Zhao Dong burst out from the top of the arc, flipping the switch from defense to offense in an instant. Fast break time.
Right on his tail was Jordan, Harper trailing on the left, while his teammates Charlie Ward and John Starks sprinted down the left wing.
Pippen? Dude was three steps behind, completely out of the play.
Ewing snagged the ball near the baseline, took a step back, and was ready to get that quick inbound off.
But here came Luke Longley, trying to slow it down, getting in the way of the pass. Too bad he was too damn slow for Ewing. A couple of sidesteps and boom—Ewing sent a high-arching pass straight to Zhao Dong.
As soon as he caught it, Harper and Jordan pounced, trying to trap him.
But Zhao Dong was ready for that double-team. Without hesitation, he flicked it over to Charlie Ward, who was standing two meters away.
Harper rushed at Ward, forcing him to move the ball again—this time to an open John Starks.
Starks stopped at the left-wing three-point line, spotted Zhao Dong tearing across the free-throw line, and pulled up for the triple.
Bang!
It clanked off the rim, bouncing right back into play—right into Zhao Dong's hands, straight over Jordan's head.
By then, Pippen had finally caught up, and now he and Jordan were looking to trap Zhao Dong two meters from the left side of the basket.
Bad idea.
Zhao Dong palmed the ball in his right hand, lifted it high, then suddenly spun between them. Using his raw power, he bulldozed through the double-team, went straight to the rim, elevated, and threw down a monster one-handed jam.
BOOM!
The rim screamed under the impact.
Matt Goukas laughed from the broadcast booth. "Jordan and Pippen trying to double Zhao Dong under the basket? Nah, that's not gonna work. Zhao's got too much skill down low—that was his bread and butter when he first came into the league."
Marv Albert added, "Zhao Dong's got a massive mismatch at the three-spot. Out on the perimeter, he's already a problem. But down low? It's a nightmare.
"In that last play, though, he didn't even need his mobility—Jordan's quicker than him. So instead, he just powered through with his size and strength. You got a shooting guard and a small forward trying to stop a guy built like a power forward—good luck with that."
Matt Goukas chuckled. "Yeah, this is exactly why the Bulls were obsessed with slowing down the Knicks' fast break in Game 5. You just can't let Zhao Dong get ahead in transition. And I guarantee they'll keep that same energy tonight."
Bulls' Possession
Jordan brought the ball up.
Charlie Ward started moving in for a double-team, but Zhao Dong barked at him, "Stay back, I got him."
Jordan smirked. "Oh? You sure about that?"
He turned, faded away, and drilled the jumper.
Swish.
Knicks' Fast Break
Before the Bulls could even get back, Zhao Dong yelled out, "Push it!"
They were off.
Pippen sprinted back, but he still couldn't keep up. By the time Zhao Dong got into the paint, the only guy next to him was Jordan.
On the left wing, John Starks was wide open. Again.
Charlie Ward caught the inbound, pushed ahead, and found Starks on the wing.
Starks let it fly.
Swish!
This time, he nailed it.
"Beautiful!" Sun Zhenping shouted in the CCTV booth. "Two straight fast breaks, and the Knicks get a numbers advantage in the frontcourt."
Zhang Heli laughed. "Pippen just can't keep up with Zhao Dong. He's a little slow off the mark, and when he's on offense, he tries to shake Zhao instead of sticking with him. So when the play flips, he's always trailing. That means only Jordan or Harper can stay with Zhao Dong in transition—and that's just not enough. Zhao's too big, too strong, too fast."
7-4, Knicks up.
Phil Jackson wasn't happy. As soon as the Bulls got the ball back, he signaled for a timeout.
Bulls' Huddle
Jackson wasn't playing around.
"I've said this before—we need to lock in on the details. Cut off their quick passes. Stop them from getting out in transition.
"Scottie—stick to Zhao Dong. On both ends. Forget about scoring, Michael will handle the offense. Your job is to make sure Zhao Dong doesn't get loose."
Back on the Court
When play resumed, Zhao Dong noticed Pippen had turned into his shadow. Dude was on him everywhere—offense, defense, didn't matter.
It slowed him down just enough. That extra second gave the Bulls a chance to get back on defense, killing the Knicks' fast breaks.
After a few possessions, the Bulls tied it up, 12-12.
Now, Van Gundy called a timeout.
Knicks' Huddle
Van Gundy decided to reintroduce the double-team on Jordan. Even with Oakley guarding him, Jordan was still cooking them.
Earlier, Zhao Dong had told Ward to stay back and let Jordan go off, hoping to freeze his teammates and get more transition chances.
But with Pippen sticking to him like glue, those fast breaks were getting tougher. So Van Gundy adjusted the game plan.
On offense, though? No changes. He just hammered home quick decisions, quick passes, quick movement. Everything had to be fast.
Back on the Court
Knicks' ball.
Zhao Dong drifted to the left sideline to receive the pass—far enough out to avoid a double-team.
But as soon as he stepped into the wing, the Bulls collapsed on him.
Time to go to work.
Drive.
Stop.
Explode again.
Got him.
Pippen got caught up in Zhao Dong's rhythm. One quick hesitation, and he was half a step behind.
Rodman and Harper stepped up to stop him just outside the paint. Behind them, Longley and Jordan were lurking.
If Zhao Dong pushed deeper, it'd be a four-man trap.
So he stopped on a dime, rose up, and let it fly.
Rodman and Harper reacted late.
By the time Pippen jumped, the shot was already gone.
Swish!
Nothing but net.
And just as the ball dropped through the hoop, the commentator screamed—
"Jordan's already taking off the other way!"
On the Bulls' left front wing, John Starks was hustling, trying to keep up with Jordan. But MJ hit him with a sudden stop, and the ball found its way to him.
Jordan caught it, hit a quick pump fake, then took off. Starks bit on it, and Jordan slid right past him, taking a step forward.
Zhao Dong was already sprinting back on defense. The moment Jordan broke through, Zhao Dong was in the paint, waiting.
Jordan elevated.
Zhao Dong jumped too.
He couldn't get up as high, but he knew damn well Jordan wasn't about to posterize him. If anything, MJ was gonna hit a pull-up or some acrobatic finish.
Sure enough, Jordan tucked the ball, gliding past Zhao Dong, ready to put up another shot.
But Zhao Dong was ready too. He exploded up again, this time with his backhand, swatting the ball hard against the glass.
"Ohhh?!"
The arena gasped.
"Haha! Zhao Dong just sent Jordan's shit back! That's a statement block right there!" Marv Albert laughed.
The Knicks wasted no time. Zhao Dong snatched the ball and pushed it up to Charlie Ward, who kicked it to John Starks. Ewing sprinted into the paint, caught the dish, and threw down a monster slam.
16-12, Knicks up by four.
"You like getting packed, huh?" Zhao Dong barked at Jordan.
"You're gonna love it when I dunk all over your ass," MJ fired back.
"Oh yeah? That's funny 'cause I just put Pippen and Rodman on a poster earlier," Zhao Dong smirked.
"Shit!"
Jordan clenched his jaw. Dude wanted to swing on him right then and there.
The Bulls tried switching up their defense to stop Zhao Dong, but he kept working the mid-range game. His dribble combos and footwork were nasty, constantly shaking off defenders and getting clean looks. His efficiency was even outpacing Jordan's.
The Bulls had no choice but to shift their defensive focus, sending early double-teams to stop Zhao Dong before he got deep into the wing.
But that left the paint open.
Zhao Dong read it like a vet, pulling the defense and then feeding Ewing for easy buckets. They kept running the same play, and the Bulls had no answer.
By the time Ewing checked out in the 11th minute, the Knicks were up 24-18.
When the first quarter ended, the Knicks were still up by six, 26-20.
Zhao Dong played the whole quarter, dropping 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, plus 3 boards, 3 dimes, a steal, a block, and a foul.
Ewing was solid too—7 points, 3 boards, 1 block on 3-of-5 shooting.
Jordan played all 12 minutes, but he was working for his buckets—4-of-9 from the field, 1-of-2 from deep, 2-of-2 from the line, finishing with 11 points, 2 boards, 1 assist, and a steal.
Meanwhile, Pippen? He was a ghost. Missed his only shot, dished one assist, and that was it.
"The Knicks' defense on Jordan was solid, but the Bulls' real problem was Zhao Dong. His ability to get separation and hit those mid-range shots was killing them," Matt Goukas analyzed.
"Yeah, and Jordan isn't the playmaker Pippen is. With no inside presence, he's forced to kick it out to teammates who just aren't converting. The Bulls' offense is looking rough right now," Marv Albert added.
"They also aren't cutting enough. Pippen's been locked down by Zhao all night, and without his slashing, the Bulls' perimeter pressure is weak. That's hurting their efficiency too," Matt Goukas pointed out.
Going into the second quarter, the Bulls made a small adjustment—Luc Longley out, Toni Kukoc in.
For the Knicks, Zhao Dong was the only starter staying on the floor. He was now running with Buck Williams, Larry Johnson, Allan Houston, and Charles Oakley.
The Bulls took advantage, tying the game halfway through the quarter. That forced Van Gundy to bring Ewing and Oakley back in.
By halftime, the Knicks were barely holding onto the lead, up 48-46.
After the break, the third quarter tipped off.
Bulls ball.
Jordan pulled up but bricked it. Knicks' possession.
"Oh, look at Zhao Dong moving without the ball now?" Marv Albert said in surprise.
Charles Oakley controlled the rock at the top of the arc while Zhao Dong danced around the left wing, working off screens.
Ewing suddenly popped out from the low post and took the pass at the top of the key.
Then—boom.
Zhao Dong cut hard inside, snatching the ball as he flew past Ewing.
The Bulls were lost.
Rodman and Pippen scrambled, but Rodman was half a step late on the switch. By the time Zhao Dong exploded into the paint, Rodman had no chance to recover.
Kukoc and Jordan both collapsed on him, but they were about to meet a freight train going full speed.
BOOM!
The rim nearly snapped off.
CRASH!
Kukoc got obliterated, sent flying two meters before crashing to the hardwood.
BEEP!
The whistle blew.
Offensive foul on Zhao Dong.
"Man, what the hell?!"
Zhao Dong barked at the ref, his eyes sharp enough to cut through steel. But he kept his cool, turning away before things got heated.
BOOOOOOOO!
The 3,000 Knicks fans in attendance erupted with boos.
"Oh come on! That was NOT an offensive foul! Kukoc was still moving—he never even got set!" Marv Albert yelled.
"Yeah, but are we really surprised?" Matt Goukas chuckled.
"Guess not," Marv laughed.
Zhao Dong jogged back on defense, shaking his head. Then he turned to his squad.
"Y'all see that? They can't keep up, so they tryna cheat us now!" he shouted.
"HELL NO!" his teammates roared back.
"Then let's make 'em pay!"
"LET'S GO!" The Knicks were fired up.
"The refs might've screwed Zhao Dong on that one, but all they did was add fuel to the fire," Zhang Heli chuckled.
Bulls' possession.
John Starks turned up the intensity, hounding Jordan like a rabid dog. MJ could barely even get open.
As a defender who rarely gave Jordan a hard time, John Starks was fired up on defense.
Zhao Dong locked down Pippen, forcing Ron Harper to take the shot himself, but he bricked it, and Ewing snagged the board.
Zhao Dong took off like a bullet and caught the pass as he crossed half-court on the right wing. Then, out of nowhere, he pulled up from deep.
Squeak!
Pippen, a step behind, slammed the brakes, but Zhao Dong was already airborne.
Swish!
Nothing but net.
"Yeah!" The away crowd went wild.
51-46, Knicks up by 5.
Coming back down, Jordan hit the jets, shaking off Starks with a nasty cut. Oakley stepped up to help, but Jordan hit a quick fadeaway—
Smack!
Zhao Dong came flying in and sent that shot packing.
"Oh! Jordan just got rejected by Zhao Dong again! Starks grabs the ball—he's sprinting! Zhao Dong's right there too! Jordan's a step behind—"
Zhao Dong and Jordan raced into the paint together. Starks lobbed it up, and both players leaped.
Jordan had the position outside, but Zhao Dong played it smart—bodying him mid-air. Jordan lost his balance, missing the ball completely.
Zhao Dong palmed it, landed, took one step, then rose up without hesitation—BOOM! He threw down a vicious slam, shaking the Bulls' rim.
"Yeah!" The Knicks' fans exploded again.
"Jordan's on the floor again! They ain't calling an offensive foul this time?" Marv Albert shouted.
Matt Goukas laughed. "Nah, that was a fight for possession. You can't call that an offensive foul. But Zhao Dong better watch out—the refs could still call something if they feel like it."
On the NBC broadcast, Matt Goukas broke it down: "The Knicks' defensive read was spot on. Zhao Dong saw Harper's pass coming and made a perfect weak-side rotation to block Jordan."
53-46, Knicks by 7.
The Bulls went back on the attack. Kukoc and Jordan ran a pick-and-roll on the right wing—Kukoc popped outside, Jordan slashed inside.
Oakley and Starks switched, and Harper kicked it to Kukoc at the 45-degree mark.
Mismatch. Kukoc had Starks on him. He didn't hesitate.
Swish!
Another three-pointer.
53-49, Bulls cut it to 4.
"Push the pace!" Zhao Dong yelled.
Starks bolted up the court. Kukoc tried to keep up, but the speed difference was night and day.
Ewing fired the pass to Zhao Dong, who immediately zipped it to Starks.
Starks caught it and sprinted across the frontcourt, stopping on the left-wing three-point line.
Zhao Dong had already cut to the rim. Jordan lunged toward Starks, trying to recover.
"Lob it!"
Starks floated it up—
BOOM!
Zhao Dong caught it mid-air and hammered another alley-oop dunk.
55-49, Knicks up 6.
"That was a beauty! Knicks are taking advantage of every mismatch they can find!" Matt Goukas said.
The Bulls came back, running the same action. This time, the Knicks didn't switch.
Harper found Jordan cutting into the lane.
Pippen slid to the left-wing three-point spot, forcing Zhao Dong to sag inside. Jordan saw it and kicked it out.
Pippen rose up for the jumper—
Splash!
"Pippen's heating up! The Bulls are getting clean looks and capitalizing." Marv Albert analyzed.
Zhao Dong sprinted downcourt, but Harper cut him off at the top of the arc. No fast break. Time for a set play.
This time, Zhao Dong switched it up. Instead of the left wing, he moved to the high post and signaled for the play.
Charles Ward read it immediately. He used Zhao Dong's screen, bursting into the paint with Harper trailing.
Zhao Dong followed, cutting to the rim at full speed. The Bulls' defense collapsed.
Rodman and Kukoc closed in, but it was too late—
Ward flipped a slick no-look pass, and Zhao Dong caught it in stride. One dribble, two steps, up—BANG!
Another throwdown.
"Great use of the pick-and-roll!" Matt Goukas said.
The Bulls came back, running their motion offense.
Pippen lost Zhao Dong on a screen, got the pass, and pulled up from mid-range—
Missed.
Rodman, ever the hustler, snatched the offensive board and went straight back up—
Rejected!
Zhao Dong came from behind and swatted it clean. Oakley grabbed the loose ball, and the Knicks were off again.
Zhao Dong took the ball down the middle. Charles Ward slid to the left wing.
Zhao Dong signaled, then attacked the top of the key.
The Bulls packed the paint, Pippen backpedaling hard.
Ewing stepped up to screen—
Pump fake!
Pippen bit, and Zhao Dong exploded past him.
Rodman turned to help, but it was useless.
Zhao Dong elevated like a damn rocket—BOOM! Another thunderous dunk!
59-52, Knicks up 7.
The game stayed tight, bucket for bucket. The Bulls kept running motion plays, while the Knicks stuck to fast breaks and strong interior play.
By the end of the third quarter—
74-66, Knicks led by 8.
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