After scoring, Li Feng went over to high-five Gallinari.
Having teammates step up was crucial for the team's victory.
The Knicks led 7-2.
With his teammates shooting well, Li Feng was happy to switch to assist mode.
The Jazz didn't have the magic of the last game, and under Li Feng's help defense, their outside shooting was largely neutralized.
Although Okur and Kirilenko were strong inside, David Lee and Gallinari fought hard, effectively containing the Jazz's interior presence.
The Knicks maintained their lead.
Although the point difference wasn't large, the Jazz just couldn't catch up.
Whenever the Jazz started to gain momentum, Li Feng would extinguish the fire with an ultra-long three-pointer.
Deron was furious but powerless.
Li Feng was superior to him in both strength and speed.
What made him most angry was the strength.
Deron was known as the LeBron James of point guards at the time, like a small tank.
Once he drove to the basket, no other guard could stop him.
Yet, Li Feng showed no weakness. Every time they collided head-on, Deron was sent stumbling, even dropping the ball.
The fans in attendance were thrilled!
Li Feng was too dominant, never backing down, just one word:
Go for it!
At 9:32 into the first quarter, the score was 21-13, with the Knicks leading by eight points.
Although Li Feng only scored 6 points, he dished out 5 assists.
Deron only managed 2 points and had 3 turnovers in the first quarter, completely outplayed by Li Feng.
When Sloan called a timeout, Deron walked off the court with his head down.
Boozer kept patting Deron's shoulder, comforting him.
As the league's best partners, their relationship was very good. Boozer knew Li Feng was formidable.
Many had been dominated by Li Feng, and Deron wouldn't be the last, so Boozer quickly consoled him.
The Madison Square Garden fans were ecstatic; the Knicks, who had lost two consecutive games to the Jazz on the road, finally got their revenge today.
Competitive sports require this kind of "get even" mentality; if you lose, you fight back!
In the China Sports channel broadcast booth, commentators Zhang and Yu Jia were providing commentary.
Due to the rivalry between the Jazz and the Rockets, Chinese fans were very familiar with the Jazz.
Many fans even harbored hostility towards the Jazz.
In the pre-game vote for this match, 99% of fans hoped the Knicks would win.
The Knicks' lead in the first quarter delighted the fans, and Zhang and Yu Jia were also very excited.
"Director Zhang, Li Feng's performance today is very dominant!"
"Haha, yes, he had two steals right from the start, truly amazing!"
"The other Knicks players are playing well today, very spirited. Most of Li Feng's passes went in."
"Actually, Li Feng played well last game too, but his teammates were too exhausted. Li Feng just had a big battle with Kobe and losing was understandable."
"If Li Feng were on the Rockets, Yao Ming wouldn't fear the Jazz."
"Haha, exactly. The Rockets' guards... sigh, never mind."
"Yao Ming has had a tough time in the playoffs these past few years!"
...
The bench players' duel saw the Jazz hold a slight advantage.
Matthews, Korver, and Millsap all possessed considerable skill.
In the bench matchup, the score difference slowly narrowed, and D'Antoni started to worry again.
Li Feng wasn't anxious because he could see that the Knicks' bench players were actually playing well today; they just weren't accustomed to the Jazz's style of play.
So, he had a brief conversation with D'Antoni, telling him not to worry.
As expected, at the start of the second quarter, the Knicks' bench players found their form again.
Larry Hughes frequently initiated offense, tearing through the opponent's defense, leaving the Jazz's bench players stunned.
Coupled with Jordan Hill's explosive performance, the Knicks went on a run, widening the lead again!
Sloan on the sidelines shook his head slightly, finding it hard to believe the significant transformation the Knicks had undergone compared to the previous game.
It wasn't surprising, as the Knicks had played back-to-back games last time, and a poor performance was normal.
After five minutes into the second quarter, Sloan quickly put the starters back on the court.
D'Antoni also brought his starters back in. He high-fived his bench players on the sideline, praising their good play.
Upon entering the game, Li Feng once again dominated.
Deron, constantly guarded by Li Feng, became uncomfortable and irritable, his actions becoming more aggressive.
On one offensive play, while guarded by Li Feng, he fiercely elbowed Li Feng in the jaw.
Li Feng fell to the ground, clutching his jaw in pain.
Li Feng's teammates were enraged and rushed to surround Deron. David Lee even threw a punch at Deron, and a brawl was imminent.
The referees quickly intervened, separating the two sides.
Deron knew he was in the wrong and didn't say much, retreating shamefacedly to the sidelines.
The referee reviewed the replay at the scorer's table and immediately assessed Deron with a Flagrant 2 foul.
If Li Feng hadn't been protected by his [Damage Immunity Skill], he would likely have been forced to leave the game today.
Li Feng recovered after a while, finding his cheek slightly swollen but otherwise unharmed.
Amidst a standing ovation from the crowd, Li Feng stepped up to the free-throw line.
He made the first shot and then sank both of his subsequent free throws.
After this minor incident, Deron's play became much more controlled, and the Knicks continued to lead.
At the end of the first half, the Knicks led by 17 points.
Li Feng had scored 15 points and dished out 8 assists in the first half.
Deron had a rough half, scoring only 5 points and 3 assists, significantly below his regular-season averages.
At the start of the second half, Deron changed his strategy under his coach's guidance.
This was also the approach adopted by most opposing guards after facing Li Feng in the league – avoiding him.
It had become a pattern in Knicks games: every opposing guard would be eager to challenge Li Feng at the start of the game!
But after a quarter, they would back down and start playing defensively.
Deron stuck with this approach for a half, finally understanding the logic, and also began to play defensively against Li Feng.
Playing defensively proved effective, and the Jazz were finally able to keep pace with the Knicks.
After all, Deron was a top-tier guard in the league, and as long as he didn't directly confront Li Feng, he remained the team's sharpest offensive weapon.
The score difference between the two teams remained around 15 points, with the Knicks maintaining their lead.
Deron played over 9 minutes in the third quarter, scoring 14 points, showing a resurgence.
However, Li Feng's consistent output made the Jazz's chances of a comeback slim.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 84-70.
In fact, Li Feng greatly admired Deron's playstyle.
Among the heavy point guards, Deron's drives were captivating, and he also had famous moments of dunking over towering centers.
During the Olympics, he had wanted to dunk on Yao Ming, but he failed.
The Great Wall of China was not so easily dunked on.
In the fourth quarter, although the Jazz made a run, Li Feng came back on the court and, with a slight increase in effort, widened the lead once again.
Ultimately, the Knicks defeated the Jazz at home with a score of 107-93, avenging their previous loss.
After the game, Deron proactively approached Li Feng for a chat, and Boozer also exchanged pleasantries with Li Feng.
Li Feng played 32 minutes today, scoring 30 points and recording 17 assists.
He was once again named the
After switching modes, the Cavaliers' efficiency indeed increased significantly, and they went on a run.
The Knicks were not accustomed to the Cavaliers' system.
Li Feng, being a guard, couldn't defend LeBron James, and James was very smart, also avoiding direct confrontations with Li Feng to prevent turnovers.
Every time James drove to the basket, he would call for screens in advance.
As a result, the Knicks were trailing by 9 points with just over 8 minutes left in the first quarter.
D'Antoni had to call a timeout to allow the Knicks players to regroup, as they seemed somewhat stunned by the onslaught.
LeBron James was smug, roaring and chest-bumping his teammates in encouragement.
The Cavaliers players finally felt a sense of relief.
The fans at the Quicken Loans Arena let out deafening roars.
The Cavaliers had lofty goals this season, aiming for the championship, so how could they be suppressed by the Knicks?
LeBron James was the Cavaliers' hope!
Li Feng also found LeBron James's playing style difficult to adapt to because LeBron's court vision was exceptional, and his passing threat was immense!