Wang Yi hadn't scored much in the first quarter, but his assists had been dazzling.
He'd dished out as many as seven in a single quarter.
And every one of them had been perfectly timed.
By comparison, Wang Arthur had spent most of the first quarter drawing defenders.
He drew the defense on the weak side, making it easier for Jokic to handle the ball on the strong side.
That was one of the Knicks' strategies this season.
In the second quarter, the teams continued to trade blows.
Seth Curry suddenly caught fire, sinking six of his seven three-point attempts in the quarter.
His shooting touch was scorching.
Danny, the Kings' Three-point Shooter, wasn't about to be outdone.
He also had a blistering quarter from beyond the arc, making five of his seven three-point attempts.
Watching the two three-point shooters go head-to-head was a real treat.
The other role players on both teams had their moments, too.
Russell hit several mid-range jumpers in a row, while Sengun grabbed a rebound and followed it with a putback dunk.
For the Kings, Bond kept hauling in rebounds, while Little Danny twice took advantage of a mismatch against a bigger defender.
Jokic could barely react.
There was no question about Jokic's offense, but on defense—especially against smaller opponents—his lack of speed was glaring.
If an opponent spotted that weakness and went after it, he could give up several easy baskets in a short span.
At halftime, the score was 68–67, with the Kings trailing by one.
Neither team's star had really gone all out, but the game had the fans in the arena on their feet.
A close game that stayed within reach was what got the crowd going.
By contrast, a game that turned into a blowout right away wasn't much fun