On April 13th, the Knicks rolled into Indianapolis.
By noon, they checked into their hotel, and Zhao Dong got hit with another mission.
"Man, ain't nothing better than having a goal every game," Zhao Dong thought, feeling hyped.
Hall of Fame-Level Sniper Mission:
Hold your ground against Reggie Miller's trash talk.
Drain five threes over Reggie Miller's head.
Drop 40+ points.
Lead the team to the dub.
Mission Reward: Complete all objectives and earn 3 quality points and random skill points.
"This is a Hall of Fame-level mission? System, you messing with me? You saw me racking up rewards lately and just threw some random shit together?" Zhao Dong grumbled.
"Quit whining and just handle your business," the system responded.
Zhao Dong smirked. "Man, it ain't even that hard to beat the Pacers, right?"
Fast forward to the end of the game—Van Gundy was cussing him out.
Zhao Dong bricked his way to a 1-for-7 three-point performance. Ice cold. Still, the Knicks scraped by with a 110-107 win, thanks to his overall effort. He put up 30+, but damn, he wasted too many shots, leaving points on the table.
Back at the hotel, he was still bitching at the system. "Yo, you really set me up with a three-point challenge knowing damn well I was gonna be off tonight! If I just attacked the rim and hit 'em with step-backs, pull-ups, and floaters, I'd have smoked 'em easy."
After that, the Knicks went home and handled business against the Hawks and the Pacers again. But no new missions popped up.
"Yeah, this system shady as hell," Zhao Dong muttered.
April 18th. After taking out the Pacers, the Knicks flew straight to Chicago for their last regular season game—back-to-back against the Bulls.
Zhao Dong kept checking, but still no mission. That pissed him off. He was looking forward to another shot at Jordan.
"Is it 'cause Rodman's out?"
Rodman had missed over 20 games this season with injuries and was officially shut down for now.
"System, I ain't getting a Jordan mission?" he asked.
"You've already had three matchups against him. Regular season limits each opponent to three missions," the system replied.
"Man, what kinda nonsense is that? Why you pulling some strict-ass rules like that?" Zhao Dong snapped.
No mission meant no extra boosts, which annoyed him, but whatever.
That night, with no Rodman, the Bulls got killed on the boards. Zhao Dong went off, snagging 19 rebounds—damn near 20+—and the Knicks edged out Chicago 103-101, winning the regular season series 3-1.
That locked in a 63-19 record for the Knicks, second-best in the East and the entire league.
The Jazz, first in the West, finished 62-20, ranking third in the league overall.
After the game, the Knicks headed home. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Bulls' front office was in shambles.
The drama wasn't between players—it was Jordan versus management.
Jerry Krause was pissed. The Bulls getting punked by the Knicks in the season series had him thinking about blowing up the squad. He had been considering changes before, but this game sealed it. Even if they won another championship, he was looking to rebuild.
First on the chopping block? Scottie Pippen.
Zhao Dong had exposed Pippen all season. If Chicago ran it back with him as the main playmaker at small forward, they'd get cooked in the playoffs. Krause had his eyes on a new young talent entering the draft—Tracy McGrady.
McGrady was only 18, two years younger than Zhao Dong, and had insane potential. Krause was all in on him.
Next up? Phil Jackson.
Krause had hand-picked Jackson for the Bulls years ago, but as the team stacked rings, Jackson's power grew. Krause didn't like that. The Knicks wrecking them this season just gave him another reason to move on.
Lastly, he wanted to rebuild the frontcourt.
Luc Longley was getting traded. The Bulls needed a center who could score, and they needed a young power forward to back up Karl Malone. Rodman was washed, plain and simple.
But first, Krause had to deal with Jordan. The relationship between them was already trash, and this move was about to set it on fire.
April 19th. The day after the regular season ended, Krause called Jordan into the office.
"You're cutting Scottie and Phil? Are you out of your damn mind?" Jordan barked.
"I'm doing what's best for the team. They can't keep up anymore," Krause said, trying to sound reasonable.
"Bullshit! Without them, we wouldn't have built this dynasty! What the fuck are you thinking?"
"I'm sticking to my decision."
Jordan lost it. "Listen to me, you fat piece of shit—if Phil ain't coaching, I ain't playing! I won't re-sign with the Bulls under any other coach!"
Krause's face turned red. "You're crazy!"
"Nah, you're crazy! You're tearing this team apart! And hear me loud and clear—this team belongs to ME, Michael Jordan. Not you. I ain't letting you ruin it!"
Jordan's yelling could be heard across the entire building. Staff members ducked out of the area, not wanting to get caught in the storm.
In the end, Krause backed off for now. But he still had his next coach in mind—Tim Floyd from the University of Idaho.
Jordan brushed it off. "Over my dead body. If Phil ain't coaching, I ain't playing. Period."
The Bulls' drama was on pause, but everyone knew the writing was on the wall. This squad wouldn't last forever.
That same day, the NBA announced the playoff bracket.
1997 NBA Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference:
(1) Bulls vs. (8) Bullets
(2) Knicks vs. (7) Magic
(3) Heat vs. (6) Hornets
(4) Hawks vs. (5) Pistons
Western Conference:
(1) Jazz vs. (8) Clippers
(2) Sonics vs. (7) Timberwolves
(3) Suns vs. (6) SuperSonics
(4) Lakers vs. (5) Trail Blazers
(Teams listed first have home-court advantage.)
Playoffs tipped off on April 24th and 25th. The Knicks' first game was on the 24th, meaning they had a few days to rest and lock in.
Zhao Dong was already itching to go. It was showtime.
On the 20th, the team returned to New York.
The squad got dismissed on the spot, set to regroup for training on the 23rd.
That evening, Zhao Dong linked up with a fine model he met at Madison Square Garden and hit up the Hilton Hotel for some R&R. But he wasn't about to get too loose—kept it to just a two-hour session.
He planned to crash at the hotel for the next couple of days too. The setup here was way better than the training base—perfect for some real rest.
After seeing the beauty off, Zhao Dong kicked back on the bed and pulled out two sets of stats. One was his own, the other was league-wide data straight from the official site.
This season, he played 75 games, averaging 35 minutes a night. He took 15.5 shots per game, hitting 54% from the field. At the line, he got up 8.5 free throws a game, cashing in at 84.5%. His final stat line? 24.6 points, 10.8 boards, 2.9 dimes, 1.8 steals, 3.1 blocks, 2.1 turnovers, and 3.1 fouls.
He didn't top any single stat category. Scoring title? Jordan had that locked up at 29.6 a game. Rebounding crown? That was Rodman's with 16.1 boards. Blocks leader? Sean Bradley held it down with 3.4 swats per game.
His best shot at personal accolades? The All-Rookie First Team was a lock. The real question—could he edge out Iverson for Rookie of the Year?
A.I.'s numbers were no joke: 23.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.3 blocks, 4.4 turnovers, and 3.1 fouls per game.
Zhao Dong had a straight-up 20-and-10 two-way performance, and in his mind, that put him above Iverson. But being Chinese? Who knew how the media and the league would see it?
Beyond that, he figured he had a real shot at making one of the All-NBA teams.
Breaking it down, he felt like, at worst, he was a Second Team guy. If he didn't even make Third Team? Yeah, something fishy was going on.
The Knicks had been dominant all season—first in the East, second in the league. Either he or Ewing had to be First Team.
Ewing also put up a 20-and-10 season, slightly better than The Dream's numbers. But he remembered The Dream making First Team while Ewing landed on the Second Team since Houston had a better record than New York.
As for All-NBA voting, each reporter had three ballots, picking two guards, two forwards, and one center per vote. His switch to forward didn't mess with his eligibility.
From what he recalled, Karl Malone made First Team this season—dude was in his prime, snagging both First Team and All-Defensive First Team for the first time in his career.
Even though Zhao Dong had sidelined Karl Malone for two months with that injury, there were no "minimum games played" rules for All-NBA selections, so the Mailman was still a near-lock for First Team and All-Defense.
If Zhao Dong wanted First Team, he had to be the second-highest forward in the voting. If he landed third or fourth? That meant Second Team.
"But who was the second forward in my past life?"
He dug through his memory—Grant Hill. Yeah, this was the season Hill made his first All-NBA First Team.
Pulling up Hill's numbers: 21.4 points, 9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, 3.3 turnovers, and 3.2 fouls per game.
"This dude's got way more assists than me. He's the Pistons' primary ball-handler, so his stats are well-rounded. Honestly, with numbers like that, reporters don't even need to be biased—he's got the advantage. Plus, if Ewing isn't making First Team, there's no way I am. Guess I'm looking at Second Team."
The next morning, he hit up the hotel gym, got some light work in, grabbed lunch, then took a drive out to Long Island in the afternoon.
After strolling around campus, catching up with some classmates and teammates, he bounced.
On his way back, he spotted a Chinese restaurant he used to hit up all the time. It was a bit Americanized, but still solid.
Pulling into a meter spot, he tossed in some coins, parked the truck, and stepped inside.
This place used to be one of his regular spots, so as soon as he walked in, the crowd was on him.
"Yo, Zhao Dong!"
"Back on Long Island for some lady hunting again?"
"Zhao Dong, can y'all take down the Bulls?"
"Bro, the playoffs are right around the corner! Can you chill on the girls till after we win a ring? If y'all take the chip, I'll even introduce you to my sister."
By now, Zhao Dong was a straight-up celebrity in New York, and the whole place was hyped up the moment he showed his face.
Glancing at the guy talking about his sister, Zhao Dong scoffed. "Man, the hell are you saying?"
"I'm tellin' y'all right now, we're winning the title this year. If we don't, I swear I'll never chase women in Long Island again." Zhao Dong grinned and talked his talk.
Someone in the back shouted, "You think you can take down Jordan?"
"We gotta run into him in the Eastern Conference Finals first. But yeah, we're sending him home before the Finals." Zhao Dong said it with full confidence.
Whether they believed it or not, the whole restaurant erupted with cheers.
"Zhao Dong! Long time no see! What do you want to eat? It's on me—I'm wishing you that championship."
At this point, restaurant owner Zhang Tianming personally came over to serve Zhao Dong.
"Just get some low-fat beef and chicken, cook it however you want. But I ain't lettin' you pay for us," Zhao Dong said with a grin.
After some small talk, Zhang Tianming went to handle the order.
Once dinner was done, Zhao Dong drove back to his hotel in the city.
April 22 – Knicks Training Camp
The next morning, the team had practice, and Zhao Dong pulled up at the facility right before 9 AM.
"Zhao, playoffs about to start, man. Heard you went back to Long Island to chase some girls?" The team's beat reporter, Thomas, walked up, mic ready.
"Cut that bullshit. Just had dinner with some friends and went back to the hotel," Zhao Dong shot back, looking annoyed.
Thomas smirked. "Got any thoughts on our first-round opponent, the Magic?"
"Ain't no issue for us to move to the second round," Zhao Dong said with confidence.
"Think y'all can sweep 'em?"
"In a best-of-five? There's always a shot," he shrugged.
Later at lunch, Zhao Dong got a system notification.
Playoff Sniper Mission (First Round):
Lead the team to advance.
Average 30+10 with a 45%+ shooting percentage.
Series Reward: 10 random quality points or skill points.
Zhao Dong raised an eyebrow. "Damn, that's it? What, the system treating the playoffs like the league? No extra grind, no extra reward?"
After practice, the squad was cooling down in the locker room, chopping it up.
"Zhao, the Rookie of the Year award dropping soon. You think you can beat Iverson?" Oakley asked.
"If the media got a conscience, I should win it," Zhao Dong said, smirking.
Oakley blinked. "The media got a conscience?"
That had the whole locker room howling with laughter.
Once the noise died down, Zhao Dong turned to Ewing. "Pat, based on your numbers and our record, you should have a real shot at First-Team All-NBA."
"Man, I hope so," Ewing chuckled. "Only made it once before. Been dreamin' of getting another one."
Right then, media was allowed in for interviews, including CCTV.
"Zhao, this your first time in the playoffs. How you feelin'?" Zhang Heli asked.
"Not bad. Little nervous, but mostly hyped," Zhao Dong admitted.
Nearby, Ewing was getting hit with a question from a New York Daily News reporter about his All-NBA chances.
"We'll see what happens," he said. "Olajuwon been hoopin' too."
Zhao Dong rolled his eyes. "Man, why you being so polite?"
Then he raised his voice. "Look, our record is way better than Houston's, and Pat's numbers are better than Olajuwon. If he makes First-Team, that's just fair as hell."
Reporters jumped on that immediately.
"Zhao, you really think Ewing more deserving than Hakeem for First-Team?" one of them asked, holding the mic up.
"Of course," Zhao Dong said, not hesitating.
Ewing clapped him on the shoulder, appreciative.
Another reporter fired a question. "So do you think you should be First-Team?"
"If I got a vote? Hell yeah, I'm pickin' myself. I think I outplayed Karl Malone and I'm right up there with Grant Hill. They the two most likely forwards to make it."
"If you don't get picked, you think the voting is fair?"
"Man, these media folks got their own bias, their own agendas. Fair? That's hard to say," Zhao Dong shrugged.
Next day, the Knicks interview clips were everywhere. Two things stood out:
Ewing vs. Hakeem – The First-Team Debate
Zhao Dong's take blew up. Major sports outlets and NBA players chimed in.
Barkley, never one to hold back, scoffed in an interview. "Look, Ewing's great, but a damn rookie thinkin' he can judge who deserves First-Team between Olajuwon and Ewing? Man, come on."
Reporters also got Hakeem's thoughts.
"Patrick's been great, but so have I. This is up to the voters. It ain't about who talks the loudest," Olajuwon said, throwing some shade.
Zhao Dong vs. Karl Malone & Grant Hill
Zhao Dong's claim that he outperformed Karl Malone and was just as good as Grant Hill had people heated.
The media and NBA vets called him arrogant as hell.
Barkley doubled down. "I don't like Karl Malone, but this rookie thinkin' he better than him and Grant Hill? Man's full of himself."
He didn't stop there.
"Rookie of the Year? Iverson should get that. He got nobody helping him. He's out there workin' his ass off every play, taking all the defensive pressure. His numbers? Hard-earned.
"But Zhao? He got Pat Ewing drawing doubles every night. That man gets easy buckets 'cause of it. You ever see teams double-team Zhao? Hell no! 'Cause they worried about Ewing instead."
Allen joined the conversation, pissed he was left out. "If Zhao deserves First-Team, then I sure as hell do. My stats better than his!"
April 24 – Playoffs Tip-Off
The '96-'97 NBA Playoffs officially kicked off.
That night, eight teams hit the court to battle. The real show? Zhao Dong and the Knicks vs. the Orlando Magic.
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