The timeout ended. The Spurs came out of the huddle with a new wrinkle in their offense.
They were still running their signature low-post Twin Towers set, but this time the ball didn't go to Duncan or Robinson. Instead, the young guard Johnson took matters into his own hands and attacked off the dribble.
The Twin Towers flared out to opposite sides of the post, pulling the Knicks' defense with them. With the paint briefly open, Johnson sliced through the middle. He could've gone up for a tough finish, but he was also baiting the defense—looking to dump it off to one of the bigs if they collapsed.
Billups couldn't stay in front of Johnson, and the young Spur blew by him into the paint. Zhao Dong, who had been guarding Duncan, rotated back quickly. But his defense wasn't reckless. He didn't rush in too deep.
Instead, Zhao Dong expertly positioned himself between Duncan and Johnson, keeping Duncan behind him and sliding into the lane only when Johnson committed to the drive. That way, Johnson couldn't make a direct pass—he'd have to lob it over Zhao Dong, and that was a window Zhao was ready to shut.
Billups, recovering from the blown assignment, sprinted toward Duncan, eliminating his short window for a clean catch.
Johnson saw Duncan flash open for just a heartbeat, but the angle wasn't clean. He chose to finish the play himself and went in for a layup.
"Pop!"
Zhao Dong exploded off the floor and chased him down. He swatted the ball off the glass and grabbed the rebound in one motion.
"What a block!" Bob Costas shouted.
"Zhao Dong just erased that shot!" Doug Collins added.
Back on offense, the Knicks stuck with their own version of the high-low set.
This time Duncan took the assignment on Zhao Dong, while Robinson floated near the low post, watching for cutters. Malik Rose guarded Dazhi out on the perimeter.
As the Knicks spaced the floor, Robinson was forced to step out of the paint due to the three-second rule. That's when Sprewell made his move.
Sprinting from the right wing, he slashed into the open paint. Robinson turned too late.
"Bang!"
Zhao Dong fired a quick pass, and Sprewell caught it in stride, rising up and hammering a one-handed dunk over the rotating help.
"Saw that coming from a mile away!" Isaiah laughed from the booth. "That's smart basketball—spacing, timing, execution."
On the next Spurs possession, Duncan got revenge with a smooth putback over Zhao Dong. But the momentum had already begun to shift.
The Knicks pushed the pace again. Zhao Dong caught the ball two steps outside the paint on the left wing. Robinson had to vacate the lane again to avoid the three-second call, leaving Duncan on an island.
Zhao Dong saw the opening and took off.
Duncan tried to grab him to stop the drive, but Zhao Dong brushed him off like a fly.
Robinson sprinted back toward the rim, but Zhao Dong was already elevating by the time the Admiral reached the restricted area.
The two clashed mid-air.
Robinson, once the league's best shot blocker, found himself overwhelmed. Zhao Dong's elevation was a full head higher—his chest at Robinson's eye level.
"Boom!"
Zhao Dong slammed the ball down with monstrous force, sending Robinson crashing to the hardwood. His upper body whiplashed, and he hit the ground hard, eyes rolling slightly as the air left his lungs.
"YEAH!!"
Zhao Dong roared as he landed, staring down the fallen Admiral.
The Garden exploded.
"ANOTHER POSTER!" Bob Costas was shouting now. "The Tyrant just dunked over Admiral David Robinson again! That's pure dominance in the paint!"
Zhao Dong stood beneath the rim, his eyes ice-cold, sweeping across the stunned Spurs players. Not one dared meet his gaze.
"Fuck the Spurs!" he shouted, fist raised.
"FUCK THE SPURS!"
The crowd thundered in unison, Madison Square Garden shaking to its core.
The Spurs were collapsing.
Robinson didn't get back up on his own. He had to be helped off the floor, and just like that—half of the Twin Towers was down.
"Admiral Robinson is done for the night," Doug Collins reported solemnly. "And with that, the Spurs' interior is cracked wide open."
"Knicks up by 20. This one's over," Isaiah said.
On NBC live feed, Bob Costas turned to the viewership stats.
"Ratings are at 43 million right now," he said.
"Not quite the East Finals, but this one's about to get one-sided. Popovich may just fold the fourth quarter."
He was right.
Seeing Robinson unable to return, Gregg Popovich waved the white flag. Duncan was subbed out. Game 1 was over for San Antonio.
Zhao Dong sat the rest of the way too, having done more than enough in 31 minutes.
Final Line:
17-of-21 FG (80%)
10-of-10 FT
44 Points
10 Rebounds
4 Assists
2 Steals
4 Blocks
1 Turnover
3 Fouls
In the postgame, Zhang Heli summarized it best:
"Popovich lost this game with his game plan. He underestimated how well the Knicks could run his own high-low offense—only better."
"Coach Don Nelson's system unlocked Zhao Dong's full potential. With Dazhi spacing the floor, the Spurs couldn't double. They couldn't even contain him."
Sun Zhenping followed up:
"The Spurs' Twin Towers are still elite. Together, they shot 16-of-32 for 50% and dropped 49 points combined. But compared to Zhao Dong's 44 on just 21 shots?"
"Zhao Dong played a great game today—6-of-11 from the field, 2-of-4 from deep, 3-of-4 from the line, totaling 17 points," Zhang Heli analyzed on CCTV's postgame broadcast. "He got several open looks, especially from the high post. His efficiency really put pressure on the Spurs. They couldn't afford to leave him alone."
Sun Zhenping chuckled. "That high-post presence drew enough attention to give Zhao Dong some breathing room in the low block. That's why the double teams didn't come as often tonight."
"But Coach Zhang," Sun Zhenping continued, "you said Dazhi started at center in the Finals. Do you think he'll have a shot at the starting job next season?"
Zhang Heli thought for a second, then shook his head. "In the playoffs, Zhao Dong can afford to put more energy into defense, but that's not sustainable over an 82-game regular season. The Knicks can't burn out Zhao Dong night in and night out. So while Dazhi will definitely get starts here and there, he won't hold down the starting center role consistently unless his defense improves to at least a borderline elite level. Right now, he's not there yet."
Neither of them knew that Zhao Dong had already made plans to help Dazhi land a better opportunity elsewhere. Whether he would start in New York next season was already a moot point.
---
NBC Broadcast – Finals Game 3 Postgame
Bob Costas: "Tonight was a statement win for the Knicks. Zhao Dong's efficiency was simply off the charts."
Doug Collins: "Absolutely. The Knicks executed the perfect game plan. Zhao Dong had 21 shots—11 of them were drives to the rim, and he converted 10. He had four fast-break opportunities, all converted. Only six of his shots were jumpers from the paint's edge, and he hit three of those. That's 14-of-15 on shots at the rim and 50% from midrange—an overall 80% shooting night."
Isaiah Thomas: "That ain't just efficient. That's surgical. Spurs got cut open from the inside out."
Bob Costas: "And with the Knicks shooting 58% as a team to the Spurs' 51%, plus winning the turnover and rebounding battles, it's hard to say the Spurs lost unfairly."
Doug Collins: "They got outplayed—simple as that."
---
On-Court Interview: Zhao Dong
A New York Times reporter asked, slightly stunned, "Zhao Dong, 21 shot attempts—11 rim attacks, 10 makes. Four fast breaks, all converted. Six midrange jumpers, made three. That's a 93% field goal rate at the rim and 50% from the midrange. Overall, 80% efficiency. How did you pull that off?"
Zhao Dong smiled. "Credit to the coaching staff. That's a testament to their tactical planning. I'm just the guy executing."
Another reporter leaned in, asking, "Can you be more specific?"
Zhao Dong glanced at the mic logo—San Antonio Sports Daily. He grinned. "Afraid not. Ask me again after the Finals."
The reporter rolled his eyes. "Why would I ask then? Tight-lipped bastard."
Then Yang Yi from CCTV laughed and asked, "So Zhao Dong, are you finally willing to accept the nickname 'God of Efficiency'?"
Zhao Dong chuckled. "Let's talk about that after we defend our title and build a dynasty."
---
Team Press Conferences
An hour later, the mood in the two teams' press rooms couldn't be more different.
In the Knicks' media room, it was packed wall-to-wall. Laughter, flashing cameras, excited reporters. Across the hall in the Spurs' room, barely 30 people sat scattered, quietly setting up their cameras.
Tim Duncan scanned the sparse turnout and sighed internally.
His contract was ending next season. After that, he'd become a restricted free agent. His agency had been pushing him to test the market—go somewhere with a bigger spotlight, more endorsement potential.
In San Antonio, his sneaker deal with Nike was pitiful. No other sponsorships. His only major income was his rookie contract. He'd already told his agent he'd test the market.
After all, status came with shoe deals.
He envied guys like Vince Carter and Yao Ming—rookies landing monster sneaker contracts worth tens or even hundreds of millions. And here he was, playing elite ball with almost no commercial footprint.
If Zhao Dong knew what Duncan was thinking, he'd probably just laugh. You? Big sneaker deal? With that deadpan face, oversized street-stall clothes, and your post-up game? No flair, no flash. You don't sell shoes, man. Not unless it's orthopedic ones. Nike wouldn't even risk it. Whoever offers you a big shoe deal should be fired on the spot.
Zhao Dong knew Duncan would retire without ever having a signature shoe. And Duncan wasn't even the worst. The Germanator of Dallas—Dirk Nowitzki—never got one either. Adidas never even considered it.
---
Spurs Press Conference
First to ask was the San Antonio Sports Daily reporter who'd grilled Zhao Dong earlier.
"Coach Popovich, Zhao Dong's efficiency tonight was off the charts. Why wasn't your defense able to slow him down?"
Popovich looked irritated, still stewing from the loss. "We weren't expecting the Knicks to mirror our own tactics. They exploited the space we left at the high and low posts. Our defense got stretched too thin. We couldn't apply enough pressure in the paint."
"So… was it a tactical failure?" the reporter pressed.
Popovich paused, then reluctantly nodded. "Yeah. It was."
"How do you plan to fix it?"
"Not gonna share that here," Pop replied flatly. "But we'll make the necessary adjustments."
---
Knicks Press Conference
The Knicks' press room was buzzing.
"Zhao Dong, you had some beef with Popovich tonight, but only one broken backboard? That's kinda tame," joked Thomas, the team's beat reporter, causing a wave of laughter.
Zhao Dong grinned. "It's the Finals, man. Gotta keep the drama under control. We don't want the ratings to drop. One broken board is enough."
Next, a New York Times reporter asked Coach Nelson, "What inspired the high-low double-tower lineup tonight?"
Old Nelson smiled warmly as he leaned into the mic. "Our tactics were built around the technical strengths of our players," he explained. "The goal is always to allow our guys to maximize their talents on the floor."
He continued, voice calm but proud, "In our high-low double-post setup, Wang's got the shooting touch, the size, and the ability to cut to the basket. That's why he plays in the high post. The Spurs are forced to match him with a big, not a perimeter defender, which stretches their interior defense. That opens up the low post for Zhao Dong to go one-on-one."
Nelson gave a short chuckle. "And look at the result. We executed the plan to perfection. Zhao was barely double-teamed the entire game. He just feasted down there—efficient, ruthless."
"Coach Nelson, what's your take on Wang's performance tonight?" asked Yang Yi, stepping forward.
"Wang?" Nelson paused, smiling with a thoughtful nod. "Offensively, he's versatile. He can shoot under pressure, he has no dead zones on the floor, and he's got range from the arc. But what really impressed me is that his defense is coming along. That's big. With the right system, he can be a game-changer."
He leaned back slightly. "Take today for example—when he pulled out to the perimeter, he turned into a high turret. Robinson had to chase him out there, and that disrupted their entire defensive rhythm. He didn't get a lot of touches, but he forced Robinson to commit. That's huge."
"Eventually, the Spurs switched Malik Rose onto him, but Rose is only 6'7". Wang shot over him with ease. High release, clean form, excellent efficiency. I was really happy with his performance today—he played a key role in our win."
Yang Yi followed up quickly, "And Zhao Dong?"
At the mention of Zhao's name, Nelson's face softened into a look of admiration. "Zhao?" he repeated. "During the summer of '97, I got a call from Ernie asking me to come back. You remember, he'd let me go the year before—after I tried to trade Ewing for O'Neal. Ewing and the locker room turned on me after that."
Nelson shook his head with a wry smile. "I was standing outside the Mavericks facility when Ernie called. I didn't hesitate. I took the Knicks job again on the spot. And now I know it was the right decision—because it gave me a chance to coach someone as special as Zhao Dong."
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Zhao is like having a Swiss Army knife in his prime. I can run an entire offensive system through him, any way I want. He's got no limitations. I can play him at guard—he's a two-way beast with elite scoring and the ability to orchestrate the offense like a floor general."
"I can slide him to small forward and unleash him downhill, overwhelming defenders with his strength and speed. And when I post him up? Well, you saw it tonight. The mighty Spurs twin towers couldn't stop him. He dominated the low block like a goddamn freight train."
---
June 9th – New York Goes Wild
The next morning, the headlines were electric. Every major New York outlet was ablaze with the same story.
"80.9% FG. 93% at the rim. 71% of team's rim attempts. This is the dominance of the league's current No. 1. The God of Efficiency, Zhao Dong."
— The New York Times
"The Spurs' twin towers were dismantled by a single wrecking ball—Zhao Dong."
— New York Sports
Even The Wall Street Journal broke its usual financial tone, jumping into the frenzy with a piece on Zhao's international impact. From tabloids to business columns, from sports talk to lifestyle blogs—everyone was talking about one man.
In unison, the New York media crowned Zhao Dong as "The Best Player in the League" and declared him the "God of Efficiency."
With the global power of outlets like The New York Times, the message quickly spread. International press picked up the phrasing, social media erupted, and basketball fans around the world were on notice.
This was the power of playing in New York—the world's media capital. If you balled out on this stage, the whole planet would know your name.
And Zhao Dong's global influence was snowballing—fast and furious.
---
NBA Commissioner David Stern saw the writing on the wall.
With Jordan retired and the league needing a new face, Zhao Dong was it. Stern didn't hesitate—he ordered the league's global marketing division to go full throttle.
Zhao wasn't just a superstar—he was the future. And the world was about to see him everywhere.
---
Noon: Zhao's Home – Private Meeting
Zhao Dong finally rolled out of bed around 10 a.m. After lunch, his agent Ringo Wells stopped by his Manhattan apartment.
"Zhao, I've got your guys lined up," Wells said, flipping through his iPad. "We can rotate them into China in waves—full-time trainers, rehab specialists, even sports doctors."
"Good," Zhao nodded. "Handle the logistics. Just talk to my brother—he'll coordinate from there."
He had tasked Wells with finding elite sports professionals who were willing to move to China for months at a time. The plan? Build a world-class training and recovery system back home.
Thanks to Zhao's growing fortune—and a few million-dollar bonuses—money wasn't an issue. They were offering U.S.-level salaries several times over, and the professionals signed on with enthusiasm.
The training center in Dongcheng had already expanded, but Zhao had something even bigger built near the Third Ring Road—over 500 acres, approved directly by the city through the national sports administration. It was now China's most advanced private sports complex.
And Zhao wasn't stopping there.
He had just imported nearly $40 million worth of medical and performance equipment—some of which wasn't even available in top Chinese hospitals yet.
It was the kind of investment no one in China's sports world had ever seen before. For context, the entire country's foreign currency reserves had only topped $200 billion the previous year.
(End of Chapter)
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