NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

The Timberwolves attacked again, and Garnett took the ball in the low post on the left wing. He turned and stepped back for a jump shot. The turn-around and step-back jump shot is a powerful post-up technique. It allows the player to use their back to protect the ball, preventing the defender from stepping forward, and then create space by stepping back for a clean shot. However, Garnett was still in the process of perfecting this technique. When he turned and shot, his movement was less fluid, and there was a slight hesitation as he took off, giving Zhao Dong the opportunity to close the gap on defense. Zhao Dong exploded with his incredible jumping ability, catching up to Garnett's shot height in the air. With a swift motion, he blocked the ball, sending it out of bounds.

The commentator's voice rang out, "What a volleyball block! Zhao Dong sends another rejection, and once again, he shuts down Garnett's offense!"

"Damn it!" Garnett cursed, glaring at Zhao Dong and clenching his fists. Zhao Dong, on the other hand, could also perform the turnaround and step-back jump shot, but at his current skill level of 55, he rarely used it during his time in the NCAA and had never attempted it in the NBA. He assessed Garnett's technique and felt that it was only at a 50 or 60 rating, not superior to his own. He thought Garnett's use of the technique was bold, especially for a team like the Timberwolves, who didn't have the skill to use it effectively. If Zhao Dong were to attempt it, the success rate would likely be low, and Van Gundy would probably criticize him for it.

The Timberwolves attacked again. On the left wing, Marbury took the ball and deliberately drove towards Zhao Dong's side. With a quick burst, he broke past Charlie Ward and charged towards Zhao Dong. Garnett moved up to set a screen for Marbury, and Zhao Dong had to immediately shift to the basket to prevent Marbury from driving in. However, Zhao Dong could no longer focus on guarding Marbury's outside shot. Marbury chose to drive into the paint, using Garnett's screen to gain momentum. Garnett followed closely behind, tracking Zhao Dong.

Marbury jumped for a layup, drawing Zhao Dong's attention as he went for the block. But in midair, Marbury passed the ball back to Garnett, who had followed up. "You want to stop me?" Zhao Dong thought, but before he could react, he fell to the ground. Behind him, Garnett, with a grin on his face, soared toward the basket with the ball in his hands.

"Damn!" Zhao Dong turned around sharply, but Garnett's body blocked his view completely. Determined not to let Garnett dunk on him, Zhao Dong leaped into action. As Garnett rose, Zhao Dong jumped and reached up to grab Garnett's shoulders, pulling him down with all his strength.

"What?!" Garnett shouted as he was unexpectedly yanked down mid-flight.

Garnett was completely unprepared. As Zhao Dong pulled him down, Garnett was lifted off the ground and slammed hard onto the floor. The crowd gasped in shock.

"What are you doing?" Amid the uproar, Marbury stormed over and shoved Zhao Dong forcefully.

"Get out of my way!" Zhao Dong casually pushed Marbury aside, his voice cold and firm. "If you want to dunk on my head—or even try to ride dunk me—you better be ready to pay the price for your career. This is your serious warning."

"You?" Marbury was livid. He never expected that Zhao Dong, a rookie, would dare to play such a ruthless move. Had he known, he would never have dared to challenge Garnett like this. He realized he couldn't afford to mess with Zhao Dong—his career could have ended right there. He felt a hint of fear.

"Nice job, Zhao Dong!" Oakley quickly rushed over, shoving Marbury aside with one hand. "You think you can pull tricks on our team? Not even the likes of Lambier or Jordan are qualified to do that here."

At that moment, Garnett still hadn't gotten up, his face pale from the fall. The referee signaled for a stoppage in play, and the team doctor rushed onto the court. Zhao Dong was assessed with a defensive foul for the incident.

As he processed the penalty, Zhao Dong realized just how high the defensive standards were in this era. No wonder players like Malone, with his brutal elbow moves, had injured so many and still managed to make a name for themselves.

Garnett was helped off the court and went straight to the locker room, while Zhao Dong remained on the floor, still under Van Gundy's instructions. The game resumed, and the Timberwolves replaced him with backup center Dean Garnett, who made two free throws.

Zhao Dong opened the system to check his mission progress and found it had been temporarily suspended. The system hadn't found any loopholes, and the task would be paused if Garnett couldn't return. Zhao Dong didn't regret his actions. If given the chance again, he would still have pulled Garnett down.

Marbury made two free throws, and the Timberwolves continued their attack. Zhao Dong now faced a much weaker version of Garnett, a backup player who weighed only 102 kilograms and couldn't match him physically. Marbury broke through from the top of the arc, easily bypassing Charlie Ward's defense. Oakley couldn't keep up, and Marbury attacked the basket. Ewing moved to protect the rim, and Zhao Dong stepped up to block Marbury's way. Realizing he couldn't get through, Marbury passed to Dean Garnett, but Zhao Dong, expecting the pass, was tricked by a fake. Marbury pulled the ball back, jumped, and took a shot.

Zhao Dong tried to block it, but he was still a step behind, and Marbury's shot went in.

"Is he that tall?" Marbury thought, startled by Zhao Dong's presence. He adjusted his shot in mid-air, and the ball bounced off the rim. Zhao Dong, who had already turned, grabbed the rebound.

With Garnett off the court, Zhao Dong focused on defending Marbury, knowing that every point from Marbury helped with his sniper mission. After three minutes, Garnett returned to the game, and the Timberwolves called a timeout to swap players.

Zhao Dong checked the system and saw that his mission was back on track. He grinned.

Garnett, back on the court, started trash-talking as he positioned himself behind Zhao Dong. "Stay away from me, you stinky mouth. By the way, has your manhood been broken?" Zhao Dong shot back without hesitation.

"You're asking for it!" Garnett swung his elbow in anger, aiming for Zhao Dong's head. Zhao Dong barely managed to block the blow and staggered back, nearly falling.

"Dammit!" Zhao Dong, now furious, punched back. Garnett, seeing Zhao Dong's aggression, quickly backed off and shouted, "What's your problem?"

"I really want to beat you senseless!" Zhao Dong charged at Garnett, his anger boiling over.

"Zhao, get him!" Oakley shouted, ready to charge at Garnett, but Tom Gugliotta stepped in to block him.

The referee, sensing the tension, blew his whistle urgently, signaling to stop the potential fight.

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