Section 3, the latter half, saw Li Feng guiding the Knicks to find their rhythm and go on a small run.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 83:74, with the Knicks leading by nine points.
Rose had been substituted out by Thibodeau with over eight minutes left in the quarter because his impact on the court was minimal.
Perhaps this was the worst game Rose had played all season.
Rose sat on the bench, his head covered by a towel, feeling somewhat dazed.
What should I do? Should I change my playing style? Am I really inferior to Li Feng?
A series of question marks appeared in Rose's mind.
However, Li Feng had already demonstrated incredible dominance in the game, and Rose couldn't think of a good solution.
Thibodeau also had no answer to limiting Li Feng.
This was understandable; if even the Lakers and Heat couldn't stop Li Feng, how could the Bulls?
The only hope was that after Rose left the court, other players would step up.
The fourth quarter began with Li Feng resting on the bench, with his substitutes entering the game.
Billups took the court, but Felton remained on the bench.
Because the Bulls had a formidable bench of forwards, D'Antoni temporarily increased the height of his reserve lineup.
Bill Walker, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Timofey Mozgov formed the Knicks' frontcourt.
Stoudemire had only played half of the third quarter, specifically to help the reserve unit.
This temporary lineup change proved to be quite effective.
Facing the Bulls' bench players, the Knicks no longer conceded ground. In the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, the score difference remained around eight points, with the Knicks in the lead.
Thibodeau, with no other recourse, brought his starting lineup back onto the court.
Rose had a long discussion with Thibodeau on the bench and finally came up with a countermeasure.
It wasn't exactly a brilliant strategy, simply having teammates set screens for Rose to shake off Li Feng's tight marking.
While this tactic was commonplace and used by any team, it was rarely employed by someone as proud as Rose.
This was because Rose favored "naked drives," meaning drives without screens, relying on his constant change of direction to shed defenders.
However, today, Rose found himself unable to shake off Li Feng, nor could he avoid the double-teams.
With 6 minutes and 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was 96:87, with the Knicks leading by nine points.
As soon as Rose returned to the court, he used a screen to get away from Li Feng.
He then drove to the basket and assisted Noah for two points.
The deficit was cut to seven points.
Li Feng smiled.
This was exactly what he had hoped for.
Rose's raw drives were too taxing on his knees and ankles. Now that he was learning to use screens, it would help him maintain his peak physical condition for longer.
But the game was still ongoing, and with them being opponents, Li Feng had to respond.
On the Knicks' offense, Li Feng also used a screen from his teammate and hit a three-pointer, extending the lead back to ten points.
Rose shook his head helplessly, realizing that Li Feng's style of play was too advanced, too far ahead of his contemporaries.
The Bulls' offense.
Rose tried to replicate his earlier play, using a teammate's screen to drive again.
Unexpectedly, the Knicks switched their defense. Although Li Feng was screened off, other players continuously provided help defense and quickly converged in a tight trap.
Rose was again flustered. How could the Knicks adapt so quickly?
The Knicks' layered defensive formation gave Rose no opportunity to drive.
When he tried to pass, he found that all passing lanes were also blocked.
As a result, the Bulls were called for another 24-second violation.
Thibodeau shook his head in frustration, not blaming Rose, but envying the Knicks' excellent defensive adjustments.
It was no wonder they could win championships; they truly adapted to every situation, and their overall defense was incredibly strong.
Under Li Feng's leadership, the Knicks maintained their lead.
The Bulls were unable to mount a comeback, and Rose was effectively contained, scoring only 4 points in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Li Feng scored 13 points and dished out 5 assists in the fourth quarter, completely dominating the game's outcome.
In the end, the Knicks defeated the Bulls 116:108 on the Bulls' home court.
Li Feng played 37 minutes, scoring 42 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 14 assists.
Rose scored 31 points today. While his stats looked decent, he was clearly outplayed by Li Feng in crucial moments.
For a player vying for MVP this season, his performance today was deeply disappointing.
After the game, despite his own disappointment, Rose walked up to Li Feng and congratulated him.
"Li Feng, you played great today, I really admire you."
Li Feng clasped Rose's arm and said sincerely, "Rose, your playing style is really popular. We have many fans of yours in China."
Rose was taken aback, not understanding why Li Feng would say that.
He chuckled and shook his head, "You're exaggerating. I surely don't have as many fans as you do."
"No, you have just as many fans as I do, and they all have one wish: that you can play for many more years."
Rose was surprised again, asking confusedly, "I'm only 22, of course, I'll play for many more years..."
Li Feng sighed and slowly said, "It's not just Chinese fans. Even the American media have analyzed you. Your playing style suggests a high probability of future injuries."
Rose became a bit annoyed. He had heard this before, but he was young now and extremely confident in his body.
"Li Feng, please stop. You are indeed very strong, but try to say less of this. I will work hard to catch up to you!"
Rose mistook Li Feng's good intentions for a curse, believing Li Feng was mocking him.
Li Feng knew very well that their relationship wasn't at that level yet, so Rose wouldn't listen to any advice.
Therefore, Li Feng thought for a moment and said, "Rose, are you free tomorrow? I'd like to invite you for a coffee."
Rose was quite introverted and had almost no friends in the league.
Li Feng's invitation made Rose hesitate for a few seconds.
Finally, seeing the sincerity in Li Feng's eyes, Rose reluctantly nodded, "Alright, I'll come to your hotel tomorrow."
Li Feng was very happy. It was evident that Rose didn't hold any prejudice against him.
"Great, see you tomorrow!" Li Feng patted Rose's shoulder.
The Knicks' next game was at home against the Pistons, so the entire team flew back to New York the next morning.
Only Li Feng remained in Chicago, as he wanted to have a good talk with Rose.
Moreover, he genuinely wanted to become good friends with Rose.
...
Rose kept his promise and drove to Li Feng's hotel, then picked him up and drove him to a nearby coffee shop.
Friendships are as pure as water.
Li Feng didn't take Rose out for a meal or to a nightclub.
Because Rose's personality was completely different from Harden's, Li Feng opted for a quiet environment like a coffee shop.
The two arrived at the coffee shop and found a window seat.
"Rose, I feel honored to be having coffee with you here," Li Feng said with a smile, looking at Rose.
Rose still maintained his expressionless demeanor, but he had already begun to consider Li Feng a friend.
"Don't say that, Li Feng. Your status is much higher than mine," Rose said with a touch of banter.
Li Feng laughed, "It's not about status. I heard that no one in the league has private contact with you."
Rose nodded, "That's true. You're the first person I've met privately. Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead!"
"Why did you invite me to meet?"
Li Feng took a sip of coffee and replied, "As I've already said, as your fan, I hope you can change your playing style and extend your professional career."
"On what grounds do you tell me this?" Rose furrowed his brow again.
"No grounds, other than that I want to be your friend."
Looking into Li Feng's sincere eyes, Rose was deeply moved.
Li Feng, as one of the league's top superstars, was discussing his playing style and career longevity with him here, in such an open manner.
In fact, Rose himself knew that his current style of play carried significant risks of injury.
He often felt soreness in his ankles after certain games, and the team doctors had also offered similar advice.
However, Rose's personality was inherently stubborn. He believed that playing the game in the most exhilarating way was the mark of a true man, and he didn't want to consider the possibility of injury.
Seeing Rose fall silent, Li Feng knew his words were having an impact.
Li Feng seized the opportunity and said, "Rose, your physical talent is top-tier in history. With just a slight change in your playing style, you can extend your career. Don't you want to create miracles for the Bulls?"
"The Bulls have been in decline since Jordan retired and haven't shown much improvement for years. You've brought hope to the Bulls now. If you were to get injured, who knows how many more years the Bulls would remain in mediocrity."
This statement truly struck a chord with Rose.
His lifelong ambition was to follow in Jordan's footsteps, lead the Bulls to another era of glory, and win a championship!
If he were to get injured, all of that would vanish like smoke.
"Okay, Li Feng, I promise you, I'll change my playing style from now on," Rose said, touched. He nodded and looked directly into Li Feng's eyes.
Li Feng felt a surge of joy. Rose was a very stubborn person; once he made a promise, he would definitely keep it!
"You mean it, Rose? As your fan, I hope to see you play for many more years. As your opponent, I hope to compete against you on the court more often!"
"It's a deal. When I, Rose, make a promise, I always keep it!"
Rose suddenly stood up and said, "Li Feng, let me treat you to a drink. Becoming your friend is the happiest thing for me!"
Li Feng was surprised that the usually calm Rose wanted to drink with him.
"Alright, Rose, we'll have a couple of drinks. But we have a game tomorrow, so we can't overdo it!"
"I won't drink too much. I'm just very happy. Although I have few friends, I cherish every one of them!"
Li Feng suddenly realized that beneath Rose's cool exterior lay a pure soul, much like a child.
Rose drove Li Feng to a very upscale restaurant, ordered a few dishes, and a bottle of wine worth over a hundred thousand yuan.
Li Feng had heard that Rose came from a poor family, and although he made a lot of money playing basketball, he was still quite frugal in his daily life.
The fact that he was treating him to such expensive wine today indicated that Rose truly considered him a friend.
Although both were happy, they remained rational. They shared one bottle of wine and then returned to their respective hotels.
That night, Li Feng flew back to New York.
For a training fanatic like Li Feng, missing a day of practice was highly unusual.
The next evening, the Knicks hosted the Pistons.
This year's Pistons team had a poor record, currently standing at 3 wins and 7 losses, ranking twelfth in the Eastern Conference.
However, the entire Knicks team did not take their opponents lightly. Although Li Feng returned a day late, he still watched game film of the Pistons on the plane.
After half a day of practice with the team, Li Feng's condition was good, which reassured D'Antoni.
The Knicks' starting lineup was Li Feng, Jordan Hill, Amar'e Stoudemire, Luis Scola, and Ty Lawson.
The Pistons' starting five were Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton, Greg Monroe, Rodney Stuckey, and Tracy McGrady.
McGrady was in the twilight of his career, suffering from injuries.
However, this season, McGrady was averaging over 20 minutes per game for the Pistons, indicating his body was still holding up reasonably well.
As one of the most talented players in NBA history, McGrady's injuries had caused many fans to sigh with regret.
His explosive first step and his mastery of the ball had captivated many fans.
Even Kobe Bryant had admitted that McGrady was the most difficult player for him to defend.
...
The game began with Monroe winning the tip for the Pistons.
Prince brought the ball across half-court, and Li Feng stepped up to defend him closely.
As the Pistons' "Little Prince," Prince was extremely dangerous in his prime, with his cutting layups and baseline drives posing significant threats.
Facing Li Feng, Prince dared not drive easily. He called for a screen before attacking the paint.
Stoudemire immediately came over to help defend, and Prince passed the ball to McGrady on the right side.
Scola was defending McGrady.
Despite his age and numerous injuries, McGrady's speed was still astonishing.
Scola, having been teammates with McGrady for many years, knew this and defended with all his might.
But McGrady was McGrady; no matter how hard Scola tried, he couldn't stop him.
*Swish!*
McGrady executed a crossover, leaving Scola behind him, and drove to the baseline for a pull-up jump shot!
In the past, McGrady would have definitely driven to the basket and scored in unbelievable ways.
But now, his drives were not as sharp, so he resorted to the pull-up jumper to finish the play.
His touch was still good, and McGrady smoothly made his first shot!
The Knicks still had many McGrady fans, and they gave him a warm round of applause when he scored.
Li Feng also nodded slightly. He had been a fan of McGrady in his younger days, and seeing McGrady score brought a sense of emotion.
However, the Knicks' overall strength was still superior. By the end of the first half, the Pistons were trailing by 12 points.
McGrady had played 13 minutes in the first half and scored 11 points, playing quite well.
Li Feng had played 15 minutes and scored 17 points, being the highest scorer on either team.
After the second half began, the Knicks completely dominated the game, maintaining their lead throughout. Ultimately, the Knicks easily defeated the Pistons at home.
After the game, Li Feng and McGrady also chatted for a long time.