The pause ended, and the game continued.
A 7-point lead wasn't much, with over 10 minutes left in the game.
The problem was that the Blue Devils couldn't contain Li Feng.
However, the Blue Devils had a special tactic: dirty play.
The Blue Devils' coach brought in a player named Landry, a sophomore.
His defense was fierce, with many small fouls, often injuring opponents.
The coach remembered him today.
But as a coach, he couldn't be too direct. He simply said with a sigh, "Landry, you must lock down Li Feng, by any means necessary!"
Landry immediately understood the coach's intentions. He knew his advantage was defense.
So he assured the coach, "Don't worry, Coach, I won't let Li Feng score again!"
Indeed, after coming onto the court, Landry stuck to Li Feng like gum, his hands all over him.
Because his subtle fouls were hard to spot, and with the referee's bias, Li Feng found it very difficult.
The Blue Devils seized the opportunity to narrow the score to 2 points.
Wildcats' head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, was furious on the sidelines, his brow furrowed. He didn't want Li Feng to get injured.
He would rather lose the game than see Li Feng injured.
After all, Li Feng and Curry were his most promising disciples, with boundless futures.
If this game affected their draft prospects, it would be a loss that outweighed any gain.
But this situation couldn't continue. He prepared to substitute Li Feng.
Just as he was about to make the change, Li Feng exploded again!
Li Feng changed his strategy.
Landry was fond of dirty plays? Then Li Feng would initiate contact!
Although Li Feng was 10 centimeters shorter and tens of kilograms lighter than Landry, Li Feng possessed considerable strength.
When he drove to the basket, he no longer used fake moves to shake his defender, because Landry would pull his jersey or trip him.
So Li Feng simply resorted to legal charges, using LeBron James's "tank" drive!
Some people always say "tank" drives lack skill, but in reality, using your body for legal contact and then finishing with a soft layup is extremely difficult.
Li Feng had mastered this skill. He drove past Landry three consecutive times, knocking him aside, and scoring with layups.
Landry was utterly frustrated. He realized that his subtle fouls were ineffective against absolute strength!
As the saying goes: under the crushing weight of absolute power, all flashy techniques are useless!
The Blue Devils' head coach let out a soft sigh. His last resort had failed.
Li Feng once again led the team in a scoring spree.
With Li Feng's leadership, Curry finally regained his shooting touch.
With 14 minutes into the second half, Curry hit an ultra-long three-pointer.
Seeing Curry's hot hand, Li Feng abandoned his individual scoring mode and switched to assist mode.
Li Feng continuously passed the ball to the open Curry, who shot wildly!
Swish, swish, swish!
He hit three consecutive three-pointers, and the game was instantly out of reach!
The point difference widened to 22 points.
The Blue Devils surrendered.
The semi-final match was decided. The traditional powerhouse, Duke University, was easily defeated by the Wildcats!
The final score was 95:72.
Li Feng scored 36 points, Curry scored 25 points, and the Splash Brothers combined for 61 points.
NCAA games have no home or away advantage; in theory, Duke University should have had more fans.
However, the majority of the spectators at this game became fans of the Wildcats.
More precisely, they became fans of the Splash Brothers.
Many fans held up pre-prepared signs that read "Raise the Splash Banner High!"
If there were still some dissenting voices questioning the Splash Brothers before this game,
those faint doubts vanished after this match.
The Splash Brothers, with their dominant performance, proved that winning with three-point shooting was indeed possible!
Having advanced to the finals, Li Feng and Curry were in great spirits. They accepted an invitation from a New York scout to visit and explore New York.
In the evening, the scout specially invited them to a villa in downtown New York, boasting panoramic views of the entire bay area, dubbed the Bay Area Observatory.
Every corner of the house offered optimal viewing angles, and the villa featured an outdoor swimming pool and a lawn.
From every part of the living room, one could gaze out the windows and admire the city's beauty.
Li Feng and Curry immediately fell in love with the place, their longing for life in the bay area growing even stronger.
In the evening, Curry and Li Feng swam for a while before a waiter brought them red wine and fine Western cuisine.
The two, clad in their pajamas, holding wine glasses, savored the exquisite meal while admiring the scenery outside, a picture of pure leisure.
"Stephen, what do you think of New York?"
Curry took a sip of red wine and said leisurely, "It's very nice. I really like it here. Li Feng, will you go to the New York Knicks?"
Li Feng nodded, "I like it here too, but we'll see when the time comes. The draft is very random, and each club has its own strategies."
Curry's face also showed a hint of concern, "Yeah, thinking about that now is a bit too far ahead. We'll talk about it then. If the Knicks pick me, I'll definitely go!"
Li Feng looked at Curry and thought to himself: Curry, the Golden State Warriors will snatch you away. You will become the totem of the Warriors!
...
The next day, the Knicks scout met with the two again, inviting them for a tryout with the Knicks after the finals.
Having adapted to life in New York during this period, they readily agreed.
The media, with their keen senses and access to information, quickly spread the news of the Splash Brothers potentially teaming up with the Knicks.
The Knicks immediately became the hottest trending team.
The New York Knicks already had high exposure, and if the Splash Brothers were to join, they would undoubtedly become the most explosive team in the league.
The valuation of the Knicks would also skyrocket.
On the same day, Li Feng and Curry simultaneously announced that they would participate in this year's draft!
This news once again became the top trending topic, causing quite a stir.
...
While the Knicks were bustling with activity, the Warriors were not idle.
The "mad scientist" Don Nelson, head coach of the Warriors, also came to New York for a vacation; he was here to scout the Splash Brothers.
Don Nelson had a very accurate intuition for talent and already sensed something.
He first visited a villa in New York, the residence of the retired "logo" Jerry West.
Although retired, West kept a close eye on young players.
Simultaneously, he was well-informed about the operational status of various teams, a reclusive figure in the league.
West would not meet just anyone, but Don Nelson carried considerable weight.