Unexpected

On the court, JR Smith was seen clutching his thigh, grimacing in pain.

At that moment, the team doctor and Alvin Gentry ran onto the field together.

Alvin Gentry is feeling only bitterness right now. The Knicks finally caught up, but JR Smith, who had been playing brilliantly in the second quarter, got injured again. I'm just speechless.

Li Chen also ran over to check on the situation. However, Li Chen did not believe that JR Smith was injured, because he was just jumping around and there was no contact between them, so how could he have been injured suddenly?

So there's only one the Answer: this guy triggered a doping buff, and probably not just once. Plus, he spent the whole night at a nightclub, it would be a miracle if he didn't.

A short while later, just as Li Chen had guessed, Jr. Smith suffered a thigh cramp due to overexertion.

After some treatment during the game, JR Smith is mostly recovered, but he can forget about playing the match.

In the TNT broadcast room.

"Sigh! Even God doesn't want the Knicks to break the record!" Kenny Smith exclaimed sincerely.

Yes, first the key players were injured one after another, and now JR Smith is also unable to play, making this game extremely difficult.

The Knicks players, whose hopes had just begun to rise, were once again cruelly crushed by reality.

At this moment, JR Smith felt a pang of self-reproach. If he hadn't gone to the nightclub last night, he wouldn't be so exhausted today.

Just then, a large hand pressed down on his head, and a kind voice said, "JR, you did a fantastic job. Leave the rest to me."

JR Smith suddenly looked up at Li Chen with an admiring gaze. Full of energy, he forced himself to stand up and said, "Coach, I'm fine, I can continue the game."

Li Chen's eyelids twitched. Holy crap, what kind of freak is JR Smith?

Although JR Smith said he was fine, Alvin Gentry ultimately listened to the team doctor's advice and did not agree to let JR Smith continue to play.

At the end of the second quarter, the Knicks trailed the Suns 60-65 by 5 points.

In the TNT broadcast room.

"The Phoenix Suns truly deserve their title as the top team in the Western Conference; their scoring ability is incredible. If the Knicks hadn't had JR Smith's six consecutive three-pointers, Knicks probably would have been crushed."

"Hey, hey, hey! Kenny, don't forget, Chen, he's the guy who scored 66 points in the NBA Finals. When he gets going, the Suns just can't stop him."

Kenny Smith opened his mouth, but ultimately decided against the idea of making a bet.

After the start of the third quarter, Li Chen was tightly guarded, and his teammates missed many shots, plunging the Knicks into an unprecedented predicament.

On the other hand, the Suns exceptionally well. Stoudemire's strong drives to the basket, Marion's mid-range jumpers, and Richardson's three-pointers all had extremely high shooting percentages.

The changes on the court drove Knicks fans to despair. When they despair, they make irrational moves, such as booing Li Chen for not being able to turn the tide.

In the VIP room, Dolan fell into deep thought. It seemed he would have to take action himself! Li Chen was skilled, but his teammates were too weak.

Meanwhile, Avril, sitting next to the Knicks' bench, was also clenching her hands tightly, her face filled with tension.

However, just when the Knicks seemed to be in despair, Li Chen demonstrated the consistency he showed in crucial moments, befitting his Finals MVP status.

He repeatedly broke through the Suns' defense, stabilizing the Knicks' losing streak. Then, he used his abilities to draw the Suns' players away, followed by a series of clever passes in close quarters, helping his teammates regain their shooting confidence.

A series of attacks allowed the Knicks to gradually catch up, rekindling the fans' hopes. This rollercoaster ride left Knicks fans with mixed feelings of pain and joy.

In the Suns' rest area, when D'Antoni saw Li Chen's playmaking and individual abilities, as well as his performance during the team's critical moments, he felt a sense of admiration.

Such ability is arguably the pinnacle of Point Guard. If the Suns had him, he could make a solemn vow that he would definitely win the championship.

D'Antoni was so confident because Li Chen was such a perfect fit for the Suns' tactics.

Thinking about this, D'Antoni felt he should do something next season... like poaching players from the Knicks.

At the same time, Li Chen's demonstrated abilities made D'Antoni wary, and he realized Li Chen's importance.

He is the engine of the Knicks. As long as this engine doesn't break down, the Knicks can turn the tide at any time.

Therefore, D'Antoni decided to intensify his defense against Li Chen.

As a result, whenever Li Chen gets the ball, the Suns will double-team him relentlessly, which limits his performance, which is already not very good.

However, Li Chen didn't panic. He started to rely more on his teammates' coordinated passing and teamwork to help the team break through the Suns' blockade.

At the same time, Li Chen has become more flexible and versatile in attack, no longer sticking to one style of play, but using his wisdom and creativity to find scoring opportunities.

Subsequently, as Li Chen scored goal after goal through seamless teamwork and flexible, varied attacks, the atmosphere on the field became increasingly tense.

Knicks fans felt a surge of hope and secretly admired him, thinking, "No wonder he was last season's Finals MVP, he's so reliable."

Seeing this, Dolan breathed a sigh of relief, followed by a sense of pride. But then came a serious problem: contract renewal.

Keep in mind that the Knicks only have one year left on their contracts after paying so much.

This is why outsiders say Dolan is foolish and rich.

However, Dolan doesn't think so. With this year as a buffer, he believes that as long as Li Chen is offered a maximum salary, he will definitely continue to play for his Knicks.

Avril, sitting next to the Knicks' bench, relaxed from her initial tension. Sure enough, the team's victory depended on her man! A hint of pride shone in her beautiful eyes beneath her smoky eye makeup.

On the court, the tight defense surrounding Li Chen made the game full of suspense.

The anxiety that Li Chen instilled in the Suns gradually became the Knicks' biggest asset in their comeback.

All of this proves Li Chen's value and importance; he has become the key player in the competition.

A few minutes later, Ariza Van Baker finally stepped forward.

They relieved some of the pressure on Li Chen. Ariza hit two consecutive three-pointers, and Van Baker drew a foul on Stoudemire and made both free throws.

At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks trailed the Suns 96-100 by 4 points.

In the TNT broadcast room.

"Kenny, the Suns' offense is too strong."

"Yeah! The Suns scored 100 points in just three quarters. Suns offensive prowess this season is outrageous," Kenny Smith chimed in.

"However, the Knicks are still able to keep up with the Suns, and most importantly, the Knicks are currently in a semi-crippled state."

Barkley chuckled mischievously, his unspoken meaning clear.

Kenny Smith "..."

After a moment of silence, Kenny Smith said, "However, the Knicks are not in a good position because Li Chen's shooting percentage is not very good. His most effective scoring method Pull-up Jumper, only had a 40% success rate today, which shows that he really wasn't having a good day."