The Bucks head coach was completely stunned.
What kind of play was this from the Knicks?
The big center was playing point guard at the top of the arc? And the two guards were running around everywhere?
This style of play completely overturned Scott's basketball philosophy.
The Lakers had a similar style of play before, when they had Gasol.
But Gasol only played as a facilitator near the basket, not at the three-point line.
Scott waved his hand, telling Dahlem not to defend too far out, preferring to let Jokic shoot!
That was a good idea, but Teacher Jokic was no longer the Jokic from the beginning of the season!
The Bucks attacked, and the ball was passed to Redick again.
The Knicks would not make the same mistake twice; Curry immediately pounced, defending Redick tightly.
Redick was just an open-shot shooter; his ability to hit threes off the dribble was average. With no other option, he had to pass the ball back to Ilyasova.
The power forward Ilyasova was half a head taller than Green, and he wanted to force his way inside against Green. Unfortunately, his lower body strength was far too inferior. Green held him uncomfortably, and he took a rushed shot that bounced off the rim.
Bill Walker grabbed the rebound and initiated a counter-attack.
The Bucks retreated quickly, and the Knicks fell into a half-court set.
Li Feng passed the ball to Jokic again.
Jokic, holding the ball at the top of the arc, saw Dahlem retreating to the free-throw line, not defending him.
Then I won't be polite!
Swish!
The parabola was high and beautiful!
Under Li Feng's guidance in practice, Jokic's shooting had become very accurate, especially from the top of the arc, which was his sweet spot.
Also, his shooting had a characteristic similar to Nowitzki: a very high arc.
After making the basket, Jokic's confidence soared, and he even made a small taunting gesture, waving his fingers three times!
The Bucks, from top to bottom, were truly dumbfounded. How were they supposed to play this?
Was this still the Jokic everyone used to bully?
With over five minutes played in the first quarter, the score was 15-6, and the Knicks had a nine-point lead.
The first official timeout was called.
Jokic had 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists!
This efficiency far exceeded his season average, making a striking impression.
When Jokic walked to the sideline, his teammates rushed over, high-fiving him and shouting encouragement.
Even D'Antoni came over for the first time to hug him and pat his arm.
Jokic himself was also very excited; observant people would notice his eyes were slightly red.
Having been yelled at all season, Jokic had endured immense pressure.
Within the team, only Li Feng had offered him unwavering support.
D'Antoni had yelled at him and scolded him more than once, which was incredibly difficult for the eighteen-year-old Jokic.
Fortunately, it was all over; in this game, Jokic had finally found the playing style that suited him best.
In a crucial positional battle, Jokic contributed to the team.
After the timeout, the game resumed. The Knicks made no substitutions, with all their starters back on the court.
Unable to contain the Knicks' offense, Bucks coach Scott decided to go head-to-head with them.
After all, the Bucks' offensive efficiency was considered above average in the league.
Unfortunately, under the Knicks' defense, the Bucks' offense also faltered.
Li Feng's perimeter defense, and Green and Bill Walker's interior defense, led to a series of turnovers for the Bucks.
Before the first quarter even ended, the Knicks went on another run, leading by 17 points.
The Bucks had no choice but to bring in their reserves.
The Knicks also brought in reserve players like Jeremy Lin.
The Bucks' reserves were strong, with Dunleavy, Batum, and Daniels all capable of scoring, and Monta Ellis also played with the reserve unit.
However, led by Jeremy Lin, the reserve lineup did not suffer and played back and forth with their opponents.
The point difference remained around 15 points.
Li Feng sat on the bench, laughing and chatting with his teammates. The Knicks hadn't had such a good atmosphere in a long time.
Winning was the best catalyst for a team's atmosphere.
Li Feng knew very well that the remaining regular season games were all tough, and they would heavily tax the players' stamina.
Therefore, it was crucial to widen the score gap as soon as possible and finish the game by the third quarter if possible.
Otherwise, in the playoffs, the players' stamina would not be enough to go far.
So, in the latter half of the second quarter, before coming back onto the court, Li Feng gathered the starting players and said in a low voice, "By halftime, we must be leading by more than 25 points!"
His teammates understood Li Feng's intention; they were going for the kill.
"Okay!"
"Understood!"
...
His teammates nodded in agreement.
After Li Feng entered the game, he led by example, hitting a pull-up three-pointer over Jennings.
Then, he executed a pick-and-roll with Green, passing the ball back to Green, who drove to the basket and made a floater.
At this point, Green was still a well-rounded interior player; although not exceptionally skilled, he could generally capitalize on open opportunities.
On the defensive end, Li Feng and Green, along with Bill Walker, ignited the entire team. Jokic and Curry also played well, providing help defense everywhere.
The Bucks' offense stalled, and Monta Ellis, shooting 0-for-3, was getting furious.
At the end of the first half, the score was 69-42, with the Knicks leading by 27 points!
The mission was more than accomplished!
The Bucks were completely broken.
Especially in the final moments of the second quarter, Curry hit a three-pointer, and on the Bucks' next possession, Li Feng stole the ball again and hit a three-pointer from mid-court!
In less than 5 seconds, they scored 6 points!
The Splash Brothers were terrifying!
After the second half began, the Knicks remained vigilant and launched another fierce attack. Six minutes into the third quarter, their lead had expanded to 33 points.
The game was completely blown open.
With the game out of reach, the starters could head to the locker room.
The reserves came in to continue the battle, but Li Feng and the starting players continued to cheer their teammates on from the sidelines.
Every time a teammate made a basket, Li Feng led the cheerleading squad in jumping and cheering, turning the away game into something like a home game.
In the end, the game concluded, and the Knicks defeated the Bucks on the road.
Li Feng played 28 minutes today and scored 26 points, while Curry had 25 points.
Jokic had his season-high today with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists!
While these stats were not particularly outstanding for a starting center, they were more than enough for the Knicks.
After all, this was only his first season in the NBA, and he was only eighteen years old.
This victory propelled the Knicks up one spot in the standings, placing them ninth in the Eastern Conference.
The Bucks' ranking remained unchanged, still in eighth place, but they were in a precarious position.
The Knicks' next opponent was the Boston Celtics, on the road.
The Celtics were currently seventh in the Eastern Conference, making this a crucial positional battle. The Celtics could not afford to lose.
It was another tough game!
Two days later, at the TD Garden in Boston, the Celtics hosted the Knicks.
This season, the Celtics had lost Ray Allen but gained several strong players.
Jeff Green, Jason Terry, Crawford, Courtney Lee, and Barbosa were all very practical players.
It would be very difficult for the Knicks to win on the road.
As expected, in the first quarter, Jokic was contained; he couldn't replicate his performance from the previous game.
There was no way around it; Garnett, despite his age, still had strong interior help defense capabilities, and with Jeff Green's help defense, Jokic was unable to perform.
Furthermore, Rondo and Bradley's combined perimeter defense had a significant impact on Li Feng and Curry. Coupled with Courtney Lee, it made things very difficult for the Knicks' perimeter players.
By the end of the first quarter, the Celtics led the Knicks by 8 points.
The reserves entered the game.
Jeremy Lin had been thoroughly scouted recently, and the Celtics used Barbosa to contain him.
The "Brazilian Blur" was fast and strong, making things very difficult for Jeremy Lin.
And Jeremy Lin was the engine of the Knicks' reserve unit; with him contained, the Knicks' reserves struggled.
Four minutes into the second quarter, the Knicks were already trailing by 13 points.
Li Feng and Curry knew it was time to step up, otherwise, it would be too difficult to catch up in the second half of an away game.
The Splash Brothers teamed up!
As soon as Li Feng entered the game, he ran a pick-and-roll with Curry. The moment Rondo lunged at Li Feng, Curry received the ball on the baseline, took a step back, and shot!
Three-pointer made!
Then, Curry returned the favor, drawing defensive attention and passing the ball to Li Feng.
Li Feng hit a pull-up three-pointer from the corner, scoring again!
The resurgence of the Splash Brothers caused the Celtics to become a bit flustered.
On the next possession, Li Feng and Green combined to stop Pierce's drive and initiate a counter-attack.
The Celtics reacted quickly and immediately intensified their perimeter defense.
Li Feng, taking advantage of the opponents' focus on the perimeter, passed the ball back to Jokic.
Teacher Joe calmly shot from near the free-throw line!
Garnett was helpless; his attention had been fully on Curry beyond the three-point line, and he hadn't expected Jokic to shoot again.
With Jokic as an offensive threat, the Knicks' offense became highly layered and difficult to defend!
At the end of the half, the score was 61-57, with the Knicks trailing by only 4 points.
During the halftime break, Jeremy Lin was dejected and sat silently.
Li Feng and Curry specifically went to encourage Jeremy Lin.
This season, Jeremy Lin had brought tremendous surprises to the Knicks fans; the reserve lineup he led rarely collapsed against opponents.
In most games, the Knicks' reserves held an advantage.
Many people who had criticized Jeremy Lin during the offseason were proven wrong.
Li Feng also gave Jeremy Lin some advice on how to cope.
When facing faster and stronger defenders, it was crucial to pass the ball quickly, and teammates needed to actively set screens and make cuts to play to Jeremy Lin's strengths.
After the second half began, Li Feng intensified his efforts, combining with Jokic and Green for inside-outside attacks, quickly closing the score gap.
The Celtics were a resilient team, and coach Rivers made quick adjustments.
Courtney Lee replaced Bradley.
Upon entering the game, Courtney Lee found a three-point opportunity through relentless running and also had an advantage defensively.
The scores became tight, and it was now a matter of which team's core players would perform better.
Li Feng noticed that the Celtics were double-teaming him aggressively, so he signaled for Curry and Green to take over the game.
These two had innate chemistry; Green set a screen for Curry, and Curry ran all over the court, exhausting the defenders.
Through their collaboration, Li Feng made several assists.
The Knicks gradually pulled ahead, gaining an advantage.
Eight minutes into the third quarter, the Knicks had established an 11-point lead.
The reserves entered the game.
Jeremy Lin, having received guidance from Li Feng, changed his offensive approach, and his teammates increased their screening and off-ball movement.
The reserve offense and defense began to click again, catching the Celtics off guard.
Specifically, Shump and Novak kept cutting and moving between the two corners, hitting consecutive three-pointers!
Three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Knicks had extended their lead to 16 points.
Bucks coach Rivers was bewildered.
What was going on with the Knicks? Had they evolved again?
Li Feng and the starters returned to the game, and with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, they sealed the victory.
These two victories were very important for the Knicks.
The Knicks had climbed to eighth in the Eastern Conference.
This was a "bad omen" for all other teams in the league!
Even though the Knicks had a poor record in previous games and played chaotically,
as long as the Knicks made the playoffs, no one dared to underestimate this uncrowned champion!
The media and fans showered praise on the Knicks for this game.
Unfortunately, Jokic, who had played well in the previous game, reverted to his earlier form, scoring only 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists in this game.
However, the Knicks' reserves played exceptionally well in the second half, catching the fans' eyes.
After two consecutive wins, the Knicks' playoff hopes increased significantly, and the sports betting companies increased their odds for the Knicks to win the championship.
However, the Miami Heat's Big Three still had the highest championship odds this year, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Knicks were ranked only eleventh.
Although the Knicks had returned to the top eight in the Eastern Conference, the next few games were also very important.
Especially the next game, against the Mavericks in the Western Conference, which was a crucial match.
If they lost this game, the Mavericks' chances of making the playoffs would increase, and the Knicks would be in danger again.
The Knicks hosted the Mavericks, and their morale was high, leading by 7 points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Mavericks, led by Nowitzki, went on a run and tied the score.
Although the Mavericks' strength had declined significantly in the past two seasons, as long as the German Tank was on the court, the game would not be easily lost.
In the third quarter, Li Feng exerted himself again, and together with Curry, they unleashed "Ni San Feng"!
In less than 6 minutes, the Knicks had a 14-point lead.
Despite the Old Driver's resilience and his desperate attempts to catch up, the Knicks players, with the roar of the home crowd, went on another run.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 93-80.
In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks struggled, but it was futile. In the end, the Knicks defended their home court and secured this very important victory.
Three consecutive wins!
This was the first time the Knicks had achieved three consecutive wins this season.
Achieving three consecutive wins in the final stretch of the regular season was indeed very morale-boosting.
New York fans once again dreamed of a championship.
The Knicks' internal confidence was also soaring, with more passion during training and an excellent team atmosphere.
However, Li Feng did not get complacent; he was acutely aware of the Knicks' true strength.
The recent three consecutive wins were against opponents who were not very strong, and winning did not necessarily mean they could go far in the playoffs.
Moreover, in these games, Li Feng was clearly taking more shots and playing more minutes than before.
This indicated that the reason for the victories was Li Feng carrying the team.