TNT commentator Kevin Harlan could not help but marvel.
"That was the most suffocating quarter I've seen all season. Nothing else comes close!"
"Both teams pushed their defensive talent, teamwork, and will to survive to the limit!"
"The superstars all went cold. The relentless physicality knocked everyone out of rhythm."
Marv Albert added his assessment.
"The Lakers are fighting to stay alive, and the Knicks are fighting to claim the crown. Neither side can afford to lose."
"When both teams are backed against the wall, you're bound to get a low-scoring, bruising battle."
The scoring drought finally broke again in the last two minutes of the first quarter.
Once again, Li Fei stepped up to break the deadlock.
He held the ball at the top of the arc and slowed the pace as O'Neal switched onto him.
He did not try to power his way through. Instead, he turned to his deadliest mid-range weapon.
A string of between-the-legs dribbles shifted the defense. Then he paused and stepped back.
He slipped beyond O'Neal's reach and rose into a shot, the motion smooth and effortless.
The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air and dropped cleanly through the net.
The steady mid-range jumper preserved the Knicks' narrow lead.
With that basket, Li Fei had scored six points in the quarter, accounting for more than half his team's total.
With his team under pressure, the league's best player had shown why they could rely on him.
The Lakers answered at once. O'Neal drew a foul inside and went to the line.
After his breakthrough in Game 5, his fear of free throws was gone.
He sank both shots, keeping the Lakers close and refusing to let the gap grow.
In the final minute, both sides slowed the game to a crawl.
Everyone