Championship Ring Presentation, Li Fei Takes Center Stage! Public opinion across the United States was still abuzz with the Lakers-Knicks showdown.
Thanks to their brutal blowout win in the season opener, the Lakers had forcibly taken half the spotlight from the Knicks.
Anticipation for the Christmas Day Game soared wildly with each passing day.
Just one day later, Madison Square Garden in New York welcomed a brand-new spectacle.
The Knicks' official home opener for the new season began as scheduled.
The Knicks hosted the Eastern Conference powerhouse Philadelphia 76ers.
The two teams had been old playoff rivals in recent years.
In the first round of last season's playoffs, the Knicks swept the 76ers to advance.
But Allen Iverson had delivered a phenomenal individual performance in that series.
Facing the Knicks' entire defense by himself, he scored 40-plus points several times and stunned the whole league.
Even though his team lost, Iverson earned the respect of every fan in the arena and his opponents.
Throughout the entire offseason, Iverson had not stopped training for a single day.
He relentlessly refined his ball-handling, crossovers, pull-up jumpers, and finishing through contact.
Now 24 years old, The Answer's offensive skills had reached the absolute peak of his career.
The 76ers' head coach had fully established Iverson as the unquestioned core, building the team's entire system around him.
Before heading to New York for this road game, Iverson had made a bold declaration.
He wanted to get revenge on the Knicks' home court and defeat the defending champions.
He wanted to prove his strength as the Eastern Conference's number one shooting guard in front of Li Fei and Jordan.
Iverson's fighting spirit burned at full force, and the entire 76ers squad was brimming with morale.
But tonight, Madison Square Garden was destined not to be