"Why aren't these three Knicks starters playing in the second quarter?"
"Who knows, the Knicks coach really is a fool."
"Can't say for sure, maybe they're a secret weapon?"
"It's the sixth game, and they're still talking about secret weapons? That's hilarious..."
...
The Thunder's home crowd was buzzing, unsure of what the Knicks were up to.
But at least from the first possession, it was clear the Knicks players were in top form!
Durant's face was ashen. He had underestimated Yi Jianlian's vertical leap and didn't throw the ball high enough, resulting in the steal.
He raised his hand to signal to his teammates that it was his fault.
Brooks was anxious on the sidelines, shouting loudly, "Don't hold the ball, move it quickly, run the offense, and shoot with conviction!"
Westbrook brought the ball up court again. He called for a screen, and Ibaka came to set it, blocking Lowry.
Just as Westbrook was about to drive into the paint, Li Feng suddenly abandoned Sefolosha and stepped in front of Westbrook.
Westbrook was stunned and, out of instinct, passed the ball to the open Sefolosha.
To his surprise, Bill Walker suddenly came out of nowhere and stole the ball again!
The advantage of being full of energy was evident, a spirit of never tiring!
Sefolosha and Westbrook were flustered and immediately rushed to try and get the ball back, but Bill Walker, with Durant's skills, was not intimidated. He took two big steps past half-court and pulled up for a three-pointer from about 10 feet beyond the arc!
Westbrook and Sefolosha never expected Bill Walker to dare to shoot like that; they were already preparing to block his driving lane.
Swish!
A step-back three is so cool!
It's in!
Li Feng clapped his hands with joy and rushed over to chest-bump Bill Walker in celebration.
Durant's brow furrowed as he looked at Bill Walker, his mind filled with questions...
"Isn't this guy just a defensive specialist? How come his playstyle is so similar to mine?"
In the next few possessions, the Knicks, with all their might, dominated the game on both offense and defense!
Li Feng was temporarily invisible on offense, only omnipresent on defense, causing immense trouble for the Thunder's offense.
After more than five minutes into the third quarter, the Knicks had taken an 8-point lead, 77:69!
Brooks couldn't stand it anymore and called a timeout.
The Knicks players displayed an extremely strong will to win, fighting for every ball and disregarding their physical limits.
Although the Thunder's "Big Three" were not old, their spirit on the court was clearly inferior to the Knicks'.
It was understandable that the Thunder were tired after playing so many games; they had shed a lot of blood and sweat just to get out of the Western Conference.
Now, fighting in the sixth game of the finals, Durant was truly exhausted.
Westbrook and Ibaka were still decent, possessing exceptional talent.
However, Durant was the primary reason the Thunder reached the finals; if Durant couldn't perform, no matter how fierce the others were, it would be difficult to win the championship.
Brooks had no other choice but to put his strongest firepower on the court.
He took Perkins off and brought Harden in early, with Ibaka temporarily playing center.
It was a necessary move. Perkins was slow and unrefined, useless except for matching up against Yao Ming.
After the timeout, the game resumed.
Harden played with great intensity after coming on, as he didn't play many minutes as a backup in each game.
This Thunder lineup was indeed the most potent offensively, temporarily stabilizing the situation.
The score remained between 5 and 10 points, with the Knicks maintaining the lead.
However, those who understood the game could see that Li Feng had barely participated in the offense in the third quarter.
This indicated that Li Feng was conserving energy, waiting for the fourth quarter.
Their guess was correct; Li Feng had indeed planned this.
In the third quarter, the Knicks relied mainly on Yi Jianlian and two other players to trade blows with the opponent, maintaining a slim lead.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 93:87, with the Knicks leading by 6 points.
In the fourth quarter, the two teams' reserves faced off.
Billups led the reserves, going head-to-head with the Thunder.
Before Billups entered the game, Li Feng grabbed his hand and said with a serious expression, "Three minutes, just hold on for three minutes!"
Billups understood the importance of these three minutes; if Li Feng could rest for a short while, he could come back and secure the win.
"Don't worry, Li Feng, I won't let the Thunder catch up!"
As expected, Billups played with unusual ferocity after coming on, showing no signs of being a 35-year-old veteran.
The other reserve players also fought valiantly, with Chandler, Marion, Shumpter, and Novak all delivering strong performances.
With 3 minutes and 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was 101:96, with the Knicks still leading by 5 points.
Harden was furious.
He usually dominated opposing bench units, but in these past two games, Harden hadn't gained any advantage.
D'Antoni slapped his thigh on the sideline!
"That's it! We're definitely winning this game!"
The Knicks called a timeout, preparing to bring in all their starters.
Thunder head coach Brooks sighed, knowing in his heart that they would likely lose this game.
As expected, after the starters returned to the court, Li Feng unleashed his full offensive power.
Even with the Thunder's fierce double-teams, Li Feng didn't care. He attacked himself when he could, and passed to open teammates when he saw them.
Bill Walker and Lowry became the other two strong offensive points for the Knicks.
Yi Jianlian was a defensive force, blocking shots from all over the place, forming a no-fly zone for the Knicks with Yao Ming.
In the fourth quarter, the Thunder had almost no opportunities for inside scoring, relying almost entirely on outside shots.
If it weren't for Durant's persistent effort and good shooting touch, the Thunder would have collapsed.
But Durant was fighting a lonely battle. With 1 minute and 36 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Thunder were trailing by 12 points.
Brooks didn't make any substitutions, but he sat on the bench, his eyes vacant.
In the end, the Knicks defeated the Thunder on the road, tying the series at 1-1!
Li Feng scored another 48 points today, Yao Ming had 14, Yi Jianlian 13, Bill Walker 26, and Lowry 15.
Durant also had a good game, scoring 43 points, Harden 27, and Westbrook 22.
Under Li Feng's masterful guidance, the Knicks consistently suppressed the Thunder, preventing them from breathing.
Especially in the second half, every substitution made by the Knicks caused immense difficulty for the Thunder.
With this victory, this year's NBA Finals went to a Game 7!
This series had been full of suspense.
From the start, the Thunder had surprisingly won two home games against the Knicks, shocking all the fans.
Just when everyone thought the Thunder would easily win the championship, the Knicks fought back and tied the series!
However, when most fans expected the Knicks to ride the momentum and win the crucial Game 5, the Knicks surrendered!
It was an inexplicable series of operations, no wonder some fans suspected foul play. Yet, the Knicks, on the road, shattered the Thunder's championship dream once again.
Fans with weak hearts probably couldn't handle watching this finals series, or they might have risked their lives.
This situation was a dream come true for the media, with headlines about both teams dominating the news.
"NBA Finals Rollercoaster, Knicks and Thunder Tied Again"
"Game 7 Decider Looms, Knicks Escape Death, Return to New York Home Court!"
"Thunder Lose Grip on Promising Lead After Winning First Two Games, Series Back to Square One."
"Can Li Feng Secure His Third Consecutive Championship? The Answer Lies in the Game 7 Two Days Later!"
...
The viewership ratings for this finals series reached new heights, approaching those of the 1998 Bulls-Jazz finals.
The Knicks were a peculiar team.
Facing the upcoming Game 7, the Knicks management actually allowed the team to give interviews.
This was a decision made after discussions between D'Antoni and Li Feng.
Psychological warfare!
Before important games in the past, the Knicks had always refused interviews.
Li Feng, during his interview, spoke fluently and said a lot.
"We have great confidence in winning our third consecutive championship. In the next game, we will definitely lift the trophy on our home court in New York!"
"The Thunder are a very strong team, those guys are future superstars, but this season, we are the ultimate victors!"
"My teammates are excellent. They gave their all in the game, and everyone contributed. I am proud of them!"
...
D'Antoni was also in high spirits, chatting and laughing with the reporters.
"Regarding the substitutions in the last game... there's no particular reason; I just felt the second half was important."
"I haven't decided on the tactical arrangements for Game 7 yet. We'll see then, haha."
"Li Feng is, of course, the primary contributor. If Li Feng retires, I won't be a head coach anymore!"
...
From the Knicks' coach to the players, they all displayed immense confidence.
In contrast, the Thunder refused all interviews, focusing solely on training.
It was understandable. The Thunder had discovered that the Knicks were their toughest opponent throughout their journey.
They couldn't figure out the Knicks' tactics or playstyle.
Especially the players' individual abilities, which fluctuated, leaving the Thunder players bewildered.
In the first two games, Bill Walker had almost no opportunities for one-on-one plays; he only focused on defense, layups on cuts, and fast breaks.
But after Game 3, Bill Walker transformed into a mini-Durant, executing drives, crossovers, and dazzling moves that were hard to follow.
The changes in Yi Jianlian, Lowry, and Bill Walker made it impossible for the Thunder to conduct targeted pre-game training.
How should they defend them?
Two days later, Game 7 began.
At 7 PM, Madison Square Garden in New York.
Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the Thunder.
Thunder starting lineup: Durant, Westbrook, Perkins, Ibaka, and Sefolosha.
Knicks starting five: Li Feng, Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, Bill Walker, and Lowry.
At the center jump ball, Yao Ming once again secured possession of the ball.
In all seven finals games, Yao Ming had won every center jump ball.
Li Feng dribbled past half-court, and Westbrook and Sefolosha continued to double-team him.
The Thunder, unable to decipher Li Feng's tactics, resorted to double-teaming.
Otherwise, as in the previous game, Li Feng might have gone into a rampage from the first quarter, making him impossible to defend.
Li Feng lazily passed the ball to Lowry and then drifted towards the baseline.
Lowry executed a pick-and-roll with Yao Ming, driving towards the baseline.
Yao Ming suddenly screened Ibaka, Yi Jianlian cut to the basket, Lowry tossed the ball up, and Yi Jianlian posterized Perkins!
Yi Jianlian was already taller than Perkins, and now with Ibaka's vertical leap, he was even more ferocious!
2:0!
Thunder possession. The ball went to Durant again.
Durant was wary of Bill Walker, turning his back to Walker while observing the positions of other players.
Just as Yi Jianlian prepared to double-team, Durant suddenly stepped back and shot a three-pointer!
When Durant was focused, he was impossible to guard one-on-one.
Bill Walker tried his best.
3:2! Thunder lead.
Knicks offense. Li Feng still didn't have the ball, heading towards the baseline again.
Westbrook couldn't stand it anymore. He gave Sefolosha a look, signaling him to guard Li Feng alone, while Westbrook charged towards Lowry.
Suddenly, Li Feng made a backdoor cut, shaking off Sefolosha. He circled the baseline and moved to the 45-degree angle on the other side.
Sefolosha was stunned and quickly gave chase.
Lowry didn't miss the opportunity and immediately passed the ball.
Li Feng caught the ball, faked a shot, and sent Sefolosha flying. He then pulled up for a three-pointer!
Too fast!
Li Feng's shot was like lightning!
He made the three-pointer!
This move by Li Feng was similar to the playstyle of peak Curry before his era.
Like a spirit, with top-tier off-ball movement, he toyed with his defenders, leaving them dizzy.
5:3! Knicks lead.
And so it went, Li Feng played a game of feints and real moves, sometimes lurking in the corner like he was smoking a cigarette, and other times suddenly bursting into action, catching them completely off guard!
On the Thunder's side, they could only rely on Durant's individual ability to hold on.
With more than five minutes gone in the first quarter, the score was 12:9, with the Knicks leading.
The game entered the official timeout.
The score difference was not large, but Thunder head coach Brooks was tense.
From the appearance of the game, the Knicks were playing with ease, especially Li Feng, who seemed not to have broken a sweat. He had only taken two shots, easily scoring 5 points.
On the Thunder's side, Durant had grinded out 6 points, Westbrook drew fouls and scored 1 point from free throws, and Ibaka scored 2 points on a put-back.
If the game continued at this pace, even if the Thunder could hold on until the fourth quarter, Durant's stamina would not last through the crucial moments.
Brooks, showing some acumen, made an adjustment.
"Kevin, take a short rest after the timeout. Bring Harden on, the rest of the lineup remains the same."
This adjustment had a certain effect.
The pick-and-rolls between Harden, Perkins, and Ibaka were executed continuously.
On the Knicks' side, Bill Walker played with increasing ferocity, scoring consecutively.
Li Feng still didn't increase his shot attempts; he was effectively resting on the court.
The opposite of the previous game, Li Feng rested in the first half, saving his energy to take over the game in the second half.
The score difference remained small. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 32:30, with the Knicks leading by 2 points.
Harden had a stellar performance, scoring 12 points and dishing out 3 assists in the first quarter.
Without Harden, the Thunder would have likely been trailing by 10 points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Harden continued to lead the reserves, while the Knicks brought in Yi Jianlian and Bill Walker to lead three reserves.
The Thunder were truly confused.
The Knicks' unpredictable substitutions left the Thunder struggling to cope.
Yi Jianlian and Bill Walker dominated the Thunder's reserves on both offense and defense.
Under the double-teaming pressure from Billups and Bill Walker, Harden's offense stalled.
Even when he drove to the basket, he was met with Yi Jianlian's towering blocks.
With just over four minutes gone in the second quarter, the Thunder were trailing by 7 points, 41:34.