Chapter 382 Teacher Yue Scores Four Straight Points at a Crucial Moment!
James rarely went for isolation plays, but that didn't mean he was weak at them.
He just processed the game situation at lightning speed and found the optimal way to score.
With only seven seconds left on the shot clock, James suddenly changed direction and drove to the left.
Avery Bradley immediately moved to cut him off, but James used a spin move, leaving Bradley more than a meter behind.
This was James's signature breakthrough move, the "tornado spin."
His tornado spin was different from others; it had a huge amplitude, and combined with his powerful physique, it was impossible to defend.
Even if you managed to get in front of him, you'd be knocked aside.
Even if the referee blew the whistle, it would be called a blocking foul on you, because James was moving at such speed that he was already on his driving path, and any subsequent obstruction would be your fault.
After getting past Avery Bradley, James didn't drive to the paint but instead headed towards the baseline.
This play was somewhat unexpected, and Draymond Green didn't know how to rotate and help.
James reached the baseline and, capitalizing on the chaos in the Knicks' defense, pulled up for a quick jump shot.
*Swish!*
It went in off the glass!
The home crowd erupted in cheers.
The Heat had gone several possessions without scoring, and James, using a seemingly unfamiliar method, had broken the scoring drought.
This drive to the baseline followed by a pull-up jump shot was a complete Kobe Bryant imitation!
It had to be said, James was just too versatile!
When his passing was thwarted, he could still solve the problem with isolation plays.
Li Feng also felt a pang of tension.
If James kept passing, the Knicks could employ various help defenses, but when James went one-on-one, the Knicks truly had no one who could match him.
Green possessed good strength, but he was a bit lacking in speed and leaping ability.
Not to mention that Green, at this point, lacked extensive experience.
99-98, the Heat trailed by just one point.
In the following possessions, both teams showcased their strengths. James transformed into Kobe, scoring consecutively through isolation plays.
Meanwhile, for the Knicks, Li Feng alternated between scoring and passing.
Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry received precise passes from Li Feng, scoring back-to-back.
With 1 minute and 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was tied once again!
108-108!
D'Antoni called a timeout.
The suffocating moment had arrived!
In the final minute plus, who could hold on?
The Heat held a clear advantage; James was in excellent form, and Dwyane Wade was poised to make his move.
For the Knicks, Jokic had five fouls, and Green also had five fouls, putting them in a dangerous defensive position.
Furthermore, Li Feng's stamina was greatly depleted. He was on the sideline using the "Curry Stamina Recovery Technique" for adjustment.
In this parallel world, Curry hadn't yet learned this move, so it was quite amusing that Li Feng taught the "Curry Stamina Recovery Technique" to Curry himself.
Thus, both Li Feng and Curry were sitting on the bench, rapidly recovering their stamina using the "Curry Recovery Technique."
During this timeout, D'Antoni still didn't discuss any specific tactics, simply stating to give the ball to Li Feng.
The timeout ended, and the game resumed.
Both James and Wade were tired today, having played 37 minutes each, similar to Li Feng.
However, they were both several years older than Li Feng. James was fine, but Wade was showing signs of fatigue.
Wade's knee was indeed better, but nonetheless, Wade was in his early thirties, and playing this long would still take a significant toll on his stamina.
But upon returning to the court, both players found Li Feng and Curry looking refreshed, showing no signs of fatigue.
They were both greatly surprised.
The Knicks were on offense.
Li Feng brought the ball past half-court and, facing a double-team, beckoned Jokic over to set a screen on Shane Battier.
Just as the Heat players assumed Li Feng would use the screen to drive, Jokic suddenly slipped the screen and rolled towards the paint.
This change of pace caught the Heat players off guard. Chris Bosh didn't know if Jokic was cutting to the basket or doing something else.
Li Feng seized the opportunity to pass to Jokic. With Bosh failing to close out, Jokic pulled up from the free-throw line!
A high-arcing shot, *swish!*
Two points!
Jokic's performance today was average, but he didn't falter at the crucial moment!
Perhaps this was the potential of a superstar!
After the basket, Jokic was also excited, running over to high-five Li Feng and shouting.
"Teacher Yue, awesome, keep it up!" Li Feng loudly encouraged Jokic.
His teammates also came over to encourage Jokic.
Early in the season, some players had expressed dissatisfaction with Jokic, but as the season progressed, Jokic's improvement became evident to everyone.
110-108.
The Knicks led by two points with 1 minute and 16 seconds remaining.
The Heat were on offense.
James quickly brought the ball up the court and suddenly passed to Battier, who was positioned at the 45-degree angle.
With Bosh setting a high screen for Battier, Li Feng was forced to watch Battier shoot, and he made the three-pointer!
111-110, the Heat immediately retook the lead by one point.
This was the result of James's ability; he had made a subtle gesture, quickly finding Battier.
Bosh also perfectly screened Li Feng.
With 58 seconds left, the score was separated by only one point. The victor was still unknown!
The Knicks were on offense.
Li Feng didn't hold the ball, instead letting Curry bring it up the court.
Wade immediately stepped up to contest him, and Green helped Curry by setting a screen on Wade.
Curry quickly moved laterally and was about to shoot when James suddenly appeared in front of him.
James's help defense was everywhere; he was too fast.
Curry used his ability to exploit smaller defenders to try and get away from James.
However, Curry's skills weren't quite there yet. He drove left and right but couldn't shake James. There wasn't enough time to pass, so he was forced into a hurried shot, which, *clank!*
Missed!
Bosh was about to grab the rebound when Jokic once again established position, jumped early, and tipped it with his left hand!
*Swish!*
He actually tipped it in!
Although Bosh had better leaping ability than Jokic, Jokic possessed superior static strength and was taller. Once he established position, his reach gave him a significant advantage.
James and Wade were fuming.
Who would have thought that Jokic, who had only scored 7 points in the first three quarters, would score four consecutive points in the final moments!
Bosh was also frustrated, admitting to his teammates that it was his fault.
112-111, the Knicks took a one-point lead.
At this point, blaming anyone was futile. James and Wade went over to high-five Bosh and offer encouragement.
The game continued, and the Heat were on offense.
James dribbled past half-court and passed the ball back to Wade.
Wade hadn't been involved in the offense for several possessions, and James was certainly going to let his good brother have a shot.
Facing Li Feng's defense, Wade didn't call for a screen but instead turned his back to Li Feng, intending to use a post-up coupled with quick footwork to drive to the paint.
This move seemed ordinary, but Wade had perfected it. Because he was so strong, his dribble had a wide range, and few could keep up with his steps.
However, Li Feng, though not appearing imposing, possessed considerable strength and firmly held his ground behind Wade, preventing him from turning and shooting.
When Wade reached the vicinity of the paint, he realized he couldn't shake off Li Feng and had to pass the ball back to James.
James faced Avery Bradley and drove to the basket like a tank.
Just as he was going up for a layup, Li Feng and Green double-teamed him, *bang!*
They actually stole the ball!
James felt his hand go empty; the ball was gone!
He didn't try to reclaim it immediately, fearing that Green might draw a foul, and if James was called for a foul, Green would go to the free-throw line, widening the point differential.
So, James, with a grim expression, followed Li Feng silently.
He wanted to deliver a solid chase-down block on Li Feng, completely crushing the Knicks' momentum.
James's chase-down blocks were also exceptional.
One could often see him in the final stages of a game seemingly giving up on defense, following behind at a leisurely pace.
But the moment the opponent went up for a layup, he would leap into the air, delivering a spectacular block that left the opponent disoriented.
He even managed to pin the ball against the backboard, completely nullifying the shot and immediately initiating a fast break!
There was no other way; James's talent was simply explosive. Once he was in the air, he could do whatever he pleased!
Li Feng received the pass from Green and initiated a fast break, knowing James was right behind him.
He could actually slow down the tempo and execute a stable play.
But Li Feng's thinking was similar to James's; they both wanted to build momentum.
If he could power through James's chase-down defense and make this shot, the Knicks' momentum would soar!
The home crowd for the Heat spontaneously stood up, eyes wide, watching the one-on-one duel between these two superstars!
The players on both sides also seemed to have transformed into fans, with no one chasing them; they were all watching.
It wasn't entirely their fault. James and Li Feng were moving too fast, and others couldn't offer much help.
Within the three-point line, Li Feng didn't immediately go for a three-step layup but continued to drive towards the basket.
James was overjoyed; this was exactly what he wanted!
Initially, James had worried that Li Feng would use changes in pace to shake him off, as he had suffered from it several times before.
If they reached the basket, James was confident he could completely smother Li Feng, preventing him from getting off a shot!
When Li Feng reached the paint, he suddenly looked up, making a move to gather the ball.
James didn't fall for it. He didn't jump rashly, otherwise, Li Feng could have drawn a foul on him.
So, James simply stayed close to Li Feng, with his hands raised high, preventing him from shooting.
After all, there was a significant height difference between them.
Who knew that the moment James was on his tiptoes with his hands raised, Li Feng suddenly turned his head and sprinted towards the corner.
The acceleration was incredible, and coupled with James's upward extension, it was too late for James to follow.
Li Feng reached the corner and calmly pulled up for a three-pointer!
Not a two-pointer, but a three-pointer?
Only Li Feng would make such a choice. Ah, and Curry too!
*Swish!*
It went in cleanly!
After the shot, Li Feng continued to wave his hand at James, infuriating him to the point of nearly spitting blood.
115-111, the Knicks led by four points!
And there were only 26 seconds left on the clock!
The time remaining for the Heat was running out.
In the final moments, a three-point and a four-point lead were vastly different.
For the Heat to catch up, they would need two possessions.
There was no other option; Spoelstra called another timeout.
The Knicks teammates rushed over, completely awestruck by Li Feng!
Bold moves born from skill!
Li Feng actually dared to play like that?
...
The timeout ended, and the Heat inbounded the ball from the frontcourt.
James and Wade were visibly nervous.
If they lost at home, the Heat's advantage would disappear. The Knicks' team-oriented play in the final stretch had left the Heat utterly perplexed!
This phenomenon was truly terrifying!
Had the Knicks been pretending to be weak all season, waiting for the opportune moment to strike?
Impossible!
Who would dare to play like that?
The Knicks had narrowly escaped defeat in the final few games of the regular season.
Losing just one more game would have meant missing the playoffs entirely.
...
The ball went to James.
James dribbled at the arc, and the defender guarding him was now Green.
This was a last-minute decision by Li Feng. Avery Bradley's height and weight put him at a disadvantage, and he couldn't stop James.
Green tightly guarded James, making him uncomfortable.
At this moment, Ray Allen, who had just replaced Battier, suddenly ran to the corner.
James made an extremely difficult behind-the-back pass, bafflingly connecting with Ray Allen!
This court vision and basketball IQ were truly unique in the current league.
It bore a strong resemblance to the style of Magic Johnson back in the day!
After receiving the ball, Ray Allen, defended by Curry, pulled up for a three-pointer!
*Swish!*
He made the three-pointer!
Incredible!
The Heat home crowd immediately roared with excitement.
Li Feng was also startled, recalling a scene from his past life.
Ray Allen had saved the Heat, and saved James, with a three-pointer.
However, that invaluable three-pointer was in the Finals, in Game 6, when the Heat would have been eliminated if they lost.
Today, he had made another three-pointer.
Fortunately, Li Feng's earlier three-pointer had extended the lead to four points; otherwise, Ray Allen's shot would have tied the game!
With 12 seconds left, the Knicks were on offense.
Since the Heat were trailing by one point, Ray Allen fouled prematurely, wrapping up Curry.
Curry went to the free-throw line and made both shots!
Curry and Li Feng were the two most accurate free-throw shooters for the Knicks, ranking among the top five in the entire league.
Spoelstra called another timeout.
With 11 seconds left and trailing by three points, the Heat still had a chance to execute one offensive play.
The Heat fans were extremely nervous, barely daring to breathe.
Although the Heat had many players who could shoot three-pointers, including Battier, Ray Allen, James, and Bosh, the pressure at this moment was immense. Who should take the shot?
Spoelstra was drawing on the tactical board with a serious expression, constantly speaking, as the Heat players huddled around him.
Tom Thibodeau was also tense.
He knew they absolutely couldn't go into overtime today, as the Heat were the home team.
The recent run to catch up was entirely fueled by Li Feng's intensity.
If they went into overtime, the Knicks' overall strength would be exposed, making it difficult to win.
Moreover, both Jokic and Green had five fouls; they couldn't play in overtime!
Therefore, Thibodeau shouted loudly, urging his players to focus on defending the perimeter, even if they conceded points inside!
The timeout ended, and the Heat inbounded the ball from the frontcourt.
There was ample time; it all depended on how they executed.
Bosh threw the inbound pass from the sideline, directly to James.
Green stepped up to defend him.
As expected, the strategy should have been for Ray Allen.
With screens from his teammates, Ray Allen darted around, finally reaching the left sideline.
James immediately passed him the ball.
Ray Allen was unguarded in front of him – a golden opportunity!