The fourth quarter, both teams fielded their starters again for the final push!
Upon entering the game, Paul George exploded, hitting consecutive shots against Bill Walker.
Meanwhile, Green's attention was focused on West, making his help defense less timely.
The Pacers instantly closed the score.
Deantowny, helpless, called for a timeout.
"How do we handle Paul George?" Deantowny turned to Li Feng.
Li Feng thought for a moment and pointed at Marion, "Let Marion guard him."
Deantowny blinked, and Marion scratched his head, unsure of Li Feng's intention.
"Marion is tall and not slow; he should be able to contain Paul George."
Li Feng's strategy was correct. Although Marion was a few years older and guarding one-on-one for extended periods was difficult, he could certainly manage it for five or six minutes with all his effort.
After all, Marion was a formidable defender!
Following Li Feng's suggestion, Deantowny substituted Marion in for Bill Walker.
Walker was dejected; he truly couldn't guard Paul George.
The game resumed with the Knicks on offense.
Li Feng and Curry executed a pick-and-roll, and Green screened for Li Feng. Li Feng then made a three-pointer, giving them the lead.
The Pacers' turn to attack.
Seeing the defensive change, Paul George immediately understood, thinking, "They're switching an old man to guard me? What's the point?"
So, after crossing half-court, Paul George called for the ball, intending to attack Marion.
Marion felt very grateful for Li Feng's trust, so he was exceptionally focused, secretly vowing to shut down Paul George in the crucial final minutes of the fourth quarter.
Swish!
Paul George dribbled to his right, and Marion quickly matched him.
Suddenly, Paul George executed a sharp stop, and Marion also retracted his steps.
Paul George followed up with a pull-up jumper!
He had just used this move to score on Bill Walker multiple times.
Unfortunately, Marion didn't fall for the pump fake. With his superior height and leaping ability, he extended his hand and swatted the ball away.
However, Paul George's release was quick. Marion's fingertips only grazed the ball, deflecting its trajectory to the left of the basket.
Jokic and Hibbert both leaped for the rebound.
Given their height and jumping ability, Hibbert should have secured the rebound.
But Jokic, under Sabonis's guidance, had learned many rebounding techniques.
He first anticipated the ball's direction and then elbowed Hibbert in the lower back.
This move was subtle and inconspicuous but prevented the opponent from jumping effectively.
Even if the referee saw it, it would likely not be called.
Swish!
Jokic leaped up and caught the ball, infuriating Hibbert.
Hibbert still tried to reclaim the ball, but Jokic reacted incredibly quickly, immediately passing it to the nearest player, Green.
Green received the pass and rapidly initiated a fast break. He, Li Feng, and Curry crossed half-court in a 3-on-2 situation.
Curry ultimately received the ball and scored two points with a high bank shot.
Marion's defense on Paul George proved to be crucially important!
Deantowny clapped vigorously from the sidelines, cheering Marion's defense.
Truly, age had not diminished his prowess!
Under Marion's defense, the Pacers' offense faltered repeatedly, while the Knicks, led by Li Feng, continued to score.
With 1 minute and 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Knicks held a nine-point lead.
The Pacers' fate was sealed.
Despite Stephenson and Hibbert's tenacious efforts, the Knicks' defense remained solid, only allowing Hibbert two free throws.
Finally, the Knicks defeated the Pacers at home, securing a valuable victory.
With this win, the Knicks climbed back to eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Considering the Knicks were the reigning champions last season and were now struggling desperately for playoff qualification, it was truly a sigh-inducing turn of events.
The Pacers, losing this game, were overtaken by the Bulls in the standings and dropped to third in the East.
The Knicks and Pacers were scheduled to play another game soon, this time at the Pacers' home court.
The schedule arrangement had a playoff-like intensity, and the players from both teams played with fiery determination.
Two days later, the Knicks flew to Indiana to face the Pacers on the road.
At home, the Pacers played exceptionally well, dominating the Knicks and evening the series.
The Knicks' playoff hopes, newly ignited, were immediately doused with a bucket of cold water.
This loss sent the Knicks plummeting to tenth place in the Eastern Conference.
With only five games remaining, the Knicks' future looked uncertain, and their fans' hearts ached.
Since Li Feng's arrival, the team had surprisingly achieved a three-peat and established a winning culture.
If the team's performance gradually declined in the future, fans could still accept it.
For instance, reaching the finals and then losing, followed by second-round and first-round playoff exits in subsequent years, would be more gradually acceptable to the fans.
However, going from champions last year to missing the playoffs this year was devastating.
Facing a barrage of criticism and abuse, Li Feng chose to remain silent.
This was the nature of competitive sports: win a championship, and you're hailed as a god.
But fail to win, or even drop a few spots, and you're immediately trampled upon, with all previous honors ignored.
The Knicks had five games left: home games against the Atlanta Hawks and the Miami Heat, road games against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets, and a home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Hawks were currently seventh in the Eastern Conference and their playoff position was not secure, so they would fight fiercely in this game.
The Knicks, currently tenth in the East, would have no hope if they lost to the Hawks again.
At 7:30 PM, Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks hosted the Atlanta Hawks.
As the remaining five games were all crucial, the fans in attendance wore expressions of grim determination.
The Knicks players also looked like they were heading into battle.
The Hawks' starting lineup consisted of Horford, Teague, Pachulia, Josh Smith, and Korver.
The Knicks' starting five were Li Feng, Jokic, Green, Bill Walker, and Curry.
The game began with Li Feng hitting an ultra-long three-pointer over Josh Smith!
This was a statement: "I'm going all out today!"
Li Feng's three-pointer made the Hawks extremely nervous, shifting their defensive focus to him.
This was the exact effect Li Feng desired.
In the following possessions, Curry started to erupt.
Li Feng and Green continuously set up Curry, allowing him to get into a rhythm.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
Curry's three consecutive three-pointers stunned the Hawks.
Combined with Li Feng's three-pointer, the Knicks led 12-2 just over two minutes into the game.
Hawks coach Drew, stunned by the shooting, quickly called a timeout.
"The game can be played like this..."
In their previous matchups, Pachulia had outplayed Jokic, but Jokic had improved rapidly, and with Green's help defense, the Knicks' interior was no longer a weakness.
After the timeout, the Hawks intensified their offense, picking up the pace, intending to outrun the Knicks.
This strategy was sound, as Josh Smith, Teague, and Horford were all good in transition.
The Hawks quickly closed the gap by seven points.
As Deantowny was about to call a timeout, Li Feng was already directing his teammates on the court, devising a counter-strategy.
On defense, the Knicks adopted a strategy of intentional fouls, targeting Josh Smith.
Smith's free-throw percentage this season was a dismal 52%.
It was strange, as Josh Smith's three-point percentage was 32%, above average for the league, and he shot them frequently.
However, his free throws remained inconsistent.
Targeting Josh Smith disrupted the Hawks' rhythm.
The Knicks seized the opportunity to extend their lead.
With over eight minutes gone in the first quarter, the score was 25-11, the Knicks leading by fourteen points.
Such a significant lead in such a crucial game sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
For the fans, if they could help their team with their cheers, they would put in ten times the effort.
Both teams began to substitute their bench players.
Jeremy Lin understood the importance of this game, playing with exceptional effort.
During one play, the ball was knocked away by an opponent. To retrieve it, Lin collided with an opposing player, resulting in a deep gash on his forehead.
After being attended to by the team doctor, Lin returned to the game.
The entire crowd rose to their feet, applauding Lin's hustle and expressing their deep admiration.
Inspired by Lin, the bench players played with renewed vigor, as if injected with adrenaline.
With over four minutes played in the second quarter, the Knicks had extended their lead to seventeen points.
The Knicks' starters, also inspired, took the court and went on a scoring run.
At halftime, the Knicks led by twenty-six points!
Knicks fans hadn't enjoyed such a dominant performance in a long time, cheering and celebrating joyously.
The second half began, and Li Feng gave the Hawks no further opportunities. He led his teammates in extending the lead to thirty-four points within three minutes.
The Hawks were demoralized.
The Knicks' previous weaknesses seemed to have disappeared.
Jokic's defense and strength were vastly different from the beginning of the season.
Especially with Green starting, both his defense and playmaking had reached new heights.
After over half a season of adjustments, the Knicks had finally found their suitable tactical approach.
The starters finished their work in three quarters.
Ultimately, the Knicks secured a resounding home victory against the Hawks, adding crucial momentum to their record.
Following this win, the Knicks moved up another spot, ranking ninth in the Eastern Conference, only one game behind the eighth-place Philadelphia 76ers.
...
The next game was a home match against the Miami Heat.
It's important to note that the Knicks had lost all three previous matchups against the Heat this season.
Two of those losses were significant blowouts, and the other was a six-point defeat.
The Heat's "Big Three" were in their prime, looking like strong championship contenders this season, and no one doubted their strength; they were undoubtedly headed for the Finals.
Many fans were already anticipating the championship showdown between the Heat and the Thunder in June.
As for the Knicks, the fans were deeply disappointed.
Even if the Knicks managed to stumble into the playoffs, they were unlikely to go far.
...
A day later, the Knicks hosted the Miami Heat.
This was the final regular-season encounter between the two teams.
Perhaps aiming to definitively keep the Knicks out of the playoffs, the Heat fielded their full roster today, with no players resting.
The Heat's starting lineup was James, Wade, Bosh, Battier, and Chalmers.
The Knicks' starting five remained Li Feng, Jokic, Green, Bill Walker, and Curry.
The first quarter of the game almost turned into a performance showcase for Wade and Li Feng.
Li Feng, of course, had to step up in this game, and Wade also aimed to win this matchup.
Wade knew Li Feng's potential; even though the Knicks had struggled through the regular season, it was difficult to say they wouldn't cause trouble in the playoffs.
Therefore, Wade had to give his all to defeat the Knicks, preferably avoiding Li Feng in the playoffs!
In the first quarter, Wade mixed drives and jump shots, scoring 15 points, while Li Feng responded with 12 points.
Although LeBron James had fewer shot attempts, his powerful drives posed significant problems for the Knicks, also resulting in a foul each for Jokic and Green.
With the combined offensive efforts of James and Wade, the first quarter ended with the score at 34-26, the Knicks trailing by eight points.
Li Feng's expression was grim; he sensed that the Heat were different from the previous two seasons.
There had been a qualitative leap.
This Heat team could compete with any team in history.
If the Thunder reached the Finals this season, Li Feng believed they would not be able to defeat the Heat.
However, in this parallel universe, Harden had stayed with the Thunder for an extra year, which would likely improve his skills, making it difficult to predict a Finals matchup.
Both teams began to substitute their bench players.
The Heat's bench core consisted of Haslem, Jones, Mike Miller, and Ray Allen.
Compared to the Knicks, this lineup boasted stronger shooting.
However, Jeremy Lin played intelligently, directing his teammates to spread the defense and leaving only Chandler in the paint.
This tactic was successful, with Chandler returning to his peak form and anchoring the paint, making it difficult for opponents to score inside.
Additionally, Yi Jianlian's help defense in the paint played a significant role.
Despite Ray Allen and Mike Miller being sharpshooters, the Knicks' perimeter defense was very tight, giving them almost no open shooting opportunities.
Thanks to Jeremy Lin's efforts, the Knicks' bench did not falter and even gained a few points.
With over four minutes played in the second quarter, the score was 43-38, the Heat leading by five points.
Deantowny, feeling anxious, substituted the starters back into the game.
The Heat also brought back their "Big Three."
The Knicks' starting lineup was indeed suppressed today, digging a deeper hole upon returning to the court.
Wade, ever since his knee had healed, was truly unstoppable, playing with incredible ferocity.
At halftime, the Heat had extended their lead to thirteen points, 62-49.
...
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley let out a sigh.
As a staunch fan of Li Feng, Barkley felt helpless for him.
"Sigh, how can a team that won three championships decline so quickly? I just can't understand it..."
Smith shook his head, "Dynasties always have their fall. It's just that the Knicks' decline after Yao Ming's retirement was a bit rapid, but it's understandable."
Reggie Miller remarked, "The Knicks have been quite fortunate. When Yao Ming was with the Rockets, he was nearing retirement, and then he experienced a second spring with the Knicks."
"Indeed, if Yao Ming had come to the Knicks earlier, his career might have been longer."