This question was vicious, putting Li Fei in a dilemma.
If he admitted it, he would be tacitly acknowledging Sabonis's "incompetence" and come off as arrogant; if he denied it, he would be unable to explain the stark difference between the two halves.
The entire press conference fell silent in an instant. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Li Fei's answer.
Li Fei showed not the slightest anger at the question. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face.
He leaned slightly toward the microphone, calmly swept his gaze across the reporters below, and spoke slowly.
"First of all, I never 'slack off.' My contract doesn't allow it, and neither would the Madison fans."
His casual joke eased the tense atmosphere, drawing a round of good-natured laughter.
Then his tone turned serious. "Second, you seem to have misunderstood something. Basketball is a team sport, especially with the New York Knicks. Every one of us has our own role and responsibilities. When Arvydas Sabonis was on the court in the first half, he was the hub of our offense. His passing and court vision were vital parts of our tactical system. My job was to create space for him, set solid screens, and be ready to receive the ball at any time. We trusted him, just as we trusted every other teammate on the court."
He paused, and his gaze sharpened as if it could pierce straight through people's hearts. "As for the second half, the situation changed. The San Antonio Spurs stepped up their disruption of our passing lanes and tried to isolate Arvydas. Under those circumstances, as the leader of this team, I had to step up and attack them more directly—to tear open their defense. This wasn't about saving anyone's face. It was about winning. We're one whole.