Magic Johnson spoke humbly—but he knew what he was doing.
"I'm happy that in my first year of retirement, a rookie dropped a playoff triple-double—and a 30+ one at that. That's better than me.
Yeah, I had five triple-doubles my rookie year, but my best was 20+10+10. That's a step below Zhao Dong's."
Boom. Debate ignited.
Magic's words sent LA and New York media into war mode.
New York had the numbers. LA had the pettiness.
Neither side was backing down. Sales over truth, every time.
Zhao Dong?
He wasn't wasting energy on media games.
G3 was coming.
---
April 27 – Orlando.
Oakley, LJ, and Starks were suspended, so they stayed back in New York.
The hate started early.
Magic fans were on demon time from the airport to the hotel.
By nightfall?
Full riot mode.
Hundreds of fans outside. Heavy metal band blasting.
The Knicks weren't sleeping tonight.
Zhao Dong laid in bed, eyes open.
"Man… the more they pull this, the more I wanna sweep their asses."
The Knicks called the cops.
Orlando PD? Slow as hell.
They kicked the band out at 3 AM.
Damage already done.
Morning after:
Team looked dead.
Yawns everywhere. Bags under eyes.
They caught a quick nap, then hit recovery training in the afternoon.
Even Zhao Dong wasn't 100%.
---
G3 – Tip-Off.
Knicks starting five:
C: Ewing
PF: Buck Williams
SF: Zhao Dong
SG: Allan Houston
PG: Charlie Ward
Magic starting five:
C: Rony Seikaly
PF: Derek Strong
SF: Gerald Wilkins
SG: Nick Anderson
PG: Penny Hardaway
NBC Broadcast.
Matt Goukas scanned the lineups and nodded.
"Not bad. Knicks still got Houston in the starting five. Losing Oakley hurts, but the core's intact."
Marv Albert smirked.
"New York needs to control their emotions. Three suspensions in the playoffs? That's a brutal hit."
Matt added:
"Unless Ewing and Zhao Dong go crazy tonight, the Knicks are cooked.
And honestly? If the Magic win this one and shift momentum… this series could flip."
Marv Albert:
"Also, Magic's Dennis Scott is out. Needed 35 stitches after G2.
So now, Gerald Wilkins steps in. Dominique's little bro. 6'6, 185.
He's guarding Zhao Dong."
Matt chuckled.
"Man's 34. He ain't keeping up with Zhao Dong's first step.
Only way Magic stop Zhao? Double-team him all night."
---
CCTV Broadcast.
Zhang Heli:
"Magic are desperate. Knicks won Game 2, but with three suspensions, this one's up in the air.
Zhao Dong and Ewing have to carry. If they don't, New York might collapse."
Sun Zhenping: "That serious?"
Ma Jian:
"Three missing starters? Yeah, this is serious.
If the Knicks lose tonight, Game 4 will be hell."
---
Back in New York – Nightclub.
Oakley, LJ, and Starks watched from the bar.
LJ sipped his drink.
"Charles, we winning this?"
Oakley shrugged.
"Tough one. If Patrick and Zhao Dong go off, we got a shot."
Starks exhaled.
"Man… If we lose G3, Game 4's gonna be a war."
Oakley laughed.
"Aye, worst case? We handle business in Game 5 at home."
---
Beijing – Early Morning.
Zhang Mingji pulled up at Zhao Dong's family home with gifts.
Packed house.
Everyone was there, locked in for the game.
Zhang introduced himself to Zhao's father, Zhao Yuancheng.
"You want my son's number?"
Zhao Yuancheng shook his head.
"Nah. Talk to my wife. She's the boss here."
Li Meizhu entered the chat.
"You got business with my boy?"
Zhang Mingji pitched hard.
Explained Yao Min's situation. Didn't hide a thing.
Li Meizhu nodded.
"Alright. Let me call him. Talk to him yourself."
Zhang grinned.
"Thank you so much!"
---
Knicks Locker Room.
Phone rang.
Zhao Dong grabbed it.
"Mom?"
"Xiaodong, someone named Zhang Mingji wants to talk to you."
Zhao Dong blinked.
Who?
"Uh… alright. Put him on."
"Zhao, I'm Zhang Mingji."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"I'm starting as a basketball agent. Got a talent I want to—"
Zhang explained for three minutes.
Zhao Dong sat up.
"You wanna help Yao Ming get to the NCAA?"
Zhao Dong couldn't help but laugh.
Not that it wasn't possible, but the china's basketball got played.
They trained their guys just to have them snatched away?
Somebody's gonna wanna kill you for that.
"Aight, my game's about to start. We'll talk later. Get my number from my mom, and leave me yours too, cool?"
"Yeah, yeah! Appreciate it, man!" Zhang Mingji said quickly.
---
Game Time.
Both squads lined up at the tunnel, eyes locked. Tension heavy.
As the Knicks took the floor, the hate hit like a tidal wave.
A tsunami of boos.
Magic fans lining the aisle?
Middle fingers everywhere.
Zhao Dong smirked. Time to turn up.
He waved over his teammates.
Huddled up.
Faced the fans.
Then he roared:
"REMEMBER, WE'RE THE IRON-BLOODED KNICKS! MILLIONS OF NEW YORKERS GOT OUR BACKS!
WE DON'T FEAR A DAMN THING!
WE'RE HERE TO SWEEP THEM! SWEEP THEM! SWEEP THEM! SWEEP THEM!"
The team erupted.
"Sweep them! We're gonna sweep them!"
Knicks energy went nuclear.
Even Ewing was shaking with adrenaline.
Magic fans?
Stunned.
For a second, doubt crept in.
Can we even beat a squad like this?
Click, click, click…
Cameras flashed like crazy.
NBC broadcasted it nationwide.
---
Back in New York, Knicks fans LOST IT.
"THIS is our leader!"
"I'm officially a die-hard Zhao Dong fan!"
"Man, I HOPE he brings us a ring!"
Thousands of Knicks fans in Orlando?
"YEAHHH!!"
Stadium shook from the noise.
Matt was hype.
"Man, I see it—Knicks' morale is on FIRE!"
Marv Albert nodded.
"Zhao Dong… I'd love to see him lead China at the 2000 Olympics."
---
Warm-ups.
Allan Houston jogged up behind Zhao Dong.
"Yo, Zhao."
Zhao Dong turned.
"Yeah?"
Houston hesitated, then said, "Man, I gotta apologize for before."
Zhao Dong was caught off guard.
Didn't expect that.
He thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Alan, I respect that. We got bigger things to handle now. Team needs you locked in."
"I got you."
Houston's eyes lit up.
"Good."
Zhao Dong patted his shoulder and went back to work.
Houston followed.
---
Sidelines.
Jeff Van Gundy and Ernie Grunfeld watched, confused.
"Wait… they made up?"
"Looks like it."
They didn't see that coming.
Houston realized something:
Ewing was aging.
If he stayed in New York?
Zhao Dong was the future.
And Houston?
He could be the second option.
Leave?
No guarantees.
This was the Big Apple.
---
Tip-off.
Zhao Dong won it easy.
Knicks ball.
Normally, Ewing took the first shot.
Not tonight.
Zhao Dong had to take over.
Responsibility. Glory. All of it.
He caught the ball on the left wing.
Two steps beyond the arc.
Gerald Wilkins was on him.
Nick Anderson hovered, waiting to double.
Zhao Dong smirked.
Signaled for an iso.
He was going straight through them.
---
First step.
BOOM.
Wilkins got bulldozed.
Zhao Dong hit the three-point line, and Anderson jumped in.
Trap coming.
Wilkins fought to recover.
Zhao Dong had to move NOW.
---
Right hand. Quick flick. PASS.
"What??"
Everybody thought he was scoring.
Even Anderson.
The lane was wide open.
Anderson spun to contest Houston—
Too late.
Zhao Dong was already gone.
Houston barely held the ball before dishing it back.
Zhao Dong EXPLODED to the rim.
Elevated.
Derek Strong stepped up.
Too slow.
---
BOOM!
Tomahawk slam.
Derek Strong got bodied.
Fell straight to the floor.
Magic fans gasped.
Knicks fans?
ROARED.
Bench went wild.
White towels waving like crazy.
Orlando's commentator was heated.
"Get up, Derek! Gotta hit him back!"
Matt laughed.
"Man, Zhao Dong just sent a message.
Knicks ain't slowing down!"
Zhang Heli?
"ZHAO DONG JUST WARNED THE MAGIC—NEW YORK IS COMING FOR BLOOD!"
Magic's Possession
Zhao Dong wasn't switching onto Nick Anderson tonight—that was Allan Houston's job.
But he played off Wilkins by two meters, ready to crash the paint and control the boards.
Penny sliced through the defense and whipped a pass to Gerald Wilkins on the weak side.
Wilkins caught it, but Zhao Dong was already there.
No more open look.
Wilkins still pulled up for three right in Zhao Dong's face.
"CLANK!"
Zhao Dong swatted it like it was nothing.
Jumped again, snagged the ball, and took off.
---
Coast-to-coast.
"BOOM!"
Another monster dunk.
Knicks fans erupted.
Their squad hustled back on defense.
Matt lost it:
"Zhao Dong just wrecked them! That's a block, a board, and a one-man fast break. Dude's locked in!"
Marv Albert laughed.
"Funny how Magic fans tried to keep the team up all night, yet Zhao Dong looks sharper than ever."
Matt nodded.
"And that pregame speech? Man was getting his squad hyped!"
---
Magic Ball Again
Penny fired a three—
Missed.
Ewing snagged the board, and the Knicks were on the attack.
Zhao Dong got it way behind the arc, keeping the defense spread out.
Wilkins this time?
Full-on pressure. Hands-on defense.
But Zhao Dong? Unbothered.
He backed him down. Two steps outside the arc.
Too big. Too skilled. Too strong.
Wilkins couldn't steal it.
Couldn't push him out.
Nothing was working.
---
"Man, Zhao Dong, have some damn shame!" Wilkins growled.
Zhao Dong just grinned.
Subtle shoulder bump.
Wilkins' balance shifted.
Zhao Dong spun off him and cut baseline.
Anderson rotated over, ready to double.
So did Rony Seikaly.
But that meant Ewing was open.
Zhao Dong saw it instantly.
No hesitation.
Bullet pass.
---
"BOOM!"
Ewing slammed it home.
6-0 Knicks.
---
Matt whistled.
"Man, Zhao Dong is destroying them. He's drawing doubles and STILL finding open teammates!"
Marv Albert nodded.
"15 assists last game. He's picking Orlando apart again!"
Matt shook his head.
"If they don't double, he's dropping 40+ easy. If they do?
They're getting torched on backdoor cuts."
---
9 Minutes In
Ewing was balling.
5-of-6 shooting.
1-of-2 at the line.
11 points, 3 boards.
Mostly easy dunks, thanks to Zhao Dong wrecking the defense.
Zhao Dong?
Didn't leave the floor once.
In 12 minutes:
8 points (3-of-4 FG, 2-of-2 FT)
3 rebounds
4 assists
1 steal
2 blocks
Efficiency off the charts.
Knicks led 25-18 after Q1.
---
Matt shook his head.
"The Magic have no answer. One-on-one? Zhao Dong bulldozes them. Double-team? He dimes his teammates."
Marv Albert sighed.
"New York's not even shooting well.
3-of-10 from deep.
Missed all three treys.
If they were hitting shots, this would already be a blowout."
---
CCTV Broadcast
Zhang Heli grinned.
"Zhao Dong is looking more and more comfortable in the playoffs.
He played the whole first quarter without a single turnover!"
Ma Jian shook his head in envy.
"Man, his court vision is next-level.
Dude made three cross-court dimes.
Hit two of them perfectly."
Zhang Heli laughed.
"He doesn't even need to jump-pass.
With that height, length, and strength, defenders can't mess with his passing angles.
That's why his turnovers are dropping now that he's adjusted to the playoffs."
---
Knicks Bench
Van Gundy:
"Zhao, take two minutes off in the second quarter—"
Zhao Dong:
"Nah. I'm playing the whole game."
Thibs raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't sleep well last night, huh?"
"Not great," Zhao Dong admitted.
"But I feel good.
We NEED this win. No excuses."
Van Gundy nodded.
He knew Zhao Dong's stamina was different.
Dude never wore down.
"Alright. Just trust your teammates and pace yourself."
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