Chapter 67

In the TNT live broadcast seat, Matt explained, "Unlike the last game, Zhao Dong has been making continuous low-post short-range jump shots, and the Jazz have failed to double-team him. His low-post singles skills are exceptional. Malone has struggled with consecutive single defenses, resulting in high efficiency."

Bill Walton smiled and added, "I think Zhao Dong's low-post skills can be considered at the level of a first-class All-Star insider."

Matt nodded, agreeing. "As far as the low post goes, that's true. Otherwise, he wouldn't be attracting double-teams. Being able to draw double-teams in the low post is a hallmark of an All-Star-level player."

Bill Walton further commented, "He also has a solid mid-range and long-range shot, reaching well beyond the three-point line. His offensive range is broader than Malone's. I believe he's more dangerous offensively than Malone."

Matt said, "If you don't double-team him in advance, you must speed up your defense and complete the double-team before Zhao Dong makes his move."

Bill Walton nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

The Jazz were now on the attack. Malone and Stockton initiated a pick-and-roll at the high post. After separating, Stockton drove toward the paint, while Malone didn't cut outside or down but instead moved diagonally to the left wing. This was one of the trademark pick-and-roll tactics of the "Black-and-White Duo." When Stockton drew the defense, Malone would make his move from the wing.

As Malone moved, his elbows flared up, a regular maneuver of his to create space for himself. His arms, with an arm circumference of 55 cm, were particularly intimidating. In the league, even the four major centers dared not go up against them. But Zhao Dong was different—he dared.

At that moment, Stockton attracted a double-team from Ewing and Oakley, and immediately passed the ball to Malone. Seeing Zhao Dong charging toward him, Malone quickly turned around and smashed his right elbow into Zhao Dong.

"Boom!" Zhao Dong gritted his teeth and took the hit, but still managed to intercept the pass, cutting off Stockton's attempt. This steal effectively disrupted the pick-and-roll play between the duo.

"Wow, beautiful!" The live commentators shouted as Zhao Dong grabbed the ball. "That's a tough close-up tackle! Zhao Dong took the elbow, but he's still going down the court! Malone can't keep up, and he's been left behind!"

"Boom!" Zhao Dong drove into the paint, leapt into the air, and unleashed a vicious tomahawk dunk that shook Madison Square Garden to its core.

"Postman, I'm going to take you down today! On and off the court, I'm going to deal with you. How can you still act tough in front of me?" Zhao Dong yelled as he turned after landing, taunting Malone, who had just managed to catch up.

"You...!" Malone gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Yeah!" Zhao Dong's taunting words immediately energized the fans who heard them.

"Crack, clap..." The media behind the baseline grew even more excited, with cameras flashing non-stop, capturing Zhao Dong and Malone.

"Snapped!" Looking back, Malone tried to post up against Zhao Dong, but the latter pushed back against his knee, sending another block his way.

"Hoho..." Zhao Dong swallowed a big block, throwing Malone to the floor once again and landing an elbow to his chest. The pressure and pain left Malone struggling to catch his breath.

"If you dare step on me in front of the media and act tough, I'll make you regret it! Get ready to lie down and leave New York," Zhao Dong whispered harshly into Malone's ear while pinning him down.

"Go away!" Malone grunted, attempting to push Zhao Dong off.

"Haha!" Zhao Dong was thrown to the ground, but he laughed heartily, enjoying the moment.

"Madman!" Malone scowled in anger.

What Malone didn't know was that Zhao Dong had lived two lifetimes. Not only had he failed to achieve much in his past life, but he had even failed to find a wife. His life had been a complete disaster, filled with hostility that, when unleashed, could become dangerous.

"Damn bastard!" Malone cursed again, rubbing his chest where the pain from Zhao Dong's elbows still lingered.

From then on, despite Malone's toughness, he didn't dare face Zhao Dong in the low post. He feared Zhao Dong might take the opportunity to land another elbow. When playing pick-and-roll, Malone became extra cautious. Whenever he saw Zhao Dong coming, he sped up his shots, but this decision only led to a higher rate of missed attempts, his shooting percentage dropping significantly.

By the 7th minute of the first quarter, with the Jazz trailing by 7 points at 11:18, Jerry Sloan called for Malone to be substituted. In those 7 minutes, Malone had made only 1 of 6 shots, had been blocked twice by Zhao Dong, turned the ball over once, and managed just 2 points and 1 rebound. His performance had been far from satisfactory.

"Zhao Dong, get out of here," said Van Gundy.

"No, coach, I'm fine. I want to keep playing," Zhao Dong replied.

"Malone elbowed you at least ten times and kneed you a few times. Are you sure you're okay? Don't you need a rest?"

"I'm fine. He's a bit weak today, and his strength isn't up to par," Zhao Dong assured him.

Though Van Gundy wanted to give Zhao Dong a break after Malone's exit, Zhao Dong was determined to stay in the game. With his system protecting him, the chances of injury were low, and the task ahead of him was critical, so he wanted to spend as much time as possible on the court.

The system set a target of 30+10+5, but it didn't specify that it had to be achieved against Malone, so with Malone off the court, Zhao Dong could rack up more points.

"Alright, with the postman off the floor, you should take more shots in the low post," Van Gundy said, recognizing Zhao Dong's effort in defending Malone and rewarding him by letting him take over the offense as Ewing was substituted out. Zhao Dong wasted no time, and even after Charles replaced Charlie Ward, he kept demanding the ball. Charlie Ward, aware of Zhao Dong's prowess and the violent history with players like Mourning and Malone, dared not challenge him. Zhao Dong was a force far fiercer than Ewing and just as intimidating as Oakley, so Ward quickly passed the ball whenever Zhao Dong requested it.

In the following minutes, without Malone on the floor, Zhao Dong continued to hit jump shots from the low post, avoiding the need to rush in for double teams. Thanks to his superior low-post skills and elite shooting ability, his shooting accuracy remained exceptional, hovering around 70%. To put that into perspective, Duncan's shooting percentage at the basket was only 44%, and other players in the league typically faced double-teams early on, like Shaquille O'Neal.

By the end of the first quarter, Zhao Dong had played the entire period, making 6 of 8 shots, 3 of 4 free throws, and finishing with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, and 1 foul. Zhao Dong found it remarkable that, by shaking off defenders with his low-post moves, the defense often made mistakes in response. "Is this the effect of the gold medal skill?" he wondered. If he could play like this every game, he wouldn't need to work on other offensive skills; the combination of his gold medal low-post moves and 93-level shooting would be enough to dominate. However, he knew that was unlikely. As soon as the Jazz adjusted and started double-teaming him more efficiently, it would impact his performance.

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