Li Feng was under immense pressure.
Competitive sports were just that brutal. No matter how great your past achievements, once you hit a slump, criticism and disdain would follow.
The Knicks' management had also begun to feel dissatisfied with Li Feng.
Since the season started, the Knicks only ranked sixth in the Eastern Conference. A slight misstep could see them fall out of playoff contention.
Li Feng couldn't guarantee that Jokic would perform well within a single season.
Even with Jokic's potential, in another parallel world, it took him three seasons to show significant improvement.
But since he had made this choice, there was no turning back!
Li Feng decided to withstand the pressure and focus on one game at a time, working towards better chemistry and adaptation.
In the end, the Heat defeated the Knicks 127:101, securing their seventh consecutive win.
This loss dropped the Knicks' record to 3 wins and 4 losses, and they slipped to eighth in the Eastern Conference.
Li Feng had 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists in the game.
Wade was on fire today, scoring 45 points!
This was Wade's highest score in several years.
After the game, Wade approached Li Feng, his expression not of triumph, but of gratitude.
"Li Feng, don't be discouraged. You're still building chemistry. I believe you're still championship contenders!" Wade encouraged Li Feng sincerely.
Li Feng let out a wry smile, "With your current form, I think you'll crush us in the playoffs!"
"Sigh, I have to thank you for this! If you hadn't healed my knee, I would have been plagued by injuries, perhaps retiring any year now."
Wade's gratitude towards Li Feng was heartfelt. He had thanked him in person and also expressed his appreciation publicly to the media.
Li Feng didn't dwell on it, shaking his head, "Don't always thank me. I just happened to know a TCM practitioner. Your return to peak form is the result of your own hard work!"
They chatted for a few more moments before LeBron James walked over.
It was clear he was in a very good mood, his face beaming with smiles.
He proactively hugged Li Feng, offering words of comfort, "It's okay, you guys will get better and better. Li Feng, keep it up!"
Li Feng nodded, "Thank you for your encouragement. We'll work hard. We have four games against you this season, and we won't give up!"
"That's the spirit! Li Feng, we've been suppressed by you for years. We have to have some great matchups this year!"
"Haha, I'm looking forward to it, James. Congratulations again on your victory!"
...
After losing this game, the Knicks became the target of media criticism.
It perfectly validated the saying: the more people praised you, the more they would trample you when you hit rock bottom.
"Heat Dominate Knicks, Three-Peat Dynasty in Rapid Decline, Whose Fault Is It?"
"Wade Returns to Peak Form, Outshining Li Feng to Become the Brightest Star of the Night!"
"Knicks' Offseason Signings Under Heavy Scrutiny, Stagnant Start to the New Season, Championship Hopes Dim..."
...
Not only the media, but even the "anti-fans" in China launched a fierce counterattack.
"Just a guy who piggybacked off Yao Ming, seeking fame!"
"Li Feng is just a trendy player of this era, how tragic!"
"They probably won't even make the playoffs this season!"
"If I were Li Feng, I'd grovel and beg Yao Ming to play one more year, otherwise, his true colors would show!"
"When the tide goes out, you see who's been swimming naked!"
"I heard Li Feng is a locker room boss on the Knicks, does he decide all player trades?"
"Li Feng should just retire, he's made enough money anyway, don't pollute the sport of basketball!"
...
Li Feng couldn't help but read some of these comments occasionally, and they genuinely infuriated him.
If this were his rookie season, he might have actually been driven to retirement by such criticism.
But the season had just begun, and Li Feng had to stay grounded, following his own plan step by step.
Li Feng continued to work hard, but the atmosphere within the Knicks team became unusually bizarre.
Most players had lost confidence in the season, including Yi Jianlian and Bill Walker.
Yi Jianlian was a sensitive person by nature, somewhat similar to Durant.
After arriving in New York, he had become much more outgoing and cheerful due to the influence of Li Feng and Yao Ming.
However, when faced with setbacks, he tended to fall into despair.
Bill Walker was different from Yi Jianlian. He wasn't despairing.
He simply believed that the team shouldn't have let Lowry go.
As Li Feng's backcourt partner, Lowry possessed top-tier strength and speed for a point guard. Furthermore, Lowry and Bill Walker had excellent chemistry.
When Li Feng was double-teamed, Lowry and Walker would execute many plays to punish the opponent.
But Curry and Bill Walker didn't mesh well, and their plays were few.
Li Feng knew that there were many issues within the team that couldn't be resolved overnight.
Therefore, he chose to ignore the media and fan outcry, focusing instead on assisting Coach D'Antoni in guiding his teammates and strengthening tactical drills.
In the subsequent few games, the Knicks experienced significant ups and downs. Their road games continued to be like graveyards, with a very low win rate.
Home games were better, but Jokic still showed no signs of improvement, only managing four or five points per game.
Conversely, the opposing centers he matched up against would often have breakout performances, setting new season highs.
Such statistics and performances incensed countless Knicks fans.
They flooded the official Knicks website with angry comments, demanding that management quickly trade Jokic.
Team manager Burke was overwhelmed by the abuse.
Even though some fans knew that Li Feng had strongly recommended Jokic, they still directed their anger at the team manager. Burke felt helpless.
Li Feng also began to waver.
After a month of the regular season, with 17 games played, the Knicks' record was 8 wins and 9 losses, placing them tenth in the Eastern Conference.
For a team that had been champions just last season, their current performance was naturally met with fan outrage.
Under the circumstances, Li Feng and the coaching staff reached a compromise.
Chandler was moved to the starting lineup, and Jokic was relegated to the bench.
After the lineup adjustment, the Knicks' situation didn't change significantly; they remained on the fringes of the playoffs.
Li Feng then suggested to the coaching staff that Green be moved to the starting lineup to pair with Curry.
This suggestion was met with opposition from D'Antoni.
Green's performance off the bench was mediocre. If he were moved to the starting lineup, either Yi Jianlian or Bill Walker would have to come off the bench.
However, Yi Jianlian and Bill Walker had proven themselves in the NBA Finals and were capable players.
Was the lineup to be dismantled just for Curry?
Li Feng understood D'Antoni's reasoning, but he still patiently tried to persuade him.
D'Antoni respected Li Feng, but only if Li Feng's performance guaranteed results.
With the current disastrous record, D'Antoni also had to consider his own coaching position.
If one doesn't look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them.
This was only human nature.
Li Feng thought for a moment and then made a request to D'Antoni: he wanted to hold a scrimmage to let D'Antoni see the effectiveness of Curry and Green playing together.
D'Antoni wasn't a stubborn old man, but the chaos of the current season, after winning the championship last year, put immense pressure on him.
"A scrimmage? Alright, how will you divide the teams?" D'Antoni asked.
"My team: me, Jokic, Green, Curry, and Marion. The other team: Chandler, Yi Jianlian, Bill Walker, Lin Shuhao, and Shumpert."
D'Antoni chuckled, "You picked this, don't cry if you lose!"
Li Feng also smiled, "It's okay, winning or losing in a scrimmage doesn't matter, it's just practice."
D'Antoni clapped his hands and called the players over. Following Li Feng's suggestion, they were divided into two teams.
The other players found it strange, noting the unusual combination of Li Feng's team.
Why was Green, who had been on the bench, now starting? And why were Yi Jianlian and Bill Walker teaming up with the reserves? What did this mean?
D'Antoni, sensing the players' confusion, explained, "Don't overthink it. We're just experimenting with lineups. Play hard, everyone!"
The scrimmage began.
In the first quarter, the reserve team held a decisive advantage. Jokic and Green became weaknesses, constantly targeted by the reserves.
Curry's efficiency was also average under the tight defense of Shumpert.
If Li Feng played individually, he could score a lot of points, but that wasn't the purpose of the scrimmage for him.
After about five minutes into the first quarter, Li Feng's team was trailing by six points, 7:13.
Li Feng called a timeout.
During the timeout, Li Feng explained some tactics to Green and Curry. He told Green to screen for Curry as much as possible and to pass the ball quickly to Curry when he got open.
These were tactical plays they used in another parallel world.
However, in this parallel world, the two had not interacted much, didn't know each other well, and even rarely chatted casually.
But both had extremely high basketball IQ. Green possessed passing and playmaking abilities, and combined with his defense, he was destined to be Curry's most suitable partner.
After the timeout, the game resumed.
Li Feng passed the ball to Green. Green saw Curry cutting towards the basket and immediately passed the ball.
His pass was quick and had a lead, hitting Curry exactly one yard in front of him.
The opposing defender, Shumpert, was just a fraction of a second too late to touch it.
After receiving the ball, Curry executed a lightning-fast, high-arcing layup. The ball went in!
Li Feng excitedly clenched his fist; this was the result he wanted.
If the tactical synergy between these two could be unleashed, the Knicks' offensive strategies would become much richer.
This was a signature tactic from the Warriors dynasty before his transmigration!
Green's passing found its purpose, his enthusiasm significantly increased, and his ability to provide help defense was also ignited.
On the reserve team's offense, Yi Jianlian, feeling frustrated, received the ball and tried to drive to the basket against Green.
But Green, despite being less than two meters tall, managed to completely shut down Yi Jianlian!
D'Antoni, standing on the sidelines, was stunned.
Green's performance off the bench had been mediocre before, showing no particular skills.
But today, he was outstanding on both offense and defense!
Li Feng chuckled inwardly: This was the Defensive Player of the Year; don't underestimate this big mouth.
In the subsequent play, the Green-Curry pick-and-roll tactics became more frequent, and their chemistry grew stronger.
Both Curry and Green were amazed. They had never practiced together before, and yet their first time playing together today felt so seamless!
Li Feng also increased his coordination with Jokic.
Jokic had been in a bad mood recently. He felt he had let Li Feng down, as Li Feng had been consistently supporting him.
In recent games, he had been more stable after moving to the bench.
Li Feng was also reflecting on himself. Teacher You certainly had a bright future, but forcing him into a starting role so suddenly was indeed difficult.
In today's scrimmage, it wasn't an official game, and Jokic played more steadily.
His coordination with Li Feng had a much higher success rate than before.
During one offensive play, Li Feng drove to the baseline and passed the ball to Jokic.
Jokic, with his back to Chandler, held the ball, looking left and right.
Suddenly, Li Feng broke away from Lin Shuhao and cut to the basket from the other side. Jokic seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and whipped the ball backward. Chandler was caught completely off guard.
Li Feng caught the ball and finished with a powerful dunk!
This play was spectacular. D'Antoni on the sidelines couldn't help but applaud.
Li Feng was also excited, high-fiving Jokic and shouting, "Teacher You, this is you!"
Teacher You?
Jokic blinked, unsure why Li Feng was calling him "Teacher."
The others also found it strange, wondering about the origin of Li Feng's nickname.
Li Feng chuckled, offering no explanation.
As Li Feng and Jokic, and Curry and Green, grew more familiar with each other's play, the starting team overtook the score and established a significant lead.
Although Lin Shuhao kept the reserve lineup running smoothly, Li Feng and Curry's scoring ability was too strong, with three-pointers falling in succession.
Moreover, Jokic and Green were also starting to show chemistry.
Their inside-to-inside passes became more frequent, leaving Chandler unable to defend them.
D'Antoni stood on the sidelines with his mouth agape.
Jokic and Green, two players he considered useless, were now executing such exquisite tactics!
By halftime, Li Feng's team was leading by 16 points. The second half was not even necessary.
Li Feng's team had completely dominated the reserve team on both offense and defense.
D'Antoni pulled Li Feng aside and asked meaningfully, "Li Feng, you mean... you want to put both Green and Jokic in the starting lineup?"
Li Feng nodded, "Yes. They still have weaknesses, but their strengths are also very prominent. Curry and I need their playmaking, as well as their defense."
"But Li Feng, our record is too poor right now. If we lose more games, the playoffs will really be in jeopardy."
Li Feng thumped his chest, making a promise, "Coach, don't worry. After this season, the Knicks will definitely make the playoffs!"
D'Antoni glared at Li Feng, "That's all the ambition you have? You were champions last season, and now your goal is just to make the playoffs?"
Li Feng smiled, "As long as we get into the playoffs, we won't be afraid of anyone!"
"Forget it. Our road games are like graveyards this season. Without home-court advantage in the playoffs, I don't think you'll go far!" D'Antoni still lacked confidence.
However, as things stood, with the results of the recent scrimmage before him, D'Antoni had no choice but to agree to try it.
The Knicks' next game was a home match against the formidable Western Conference team, the Grizzlies.
For the Knicks, whose interior defense was weak, it was another tough test.
Even before the game started, the media had largely written off the Knicks. It was understandable, as since the season began, the Knicks had been dominated whenever they faced teams with strong centers.