Smith said cautiously, "The Grizzlies' defense has always been good, especially Conley and Gay's perimeter defense. However, it seems the Grizzlies' perimeter players are not used to Li Feng's run-and-gun tactics and can't keep up with the rhythm."
Barkley said with a hint of sourness, "The Knicks will probably be like the Suns, just a regular season team. They'll struggle in the playoffs."
Smith retorted seriously, "The Suns weren't bad in the playoffs either, they just fell to the Spurs."
...
Li Feng didn't take the court until over six minutes into the second quarter.
At this point, the point difference had narrowed to five points, with the score at 41:36.
After Li Feng entered the game, he widened the lead again!
His three-pointers and drive-and-kick passes involved every Knicks teammate.
The Knicks' defense was also highly active.
Although these players' defensive talent was indeed average, their activity brought pressure to the Grizzlies.
At the end of the first half, the Knicks led by 16 points, with a score of 57:41!
Li Feng easily scored 23 points, dished out 11 assists, and grabbed 10 rebounds.
He was done for the half.
This was just a preseason game, and Li Feng wouldn't play the entire duration.
In the second half, the Grizzlies' starters did not play either. It was a battle of the reserves, and the Knicks ultimately defeated the Grizzlies 95:87.
The Knicks secured their first preseason victory.
The fans at Madison Square Garden were left wanting more, as Li Feng only played half the game.
However, in that half, Li Feng delivered a dominant performance that left fans and media in awe!
D'Antoni was reasonably satisfied with the Knicks' offense, especially Li Feng's performance.
However, the team's defense still had significant issues.
He made a request to the club management to trade for an interior player with defensive capabilities.
The Warriors also won their first preseason game, defeating the Mavericks.
Curry came off the bench and scored 16 points, an average performance.
Li Feng had been keeping an eye on Curry's performance.
The two players known as the "Splash Brothers" were experiencing vastly different fortunes.
Li Feng had become the absolute core of the Knicks, while Curry had been relegated to a reserve.
However, Li Feng wasn't worried about Curry; with Curry's abilities, an explosion was only a matter of time.
In the subsequent preseason games, the Knicks achieved a record of 2 wins and 1 loss, a decent performance.
But through these few games, Li Feng's plus-minus was astonishingly high!
+69
He was practically the sole guarantee of the team's scoring margin!
The most crucial factor was Li Feng's limited playing time, averaging only around 18 minutes per preseason game.
Li Feng's dominant preseason performance shocked the league.
Many media outlets began to consider the Knicks a favorite for the season, with ESPN predicting them to be among the top three teams in the regular season.
This was incredible, considering the Knicks were second to last in the Eastern Conference the previous season.
Consequently, many of the league's star players were displeased, as Li Feng's spotlight was too intense.
The NBA, after all, was a commercial league, and top stars were part of an intricate web of interests.
Therefore, several stars, in interviews, expressed pressure on Li Feng!
Of course, the stars were highly intelligent and targeted the entire 2009 draft class.
James said in an interview, "The 2009 rookies? Heh, they still have a lot to learn. I don't think they'll have any impact on the league."
Howard said, "I'll let them know what a no-fly zone is. If they dare to drive to the basket, I'll block them so hard they'll question everything!"
Garnett said, "I understand the energy of these young guys, but they're just raw materials, not yet fully formed!"
Kobe was the harshest, directly naming Li Feng, "I admit this draft class has a lot of talent. Griffin, Harden, Curry, Li Feng, they're all pretty good, but they're still far from it, especially Li Feng. I'll teach him how to be a man on the court!"
With the league's top stars speaking out, the topic's popularity soared, and the media continued to follow suit.
The NBA's promotional theme was about the underdogs rising to challenge the established order.
In response to the mockery from the league's veterans, the 2009 rookies also responded.
Griffin, being forthright, said in an interview with palpable defiance, "They are all established stars, and I know they are very good, but basketball is a round ball. I won't show weakness on the court and will dominate them!"
Harden, being somewhat reserved, felt indignant inwardly but was very gentle with his words.
"We will seek their guidance. Games are unpredictable, and I believe the Thunder will fear no team!"
When interviewed by reporters, Li Feng remained expressionless.
He was also aware of the league's power dynamics.
Therefore, Li Feng did not offer a confrontational response.
He simply stated, "I welcome this competition. Ever since I was in high school, I've constantly embraced challenges, and I prefer to let my basketball do the talking."
Li Feng's composure did not deter the media. In their eyes, his lack of a strong rebuttal indicated his timidity.
The media began to sensationalize Li Feng's mentality. With the enhancement of their filters, they deliberately portrayed Li Feng as feeling nervous about entering the league.
ESPN even produced a documentary titled "Pressure," questioning whether the top pick would be a bust and if he could withstand the scrutiny.
Some basketball analysts even predicted that Li Feng would not average 10 points per game in the regular season!
Furthermore, they predicted that Li Feng would be completely outplayed by Kobe and the Lakers!
Various predictions unfavorable to Li Feng followed, infuriating his fans, who felt helpless.
...
The regular season schedule was also released.
The Knicks' first game was against the Heat.
The soul of the Heat was Wade, who had previously led the Heat to a championship in 2003.
Although the team experienced a downturn in the following years, Wade's performance remained outstanding.
Many fans declared that Wade would give Li Feng a proper lesson!
Although Li Feng appeared calm on the surface, his competitive spirit was undiminished. He knew Wade was formidable, but he was not lacking either!
He had faced Wade in the 2008 Olympics.
In that game, Li Feng was only outplayed by Wade for a little over two minutes before he adapted.
After adapting, Li Feng turned the tables and dominated Wade, making his game difficult.
Of course, one game was not conclusive.
Both players were driven by a desire to prove themselves in the opening game of the regular season!
On October 30th, at 7 PM, the Heat hosted the Knicks.
The Knicks' starting five were Li Feng, Chris Duhon, Danilo Gallinari, Al Harrington, and David Lee.
The Heat's starting five were Wade, Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, and Jermaine O'Neal.
As soon as the game started, Jermaine O'Neal secured the first possession. Wade brought the ball past halfcourt, and Li Feng stepped up to defend him closely.