After the timeout, the Mavericks executed a pick-and-roll, and Nowitzki received the ball at the baseline before quickly taking a shot!
The German was still steady, scoring 2 points in just 5 seconds of possession.
The score narrowed back to 2 points. The Knicks were on offense, with 17 seconds left in the game, and the Mavericks fouled!
Li Feng stepped up to the free-throw line.
If he made both, the Mavericks would still have a chance to score on a fast break.
Li Feng didn't give the Mavericks that opportunity, sinking both free throws. The deficit returned to 4 points.
After a few back-and-forth exchanges, time ran out, and the Knicks secured the win, narrowly avoiding a losing streak.
Li Feng played 34 minutes, scoring 38 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 13 assists, nearly achieving a triple-double.
Nowitzki played 35 minutes and scored 36 points, also an outstanding performance.
After the game, Nowitzki approached Li Feng to shake hands and exchange pleasantries.
As an international player, he recognized Li Feng's recent performance and understood the challenges Li Feng had faced.
D'Antoni breathed a sigh of relief. The Knicks avoided a three-game losing streak, and he could report to management.
...
The Knicks' grueling schedule was not over yet. They had two more games left on their Western Conference road trip, against the Jazz and the Timberwolves.
Fortunately, these were not back-to-back games, so the physical toll on the Knicks players was not as severe.
Li Feng scored 30+ points in both games, leading the team to victory.
Finally returning home, the Knicks players would have three days to rest.
Under the arrangement of Bill Duffy, Li Feng met with Deng Huasheng, the owner of Red Star Sports, for a second time.
This meeting was more formal, held in Bill Duffy's office rather than at a dinner.
Deng Huasheng had brought his assistant and lawyers, indicating his preparedness.
Bill Duffy was also well-prepared and had communicated with Li Feng beforehand.
Since Li Feng was a rookie and it was his first contract negotiation, Bill Duffy wanted to ensure Li Feng was well-informed.
"Mr. Li Feng, I have come with the utmost sincerity!" Deng Huasheng said, taking a contract from his lawyer and presenting it to Li Feng with both hands.
Li Feng smiled, nodded, quickly flipped through the document, and handed it back to Bill Duffy.
Deng Huasheng's contract primarily contained the following key terms:
1. Li Feng's signing bonus would be twelve million US dollars per year for five years.
During this period, he would also receive a share of the profits from the sales of products he endorsed.
2. Li Feng would have veto power over the script during the filming of commercials.
3. Red Star Sports would establish several basketball schools in China, and Li Feng would be required to provide guidance for a few days during the off-season.
Twelve million dollars a year was a considerable amount for a rookie.
Nike and Adidas had also approached Li Feng, offering six million and eight million dollars respectively, but only for a three-year term, as both companies believed Li Feng's career might be shorter.
Li Feng had never intended to sign with those two brands, but he was angered by their offers.
He had shown them no respect, directly rebuffing them.
Seeing Deng Huasheng's sincerity, Li Feng felt a bit conflicted.
He had learned that Red Star Sports had not performed well financially in recent years, with average annual profits only in the millions of RMB.
Despite this, Deng Huasheng had still offered Li Feng such a high signing bonus.
"Mr. Deng, I believe the signing bonus is too high."
His statement stunned not only Deng Huasheng but also Bill Duffy.
Who would ever complain about getting too much money?
Li Feng smiled and calmly explained, "Mr. Deng, I am still a rookie and have not achieved any substantial results. I only need a signing bonus of two million dollars per year."
"This..." Deng Huasheng thought he had misheard. His assistant and lawyers were also shocked.
"That's right. I don't want a high signing bonus, but I am willing to take a percentage of the product profits. Also, I would like some company shares."
Deng Huasheng suddenly understood and nodded enthusiastically.
Li Feng's intention was clear: he wanted to grow with the company.
If you make money, I get a share; if you don't, I won't.
This was the second time Bill Duffy had encountered such a situation; Yao Ming had done something similar in the past.
He was deeply moved by the high moral character of Chinese athletes.
Seeing Deng Huasheng hesitate, Bill Duffy smiled and said, "Mr. Deng, Li Feng is not joking; this is his genuine sentiment. Let's draft a new contract!"
"Mr. Li Feng, aren't you sacrificing too much?"
"Not at all. I am willing to do this. Besides, my aspirations are not small! I want equity!"
"No problem, no problem! It is my honor to have Mr. Li Feng hold shares in Red Star Sports!"
...
No one expected that Li Feng's first brand endorsement would be finalized at a price of two million dollars per year.
When Nike and Adidas heard this news, they were furious.
However, with the two major international brands holding considerable sway in the NBA, Li Feng's future path would likely be challenging.
In fact, Bill Duffy had discussed this issue with Li Feng privately.
He had mentioned that the NBA was ultimately a commercial league in the United States, and as the primary sponsor, Nike's influence was enormous.
If Li Feng firmly refused to sign with Nike, his journey ahead would be difficult.
But Li Feng did not care. He believed that as long as he performed convincingly, no force could undermine him.
Understanding Li Feng's temperament, Bill Duffy could only sigh and agree to Li Feng's wishes.
...
After signing the contract, Li Feng had dinner with Deng Huasheng before preparing for the next game.
The Knicks' next regular-season game was at home against the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers had been playing well this season, with a 12-3 record at the start, ranking second in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the Knicks.
The two most popular stars in the league were Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Following them were Howard and Wade.
Li Feng's meteoric rise had generated significant anticipation for the Knicks vs. Cavaliers game.
Although the Knicks had lost to the Lakers previously, Li Feng and Kobe Bryant had gone head-to-head, so many fans were placing their hopes on LeBron James.
If Kobe couldn't "teach Li Feng a lesson," perhaps LeBron James could...
Even before the game, the media began hyping the matchup, and fans engaged in heated debates.
With LeBron James's large fanbase and Li Feng's detractors, the pre-game narrative heavily favored the Cavaliers and dismissed the Knicks and Li Feng.
Li Feng gave an interview at the press conference.
Despite being mentally prepared, a reporter's provocative question immediately irked him.
"Mr. Li Feng, the Knicks lost to the Lakers and then to the Jazz in previous games. Does this indicate that your winning streak was due to not facing truly strong opponents?"
Li Feng was speechless but knew he couldn't remain silent during an interview.
He cleared his throat and replied, "For me, every opponent is the same. I will give my all. As for winning or losing, I don't place that much importance on it."
The reporter pressed on, "The Cavaliers are on a three-game winning streak. Do you think the Knicks can defeat the Cavaliers?"
Li Feng nodded, "I believe we can win. The Knicks have high morale as a team. However, the game's outcome is unpredictable. What do you think?"
The reporter was taken aback, being asked a question back, and was momentarily lost for words.
Li Feng smiled, "Your questions, reporters, could be a bit smarter."
His implication was clear: stop asking such foolish questions.
The reporters looked displeased, and silence fell for a few seconds before another reporter raised their hand and asked, "There are rumors that Yao Ming might go to the Knicks. Do you think this will happen?"
Li Feng remained non-committal, shaking his head, "I saw the news on the forums, but I haven't discussed it with Yao Ming. We should wait for official news!"
Seeing that Li Feng did not deny it, the reporters felt there might be something to it and continued, "When do you think you and Yao Ming will next collaborate on the national team?"
Li Feng pondered, the next major event for China would be the World Championships, which were scheduled for the following off-season.
"Probably in about a year."
"Will you, Yao Ming, and Yi Jianlian all participate?" This reporter was very interested in the trio playing together.
Li Feng also yearned for the three to play together again, so he replied with a smile, "We will participate. As long as we are not injured, we will definitely contribute to our country!"
...
At the Cavaliers' press conference, LeBron James also spoke to the media.
He was not as diplomatic as Li Feng.
A reporter asked, "LeBron, Li Feng has been playing very well for the Knicks recently and has received a lot of attention. What are your thoughts?"
LeBron James's expression turned grim as he said indifferently, "He's just a rookie. He hasn't achieved any honors and has a lot to prove."
The reporter sensed a hint of hostility in LeBron James's tone and continued to stir the pot, "But his rookie stats are even more explosive than yours. Does this mean that in the coming years, he will achieve greater honors than you?"
LeBron James, being a star heavily promoted by Nike, would not allow Li Feng to become more popular than him.
Therefore, he firmly shook his head, "I don't think he will surpass me. It's normal for young players to have good stats, but he hasn't faced any real challenges. For example, tonight's game will show him what the NBA is all about!"
The reporters exclaimed, as LeBron James had issued a challenge.
Another reporter then asked, "Li Feng has been averaging 37.4 points in his first dozen games. Do you think you will personally defend him tonight?"
LeBron James shrugged and smiled, "We don't play the same position, but I will block his layups with some thunderous rejections!"
The reporters chuckled. LeBron James's blocks were notoriously powerful, and many star players' layups had been thwarted by his rejections.
With Li Feng's high scoring efficiency this season, what sparks would fly when he faced LeBron James tonight?
The strongest spear meeting the hardest shield was bound to be a fierce battle!
...
At 7:30 PM, at the Madison Square Garden arena in New York.
The Knicks hosted the second-ranked Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers' starting lineup consisted of LeBron James, Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, J.J. Hickson, and Shaquille O'Neal.
This season, the Cavaliers had signed the "Big Diesel" Shaquille O'Neal specifically to counter Dwight Howard.
Although O'Neal was in the twilight of his career, his dominance in the paint remained formidable. He had played over a dozen games this season, averaging 12 points and 7 rebounds.
Thus, the Cavaliers this season were aggressive, aiming directly for the NBA Finals.
Teams like the Knicks were not even on LeBron James and O'Neal's radar.
The Knicks' starting lineup saw some adjustments: Li Feng, David Lee, Jordan Hill, Chris Duhon, and Jared Jeffries.
Jordan Hill was temporarily in the starting lineup, primarily because his physicality was superior to Danilo Gallinari's.
Given the presence of O'Neal on the opposing team, the Knicks needed to be well-prepared.
From the opening tip-off, O'Neal secured the first possession for the Cavaliers.
LeBron James brought the ball across the half-court line.
The Cavaliers did not have a true point guard; LeBron James effectively served that role.
His playmaking ability, court vision, and overall basketball IQ were historically elite.
Jeffries was tasked with defending LeBron James.
The Knicks' pre-game strategy involved a single-coverage on LeBron James, with an emphasis on help defense and protection after his drives.
For an all-time great player, single coverage was never sufficient.
Indeed, as LeBron James crossed the half-court line, he used a crossover to create half a step of separation and then employed a "tank-like" drive into the paint.
Following their plan, the Knicks immediately rotated to provide help defense.
Both Jordan Hill and David Lee converged on LeBron James.
However, LeBron James remained unfazed. He made a no-look pass, threading the ball to O'Neal near the baseline.
O'Neal took a step and soared for a thunderous dunk!
BAM!
The Cavaliers scored the first two points!
This was a typical offensive set for the Cavaliers this season: LeBron James drove to the basket, drawing double teams to break down the opponent's defense, and then used his passing ability to create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Even though O'Neal was no longer in his prime, his powerful dunks were still awe-inspiring, causing the entire basket to tilt.
The arena staff, with a sigh, had to spend a few minutes re-securing and straightening the basket.
With the score at 2-0 in favor of the Cavaliers, the Knicks initiated their offense.
Li Feng dribbled the ball past half-court, with Anthony Parker guarding him one-on-one.
It appeared the Cavaliers were not taking Li Feng seriously from the outset, opting for single coverage, and with Parker, who was not a strong defender.
Li Feng dribbled the ball slowly, surveying his teammates' positions, and then, exploiting Parker's shift in balance, executed a quick crossover!
Crossover!
Iverson's signature move was incredibly effective, requiring no flashy embellishments.
Parker felt a blur before his eyes; Li Feng had vanished.
Having beaten Parker, Li Feng drove into the paint.
LeBron James was ready. Seeing Li Feng get past Parker, he immediately came over to help defend.
This demonstrated LeBron James's basketball IQ. While he might have sounded arrogant when speaking to the media, his preparation was thorough.
He was very familiar with Li Feng's playstyle.
Therefore, as soon as Li Feng got past Parker, LeBron James closed in.
Fans loved to see star players clash!