The nearly twenty-pound gap between Chen Xi and Alexander made for a world of difference in their ability to handle physical contact.
Combined with the boosts from finishing badges like [Aggressive Drive] and [Quick Finisher], once Chen Xi backed Alexander into the paint, it was nearly impossible for Alexander to contain Chen Xi's finish on his own.
Within five feet of the basket, perhaps the shorter Westbrook would have been more effective defensively against Chen Xi...
With Chen Xi converting on offense, the score became 7-6, and the Knicks reclaimed the lead.
The back-and-forth score also reflected the formidable foundations of the top seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences.
No one doubted the defensive level of the Knicks and the Thunder Team.
Both teams had played plenty of games in which they held their opponents below 110 points, or even 105.
Yet when two elite defensive teams like these faced each other head-on, the result was a game where neither side could stop the other, trading blows in an offensive shootout.
Under these circumstances, the Knicks appeared to be the more proactive side.
New York became the first team to try making an adjustment.
Jogging back to the defensive end, Chen waved a Big Swing and directly signaled for his teammates to change their defensive strategy.
Then, when Westbrook brought the ball back up the court, he quickly discovered that the Knicks had switched into the classic 2-3 zone defense.
As Westbrook dribbled toward the three-point line, Chen Xi and Hart, positioned at the front, immediately stepped up to apply defensive pressure and force the ball out of his hands.
Westbrook reacted quickly, immediately transferring the ball to Alexander on the right side.
The Knicks reacted just as quickly when Alexander received it.
Joe, stationed on the back line,