NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

Chapter 14: Super High Defensive Height

"Snapped!" As Iverson jumped up, it felt like he'd been hit by a massive axe. With a loud bang, Zhao Dong sent him crashing to the floor, straight into the basket.

"Ooooohhhh!" The crowd at Madison Square Garden gasped. "No. 1 pick Iverson has once again encountered the toughest defense from Zhao Dong. He's hit the floor and hasn't gotten up yet!" The excited commentary echoed through the arena.

"Rookie, you're pushing it!" Coleman stormed over, shouting at Zhao Dong, clearly pissed.

"Shut the hell up, kid. Is this your first day playing?" Oakley immediately stepped in between them, starting a verbal spat. Coleman's face twitched. As fiery as his temper was, Oakley was known as one of the toughest players in the league. His anger was even more explosive, and Coleman wisely backed down.

"Shut up!" The referee shouted, signaling a defensive foul on Zhao Dong.

Zhao Dong glanced at Iverson, lying on the floor, his eyes cold. No matter who it was, he wasn't afraid to commit a flagrant foul to protect his basket. Iverson struggled to get up. His eyes were cold, but there was no fire behind them.

Iverson missed both of his free throws. Ewing grabbed the rebound, and the Knicks began their attack. Ewing missed a mid-range shot, and Zhao Dong grabbed the rebound, only to be double-teamed under the basket by the two big men from the opposing team. Zhao Dong passed the ball to Ewing, who then dunked on Coleman with a powerful shot.

As the game progressed, Ewing and Coleman started to compete more aggressively, but overall, Ewing held the advantage. By the 5-minute mark, with the score at 6-11, the Knicks led by 5 points.

The opposing team attacked again, and Iverson, now recovered, took the ball and drove toward Zhao Dong once more. This time, as he neared, he suddenly slammed on the brakes, executing a fadeaway jumper that went in.

Zhao Dong watched him closely, realizing his defense was working. The future superstar had to resort to a more cautious approach—he couldn't afford to foul him recklessly.

The Knicks attacked again. Zhao Dong established position in the paint, received the pass, and repeated his earlier move—using his strength and size to overpower Scott Williams before finishing with another dunk.

"Two in a row. In the low post, the advantage of strength and size is undeniable," Bill Walton chuckled.

"115 kilos compared to 104 kilos—just a 10-kilogram difference, but it's a huge gap," Matt commented.

At that moment, the opposing team attacked again. Iverson charged at Zhao Dong, but this time, Zhao Dong took a step outside and defended from the basket. Iverson repeated his usual move, faking a jump shot with a quick stop. After shaking Zhao Dong, he quickly accelerated, driving toward the basket. But just as Iverson was about to make his move, Ewing returned to help with the defense. Iverson suddenly changed direction, took a quick step, and launched himself into the air for the shot.

"Snapped!" Just then, Zhao Dong, who had quickly recovered on defense, perfectly timed his jump and sent a massive block over Iverson's shot, slapping the basketball away. Iverson and Zhao Dong locked eyes, sparks flying between them.

"Oh, what a block! Zhao Dong sends out another monster rejection!" The live commentator roared in excitement.

Oakley grabbed the ball, and the Knicks attacked again. Zhao Dong positioned himself deep in the paint, received a pass from the top of the arc, and used his strength to overpower his defender before finishing with another dunk.

Bill Walton shook his head, saying, "Scott Williams just can't handle Zhao Dong. He can't match his size, strength, or low-post moves."

"Ewing drew Coleman's defense, and Zhao Dong just ate up three defenders in a row. His efficiency is off the charts!" Matt laughed.

"Matt, who do you think has a better low-post offense, Larry Johnson or Zhao Dong?" Bill Walton suddenly asked.

Matt grinned. "Larry Johnson is more skilled. He weighs 113 kilos, which is close to Zhao Dong, but his height's a disadvantage. His technique makes up for it, but his serious back injury and the tough defenses he faces have limited his low-post moves. Zhao Dong, on the other hand, is more efficient."

At this point, the opposing team attacked. Coleman took the ball, turned, and made a jump shot, but missed. Zhao Dong grabbed the rebound, and the Knicks quickly transitioned to offense. This time, Zhao Dong moved toward the deep position again, but the ball was passed to Ewing, who was farther from the basket. Ewing turned, and without hesitation, he took a jumper, hitting the shot. By the 8-minute mark, the Knicks had built an 8-point lead.

Davis, the head coach of the opposing team, called a timeout. Van Gundy used the opportunity to substitute Ewing with the veteran Herb Williams, allowing Zhao Dong to take Ewing's position and face off against Coleman. Meanwhile, sixth man John Starks replaced Allan Houston, and backup point guard Scott Brooks replaced Charlie Ward. The opposing team, trailing significantly, made no substitutions.

The timeout ended, and the opposing team resumed their attack. On the left-wing three-point line, Iverson took the ball, suddenly accelerated, and easily forced Scott Brooks to step back with his incredible speed. But that wasn't all. As Iverson charged toward Oakley, he made another quick direction change, driving at Oakley again. However, Iverson wasn't finished yet. Veteran Herb Williams came up from the low post to help on defense. Iverson, accelerating once more, broke through all three Knicks defenders and drove into the paint.

"Ooooh, he really is like a bolt of lightning!" The excited roar of the commentator echoed throughout Madison Square Garden.

As the commentator's voice filled the arena, Zhao Dong, positioned on the left wing near the basket, was the last line of defense. Iverson, two steps ahead after defeating three defenders, was fully energized. Seeing Zhao Dong under the basket, Iverson leapt into the air, gliding toward him. With his right hand, he threw the ball at the basket, aiming for the finish.

At that moment, Zhao Dong, fully focused, launched himself with all his strength. His remarkable jumping ability powered him upward like a rocket, soaring with incredible speed.

"So high!" "The defensive height is insane!" "He jumped so fast!"

These thoughts flashed through the minds of many spectators as they watched Zhao Dong leap.

"Snapped!" Zhao Dong extended his right arm and, with his large hand, grabbed the ball just before it could pass over his head.

"How is this possible?" Iverson, still gliding forward, stared in disbelief at what was happening right in front of him.

"Block! Zhao Dong blocks Iverson—what a play! He sends out his second block of the night, and Iverson gets rejected again!" The commentator's voice roared through the speakers of Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks quickly counterattacked, and John Starks attempted a three-pointer from the left-wing three-point line, but it missed. Fortunately, Oakley grabbed the rebound.

"Don't worry, calm down, let's focus on playing inside," Van Gundy yelled from the sidelines.

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