NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

"92:94, the Knicks lead by 2 points, with only 21.8 seconds left in the game, and the ball is in the hands of the Heat. At this critical moment, Zhao Dong played an extraordinary performance on both ends of the court, giving his team the initiative. Now, the Heat are in trouble," Bill Walton explained.

Pat Riley called a final timeout.

"Keep an eye on him! I said, keep an eye on him!" he yelled at Mourning.

"I know, Coach. I'll do it right," Mourning replied, feeling the weight of the pressure. Despite it, his demeanor remained calm and steady, and his voice showed no sign of wavering.

"The last attack... here..." Van Gundy hesitated slightly in front of the Knicks bench. Of course, he acknowledged Ewing's performance today, but Zhao Dong had been too impressive for him to ignore. Ewing stared at Van Gundy, his expression unwavering. Despite his age and poor form, he would not let go of the final attack. It was the core of his identity as the team leader — the last shot had to be his. As for winning or losing, was it just a regular season game?

"...to Ewing," Van Gundy finally decided.

In the end, Van Gundy still gave the ball to Ewing. No one objected, and neither did Zhao Dong. If he had, he believed Van Gundy would have benched him, denying him any opportunity to play. But in that moment, Zhao Dong's determination grew. He vowed to become the true leader of the team in the future. He would control the ball himself, and no one, not even the head coach, could defy him. He wanted to be like Ewing — even if he missed a hundred shots, he would still be the first option for the team.

Back from the timeout, the Heat continued to control the tempo by moving the ball around. Pat Riley's tactic was clear: get a three-pointer and then seal the game, leaving no time for the Knicks to respond. His reasoning was that the inside offense wasn't working, with Ewing and Zhao Dong's defense being too strong, so a three-pointer from the outside was the best option.

The Knicks applied tight pressure, and after a few passes, the ball ended up in Mourning's hands. Positioned on the right wing, two steps away from the paint, Mourning faced Zhao Dong.

Zhao Dong took half a step back, giving Mourning space, and then taunted, "I'll let you go, but can you actually make it?" His words were laced with contempt, a deliberate provocation. Mourning wasn't the primary option for this play — he didn't have a reliable three-pointer. But Zhao Dong's trash talk stirred something within Mourning, pushing him to take the shot. He suddenly jumped up and fired a mid-range shot.

Zhao Dong had been prepared for this. His provocation was calculated, and he knew exactly what would happen next.

Zhao Dong finished speaking and immediately took a step forward, leaping up to challenge Mourning. Of course, if Mourning hadn't been provoked, he would have simply returned to his defensive position, not giving his opponent a real chance at all.

"Snapped!" With incredible timing and mental sharpness, Zhao Dong grabbed the ball using his powerful leap and extraordinary wingspan.

"Block! At the critical moment, Zhao Dong grabs the block again, Mourning..." the live commentator shouted.

"Foul!" The referee blew his whistle as Mourning fouled Zhao Dong, who was about to make a quick break. Both players fell to the ground in the process.

"There are 6.2 seconds left, Zhao Dong will take two free throws. The initiative is in the hands of the Knicks, and both teams have no timeouts left," Bill Walton explained.

Matt added, "Zhao Dong has definitely played like a superstar tonight. He's already scored 40+, surpassing the 30-point mark."

The free throws began. Zhao Dong made the first one, giving the Knicks a 3-point lead. The crowd erupted in applause.

"Boom!" The second free throw was missed. Mourning and Ewing fought for the rebound, and after Ewing tipped the ball, Oakley seized the opportunity to knock it out. Zhao Dong, having finished his free throw attempt, had already entered the paint area. He caught the ball and, without hesitation, took a powerful stride toward the basket. In one fluid motion, he leaped up facing both Ewing and Mourning under the rim.

"Boom!" The rim shook violently as the dunk went through, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

"Ow!" Ewing, who was dunked on by Zhao Dong, angrily shouted, "Feilong, you bastard!"

Zhao Dong laughed. "Haha, you're not lonely with someone else around?"

"92:97, the Knicks lead by 5 points, with 4.6 seconds left. The Heat still have possession, but the chances are running out. The Heat have no timeouts left," Bill Walton said, shaking his head.

The game continued. The Heat inbounded the ball, and after a quick pass to the frontcourt, Dan Marley took a three-point shot against Oakley's defense. He missed, and the game was over.

"Yeah!" Madison Square Garden erupted in cheers.

In the TNT live broadcast, Bill Walton said, "Tonight, one of the brightest new stars has shone, and that is Zhao Dong."

Matt nodded. "Absolutely, as the yellow ruler, he truly played like a superstar tonight, dominating in the final quarter."

Bill Walton continued, "He played a total of 36 minutes, making 16 out of 22 shots, 10 out of 13 free throws, 2 out of 2 three-pointers, scoring 44 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 7 blocks, 3 turnovers, and 4 fouls. In the last quarter alone, he made 9 of 12 shots, 2 of 2 from three-point range, and added free throws to score 24 points."

Whether it was the entire game or the final quarter, Zhao Dong had played the best performance among the 1996 rookie class.

Matt smiled and said, "Yes, 44 points. That's the highest score among rookies this year. What I want to say is, Allen Iverson, watch out—your spot as the best rookie is not as secure as you think."

Bill Walton suddenly grinned and added, "And Michael, Feilong showed terrifying scoring ability and super high efficiency tonight. You'd better watch out; he's not a rookie you can take lightly."

Matt joked, "And Barkley, who wants to call Feilong his father."

They both laughed loudly. After a moment, Bill Walton grew serious again and said, "However, I also want to remind Feilong that in this league, no one can provoke Michael Jordan. Anyone who tries will get crushed by him."

Matt nodded in agreement. "Although Feilong scored 44 points tonight, we have to remember that Jordan scored 40+ too, under intense double-teams. He can even score 50+ against those kinds of defenses. That's some seriously terrifying scoring ability. Tonight, Feilong didn't face a double-team. That's the difference between him and Jordan right now. The main defender against him was the Heat's backup center, Austin, who is average in strength. Feilong's scoring was too easy."

Bill Walton nodded, adding, "So, rookie, hurry up and force your opponents to double-team you. Otherwise, you'll never be able to compare to Jordan."

Meanwhile, Zhao Dong, the best player of the game, was interviewed. He was practically exhausted but still in high spirits.

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