Li Feng attacked the restricted area, facing the heavy defensive reinforcements of the Spurs, Li Feng executed a sudden stop jump shot!
Swish!
Nothing but net!
The Knicks gained another 2 points!
Just as his teammates raised their hands in celebration, Li Feng suddenly cried out and fell to the ground.
It turned out that when Li Feng jumped high for his sudden stop jump shot, as he landed, Jackson behind him sneakily placed his foot in front of Li Feng's.
After planting his foot, Jackson looked at Li Feng with a feigned innocent expression and extended his hand, "friendly" offering to help Li Feng up.
This foot-planting foul was insidious. For another player, the game would have been over.
It was just like what Pachulia did to Leonard later.
Li Feng was indeed in severe pain, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Popovich watched from the sidelines, thinking to himself: I'm sorry, young man, we have to win this game!
Unexpectedly, after sitting on the ground for a while, Li Feng actually stood up again. After some movement, he signaled to the referee that he was fine and could continue playing!
Everyone was shocked.
They had no idea that Li Feng's golden finger system had the function of protecting him from injuries.
Although it hurt badly, it wasn't a major injury, and it only took a few minutes for Li Feng to recover to his normal state.
Jackson's eyes widened as he looked at Li Feng, completely bewildered.
He thought Li Feng was just toughing it out and might have to rest after a couple of plays.
But Li Feng played energetically for three consecutive possessions, showing no signs of ankle injury at all.
Led by Li Feng, the Knicks not only caught up to the score but also took the lead again!
Jackson's first move failed, and he came up with a second.
During one of Li Feng's flying dunks, Jackson suddenly pushed Li Feng in mid-air.
It's important to remember that a person in mid-air is at their most vulnerable, with no leverage points. Being pushed like that could easily cause a back injury.
Li Feng was pushed towards a photographer on the sideline, and with a bang, the audience present could hear it clearly.
Seeing Jackson repeatedly try to injure Li Feng, the Knicks teammates were no longer having it.
David Lee and Duhon rushed forward and shoved Jackson, intending to fight him.
The Spurs players quickly came up to protect Jackson, and the referees also rushed in to separate the two sides.
While having the team doctor check Li Feng's injury, the referee went to the sideline to review the foul.
His teammates surrounded Li Feng, looking at him anxiously. Li Feng remained on the ground, motionless.
When a player is injured and lying on the ground, they cannot be helped up immediately because the extent of their injury might be unknown, and helping them up prematurely could cause further damage.
The team doctor knelt on one leg, quietly asking Li Feng how he felt, his face full of tension.
If Li Feng were to be injured and leave the game, not only would this game be lost, but he would also miss subsequent games.
And Li Feng, as the top draft pick, would be labeled a "glass man" by the media and fans.
His commercial value and trade value would then significantly decrease.
The NBA has seen many talented superstars who, due to an accidental injury, regrettably retired from the league, becoming ordinary players.
D'Antoni was the most worried. He had finally found a super guard who could replace Nash and perfectly execute the run-and-gun offense. If this player got injured, his coaching career would be over.
So, he also paced back and forth around Li Feng, glaring at Jackson.
The referee finally ruled that Jackson's action was too malicious, classifying it as a Flagrant 1 foul and ejecting him from the game!
The Knicks were awarded two free throws and possession.
Although the referee was fair, Li Feng had not yet gotten up, and the Knicks players still wore expressions of deep concern.
Suddenly, Li Feng pushed himself up with his hands and sprang to his feet from the ground.
Even though he stood up, his expression revealed that he was still in considerable pain. He kept rubbing his lower back, gritting his teeth.
The team doctor quickly asked, "Do you want to rest for a while? Let me check you again."
Li Feng shook his head and said, "Thank you, no need. I can continue playing!"
His teammates erupted in excited applause, and the Spurs home crowd was also stunned. A few spectators also began to clap, cheering for Li Feng's resilience.
Seeing that Li Feng could continue playing, Popovich sighed and turned back to his seat. He had completely given up.
With no other options, the Spurs were completely suppressed by the Knicks, and the point differential continued to widen.
With 6 minutes and 43 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Knicks were leading by 17 points.
It was then that Li Feng was substituted off the court to rest.
Logically, he shouldn't have to play anymore, but he had to be ready to re-enter the game, as the abilities of the other players were what they were.
As expected, after Li Feng left the court, the Spurs, led by Parker and Ginobili, went on a scoring run.
With 2 minutes and 27 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the deficit had narrowed to just 3 points.
D'Antoni helplessly looked towards Li Feng again.
Li Feng had already stood up, taken off his jacket, and nodded at Coach D'Antoni, signaling his readiness to re-enter the game.
The Knicks teammates breathed a collective sigh of relief upon seeing Li Feng return.
It truly felt like everything depended on Li Feng...
After Li Feng re-entered the game, he first broke through and passed the ball, allowing Gallinari to hit an open three-pointer.
Then, he faced Duncan's defense and executed a layup with a finesse finish.
In just over a minute of play, Li Feng had extended the lead back to over 10 points.
The Spurs players were frustrated, unable to do anything about Li Feng, and had to accept the outcome of the loss.
With 46 seconds left in the game, the Knicks were leading by 12 points.
D'Antoni felt it was safe enough and finally substituted Li Feng off the court.
Li Feng played 34 minutes in this game, scoring 43 points, once again showcasing his immense scoring ability and court dominance.
Finally, the referee's whistle blew, and the final score was set at 107:99, with the Knicks defeating the Spurs on the road!
Li Feng was undoubtedly the MVP of the game and was interviewed by the media.
A TNT reporter held a microphone and approached him.
"Congratulations, Li Feng! You've once again achieved impressive stats and secured a victory. Congratulations!"
Li Feng wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded, "Thank you. This is a team effort!"
"Li Feng, your two falls in the fourth quarter made the fans very worried. Are you really okay?"
The reporter was very curious. Was Li Feng truly a man of iron?
Li Feng smiled, "Although I'm not seriously injured, I still want to warn certain players not to go too far! While winning the game is important, sportsmanship is even more crucial!"
The reporter nodded repeatedly, completely agreeing with Li Feng's statement.
"The Knicks have now won three consecutive games, and you've averaged 39.6 points in the first three games, breaking a record. Do you have any goals for this season?"
Li Feng shook his head, "I haven't set any personal goals. I've only set goals for the team: to make the playoffs and strive to reach the Eastern Conference Finals!"