Li Yan played the entire first quarter, and under his leadership, the Knicks played a smooth offense.
With 14 points and 7 assists, Li Yan’s statistics were impeccable.
The Knicks scored 36 points in a single quarter, and almost every point was related to Li Yan.
Yi Jianlian scored 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal, which is also remarkable.
The only drawback is that the Knicks' defensive quality is not high.
They allowed the Cavaliers to score 32 points.
"Master Lee's debut with the Knicks was perfect."
"UAE played well and scored 7 points in the first quarter."
"Master Li's little trick is so awesome, I've seen it like no one before."
"Really, apart from Allen Iverson, Master Li's Double Crossover is the smoothest."
"Master Li worked really hard and actually learned the signature technique of "Answer". He really practiced hard during the offseason."
"Do you think Master Li starts training at 4 o'clock in the morning!"
Domestically, fans are having lively discussions on forums. They are very satisfied with the performance of Li Yan and Yi Jianlian.
The second quarter started quickly.
Li Yan sat on the bench to rest. The Knicks were in the running-in stage, and Li Yan didn't want to take over everything directly.
Other players also need playing time to find match fitness.
On the court, the Knicks' backcourt combination is composed of Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford.
Both Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford have good offensive skills, but their defense is at the level of "thousands of people stabbed them".
Crawford is a singles master who needs the ball in his hands, but Li Yan also needs the ball.
After Li Yan came, Crawford's role was greatly reduced.
If he cannot play at the same time as Li Yan, Crawford's playing time will be greatly reduced.
Crawford came up with consecutive three-pointers from the outside, but his touch was not good today.
Fortunately, the Cavaliers' second lineup was also stretched, and the offensive efficiency of both teams dropped by a notch compared to the first quarter.
David Lee has become the Knicks' most stable scoring point on the court. His offensive skills are very gorgeous. Although he is a left-handed player, he can also complete shots with his right hand.
David Lee has excellent feet and has almost no technical blind spots on the offensive end.
However, David Lee's performance on the defensive end was also poor, and rebounding was one of his few strengths.
In the middle of the second quarter, both teams changed into their starting lineups.
45 to 43! The Knicks' lead is still 2 points.
Knicks offense.
It was Larry Hughes who defended Li Yan.
Obviously James wants to put more energy into offense.
It's just that Larry Hughes's body couldn't defend Li Yan at all. After Li Yan signaled to pull away, he directly pushed away Hughes and entered the paint area.
The Cavaliers reacted quickly, and James rushed from one side to help defend.
Li Yan used a back pass very coquettishly to show off the Cavaliers.
Artest on the outside got an open opportunity, "Whoops!"
Hollow hit! 48 to 43!
Knight's turn.
James used the pick and roll to kill the Knicks inside.
James withstood Randolph's defense and forced a layup.
The referee hesitated and added a foul.
Randolph failed to defend and got a foul.
James scored 2+1.
48 to 46!
Knicks offense.
Li Yan easily passed Larry Hughes. Facing Big Z, Li Yan made an easy layup with a low hand.
Da Z pulled Li Yan, and the referee called a foul.
"Uh-huh!"
Going to the free throw line, Li Yan easily hit the extra penalty.
In this round, Li Yan could actually pass the ball, but he chose to respond to James with a 2+1.
The entire Madison Garden was boiling, and MVP cheers resounded throughout the arena.
"Lee does have the look of a superstar. His response to the ball was so beautiful." Barkley exclaimed:
"He has become stronger, and Lee's confrontation is not at a disadvantage even against inside players."
"Confrontation is really important. Many players can perform beautiful technical moves without confrontation, but once the intensity of the confrontation increases, they can't." Smith explained:
"This is why some players can only be regular season players, but Li Yan is different. The more critical occasions come, the more stable his performance becomes."
…………
Li Yan and James became the protagonists of the game, and the confrontation between the two made the fans excited.
The first half is over.
The Knicks lead the Cavaliers by 4 points 60 to 56.
Li Yan had 23 points, 10 assists and 4 rebounds, scoring a double-double at halftime.
Yi Jianlian had 13 points and 5 rebounds. With the support of Li Yan, the Arab League made 5 of 8 shots and 3 of 5 three-pointers. He played very efficiently.
For the Cavaliers, James had 22 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds, and James had 18 points and 7 rebounds.
It is worth mentioning that James made 2 of 4 shots from beyond the three-point line, and his offseason shooting training has begun to bear fruit.
