"Run the perimeter, don't stop."
After getting the ball, Zhao Dong called the play, signaling with his hands as he took control of the offense.
He dribbled a couple of steps beyond the three-point line, making it tough for the Bulls to double-team. Pippen stepped up, keeping a step's distance as he defended.
Zhao Dong moved in slowly, creeping towards the three-point line, then—boom—he hit the gas, blowing past Pippen and attacking the wing.
That immediately triggered Jordan to rotate over for the double-team.
Mid-drive, Zhao Dong rose like he was about to pull up, baiting them in even closer. The second they committed, his wrist flicked, and the ball found John Starks wide open. Catch. Release. Bucket.
"Oh, Zhao Dong with a nasty dime! That pass was so quick Jordan couldn't even recover!" Marv Albert laughed.
"Yeah, man, he didn't even glance at Starks. That was straight-up cold. This dude is showing that all-around bag. His idol is Magic, and his game's got shades of Barkley too. He's for real." Doug Collins added with a chuckle.
From that point on, Zhao Dong completely dictated the Knicks' offense. He kept drawing doubles, mixing it up with drives, pull-ups, and dishes, keeping the Bulls' defense on skates.
By the time he checked out in the 11th minute of the first quarter, his stat line was already looking mean—6-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 at the stripe, one three-ball, 14 points, 3 boards, 2 dimes, 1 block, and 1 foul.
And he had straight-up cooked Pippen—11 points right on his head, plus a swat. Four times he made Pippen look bad. That assignment? Yeah, looking good so far.
Only downside? Rodman had already snatched up five rebounds. The Worm was locked in, and grabbing more boards than him tonight was looking like a long shot.
First quarter wrapped up—Knicks up 27-22.
On NBC, Marv Albert broke it down: "So far, Jordan's got 15 on 6-for-10 shooting with 3 free throws. Both he and Zhao Dong are putting up buckets. We might get a scoring duel tonight. But honestly, what's really catching me off guard is Zhao Dong's playmaking. He's running this offense smoothly."
"Yeah, man, two assists in just half a quarter? The Knicks are moving well under his lead. That's why they've got the upper hand on Chicago." Doug Collins nodded.
"Pippen kinda pioneered the whole point-forward role, and I think Zhao Dong might've picked up some of that influence. Kid's got a natural feel for playmaking." Marv speculated.
Over on CCTV, Zhang Heli was grinning ear to ear. "Man, I did not see this coming. Zhao Dong's passing vision is crazy! Forget Barkley—he's playing like his idol, Magic!"
"In the first quarter alone, you could say Zhao Dong already got the best of Pippen, right?" Sun Zhenping laughed.
"Pippen only took three shots and hit one three. That's it. He got outplayed. Even with his elite defense, he couldn't slow Zhao Dong down. That tells you just how much of a scoring threat this kid really is." Zhang Heli chuckled.
Back in Beijing, Liu Yumin was watching from home, practically buzzing with excitement. Yeah, she had to get Zhao Dong on board. No question. Decision made.
On the Bulls' bench, Phil Jackson was still processing what he just saw.
Halfway through that quarter, Zhao Dong was running the offense like Stockton.
And they let him go?
Jackson's eyes drifted toward Jordan, who was wiping sweat off his face. He wanted to ask, Mike, you regret this yet?
Meanwhile, Pippen was tight. A rookie had just worked him over, and with all the trash talk coming his way, his patience was wearing thin.
He turned to Jackson. "Coach, how many shots can I get tonight? He disrespected me—I need to send something back his way."
Both Jackson and Jordan felt their stomachs drop.
Yeah… that didn't sound good.
Knicks' Bench
Over on the other side, the vibes were completely different. The Knicks were loose.
"Tell me, is there anything you can't do?" Oakley threw an arm around Zhao Dong.
"Have a baby," Zhao Dong smirked.
"Hey, man, science is crazy these days. You never know." Ewing, usually serious, cracked a rare joke.
The whole bench cracked up.
Even Van Gundy was grinning. He had been watching closely, debating if he could hand more offensive control to Zhao Dong. After seeing that first quarter? No more doubts.
Second Quarter
Three minutes in, Zhao Dong checked back in.
With Ewing still resting, they moved him back to power forward to attack inside.
The moment he hit the floor, Jordan and Pippen were subbed in too.
"Mine!"
Jordan bricked a jumper, and Zhao Dong and Rodman both exploded toward the rebound. But Zhao Dong's speed was on another level—he beat The Worm to the spot and secured the board.
Back on offense, Zhao Dong caught the ball in the low post, right wing. Rodman crouched low, keeping his balance tight, trying to force him away from the hoop. Pippen instantly slid over for the double.
Too slow.
Zhao Dong snapped upright, faking Rodman out, then let the mid-range fly before Pippen could even get there.
Swish.
Two more.
"You want me to tell you my next move before I make it?" Zhao Dong smirked, jogging back on defense.
"F---ing rookie." Pippen and Rodman were fuming.
"Aren't you supposed to be the king of trash talk? What, cat got your tongue?" Pippen shot at Rodman.
"He's got me beat in that department. You heard him." Rodman grumbled.
"Yo, chill out. Let's not make this personal." Jordan rushed over before things got heated.
Pippen responded by getting aggressive—next play, he took the ball and nailed a jumper over John Wallace.
He had forced the coaching staff to give him more touches. He liked this. He needed this. He wasn't about to be some afterthought on this team.
Midway through the quarter
With three minutes left before halftime, Zhao Dong had already ripped down three more boards over Rodman. The Worm? He'd only managed one in that stretch.
Zhao Dong's rebounding and inside scoring kept the Knicks in control.
6th Minute, Second Quarter
Score: 40-32, Knicks up by 8.
Phil Jackson called timeout.
Marv Albert shook his head in disbelief. "Man, Zhao Dong is showing out on the glass too. This is something else."
Doug Collins nodded. "We already knew he could rebound, but tonight? He's straight-up bullying Rodman. Dude's got insane rebounding instincts."
"It's all about speed," Marv added. "Rodman's struggling to get position because Zhao Dong moves quicker. It's a nightmare matchup. His physical gifts are insane."
"Yep. And the crazy thing? He wasn't even drafted. Chicago had him and let him walk." Doug laughed.
"Haha, the Knicks just won the jackpot. Ernie Grunfeld really found a diamond in the rough." Marv grinned.
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