Albert nodded. "That's right. Who is Malone matched up against on offense? Li Fei. Li Fei is the Knicks' best help defender. His shot-blocking, his rebounding, his rim protection—they are the core of the Knicks' defensive system. If Malone can pull Li Fei away from his help position, Jordan and Ewing will have more opportunities inside. That's Hanburen's plan."
Walton added, "The Chicago Bulls' three-tall lineup really does have a major problem with mobility. Patrick Ewing is old, Toni Kukoč was never known for his speed, and Karl Malone is slow playing small forward as well. But their advantages in height and strength on offense can make up for those issues. The key is—can they hold up defensively?"
Before Walton could finish, the Knicks had already pushed their offense into the frontcourt.
Sprewell dribbled across half court at tremendous speed. The Chicago Bulls' transition defense had not fully set up yet—Ewing was still near the center circle, Kukoč had only just reached the three-point line, and only Harper and Jordan had gotten back into defensive position.
Sprewell did not wait for his teammates. He saw Li Fei accelerating down the middle toward the paint, while Malone was still two steps behind him.
He passed.
A bounce pass slipped through Harper's defense and bounced precisely into Li Fei's path. By the time Li Fei caught it, he was already a step inside the free-throw line. He took one dribble and rose off both feet.
The entire Madison Square Garden crowd rose to its feet.
Li Fei stretched out in midair, his 2.24-meter frame looking especially unreal under the lights. His right hand was raised high, the basketball seeming almost glued to his palm. The rim was right in front of him, with no one standing between him and the basket.
A