Li Fei Was Still the League's One and Only Sovereign! As the lights came on for the fourth quarter, tens of thousands of spectators at Staples Center settled back into their seats, and the atmosphere in the arena tightened to the extreme.
After the Zen Master's halftime guidance, Kobe completely let go of his stubborn obsession with isolation plays from the first three quarters.
The Lakers' Triangle Offense officially restarted. The team's off-ball movement, screens, pick-and-rolls, and cuts finally returned to normal.
Kobe no longer blindly forced attacks with the ball. Every time he crossed half court, he first checked the interior positioning and actively shared the ball.
But everyone knew the Lakers were still in a dire situation. Down twelve points against the league-leading Knicks Dynasty, their margin for error was almost nonexistent.
More importantly, O'Neal's advantage in the paint had long been completely contained by Li Fei.
Many fans believed that as long as The Big Shark got the ball, he could easily bulldoze his way through the paint for points.
But the actual physical battle on the court was far crueler than it looked.
The Knicks' interior anchor, Li Fei, stood 2.24 meters tall with a terrifying 2.45-meter wingspan, along with an elite 120-kilogram frame. He was the only player in the league who could go head-to-head with O'Neal.
The core strength granted by his Titanium Alloy Physique meant that he never gave an inch in low-post positioning or physical defense.
On the opening possession of the fourth quarter, Kobe lofted a precise pass inside, and O'Neal caught it with his back to the basket.
The Shark lowered his hips and powered up, his entire body tensing as he tried to replicate the overpowering style he had used in the first three quarters.
But Li Fei immediately