Chapter 31: The Age of Bent Backs (Part I)

After years of steadfastly maintaining their "iron-blooded" defense, consistently ranking near the bottom in possessions, New York fans had long grown weary of the Knicks’ style.

So when Li You swaggered onto the court with his white long arm sleeve, playing a style of basketball that was completely unlike the Knicks’ usual approach, the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden ignited instantly.

Every time Li You made a move, the crowd erupted in amazement. Even when his shots clanged off the rim, no one minded. The fans’ message was clear:

“We love watching! Keep it coming!”

As the first quarter neared its end, the Knicks’ lineup was almost entirely bench players except for Larry Johnson starting, and the Bulls mirrored this.

Tony Kukoc and Bill Wennington formed a rare twin-tower frontcourt combo, a sign that Phil Jackson wasn’t particularly concerned with this preseason game.

Larry Johnson played with more aggression and initiative than usual in this transitional lineup. When defending Kukoc, he maneuvered around him to successfully steal the ball.

Immediately after the steal, he passed it to the already advancing Li You.

Receiving the ball, Li You glanced back to assess the defense and noticed Larry Johnson charging forward with the ball in his right hand, accelerating steadily.

Steve Kerr, subbing in, scrambled to keep up with Li You, and soon they crossed the three-point line together.

Li You showed no sign of slowing down. Not waiting to reach the paint, he took three large strides, caught the ball single-handedly with his right hand, faked a pass, and while facing Kerr’s block, casually flicked the ball backward.

Larry Johnson followed up with a powerful jump, snatching the ball midair with both hands and slammed it home forcefully!

“Boom!” An alley-oop dunk!

Landing, Li You didn’t look back but spread his arms wide, smiling as he circled along the baseline to swiftly retreat on defense.

“Whoa!!”

Madison Square Garden erupted completely, every fan cheering joyfully.

Larry Johnson, after the dunk, roared loudly under the basket, only to find most of the crowd’s attention on Li You’s retreat.

He had stolen the ball and completed the dunk, yet Li You stole the spotlight. Larry’s mood instantly soured, muttering under his breath:

“Show-off rookie!”

Steve Kerr stood helplessly at the baseline with hands on hips, feeling singled out.

Since Li You came off the bench, he had completely unleashed himself—nothing like his previous duel with Harper.

On the Knicks’ bench, Starks waved his towel and shouted in celebration, and even Patrick Ewing sensed the crowd’s joyful mood, momentarily brightening his own spirits.

Larry Johnson usually played power forward for the Hornets. As a shorter power forward before his back injury, his style resembled Charles Barkley’s—powerfully attacking the basket.

But after the injury, his athleticism declined, forcing him to increase jump shots, and his defense was no longer as formidable.

The Bulls executed a simple high-low play: Bill Wennington received a pass from Kukoc, posted up, and scored easily near the rim.

With 11 seconds left, veteran Buck Williams quickly inbounded from the baseline for the final play of the quarter. Li You caught the ball and raced past midcourt, approaching the top of the arc, then began to slow down.

Steve Kerr, retreating into position, watched as Li You hesitated slightly on the three-point line, leaning forward while pushing off with his right foot and then accelerating with a hip turn.

The fans couldn’t see these subtle details—they only saw Li You burst forward, gaining half a body length on Kerr, who slid awkwardly behind.

The crowd roared once more. Approaching just below the free-throw line, Li You suddenly executed a quick behind-the-back dribble, scooping the ball with his left hand and spinning sharply toward the baseline.

Kerr had just slid left, misjudging the move, and was completely faked out, forced to watch Li You elegantly pull up for a fadeaway jump shot.

“Swish!” The mid-range shot went cleanly in.

The silky smooth move and shot sent the crowd into an ecstatic frenzy again. Kerr wore a grimace, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

The first quarter ended tied at 25–25. Despite both teams playing somewhat tentatively, the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden grew more electric.

“I love Li’s performance. Having watched the Big East finals, I knew he was perfect for the Knicks. This is the offense everyone’s been waiting for!”

At the commentary booth, John Kenneth was visibly excited, feeling that a long-awaited moment was finally arriving.

Mav Albert cheerfully praised Li You’s play as well:

“It’s hard to believe Li is still under nineteen. Maybe that’s why he chose to enter the draft after his sophomore year. He is definitely an underrated genius!”

Everyone could see how Li You’s presence transformed the Knicks’ offense.

Larry Johnson played with more vigor on both ends. When Chris Childs held the ball off the bench, Li You ran tactical plays without the ball.

Rookie John Wallace cut to the basket twice without the ball but missed both shots, yet Li You’s assists after his drives were precise and timely.

Veteran Buck Williams set smooth screens and rolled to the basket, even though his shot didn’t fall, the process was fluid and elegant.

On the bench, Jeff Van Gundy’s mood was complex. He felt no pride at this moment because Li You didn’t need anyone’s reminders to handle the offense well.

In the second quarter, as both teams continued to rotate players, Phil Jackson sent the players furthest down the bench onto the court, clearly indifferent to the game’s outcome.

Li You actively passed the ball to Chris Childs, trying to get everyone involved.

When Li You moved without the ball, Steve Kerr felt like he was chasing Reggie Miller all over again.

In a simple tactical play, Li You quickly cut along the baseline from right to left, with Buck Williams setting a pick near the left baseline without the ball.

Kerr, delayed and slow to react, failed to signal his teammates and could only watch as Li You easily caught the ball on the left wing beyond the three-point line, turned, and launched a shot.

Before the ball even swished through the net, Knicks fans had already begun celebrating.

Seeing the ball drop cleanly, Harper on the Bulls’ bench slowly rose, knowing without coaching signals that it was his time to enter.

Li You was aware of his weaknesses. These veterans might be slower in lateral movement, but relying on their size and defensive experience, they always managed to slow him down.

Noticing Li You’s more cautious dribbling and constant protective hand movements, commentator Mav Albert chuckled and remarked:

“Interesting matchup. If Li could get a bit stronger, I believe he’d handle Harper’s defense much more easily.”

John Kenneth continued to praise Li You’s outstanding play:

“A smart young man. I believe Coach Van Gundy will be pleased with what Li is showing.”

Larry Johnson grew more comfortable as the game settled into half-court sets. When responding on offense, Li You’s quick passes and solid positioning consistently put the ball in his hands.

Unfortunately, before half a quarter passed, the starters returned, and Larry Johnson reverted to his secondary role.

Watching the Knicks’ offense slide back into its old patterns as he was subbed out, Li You shook his head quietly:

“The stuck-in-the-mud era—looks like Jeff Van Gundy is hard-pressed to make any real changes.”