Arenas steps to the free-throw line and makes the additional free throw!
Wizards lead 4-2.
The Knicks are on offense.
Li Feng dribbles past half-court. Instead of attacking himself, he passes the ball to Lowry.
This is an opportunity for Lowry to prove himself.
If they fall behind from the start, they'll carry a psychological burden throughout the game and perform poorly.
Lowry receives the ball, nods at Li Feng, and knows he has to make this play.
Arenas's defensive ability is actually average, but his speed is very fast.
Lowry drives hard from the left. Arenas sticks to him. Lowry uses his strong physique to bump him hard, instantly throwing Arenas off balance.
Then, Lowry suddenly pulls up and shoots a long two-pointer!
By the time Arenas tries to contest, it's too late.
Swish!
The two-pointer goes in, and Arenas's hand also makes contact with Lowry's wrist.
Beep!
The referee blows the whistle, calling a foul for a 2+1!
Arenas looks at Lowry in surprise. He hadn't expected Lowry to improve so much!
When Lowry was with the Rockets, he had played against Arenas before. Back then, Arenas had toyed with him.
But in just a few months, Lowry has not only significantly improved his ball-handling and control but also reached the league's top tier in shooting.
Truly, after a few days apart, one should look at someone with new eyes!
Li Feng excitedly runs over and high-fives Lowry in celebration.
He knew Lowry had the capability, and that was a beautiful play!
Lowry is also excited. Being able to respond to Arenas like that was something he hadn't anticipated before.
After all, Arenas is a long-established superstar, while he is just a rookie.
But Li Feng has given him confidence and taught him many skills, allowing him to go toe-to-toe with Arenas!
This is incredible.
Lowry steps to the free-throw line and makes the free throw as well!
Knicks lead 5-4 by one point.
In the following game, Li Feng completely locks down Wall, and Lowry's defense on Arenas also gradually improves.
In the paint, Yao Ming can easily handle explosive players like McGee, scoring with ease.
Amar'e Stoudemire, who just joined the Knicks, shows his power.
He was already very effective when he played with Nash.
Now, with Li Feng and Lowry feeding him the ball, he seems even more unstoppable.
With over eight minutes played in the first quarter, the Knicks lead by nine points, 23-14!
The Wizards' head coach, unable to do anything else, calls a timeout.
In preseason games, starters typically don't play for long; the main purpose is to give bench players opportunities to develop chemistry.
So, both teams tacitly substitute their starters for their full reserve lineups.
The Knicks' bench lineup this year consists of Chauncey Billups and Raymond Felton, Bill Walker, Jordan Hill, Timofey Mozgov, and Toney Douglas.
Although Li Feng is off the court resting, he stays on the sideline, cheering on the reserve players.
After this Finals series, Li Feng understands the importance of team depth.
The long regular season requires more players to step up.
Sometimes, how far a team can go isn't determined by the players' abilities but by their health.
Every year, some teams that look strong on paper suddenly have their core players injured in the playoffs, leading to a bitter defeat and an early exit.
Therefore, to achieve back-to-back championships, or even a three-peat, it's essential to cultivate team depth.
Li Feng and the other starters don't play at all in the second quarter, allowing the bench players to compete.
At the end of the first half, the score is 54-47, with the Knicks leading by seven points.
During halftime, Li Feng hugs and encourages every bench player.
The Knicks have added several new players this year, and everyone needs game time to gel; this chemistry cannot be achieved through training alone.
It will take at least half a season of games to build that cohesion.
...
The second half begins, and Li Feng and the starting lineup return to the court.
Wall was dominated by Li Feng in the first quarter and is full of frustration.
During halftime, he ponders for a long time and decides to use pick-and-rolls in the second half to avoid Li Feng's defense.
Wall brings the ball past half-court and doesn't dare to challenge Li Feng head-on. Instead, he asks JaVale McGee to come out and screen Li Feng.
Then he drives into the paint.
Just as Wall is about to attempt a floater, Yao Ming suddenly emerges, extending his long arms to cover Wall entirely.
Wall, with no other option, passes the ball to Carl Landry on the right.
Unexpectedly, Li Feng is already waiting behind him. He knew Yao Ming would come to help defend.
So, the moment Wall passes, Li Feng's SSS-tier steal skill activates. He lightning-fast swipes and intercepts the ball.
The Knicks initiate a fast break. Li Feng throws a long pass to Lowry, who had already started his run.
Lowry crosses half-court and scores on a layup!
Wall's offense is once again stifled, and this time, it's by the Knicks' overall defense.
At this point, Wall finally understands that the Knicks' championship wasn't won by chance; it's a testament to their league-leading strength!
The Wizards' starting lineup is completely outplayed by the Knicks. Aside from Arenas occasionally scoring, all other positions are locked down.
Meanwhile, Li Feng and Yao Ming score inside and out, continuously adding to the lead.
With over seven minutes played in the third quarter, the Knicks are leading by eighteen points!
Concerned about his starters getting injured, D'Antoni immediately calls a timeout and substitutes all the starters.
The Knicks' home fans are ecstatic. This year's Knicks are truly something to look forward to, a team of champions!
Finally, the Knicks defeat the Washington Wizards at home.
Li Feng plays 15 minutes today, scoring 14 points. Yao Ming plays 14 minutes and gets 9 points.
Wall plays 16 minutes today and only scores 2 points, which is quite unfortunate.
It can be said that in this game, the number one pick Wall is completely suppressed by Li Feng, being dominated on both ends of the court.
After this game, no media outlet talks about Wall and Li Feng anymore.
They are simply not on the same level.
...
The second preseason game is an away game for the Knicks against the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls have made more acquisitions this offseason, and Derrick Rose has also become more mature.
As a top pick, Rose also feels a sense of challenge towards Li Feng.
Therefore, this game once again becomes a highly anticipated matchup.
Li Feng also admired Rose greatly in his previous life, especially his later career setbacks, which he found very regrettable.
He truly wishes that Rose could change his playing style now, reduce the risk of injury, and achieve even greater success!
...
On the evening of October 18th, at the United Center in Chicago.
The defending champion Knicks challenge the Bulls on the road.
The Knicks' starting lineup remains Li Feng, Yao Ming, Amar'e Stoudemire, Luis Scola, and Lowry.
The Bulls' starting five are Rose, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Keith Bogans.
Yao Ming wins the tip-off for the Knicks, and Li Feng brings the ball up from the backcourt.
Rose plays full-court defense, with a clear intention: to challenge Li Feng!
Last season, the Bulls and Knicks met three times. Rose missed two games due to injury.
In the single game he did play, Li Feng was sidelined with an injury.
Therefore, many fans last season hoped to see a matchup between Li Feng and Rose, but it never materialized.
Although this is just a preseason game, Rose has waited a year for this!
Li Feng doesn't dare to be careless. Rose's strength and speed are not inferior to his own, and his drives to the basket are even more terrifying without slowing down!
After crossing half-court, Rose guards him even tighter, reaching in with his hands, denying Li Feng any shooting space.
Yao Ming, worried about Li Feng, wants to come up and set a screen, but Li Feng shakes his head in refusal.
This is a duel between the two star players of the teams, drawing immense attention!
Bang!
Li Feng suddenly drives to the right, and there's a fierce collision between their bodies!
Li Feng uses sixty percent of his strength, while Rose goes all out. The result is that Li Feng can't budge Rose!
So strong!
Li Feng exclaims in his heart. Rose grunts.
Rose doesn't like trash talk; he prefers to respond with his performance on the court!
Li Feng slowly dribbles the ball, retreating two steps. Rose presses him tightly.
Suddenly, Li Feng executes a crossover and drives from the left.
This time, Li Feng's movement is very low, his shoulder almost touching the ground. His entire body moves like a giant bat.
Even with Rose's speed, he can't keep up. With a blur, Li Feng disappears.
But Rose is still Rose. Although he's been beaten, he's still tightly following Li Feng.
As long as Li Feng dares to shoot, Rose is confident he can block Li Feng's shot.
Li Feng drives towards the paint, and Noah immediately comes to help defend.
Now, with pursuers in front and blockers behind, this is Li Feng's moment of truth.
Just when everyone expects Li Feng to pass, he makes an incredible move!
He suddenly looks up at the basket and gathers the ball, feigning a shot.
Noah is smart and doesn't jump; he just extends his hands to contest.
And Rose, trailing behind, explodes into the air, preparing to deliver a big block on Li Feng from behind!
Who would have thought that Li Feng's move was a fake?
After the fake, Li Feng quickly shifts laterally, dodging Rose's block attempt.
At the same time, the timing of his dodge is perfect, causing Rose to crash directly into Noah.
Rose's momentum is strong, and Noah, unable to maintain his balance, is knocked backward.
Li Feng takes advantage of the moment when the two opponents collide and shoots the ball.
Swish!
Two points!
Li Feng's shot is spectacular. In a flash, he observes the movements of the Bulls' players and makes them collide with each other.
After scoring, Li Feng is also excited, shouting a couple of times. Yao Ming applauds vigorously, celebrating Li Feng's exquisite shot!
Rose and Noah collide, and although they aren't injured, it still hurts. Both lie on the ground for a while.
The Bulls' team doctor quickly runs over to check on their condition.
After a moment, both of them stand up, thankfully unharmed.
This play demonstrates Li Feng's extremely high basketball IQ. He can quickly make the best judgments based on the positions of the defenders on the court.
After getting up, Rose glances at Li Feng, his perception of Li Feng's reaction ability renewed.
The Bulls are on offense.
Rose crosses half-court and charges forward directly. His speed is indeed fast, changing direction without slowing down.
Even though Li Feng is fully focused, he's still beaten by Rose.
It's impossible to guard a top point guard like Rose one-on-one every single time.
However, the Knicks are prepared for Rose's drives, and Yao Ming steps up again to provide help defense.
Rose doesn't force the issue. He passes the ball under Yao Ming's arm to Noah, who scores on a layup.
This is Rose for you. He's not a reckless player; when facing tight defense, Rose's court vision is very broad.
Li Feng, seeing Rose's pass, is also impressed. He's indeed fast!
In the next few possessions, Li Feng and Rose trade baskets, both playing to their strengths.
However, knowledgeable fans can see that Li Feng plays very comfortably and with ease, while Rose is giving his all.
With over nine minutes played in the first quarter, the score is 26-24, with the Bulls leading by two points.
Both teams substitute their starters to rest.
Preseason games are essentially warm-ups, and coaches primarily focus on player development.
However, the matchup between Li Feng and Rose is truly spectacular, captivating the fans in attendance!
Li Feng is well aware that Rose is at his peak this season. In his previous life, this was Rose's MVP season.
If it weren't for the Miami Heat's Big Three, Rose might have led the Bulls out of the Eastern Conference!
Therefore, it can be said that the Miami Heat's Big Three that year changed the landscape of the league.
In the second quarter, neither team's starters are on the court, and the home crowd is not satisfied. They chant in unison, hoping for another duel between Rose and Li Feng!
At this moment, Thibodeau and D'Antoni exchange glances from afar and nod slightly.
Both coaches tacitly put Rose and Li Feng back on the court, primarily to cater to the fans in attendance.
This is the benefit of a commercial league; some things require prioritizing the fans.
After Li Feng and Rose enter the game, they exchange smiles. They recognize each other's abilities and share a sense of mutual respect.
Their subsequent play has a bit of an exhibition feel to it. Although the defense is still tight, they aren't playing with reckless abandon.
The game becomes more exciting, with Rose and Li Feng continuously scoring, drawing waves of applause from the United Center crowd!
After playing for over five minutes in the second quarter, both players are substituted out again.
After all, they are core players, and there's no need to play them for extended periods in preseason to avoid injuries.
At the end of the first half, the score is tied at 57.
Lowry plays very well today, and his temporary combination with Billups is unstoppable.
This is a welcome surprise for D'Antoni.
This season, D'Antoni aims to experiment with multiple lineups and increase the team's variability and depth.
In the second half, Li Feng and Rose face off again for over six minutes.
Li Feng steps up his game, increasing the intensity on the defensive end, forcing Rose into several turnovers.
Rose also increases his defensive intensity.
However, Li Feng is a superstar who has experienced the baptism of the Finals. Facing Rose's tight defense, Li Feng plays very comfortably and continues to score!
As a result, the Knicks extend their lead in the third quarter.
Li Feng doesn't play at all in the entire fourth quarter. The Bulls' reserves take the opportunity to catch up.
D'Antoni substitutes in reserve players. Lowry and Billups do not play again.
Therefore, in the fourth quarter, the Bulls narrow the score and even take the lead.
Ultimately, the Bulls defeat the Knicks at home, winning this preseason game.
Li Feng plays 21 minutes today, scoring 24 points. Rose plays 22 minutes and scores 21 points.
The statistics are similar, but Li Feng clearly has a stronger impact on the game!