NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

Chapter 48

Zhao Dong naturally saw Pat Riley's performance and was not easily swayed. Ewing would be seriously injured next season, and by then, Zhao Dong could successfully take over the team's core position. Both Ewing and Oakley would eventually be traded, and Zhao Dong could become the leader of the Knicks' locker room. There was no need to fight for power now. He and Ewing worked well together. One shot from the outside, and the other played near the basket. They complemented each other, with no conflict in their roles. While there were some issues with ball possession, they were not unsolvable. Zhao Dong could focus on playing outside and wouldn't have to compete with Ewing for the inside game. On the perimeter, with his strength and performance, no one could compete with him—not even Oakley. Alan Houston could compete with him now, but in the future, he wouldn't stand a chance. With Ewing in charge, the pressure on Zhao Dong was minimal, if not nonexistent. After all, if the team failed to win a championship, it would be Ewing's responsibility.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, the Knicks held an internal scrimmage. Zhao Dong observed the condition of his teammates, especially Ewing and Alan Houston, the two players who took the most shots. Ewing didn't push toward the basket during the session; he only shot jumpers from the outside. His legs were clearly not what they used to be. After two quarters, he had made only one of thirteen shots—such inefficiency was concerning. Alan Houston, also a perimeter shooter, showed some promise, hitting five of ten shots, but he lacked any real offensive punch. The two players who were expected to take the most shots were not effective at breaking down the interior defense, leaving it easy for the Heat to defend the paint. How were they going to win this game?

"Coach, I have a problem with my wrist," Ewing explained regarding his condition.

Van Gundy nodded and said, "Then tonight, Patrick, you'll need to focus more on defense to contain Mourning's offense."

"I will," Ewing replied.

In the evening, the Heat visited the Knicks. The Heat's lineup consisted of Alonzo Mourning, PJ Brown, Dan Marley, Sasha, and Tim Hardaway. For the Knicks, it was Ewing, Zhao Dong, Oakley, Alan Houston, and Charlie Ward.

Zhao Dong had some knowledge of his opponent PJ Brown. A lanky player standing at 6'11" and weighing 225 pounds, Brown was effective both from the mid-range and the perimeter, but he struggled near the basket. His offense in the paint accounted for 34% of his game, with a shooting percentage of 54%. He was solid in post-up situations, capable of executing a decent hook shot, though not to the level of a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. More importantly, Brown was a typical defender—strong in rebounding, with an average of nearly three offensive rebounds per game. His steal and block numbers were solid, and his interior defense was strong and aggressive. It was said that Green from the Warriors would later model his game after Brown's style. Interestingly, Brown had been drafted ahead of Zhao Dong, selected as the second pick in the second round of the 1992 draft.

Starting off, the two teams met at the exit. "Defeating someone like him will make me stronger faster," Zhao Dong thought as he focused on his target, Mourning. A formidable insider like him, with a will as strong as Yuren's, was the perfect challenge. Zhao Dong's eyes burned with an unmistakable fighting spirit. When Mourning noticed Zhao Dong staring at him, he stepped forward, glared at him, and said, "Boy, what are you looking at?"

Zhao Dong admired the strength of the Kidney Fighter but responded with a chuckle, "I'm looking at a superstar."

Mourning paused, taken aback, then laughed and turned toward his teammates. "Look, this is the Chinese—they're always so humble."

Just as Tim Hardaway was about to laugh, he suddenly stopped and shouted, "Careful!"

"What?" Mourning asked, confused.

Before he could react, Zhao Dong landed a heavy blow to his abdomen. The impact instantly bent him over in pain, his body curling up like a shrimp. "Oh!" Mourning groaned, clutching his stomach, unable to contain the pain.

Zhao Dong sneered and shouted, "FK YOU! I gave you three points, but you opened a dyeing workshop. You're just a thousand-year-old struggling under O'Neill's ass—don't you get it?"

The sudden eruption stunned everyone, including several security personnel, who were caught off guard and unable to react immediately.

"Ow!" Mourning's eyes burned with fury as the pain subsided. With a roar, he stood up and charged at Zhao Dong, intent on retaliation. Zhao Dong didn't back down and was quickly shoved against the wall by Mourning.

"Asshole!" Mourning's face twisted with anger—he had never been so humiliated. He vowed to make this rookie pay. He grabbed Zhao Dong with one massive hand and prepared to throw a punch with the other, but just as he did, Zhao Dong struck back, landing a devastating knee to Mourning's abdomen.

"What the hell? I'm the boss of the Seawolves team because of fighting, not basketball, you idiot! I respect you to your face, and you laugh at me? Now you get it?" Zhao Dong kicked Mourning to the ground, continuing to berate him with a barrage of insults.

"Pfft!" Larry Johnson, a former amateur boxer, burst into laughter. Oakley and Ewing also laughed along.

"Zhao Dong, calm down, we have a game to play," Ewing warned, as security rushed to separate the two players.

"You're a bastard!" Mourning spat, still fuming with rage, but couldn't do anything as security moved in to stop him. He gritted his teeth and glared at Zhao Dong, burning with a desire to tear him apart.

At that moment, Oakley stood up, pointing at Mourning's nose. "Boy, Zhao Dong respects you and calls you a superstar, but you laugh at him and his race. That's your fault. If the media finds out, you're finished."

Mourning's face darkened. "Today was your bad luck. Don't mess with Zhao Dong again. If you do, it won't end well for you," Oakley continued, his voice booming.

Mourning clenched his fists, but after a brief pause, a security guard pushed him back. Resentfully, he retreated, swallowing his anger and humiliation.

As the visiting team entered, the commentator outside called for Mourning, prompting him to quickly lower his head and leave.

"Haha..." The Knicks' players laughed hysterically.

"Damn rookie, I'm going to make you regret this!" Mourning muttered under his breath, his face a mix of shame and anger.

Later, as the home team prepared for the game, Pat Riley, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, approached Ewing. The two embraced and exchanged words. Zhao Dong passed by them, and Pat Riley immediately broke away from Ewing, extending his hand to Zhao Dong.

"Hey, Zhao Dong," Riley greeted warmly.

"Coach Riley, hello," Zhao Dong responded politely, shaking his hand.

"You played pretty well. You're going to have a solid rookie season," Pat Riley said with a smile.

Zhao Dong quickly shook his head. "No, no, compared to legends like Patrick and Magic, my rookie season can only be considered mediocre, not outstanding."

His words were genuinely humble. The man standing before him had led the Lakers' Showtime era and was the only figure in NBA history to win championships as a player, coach, and general manager. He had mentored countless superstars—how could Zhao Dong dare to boast?

"You're very humble," Pat Riley chuckled.

"Humility is a virtue," Zhao Dong replied with a smile. "We Chinese have always believed in convincing others with virtue, and I try to follow that principle."

"Pfft!" Ewing laughed at Zhao Dong's comment.

"I hope we get a chance to work together in the future," Riley said, his eyes briefly flicking toward Ewing.

"Of course," Zhao Dong smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you want to read Advanced Chapters?

Visit my Påtreon

påtreon.com/Fanficlord03