Chapter Summaries

The Heat and Knicks prepared for their Eastern Conference semifinal, with Pat Riley planning to exploit Arvydas Sabonis’s mobility and Jeff Van Gundy deciding the Knicks would protect the paint. Van Gundy then unveiled an unprecedented lineup that moved Li Fei to small forward, leaving the team stunned.

• Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley predicted the Knicks were favored because of their size, while acknowledging the Heat’s toughness and Pat Riley’s coaching.
• Pat Riley rallied the Heat and ordered them to push the pace, attack Sabonis in pick-and-rolls, and exploit his foot speed.
• Jeff Van Gundy planned to keep Sabonis near the rim and make the Heat play against the Knicks’ size in the half court.
• Van Gundy replaced Larry Johnson with Charles Oakley and moved Li Fei from power forward to small forward, creating a lineup with Li Fei at 2.24 meters.

Van Gundy considered using Li Fei at small forward as a secret size advantage against the Heat, while the Pacers eliminated the Hawks and set up an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Bulls. The chapter ended with analysts debating the Bulls-Pacers matchup as the first round concluded across the league.

• Van Gundy described a potential lineup with Li Fei at small forward and asked whether the demanding role would be a problem.
• Li Fei agreed to play small forward and said he looked forward to facing Jamal Mashburn.
• Reggie Miller hit a game-winning three with 5.8 seconds left, sending the Pacers past the Hawks, 3-2.
• The Pacers' win set up a semifinal series against the Bulls, led by Michael Jordan.
• Kevin Harlan, Marv Albert, and Bill Walton discussed the Bulls-Pacers series and offered differing predictions.
• The first round ended as the Eastern Conference prepared for its next round of games.

The Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets in Game 5, with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant leading the way as the older Rockets stars faded. The second-round playoff matchups were set, and commentators previewed the unpredictable Western Conference series.

• The Lakers overcame Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, and Drexler as Shaquille O'Neal dominated inside and Kobe Bryant repeatedly scored against Houston's defense.
• Kobe Bryant stole the ball from Barkley, dunked over Drexler on a fast break, and helped seal the Lakers' Game 5 victory.
• The second-round matchups were announced: the Knicks faced the Heat, the Bulls faced the Pacers, the Spurs faced the Lakers, and the SuperSonics faced the Timberwolves.
• Kevin Harlan, Bill Walton, and Marv Albert discussed the Western Conference matchups, highlighting the Spurs' and Lakers' stars and the SuperSonics' and Timberwolves' young talent.
• The panelists concluded that both Western Conference series were too uncertain to predict.

Li Fei moved into a Long Island villa and met his neighbor, actress Monica Bellucci. After he helped her with strength training, Monica proposed becoming the face of Li-Fly’s women’s products and invited him to get to know her more deeply.

• Li Fei explored his new Long Island home and met Monica Bellucci while she tended roses in the neighboring yard.
• Monica recognized Li Fei as her new neighbor, and they exchanged compliments about his basketball career and her films.
• Monica invited Li Fei to her home gym, where he coached her through squats and other strength exercises.
• After the workout, Monica asked whether Li Fei had a girlfriend, and he said he was single.
• Monica brought up Li-Fly’s women’s products and suggested he hire her as a spokesperson.
• When Li Fei hesitated, Monica leaned closer and invited him to get to know her more deeply.

Li Fei and Monica Bellucci spent the evening getting to know each other over wine and a film, and Monica challenged his narrow vision for the Li-Fly brand. She proposed expanding it from professional sports into fashionable activewear and a broader lifestyle brand.

• Li Fei accepted Monica's invitation to get to know each other more deeply, and they both showered and changed into comfortable clothes.
• Monica brought Li Fei to her private theater, poured them 1972 Lafite, and played La Dolce Vita.
• Monica described the hard work behind her acting career and said her sexiness was only one part of who she was.
• Monica argued that Li-Fly should reach beyond athletes by presenting sports as a fashionable, healthy lifestyle.
• Monica proposed using her image to show women that Li-Fly could represent both sexiness and strength, and Li Fei fell silent as he considered her idea.

Li Fei recognized Monica Bellucci’s potential to lead Li-Fly’s women’s and lifestyle lines and agreed to arrange an endorsement contract. The NBA awards were announced, leaving Li Fei honored as an All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team selection for the fourth consecutive year, while Sabonis made the All-NBA Second Team.

• Li Fei realized that Monica Bellucci’s global appeal and image could help Li-Fly expand into women’s fashion and lifestyle products.
• Monica proposed the direction for Li-Fly’s new lines, and Li Fei agreed to have David Falk prepare an endorsement contract for her.
• The NBA announced its regular-season awards, naming Patrick Ewing Sixth Man of the Year, Larry Bird Coach of the Year, Kobe Bryant Most Improved Player, and Tim Duncan Rookie of the Year.
• The All-Defensive teams included Li Fei on the First Team for the fourth straight season, alongside three Bulls players.
• Sabonis made the All-NBA Second Team, and Li Fei joined Gary Payton, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Tim Duncan on the First Team for the fourth consecutive year.

After two opening-round upsets, the Knicks prepared carefully for their second-round series against the Miami Heat. The series began at Madison Square Garden, where Li Fei tipped the opening ball and caught a pass from Sabonis as Mourning charged to defend him.

• Reggie Miller scored 49 points to lead the Pacers past the Bulls 105-98.
• Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury led the Timberwolves to a 101-93 upset of the SuperSonics.
• Jeff Van Gundy warned the Knicks not to underestimate the Heat, and the team vowed to focus on winning the next game.
• The Spurs beat the Lakers 99-91 behind Duncan's steady play and strong team defense.
• Mourning and Hardaway taunted the Knicks before their playoff opener, while Li Fei and Sabonis stayed composed.
• Li Fei tipped the opening ball to Ward, then cut to the basket and caught Sabonis's pass as Mourning pounced on him.

Li Fei and Sabonis dominated the paint as the Knicks built a 38–18 first-quarter lead over the Heat. During the break, Pat Riley challenged Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway, who rallied the team around a plan to press and speed up the game.

• Li Fei blocked Tim Hardaway’s layup, and Sabonis scored a hook shot to give the Knicks a 4–0 lead.
• Li Fei grabbed a rebound and passed to Allan Houston, who made a mid-range jumper for a 6–0 lead.
• The Knicks’ twin towers repeatedly created baskets and rebounds, helping the team make ten straight shots and lead 38–18 after the first quarter.
• Li Fei finished the quarter with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, while Alonzo Mourning went 0-for-4 from the field and picked up two fouls.
• Pat Riley confronted Mourning and asked Tim Hardaway how the Heat could counter the Knicks.
• Hardaway called for a full-court press and a faster pace, and Riley urged the Heat to play physically as the team rallied.

The Heat’s full-court press cut the Knicks’ lead from twenty points to five, forcing Jeff Van Gundy to make an audacious lineup change. He put Li Fei at small forward alongside Sabonis and Oakley, leaving the Heat and the watching crowd stunned as the game resumed.

• Hardaway led Miami’s press and fast breaks as the Heat trimmed the Knicks’ lead to 50–45.
• Jeff Van Gundy called a timeout and replaced Ward and Larry Johnson with Oakley and Starks, moving Allan Houston to point guard and Li Fei to small forward.
• Van Gundy sent Sabonis, Oakley, and Li Fei onto the court together as the Knicks’ three-tower lineup.
• Marv Albert, Bill Walton, Kevin Harlan, and fans reacted in disbelief to Li Fei playing small forward at 2.24 meters tall.
• Mashburn found himself matched against Li Fei, while Pat Riley watched the Knicks’ lineup with a furrowed brow.

The Knicks used Li Fei’s defense and mismatches in their three-tower lineup to overwhelm the Heat and win the second-round opener 125:95. After the game, Mourning and Hardaway admitted they had been stunned by the Knicks’ size but vowed to find a way in the next game.

• Li Fei stole Hardaway’s pass and launched a fast break that Starks finished, extending the Knicks’ lead.
• Li Fei posted up Mashburn, drew a double-team, and passed to Oakley for a dunk that put the Knicks ahead 54:45.
• The Knicks closed the first half up 68:48 as Li Fei and the three-tower lineup shut down the Heat’s offense.
• Van Gundy countered the Heat’s lineup changes in the second half, and the Knicks won the opener 125:95.
• Mourning and Hardaway described the three-tower lineup’s impact at the press conference and said the Heat would seek a solution for the next game.

After the Knicks' win, Li Fei joked that opposing small forwards should buy accident insurance against his new position. Sports media and NBA executives reacted to the Manhattan Skyline lineup as a game-changing threat, leaving the league scrambling for a counter.

• Li Fei told reporters that playing small forward gave him a broader view and advised opponents to buy accident insurance against the Knicks' lineup.
• ESPN's Jalen Rose described Li Fei's small-forward dominance as a dimensionality-reducing mismatch that was redefining basketball.
• TNT's Bill Walton called Li Fei, Sabonis, and Oakley the Three Divine Beasts and praised their lineup as an ecosystem that could devour the league.
• Adrian Wojnarowski reported that general managers held emergency meetings and saw no solution to the Manhattan Skyline.
• Fans across the country discussed the Knicks' lineup and feared its impact on the NBA.

Ten-year-old Kevin Durant watched Li Fei play small forward and decided he wanted to follow the same path to the NBA. Meanwhile, analysts and the Chicago Bulls assessed the Knicks’ revolutionary lineup and the threat Li Fei posed.

• Kevin Durant watched Li Fei handle the ball and create plays from the perimeter, then told Wanda Durant he wanted to play small forward instead of center.
• Wanda Durant supported Kevin’s decision and warned him that pursuing the role would take much more work.
• Kevin vowed to reach the NBA and either play alongside Li Fei or become his opponent.
• Kevin Harlan, Marv Albert, and Bill Walton debated Li Fei’s abilities and concluded that the Knicks’ lineup had set the NBA a nearly insurmountable new challenge.
• The Chicago Bulls watched footage of Li Fei overpowering Jamal Mashburn, and Scottie Pippen studied the screen with a deeply furrowed brow.

After Jordan refocused the Bulls on their tied first-round series against the Pacers, Li Fei celebrated the Knicks’ win with Monica Bellucci at his Long Island villa. The next day, Jordan scored 56 points to lead Chicago to a Game 2 victory and again said he was focused only on Indiana.

• Pippen asked Jordan how the Bulls could defend Li Fei, and Jordan told the team to focus on Reggie Miller and the Pacers rather than the Knicks.
• Li Fei returned to his villa, where Monica Bellucci celebrated his win with wine and seduced him.
• Jordan dominated Game 2 against the Pacers, scoring 56 points as the Bulls won 118:92 and tied the series 1:1.
• At the press conference, Jordan said the Knicks’ lineup was not his concern because his current opponent was the Pacers.

The chapter recapped Jordan’s 56-point response against Indiana and the Western Conference playoff results, then turned to Game 3 of the Knicks-Heat series. The Knicks shocked Miami by replacing Larry Johnson with Charles Oakley to form a massive three-tall lineup alongside Li Fei and Sabonis.

• Jordan’s focused remarks and 56-point performance sparked nationwide media coverage and fan predictions that the Bulls would defeat the Pacers.
• Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp led Seattle past Minnesota 105–88, tying their series at 1–1.
• Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and the Spurs beat the Lakers 99–87 to take a 2–0 series lead, prompting commentators to predict a sweep.
• The Knicks opened Game 3 against Miami with Charles Oakley replacing Larry Johnson beside Li Fei and Sabonis, creating a towering lineup.

The Knicks' three-big lineup overwhelmed the Miami Heat 115–80, with Li Fei dominating on both ends of the court. After the Knicks coach called the lineup unbeatable, the media and fans looked ahead to a possible Eastern Conference Finals showdown with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

• The Knicks used Li Fei, Sabonis, and Charles Oakley together to smother the Heat and win by 35 points.
• Li Fei scored 55 points, grabbed 24 rebounds, and blocked 10 shots, while Sabonis recorded 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists.
• Alonzo Mourning and Jamal Mashburn admitted after the game that they had struggled to deal with Li Fei and the Knicks' size.
• The Knicks coach defended his lineup choice and declared that the team was unbeatable with the three-big lineup.
• ESPN, NBC, The Times, and fans debated the lineup's strengths as the Knicks moved within one win of the Eastern Conference Finals and attention turned to the Bulls.

The Bulls, SuperSonics, and Lakers battled through their playoff series, while the Knicks beat the Heat 101:98 to sweep their series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. After the game, Li Fei declared that the Knicks were unbeatable forever.

• The Bulls defeated the Pacers 101:96 to take a 2:1 series lead, led by Jordan and Malone.
• The SuperSonics beat the Timberwolves again to move ahead 2:1, while the Lakers defeated the Spurs 109:100 to cut their series deficit to 1:2.
• The Heat pushed the Knicks to a tie in the final minute, but Li Fei hit a late three-pointer to secure a 101:98 win and a 4:0 sweep.
• Mourning and Mashburn congratulated Li Fei after the game, and Li Fei told reporters, “We are unbeatable, forever...”

Li Fei declared the Knicks invincible after their dominant playoff run, while the Western Conference series intensified. The SuperSonics moved within one win of advancing, and the Lakers rallied from a 0–2 deficit to tie their series with the Spurs at 2–2.

• Li Fei proclaimed that the Knicks were invincible forever, then left the press conference as reporters erupted.
• Sports media and fans debated Li Fei’s declaration and the Knicks’ experimental lineups, while anticipating their Eastern Conference Finals against the Bulls.
• Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp led the SuperSonics to a 105–92 win over the Timberwolves, giving Seattle a 3–1 series lead.
• Shaquille O’Neal scored 41 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as the Lakers defeated the Spurs 103–95.
• Kobe Bryant added 25 points and 7 assists, helping the Lakers even their series against the Spurs at 2–2.

The Lakers beat the Spurs 99:91 in Game 5, taking a 3:2 series lead after winning three straight games. As the league anticipated a decisive Game 6 and looked ahead to the Bulls’ likely conference finals matchup with the Knicks, the playoffs continued to build toward bigger clashes.

• Lakers and Spurs fans fought an intense online flame war after the previous game, while the Bulls beat the Pacers 108:94 to take a 3:1 series lead.
• Gary Payton and Kemp led the SuperSonics to a 112:89 win over the Timberwolves, ending the series 4:1 and advancing to the Western Conference finals.
• O'Neal used the Spurs’ defensive attention to set up his Lakers teammates, while Kobe attacked Bruce Bowen and scored a late third-quarter 2+1 over Duncan.
• The Lakers defeated the Spurs 99:91 on the road, taking a 3:2 series lead after recovering from an 0:2 deficit.
• Bill Walton, Marv Albert, and Kevin Harlan discussed the Lakers’ turnaround and predicted the Spurs would fight to force a Game 7.
• TNT analysts treated the Bulls’ advancement as nearly certain and anticipated a conference finals matchup against the Knicks.

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Indiana Pacers 102–95 in Game 5 to win the series 4–1 and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks. Jordan called New York the real danger, as the media and fans anticipated his showdown with Li Fei.

• The Pacers battled the Bulls to a two-point lead by the end of the third quarter, but Jordan and Karl Malone took over in the fourth.
• The Bulls won 102–95, eliminating the Pacers 4–1 as Reggie Miller scored 31 points and received a standing ovation.
• Jordan told reporters that the real war would begin against New York and named the Knicks as a serious threat.
• Sports media and fans hyped the Eastern Conference Finals as a showdown between Jordan and Li Fei.
• Bill Walton, Marv Albert, and Kevin Harlan began an emergency TNT analysis of the Bulls-Knicks matchups.

The Spurs beat the Lakers in Game 6 to force a decisive Game 7, where Sean Elliott’s late three-pointer put San Antonio ahead with 9.4 seconds remaining. The chapter left the outcome of the game unresolved.

• The studio compared the Bulls and Knicks, highlighting Li Fei as the key matchup against Karl Malone.
• The Spurs contained Shaquille O'Neal and led the Lakers 52-41 at halftime in Game 6.
• Tim Duncan and David Robinson led San Antonio to a 102-91 victory, tying the series at 3-3.
• The Lakers led 98-96 with 24 seconds left in Game 7 before Sean Elliott hit a corner three to give the Spurs a one-point lead with 9.4 seconds remaining.