NBA: The Dynasty Crasher

Chapter 18: One of the Four Villains is Missing, We Have to Step Up!

At Madison Square Garden, Ewing received the ball in the low post on the left wing, with Raptors power forward Poopeye Jones defending him from behind. There are three main types of low-post defense: top defense, side defense, and defense with steals. Jones chose top defense, using his 113-kilogram frame, which was a few kilograms heavier than Ewing's. His strength matched Ewing's, and at 203 cm tall, his lower center of gravity gave him a slight advantage in top defense.

In Ewing's career, only 20% of his offense came from the basket, with 80% from mid-range shots. After injuring his knees and ankles, Ewing rarely attacked the basket anymore, relying mostly on jump shots. This possession was no different.

The Raptors attacked next, but Jones missed a three-pointer. Zhao Dong had positioned himself well, guarding Camby on the outside. The rebound came to him, and he grabbed it. Turning around, he used his power to push Camby back into the paint, reaching a deep position just two meters from the basket. Charlie Ward passed the ball to him, and Zhao Dong immediately dribbled, arching his back. With a loud thud, he powered through Camby for an easy score.

"That's just ridiculous," Hubie Brown remarked on the ABC live broadcast. "Camby's got nothing for Zhao Dong. He needs to bulk up or just forget about trying to guard him."

"Simple but effective," said Cook. "Now the Raptors have to decide: double-team Zhao Dong or let Poopeye Jones cover him. But even with Jones, Camby can't stop Ewing, and he sure as hell can't handle Zhao Dong."

"Swish!" At that moment, Raptors swingman Walter Williams hit a three-pointer over Oakley's head, cutting the Knicks' lead to 3-6.

Alan Houston got the ball on the left-wing three-point line, but Zhao Dong, once again in the paint, called for the ball. Houston ignored him and launched a three-pointer.

"Ball hog," Zhao Dong muttered under his breath. He immediately turned around and positioned himself against Camby. With his strength, he easily shoved Camby aside and claimed the best spot for a rebound on the left front side of the basket.

"Dammit!" Camby grunted, frustrated as he couldn't match Zhao Dong's strength.

The ball bounced off the rim, and Zhao Dong grabbed it with his left hand while using his right hand to secure the ball and prepare for a second attempt.

"Snapped!" Camby slapped Zhao Dong's wrist in an attempt to disrupt the play.

"Boom!" But his strength couldn't stop Zhao Dong. With a powerful push, Zhao Dong pressed his hand down and successfully dunked, shaking the Raptors' basket. "Di!" The referee blew his whistle to signal a foul by Camby, and Zhao Dong stepped up to take the free throw.

"That was a brutal dunk!" Cook praised from the ABC live broadcast. "Zhao Dong's jumping ability is clearly superior to Camby's. He jumps higher, faster, and with more power."

"He's got talent," Hubie Brown added. "He moves so well inside for a guy his size. He's got both static and dynamic abilities, and he's only going to get better."

Zhao Dong made the free throw, and the Raptors launched their next attack. Poopeye Jones tried another three-pointer, but missed. Camby was fortunate as the rebound landed in his hands. He jumped up next to Zhao Dong, preparing for a small hook shot. However, as Camby took off, Zhao Dong squeezed hard, causing Camby to lose his balance. The ball, just about to hook, was snatched out of the air by Zhao Dong's palm.

"Oh, wow! Another insane block!" the commentator exclaimed as the crowd erupted.

In the ninth minute, both teams substituted some of their main players. Zhao Dong and Camby were substituted at the same time. It was a mutual understanding between the two coaches; both wanted to evaluate their rookies.

Zhao Dong had made 6 out of 6 shots, all close to the basket, showing astonishing efficiency. Two of those were second-chance shots after grabbing offensive rebounds. He also made 2 out of 1 free throws, totaling 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

After Camby was blocked twice, he lost his drive to attack and focused on defense. However, Camby's defense had a clear weakness—he couldn't extend his coverage beyond the paint, making him easy to exploit. Zhao Dong, on the other hand, could shoot three-pointers and mid-range shots, making him incredibly difficult to defend. As soon as Zhao Dong left the paint, Camby couldn't keep up. Under Zhao Dong's defense, Camby failed to score and only grabbed 1 rebound. The odds of a win today were looking very high.

Back on the bench, Zhao Dong sat next to Larry Johnson.

"Hey, Larry, is your back okay?" Zhao Dong asked casually.

"Soon," Larry Johnson replied nonchalantly.

"Who do you think will be the starting power forward when we get back?" Zhao Dong asked suddenly. He wasn't worried about Larry Johnson, knowing his body was failing.

Larry Johnson was taken aback and responded with irritation, "Are you trying to provoke me, rookie?"

"No, just wondering," Zhao Dong said, shaking his head. "Look, in the low post, I'm taller, I've got a longer wingspan, I match your speed, and I'm more efficient. I can shoot threes, mid-range shots, and pretty much any other offensive move. Whether it's facing the basket, backing it down, off the ball, or with the ball, I can attack. This is my advantage over you. Do you agree?"

Larry Johnson's face reddened with anger. Damn rookie, is he really showing off his skills?

The head coach, Van Gundy, who was standing in front, overheard Zhao Dong's words. He thought Zhao Dong was just making a statement, so he glanced back at him thoughtfully but didn't speak.

Looking at Larry Johnson's displeased expression, Zhao Dong smiled and said, "I know you like boxing and have been training. You're good at it. I like to fight too, so we should team up. By the way, when do we pick an opponent and fight together? How about facing the Jazz? The 'four troublemakers' have only half of them left, with Oakley being the only one still around. Now that Lambiel has retired, one of the four villains is missing. We can't let that slide—we have to step up."

Larry Johnson was speechless. This rookie was really something else! He couldn't help but imagine that if Zhao Dong grew stronger, he might challenge Ewing's position in the Knicks. Would the team end up in a fight for dominance?

"Shut up, Zhao Dong," Van Gundy finally turned around and scolded, unable to listen any longer.

Zhao Dong smiled but said no more.

At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led by 10 points, with a score of 28-18.

In the sixth minute of the second quarter, Zhao Dong returned to the court just as Camby was also substituted out. This was a mutual understanding between the two coaches, as they both wanted to assess their rookies.

"Yeah!" The crowd cheered.

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