Bill Walker’s previous offensive play had earned Durant’s respect.
And now, this defensive effort was also outstanding!
What was going on? Had he suddenly evolved?
Durant could only resort to a pull-up jumper.
This was his signature move, and with his height and long arms, it was incredibly difficult to defend.
But Bill Walker jumped again, lunging forward, his fingertips managing to brush the basketball.
The result was a bricked shot by Durant, which fell directly into Yao Ming’s hands.
Yao Ming was about to pass to Li Feng, but Li Feng pointed to Lowry, so Yao Ming passed to Lowry.
Li Feng was eager to see Lowry transform into Harden’s effect, so he actively moved to the 45-degree angle, giving the top of the arc to Lowry.
As Lowry dribbled at the top of the arc, he suddenly felt his vision and thinking change entirely.
He beckoned, and Yao Ming came to set a screen on Harden. Then Lowry drove to the baseline, Yao Ming rolled to the paint, and Lowry lofted a pass. Yao Ming caught it and slammed home a dunk!
Beautiful!
Li Feng, standing nearby, clapped his hands in delight, happier than if he had scored himself.
The pick-and-roll coordination between Lowry and Yao Ming was a perfect replica of Harden’s, incredibly strong!
Harden, watching from the side, was also a bit stunned. He found it hard to believe that Lowry, despite his significant improvement, could execute such a play.
The score was 70:64, with the Knicks still trailing by six points.
The home crowd in Oklahoma City was not pleased.
They had won the previous two away games convincingly, so why was it so difficult to play at home?
In the following few possessions, the Knicks’ offense and defense both elevated several levels, and the Thunder simply couldn't keep up.
With 9 minutes and 32 seconds left in the third quarter, the score was 82:77, and the Knicks had taken a five-point lead.
Brooks had no choice but to call a timeout, preparing to bring in the bench players.
The Knicks’ players were also experiencing significant fatigue. Li Feng knew that an increase in his teammates’ abilities came at the cost of physical exertion.
Yi Jianlian, Bill Walker, and Lowry were all panting heavily.
Li Feng was also quite tired.
Seeing this, D’Antoni also prepared to make substitutions, a full five-for-five change.
The Knicks’ bench lineup was still competitive, so Li Feng was not overly worried.
Perhaps because the Thunder’s starters were being suppressed, the bench players’ morale was also affected, and they played with a sense of urgency.
Meanwhile, the Knicks’ bench, led by Billups, played steadily and controlled the game against the Thunder’s reserves.
By the 4 minutes and 52 seconds mark of the fourth quarter, the score was 96:87, with the Knicks leading by seven points.
It was the crucial final stretch of the fourth quarter, and the starting lineups were about to return to the court for the deciding battle.
The home crowd in Oklahoma City roared with enthusiasm, hoping for the Thunder to win the third game.
After all, in NBA history, no team had ever come back from a 0-3 deficit in a series to win.
Brooks called another timeout.
D’Antoni was overjoyed, his previously despondent heart rekindled.
“Kids, you’ve done great. I’m proud of you all!”
After the timeout, both teams’ starting lineups returned to the court.
For the Thunder, Perkins did not play. Instead, Westbrook and Harden were both subbed in, preparing to play with a smaller lineup.
Westbrook brought the ball past half-court, faced Lowry, and called for a screen. Ibaka set the pick on Lowry.
Westbrook then drove into the paint, followed by Ibaka rolling to the basket. Westbrook tossed the ball up, intending for an alley-oop.
Ibaka felt extremely confident against Yi Jianlian, believing he could easily handle him in the first half.
However, in the second half, Yi Jianlian had undergone a transformation. Yi Jianlian and Ibaka jumped almost simultaneously. *Slap!*
Just as Ibaka caught the ball, Yi Jianlian’s hand arrived, swiping the ball away forcefully.
This scene was explosive!
Two athletic freaks in a mid-air duel!
Li Feng, watching from behind, excitedly clenched his fist; it was so satisfying!
After the block, Yi Jianlian pounded his chest and roared!
All the Knicks players roared in unison. These past three games had been incredibly frustrating.
Except for Li Feng, everyone else had been utterly dominated!
In the subsequent few possessions, Durant and Bill Walker exchanged blows, Ibaka and Yi Jianlian battled it out, and Harden and Lowry went head-to-head!
As the two sides clashed, Yao Ming’s dominance in the paint and Li Feng’s reign on the perimeter immediately became apparent.
The point differential widened instantly.
With 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Knicks led by nine points. The Thunder’s fate was sealed.
Brooks, helpless, substituted his starting lineup.
Ultimately, the Knicks defeated the Thunder on the road with a score of 117:109, tying the series at 1:2!
This victory filled the Knicks fans with immense excitement.
After two devastating losses, no one had believed the Knicks could make a comeback.
Li Feng scored 37 points today. While the stats looked ordinary, he had 13 assists, indicating that his teammates were performing exceptionally well today!
Yao Ming scored 17 points, Yi Jianlian 21, Bill Walker 16, and Lowry 15 points with 8 assists!
With his teammates stepping up, the Knicks were no longer a one-man show for Li Feng!
The moment the game ended, Li Feng excitedly embraced every teammate.
“Bro, you played great. You’re the best!”
“Let’s keep it up in the next game. You can do it!”
…
D’Antoni’s eyes welled up with tears. As a veteran coach, he had experienced countless games, but this particular game would undoubtedly be etched in his memory forever!
Li Feng and his teammates, united and determined, had secured a crucial victory, keeping the NBA Finals suspense alive. It was truly remarkable.
Coach D’Antoni rushed to the center of the court, high-fiving and cheering with every player.
Finally, he embraced Li Feng, repeatedly saying, “Thank you! Li Feng, thank you!”
…
After this game, the media narrative shifted again, with more reports supporting the Knicks.
However, overall, more experts still favored the Thunder, citing their home-court advantage and superior strength.
No one believed that the Knicks players could suddenly transform overnight.
While most media outlets praised the Knicks, they also expressed concern about whether this level of performance could be sustained.
“Knicks Hit Rock Bottom and Bounce Back, Exploding in the Second Half to Regain Momentum, Finals Suspense Reignited!”
“Li Feng No Longer Fighting Alone, Secures Away Win, But Knicks’ Future Remains Uncertain.”
“Desperate Comeback in the Second Half, Knicks Mobilize the Entire Team!”
…
Li Feng remained calm. Although they had won this game, the side effect was the extreme fatigue of several key players.
Playing one game felt like playing two for Yi Jianlian, Bill Walker, and Lowry.
Therefore, during the next day’s training, Li Feng suggested that these three focus only on shooting practice, skipping strength and endurance training.
D’Antoni didn’t fully understand the reasoning but could clearly see that the three players were indeed exhausted.
Two days later, the fourth game of the NBA Finals commenced.
At the pre-game press conference, the players from both teams were confrontational, completely devoid of their previous amicability.
During his interview, Li Feng stated assertively, “We will definitely win the fourth game and return to New York with the series tied!”
Yao Ming also declared forcefully, “The Thunder are a strong team, but we have found a way to counter them. We will definitely win the fourth Finals game!”
The Thunder were not to be outdone. Durant, during his interview, spoke with a serious expression, “We underestimated them in the last game, but that mistake will not happen a second time. Tonight, we will defend our home victory!”
Westbrook was even more emphatic, grinding his teeth and saying, “The Knicks are merely struggling in their death throes. We will win the game today and take a commanding lead in the series!”
The statements from the star players of both teams were filled with animosity, sparking a media war between their fan bases.
…
At 8 PM, in the Ford Center arena.
The Thunder hosted the Knicks in the fourth game of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks’ starting lineup remained Li Feng, Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, Bill Walker, and Lowry.
The Thunder’s starting five consisted of Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Sefolosha, and Perkins.
At the tip-off, Yao Ming secured the first possession for the Knicks once again.
With the help of his teammates, Li Feng felt less pressure and continued to play the role of a playmaker in the first quarter, taking few shots.
Bill Walker, Lowry, and Yi Jianlian played with increasing excellence and confidence.
However, the Thunder also took the game seriously.
To be honest, the Thunder had underestimated the Knicks in the previous game. Having won two away games and leading by a significant margin at halftime, they had become somewhat complacent in the second half.
Coupled with Li Feng’s system assistance, the reversal had been swift, leaving the Thunder stunned.
But during the two-day break, the Thunder team had reviewed game footage and re-evaluated the strengths of the Knicks’ key players.
Consequently, from the start of today’s game, the Thunder played with intense focus on both offense and defense.
Within the first five minutes of the first quarter, the score was tied multiple times, with the lead exchanging hands.
For neutral fans, this was a great development; the game was incredibly exciting!
Considering the rosters featured players like two Durants, two Ibakas, a Harden, a Westbrook, a Li Feng, and a Yao Ming, it was impossible for the game not to be captivating.
Li Feng only took one shot in the first quarter, a long-range three-pointer, out of necessity as the shot clock was winding down. Li Feng had to personally detonate a bomb.
With over eight minutes gone in the first quarter, the score was 23:22, with the Knicks leading by one point.
The Thunder called a timeout.
Brooks had a subtle feeling of unease, his previous confidence beginning to dissipate.
The overall performance displayed by the entire Knicks team was exceptional, and the most frightening aspect was that Li Feng had yet to unleash his full power!
In the first two games, Li Feng had given his all, scoring the highest points of the playoffs.
Yet, the Knicks had still lost, so Brooks hadn’t been worried.
But in these past two games, Li Feng’s teammates had suddenly stepped up. What was going on?
Brooks racked his brain but couldn’t comprehend it.
Both teams began substituting their bench players.
Li Feng was playing with ease today, so his stamina was replenished. He did not leave the court to rest but instead played with the reserves.
This posed a significant challenge for the Thunder.
The point difference continued to widen. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 34:29, with the Knicks leading by five points.
At the start of the second quarter, Li Feng went to the bench to rest, and Lowry entered the game!
The purpose of this rotation was to maintain the lineup’s offensive firepower.
The “Little Cannon” already possessed speed and strength, and now with Harden’s vision and skills, he was even more formidable, leading the Knicks’ reserve lineup to a spectacular performance.
As a result, within five minutes of the second quarter, the Knicks had extended their lead to eleven points.
The Thunder home crowd was bewildered, unsure of what was happening. They had held a significant advantage, so why had it reversed so drastically at home…
D’Antoni called a timeout, allowing the reserve players to rest and preparing to bring back the starting lineup.
After the timeout, although Durant began to exert his influence, scoring consecutively, the Knicks, led by Li Feng, displayed a balanced offensive attack!
The Knicks continued to maintain their lead.
At the end of the first half, the score was 62:47, with the Knicks leading by fifteen points.
Li Feng had scored 16 points, Yao Ming 11, Yi Jianlian 7, Bill Walker 12, and Lowry 8.
Although Durant had scored 18 points, the highest on the court, the other Thunder players had underperformed.
Harden had 12 points, and Westbrook only 6.
This scoreline left many Thunder supporters in utter disbelief.
…
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley could no longer contain his excitement.
“This Knicks team is terrifying. How could they have been hiding so much?”
Smith also found the situation beyond his comprehension.
“Yes, it’s too strange, but I believe the Knicks wouldn’t dare to be complacent on the Finals stage.”
“They certainly wouldn’t dare to be complacent, but in the first two games, apart from Li Feng, the others played terribly. For a team that has already won two championships, explaining it with the word ‘nervous’ is certainly not enough.”
Reggie Miller also shook his head and smiled, “When the Knicks lost the second game, I had lost all hope for them. Li Feng scored 73 points, and they still lost. But these past two away games, I truly cannot understand.”
…
Let alone these esteemed basketball commentators, even the fans were baffled.
Some seasoned fans started to overthink and analyze—
“The Knicks must be colluding with the betting companies; otherwise, there’s no explanation!”
“I agree, but Li Feng should be excluded, because Li Feng was clearly fighting hard!”
“Right, it must be the other Knicks players involved in betting. It’s too obvious.”
“Li Feng excluded? What a joke. I think Li Feng is the bookie’s dog. Scoring 73 points was just a show for the fans.”
“If that’s the case, then the Thunder might also be involved. They played so strangely in the second half of the third game.”
“In any case, this Finals series needs to be thoroughly investigated.”
“Those talking about betting are just Thunder fans, right? How can the Knicks winning be because of betting? That’s nonsense!”
…
In the Knicks’ locker room, the atmosphere of laughter and joy had returned.
Winning is the best catalyst for a team.
As long as they win, players will be harmonious, which is a characteristic of competitive sports.
At the start of the second half, the Thunder launched another counterattack.
Westbrook suddenly erupted.
Although Westbrook had performed ordinarily in the past few games, his capabilities were far beyond what he had shown.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Westbrook intensified his drives to the basket and also increased his mid-range jump shots.
Westbrook’s shooting has always been inconsistent. When he’s on, he’s terrifyingly accurate, especially in clutch moments.
But when he’s off, he makes Thunder fans grit their teeth in frustration.
After three games of struggling, Westbrook finally exploded.