New York's commercial frenzy continued to build, and the sneaker market's boom swept across the United States.
But the entire Knicks team had long since put all distractions completely out of mind.
After a brief respite at the team dinner, everyone had grown calmer and more focused.
They weren't swept up in the commercial frenzy or blinded by all the praise.
The whole team followed one creed: keep moving forward steadily and never let up.
Van Gundy carefully controlled the pace of practice, staying levelheaded and taking things one step at a time.
Li Fei continued his high-intensity training, refining every detail on both ends of the court.
Jordan kept honing his midrange game, maintaining peak form at all times.
The two stars held the foundation steady, while the role players each did their part and built up their chemistry.
The Knicks' winning streak continued, both relentlessly and steadily.
Time flew by, and the NBA schedule moved forward at a steady pace.
After beating the Cavaliers to claim their twentieth straight win, the Knicks kept winning game after game.
They went on to face one Eastern Conference powerhouse after another, and won every time.
There were no shocking upsets, no lapses from underestimating opponents, and no collapses from fatigue.
Whatever their opponents' style, the Knicks always adapted quickly.
They rose to the occasion against strong teams and were even steadier against disciplined ones, dominating every regular-season game.
Li Fei's command of the paint grew ever more unstoppable. His positioning, rim protection, rebounding, and finishing were all superb.
His terrifying averages of 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 5+ assists made him a big man in a league of his own.
Jordan's play remained remarkably steady in his later years, and his midrange fadeaways rarely missed.
His ability to take over in