If Li Feng had gone straight for a layup, he would likely have been blocked by Kobe or fouled.
So, Li Feng used the system's [Fancy Dribbling] skill.
Li Feng smiled slightly.
Of course, fancy dribbling was mostly ineffective against Kobe, but combined with Li Feng's league-fastest first step, its effectiveness was greatly enhanced.
Faced with Li Feng's dazzling dribbling, Kobe was hesitant to make a move.
Suddenly, Li Feng crossed over, changed direction to the left, and drove to the basket.
Kobe reacted a moment too late. In mid-air, Li Feng twisted his body and went for a reverse layup!
Swish!
Two points were scored.
Kobe was dumbfounded!
Li Feng seemed like a different person, his rhythm completely changed from before.
His learning ability was too strong!
32:25, the score difference was 7 points.
Since the start of the second quarter, the US team hadn't scored yet!
This was incredible.
The fans at the Wukesong Stadium went wild again.
It was known that Kobe held immense importance among Chinese fans, with a massive following.
Of course, when facing their own national team, fans could distinguish priorities.
Li Feng scoring 2 points against Kobe's defense was incredibly exciting.
Kobe nodded slightly, his expression grim. He walked up to Li Feng and yelled, "Don't worry, I won't let you score more than 10 points!"
Many people heard this.
So far, Li Feng had scored 5 points.
Could he really be held to under 10 points?
Li Feng snorted and retorted, "Alright, let's see!"
The game's tension escalated.
This was the finals, and the audience craved an intense match and a star-studded showdown!
Following that, Kobe hit a pull-up three-pointer, scoring 3 points in return.
The two teams traded blows, with the scores rising alternately.
After Da Yao, he sank two more three-pointers, unleashing this secret weapon and once again narrowing the gap.
With 6 seconds left before halftime, Li Feng drove to the frontcourt and, under Kobe's defense, hit another super-long three-pointer!
56:56! China had tied the Dream Eight team.
Kobe was frustrated. Li Feng had already scored 10 points, and if this three-pointer hadn't gone in, Li Feng would truly have been held to under 10 points.
Unfortunately, Li Feng's shooting touch was incredible, and he reached 13 points before the end of the first half!
"Sorry, I got 13 points!" Li Feng said calmly to Kobe after the halftime buzzer.
Kobe's face turned ashen. He knew he was about to be proven wrong.
But this was normal; trash talk was part of the game, and Kobe, a veteran superstar, was used to it.
"Not bad, you played well!" Kobe replied, then walked off the court.
At halftime, Li Feng had scored 13 points. Although slightly less than in previous games, his resurgence in the second quarter was a good sign.
Yao Ming had scored 21 points in the first half, performing brilliantly with 7 rebounds, making him China's biggest contributor.
Kobe had scored 17 points in the first half, leading the US team in scoring.
However, the US team had many stars, and their scoring was balanced: Howard with 5 points, Anthony with 15, and James with 11.
Wade scored 6 points, and Bosh had 2.
...
In the CCTV sports broadcast studio, Yu Jia and Zhang Zhidao were extremely nervous.
As Chinese, they couldn't remain calm.
"Zhang Zhidao, the first half was truly thrilling!"
"Yes, Li Feng's progress is too rapid. I thought he would be suppressed today."
Zhang Zhidao's impression of Li Feng improved significantly.
This was because many star players performed well in international competitions but struggled against NBA superstars.
For instance, Spanoulis of Greece was such a player.
Although he was known as the "European Kobe" in Europe, he couldn't perform in the NBA.
Li Feng's performance in the first quarter led Zhang Zhidao to believe he was also such a player.
However, Li Feng's strong comeback in the second quarter earned Zhang Zhidao's respect.
"The third quarter is very important. It depends on whether our China can hold on. If they can withstand it and not let the gap widen, they can still fight in the fourth quarter!"
"Your analysis is correct. In previous games, the US team would quickly widen the gap in the third quarter. Their overall strength is just too different."
"To be honest, Yao Ming's basic strength is there. For China to have a chance to win now, it depends on how Li Feng plays!"
"Indeed, Yao Ming's stamina is limited. Even with outstanding performance, he can only score thirty to forty points, while the US team are stamina monsters. If Li Feng can step up, it will maintain balance."
...
In the locker room, the morale of the Chinese players was high.
Just a few days ago, if someone had told them that China would tie with the US Dream Eight team at halftime, no one would have believed it.
But that was the reality now.
"Brothers, we still have hope in the second half, let's fight for it!" Yao Ming exclaimed to his teammates, a rare show of emotion.
Yao Ming always gave an impression of being gentle and refined, but today, he transformed into an inside beast, showcasing his true talent.
Li Feng also shouted, "Let's fight! Even if we lose, we'll go down fighting and take a layer of skin off them!"
"Yes, even if we die, we die standing!"
...
The Chinese players had never felt so excited and yet so defiant.
Younes also entered and clapped, saying, "I don't have much to say. Tactics are no longer important. What I want to say is thank you. You are all the best!"
Li Feng replied, "Coach, we are all Chinese, and it is our duty to contribute to our country, so there's no need for thanks."
...
In the Dream Eight team's locker room, the atmosphere was somber.
These superstars had never expected to be tied by the Chinese team at halftime.
Kobe sat on his chair, his expression grim, and LeBron James was also sulking.
"Hey, does anyone have anything to say?" Kobe, as the team's elder statesman, posed the question.
LeBron James said, "Let me say a few words first. We need to strengthen our defense."
This hit the nail on the head. The Dream Six team's defense had indeed relaxed in the second quarter.
Of course, Li Feng had truly exploded, and neither Wade nor Kobe could stop him.
Howard said, "I'll take responsibility first. I admit I couldn't defend Yao Ming in the paint."
Kobe consoled him, "It's not your fault. Yao Ming is truly difficult to defend. The main responsibility is mine; I didn't defend Li Feng effectively, and that's the main reason we were tied."
Wade raised his hand and said, "The greatest responsibility is mine. I failed to defend Li Feng, allowing him to find his rhythm."
At this moment, Coach K walked in, having overheard his players' discussion.
"Everyone, stop blaming yourselves. You need to have confidence. As long as you play normally, the championship will be ours!"