The crisp swish shattered the silence as the basketball dropped cleanly through the hoop—a perfect shot, right at the buzzer! A three-pointer!
"It's in! Li Fei! Li Fei hits the buzzer-beater!"
Kevin Harlan's shout rang through the entire arena, nearly breaking into a scream. His voice brimmed with shock and excitement.
Madison Square Garden erupted in an instant. Cheers, shouts, and applause blended into a deafening roar, as if they were about to blow the roof off the arena.
Fans sprang to their feet, waving flags and signs and shouting "Li Fei" and "buzzer-beater." Some leaped with excitement, some hugged each other and wept, and others pounded their seats, letting their joy spill out.
After landing, Li Fei remained upright and steady, without so much as a wobble. He turned slightly to look at Kobe, the corner of his mouth lifting in a faint smile—a look of confidence, and an answer to Kobe.
He made no extravagant celebratory gestures, only waving to his teammates. His expression remained calm and composed, as if that stunning buzzer-beater had been nothing more than a trivial matter.
Kobe stood rooted to the spot, a flicker of frustration on his face. He stared hard at the hoop, his eyes full of unwillingness. He hadn't expected that, even after giving everything on defense, he still couldn't stop Li Fei from hitting the buzzer-beater.
O'Neal furrowed his brow, looking helpless. He knew that three-pointer was a huge blow to the Lakers' morale.
"Beeeep!" The final buzzer sounded, bringing the second quarter to an official end. Thanks to Li Fei's buzzer-beater, the Knicks held on to their advantage and led the Lakers by two, 28–26.
The halftime score stood at 28–26, with the Knicks up by two. The game remained close, and no one could predict which team