Seeing Rivers' fierce demeanor, the Celtics players understood that they had to bring their Finals intensity today.
The timeout ended, and the game resumed.
Li Feng realized he was truly being double-teamed. No matter where he was, with or without the ball, two players were sticking to him.
Scoring indeed became much more difficult.
Meanwhile, the Celtics' offense picked up, and the gap slowly widened again.
Li Feng was truly fired up. He began running non-stop on the court, desperately trying to shake off his defenders.
The Celtics' defenders were exhausted, especially Rondo and Ray Allen, who were both panting for air.
Li Feng could just run forever.
Eventually, Rondo was too tired to run anymore. Rivers subbed him out and brought in Tony Allen to continue the chase!
Li Feng continued to score, while the Celtics' offense remained potent. The score remained around a 12-point difference.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 93:81.
D'Antoni, concerned about Li Feng's stamina, walked over to him before the start of the fourth quarter.
"Li Feng, forget this game. Don't play in the fourth quarter. Even if we lose, we're still the top team in the league..."
"No, Coach, I have to play!"
At the end of three quarters, Li Feng had already scored 46 points!
A killing god descended!
"Your stamina... can you handle it?"
"No problem, I just need two minutes of rest!" Li Feng said firmly while wiping sweat from his brow.
D'Antoni was helpless. He patted Li Feng's shoulder, having nothing more to say.
Having such a star player under his command made the head coach's job so much easier.
At the start of the fourth quarter, both teams brought in their reserves again.
The Knicks fielded their entire bench, but the Celtics' depth was too great. In the third quarter, they had already used a mixed lineup.
In the fourth quarter, they continued with a mixed lineup, with Rondo and Pierce re-entering the game, leading three reserves.
With this setup, the Knicks' bench couldn't hold on.
After more than three minutes into the fourth quarter, the gap widened to 18 points, and the situation became critical!
Li Feng quickly stood up, ready to re-enter the game.
D'Antoni sighed and waved his hand, bringing Li Feng and the starters back onto the court.
As soon as Li Feng stepped onto the court, he hit a signature logo three-pointer, closing the gap by 3 points.
Then, on defense, he valiantly intercepted Rondo's pass and initiated a fast break.
Duhon showed some grit, receiving Li Feng's long pass and scoring on a layup.
The deficit was back to 13 points.
Seeing the momentum shift, Rivers quickly substituted all his starters back in.
Against Li Feng, they couldn't afford to be careless; they had to give it their all!
With the Celtics' starters all on the court, they once again dominated the game.
Although Li Feng continued to score with ease, the Celtics also made consecutive shots.
The scores on both sides continued to climb. With 7 minutes and 24 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was 101:90, with an 11-point difference.
The Knicks' home crowd seemed to see a glimmer of hope for a comeback, and they all stood up, cheering loudly for Li Feng.
Spike Lee, in particular, was shouting with all his might, his voice almost hoarse.
Through a coordinated defensive effort with his teammates, Li Feng once again intercepted a pass from Garnett and launched a counter-attack.
Galinari was positioned in the corner. Li Feng passed him the ball, and Galinari hit a three-pointer!
This shot was crucial, quickly bringing the deficit back within 10 points.
An 8-point difference!
Anything was possible!
Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, Rivers immediately called a short timeout.
The Celtics had led the entire game, and being overturned in the final moments would be too embarrassing.
Li Feng high-fived his teammates, their morale soaring. They had been suppressed for too long and could finally unleash their energy.
"Brothers, let's seize this opportunity and must take down the Celtics!"
"Take down the Celtics!"
"Knicks win!"
...
The home crowd was ecstatic.
If they had been leading all along, they wouldn't have been this excited. Only a comeback truly brought the thrill.
Thus, the roar of the home crowd was like a tidal wave, deafening, as if threatening to blow off the roof of the stadium.
Rivers' timeout was mainly to disrupt the Knicks' momentum, as the Celtics' strategy was sound.
However, the occasional resurgence of the Knicks' other players, aside from Li Feng, was unpredictable.
The timeout ended, and the Celtics went on offense.
These seasoned veterans played steadily. Pierce and Garnett coordinated in the paint, executing a hand-off, and then Perkins finished inside for 2 points.
The deficit returned to 10 points.
With less and less time remaining, Li Feng grew a little anxious.
He consecutively crossed over his defender, drove to the baseline, then executed a euro step to the basket, and finished with a floater!
This offensive sequence was fluid and seamless, leaving the Celtics players shaking their heads in disbelief – they truly couldn't defend it!
With 4 minutes and 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was 107:100, a 7-point difference!
Despite leading, the Celtics players felt suffocated because every offensive move by Li Feng sent a shiver down their spines.
The deficit was shrinking with each passing moment.
Following a pull-up jumper by Ray Allen, the deficit narrowed to 9 points again.
Li Feng responded with another three-pointer, making it a 6-point difference!
Celtics head coach Rivers was starting to lose his composure, shouting at his players from the sidelines.
"Defense! Don't you know how to foul? Make him shoot free throws!"
Under their coach's instruction, the players began to repeatedly foul Li Feng.
Li Feng fell to the ground again and again, and walked to the free-throw line time and again.
The home crowd was close to tears. Li Feng was truly on a rampage today, scoring 57 points in just 34 minutes of play.
It seemed he might reach 60+ today, and whether he could hit 70 would depend on the Celtics' defensive capabilities.
Li Feng continued to score from the free-throw line, further closing the gap.
With 2 minutes and 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was 111:106, a mere 5-point difference.
Li Feng had already scored 61 points, and the entire crowd was cheering!
Today, Li Feng was possessed by a killing god, dragging the team forward with all his might!
Li Feng was also exhausted; his legs trembled slightly as he stood at the free-throw line.
But he did his best to control his body, trying not to collapse.
Following another powerful dunk by Li Feng, the referee's whistle blew – a foul and a 2+1!
113:110!
If Li Feng made the free throw, the deficit would be just 2 points.
Li Feng stepped up to the free-throw line again, took a few seconds to gather himself, and then shot. He made the additional free throw.
The Celtics still led by 2 points!
There were 2 minutes and 8 seconds left on the clock!
Neither team had many timeouts left, so Rivers and D'Antoni did not call one.
They stared intently at the players on the court.
On the surface, they remained calm, but inwardly, their hearts were churning.
At this point, any mistake by either side could cost them the game.
Li Feng made his free throw, tying the game!
The deficit was 2 points.
Celtics ball.
Rondo dribbled, intentionally avoiding Li Feng, and let Ray Allen guard him.
Then, under Garnett's screen, he drove to the baseline and passed the ball to Garnett, who was cutting to the basket.
Garnett then passed to Pierce for another 2 points!
115:111, a 4-point difference.
Too intense!
The fans in the arena felt like they were suffocating. Neither team was yielding an inch, and every basket felt like a heavy blow to the opposing players.
Knicks offense. Li Feng didn't have the ball this time; he let Duhon handle it, and he slowly jogged to the corner.
Rondo and Ray Allen weren't even looking at Duhon; they turned around, spread their arms, and just stared.
Li Feng looked very tired, hands on his knees, head down, squatting obediently in the corner.
Duhon dribbled at the top of the arc, not looking at the corner where Li Feng was. Instead, he extended his hand, directing David Lee and Jeffries to make their cuts. Gallinari was squatting in the other corner.
Suddenly, Li Feng shot past Ray Allen like an arrow released from a bowstring.
Ray Allen instinctively knew something was wrong and quickly reached out to block.
This move was actually a foul, but the referee didn't notice.
Li Feng was too powerful; he shrugged off Ray Allen's arm and drove to the edge of the paint. The chemistry between Duhon and Li Feng was growing stronger.
Duhon wasn't looking this way initially, but as Li Feng reached his spot, he flicked his right wrist and passed the ball like a cannonball.
After receiving the pass, Li Feng faced Garnett's double-team. He faked, drawing Garnett into the air, and then switched hands for a scoop layup!
*Bang!*
Garnett, despite his experience, didn't expect Li Feng's pump fake. He lunged at Li Feng.
As Li Feng released the shot, he simultaneously fell to the ground, rolling on the floor.
*Beep!*
The referee's whistle blew, calling another foul and a 2+1!
This shot was absolutely crucial!
With a 4-point difference and just over a minute left, if the Knicks didn't score again, the game would be over!
115:113, Li Feng at the free-throw line!
His teammates quickly rushed over to help Li Feng up and high-five him.
Li Feng was also in pain from Garnett's contact.
He rubbed his arm, took a deep breath, and made the additional free throw.
With this made free throw, Li Feng had officially scored 70 points!
Incredible!
A rookie, in only his eighth regular-season game, scoring 70+ points, had already made history!
When talking about single-game scoring records, one cannot avoid mentioning the "Basketball Emperor," Wilt Chamberlain.
The first time Li Feng heard the name Wilt Chamberlain, he thought he was Chinese.
"Wilt Chamberlain, 100 points in a single game? That's amazing!"
This was the highest recorded individual scoring performance.
Unfortunately, the era was too distant, and no video footage remained, but the facts were undeniable, as many basketball legends remembered it.
The second-highest individual scoring performance belonged to the modern era's Kobe Bryant.
This scoring machine, in a game against the Raptors in 2006, shot 28-of-46 from the field, including an impressive 7-of-13 from three-point range!
With extremely efficient scoring methods, he amassed 81 points!
This was a testament to Kobe's incredible individual scoring ability.
Setting aside the ancient era of Chamberlain, Kobe's record was truly monstrous, something to be looked up to from afar.
Ranking third in individual scoring was, again, Chamberlain. The Basketball Emperor was just that dominant.
However, his 78 points were achieved in triple overtime, so the fame of that 78-point game wasn't as high.
Fourth place was a tie between two players, Chamberlain and David Thompson, who both scored 73 points in a single game, which was also formidable.
Next were David Robinson and Elgin Baylor with 71 points.
The remaining players were Jordan with 69 points, Pete Maravich with 68 points, and the logo himself, Jerry West, with 63 points.
Li Feng's record today was destined to be etched in history.
However, for Li Feng, the number of points scored today was not important; what mattered was winning the game!
...
Li Feng made his free throw, reaching 71 points!
The crowd was chanting, "71 points!"
"71 points!"
Ever since Li Feng broke the 60-point mark, the fans had started counting for him.
Li Feng remained expressionless, directing his teammates to set up quickly and play solid defense!
The Celtics players were also under immense psychological pressure.
It was like running a race where someone was constantly chasing you from behind, and you never knew if they would catch up.
The chaser had a goal and motivation, but the person in front was anxious.
Rondo brought the ball past half-court, called for a screen again, and then passed to Ray Allen in the corner.
Li Feng quickly rotated to cover. Ray Allen dared not shoot and passed the ball to Garnett at the elbow of the paint.
Garnett went straight for a jump shot!
There was no way around it; Garnett's mid-range game was solid, and David Lee couldn't stop him.
*Swish!*
Another 2 points. The home crowd let out a sigh of resignation.
117:114, the Celtics led by 3 points.
There was 1 minute and 31 seconds left.
Li Feng dribbled past half-court, facing a double-team. He first passed to Gallinari.
Then, Li Feng feigned a drive to the paint, causing the Celtics' defense to collapse inward.
At this moment, Li Feng suddenly turned and sprinted towards the three-point line.
This unusual movement caught the defenders off guard, and they immediately understood, quickly closing in. But they were still a half-step too slow. Gallinari had already lofted the ball towards the three-point line.
The ball found him!
Li Feng sprinted, catching the ball almost at mid-court, turned, and launched a super-long three-pointer!
This was ridiculous!
Past half-court was within his shooting range!
Rondo, despite his best efforts to keep up, couldn't stop Li Feng's shot.
He could only watch as the basketball traced an arc through the air towards the basket.
The spectators were all praying—
"Go in!"
"It has to go in!"
"If it goes in, we're tied!"
...
*Swish!*
The three-pointer went in!
It actually went in!
Li Feng himself could hardly believe it, as he was too exhausted to even feel his legs.
He had missed a three-pointer earlier.
But Li Feng dared to shoot!
After the ball went in, Li Feng let out three loud roars for the first time in the game, pounding his chest in celebration.
His teammates rushed over excitedly and embraced Li Feng.
Rivers shook his head, utterly helpless, and quickly called a timeout.
117:117, tied!
This was the first time in the game, since the opening 0:0 score, that the game was tied!
It was hard-earned!
This timeout was crucial. Rivers had to score in the next possession, otherwise, if the Celtics couldn't stop Li Feng, they would lose the game.
Leading the entire game and then having victory snatched away in the final moments was a feeling that would be hard to forget for a lifetime.
D'Antoni was also tense. If they had been trailing by a large margin, he wouldn't have had to overthink.
But now, with the score tied thanks to Li Feng's powerful performance, they had to fight for the win.
"Remember, cooperate with Li Feng, play tight defense! Don't leave anyone open, especially Garnett and Ray Allen, they are strong scorers. Oh, and Pierce, and Rondo..."
He didn't know what else to say; the Celtics players on the court were all formidable opponents.
Li Feng was completely exhausted at this point. He sank onto a chair, no longer wanting to stand up.
He had done too much off-ball running today, and he had also repeatedly driven to the basket for isolation plays!