Through three quarters, the war raged on. Zhao Dong had been relentless on both ends. Every time Iverson drove to the rim, Zhao met him there—walling him off, forcing passes. Iverson finished the third quarter with just 2-of-5 shooting, including two short jumpers, a block from Zhao Dong, and 3-of-4 from the line, tallying 7 points.
Meanwhile, Zhao Dong continued drawing double-teams without the ball. Despite it, he still shot 4-for-7, went 3-for-3 at the line, and racked up 11 points in the third—bringing his total to 50.
As the buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read:
Knicks 90 – 76ers 85.
---
"Both teams are lighting it up tonight," Barkley said, cracking a smile on the TNT broadcast. "Defense? A little light."
"Well," Kenny Smith added, "the 76ers double-teaming Zhao Dong off-ball, so naturally it leaves gaps elsewhere. On the Knicks' side, Zhao's keying in on Iverson—and that's leaving Karl Malone open. And right now, no one wants to get near Malone's elbows."
"Mailman's got 30 after three," Barkley nodded. "He's 13-for-23—that's 56%. Way above his average. The Knicks have no answer for him tonight."
"Zhao Dong's numbers are insane," Smith said. "18-for-28 from the field, 2-of-4 from three, 12-of-13 from the line. He's got 50 points, 10 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks. That's an MVP stat line in any era."
"And the Knicks are still only up five," Barkley replied. "That just shows how good the 76ers is. Legit title contender."
He continued, "Let's be real. Knicks chose to keep Ginobili and traded Sprewell and Marion for salary reasons and future upside. The rookies aren't playoff-ready. They've dragged the team down. But what really hurt? Losing Fordson. He anchored their paint. Without him, this interior's cracked."
"Fordson could've handled Malone," Smith nodded. "Tough, physical, Rodman-level on the glass. That injury was a turning point."
---
Start of the Fourth Quarter
Both teams came out swinging. The 76ers Team sent out their full starting lineup. The Knicks countered with Rogers at the forward and Gary Trent inside.
Knicks possession.
Zhao Dong skipped the perimeter this time—he posted up on the left low block.
Immediately, Malone bodied up behind him. George Lynch slid in front. A triangle of pressure.
"They're still double-teaming Zhao Dong off the ball," Zhang Heli noted on the CCTV broadcast. "Now he's vacating the low post."
Zhao Dong knew the problem: low post double-teams without the ball? They cut his vision and clog his angles.
So he drifted—not to the elbow—but right beneath the left-side free throw line. Close enough to collapse the zone. Far enough to dodge the "Zhao Dong Rule" (Rule 136).
Eric Snow locked onto Ginobili at the top, denying the passing lane to the right corner. But that opened up the left.
Zhao Dong faked a back-cut, baiting both Lynch and Malone.
Then—bang!—he reversed, split between them, throwing a hard shoulder into Lynch to slow the pursuit.
Ginobili read it perfectly. A bullet pass split the lane.
Zhao Dong caught, took two steps, and launched into the air.
"Bang!"
Ratliff rose up to meet him. One of the league's elite interior defenders.
But it wasn't enough.
Zhao Dong soared over him, powered through, and threw it down.
"BANG!"
"And the foul!" Marv Albert roared.
"Zhao Dong with another dive-bomb finish at the rim!"
"That's Ratliff's fourth, and Zhao's not letting up," Doug Collins added.
"That aerial collision—Zhao Dong is just a different beast," Barkley said, awestruck. "His mid-air balance, his core control... it's not human."
"That's elite core strength," Smith replied. "Flexibility. Coordination. Balance. No wasted motion."
CCTV Commentary
"This is the moment," Zhang Heli said with fire in his voice. "Zhao Dong should target Ratliff. Break him. If Ratliff fouls out, the 76ers Team's interior collapses. Just like the Knicks without Fordson."
And that's exactly what Zhao Dong did.
He began targeting Ratliff on every possession.
Ratliff, one of the league's best rim protectors, could only watch helplessly as Zhao Dong baited, cut, and bullied him.
In the fourth minute, Zhao Dong drove again.
"Whistle!"
Ratliff—fifth foul.
Larry Brown had no choice. He signaled for Tyronn Hill.
---
Hill checked in.
6'9", 206 cm. Physical, athletic. Strong rebounding presence. But defensively? A step slower. Not equipped to handle Zhao Dong's freight-train downhill attacks.
The moment Hill set foot on the court, Zhao Dong turned his sights on him.
Next possession, Zhao faked high, cut baseline, got the feed—
"Bang!"
He rose, collided mid-air with Hill—and Hill crumpled backward under the basket.
"KARL! GEORGE! Where's the help?!" Larry Brown roared from the sidelines, his arms flying in frustration.
"Another one!" Marv Albert cried. "Zhao Dong explodes on Hill!"
"His vertical's gotta be 110 centimeters," Barkley said, almost laughing. "Even Shaq would dodge that. Hill? He didn't stand a chance."
Hill lay on the floor beneath the rim, eyes dazed, chest heaving.
"His defense is meaningless at this point," Doug Collins said bluntly from the NBC booth. "Zhao Dong's finishing is a foot above his contest range. He can't challenge that vertical."
"He can't get up," Kenny Smith pointed out as the camera zoomed in on Hill, still sprawled under the basket.
Barkley shook his head with a grin. "Once Zhao Dong breaks the double-team up top, the guys inside better clear the runway—or they'll get dunked into retirement."
Philadelphia called a timeout.
Larry Brown stormed the court. Despite Ratliff's fifth foul just minutes ago, he had no choice but to bring him back in.
Score: 102–92, Knicks lead. Seven minutes to go.
---
CCTV Broadcast
"Look at Zhao Dong," Zhang Heli said, impressed. "Still explosive. Still flying. His stamina... it feels limitless."
"Meanwhile," Su Qun added, "Philly's clearly gassed. Malone hasn't rested all night. He and George Lynch are still trying to double Zhao off the ball, but it's just not working. The effort's wasted."
"Malone can't keep up with him," Zhang continued. "That's why Larry brought in Lynch to help. But Lynch doesn't have Zhao's burst, and worse, Malone's hesitant with his elbows. He knows Zhao's not afraid—and that changes everything."
---
Out of the timeout, Iverson knocked down a deep three.
95–102.
Knicks possession.
"Wait a second—Philly just switched back to a 2-1-2 zone?" Barkley said in surprise.
Stackhouse attacked from the right wing, drawing defenders into the lane. At the same time, Zhao Dong slashed on a back-cut from the left.
Stackhouse zipped a pass across the paint.
Zhao caught it in motion, elevated—
"Bang!"
He detonated over Ratliff. The big man barely turned in time before Zhao's frame blocked out the light.
"Whistle!"
"It counts! And one! That's Ratliff's sixth! He's done!" Marv Albert bellowed.
"That's it!" Zhang Heli erupted on CCTV. "Ratliff fouls out, Hill is injured, and only Malone remains. Philly's interior is toast!"
With no rim protection left, the Knicks took full control.
---
Final Minutes
Zhao Dong toyed with the defense.
Spin moves. Backdoor cuts. High-post flashes.
Everything flowed through him.
When the buzzer sounded, Madison Square Garden was on its feet.
Final Score: Knicks 119 – Philadelphia 108.
---
Zhao Dong's Game 1 Stats:
68 points
25-of-38 FG (65.7%)
2-of-4 3PT
16-of-17 FT
14 rebounds
7 assists
2 steals
4 blocks
48 minutes played
He set a new personal playoff high, falling just one point shy of Jordan's legendary 69-point game, now the second-highest in NBA playoff history.
---
NBC Postgame Broadcast
"Philly held on for three and a half quarters," Barkley said with a sigh, "but in the end, Zhao Dong's pressure broke the dam. They just couldn't hold."
"It's not that Philly didn't show up," Smith added. "It's that Zhao Dong was too much. He dominated all 48 minutes."
"And he beat them almost single-handedly," Barkley said. "Malone scored 40. Iverson dropped 38. That's 78 between them—and still not enough."
"That tells you how rare this performance was," Smith nodded.
"But New York needs to be careful," Barkley warned. "Malone's playoff reputation isn't great, but he just gave them 40. The Knicks can't rely on Zhao Dong doing this every night. Someone else has to step up."
"Charles," Smith laughed, "you sound like you're part of the team now."
"Hey, I am a leader in that Knicks locker room," Barkley grinned.
"Then what does that make Zhao Dong?"
"We're both superstars," Barkley said without flinching. "And he knows it."
---
CCTV Postgame Analysis
"This was a hard-fought win," Zhang Heli said. "The lead didn't open up until halfway through the fourth. The key now is to establish interior dominance earlier. Get rid of their rim defenders faster."
"I'm also watching Tyronn Hill's status," Su Qun added. "If he's out for Game 2, New York has a real chance to dictate the pace again."
---
On-Court Interview
Knicks team reporter Thomas caught Zhao Dong as he wiped sweat from his brow.
"Zhao, will you break Jordan's record next game?" Thomas grinned.
Zhao Dong smiled back. "Depends on my mood."
"What gave you the most trouble tonight?"
Zhao nodded thoughtfully. "It's the combination. Iverson's penetration forces me to rotate, and that leaves Malone open for those mid-range jumpers. That's the toughest part."
"So… confident in Game 2?"
"Of course."
"One hundred percent?"
Zhao Dong laughed, nodded, and walked off.
---
Inside the Knicks Locker Room
Coach Nelson clapped his hands and addressed the team.
"We have a serious issue on defense," he said. "It nearly cost us the game. If it weren't for our offense, we're down 0–1."
He looked over at Zhao Dong.
"We'll work on new schemes. But if nothing else works… we may have to ride Zhao Dong again in Game 2."
Back in the Knicks locker room after Game 1, the mood was mixed. A win was a win, but nobody could ignore the defensive gaps.
"It's disappointing," Coach Nelson said flatly. "With this current roster, our defense just isn't there."
He turned to Ginobili and Marion, who were both sitting in silence.
"You two have to work harder. Bring more energy. You're not here to dig holes that Zhao Dong has to fill every night. The bigger the hole, the more he has to cover it."
The room fell quiet.
Ginobili looked down, biting his lip. He'd been torched by Iverson all night. Marion couldn't even make eye contact—he didn't dare challenge Malone and struggled at both ends of the court.
Zhao Dong broke the silence with a smile.
"Coach, they're rookies. Billups and Fordson were the same in their first year. Look at them now."
That drew a few chuckles. Even old Nelson couldn't help but laugh.
---
Twenty minutes later, Zhao Dong got a call from Dazhi with an update on the Western Conference Semifinals.
"The Mavericks dropped Game 1 to the Lakers."
Zhao asked about his performance.
"Solid," Dazhi said. "I had 20 and 6. Got some post touches. Held my own."
Dallas had gone with a stretch double-tower setup—Nowitzki and Dazhi stationed on opposite wings, forcing Shaq and Ben Wallace to defend far from the rim. It was a clever approach, designed to clear the paint for slashers.
But it came at a cost.
With their bigs pulled outside, Dallas lost all low-post offense. And on defense? They had no answer for Shaquille O'Neal.
Shaq dominated inside, racking up points at will. Even with both Dazhi and Dirk rotating, he was too much.
And Kobe?
Unstoppable.
33 points, slicing through the lane, drawing contact, finishing tough buckets over and around Nowitzki.
Together, Shaq and Kobe combined for 69 points. A message had been sent.
---
Later That Night — Press Conference
Philadelphia's locker room was quiet but not broken.
"Karl, what's your take on Game 1?"
Malone paused.
"We lost, but we still have a shot. We'll bounce back."
"Allen?"
Iverson shook his head. "We let it slip in the fourth. That stings. But we'll take Game 2. We're not done."
Coach Larry Brown stepped to the mic.
"Coach, what led to the loss?"
"Zhao Dong's impact inside was devastating," Brown admitted. "We had no answers. That was the game."
"What went wrong defensively?"
"Our off-ball double-team on Zhao Dong failed. We wasted energy and got exposed."
"How will you fix it?"
Brown stiffened. "That's a tactical matter. No comment."
"What's Philadelphia's chance to reach the Eastern Conference Finals?"
He hesitated, then said:
"If we fix our defense, 60% at least."
A reporter from New York Sports Daily smirked.
"Sixty? Not a hundred? You sound unsure, Coach."
Brown's eyes narrowed.
"We had our chances in Game 1. I stand by that."
"You led once. For a single possession. Do you really think you can take this series from the Knicks?"
"Of course."
His voice was cold. His jaw, tight.
---
May 7th – Rest Day
Zhao Dong didn't wake up until noon. After last night's 48-minute battle, he felt… fine. His recovery was freakish. Nearly full strength.
Over lunch, he flipped on the TV and tuned to a New York news channel.
The headline?
"U.S. Stock Market Dips Below 4,000 – Brief Rebound, Then Another Drop."
Zhao Dong watched for a while, shaking his head.
James Dolan must be feeling it now.
This season, the Knicks had made financial-driven roster moves—trading Sprewell, gambling on youth.
It showed.
Ginobili wasn't ready. Stackhouse couldn't carry the perimeter alone. If Sprewell were still in the lineup, Ginobili could've developed off the bench, and the Knicks' depth would've been elite.
The result?
More potential, but less firepower.
Still, Zhao didn't blame the front office. He just regretted Dolan's decision to go long on the market before the storm hit. His losses weren't just financial—they cost the team momentum.
Meanwhile, back home, the domestic situation was stabilizing fast.
Foreign capital continued to pour into the country through Tianlong Investment Bank, flowing into manufacturing, tech, media, even infrastructure.
It was a boom—and a risk.
Monopolies were forming fast. Fortunately, Zhao Dong and Lindsay had pushed early, and now the Anti-Monopoly Law was in motion. Once passed, it would enforce the balance of power.
At the same time, Tianlong and several large national groups had begun overseas M&A operations using trillion-dollar investment pools. Over $30 billion in completed mergers so far.
New tech. New talent. New markets.
But all of it was a prelude.
Until China formally entered the WTO, these were only opening moves.
If all goes well, Zhao thought, by year's end, accession should be complete.
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