At halftime, on the Knicks' side.
The locker room door was pushed open by a staff member, reminding the players to get ready to take the court.
Van Gundy stood before the tactics board, his gaze sweeping across every player before finally settling on Li Fei and Sabonis.
He did not lay out any overly complicated tactics. In his hoarse yet firm voice, he only emphasized two words: "Defense" and "rebounds."
Then he looked at Li Fei, his eyes full of trust. "Li, the second half is your stage."
Li Fei nodded without saying a word, but his eyes said everything.
He reached out and pulled Sabonis to his feet. The two walked out of the locker room side by side, their massive figures like two mountains about to move. Carrying an iron-heavy aura, they stepped onto the Madison Square Garden court once more.
The arena lights came back on, and the cheers of the fans surged in like a tide.
At the TNT commentary desk, the three commentators were ready as well.
"All right, folks, welcome back! The second half is about to begin. The Knicks are sticking with their starting lineup, and it seems Coach Van Gundy has complete confidence in his twin-tower combination." Kevin Harlan's voice remained as passionate as ever.
"It's a difficult decision," Bill Walton analyzed. "Sabonis's struggles on the defensive end were obvious in the first half, but Van Gundy chose to keep believing in him. It's both a show of respect for this legendary center and a gamble. He's betting that Li Fei can cover more ground defensively while delivering a more dominant performance on offense."
Marv Albert fixed his eyes on Li Fei. "Kevin, you said in the first half that Li Fei had yet to awaken. Now, let's see whether this