Before the first finals game, the media favored the Lakers.
The betting odds also placed the Lakers as the favorites.
This was because the Lakers were the defending champions with a rich history of winning titles, giving them a deeper foundation than the Knicks.
Kobe also possessed four championship rings, his star power shining brighter than Li Feng's or Yao Ming's.
Despite Li Feng's immense popularity, no one believed he could defeat the formidable Kobe.
However, the Knicks managed to defeat the Lakers after a hard-fought four quarters, leaving many media outlets stunned.
Many reporters wanted to interview Li Feng, but he declined them all.
...
The second game began.
There were some changes in the starting lineups for both teams.
Scola of the Knicks twisted his left knee after being knocked down once in the first game, forcing him to sit out this match.
Gallinari took his place.
As the first quarter tipped off, the Lakers displayed a fierce determination to win, with the entire team seemingly injected with adrenaline. Their intensity on both offense and defense surged.
The Knicks players, unaccustomed to such a spectacle, were instantly overwhelmed.
Li Feng's defense on Kobe was similar to the previous game, managing to contain him somewhat, but it was impossible to completely lock down a driven Kobe.
Despite Li Feng and Yao Ming's valiant efforts, the championship team's resolve to win proved unstoppable.
Just over five minutes into the first quarter, the Lakers held an 8-point lead over the Knicks.
The score was 12:4, leading to the official timeout.
The home crowd could not accept this start and shouted Li Feng's name.
Li Feng did not force the offense; in the first quarter, he was still focused on creating opportunities for his teammates.
However, with his teammates stunned from the outset, Li Feng pondered whether to switch to an aggressive scoring mode early.
During the timeout, Li Feng loudly encouraged his teammates, believing the Lakers' intensity was temporary and wouldn't last until the end.
"Guys, grit your teeth and hold on. This style of play from the Lakers is just to intimidate us! If we endure this quarter, we'll definitely see the Lakers players' stamina drop!"
Under Li Feng's reassurance, the Knicks players' morale improved slightly.
The timeout ended, and the game resumed.
The Lakers continued their relentless offensive onslaught, with multiple players contributing. Kobe was not the sole focus of their attack.
This filled Li Feng with dread.
If the Lakers had focused solely on Kobe, Li Feng was confident he could match him, at least until the fourth quarter.
But now, with the Lakers' offense firing on all cylinders, what could be done?
Li Feng remembered the [Team Defense Boost Pack].
The boost pack only lasted for 20 minutes.
Li Feng decided to use it for a few minutes, otherwise the deficit would likely extend to 15 points.
So, Li Feng activated the [Defense Boost Pack] from the system.
The boost pack began its countdown: 19 minutes 59 seconds, 19 minutes 58 seconds...
Just as the Lakers were in the midst of their potent offense, they suddenly noticed the Knicks players' defense intensifying.
For example, Gallinari, who had been struggling with his lateral movement and couldn't defend Odom's drives, suddenly saw his lateral speed increase by 50% thanks to the [Boost Pack].
When Odom drove again, Gallinari, like a phantom, perfectly blocked his path.
Odom was shocked, wondering why Gallinari's lateral movement had suddenly become so fast.
With the shot clock winding down, Odom passed the ball to Gasol.
Gasol, facing Bill Walker, intended to use his height advantage for a strong shot.
He was confident because he had easily scored against Bill Walker moments before.
However, this time, Bill Walker accurately anticipated Gasol's shooting timing, leaped quickly, and swatted the ball away!
The ball, by sheer chance, flew towards Li Feng.
Li Feng quickly secured the ball and initiated a fast break.
Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, the Lakers players were slow to react.
Li Feng, driving alone, surged to the Lakers' basket and slammed home a dunk, scoring 2 points to close the gap.
Kobe, witnessing this, sensed something was amiss.
With his vast finals experience, he found it hard to believe players would suddenly become so much stronger.
Kobe, of course, did not know about Li Feng's system advantage. He analyzed that the Knicks players were holding back their true strength.
"Well, the Knicks' coaching staff is something else, daring to use this tactic?" Kobe muttered, annoyed.
Li Feng paid no mind to Kobe's thoughts; his priority was to catch up in points during these crucial minutes.
With 10 minutes and 34 seconds left in the first quarter, the Knicks had narrowed the deficit to 3 points.
The [Boost Pack] consumed significant stamina, prompting D'Antoni to call a timeout and prepare to substitute in the bench players.
The starting players from both sides left the court, all covered in sweat. Gallinari and some others were particularly exhausted, their leg muscles trembling slightly from exerting more effort in this single quarter than in entire previous halves.
Kobe's mental state began to crack.
Before the game, he had rallied his teammates, urging them to spare no effort in the first quarter to overwhelm the Knicks and establish a winning lead.
Ideally, they aimed to extend the lead to over 20 points by halftime.
With a substantial halftime lead, Kobe was confident in maintaining it until the end of the game.
However, just as the Lakers had a solid half-court advantage, the Knicks suddenly seemed to revive entirely, like they had been re-energized, and caught up in the score.
Consequently, not only the Knicks players but also the Lakers experienced immense physical exertion.
Kobe sat on the bench, his gaze lost and unfocused, a rare sight for him.
As Jordan's successor, Kobe's creed was to never give up.
But facing Li Feng's Knicks, Kobe felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
The matchup between the reserve players was evenly contested, with the score remaining close.
Li Feng knew the Knicks' reserves were not weak, so he did not use the [Boost Pack] on them.
Kobe and Li Feng, as the core strategists for their respective teams, were not idle on the sidelines.
While seemingly resting, both were strategizing on how to counter the opponent's tactics.
Kobe pondered whether to continue the aggressive offensive mode from the first quarter.
If they continued this relentless attack, the Lakers would expend too much energy, making it uncertain if they could last until the fourth quarter in the second half.
But if they didn't attack aggressively, the Knicks' counterattacks were too sharp, potentially leading to them taking the lead.
Kobe covered his head with a towel, suffering from a severe headache.
He had already participated in four NBA finals, but this year's finals felt the most challenging.
Li Feng always seemed to make the right decisions on the court.
With over five minutes played in the second quarter, the teams were once again tied.
The score was 38:38!
Coach Jackson sighed, realizing their initial game plan had failed.
He called a timeout, preparing to re-enter the starting lineup.
Kobe approached Coach Jackson and volunteered, "Coach, let us increase the intensity against the Knicks!"
Coach Jackson shared the same sentiment, believing the Lakers had played too conservatively in the previous games.
Playing conservatively, he reasoned, implied underestimation.
On the grand stage of the finals, Coach Jackson knew the price of underestimation very well.
"Alright, you all thought you were defending champions and the opponents were rookies, so subconsciously you didn't take them seriously."
"That's wrong. Any team that reaches the finals has their own unique strengths!"
"You must bring 200% effort to defeat them!"
With the reminders from Coach Jackson and Kobe, the Lakers players began to adjust their mindset.
...
After the timeout, the starting players from both teams returned to the court.
Li Feng did not activate the [Defense Boost Pack] for now; he wanted to see what adjustments the Lakers had made.
The game resumed, and the Lakers players displayed strong competitiveness, becoming very serious.
Their defensive actions were highly active, and their physicality increased significantly.
The Knicks players were often knocked off balance.
However, the referees seemed to overlook this, tacitly accepting the increased physicality.
Li Feng understood: the Lakers had now embraced the "underdog" mentality!
This shift in mindset led the Lakers players to cherish every offensive and defensive opportunity, striving for perfection in every detail.
Given the Lakers' overall superior strength, and with their mindset corrected, they began to gain the upper hand on the court.
Bynum showed the most significant improvement. In previous games, he rarely ventured beyond the three-point line, allowing Yao Ming to take several open three-pointers.
However, now, he stuck close to Yao Ming no matter where he went, using his robust physique to challenge Yao Ming.
Fisher also began to relentlessly harass Duhon.
Duhon was crucial for the Knicks' tempo, but Fisher had previously underestimated his importance.
Every Lakers player treated their opponents as "superstars."
Although Li Feng was almost single-handedly carrying the team, he couldn't withstand the Lakers' intensified collective effort.
The Lakers' lead gradually widened.
By the end of the first half, the score was 62:51, with the Lakers leading by 11 points.
While an 11-point deficit wasn't insurmountable, the Lakers' displayed aggressive passion had completely suppressed the Knicks.
...
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley appeared concerned.
He wasn't a Knicks fan, but a fan of Li Feng.
"Although the Knicks won the first game, the situation is very unfavorable for them!"
Smith agreed, "The Lakers have indeed corrected their attitude. Without their arrogant mindset, they are playing with initiative and intensity, and their physicality is high. The Knicks are clearly not accustomed to it."
"Li Feng has done everything he possibly could; he's the highest scorer for both teams."
"There's nothing to be done; the overall skill gap between the teams is too large."
Reggie Miller suddenly interjected, "Actually, the Knicks played very well for a period in the first quarter. I wonder why they couldn't sustain it."
Barkley asked curiously, "The Knicks are indeed a strange team. Sometimes they suddenly become very strong, but they can't maintain it for long."
"My guess is that Li Feng is directing things on the court, and sometimes his teammates listen to him, and sometimes they might not."
"Impossible, right? Li Feng has high authority within the team; his teammates listen to him very much!"
"The players' abilities are what they are. Even if they listen to him, they might not be able to execute it well!"
...
If Li Feng had heard their analysis, he would have likely burst into laughter, as the reality was completely different.
In the Knicks' locker room, Li Feng was encouraging his teammates.
On the finals stage, the Knicks players were all "rookies"; the team had no veteran players with championship rings.
Therefore, Li Feng could only draw upon his past life's experiences to try and ease his teammates' tension.
"Guys, who do you think can afford to lose more, us or the Lakers?"
His teammates looked at Li Feng, unsure of his meaning.
Yao Ming smiled and replied, "It's definitely the Lakers who can't afford to lose; they are the defending champions!"
Prompted by Yao Ming, Duhon also said, "That's true. Our Knicks were at the bottom of the league last year. Reaching the finals this year has already exceeded everyone's expectations."
The teammates nodded in agreement: "That makes sense! We have nothing to lose; we've already won big!"
"Exactly! If Kobe loses, it would be disastrous. They'd probably roast him in the media and by the fans!"
...
With his teammates having figured it out, the locker room atmosphere became much more lively.
Li Feng clapped his hands, signaling everyone to quiet down.
"Guys, since that's the case, let's play without any pressure. If we lose, we go home and sleep; if we win, we celebrate together! Don't you agree?"
"Right! Celebrate together when we win! Bear the burden together when we lose!"
"Celebrate together when we win! Bear the burden together when we lose!"
Just as the Lakers players were adjusting their mindset, Li Feng was also helping the Knicks teammates adjust theirs.
The importance of mindset in the heat of a game should not be underestimated.
Often, changes in team atmosphere can significantly impact a player's performance during a match.
...
The second half of the game began.
With their adjusted mindset, the Knicks players launched a fierce counterattack against the Lakers, as if re-energized.
The Lakers also responded similarly; after the guidance from Coach Jackson and Kobe, they played with equal ferocity.
The game became both exciting and brutal.
Players were frequently seen diving to the floor to secure loose balls.
Several players from both teams sustained minor injuries.
However, with only minor injuries, they refused to leave the court and continued to fight fiercely.
The Lakers maintained their lead, after all, their overall strength was evident.
Li Feng had scored 27 points, while Kobe had 22.
However, the Knicks trailed by 12 points.
Would Li Feng become the leader of the "empty stats" club today?
Li Feng was also anxious. He saw that the other Knicks players were already giving their all.
But their abilities were what they were. The only two players capable of matching the Lakers were Li Feng and Yao Ming.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 84:71, with the Lakers leading by 13 points.
D'Antoni shook his head repeatedly from the sidelines, lamenting in his heart whether he was destined to never win a championship.
D'Antoni had achieved success with the Suns, only to fall to the Spurs.
Years of effort had been ruined.
Now, arriving at the Knicks, with Li Feng and Yao Ming under his guidance,
Who would have thought they would smoothly reach the finals, only to be suppressed by the Lakers.
D'Antoni truly wanted to roar to the heavens, venting his pent-up frustration.
Before the start of the fourth quarter, D'Antoni whispered a few words to Li Feng again.
"Li Feng, are there any adjustments needed?"
Li Feng was exhausted, sitting on the bench and wiping his sweat.
"Coach, I've done my best, and my teammates have also given their all. Let's fight for a few more minutes in the fourth quarter, and if it doesn't work out, then so be it."
D'Antoni was stunned. It was the first time he had seen Li Feng show signs of giving up!