NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

Chapter 27

Magic center Binkali, who is white and stands at 211 cm tall, lacks the jumping ability to match Zhao Dong. The Knicks were on offense as Zhao Dong first touched the ball. He set up in the low post on the right wing, and Horace Grant immediately followed him inside. Zhao Dong began to press toward the basket without hesitation. Although Grant stood at 208 cm, his lighter build couldn't match Zhao Dong's tonnage and strength. Grant, seasoned with experience, quickly shifted to defend around the front and cut off Zhao Dong's route to the ball. Unable to receive the pass inside, Zhao Dong was forced to move out of the paint. As Zhao Dong moved outside, Grant adopted a side defense, blocking the inside of the basket while placing one hand on Zhao Dong's waist and preventing him from getting the ball.

Grant then taunted him: "Garbage rookie, tell me, what confidence do you have to provoke Michael?"

Zhao Dong began to respond, but before he could finish, he suddenly turned around, bypassed Grant, and cut toward the basket. At the same time, he pressed Grant's hip with his left hand.

"Oops!" Grant, distracted by the move, tried to pivot and chase him, but was delayed by Zhao Dong's pressure, allowing him to slip past. This maneuver was something Zhao Dong had learned from Duncan.

In his previous life, Duncan would press his opponent when he cut to the baseline, preventing a quick turn and allowing him to grab offensive rebounds. Duncan's offensive rebounds made up a significant portion of his total rebounds, and this technique was one of the reasons why.

Seeing Zhao Dong's cut, Ewing, who had received the ball in the low post on the left wing, quickly passed the ball to the basket. Zhao Dong soared into the air, grabbed the ball with one hand, pulled back his arm, and dunked it with a thunderous slam.

"Oh, a tomahawk alley-oop dunk! The low-post cooperation between the Knicks' big men was executed brilliantly right from the start!" the commentator exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

Grant frowned as he watched. This was his specialty—cutting inside—and he hadn't expected the rookie to use it effectively against him.

"Mr. Wooden Pillar, are you just standing there to guard against me?" Zhao Dong taunted as he returned to defense, glancing at Grant.

"Arrogant rookie, I'll make you regret this tonight!" Grant responded coldly.

Meanwhile, Magic shooting guard Nick Anderson made a mid-range shot, and the Knicks took possession. Zhao Dong immediately positioned himself in the paint, asking for the ball. Grant moved forward again. Zhao Dong shoved him back with a powerful push, his left hand in front of him and his right hand raised high, signaling for a lob at the top of the arc. The lob was the ideal way to counter Grant's defense. However, Charlie Ward, reacting a bit slower, was defended by Penny Hardaway, and the pass missed, forcing Zhao Dong to vacate the paint temporarily.

"Charlie, pay attention to the timing of the pass!" Van Gundy shouted from the sidelines. He was not satisfied with the current starting lineup, particularly at the point guard position. Charlie Ward was strong defensively but lacked offensive skills. While this fit with the team's style, his overall strength was limited. Van Gundy had already planned to increase the playing time of backup point guard Charles. The two point guards would alternate starting to add more tactical variability. Charles, who had gone undrafted in 1994, had been traded from the Nets during the offseason. Last season, he averaged 12.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. Currently, his scoring and playmaking abilities were superior to Ward's, though his defense was weaker.

Zhao Dong entered the basket again, forcing Grant to backpedal, which expanded his space near the hoop. This time, Charlie Ward lobbed the ball in. Zhao Dong turned, extended his arms, and tried to outmaneuver Grant to catch the ball. But just as Zhao Dong prepared to leap, Grant's left arm stretched out from behind him and blocked his throat, preventing him from jumping fully. The ball sailed out of bounds. The referee quickly signaled for the ball to be exchanged and pointed toward the Magic's frontcourt.

"Oh, they didn't even call that a foul on the throat?" Sun Zhenping exclaimed in surprise.

"That's how it is now," Zhang Lili explained. "This is still the Magic's home court. Zhao Dong is a rookie, so the whistle won't always go his way."

Zhao Dong wasn't surprised. He understood that this was a tough era for rookies. If the same action occurred 20 years later, it would likely be called a flagrant foul.

"Boy, how does that feel?" Grant said coldly.

"To hell with you!" Zhao Dong shot back, unfazed.

Zhao Dong entered the game with a fierce determination, his national pride fueling his every move. On the Magic's offense, Grant, known for his shooting and cutting ability, didn't want to be trapped in the paint. He moved to the right wing, seeking opportunities.

"Good chance!" Grant noticed his teammate Binkali moving away from the basket to the left wing, drawing Ewing out of position. Seizing the moment, Grant feigned an outward move and quickly cut towards the basket, managing to throw off Zhao Dong by two meters. As Grant darted to the hoop, Penny made a perfect pass, and Grant finished with a layup.

"Zhao Dong, cover your man!" Van Gundy called out from the sidelines. Zhao Dong raised his hand, acknowledging the responsibility, but Grant wasn't done. "Rookie, where's your defense?" he taunted. Zhao Dong shot him a cold stare but stayed silent. He knew Grant, a veteran with three championship rings, would be tough to handle. Keeping his focus on the game was the only way to succeed.

The Knicks' offense began, and Zhao Dong once again requested the ball near the basket. However, after Charlie Ward made an earlier mistake, he ignored Zhao Dong's call and passed it to Ewing. When the three-second violation loomed, Zhao Dong quickly retreated from the paint. Ewing, under pressure, passed the ball to Oakley, who missed a mid-range shot. Zhao Dong and Grant both fought for position in the paint. Zhao Dong, using his size and strength, grabbed the offensive rebound. Grant, determined to prevent him from dunking, nearly climbed onto his back, locking Zhao Dong's throat with his forearm.

"Asshole!" Zhao Dong gritted his teeth as he struggled to breathe but still managed to rise up and slam the ball into the basket with one hand.

"Di!" The referee blew the whistle, signaling a foul.

"That was a tough dunk, even with Grant choking him out. The Magic needs to tighten up their defense and prevent him from getting close to the basket," the commentator said in surprise.

On the court, Zhao Dong turned to Grant and shouted, "Old man, you can't stop me!"

Grant gritted his teeth, replying, "There are plenty of tricks waiting for you."

"You'll regret it," Zhao Dong responded coldly.

"Horace, don't go too far!" Oakley called out to Grant, his hesitation clear.

"Charles, this is just an ordinary defense. I didn't do anything," Grant replied, feigning innocence.

"Don't anger our rookie, or you'll regret it," Oakley warned, turning to retreat. He and Grant had been teammates during Grant's rookie season with the Bulls, where he had been Jordan's most powerful inside helper. Oakley wasn't one to back down, but he knew better than to push too far.

(End of this chapter)

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