Although the Knicks players had poor shooting in the first half, their defense was solid, giving them a three-point lead over the Nets at halftime.
In the second half, Li Feng ignited the offense. He started with a turnaround jumper for two points, then hit a step-back three-pointer to take the lead.
Led by Li Feng, the Knicks' offense exploded, suppressing the Nets' comeback.
At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks held an eight-point lead.
In the fourth quarter, Li Feng remained on the court with Lin Shuhao, dominating the game and extending the lead to seventeen points within five minutes.
Li Feng went to the bench for a rest, and Curry and Green came in to continue the game.
Through the efforts of the Knicks players, they secured victory in this game.
The competition for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference was incredibly fierce.
Despite winning this game, the Knicks and the 76ers were tied in points, both occupying the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks' next opponent was none other than the 76ers!
One had to wonder what kind of magic the schedule makers possessed, as they seemed to have predicted that the two teams would be tied in points right before the final game.
Therefore, this upcoming game was bound to be brutal, with the winner clinching the final playoff berth.
The loser would bid farewell to the season and go fishing early.
As the reigning champions, Li Feng never dreamed that the Knicks would still be struggling for a playoff spot in the final game of the regular season.
The media began to hype up this game with fervor.
A game decided by a single match, truly exhilarating.
The Knicks' three consecutive championships had offended many, so countless critics eagerly awaited this day – the day the Knicks were kicked out of the playoffs!
Before the game, Li Feng gathered his teammates for a brief meeting.
"Guys, this is the last game of the season. We have no reason not to give it our all. Do you want to make the playoffs?"
"Yes!"
"Do you want to win the championship?"
"Yes!"
"Good! Then let's unite and defeat the 76ers to march into the playoffs!"
"Defeat the 76ers, march into the playoffs!"
...
D'Antoni watched from afar, nodding slightly.
The Knicks had gone through too many hardships this season, from integrating new players to dealing with injuries; problems had been incessant.
Fortunately, Li Feng had persevered and kept the team united.
Without Li Feng, the Knicks might have fallen apart, let alone contend for a championship; they would probably be vying for the first draft pick.
...
At the pre-game press conference, Li Feng noticed an unusually large number of media reporters.
Furthermore, from the expressions on some reporters' faces, it was evident they harbored a schadenfreude attitude.
"Mr. Li Feng, this is the Knicks' final game of the season, and the outcome of this match will directly determine whether the Knicks can enter the playoffs. What are your thoughts?"
Li Feng remained composed and answered calmly, "This is just a regular game. We will approach it with the same full effort as any other match!"
Seeing Li Feng's non-committal answer, the reporter continued with a taunt, "As last season's champions, you are struggling for a playoff spot this season. Do you feel like you've failed?"
Li Feng suppressed his anger and replied, "A little. As the core player of the team, I bear the greatest responsibility, but we will not give up. As long as we make it to the playoffs, we will be the most formidable opponent in the league, and no one will dare to face us!"
His words were very assertive, and the reporters felt a chilling aura emanating from Li Feng...
...
At 7:30 PM, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The Knicks faced the 76ers.
Given the do-or-die nature of this game, the 76ers also fielded their full squad.
The 76ers' starting lineup was Holiday, Thaddeus Young, Turner, Hawes, and Allen.
The Knicks' starting five were Li Feng, Jokic, Green, Curry, and Bill Walker.
At the center jump, Hawes secured the first possession due to his height advantage.
In their previous two matchups, Hawes had dominated Jokic.
Holiday, holding the ball in the backcourt, immediately passed it to Hawes after crossing half-court, clearly intending to exploit the Knicks' interior presence.
However, this time, their plan was thwarted.
Green quickly came up to double-team, and Jokic's boxing-out defense had also improved significantly.
Distracted for a moment, Hawes had the ball poked away by Green.
Bill Walker grabbed the loose ball and passed it to Li Feng, who quickly advanced into the frontcourt.
Holiday sprinted back on defense, sticking close to Li Feng.
Li Feng understood the importance of the first possession; the Knicks needed a dream start to build momentum.
So, he didn't pass or wait for teammates to get open. Instead, he faked, spun like a陀螺 (top), and instantly shifted laterally by more than a meter.
Holiday was a formidable perimeter defender, but facing Li Feng, he felt completely disoriented.
In the blink of an eye, Li Feng had glided past him.
Reluctantly, Holiday could only give chase from behind.
But Li Feng offered him no chance to recover. With two powerful strides, he drove into the paint, went up for a three-step layup, and threw down a thunderous dunk!
*Bang!*
Holiday could only watch as Li Feng slammed the ball home, helpless, not even able to commit a foul.
76ers possession.
This season's 76ers were indeed very strong, and they had thoroughly studied the Knicks.
Seeing that their inside game wasn't working, they immediately changed tactics on the next possession, passing the ball to Thaddeus Young.
Thaddeus Young was a passionate forward with strong driving ability. Upon receiving the ball, he drove towards the basket against Bill Walker.
Bill Walker moved quickly to block his path. *Bang!*
Thaddeus Young knocked Bill Walker to the ground.
The referee hesitated for a moment, then pointed at Bill Walker, calling him for an illegal screen.
Bill Walker was furious but restrained himself from arguing with the referee, only walking over to exchange a few words.
76ers continue their offense.
Thaddeus Young received the ball again. This time, he didn't force a drive but called for a screen, aiming to break through the middle.
However, Green's help defense was omnipresent, again blocking his path. *Bang!*
Green was once again knocked down by him.
My goodness, Thaddeus Young's style of play was truly relentless, just a mindless brute force charge.
This time, the referee didn't indulge him and called him for an offensive foul.
Thaddeus Young felt wronged and immediately rushed towards the referee, yelling furiously. The referee, angered, called him for a technical foul.
The home crowd erupted in laughter, not expecting the 76ers to have such a reckless player.
Li Feng stepped to the free-throw line and made the shot.
The Knicks took an early 3-0 lead.
Knicks possession, setting up in the half-court.
Li Feng passed the ball to Jokic and ran towards the baseline.
Jokic stood near the top of the key, looking left and right, seemingly searching for an open teammate.
Hawes paid him no mind, taking a step back.
Suddenly, Jokic pulled up from beyond the three-point line. *Swish!*
By the time Hawes realized what was happening and rushed back to contest, it was too late.
*Swish!*
A three-pointer from the top of the arc, Jokic's favorite spot to shoot, perfectly executed!
Hawes was furious.
In their last encounter, Jokic hadn't attempted a single three-pointer.
Who would have thought that less than a minute into the game, Jokic would so decisively pull up and make it!
How do you defend a center like this?
A roar of cheers erupted from Madison Square Garden.
Jokic had been heavily criticized this season.
In recent games, he had finally shown improvement, bringing relief to many fans who hoped he could help the team reach the playoffs.
6-0!
76ers head coach Collins looked grave. He knew that the Knicks, as the defending champions, could not be underestimated.
But to put on such a terrifying performance right from the start was truly baffling.
76ers offense. Holiday seemed anxious and decided not to pass. Facing Li Feng, he wanted to take him on one-on-one.
Li Feng clapped his hands and smiled welcomingly, "Come on, I'll guard you one-on-one!"
Holiday drove left and right, trying to shake off Li Feng, but Li Feng gave him no room, his feet moving rapidly, magically appearing in front of him.
With the shot clock winding down to just 6 seconds, Holiday had no choice but to pass the ball to Lavoy Allen.
Allen was a small forward with exceptional speed and a solid mid-range jumper.
Facing Bill Walker, he quickly got past him, then stopped and pulled up for a jumper, scoring two points.
In the following few possessions, the Knicks' offense flowed seamlessly, while the 76ers' offense was as stagnant as constipation, struggling immensely.
With over five minutes played in the first quarter, the game entered an official timeout. The score was 12-6, with the Knicks leading.
Because the first few minutes had gone so smoothly, the Knicks players were all relaxed and beaming.
However, Li Feng remained cautious, reminding his teammates not to underestimate their opponents. The game had just begun, and they needed to stay focused.
Indeed, after the timeout, the 76ers made a substitution.
The player coming off the bench was someone Chinese fans would be very familiar with: Nick Young.
However, during his time with the 76ers, Nick Young hadn't yet accumulated as many memes, and the infamous "black guy with a question mark" incident had not yet occurred.
Although not yet widely renowned, his individual scoring ability was already exceptional.
As soon as he entered the game, he faced Bill Walker and scored consecutively, quickly tying the game.
Bill Walker was somewhat fatigued lately, with a slight thigh injury, resulting in poor form.
D'Antoni also made a substitution, taking out Bill Walker and bringing in veteran Marion.
Although Marion was older, he could still play for about ten minutes each game without issue.
Under Marion's defense, Nick Young found it difficult, committing a turnover.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Feng initiated a counter-attack, widening the lead again.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 28-21.
76ers head coach Collins was frustrated. What was supposed to be a strong point for them, Hawes, was made to struggle by the combined help defense of Jokic and Green, preventing him from even securing the ball and leading to repeated turnovers.
Without an advantage inside, the pressure on the perimeter increased, especially with Li Feng and Curry's deadly shooting.
The 76ers were playing too passively.
In the second quarter, the Knicks' bench unit once again stepped up, consolidating their lead.
Lin Shuhao's drives were decisive today, tearing apart the 76ers' bench defense.
Simultaneously, his teammates were also shooting well, with Novak and Shumpet seizing most of their open opportunities.
Chandler also feasted on interior passes for easy baskets.
With 5:53 remaining in the second quarter, the Knicks held a fourteen-point lead.
The Knicks were in a dominant position, and fans were anticipating a blowout victory.
However, the situation changed drastically once the starters returned to the court!
During a play, Curry was violently knocked to the ground by Thaddeus Young of the 76ers and couldn't get up.
This game was the final regular-season match, incredibly important, and the players were all on edge.
When Curry was knocked down, his teammates were incensed, especially Green, who immediately rushed forward and threw a punch at Thaddeus Young.
This was Green for you; with his innate fiery temper, you had to accept the consequences of his outbursts along with his passionate play.
Thaddeus Young was hit hard by Green's punch and sat on the ground, clutching his face.
Players from both teams became entangled, on the verge of a full-blown brawl.
Li Feng remained calm.
Although he also resented Thaddeus Young's actions, this game was too crucial to lose.
So, he, along with the referees, quickly pulled back his teammates to prevent a larger conflict.
After the chaos subsided, the referees issued their ruling.
Thaddeus Young was assessed a flagrant foul, and the Knicks were awarded two free throws and possession.
Green was ejected from the game.
Curry had suffered a significant impact from the hit, and the medical team had to escort him off the court, declaring him unable to continue playing for the day.
With the Knicks losing two key players, the suspense of the game's outcome intensified once more.
D'Antoni's face turned pale with anger, shaking his head continuously.
He hadn't expected the 76ers to employ such tactics against the Knicks.
While Li Feng remained outwardly calm, he too had a temper.
Just because he didn't retaliate earlier didn't mean he would let Thaddeus Young off the hook.
In fact, the actions of other 76ers players earlier had been aggressive, and Li Feng felt it was time to teach them a lesson.
As the 76ers slowly narrowed the score, Li Feng suddenly unleashed his power.
During a drive, Thaddeus Young switched onto Li Feng.
Li Feng had countless ways to shake him off.
But Li Feng chose the most cumbersome method: turning his back to him and powering his way into the paint.
Thaddeus Young was taller and stronger than Li Feng, so he naturally wasn't afraid.
As the two collided, Li Feng suddenly spun, feigning a drive to the basket.
Thaddeus Young rushed to cut him off, but Li Feng's elbow was already extended.
*Bang!*
Thaddeus Young's abdomen squarely met Li Feng's elbow.
The impact was considerable.
Thaddeus Young grunted and fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.
Li Feng stood there with an innocent expression, signaling to the referee that it was unintentional.
The referee reviewed the replay and determined that Thaddeus Young had run into Li Feng's elbow, thus announcing that the game would continue and Li Feng committed no foul.
76ers head coach Collins was furious, shouting from the sidelines and berating the referee.
The referee, pushed to his limit, immediately called him for a technical foul. Li Feng stepped up to the free-throw line and calmly made the shot.
Thaddeus Young was helped off the court and would likely not be able to play in the first half.
Having been punched by Green and then dealt with by Li Feng, the Knicks teammates had avenged Curry.
Led by Li Feng, the Knicks regained their lead.
At halftime, the score was 61-50.
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley's expression was more anxious than that of the New York fans.
He didn't want to see Li Feng absent from the playoffs.
"Barkley, you're being too obvious. Even though we all know you're a 'Feng-fan,' don't shout so loudly!" Smith said, shaking his head with a smile.