The second free throw followed right after.
This time, Davis took a few extra seconds to get set before releasing the ball. It dropped cleanly through the net.
The lead was down to two.
Possession returned to the Knicks.
Chen Xi brought the ball across half court, glancing at the countdown along the way.
Two minutes and eighteen seconds left.
So Chen simply held the ball near the logo and burned some time, showing none of the urgency you'd expect from a team trailing, but plenty of confidence.
Only when the clock reached two minutes and eight seconds did he start his attack.
He gave the ball a light tap forward, then gestured to either side with both hands, telling his teammates to clear out. He wanted to go one-on-one.
In this situation, that might actually have been the best choice.
For a star of Chen's caliber, calling for a pick-and-roll at a moment like this would almost be like creating an opening for the defense to trap him. Just what they wanted...
Once his teammates had cleared out, Chen Xi dribbled forward and once again faced the unfortunate RJ Barrett at the top of the key.
As the Thunder's best physical match for defending Chen Xi, Barrett had been "schooled" plenty of times tonight.
And now, with little confidence in his chances, Barrett could only focus completely on Chen Xi and do his best to avoid making any major mistakes.
The rest was up to his teammates: whether they could bring the double-team in time, and whether Chen Xi might make a mistake on the finish...
Back to Chen.
Chen Xi dribbled to a spot two steps behind the three-point line and began with two consecutive between-the-legs crossovers.
As he tested Barrett's defensive footwork, he also searched for a