NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

On the 2nd, Pat Riley led the Heat to New York for an upcoming game. The Heat, currently boasting a strong lineup with a 12-4 record, ranked third in the Eastern Conference. Their point guard, Tim Hardaway, an All-Star, was known for his exceptional ability to break through defenses. Magic Johnson once described Hardaway's ability as a "bug," saying that when you hear two bangs, Hardaway has already disappeared from your face. Future Hall of Famer Chris Mullin also praised him, calling him one of the best players of the era.

On the front line, the Heat had Jamal Mashburn, the 93rd pick in the first round, who would later become an All-Star, as well as All-Star swingman Dan Marley. Inside, the Heat featured a formidable combination of PJ Brown, a defensive expert, and Alonzo Mourning, one of the league's top centers. Their tough, physical style of play made them a dominant force. Pat Riley, who had coached the Knicks for four seasons, had seen Ewing's peak years under his guidance. However, his time with the Knicks hadn't yielded the success he had hoped for, unlike his triumphs with the Lakers, so he moved on to the Heat. Riley had always been a target for the New York media, especially after leaving the city. Upon arrival at the hotel, the Heat held a press conference at the request of the media.

"Pat, how confident are you about tomorrow's game?" a reporter from the New York Times asked.

"I'm confident every game," Pat Riley responded.

"Do you think the Knicks have what it takes to win the championship this season?" asked a reporter from New York Sports News.

Riley paused for a moment before answering, "I watched the Knicks' game against the Kings the other day. Honestly, I wanted to acquire the Chinese rookie from the Knicks. I even called the management, but unfortunately, it didn't work out."

He shrugged and continued with some regret, "After he became the starting power forward, his performance has been impressive. His low-post game is excellent, and he also has a solid mid-range and long-range shot. It's a shame we didn't draft him back in June."

Addressing the earlier question, Riley said, "This Knicks team has potential, but I think there are still some flaws in the lineup."

"What flaws do you see?" the reporter inquired.

Pat Riley smiled and replied, "The competition for the ball inside."

"Ball rights inside?" A few reporters looked confused.

"Yes, it's about the distribution of ball control inside," Riley explained. "Zhao Dong is playing very well right now. I think Ewing should consider sharing some of the ball and shooting responsibilities with more efficient players. Zhao Dong would be a logical choice."

"That doesn't make sense," murmured one reporter, Zhang Lili, to Sun Zhenping.

"But I think he's right," Sun Zhenping replied. "Look, if you think it's right, then there must be others who agree as well."

Zhang Lili explained, "Who is Ewing? He is a symbol of the Knicks. If Zhao Dong starts competing for ball control, what will he face? Ewing and the Knicks fans will attack him together. At that point, Zhao Dong will have no good outcome, and the Knicks could suffer from internal strife, causing the team to collapse."

Sun Zhenping, wiping the sweat from his forehead, looked at the smiling Pat Riley on stage and said with some dissatisfaction, "This coach's nickname is spot on!"

"There are no wrong names, only wrong people," Zhang Lili replied with a smile.

"I just hope Zhao Dong won't compete with Ewing for the ball," Sun Zhenping said.

"I don't know!" Zhang Lili replied, worried about Zhao Dong's character.

At this moment, Zhao Dong received a system task notification.

Team Sniper Mission:

Lead the team to victory and earn five quality points.

"F*ck!" Zhao Dong cursed when he saw the task content. In the previous two team sniper missions, the task options were almost overwhelming. Today, however, the task was simple, which only meant that tomorrow's game would be extremely difficult, and the team's chances of winning were slim. The system only had one requirement: victory. Moreover, the task specifically stated that Zhao Dong must lead the team. Did this mean Ewing's performance would be poor again during tomorrow's game? Zhao Dong scratched his head, wondering if Ewing had been slacking off lately due to distractions.

Next, the system issued additional tasks:

Superstar Sniper Mission:

Block Mourning five times, with no more than two blocks from Mourning against you.

Limit Mourning's points to no more than 12.

Limit Mourning's rebounds to no more than 6.

Keep Mourning's shooting percentage below 35%.

Task Reward: For each completed task, the host will be rewarded with a skill point. If all tasks are completed, the host will receive two of Mourning's "Iron Kidneys."

"Your uncle, the system," Zhao Dong muttered, his veins bulging. "My own kidneys are perfectly fine, I don't need this thing. You want me to draw a lottery again, don't you? I was tricked by you last time. Don't even think about it this time."

Though the mission options were few, Zhao Dong understood that it wouldn't be easy. He knew Mourning's capabilities well—he was a fierce player. Mourning, the No. 92 pick in 1992, stood 6'10" and weighed 230 pounds, with a wingspan of 7'6". He was a tenacious defensive force, known for his shot-blocking, strong will, and excellent basket protection. In the current season's playoffs, the Heat and Knicks faced off, and PJ Brown of the Heat made an excessive defensive move against Charlie Ward, leading to a fight between the two teams. During that altercation, Mourning was punched repeatedly by Larry Johnson but was saved from a knockout. This incident deepened the rivalry between the Heat and the Knicks.

Mourning was known for his powerful dunks, and blocking him five times would be a difficult task. Additionally, Mourning's shot-blocking ability was exceptional, making it hard for anyone to avoid getting blocked. His career shooting percentage exceeded 50%, making it a real challenge to limit it to below 35%. Though Zhao Dong was of a similar height to Mourning, he played as a forward, not a center, which made it harder to match up against him. To complete these tasks, Zhao Dong would need to focus intensely on defense, playing efficiently, and trying to limit Mourning's impact on the game.

Another problem arose. If Ewing didn't perform well defensively tomorrow night, it would be difficult for him to complete the task. That evening, news from the Heat's press conference aired on TV. Soon, countless Knicks fans flooded the team's phone lines, and all the numbers they knew were jammed.

"No matter what happens, don't even think about replacing Ewing—he's the only one for us!"

"Let Zhao Dong take it easy. He's our future, not our present. We need Ewing to lead us to the championship!"

"The team needs to distribute the ball properly. We only trust Ewing in critical moments."

The staff, overwhelmed by the flood of calls, had no choice but to unplug the phone lines before things calmed down.

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