Magic center Ben Carle, a 211 cm white player, had hops that couldn't match Zhao Dong's. Zhao Dong won the tip, and the Knicks took possession.
Zhao Dong moved to the low right wing, with Horace Grant, standing at 208 cm but lacking the bulk to counter Zhao Dong's strength, trailing him. Grant, seasoned and savvy, fronted Zhao Dong to deny the entry pass, forcing Zhao Dong to step out.
As Zhao Dong exited the paint, Grant shifted to side defense, positioning himself between Zhao Dong and the basket, one hand on Zhao Dong's waist and the other obstructing the passing lane. He taunted, "Tell me, you trash rookie, what makes you think you can challenge Michael?"
"I..." Zhao Dong began, then abruptly pivoted, slipping past Grant toward the rim, using his left hand to press against Grant's backside.
"Oh no!" Grant, caught off guard, tried to recover but was a step too late, hindered by Zhao Dong's maneuver—a move Zhao Dong had picked up from Duncan. In his previous life, Duncan would press his opponent while sliding to the baseline, preventing a quick defensive turn and gaining an advantage for offensive rebounds. This tactic contributed to Duncan's high offensive rebound stats.
Seeing Zhao Dong's cut, Ewing, who had the ball on the left block, quickly dished it to the basket. Zhao Dong soared, snatched the ball one-handed, extended his arm, and slammed it down with authority.
"Oh, a tomahawk jam! The Knicks' big men are clicking right from the start," the commentator exclaimed.
Grant's brow furrowed. This rookie just used his own signature move against him.
"Yo, Mr. Statue, is that your idea of defense?" Zhao Dong jibed at Grant while hustling back on D.
"Cocky rookie, you're in for a rough night," Grant retorted coldly.
On the Magic's possession, shooting guard Nick Anderson drained a mid-range jumper, and the Knicks set up their offense.
Zhao Dong headed straight to the post, and Grant fronted him again. Zhao Dong applied pressure, signaling for a lob with his right hand raised. Lobbing is the go-to counter against fronting defenses.
However, Charlie Ward, reacting slowly and under defensive pressure from Penny Hardaway, hesitated to make the pass.
"Charlie, watch your passing timing," Coach Van Gundy shouted from the sidelines. He wasn't entirely satisfied with the point guard spot. Charlie Ward was defensively solid but limited offensively. Van Gundy planned to give backup point guard Chris Childs more minutes, adding tactical flexibility. Childs, undrafted in 1994 and acquired from the Nets this offseason, averaged 12.7 points and 7 assists last season. He offered better scoring and playmaking but was a defensive downgrade.
Zhao Dong re-entered the post, muscling Grant forward to create space. This time, Charlie Ward lobbed it in.
Zhao Dong pivoted, arms wide to shield Grant and secure the pass. But as he leaped, Grant's left arm snaked around, choking Zhao Dong's throat. Unable to fully elevate, Zhao Dong lost the ball out of bounds.
The referee signaled a turnover, pointing to the Magic's direction.
"Oh, come on! No call on the choke?" Sun Zhenping shouted in surprise.
"That's how it is now. It's the Magic's home court, and Zhao Dong's a rookie, so the whistle's a bit biased," Zhang Heli explained.
Zhao Dong wasn't shocked. Defensive intensity was high in this era. Two decades later, such a move might warrant a flagrant foul.
"How'd that feel, kid?" Grant sneered.
"Screw you!" Zhao Dong spat back in Chinese.
On the Magic's next play, Grant, known for his shooting and cutting, stayed on the right wing, hunting for opportunities.
"Perfect chance!" He noticed center Ben Carle drifting to the left wing, pulling Ewing with him. Sensing an opening, Grant faked an outside move, then darted back inside, leaving Zhao Dong trailing by two meters.
As Grant reached the rim, Penny fed him the ball for an easy layup.
"Zhao Dong, stick to your man," Van Gundy shouted.
Zhao Dong raised his hand, acknowledging his lapse.
"Where's your D, rookie?" Grant taunted.
Zhao Dong shot him a cold glare, staying silent.
In just these few sequences, Zhao Dong felt the challenge of facing a veteran with three championship rings. Against such players, he needed to stay calm and laser-focused.
The Knicks went back on offense.
Zhao Dong posted up again, but Charlie Ward, wary after his earlier turnover, passed to Ewing instead.
As the 24-second shot clock loomed, Zhao Dong quickly cleared the paint.
Ewing dribbled twice, drawing a double-team from Magic's small forward, Scott, before dishing it to an open Oakley. Oakley pulled up for a mid-range jumper, but the shot clanked off the rim.
Zhao Dong and Grant hustled back into the paint. Using his superior strength and size, Zhao Dong boxed out Grant and snagged the offensive board.
Desperate to prevent a putback dunk, Grant practically climbed onto Zhao Dong's back, wrapping his right forearm around Zhao Dong's throat.
"Asshole!"
Despite being choked to the point where veins bulged on his forehead, Zhao Dong muscled up and slammed the ball through the hoop with one hand.
"Beep!"
The referee's whistle pierced the air.
"Oh my goodness! Zhao Dong's throat was nearly strangled, yet he still threw it down. This rookie is tough as nails. The Magic need to tighten up their low-post defense to keep him away from the rim," the commentator exclaimed in surprise.
On the court, Zhao Dong, having completed the play, spun around and barked at Grant, "You can't stop me, old man!"
Grant gritted his teeth and retorted, "There are plenty of tricks waiting for you."
"You wait for me too," Zhao Dong shot back coldly.
Oakley, sensing the tension, stepped in and warned Grant, "Horace, don't go too far!"
Grant feigned innocence, "Charles, this is just normal defense; I didn't do anything."
Oakley snorted and began to retreat, "Don't provoke our rookies, or you'll regret it."
He and Grant had been teammates during the 1987-88 season, Grant's rookie year. Back then, Grant was Jordan's primary inside support. While they had some camaraderie, it wasn't deep. If Grant tried to mess with Zhao Dong, Oakley wouldn't hesitate to step in.
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