Worse still, Chen Xi's shot had just dealt a crushing blow to the Thunder's morale.
It could very well affect the players' mindset when they took their final shot...
Perhaps it was because this might be the last timeout of the game.
So this brief stretch of time was agonizing for the fans in attendance.
They wanted their team to work a miracle and force overtime, yet at the same time, they didn't seem to want to see Chen Xi's latest Career Night come to an end...
Fortunately, the agony didn't last long.
Soon, players from both teams returned to the court, ready for the next possession.
Both sides made one last round of lineup adjustments.
The Thunder swapped in Westbrook, Cunningham, Alexander, Barrett, and Davis—their strongest lineup on paper, with every player possessing an excellent ability to create his own shot.
In Chen's eyes, this lineup could even be a copy of the 2024 Celtics, and might even be better.
In response, the Knicks once again put out the imposing wing-heavy lineup Thibodeau had favored most this season.
Chen Xi, Grant, Ethan, Toppin, Hartenstein.
This was the strongest defensive lineup New York could field, with the fewest weaknesses.
All four wings were exceptionally capable of guarding one-on-one and switching, while Hartenstein provided above-average Rim Protection and rebounding.
Most importantly, the lineup also featured Chen Xi, an elite help defender and switching Monster.
He could make up for his teammates when they lost their assignments, or switch onto any opponent at a moment's notice while maintaining excellent defensive efficiency. He was the absolute core of New York's defensive scheme.
Back in the game.
The Thunder inbounded from the sideline.
Westbrook stood out of bounds and passed the ball to Cunningham.
C.C. caught it and waited for Westbrook to step