NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

Chapter 13: Want to Get to Know Each Other?

On the sidelines, Zhao Dong's agent, Wells, was sitting next to Grant, chatting about the game.

"I've already talked to Jeff, and he's agreed to give Zhao Dong the green light on shooting—15 attempts, same as what Larry Johnson gets. For now, those shots are going to Zhao Dong," Grant said.

"Appreciate it, Neil," Wells smiled, clearly relieved.

Grant glanced over at Larry Johnson, who was sitting on the bench, and whispered, "Larry's coming back in three games. If Zhao Dong wants to officially take over, he better show up big in these next three games and lock down that starting spot."

"I've already talked to him; we'll see how he does," Wells replied.

Just then, the starting lineup was announced.

Philadelphia 76ers: Derek Coleman, Scott Williams, Clarence Witherspoon, Jerry Stackhouse, Allen Iverson

New York Knicks: Patrick Ewing, Zhao Dong, Charles Oakley, Alan Houston, Charlie Ward

As Zhao Dong walked towards the court, he locked eyes with his opponent for the game—Allen Iverson, the No. 1 pick of the "Golden Generation." Iverson's rebellious and fearless nature was written all over his face. Zhao Dong met his gaze without flinching.

Iverson had heard the buzz. It only took a few games for the Chinese player to land a No. 1 contract, which caught him off guard.

"Want to get to know each other?" Zhao Dong said, breaking the silence.

Iverson raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and stayed quiet, his indifference clear. Zhao Dong just smirked and didn't say anything else.

As the game began, Zhao Dong stepped onto Madison Square Garden's court for the first time as a starter. Technically, he had been on the court before, during the game when O'Neal dunked, but this time was different—he was starting.

The crowd's reaction was... weird. No boos, no cheers. For New York fans, that was actually a good sign. The media and the fans here were harsh, always quick to criticize, so the fact that no one was booing him meant he'd earned some respect with his previous performance. Still, no one thought he deserved that No. 1 contract, so the cheers were nowhere to be heard.

"Hey, rookie, if you think you deserve a No. 1 contract, show us what you got. Otherwise, you're just a fucking joke," shouted Spike Lee, the Knicks' most famous fan, from the sidelines.

Zhao Dong shot a glance over at him, "Mr. Lee, maybe if you opened your eyes, you'd see my performance," he shot back, calm but confident.

Spike Lee just muttered under his breath, "Arrogant little shit, let's see if your game matches that mouth of yours, or you'll be the biggest joke of the season."

The game kicked off with Ewing winning the jump ball, and the Knicks took possession. Van Gundy assigned Zhao Dong the job of guarding Scott Williams, a guy averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds a game. A solid role player, but not a huge threat.

Ewing, the No. 1 victim of O'Neal's dunks, had been around the league for a while. A dominant presence in the 1993 draft, he quickly became an All-Star and earned two All-NBA Third Team selections. But his career had a lot of baggage—his temper, his partying habits, and injuries had all taken their toll. Now, Ewing wasn't the powerhouse he used to be.

Scott Williams, standing at 6'10" and weighing 229 pounds, was a physical presence on the court. But when Zhao Dong stood next to him, it was clear he had the size advantage—Williams wasn't taller, didn't have a better wingspan, and definitely didn't have the strength Zhao Dong had. It was an easy matchup in Zhao Dong's favor.

The game got underway with Ewing making a smooth jump shot to start things off. But Iverson wasn't backing down. He pushed the ball up the court like it was nothing, catching the Knicks off guard before they could even set up defensively. Charlie Ward couldn't keep up with Iverson's lightning-fast pace, and Iverson drove straight into the paint. Zhao Dong, positioned near the basket, quickly turned to block the shot, but Iverson made a quick stop, causing Zhao Dong to overshoot and lose his balance. As Zhao Dong fell, Iverson calmly sank the shot.

"Snapped!" Zhao Dong's attempt to block the shot turned into a slap on Iverson's head as he missed the ball completely. Iverson hit the floor hard. The commentators were hyped.

"Whoa, tough defender!" the live announcer shouted, clearly impressed by Zhao Dong's aggressive defense.

The referee immediately blew his whistle, signaling a foul on Zhao Dong, and Iverson was awarded two free throws.

"Relax, kid. Take it easy," Oakley called out from across the court.

Iverson, now standing, shot Zhao Dong a cold stare before heading to the free-throw line.

"This kid's defense is brutal. Iverson, being the small guy, has to be careful against someone like Zhao Dong," Matt commented during the TNT broadcast.

Bill Walton weighed in, "To handle a defender like that, you need to attack with more drives. But in that situation, Iverson just made his move, trying to break away with Zhao Dong on his back. It makes sense he didn't change direction there. But Zhao Dong had the timing down. He's reading the game well."

Iverson sank the first free throw but missed the second. Zhao Dong grabbed the rebound, and the Knicks quickly moved into transition.

Positioned on the right wing, Zhao Dong used his size and power to back down Scott Williams into the paint. He got within two meters of the basket and called for the ball. Charlie Ward glanced at Ewing, who was farther out, and passed the ball to Zhao Dong. Van Gundy had instructed Ward to pass whenever Zhao Dong had good positioning in the low post.

Zhao Dong planted his feet, turned around, and took a step before launching into a one-handed dunk with power and precision. The ball slammed into the basket with a thunderous bang. His low-post moves, reminiscent of legends like Shaquille O'Neal, were just too much for defenders like Williams to handle. He dominated the paint with his strength and skill, and no one could stop him.

The score was 1-4 as the opposing team advanced. "Slow his pace down!" Van Gundy yelled from the sidelines as Iverson surged toward the basket. The two guards, Alan Houston and Charlie Ward, tried to slow him down, but Iverson was too quick. He made a hard cut, leaving Ward in the dust, and stormed toward the paint. But Ewing and Zhao Dong had already positioned themselves in the low post.

"I'll take him!" Iverson muttered, frustration boiling over as he faced Zhao Dong. He made another hard change of direction, breaking past Oakley, who had tried to help with the defense. Iverson was heading straight for Zhao Dong.

Zhao Dong stood tall, focused. This was it—he was ready. Iverson came at him like a freight train. He faked left, then jumped into the air, aiming for the contact, hoping to draw another foul and send a message to the crowd.

But Zhao Dong wasn't having it. His eyes flashed with determination. He knew that to stop a player like Iverson, he had to bring his best defense. As Iverson came flying toward him, Zhao Dong timed his move perfectly. He swatted at the ball just as Iverson made contact with him, sending a clear message with his aggressive defense: "Not today."

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