D'Antoni spoke with Li Feng at length, discussing everything from team tactics to player configurations in detail.
Although Li Feng was just a rookie, his solid foundation from playing in the NCAA gave him a strong understanding of tactics.
During practice, David Lee and Gallinari, the two undisputed main core players, took the initiative to greet and chat with Li Feng.
Li Feng's status within the team was evident.
When a rookie joins a team, even if they are the top pick, they still need to consider the feelings of the original core players.
Even LeBron James, when he first joined the Cavaliers, was more low-key for many games before gradually establishing his absolute core status.
However, Li Feng, after playing only a few summer league games, had already convinced D'Antoni to build the team around him.
David Lee and Gallinari naturally understood the coach's intentions and immediately approached Li Feng to communicate and build rapport.
"Hey, Li Feng, I saw your game, it was great, very mature. I'll be counting on you from now on!" David Lee said, patting Li Feng on the shoulder.
"If you have any requests for us, just let us know, and we'll cooperate with you."
Both expressed their deference to Li Feng.
Li Feng understood their meaning, but he didn't want the team atmosphere to be like one of ruler and subject. He said sincerely, "You two have been here longer, and there's a lot I need to learn from you. Let's adapt to each other and find our rhythm gradually!"
The subsequent training content was centered around Li Feng as the initiator, with the entire team playing an "offense by bombardment" style, where if they could shoot a three-pointer, they should take it decisively.
The tactical changes Li Feng brought to the team were astonishing. A once listless team immediately displayed a fluid and flowing offense.
While the offense was in place, defense became an issue.
D'Antoni, with the bitter experience of the previous Suns team, knew deeply that defense was the prerequisite for winning a championship.
Li Feng's defense was not a problem, but the defense from other positions on the team was too ordinary.
David Lee and Gallinari were both players who were strong offensively and weak defensively.
They could dominate in the regular season, but in the playoffs, they might become the team's weak point and be exploited.
Therefore, Li Feng and D'Antoni discussed the need to strengthen defense and possibly trade players.
During practice, after Li Feng completed three thousand shots, the system emitted another prompt.
【Ding, system detects that the host's shots have reached three thousand, unlocking the Catch and Shoot badge!】
【After catching the ball, the host can quickly adjust their shooting form and shorten the release time!】
Awesome!
It's known that offensive actions from the perimeter are generally slower because the farther you are from the basket, the more accuracy is required.
Therefore, perimeter defense was not difficult in the early days; the difficulty lay in the battles inside the paint.
With the rise of the three-point shot, the speed of perimeter shots has become faster and faster, with Reggie Miller and Ray Allen being outstanding examples.
However, their shooting speed was not outrageous and could still be defended.
Li Feng's shooting speed was already very fast. The reason he and Curry were called the Splash Brothers was not only their accuracy but also their speed.
And with the system's help, Li Feng's shooting speed increased by forty percent!
Li Feng was well aware of how much the improvement in shooting speed would enhance the efficiency of the team's overall tactics.
So, he trained even harder, sweating profusely, aiming not only for speed but also for stability!
Although these were Li Feng's internal thoughts, and the training was very private, D'Antoni, while practicing with his teammates, keenly noticed the changes in Li Feng's shooting.
He felt both surprised and delighted.
For Coach D'Antoni, who specialized in the run-and-gun offense, the importance of the tactical engine was even more apparent.
Li Feng's mobility was already fast, and now with his increased shooting speed, he was truly a bug-like super guard!
Coach D'Antoni immediately organized a scrimmage, dividing all the players into two groups.
The players knew the significance of this scrimmage: it would determine the final roster for the regular season.
Whoever played well in the scrimmage would get more playing time in the regular season.
Therefore, the players were eager to play and ready to perform their best.
The Knicks players were divided into two teams: the Red Team and the Blue Team.
The Red Team players included Li Feng, Dorrell Wright, Al Harrington, Bill Walker, and Earl Barron.
The Blue Team players included Toney Douglas, Wilson Chandler, Gallinari, David Lee, and Jared Jeffries.
To more clearly demonstrate the run-and-gun tactics, Li Feng and the Red Team players increased their tempo.
Under his leadership, the Red Team's offense typically concluded within 10 seconds.
With such speed, coupled with Li Feng's three-point accuracy, the Blue Team was in distress.
David Lee and Gallinari, both prolific scorers, found themselves playing tired and with significantly reduced efficiency under the Red Team's rapid offense and defense.
By the end of the first quarter, the Red Team led by 9 points, with a score of 27:16.
D'Antoni, acting as the referee on the sidelines, was inwardly beaming with joy.
Compared to Nash, Li Feng was not only more explosive physically but also possessed astonishing passing ability.
Even without a powerful forward like Amar'e Stoudemire on the team, Li Feng could comfortably deliver the ball to his teammates.
On the defensive end, Li Feng provided help defense everywhere, compensating for the weaknesses of the faster players.
The embryonic form of a two-way superstar was emerging before everyone's eyes.
In the second quarter of the scrimmage, Li Feng further showcased his defensive explosiveness to its fullest.
He not only cleaned up after his teammates but also blocked shots from all five players on the Blue Team.
By halftime, the Red Team was leading the Blue Team by 27 points.
D'Antoni felt there was no need to continue the second half and decided to make Li Feng the absolute core, with everyone else simply cooperating.
Before this scrimmage, some players still harbored some dissatisfaction towards Li Feng.
However, after halftime, there were no longer any objections; the dominance Li Feng displayed completely overwhelmed everyone.
...
Upon returning to his accommodation that evening, Yi Jianlian called Li Feng.
Due to Li Feng's outstanding performance in the summer league, Yi Jianlian was very happy for him.
Yi Jianlian had not been doing particularly well in the NBA, so he did not want Li Feng to suffer the same fate and had been closely following Li Feng's development.
"Li Feng, I watched your summer league games, and you played really great. Especially in the game where you defeated the Thunder, you put on an amazing performance. Honestly, you will definitely become a superstar!"
Li Feng was also touched by Yi Jianlian's words.
Although Ah Lian was not eloquent, he had a broad perspective and did not feel jealous of Li Feng just because they were both Chinese.
Instead, he had been trying to find ways to help Li Feng.
Li Feng reciprocated by constantly encouraging Ah Lian, hoping he could play to his level with the Nets, grow quickly, and one day become China's Great Wall alongside Yao Ming!