The Suns, hampered by injuries last season, had a poor record and missed the playoffs.
This season, under coach Gentry, they have made a comeback.
Coach Gentry shares similarities with D'Antoni, excelling in offensive coaching.
Therefore, fans are eager to see who is more formidable: Run and Gun 1.0 or the Knicks' Run and Gun 2.0!
The Knicks attended a press conference before the game.
Li Feng and Coach D'Antoni were interviewed by reporters.
"Coach, what are your thoughts on returning to Phoenix?"
D'Antoni's expression was serious. After a moment's thought, he said slowly, "I like it here. I achieved success here and also had regrets. Regardless, I am grateful for everything here!"
Seeing that D'Antoni's answer was official and uninteresting, the reporter asked Li Feng a question.
"Mr. Li Feng, as the core of the second run-and-gun offense built by Coach D'Antoni, what differences do you think there are compared to Nash?"
Li Feng shook his head. "I don't know much about the previous Suns team. I only need to understand Coach D'Antoni's tactics."
The reporter pressed further, "Don't you have any expectations about competing against Nash?"
"Of course I have expectations. Nash is a two-time MVP..."
Nash's three-point ability was underestimated; he was a member of the 180 club and possessed strong shooting skills.
Swish!
Three-pointer made.
The home crowd of the Suns cheered enthusiastically. They had high expectations for the Suns this season, hoping to break through the Spurs and reach the finals.
In the ensuing game, the Suns' strategy was clear: avoid Li Feng's defense and let Nash take over the offense.
This was the difference between Gentry and D'Antoni; Gentry would adjust his offensive focus based on the specific situation on the court, rather than being so stubborn.
Nash was in hot form, scoring consecutively, and Stoudemire couldn't get the ball.
With 8 minutes and 42 seconds left in the first quarter, the score was 18:12, with the Suns leading by 6 points, and the Knicks were in an offensive slump.
D'Antoni shook his head slightly.
Although he spoke so grandly at the press conference, he still secretly hoped to defeat this Suns team.
"Kids, you need to play with confidence. You can't rely solely on Li Feng for offense!"
This was also what Li Feng wanted to say. In the previous game, trailing by 31 points at halftime, they staged a comeback solely on Li Feng's performance. Such a situation could not become the norm.
Although the other Knicks players were not exceptionally strong, they were at least NBA-level players. What they lacked was confidence and good chemistry.
And chemistry required having the ball in hand, with more equitable ball distribution.
If the ball was always in Li Feng's hands, his teammates would become weaker.
The Knicks players felt ashamed. They were well aware that with just one word from Li Feng, most of the Knicks players could be traded.
This was because building the team around Li Feng was the unanimous decision of the Knicks management.