The Knicks' internal atmosphere was exceptionally united and highly motivated.
The Bucks couldn't withstand it. By 5 minutes and 33 seconds into the second quarter, the score was 42:26, with the Knicks leading by 16 points.
The starting players from both sides returned to the court.
Jennings had been sitting on the sidelines, stewing in anger. He recalled the boasting he had done before the game, and now his face burned with embarrassment.
But Jennings had one positive trait: he was stubborn. He refused to admit defeat in his heart.
Seeing Li Feng's exceptional three-point shooting, he intensified his own three-point attempts.
And indeed, Jennings' three-point shooting was quite good.
Upon returning to the game, he hit a three-pointer with a teammate's screen, regaining his confidence.
The Bucks' morale saw a slight boost.
Unfortunately, Li Feng struck Jennings down again!
David Lee inbounded the ball from the baseline, and Li Feng suddenly accelerated, moving towards half-court. David Lee immediately made a long pass.
Li Feng caught the ball near half-court and, before the opposing team could double-team him, launched another logo three-pointer!
Swish!
It was terrifying!
This wasn't a buzzer-beater, yet he could shoot like that?
The Knicks fans' eyes widened, their mouths agape, as they stared at the arc of the basketball.
He actually made it!
Li Feng didn't even wait to see if it went in. After shooting, he struck a pose and turned to head back on defense!
He actually turned and went back on defense!
Jennings was stunned again, frozen in place.
The moment the ball dropped into the basket, Madison Square Garden erupted in a roar!
"God, did Li Feng do that on purpose?"
"Didn't they used to call shots like that 'random chucks'?"
"If he can make that, how are others supposed to play?"
"If I were Jennings, I'd just surrender, haha!"
...
This shot dealt a significant blow to the Bucks' morale. Jennings dribbled the ball up the court.
Jennings hesitated, wondering whether to attack himself or pass to a teammate.
But in his moment of hesitation, Li Feng ghosted in again and with a swipe, stole the ball!
Jennings was close to tears. "You..."
After the steal, Li Feng quickly crossed half-court.
Jennings even gave up on defending, knowing he couldn't match Li Feng's speed.
Li Feng, inspired by the Madison Square Garden crowd, wanted to show off with a dunk.
So, as his left foot touched the free-throw line, Li Feng exploded upwards!
The home crowd was ecstatic, witnessing not only Li Feng's logo three-pointers but also his free-throw line dunks!
Bang!
The arena roared!
He was truly showing off!
...
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley fell silent.
Smith, ignoring Barkley's expression, showered Li Feng with praise!
"I see the same top pick potential in Li Feng as Duncan had back then, his game is so complete!"
"Li Feng is playing a different game in the regular season. Even though it's only been two games, I've seen his dominance!"
"Honestly, I have very high expectations for his playoff performance!"
Seeing Smith's incessant praise, Barkley cleared his throat and said, "Li Feng's performance is indeed very good, and he's outplaying Jennings. But Jennings is also a rookie. I think Li Feng's true test will come against Kobe, LeBron, and Duncan!"
Smith, knowing Barkley was still skeptical, replied with a smile, "Even if Li Feng falters against Kobe, LeBron, or Duncan, it would be normal.
"After all, they are all historically great superstars. The fact that you're comparing a rookie to them already speaks volumes about Li Feng's success!"
...
In fact, many fans shared Smith's sentiments.
By 7 minutes and 24 seconds into the second quarter, the score was 51:30, with the Knicks leading by 21 points.
The game was essentially out of reach.
Jennings had only scored 11 points, while Li Feng had already amassed 21 points!
That was the difference!
Bucks head coach Scott couldn't watch any longer and substituted Jennings out early.
Jennings had become disheartened by Li Feng's play and was even reluctant to extend his hands on defense, which was unacceptable to the coach.
Jennings didn't get angry about being substituted out early; instead, he felt a sense of relief.
Reed, who replaced him, was aggressive and immediately hounded Li Feng.
Li Feng wasn't in a hurry, continuing to switch between scoring and facilitating, doing his best to unlock his teammates' potential.
David Lee was playing well today. Besides being more active on defense, he also benefited from the space created by Li Feng on offense, making his play effortless.
In his previous life, David Lee and Curry were teammates for a period, but David Lee's performance was average, and he was later replaced by the more defensively solid Draymond Green.
However, alongside Li Feng, his assertiveness was ignited earlier.
David Lee shot 7 for 9 in the first half, scoring 14 points with good efficiency.
D'Antoni had initially wanted to replicate the Suns' run-and-gun offense with the Knicks, so he was always looking to make player changes.
But with Li Feng's efforts, D'Antoni discovered that it wasn't necessary to be exactly like the Suns.
After all, a dominant face-up big man like Stoudemire was hard to come by.
Li Feng's style also differed from Nash's.
Nash's three-point percentage was also very high, but his threes were different from Li Feng's.
Li Feng's threes could break down the opponent's defense.
Nash's threes, however, were merely finishers.
With Li Feng's contributions, the team's overall offense and defense were more than a level higher than last season.
...
Reed of the Bucks was a tough player, resorting to many small tactics that frustrated Li Feng.
Furthermore, Reed was skilled at getting under an opponent's skin, constantly harassing Li Feng and whispering in his ear.
Despite his maturity, Li Feng was still just a 19-year-old kid.
After a few possessions, Li Feng finally got angry.
On one play, Reed grabbed Li Feng's jersey, nearly causing him to fall.
Li Feng lost his composure and threw an elbow.
The elbow merely grazed Reed's cheek, but Reed dramatically fell backward, clutching his face in pain.
Li Feng shook his head in anger and explained to the referee.
The referees hadn't clearly seen the play and went to the sideline to review the replay.
After a long review, the referees called a common foul on Li Feng, as he hadn't actually hit Reed's face.
Reed's ploy didn't succeed, and he seemed disappointed.
However, Li Feng also calmed down as a result, maturing a bit more. He had indeed been a little impulsive.
It was understandable, though. Basketball courts were filled with powerful athletes, and a few collisions could ignite some fire.
But truly mature superstars would respond with their performance on the court.
For example, Duncan, who battled numerous strong players in the paint but never got into altercations.
This demonstrated Duncan's all-around maturity, from his skills to his character, making him a top-tier superstar.
The Spurs were truly blessed to acquire such a superstar, a feat unprecedented and unrepeatable.
Li Feng also admired Duncan greatly and hoped to spend his entire career with the Knicks.
But ultimately, it was a commercial league, and whether one could finish their career with a single team depended on fate.