Lou ri controlled the ball. Seeing that there were only 5 seconds left on the shot clock, Li Feng suddenly pointed at the basket.
This was a call for an alley-oop.
Lou ri understood immediately. He looked at Stoudemire, but waved his hand and tossed the ball towards the basket.
Li Feng flew past Bosh at high speed.
At this moment, James also jumped up.
James had missed blocking Li Feng earlier, and he wouldn't miss this opportunity.
Whoosh!
The two jumped at the same time, creating a spectacular scene.
Just as the home fans thought James would disrupt Li Feng's alley-oop, Li Feng actually caught the ball in mid-air, arched his back, and performed a tuck.
James in mid-air didn't know what to do and could only swat at the ball in Li Feng's arms.
Li Feng was still ascending. When he reached the highest point, he suddenly extended both hands and executed a spectacular dunk with a mid-air fold!
He's truly the king of his waist!
This move requires extremely high core and waist strength.
James occasionally performed this move, and it was understandable given his over two-meter height.
But Li Feng, at just over 1.9 meters, could effortlessly perform a mid-air fold dunk, and even with James defending him!
Beep!
The referee's whistle blew, and he called a blocking foul on James.
His hand had touched Li Feng's stomach just moments ago.
109 all!
Li Feng had a chance for an and-one.
This free throw was crucial. James, furious, spread his hands and rushed towards the referee to argue.
But the referee remained unmoved. He watched the video playback on the big screen. James had indeed hit Li Feng's stomach.
Li Feng stood at the free-throw line and took a deep breath.
With 14 seconds left in the game, Li Feng's free throw was paramount.
Swish!
He made it steadily.
110:109!
The Knicks took a one-point lead!
Coach Spo called their final timeout to strategize for the last possession.
The atmosphere in the arena was suffocating.
Although many media outlets and fans had predicted a fierce battle before the game, witnessing it live was still nerve-wracking and oppressive.
Li Feng sat on the bench, narrowing his eyes, and activated the [Curry Stamina Recovery Technique].
In the final moments of a game, stamina is one aspect, but maintaining a stable heartbeat is also crucial.
This is because stable performance is needed on both offense and defense, preventing movements from becoming deformed, and the heartbeat is key!
The timeout ended, and the players returned to the court.
The Heat would inbound the ball from the frontcourt.
For an NBA-level team, 14 seconds trailing by one point was not a cause for panic.
As long as they made one shot, they could take the lead.
Chalmers inbounded the ball from the sideline. The Knicks defenders applied pressure with almost a biting intensity.
As a result, with less than 5 seconds remaining, the ball still hadn't been inbounded. Spo had to call another timeout, otherwise, the ball would have gone to the Knicks.
The home fans let out a sigh of despair. They could feel the oppressive defense from the Knicks, who were so stifling that the Heat couldn't even inbound the ball.
Li Feng high-fived his teammates, praising their defense!
Defense wins championships!
This was the truth!
After the timeout, the Heat inbounded the ball from the frontcourt again.
Bosh and Dampier ran a cross-screen in the paint. Then Bosh faked towards the high post and received the pass.
Li Feng defended James, and Lou ri defended Wade, staying with them every step of the way.
Wade suddenly ran in front of Li Feng and set a screen. James then moved to the 45-degree angle, and Bosh immediately passed the ball to him.
At this point, with just over 3 seconds left, James caught the ball and drove towards the basket!
Although James was a good shooter, his most reliable scoring method was still driving to the basket.
This was because he possessed the best finishing skills in history!
Swoosh!
James took a big stride and drove to the basket. Li Feng had been tightly guarded by Wade.
In fact, Wade's move was a foul; he had held Li Feng.
However, in the final moments, referees were reluctant to blow the whistle.
James reached the basket, leaped into the air, preparing to end the game with a powerful dunk!
Who knew that just as James's body tensed and he was about to dunk, a huge shadow enveloped him.
James felt his vision darken. When he focused, he saw Yao Ming!
Yao Ming had been held by Dampier earlier, but after losing weight, he became more agile. He faked a move towards the middle and then suddenly made an off-ball cut, shaking off Dampier.
Yao Ming then rushed to the basket again, guarding the paint!
Bang!
Thud!
Yao Ming swung his large hands, delivering a solid "Yao-block" that sent the ball out of James's hands.
James lost his balance in mid-air and fell to the ground!
Almost simultaneously, the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game!
The referee hesitated, the whistle not yet blown.
But the Heat players were incensed and swarmed the referee, arguing that Yao Ming had committed a blocking foul.
The three referees walked to the scorer's table to review the instant replay. They needed to examine it closely.
Yao Ming stood with his hands on his hips, panting heavily. He had played 33 minutes today and was also tired.
That last play had taken all his effort; James's dunk was not an easy one to block.
Yao Ming had been very careful. His body hadn't made contact with James; he had only swatted the ball away.
Li Feng ran over and high-fived Yao Ming. Seeing Yao Ming's unease, he playfully punched Yao Ming's broad chest.
"It's okay. We did our best, and the rest is up to fate. It's just a regular season game!"
Yao Ming firmly clenched his fist and said, "I really didn't foul. I'm confident!"
The Knicks players all stared at the referees, fearing that the officials would point to Yao Ming and award James two free throws.
The three referees reviewed the game footage repeatedly before finally turning around and announcing—
"Yao Ming's defensive action was legal. The game is over. The Knicks have defeated the Heat with a score of 110:109!"
The Heat fans in the arena clutched their heads, their faces filled with disbelief and agony.
The Knicks players embraced each other, jumping and cheering with joy.
Li Feng and Yao Ming clasped hands. They had won!
The Knicks, through Li Feng's game-winning shot and Yao Ming's final defensive stop, had secured the victory!
The Heat's Big Three were truly formidable. Although the Knicks had narrowly won, the players were still shaken!
After the game, Wade voluntarily congratulated Li Feng, while James walked alone towards the players' tunnel.
Li Feng played 37 minutes and scored 35 points, while Yao Ming played 33 minutes and contributed 24 points.
James had 32 points, Wade 30 points, and Bosh 21 points.
After this victory, the media was fully behind the Knicks, launching a barrage of criticism against the Heat's Big Three!
The formation of the Heat's Big Three had caused significant controversy.
With all three players in their prime, forming a team made it impossible for other teams to compete.
James himself had even said that they would win not just one championship, not two, but even more than seven.
However, today, the Heat's Big Three were defeated by the Knicks on their home court!
Would the Heat's Big Three be completely suppressed by the Knicks?
ESPN's headline report: "Knicks Defeat Heat's Big Three on the Road, Defending Champions Show Dominant Power!"
Sports Illustrated's news headline: "Li Feng and Yao Ming Win the Game with Offense and Defense, Heat's Future Looks Bleak, the Road to the East is Full of Obstacles!"
Yahoo Sports' headline news: "Big Three Suffers Heavy Blow, They Still Need to Prove Themselves!"
...
This game had a massive impact, with almost all fans discussing it.
Through this game, Li Feng cemented his status as the league's number one player!
Having defeated the Lakers for the championship last year and winning this crucial game this year, Li Feng had earned the respect of the world with his string of impressive achievements!
However, after this game, the Knicks encountered a small predicament.
That was Yao Ming's knee soreness. The team doctor decided he would be sidelined for half a month.
And during an interaction with fans, Li Feng caught the flu and also had to rest for a week.
Although the regular season was still long, and the Knicks had no worries about making the playoffs, the upcoming few games would be difficult for them.
As expected, the Knicks began a losing streak, losing at home to the Lakers and Nuggets, and on the road to the Pacers and Raptors.
A four-game losing streak!
The media and fans then realized that without Li Feng and Yao Ming, the Knicks had degenerated into a struggling team.
However, Li Feng was not discouraged by these four losses.
This was because his teammates fought tenaciously, and the team played well on the court.
Losing to the Lakers was understandable. The Lakers' roster had not changed much compared to last season, and they remained a top-tier team in the league.
They ultimately lost by only 7 points and almost staged a comeback.
The game against the Nuggets was a shame. The Knicks were still leading in the first half of the fourth quarter.
Lou ri and Billups played at an exceptionally high level.
However, the Nuggets, as a Western Conference powerhouse, possessed great resilience. They ultimately rallied and won, led by Anthony.
The road game against the Pacers was not an unfair loss. Without Yao Ming in the paint, the Knicks were dominated by the Pacers inside.
DeRozan of the Raptors had a breakout performance, scoring a season-high. Lou ri and Billups couldn't contain his play, and the Knicks eventually lost the game.
But they only lost by 4 points.
Therefore, even without their main stars, the Knicks still displayed their fighting spirit.
After the four-game losing streak, the Knicks' record fell behind the Bulls and the Heat, placing them third in the Eastern Conference.
They also trailed the Spurs and Lakers in the Western Conference, tied with the Mavericks.
Fortunately, Li Feng recovered from his flu and would return for the next road game.
Li Feng had a large fanbase. The days without him playing were agonizing for his fans.
When the club announced Li Feng's imminent return, the fans were overjoyed.
The Knicks' next game was a road trip to face the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls this season, led by Rose, were unstoppable, winning seven consecutive games in their last seven matches!
Therefore, the media paid close attention to the game between the Knicks and the Bulls.
Although the Knicks had defeated the Bulls in the preseason, it was merely a practice game and did not count.
Given the Bulls' current momentum, it would be very difficult for the Knicks to win.
And with Yao Ming still injured, it was uncertain how Li Feng would perform leading the team solo.
The entire team arrived in Chicago and immediately began targeted training without resting.
Rose's form was excellent. In recent games, he had been averaging over 30 points and 8.7 assists.
And it was uncertain what Li Feng's condition would be after recovering from his injury.
At the pre-game press conference, the media interviewed Li Feng.
A reporter asked: "Mr. Li Feng, have you watched the Bulls' recent games?"
Li Feng nodded: "Yes, I have. The Bulls are on a strong winning streak and are a very difficult team to play against."
"Can you contain Rose?"
Li Feng smiled: "Rose is hard to contain. His speed, jumping ability, and strength are all top-notch. But we also have very good perimeter defense. I believe the game will be exciting."
The reporter then asked: "This season, Rose is ranked ahead of you in the MVP race. Do you think you still have a chance?"
Li Feng replied seriously: "Rose is playing exceptionally well. If he wins MVP, I will congratulate him. But I value team victories more."
"However, the Bulls' record is also better than the Knicks'."
Li Feng shrugged and smiled: "I know. But I can confidently say that if Yao Ming and I return, we will achieve the league's best record again!"
The reporters were in an uproar. Li Feng had always been low-key, but today he seemed rather bold.
"Is there a timeline for Yao Ming's return?" The reporter, aware of Yao Ming's importance to the Knicks, sought information from Li Feng.
Li Feng shook his head: "No comment. We'll have to wait for the final check results from the team doctor. But I can tell you that Yao Ming is recovering well and will be able to play again soon."
...
At 7 PM, at the United Center Arena in Chicago.
The Bulls welcomed the defending champions, the New York Knicks.
In the past seven games, the Bulls had achieved an impressive seven-game winning streak, so the home stadium was packed with fans cheering for the Bulls.
And Rose, known as the "Windy City Rose," had become Chicago's beloved star.
Fans hoped that the team, led by Rose, would recreate the glory of Jordan's era, win championships, and even achieve a three-peat!
The Knicks' starting lineup was Li Feng, Jordan Hill, Stoudemire, Scola, and Lou ri.
The Bulls' starters were Rose, Boozer, Luol Deng, Noah, and Bogans.
Jordan Hill secured the first possession.
In the past two seasons, Jordan Hill had improved significantly. He had trained and played with Yao Ming, learning a great deal.
As a rookie, he was fortunate to learn so much from a skilled center like Yao Ming.
Li Feng dribbled the ball past half-court. He took this game very seriously, not only because the Bulls were currently the league's number one team.
More importantly, Rose was on a hot streak, showing signs of surpassing Li Feng.
As a superstar in the league, Li Feng had to suppress Rose in a head-to-head matchup.
Otherwise, in the playoffs, the Knicks might fall under the Bulls' dominance.
Li Feng was defended not by Rose, but by Bogans.
Bogans, at 1.96 meters tall with a wingspan of 211 centimeters, was a tenacious defender.
Based on Li Feng's previous playstyle, he would usually give the ball to his teammates for the first possession, focusing on organization in the first quarter.
However, having just returned from injury and facing media scrutiny, Li Feng needed to play aggressively today.