Even though the Knicks were well-prepared, James used his invincible drives to scatter the Knicks' interior defense.
David Lee and Gallinari couldn't stop James.
Li Feng sat on the sidelines, his brows furrowed. He knew that with the Knicks' talent, they couldn't defend against James.
He recalled that in his previous life, James's opponents all needed top-tier talent to limit him.
For example, players like Barbera, Gao Yuanyuan, Leonard, and Green.
After the timeout, the Knicks replaced their starters with reserves, while the Cavaliers did not.
Cavaliers coach Brown, enjoying the "one star, four shooters" strategy, naturally wouldn't change his lineup.
However, the Knicks' reserve lineup played with surprising effectiveness, as Jordan Hill had a way of containing James.
His height was sufficient, and his rim protection was strong.
The shooting touch of the other Cavaliers players seemed to decline, and they missed many shots after receiving passes from James.
In contrast, the Knicks' reserves, led by Jordan Hill and Larry Hughes, played vibrantly.
Cavaliers head coach Brown was stunned. He assumed his players were a bit tired and substituted James and other starters with reserves.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 33:28, with the Knicks trailing by only 5 points.
This deficit was acceptable, allowing Li Feng to rest a bit longer.
As the second quarter began, the battle between the reserve lineups was evenly matched.
Li Feng and D'Antoni felt gratified. The Knicks' reserves had progressed immensely from being easily bullied at the beginning of the season to now being evenly matched.
Larry Hughes played to his strengths, orchestrating the Knicks' reserve offense smoothly.
With 5 minutes and 52 seconds left in the second quarter, the score was 42:36, with the Cavaliers leading by 6 points.
The starters for both teams returned to the court, although O'Neal remained on the bench.
James returned and once again employed the "one star, four shooters" tactic, while the Knicks kept Jordan Hill on the floor.
As a rookie, Jordan Hill had abundant energy. After consulting with D'Antoni, he planned to play the entire second quarter.
Jordan Hill's rim protection made James's drives to the basket difficult.
This forced James to rely more on passing.
Meanwhile, Li Feng and his Knicks teammates expanded their defensive coverage, effectively limiting the Cavaliers' perimeter shooting accuracy.
The game's momentum shifted, and the Knicks gained the upper hand, stalling James's offense.
The Knicks seized the opportunity to catch up.
With another layup from Li Feng, the Knicks took a 2-point lead, 53:51!
With 3 minutes and 12 seconds remaining in the first half, Coach Brown called a timeout.
The Knicks players' morale surged.
After a sluggish first quarter, the players seemed to have found a path to victory.
Only Li Feng remained calm, acutely aware of James's basketball IQ and anticipating another adjustment.
Although Li Feng was a standout among rookies, he had played relatively few games.
As expected, after the timeout, the Cavaliers made another adjustment.
They substituted Ilgauskas and Moon for Jamison and Hickson.
These two players were weaker defensively but possessed strong three-point shooting capabilities.
The reason the Cavaliers had fallen behind earlier was that Jamison and Hickson had wasted several of James's passes.
In essence, the Cavaliers' strategy had been successful, but their players just hadn't made the shots.
The game resumed, and the Cavaliers looked rejuvenated. James's drives and passes once again tore through the Knicks' defense, and Ilgauskas and Moon hit consecutive three-pointers.
The Knicks had no choice but to collapse their defense for James's drives, and they couldn't rely solely on Jordan Hill.
This left the Cavaliers with numerous open three-point opportunities, depending on whether they could capitalize.
Li Feng grew anxious. He directed his teammates to intensify their help defense and deny those open looks.
However, human stamina is finite.
As the players increased their help defense, James amplified his individual offensive efforts.
Although shooting wasn't James's forte, his shooting was above average. He keenly sensed the Knicks' expanded defense and immediately increased his mid-range attempts.
Swish, swish, swish!
He hit consecutive mid-range shots!
The Cavaliers went on a small run, retaking the lead!
With the first half nearing its end, D'Antoni, without calling a timeout, could only sigh with a frown.
James scored a remarkable 17 points in the second quarter, along with 6 assists!
He perfectly embodied the role of a complete point forward, leaving the Knicks players disoriented.
With 11 seconds left in the second quarter, the Cavaliers had their final possession.
The Knicks were trailing by 6 points, and if the Cavaliers scored again, the Knicks would be in danger.
As soon as James crossed half-court with the ball, Li Feng pressed him.
James was aware of Li Feng's stealing ability and immediately signaled for a teammate to set a screen.
The moment Moon stepped in to block Li Feng, Li Feng, like lightning, bypassed the screen!
As James drove into the paint, intending to gather the ball and shoot,
Suddenly, his hands felt empty; the ball was gone!
Not good!
James turned around and saw that Li Feng had somehow reappeared behind him.
With just over 2 seconds left in the first half, Li Feng, after the steal, rapidly pushed the ball forward.
At the half-court line, with only 0.7 seconds remaining, Li Feng suddenly launched a shot!
For others, this would be a buzzer-beater, a casual heave.
But for Li Feng, it was almost a regular three-pointer.
James was furious. He refused to allow a steal followed by a successful three-pointer.
So, he swung his arm back fiercely, striking Li Feng's arm.
Whoosh!
Thump!
The ball was released, and Li Feng was sent crashing to the floor by James!
Beep!
The referee's whistle blew, calling a foul on James!
At this moment, the basketball was still soaring through the air, and all eyes were on it.
Swish!
The ball, with incredible precision, found its way into the basket!
The entire arena erupted, and the home crowd at the Cavaliers' arena was stunned.
The Knicks' teammates were ecstatic, rushing over to help Li Feng up and shouting with excitement.
James looked innocent, explaining himself to the referee, but the referee remained unmoved. His action was indeed too egregious to ignore.
The deficit instantly narrowed to 3 points, and Li Feng still had a free throw.
Li Feng stepped up to the free-throw line and calmly sank the shot!
At the end of the first half, the score was 61:59!
The Cavaliers held only a 2-point lead, and the ultimate victor remained uncertain!
James was enraged. What should have been an opportunity to extend the lead was reduced to 2 points by Li Feng!
...
In the TNT broadcast booth, Barkley and Smith were providing commentary on the game.
In his pre-game analysis, Barkley had predicted a successful revenge for the Cavaliers, citing James's status as a league superstar.
"James is still very strong, but Li Feng's performance is also good; they're not falling behind. The second half should be very exciting!"
"Yes, the teammates' performance is crucial now. Both players have showcased their strengths."
"James's mid-range game today is very steady, which surprises me."
"James's mid-range game has indeed improved this season. He no longer relies solely on layups, and his three-point percentage is around 33%, which is quite good."
Barkley expressed some concern for Li Feng.
"Although Li Feng's defense is strong, he can't defend James. The difference in their weight is too significant."
"But Li Feng has quick hands; didn't he just get a steal?"
"James won't make continuous mistakes. It won't be easy for Li Feng to steal the ball again."
...
The second half of the game commenced.
O'Neal did not play, effectively being rested. James continued to play with four shooters.
The Knicks' lineup remained largely unchanged, with Gallinari being replaced by Jordan Hill.
The Cavaliers continued their "one star, four shooters" strategy, with James going on a rampage.
However, James was also cautious, specifically assigning a player to stay with Li Feng to prevent any sneak attacks.
Although the Knicks' offense was also decent, the Cavaliers' offense was noticeably smoother.
The score difference widened again. With over 5 minutes into the third quarter, the Cavaliers had taken a 10-point lead.
Coach D'Antoni couldn't sit still and quickly called a timeout.
In truth, he had few solutions. James was in the zone, his shooting touch was otherworldly, and he had made four consecutive mid-range shots in the third quarter.
This was actually rare in James's career.
It was evident that James was taking this game very seriously, treating it as a playoff match.
His focus was so intense that his shooting accuracy was exceptionally high.
During the timeout, Coach D'Antoni could only reiterate the importance of defense.
In reality, the Knicks players were already giving their all on defense, but James was playing like a god, making him impossible to stop!
After the timeout, the game resumed.
As the Knicks' core leader, Li Feng had to respond. He drove to the basket, blowing past three defenders, and made a floating layup!
This play showcased Li Feng's driving ability and body coordination, combined with his incredible speed, leaving the Cavaliers players helpless.
However, the Cavaliers immediately responded with James driving and passing to a teammate for a three-pointer!
The Cavaliers' strategy was highly efficient.
The gap between the two teams widened to 15 points.
Li Feng shook his head in frustration, finally understanding why James had become a superstar.
His court control ability was immense.
In their second encounter of the season, the Cavaliers had already managed to suppress the Knicks.
Although Li Feng's scoring was not low today, with 26 points, James had 27 points.
However, James had opened up all of the team's offensive avenues.
Compared to James, Li Feng's playmaking ability was still a notch below.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 93:77, with the Cavaliers leading by 16 points.
Li Feng walked off the court with his head down, feeling a sense of powerlessness, the kind where you give your all but are ultimately helpless.
D'Antoni also recognized the gap between the two teams. Li Feng's previous advantages were no longer advantages against James.
As the fourth quarter began, the reserve lineups faced off, and the score difference did not increase.
With just over 7 minutes remaining, both teams' starters returned to the court.
As the Knicks' core player, Li Feng had to give his all for the final few minutes.
Even knowing the outcome, Li Feng would not give up.
Because they were professional athletes, sports stars, with countless spectators paying to watch them play.
They had to display their sportsmanship every moment, every second.
Both teams' starters played well, and the game was evenly matched. However, with the Cavaliers holding a double-digit lead, the Knicks couldn't catch up.
Finally, the game ended, with the Cavaliers defeating the Knicks 116:102 at home, avenging their previous loss.
After the game, James was in high spirits, generously coming over to embrace and shake hands with Li Feng, exchanging a few words.
Li Feng also offered his congratulations and swapped jerseys with James.
James played 36 minutes today, scoring 35 points, dishing out 12 assists, and grabbing 8 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double.
Li Feng played 35 minutes today, scoring 36 points, dishing out 11 assists, and grabbing 10 rebounds, achieving a triple-double.
On paper, their performances were similar, but those who understood the game knew that James was superior today and dominated the match.
From an all-around perspective, Li Feng was still a tier below.
Despite losing this game, Li Feng's mood was good. He had experienced the dominance of a top-tier league superstar.
He would save the game footage and review it when he had time.
...
Upon returning to New York, Li Feng collaborated with Hongxing Sports for a signing event at their flagship store in a shopping mall.
The first signature shoe designed by Hongxing Sports for Li Feng sold out instantly.
The shoe received widespread praise from fans for its comfort, practicality, and appearance.
Many fans bought multiple pairs for collection.
Because Li Feng had already shown superstar potential, and Hongxing Sports, as a Chinese brand, was unfamiliar to most people.
Therefore, they considered the shoe to have significant commemorative value.
Li Feng had originally planned for a one-hour signing event.
However, the fans were so enthusiastic that Li Feng ended up signing for over three hours, with many fans still waiting.
Li Feng had no choice. He still had training to attend, so he apologized to the fans still in line and left for the gym. kanδ
The Knicks' next few games were against the Celtics, Bucks, and Suns, resulting in a three-game winning streak.
...
The NBA All-Star voting officially began.
James, Kobe, Howard, Garnett, and Li Feng had very similar vote counts, with little difference.
Although Li Feng wasn't particularly concerned about the voting, he still checked the results frequently.
His agent, Bill Duffy, placed great importance on this vote, as it directly impacted Li Feng's commercial value.
Players who participate in the All-Star game do not necessarily represent the pinnacle of skill, but they are guaranteed to be the most popular among fans.
Some players are extremely talented, like Duncan, who led a small-market team to numerous championships.
However, his commercial value is not truly high.
This is due to his playing style not being flashy and his willingness to sacrifice his statistics for the team's victory, doing much work on the court that doesn't appear in the stat sheets.
The Knicks' next game was an away game against the Rockets.
This was the first meeting between the two teams this season and another highly anticipated "derby match" for many Chinese fans.
The previous game between the Knicks and the Nets was dubbed the "China Derby."
However, Yi Jianlian's current stature was not enough. Li Feng and Yao Ming were the two cornerstones of Chinese basketball.
Therefore, the game between the Knicks and the Rockets was the true "China Derby"!
Before heading to Houston, Li Feng had another phone call with Yao Ming.