Many Heat fans were disappointed.
They had initially thought the Heat would at least win one away game before returning to Miami.
However, by the end of the third quarter, the Heat were trailing by 17 points.
In the fourth quarter, Li Feng gave the Heat no chance. He did not rest and continued to play, extending the point difference to 24 points after more than five minutes.
After that, Li Feng went to the bench to rest, and the other Knicks players protected their lead.
With a commanding 2-0 lead, the Knicks were ahead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite the lead, Li Feng showed no pride. He cautioned his Knicks teammates that the series was not over until they had won four games.
More good news arrived for the Knicks.
Yao Ming would be able to play in the third game of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The already strong Knicks, with the addition of Yao Ming, garnered even more attention from the media.
...
Two days later, the entire Knicks team flew to Miami to prepare for the third game of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Although the Knicks led 2-0, the Heat's Big Three remained vocal when facing the media.
James told reporters, "We will win four consecutive games and advance to the Finals!"
Wade said, "We have found the Knicks' weaknesses. The series is best-of-seven, and we will win!"
Bosh confidently stated, "We let them have those two home games. Back on our home court, we'll teach the Knicks a lesson!"
However, the Knicks players maintained a low profile and remained calm when facing the media.
Li Feng, in particular, spoke very little, finding it beneath him to engage in empty boasts with the media.
At 8 PM, at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.
The third game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Heat and the Knicks.
The Knicks' starting lineup consisted of Li Feng, Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, Bill Walker, and Lowry.
The Heat's starting five were James, Wade, Battier, Bosh, and Jermaine O'Neal.
At the tip-off, Yao Ming secured the first possession for the Knicks.
Lowry dribbled past half-court and, seeing Li Feng still double-teamed, passed the ball to Yao Ming.
The Heat were well-prepared and denied Yao Ming opportunities, with Bosh immediately double-teaming him.
Yao Ming remained unfazed, holding the ball high and observing his teammates' movements.
Yi Jianlian, taking advantage of Bosh's help defense, drove to the basket, and Yao Ming passed him the ball.
James attempted to help defend, but Yao Ming's pass was too quick, leaving James a beat late.
Yi Jianlian executed a powerful one-handed dunk, scoring the first points for the Knicks.
The appearance of the three Chinese players on the court again excited many Chinese fans.
After the basket, Yi Jianlian and Yao Ming high-fived in celebration, while Li Feng, near the half-court line, raised his hands from afar, exulting in their coordination.
The Heat's possession.
James dribbled past half-court, and Bosh moved to the high post, screening Bill Walker.
James drove into the paint and, seeing Wade cutting to the baseline, immediately passed him the ball.
Wade drove along the baseline, got past Yao Ming, and finished with a reverse layup for two points.
The James-Wade connection was indeed unstoppable, incredibly sharp.
The first quarter was a close contest.
Fueled by the cheers of their home crowd, the Heat played with increased vigor. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 36-32, with the Heat leading by four points.
Although Yao Ming had returned, the Heat were thoroughly prepared, and Yao Ming's impact was not fully realized. He only scored 2 points in the first quarter.
Seeing Yao Ming's self-reproach, Li Feng walked over and offered some words of encouragement.
"Brother Yao, the Heat are a strong team. They knew you were returning and prepared specifically for you, but your defense in the paint is still very important."
Yao Ming knew that this might be his last year in his career, so he played with great intensity.
"Li Feng, this game depends on you. If we win this, we can advance to the Finals!"
Li Feng sighed and said, "This game will be tough. Look, we already have two fouls each in the first quarter. We'll have to shorten our minutes in the second quarter."
Yao Ming understood and nodded, "Home court calls are normal. Let's just do our best."
In the second quarter, the teams' reserves battled, and the game remained close, but the Heat maintained their lead.
Li Feng and the other starters re-entered the game at the 8-minute mark of the second quarter.
As soon as he returned, Li Feng was called for an offensive foul, giving him his third foul.
There was nothing coach D'Antoni could do but substitute Li Feng out again.
Yao Ming wasn't faring much better. In the next possession, while defending Bosh, he was called for a blocking foul.
Under duress, D'Antoni also substituted Yao Ming off the court.
At the end of the first half, the score was 63-46, with the Heat leading by 17 points.
While this deficit wasn't insurmountable, the fact that both Li Feng and Yao Ming had three fouls each made it difficult.
Barkley, during his halftime commentary, remarked meaningfully, "I don't know if the Knicks can hold on, but I think it's going to be tough today."
Smith, as a relatively objective commentator, didn't say much, as he had seen it all before.
"It's actually normal. If the Knicks win the third game, they'll be up 3-0, and the series will lose its suspense."
"I also don't think a 3-0 sweep is possible; the talent gap between the two teams isn't that large. But I always feel the Knicks have incredibly strong in-game adaptability."
"Yes, yes, I feel the same way. The Knicks sometimes fall behind, but as soon as they come back from a timeout, they immediately catch up!"
"I didn't realize D'Antoni's in-game adjustments were this quick before?"
"It's probably Li Feng's advice. This kid has a very high basketball IQ, similar to LeBron James. They are both floor generals."
"It's quite strange to think about. Li Feng is actually just a third-year rookie, how can he be so mature and steady?"
"Must be natural talent. You can't deny talent when you see it!"
...
In the second half, the Heat continued to hold the advantage, and the Knicks were unable to assert themselves.
Ultimately, Li Feng fouled out with five fouls, and Yao Ming fouled out with six.
The Heat defeated the Knicks in the third game, tying the series at 2-1!
After this game, the media's tone shifted.
Especially in this game, James exploded for 47 points, Wade scored 25 points, and Bosh added 21 points.
The Big Three accounted for almost all of the team's scoring.
As a result, the media unanimously believed that the Heat had a chance for a major comeback.
Li Feng saw the media reports after the game and smiled. He knew that media were just like that.
As long as there was traffic, the media would write anything.
However, there was one report that slightly rattled Li Feng.
The headline of the report was: Li Feng and Yao Ming Clash, Knicks Descend into Internal Strife!
Li Feng was furious. This media outlet truly had no integrity, writing baseless articles without any evidence.
Yao Ming also saw the report and was enraged. He immediately contacted his lawyer to sue the media outlet.
In reality, Yao Ming was a very gentle person and rarely confronted the media.
However, he could not tolerate the media attempting to sow discord between him and Li Feng.
This was because Yao Ming was deeply grateful to Li Feng, his younger brother.
If it weren't for Li Feng, he would not have left the Rockets, nor would he have lost weight.
Perhaps, two years ago, Yao Ming would have retired.
Furthermore, Li Feng had led him to win two championships, which was what Yao Ming was most grateful for.
Many players never won a championship in their entire careers.
This was the highest level of basketball competition in the world.
Yao Ming's historical ranking had also increased significantly.
Before, Yao Ming wouldn't even have ranked in the top 100.
But after winning these three championships, Yao Ming had climbed to the top 60-plus.
Moreover, during these three years, Yao Ming had also earned one All-NBA First Team selection and two Second Team selections.
Therefore, his honors had also increased considerably.
...
Yao Ming's lawsuit against the media immediately became major news.
Upon seeing this, Li Feng also announced his support for Yao Ming to the media.
The fourth game was about to begin.
At the pre-game press conference, Li Feng and Yao Ming specifically accepted interviews.
"Mr. Li Feng, can you explain the reason for the loss in the last game?"
Clearly, this reporter wanted to know if there were any conflicts between Li Feng and Yao Ming.
Li Feng snorted and slowly replied, "There are many reasons, but none of them are important. We will win back today."
The reporter then asked, "I heard Mr. Yao has sued the media. How is that going?"
Yao Ming replied sternly, "I hope through this incident, you media will learn a lesson and stop spewing nonsense."
The reporters all felt a bit ashamed and lowered their heads.
Li Feng continued, "Let me tell you all one more time. Do you know? Brother Yao is my idol, and he is also the idol of hundreds of millions of Chinese fans. Do you think there would be any conflict between me and Brother Yao?"
Hearing Li Feng's words, Yao Ming was deeply touched. He held Li Feng's hand and said loudly, "Li Feng is the pride of China. He is the one who made my career complete. I am grateful to my brother Li Feng. Do you reporters understand this feeling?"
The reporters were stunned by their words. After listening, they fell silent for a few seconds, and then applause gradually began to ring out.
Finally, all the reporters stood up and applauded, cheering for the friendship between the two Chinese superstars and their camaraderie!
...
The fourth game began.
This game was crucial. If the Knicks won again, they would take a commanding 3-1 lead.
If the Heat could protect their home court, they would be back on equal footing with the Knicks.
The first quarter started with no changes to the starting lineups.
Li Feng did not focus on offense in the first quarter; he was observing the referees' officiating.
If it were the same as the third game, Li Feng and Yao Ming would have to be substituted out early to rest and exert themselves in the second half.
After all, they couldn't suffer such a disadvantage twice in a row.
After playing for more than three minutes, the referees were not making questionable calls. Li Feng had no fouls, and Yao Ming only had one foul.
This was acceptable. Li Feng immediately felt energized, believing this game was winnable!
At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led by four points, 31-27!
Li Feng only took three shots in the first quarter, scoring 5 points. Yao Ming played for over seven minutes and scored 8 points with only one foul.
LeBron James scored 13 points in the first quarter, Wade had 9 points, and Bosh, restricted by Yao Ming, played poorly, scoring only 3 points.
Heat fans were disappointed. This was their home court, and the fans hoped for a second consecutive victory.
However, at the end of the first quarter, the Knicks' advantage was too apparent.
Those who understood the game knew that as long as the referees officiated fairly, the Knicks would still win the game.
In the second quarter, the Heat's reserves showed heart and managed to tie the score again.
Billups was remorseful and walked off the court with his head down.
Li Feng and Yao Ming immediately went to embrace Billups, comforting him, "It's okay, brother. You played very well. We'll definitely take the lead again!"
Li Feng also went to console the reserve players individually, telling them not to be discouraged.
This was the atmosphere of a championship team. Especially the star players, their every word and action influenced the teammates' morale.
In the latter half of the second quarter, both teams' starters returned to the court.
As soon as Li Feng entered the game, he assisted Yao Ming with a layup, giving the Knicks the lead.
Then, when James drove to the basket, Li Feng drew an offensive foul on him.
The referees today were relatively fair, possibly influenced by Yao Ming's lawsuit against the media.
Additionally, Hongxing Sports' investment in the NBA also played a role.
On a change of possession, the Knicks were on offense. Li Feng and Lowry executed a play, with Lowry assisting Li Feng on a corner three-pointer.
The Knicks immediately went on a run.
Spoelstra had no choice but to call another timeout.
He had already realized that the gap between the Heat and the Knicks was concentrated in Li Feng.
Although the Big Three were powerful, the combination of Li Feng and Yao Ming seemed to have a certain counter-effect on the Big Three.
Therefore, as long as the referees' calls were fair, the Heat truly had no chance of winning.
After the timeout, Wade launched a furious offensive assault.
To be honest, while James was the undisputed core of the Heat, Wade was the primary offensive weapon.
Wade immediately scored 6 points with drives and shots, taking back the lead.
Li Feng knew the consequences of the "Flash" going off.
So, he signaled Lowry, and they suddenly double-teamed Wade.
Wade's ability to break double-teams was average, especially facing Li Feng's double-team. He was forced to pass the ball early, giving it to James.
James was indeed a superstar. Seizing the opportunity in a 4-on-3 situation, he launched a fierce offensive attack.
At the end of the first half, the Heat had regained a 9-point lead.
57-49.
The home crowd was ecstatic as the Heat had taken the lead again, erupting in cheers.
Li Feng remained unhurried, knowing that Wade's capabilities were such that completely limiting him was almost impossible.
The current question was how long Wade could sustain this form.
If Wade could indeed continue his output in the second half, then the Knicks would accept their loss.
The second half began, and Wade was as aggressive as ever, leading the Heat to extend their lead to 18 points.
With 7 minutes and 44 seconds left in the third quarter, the score was 76-58.
D'Antoni had no choice but to call a timeout.
He kept looking at Li Feng, finding it strange.
In the past, when the team was trailing, Li Feng's expression would be very serious.
However, in this deficit, Li Feng remained calm and composed, even showing a slight smile.
"Li Feng, this game... is there any hope?"
Li Feng nodded, "It's unlikely, but we can still fight a bit more."
Upon hearing Li Feng say they could still fight, D'Antoni was re-energized. He knew Li Feng surely had a plan.
"Alright, then tell me, do we need to make any substitutions?"
"Coach, no need for substitutions. Let's just play like this. Wade's knee is already bothering him a bit."
D'Antoni was taken aback, not understanding Li Feng's meaning.
"Wade's meniscus was surgically repaired long ago. He's pushing through it now, and he even had fluid drained from it before the game."