neal liked Stephen Curry.
Perhaps it's because the more you lack something, the more you like it.
O'Neal's shooting was not very good, so he particularly liked players with exceptionally strong shooting abilities.
"Li Feng, I didn't expect you to play so well in your first season. I really like your style of play!" O'Neal said with a smile, holding Li Feng's arm.
This was Li Feng's first time meeting the "Big Diesel" face-to-face. To be honest, he felt even more awestruck than when he first met Yao Ming.
Because the "Big Diesel's" physique was too imposing!
This talent was truly unique in history.
Such a massive weight, yet he could still run and jump!
Especially when he was younger, he was a beastly player who could fly and leap.
"O'Neal, your dominance in the paint was too strong. We had no choice today but to 'hack' you, haha!"
Li Feng teased him, offering an explanation.
O'Neal scratched his head and said helplessly, "It's my fault too. I've been practicing my free throws, but I just can't make them consistently. It's truly speechless."
"It's alright, your achievements are already astonishing. You're a lock for the top ten in history. Many fans in China like you."
"Really? Haha, so do more people like me, or do more people like Yao Ming?"
Li Feng playfully punched O'Neal's arm and said, "What do you think? Of course, our Yao Ming has more fans, but you have quite a few fans too, really, I'm a fan of yours too!"
O'Neal nodded, "Okay, I've been there once before. I'll go again if I have the chance in the future."
After they exchanged pleasantries, Li Feng also accepted interviews from reporters.
The Knicks' victory over the Cavaliers immediately caused a frenzy in the media.
It's worth noting that the Cavaliers had been on a tear this year, aiming directly for the NBA Finals.
In a game the previous week, the Cavaliers had defeated the Magic at home.
This had given Cavaliers fans great anticipation for the Finals.
For the past two years, the Cavaliers had been suppressed by the Magic, but this year, with O'Neal, they finally didn't have to fear the Magic.
Who knew that Li Feng would emerge so spectacularly, causing many LeBron fans to feel despair!