NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

Chapter 80: A Shot Without a Defender is Soulless

The score was 8-4, and the Rockets were on the attack.

Olajuwon and Barkley spaced the floor, clearing the Knicks' paint. Olajuwon received the ball in the low post on the left wing, immediately drawing the defense.

Just then, Clyde Drexler cut from the left wing, received a pass from Olajuwon, took a step into the paint, and soared into the air. Like a glider, he cradled the ball in one hand and prepared to hammer it into the Knicks' basket.

As soon as Drexler took off, Zhao Dong, who had been positioned on the right wing, was already retreating to protect the rim. Just as he prepared to leap for the block, he saw Drexler flick the ball over his head.

"Behind me?"

In that instant, Zhao Dong realized it was a setup for Barkley.

But before he could fully react, a gust of wind and an overwhelming force surged from behind him. Without hesitation, he launched himself into the air.

Barkley had sprinted into the paint right behind Zhao Dong. Seeing the pass from Drexler, he jumped with all his might and caught the ball with both hands. He was about to posterize the rookie.

But just as he was about to throw it down, Zhao Dong—who had his back to him—leapt up as well. Their bodies collided mid-air with a loud crash.

Zhao Dong hadn't reached full elevation, and the back of his head slammed into Barkley's chest, forcing him downward. But Zhao Dong maintained his balance.

Barkley, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. The contact knocked him off balance, sending him crashing to the floor. The ball, meanwhile, flew out of bounds.

"Oh! The rookie just committed a hard foul!" the commentator shouted.

But the referee's whistle didn't call it a foul. Instead, possession switched, and the Knicks took over.

As Barkley remained on the floor, Zhao Dong wasted no time. He sprinted ahead, and by the time Barkley got to his feet, Zhao Dong was already past the top of the arc.

Charles Oakley inbounded to Chris Childs, who immediately launched a long pass to Zhao Dong, who had just crossed half-court.

Catching the pass, Zhao Dong dribbled toward the top of the key. But just then, he sensed Drexler chasing from the wing.

"Damn, why is he so fast?" Drexler was shocked. At 95 kilograms, he couldn't believe he was struggling to catch up to an inside player weighing 115 kilograms.

But the reality was, the distance was simply too short—he was too late.

"Boom!"

Zhao Dong took off just inside the free-throw line and hammered down a vicious tomahawk dunk, shaking the Rockets' rim.

"He almost caught up! Just a little more and Drexler could've stopped him!" the commentator said in frustration.

"Beautiful! Zhao Dong took flight from the free-throw line and slammed it home!" Zhang Lili shouted excitedly from the Chinese broadcast booth.

As Zhao Dong landed near the baseline, he spotted a CCTV camera. Pumped with adrenaline, he rushed over, hugged the camera, and shouted, "This is it! There's nothing we can't do! Tonight, we're taking down the Rockets, Barkley, and Olajuwon!"

"Woohoo!"

Oakley, Ewing, and the rest of the Knicks charged over, huddling around the camera and roaring in celebration.

"Take down the Rockets! Take down Barkley! Take down Olajuwon!" Chinese fans echoed the chant, their emotions surging. Many of them didn't even fully understand who the Rockets, Barkley, or Olajuwon were—but they knew they were Zhao Dong's opponents.

The Knicks' celebration triggered a wave of deafening boos from the Compaq Center crowd.

On the next possession, Barkley aggressively drove into the paint, received a pass from Olajuwon, and finished strong against Ewing, drawing a foul in the process.

Zhao Dong had lagged behind and failed to contest.

"Damn, for an old guy, he's still so agile?" he muttered to himself.

That moment solidified his resolve to improve his flexibility and balance. Without those attributes, his ability to change direction and use his speed would always be limited. His ability to break through defenses and escape double-teams depended on it.

Even with his gold-tier low-post skills, he felt like he wasn't maximizing his full potential—his physical attributes were holding him back.

Barkley hit his free throw. 10-7, Knicks still in the lead.

On the next Knicks possession, Zhao Dong didn't cut inside. Instead, he stationed himself at the right-wing three-point line, with Barkley trailing a step behind.

Ewing, feeling confident, became more aggressive. Sensing an opportunity, he backed his way into the paint, drawing a double-team from Drexler. Barkley also glanced back, ready to help.

At that moment, Zhao Dong suddenly sprinted to the right corner, calling for the ball.

Barkley, reacting late, turned and chased after him, but it was too late. The pass had already arrived in Zhao Dong's hands.

Wide open, Zhao Dong caught the ball, raised it to shoot… then stopped.

He didn't take the shot. Instead, he looked at Barkley, who was frantically closing the distance.

"What's he doing?"

Fans, commentators, and players alike were all asking the same question.

Then Zhao Dong smirked and taunted Barkley, "A shot without a defender is soulless."

Barkley's face turned red with rage.

Not shooting while wide open—deliberately waiting for the defense—was the ultimate sign of disrespect.

The media on the baseline went wild, cameras flashing nonstop.

On the sidelines, Jeff Van Gundy threw his hands in the air. "What the hell are you doing? Shoot the damn ball!"

Barkley, furious, lowered his stance. He was determined to contest this shot at all costs. He couldn't let the rookie humiliate him any further.

Zhao Dong leaned forward, palming the ball with one hand, lifting it behind his head.

His eyes gleamed with absolute confidence. He was about to embarrass Barkley all over again.

"He's going to drive!" Barkley braced himself.

But in the next instant, Zhao Dong suddenly rose up and released the shot at the peak of his jump.

Barkley reacted a split-second too late—the ball had already left Zhao Dong's fingertips, arcing gracefully toward the basket.

"If this goes in, it's going to be one of the most legendary moments in NBA history!" thought multiple reporters, frantically clicking their cameras.

"Swish!"

The ball splashed through the net. Nothing but pure nylon.

Barkley turned around and froze. He watched the ball drop through the hoop, stunned.

Zhao Dong's words echoed in his mind: A shot without a defender is soulless.

And that wasn't all. The rookie had celebrated three times in a row before the shot even landed.

At that moment, Barkley's spirit shattered.

"Oh no… Our home court has been humiliated again! Poor Charles—he's taken the brunt of it all tonight!" the commentator groaned.

"A legendary moment in the making!" a media reporter exclaimed excitedly.

"That trash talk, that confidence—this is an iconic scene!"

"That line will go down as one of the most disrespectful taunts in NBA history!" another reporter added, grinning ear to ear.

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