After the game, the Hawks players came over to congratulate the Knicks players.
Li Feng spent the most time talking with Joe Johnson. He really liked this "invisible killer" and hoped the Knicks could sign him next year if possible.
The other playoff matchups were also very exciting.
In the East, the Bulls led the Pacers 3-1, the Heat led the 76ers 3-1, and the Celtics were tied with the Magic at 2-2.
In the West, the Spurs trailed the Grizzlies 1-3, the Lakers were tied with the Hornets (Tihos) at 2-2, the Mavericks led the Trail Blazers 3-1, and the Thunder led the Nuggets 3-1.
The Lakers being tied by Paul's Hornets was unexpected by many fans, but the Lakers' playoff form this year was indeed not good.
The Knicks' next opponent would be the winner between the Heat and the 76ers.
Of course, the Heat's Big Three had a high probability of winning. The 76ers' third victory was a narrow overtime win at home.
Moreover, Wade had a minor injury in that game and did not play in the fourth quarter.
After a day of rest, the entire Knicks team began preparation and training.
The coaching staff studied the Heat's playoff performance and organized targeted training for the whole team.
Since they lacked home-court advantage, the Knicks were under considerable pressure.
The strategy for the second round was to try and steal one away game, which would then give them home-court advantage back.
While waiting for their next opponent, Li Feng did not relax. He even declined Jenner's invitation and stayed in.
At his residence, Li Feng continuously watched recordings of Heat games.
He knew that the Heat had been improving all year, their team coordination becoming more seamless. The Heat in the playoffs were even more unstoppable than after the All-Star break.
LeBron James's drives were particularly smooth and effective.
Once he reached the basket, James's touch around the rim became even more invincible. No matter how many defenders were present, he could find a way to put the ball in the basket.
This ability of James's was top-tier historically; he was confident against anyone.
Therefore, how to limit James's drives would be the primary tactical consideration for the Knicks.
Two days later, another round of playoffs concluded, and several teams advanced to the second round.
The Bulls defeated the Pacers 4-1, and the Heat defeated the 76ers 4-1.
The Celtics led the Magic 3-2.
The Spurs trailed the Grizzlies 2-3, their situation critical.
The Thunder defeated the Nuggets 4-1, the Lakers led the Hornets (Tihos) 3-2, and the Mavericks led the Trail Blazers 3-2.
The second-round playoff series between the Knicks and the Heat was imminent!
Countless fans were paying attention to this matchup.
Since the offseason before this season, the media and fans had been predicting that these two teams would be Eastern Conference Finals opponents.
It was just that no one expected them to meet in the second round.
Whether it was the media or the fans, they had more confidence in the Heat's Big Three.
This was because after the All-Star break, the Heat seemed to have undergone a qualitative change. They had perfectly combined the advantages of their Big Three to play a dominant brand of basketball.
Although the Knicks swept their first-round playoff opponent 4-0, while the Heat lost one game, this did not necessarily indicate the Knicks were stronger.
At the pre-game press conference, James and Wade were interviewed by the media.
A reporter asked, "Mr. James, the Knicks led the Heat 2-1 in the regular season. Does that mean the Knicks are the stronger team?"
James snorted, "What does that prove? The regular season is the regular season, and the playoffs are the playoffs. We are confident we can beat any opponent in the playoffs!"
The reporters expressed their admiration for James's confidence and applauded.
Another reporter asked, "Your Big Three did not perform well before the All-Star break. Does that mean you haven't gelled yet?"
James nodded, "It's normal. It's our first year playing together, and we need to adapt to each other in many ways. There's only one ball, and everyone has to make sacrifices."
Another reporter asked Wade a question: "Wade, it seems like your off-ball movement has increased significantly in games. Does this mean you are changing your playstyle?"
Wade smiled, "Of course. We are all changing our playstyles because we want to unite as one and win games. Besides, I really like the off-ball role; it suits me well!"
Although he said this, everyone knew that having the ball in your hands generally led to better statistics, so Wade was making considerable sacrifices.
A reporter followed up, "With home-court advantage, you have a great chance of defeating the Knicks. But if, and I mean if, you lose the series, will your Big Three disband?"
James's and Wade's expressions immediately changed.
"What are you talking about? We're not going to lose! Even if we do, we won't disband because we are brothers, and the Heat is about brotherly basketball!" James shouted resolutely.
The reporter was intimidated by James's fierce demeanor and didn't dare to ask further questions.
Wade was deeply moved. He extended his hand for a fist bump with James, and they looked at each other and laughed heartily.
At the Knicks' press conference, Li Feng and Yao Ming were interviewed.
Since Yao Ming had not been interviewed for a while, the reporter's first question was directed at him.
"Mr. Yao, how is your physical recovery? Are there any minutes restrictions for you today?"
Yao Ming replied with a smile, "My body is completely fine. I can play 48 minutes, haha!"
Seeing Yao Ming joking, the reporters knew he was in good spirits and likely fully recovered.
Another reporter asked, "Mr. Li Feng, the Knicks lost consecutively to the Bulls and the Heat before the playoffs. Does this indicate that your team's form is not good?"
Li Feng nodded, "Yes, our Knicks' form was indeed not good before the playoffs, which is why we fell to third in the East. But we have returned to our best form in the playoffs, and Yao Ming is back. We are now the strongest team!"
Seeing Li Feng's confidence, the reporter asked again, "LeBron James has been very dominant recently, with high efficiency on his drives. Do you have a way to limit him?"
Li Feng shrugged and smiled, "It's impossible to completely limit a historically great superstar like LeBron James. However, we are confident that we can limit LeBron's performance below his average. Remember, we win championships not just with offense, but more importantly, with defense!"
At seven-thirty in the evening, at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.
The Heat hosted the Knicks, marking the first game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Knicks' starting lineup consisted of Li Feng, Yao Ming, Amar'e Stoudemire, Bill Walker, and Kemba Walker.
The Heat's starting five were LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
The Knicks' Bill Walker replaced Luis Scola because the team needed his defense.
At the tip-off, Yao Ming secured the first possession for the Knicks.
Li Feng brought the ball up past half-court.
The home atmosphere in Miami was terrifying. From the start of the game, the home crowd's cheers were deafening, putting immense psychological pressure on the visiting Knicks players.
Li Feng, having experienced countless big moments, remained very calm. He signaled to his teammates to stay confident and execute the first offensive play.
Wade and James immediately double-teamed Li Feng.
This was the only defensive tactic the Heat had used since the regular season, and they only did it against Li Feng.
Li Feng did not dare to be careless. He passed the ball from between the two to Kemba Walker.
Walker had a heavy workload today. Li Feng had briefed him beforehand.
Since the Heat would undoubtedly double-team Li Feng the entire game, Walker would have to shoulder the responsibility of being the other offensive facilitator.
Facing Chalmers's defense, Walker passed the ball to Stoudemire.
Amar'e drove inside for two steps. Seeing the hesitation from the opposing center, he passed the ball to Yao Ming.
Yao Ming had been eager to play for a while. He had wanted to play in the third game between the Knicks and the Heat in the regular season.
However, the team doctor had firmly disagreed because his knee had not fully recovered at that time.
The Knicks lost that game, and Yao Ming felt very dejected.
Since they were meeting in the playoffs, Yao Ming inwardly vowed to play at his absolute best.
So, after receiving the pass, he faced the Heat's center, Ilgauskas. With a pump fake, he turned and shot.
Yao Ming had not been idle during his recovery. When he couldn't move his lower body, he never stopped practicing his shooting.
Yao Ming, who already had a soft touch, became even more composed, and his jump shot was successful!
2-0!
The Knicks scored first.
This was the benefit of having two primary ball-handlers. When Li Feng was double-teamed, Yao Ming could consistently punish the opponent!
The Heat did not get discouraged. Yao Ming's score was within their expectations.
James brought the ball up past half-court. Facing Bill Walker's defense, he called for a screen and drove directly into the paint.
James's drives had been extremely sharp and unstoppable recently.
However, the Knicks were prepared. As James drove into the paint, Stoudemire positioned himself in front of James. At the same time, Li Feng and Walker moved to strip the ball from James.
A triple-team!
This was the first time the Knicks had used a triple-team tactic in a game.
There was no other option, given it was LeBron James.
If James continued to drive, he would inevitably turn the ball over, but James was no stranger to double-teams.
He was possibly the most fearless superstar facing double-teams in history because James's court vision and passing skills were top-notch.
Swish!
The moment James was trapped, he looked to his left but flicked the ball to Chalmers in the right corner.
Chalmers caught and shot, swish!
He hit the three-pointer!
This was James's ability. His drives, combined with his passing, could break through any team's defense!
A hexagonal warrior!
D'Antoni watched from the sidelines and shook his head slightly. Although he had been mentally prepared, he knew today would be a tough battle.
But for James to face a triple-team right from the start and still execute a fluid offense was truly remarkable.
3-2, the Heat took the lead!
The home crowd became even more excited. Their team finally had such a luxurious configuration, and they believed that if they could get out of the East, they would surely win the championship!
Moreover, not just one championship, but possibly two, three, or even four or five!
Li Feng took a deep breath. Although the game had just begun, he already felt the difficulty of today's matchup.
"Don't panic, let's play our game!" Li Feng signaled again.
This time, Li Feng did not have the ball. He let Walker bring the ball up past half-court and quietly squatted in the corner, seeming to opt out of the offense.
But Wade and James did not relax their vigilance. They knew Li Feng too well; he was as still as a virgin and as swift as a startled rabbit!
They couldn't afford to slack off for even a second.
Walker passed the ball directly to Yao Ming this time.
The moment Yao Ming caught the ball, Bosh came over to double-team him.
It seemed the Heat were also prepared. They wouldn't let Yao Ming continue to exploit the mismatch against center Ilgauskas.
Seeing Bosh coming to double-team, Yao Ming, with quick hands, immediately passed the ball to Stoudemire in the middle.
This was a key training focus for Yao Ming since joining the Knicks: playmaking.
Although this was not Yao Ming's strength, he had to learn to facilitate because Yao Ming posed too great a threat in the paint.
Opponents would surely employ fronting and double-teams, especially in the playoffs.
Stoudemire received Yao Ming's pass, drove quickly, and slammed the ball home before Bosh could rotate over to help defense!
Bang!
Although Li Feng did not participate in the offense for these two possessions, Yao Ming's shot and pass had completely dismantled the Heat's interior defense.
The Heat had no choice. It was already a 3-on-4 situation, and with Yao Ming learning to facilitate, it was truly difficult.
In the first few possessions, both teams executed their pre-game tactics with good results.
Neither team could effectively defend the other.
With over five minutes played, the score was tied at 11-11!
Li Feng's stats looked poor, with only 1 rebound and 1 steal, and zeroes in all other categories.
James, on the other hand, had 4 points and 2 assists, appearing to perform better.
Wade had only taken one shot and scored 2 points, but he was very aggressive in defending Li Feng, making it very uncomfortable for him.
During the timeout, Spoelstra reiterated: continue to double-team Li Feng, and do not relax for a single moment.
To be honest, James was getting a bit impatient because, in the last five minutes, Li Feng had done nothing but ineffective running and squatting in the corner.
After the timeout, the game resumed.
The Knicks initiated their offense, and Li Feng still did not have the ball, running to the corner.
At this moment, Walker and Yao Ming re-initiated their cooperation.
Just as Yao Ming was about to shoot, James couldn't help but come over to help, intending to block Yao Ming's shot.
However, Yao Ming was prepared. He had already seen James lunging towards him with his peripheral vision.
So, Yao Ming spun around, and James collided with him as Yao Ming shot!
The referee blew his whistle, calling a blocking foul on James.
Yao Ming went to the free-throw line.
This was James's first foul, and he shook his head in frustration. Li Feng, on the other hand, chuckled from the side.
Yao Ming was very steady with his free throws, making both.
The Heat's offense, James was very angry. He needed to retaliate!
He used a teammate's screen to drive into the paint again.
Suddenly, Walker positioned himself early, blocking James's path.
James was charging too hard and couldn't stop himself, crashing directly into Walker and knocking him to the ground.
The referee hesitated for a moment but still called an offensive foul on James.
With that, James now had 2 fouls.
He would have to be taken out to rest for a while.