Chapter 15: Team Personal Efficiency
The left wing was low as Coleman and Zhao Dong faced off. Standing at 208 cm and weighing 104 kg at his peak, Coleman had packed on some pounds after a serious injury last year, now tipping the scales at 130 kg.
Facing this powerhouse, Zhao Dong caught the ball in the low post, hit a quick move, and pulled up for a straight-arm jumper. Coleman was too slow to react—before he could even challenge the shot, Zhao Dong had already turned, gliding toward the rim and hammering down a vicious tomahawk dunk. The crowd erupted.
"Zhao Dong's got a perfect 4-for-4 start in the first quarter, already stacking up 8 points—all from the low block. His efficiency's off the charts," the commentator laughed.
A few minutes later, Zhao Dong went at Coleman again. This time, he absorbed the contact and hit the floor, drawing a foul. He stepped up to the line and knocked down both free throws, pushing his total to double digits in the first quarter. By the end of the period, the Knicks were up 26-15, sitting on an 11-point lead.
Fast forward to the six-minute mark in the third quarter—Knicks still up, 60-48. Zhao Dong checked back in, replacing Ewing. Iverson, who barely got any rest, was already cooking, dropping 16 points. Guarding AIlen had been a bust for Zhao Dong, so now he focused on his other tasks. Five blocks? Nah, that wasn't happening. Three steals? Tough. But 20+ points and double-digit rebounds? That was still in the bag. He locked in on securing those numbers, knowing he needed to keep stacking up solid performances.
Knicks on offense. Alan Houston clanked a mid-range shot, but Zhao Dong soared in, outmuscling Coleman for the offensive board. He didn't hesitate—went straight into a quick hook shot, drew the and-one, and sank the free throw. That put him at 13 points.
Iverson, relentless as ever, came back down and stopped on a dime at the elbow—pull-up jumper, bucket.
Zhao Dong turned, shoving Coleman deeper into the paint, but the ball was already in Alan Houston's hands. A slight hesitation, then the pass—too late. Zhao Dong snatched the ball mid-air, but Coleman had recovered, waiting under the hoop. No problem. Zhao Dong spun off him, hitting a quick straight-arm jumper. The shot was smooth, high release—too fast for Coleman to contest.
Clank.
The ball rattled off the rim, bounced twice, and rolled out.
"Shit!" Zhao Dong muttered as Coleman secured the rebound.
"Here!" Iverson shouted, sprinting for the ball.
Coleman fired the pass, but Zhao Dong saw it coming, jumped the passing lane, and picked it off. In one motion, he took off down the court, finishing with an easy dunk.
"That rookie loves dunking. Don't let him get another one!" 76ers coach Davis called for a timeout, barking at Coleman to step up.
In this era, there was no defensive three-second rule, so Coleman could camp in the paint as long as he wanted. He nodded, ready to anchor down.
After the timeout, the Knicks came back on offense. Zhao Dong spotted Coleman chilling under the basket and smirked. The big man thought he couldn't shoot? Bet. Time to show him he wasn't just a dunker. Mixing in some mid-range shots and finesse finishes, Zhao Dong kept Coleman guessing.
By the end of the third quarter, Zhao Dong had 18 points and 7 boards. Knicks were cruising, 72-58.
In the fourth, Ewing checked back in while Zhao Dong slid into his usual role. By the halfway mark, Zhao Dong had stacked up 25 points. With the lead secured, he locked in on grabbing every board possible.
Final buzzer. Knicks took down the Sixers 92-75, sealing a 17-point dub.
Zhao Dong's stat line:
30 minutes
27 points (11/15 FG, 5/6 FT)
10 rebounds
2 assists
2 steals
3 blocks
1 turnover
4 fouls
75% shooting efficiency
His first double-double. His first 20+10 game.
Ewing put up 26 points, while Charlie Ward added 12. Alan Houston had a rough night, shooting 2/10 from the field, including 1/5 from deep, finishing with just 7 points, 1 rebound, and 6 assists.
On the Sixers' side, Iverson did his thing—32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 5 turnovers in 44 minutes. He shot 10/18 from the field, 5/9 from three, and 7/13 from the line. A big night, but it wasn't enough.
Postgame, Ewing snagged Player of the Game honors for his 26-point, 15-rebound performance.
As Zhao Dong walked off, Spike Lee hollered, "Hey, rookie! Solid game tonight. Hope we see more of that."
With a cocky smirk, Zhao Dong shot back, "Man, with a body like mine and eyes like these, why the hell would you doubt that?"
Spike Lee chuckled, shaking his head. "Cocky ass rookie," he muttered, walking away.
On the bench, Larry Johnson sat there, stewing. He didn't expect to get hurt just two games into his Knicks stint, and he damn sure didn't expect the team to find a replacement this quick. Watching Zhao Dong ball out just made it sting more.
"Congrats, host. You've completed two mission objectives and earned three skill points as rewards."
"Congrats, host. You've completed the 20+10 task in the continuous game challenge. Keep pushing forward."
Zhao Dong had already made up his mind—shooting was the next thing to level up. He cashed in all three skill points into his shooting stat, bumping it from 85 to 88. If he kept grinding, he'd be a legit top-tier shooter in no time.
Meanwhile, on NBC, the commentators broke it down.
"Both players balled out tonight," one said. "Iverson was lights out on offense, but Zhao Dong's efficiency in the low post was a problem for the Sixers. Scott Williams couldn't hold him, and Coleman's conditioning is shot—he couldn't keep up with Zhao Dong's speed."
"You saying Zhao Dong's stats were boosted by weak competition?" the other asked.
"Nah, he's still the real deal," the first commentator replied with a grin. "We can't say what his future holds, but one thing's clear—if he keeps this up, the Knicks' investment in him is looking real smart."
The second commentator nodded, glancing at the efficiency ratings. "Check this out—Zhao Dong led the entire team in personal efficiency. Even outshined Ewing."
The first commentator laughed, "Well, Ewing's more about finesse now—mid-range jumpers and footwork. Meanwhile, Zhao Dong's out here bullying dudes in the paint, so his efficiency makes sense."
One thing was clear—Zhao Dong wasn't just some hyped-up rookie.
He was for real.
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