Perhaps it was because the Knicks had lost two in a row, which made the Mavericks relax their guard against Li Feng.
Thus, the Mavericks surprisingly resorted to single defense against Li Feng.
At this moment, facing single coverage, Li Feng’s scoring was as easy as cutting melons and vegetables.
As the first quarter reached 5:14, the score was 11:6, with the Knicks leading temporarily, entering an official timeout.
As an international player, Nowitzki had a good relationship with Yao Ming, so he also took good care of Li Feng.
Although they had no prior contact, when Li Feng fell during the game, Nowitzki unexpectedly stepped forward to help him up and patted him on the back.
D'Antoni was under immense pressure. Although the two consecutive losses were understandable, he was still the head coach, and the management would not be happy if the team suffered a third consecutive loss.
During the timeout, D'Antoni loudly encouraged the players, "You are playing well today. Shoot boldly if you have the chance. Don't all rely on Li Feng; you are all great!"
In fact, after the game against the Lakers, the Knicks players had grown significantly.
Their playstyle had become more mature, and they entered their rhythm quickly.
The timeout ended, and the game resumed.
After the timeout, Nowitzki's shooting touch returned. Facing Gallinari, he made two consecutive shots, scoring 5 points.
Marion also played in a fast break.
It's worth noting that Marion was also a key member of the Suns' run-and-gun 1.0. His speed was high, and his defensive ability was strong.
Although he was a bit older, his strength had not declined much.
The Mavericks quickly caught up in score, and the Knicks, thanks to Li Feng, did not fall too far behind. ka nshu wu. xi a
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 27:25, with the Mavericks leading by 2 points.
Li Feng scored 13 points in the first quarter, and Nowitzki had 11 points. Both performed well.
The substitutes from both sides entered the court.
The Mavericks' bench was filled with talent: Josh Howard, Goudin, Haywood, Barea, Rodrigo, all possessed significant skill.
The Knicks' bench fell into a disadvantage.
After more than five minutes of play in the second quarter, the Knicks were already trailing by 11 points.
Li Feng was a bit anxious.
He also could not accept a third consecutive loss.
Although the Knicks were indeed a weak team last season, Li Feng aimed for the playoffs this season.
Not only that, but he also wanted to help the New York Knicks establish a winning culture.
Moreover, he was in talks with Red Star Sports for cooperation.
If they lost too badly, how could he be the spokesperson for Red Star Sports?
Therefore, Li Feng stood up and actively asked to go back on the court.
D'Antoni also felt the same way; a three-game losing streak would be difficult to explain to management.
And for the team to win, Li Feng had to play more minutes.
With Li Feng and the starters back on the court, they began to catch up again.
In one possession, Li Feng faced Nowitzki, stopped abruptly, and shot, scoring 2 points.
Then, on the defensive end, Li Feng stole Terry's drive and scored on a fast break.
Led by Li Feng, the Knicks went on a small run, narrowing the deficit to 1 point.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Mavericks head coach Carlisle quickly called a timeout.
At this moment, Terry looked at Li Feng with eyes full of anger.
Terry had a fiery temper, and his three-point shooting was also very sharp.
Before the game, he had been in a rivalry with Li Feng, but during the game, Li Feng completely ignored him.
Therefore, they didn't have many direct matchups.
In the previous play, Li Feng used his SSS-rank steal skill to snatch the ball from him, which made Terry very displeased.
"Coach, in the next possession, I'll guard Li Feng!" Terry volunteered.
In fact, Kidd had been guarding Li Feng earlier and couldn't contain him, and Kidd's defensive ability was strong.
If Kidd couldn't stop him, Terry certainly wouldn't be able to.
Carlisle knew Terry's temper, so he nodded and said, "How about this: you and Kidd will double-team. Li Feng cannot be stopped by one person alone!"
Terry, who had wanted to defend him alone, was now being asked to double-team, and he was not happy.
"Coach, I..."
"Don't say anything else, just do as I say!"
Carlisle was not a tyrannical coach, but he was very strict, and Terry fell silent.
However, he was still unconvinced.
After the timeout, both teams’ starting players returned to the court.
Li Feng noticed another person next to him.
He didn't pay much attention, as he was accustomed to double-teams.
However, as soon as the game started, Li Feng realized something was wrong. Although Terry was not tall, his defense was very fierce, even a bit dirty.
During one of Li Feng's drives, Terry actually stuck out his leg and tripped Li Feng.
This trip was very subtle, and the referee did not see it.
Li Feng was extremely angry, slammed the floor twice, and shouted at the referee.
The referee immediately gave Li Feng a technical foul.
Terry smirked beside him and waved at Li Feng triumphantly.
Li Feng was indeed furious. He pointed at Terry, but said nothing more.
Nowitzki made the free throw, and the Knicks attacked again.
This time, Li Feng changed his approach. He deliberately drove towards the referee's position.
Just as Terry was about to make another underhanded move, the referee finally saw it and immediately called a foul on Terry.
Terry walked to the side dejectedly, without complaining to the referee.
However, he had developed a newfound respect for Li Feng in his heart because Li Feng did not seem like a rookie at all; his playstyle was too mature and seasoned.
In the following few possessions, Li Feng drew two more fouls on Terry, forcing Carlisle to substitute him out.
Although Terry outwardly appeared defiant and grumbled, he was truly convinced by Li Feng psychologically.
He was an old hand at the game, yet he couldn't do anything about Li Feng.
Under Li Feng's leadership, the Knicks gradually gained the upper hand. By the end of the first half, the Knicks had even taken a 5-point lead.
58:53!
Li Feng scored 23 points in the first half, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists.
Nowitzki was also impressive, scoring 21 points and grabbing 6 rebounds, being the leading scorer for the Mavericks.
After the second half began, Li Feng maintained his high efficiency, leading the team to continue their advantage.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban couldn't sit still.
Among all NBA team owners, Cuban was the most obsessed with basketball.
He was not only passionate about basketball but also very good to the players. For any player he favored, he was willing to spend generously.
Nowitzki had been with the Mavericks for many years, and Cuban had always had confidence in him, offering him a substantial salary.
In his previous life, before Li Feng transmigrated, he knew that Nowitzki won the championship in the 2011 season, defeating the Miami Heat's Big Three.
That championship was incredibly hard-earned, and Cuban's investment paid off.
Nowitzki also shed the label of "choker" and became the brightest star that year.
However, in this life, none of that had happened yet. LeBron James was still with the Cavaliers, Bosh was still the "Dragon King," and Nowitzki was still seeking his first championship.
...
The Knicks maintained their lead until the latter half of the third quarter.
However, after Li Feng left the court, the Mavericks, led by Terry and Barea, went on a surge and actually tied the score!
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 82:82!
D'Antoni shook his head in frustration. Li Feng was truly too important; the team couldn't afford to have him off the court even for a moment.
However, Li Feng himself was not flustered, as he felt that Terry and Barea's outburst was a temporary phenomenon and would not last long.
As expected, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Knicks' bench, led by Larry Hughes, played steadily.
Terry and Barea's shooting touch cooled down.
Within four minutes of the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks were leading by 7 points again.
D'Antoni finally felt a sense of relief.
If they could maintain the lead before Li Feng returned to the court, the probability of winning this game would be very high.
Li Feng was also happy. He stood on the sidelines, high-fiving Larry Hughes as encouragement.
The starting players from both sides returned to the court.
Nowitzki was also eager. As soon as he came on, he shot a long-range three-pointer, narrowing the gap.
Li Feng responded by also shooting a logo three-pointer for the first time in this game!
The game began to heat up.
There were many Chinese fans in the arena, all of whom were Li Feng's fans.
However, as this was the Mavericks' home court, they dared not cheer for Li Feng openly.
With every basket Li Feng made, they clenched their fists and cheered for him!
The two began to trade baskets, and their teammates also cooperated, passing the ball to them.
Nowitzki's "Fadeaway jumper," also known as "Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg," was already masterful. David Lee and Gallinari could do nothing against him.
With 1 minute and 42 seconds left in the game, the Knicks were only leading by 2 points.
Li Feng held the ball on the backcourt. After crossing half-court, facing the Mavericks' double-team, he accelerated and drove to the baseline.
The Mavericks' interior players became tense. Marion quickly came to provide help defense.
Unexpectedly, Li Feng faked a crossover, making Marion jump.
Marion was a defensive tough guy. Realizing he had been outplayed in the air, he had no choice but to grab Li Feng's arm.
The referee's whistle blew, calling a foul on Marion, and Li Feng went to the free-throw line.
Li Feng calmly made both free throws.
97:93, the Knicks led by 4 points.
There were 1 minute and 18 seconds left.
Nowitzki's expression changed. He did not want to lose the game at home.
Moreover, the Knicks were in the midst of a three-game road trip, already exhausted. If they couldn't win this game, they shouldn't even think about contending for a championship in the future.
So, during the Mavericks' offense, Nowitzki, at the 45-degree angle, once again executed his Fadeaway jumper!
Even though Gallinari defended him tightly, the difference in height and wingspan was evident. Nowitzki shot a high-arcing shot and made it.
At the same time, the whistle blew. Gallinari's intense defense had his arm hit Nowitzki in the face.
A 3+1!
The home crowd of Mavericks fans erupted in cheers.
Nowitzki's 3+1 was incredible. If he made the free throw, the score would be tied!
Li Feng looked at Nowitzki and shook his head helplessly. Nowitzki was truly a "bug."
His shooting was on fire; it was impossible to defend him if he was feeling it!
Nowitzki walked to the free-throw line, took a deep breath, and made the free throw!
97 all!
Seeing the favorable situation tied up again, D'Antoni shook his head and quickly called a timeout.
As Nowitzki walked off the court, he received a warm ovation from the fans. Cuban also stood up and high-fived Nowitzki in encouragement.
Li Feng sat on the bench, pondering a strategy.
In reality, D'Antoni didn't have any specific tactics. He knew that as long as the ball was given to Li Feng, it would be fine.
Li Feng would be in charge of distributing the ball.
After the timeout, the Knicks inbounded the ball from the sideline.
Li Feng was tightly trapped by two players and couldn't receive the ball at all. Duhon received the ball first and dribbled slowly at the top of the arc.
David Lee helped Li Feng screen Kidd, and Li Feng immediately made a backdoor cut to the opposite corner.
Duhon, quick-handed, flicked the ball to Li Feng in the corner.
The Mavericks' defensive rotation was still fast. As soon as Li Feng received the ball, Marion rushed over.
This time, Marion had learned his lesson. He no longer jumped easily, merely extending his arms to cover Li Feng's shooting space.
Li Feng used his [Offensive Kaleidoscope] skill, combined with Iverson's crossover, in a series of drives, leaving Marion a step behind.
Marion was shocked. He knew Li Feng was fast, but he didn't expect him to be this fast!
Nowitzki also came to help defend. Before he could get there, Li Feng drove for a floater!
Marion's defense was indeed formidable. Although he was outplayed, he followed up and gave Li Feng a block.
Fortunately, Li Feng shot quickly. Marion's fingers were almost touching the basketball, but he was still a bit short.
Swish!
Two points were scored!
This clutch shot put the Knicks back in the lead!
There were 47 seconds left in the game.
Mavericks head coach helplessly called another timeout.
Both teams still had one offensive opportunity left. It depended on whether Nowitzki could respond.
The Mavericks fans were ecstatic. They hadn't seen such an intense game in a long time.
Especially Li Feng, who was now immensely popular, with many fans coming specifically to see him.
After the timeout, the Mavericks inbounded the ball from the frontcourt.
Needless to say, this ball was definitely going to Nowitzki. The Knicks also double-teamed Nowitzki.
Gallinari and Jeffries stuck to Nowitzki like glue, preventing him from receiving the ball.
But Nowitzki was tall and strong. He shoved Jeffries aside and still managed to receive Marion's sideline pass.
Facing the double-team, Nowitzki calmly leaned to his right and then executed his signature Fadeaway jumper again!
He was beyond the three-point line here. If he made the shot, the Mavericks would lead by 1 point.
Therefore, the Knicks players and coaches were all very nervous.
Just as Nowitzki was making his shot, a large hand suddenly reached out from behind him and swatted the ball away!
*Pa!*
It was completely unexpected.
Nowitzki was shocked. He looked back and saw it was Li Feng!
What...
When did he get there?
Nowitzki was dumbfounded, but after stealing the ball, Li Feng had already started his counter-attack.
Li Feng passed the ball to Duhon and then ran past half-court, pointing his right finger to the sky, signaling for an alley-oop.
Duhon was the best teammate for passing to Li Feng and made a precise pass.
Li Feng leaped high and, under Marion's defense, slammed the ball into the basket with a dunk!
*Bang!*
101:97!
The Knicks led by 4 points with only 23 seconds left!
This steal put the Mavericks on the brink of defeat.
A 4-point lead essentially declared the Knicks as the winners.
After the dunk, Li Feng and his teammates chest-bumped in celebration!
It had been a difficult journey. Li Feng had saved the Knicks from the embarrassing situation of a three-game losing streak.
D'Antoni was even more unrestrained, waving his arms vigorously, excited by Li Feng's basket.
Carlisle, resigned, called the final timeout.
To win, the Mavericks needed to score quickly, with either two or three points, and then commit fouls.