Li Fei Derby, The King's Demeanor, The Answer's Tenacity!

Afterward, he was substituted out. To the standing ovation of every fan in Madison Square Garden and the thunderous chants of "MVP," he slowly walked off the court.

On the other side, Iverson, who had played the entire first three quarters, was still battling on the floor early in the fourth like a lone wolf that would never submit. But when the gap widened further to 25 points, the Philadelphia 76ers' head coach finally took him out.

Iverson walked off with his head lowered. He grabbed a towel and tightly draped it over his head, shutting out the noise of the entire world.

No one could see the expression beneath the towel, but his faintly trembling shoulders spoke of endless unwillingness.

At last, the final buzzer sounded.

The final score was 108–85. The New York Knicks claimed their first playoff victory without breaking a sweat.

On the stat sheet, the numbers posted by the two teams' star players formed a stark contrast:

Li Fei: 35 minutes played, 18 of 22 shooting, 9 of 10 free throws, 48 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 blocks, and 1 steal.

Allen Iverson: 46 minutes played, 13 of 32 shooting, 9 of 9 free throws, 35 points, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 6 turnovers.

Allan Houston: 9 of 16 shooting, 22 points.

Larry Johnson: 10 points, 7 rebounds.

Arvydas Sabonis: 8 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks.

With the game over, the players walked toward center court to exchange greetings.

Li Fei took the initiative and headed toward the 76ers' bench, toward the figure who still had a towel over his head.

He gently patted Iverson on the shoulder.

Iverson looked up. His bloodshot eyes fixed on Li Fei before him, his gaze complicated—there was frustration and dejection, but more than anything, there was the