Chapter 74: The Elite Rim Protector and the Birth of a Team Record
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In the Denver Nuggets' locker room, head coach Jeff Bzdelik weighed his options. Ultimately, he decided to abandon the "drawing fouls" tactic that had seemed promising but had cost them dearly in the first half.
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As the second half commenced, the Nuggets' players struggled to regain their earlier momentum. The most affected was Carmelo Anthony, whose prolonged slump had left him flustered—so much so that he nearly lost the ball to Steve Nash.
The Nuggets couldn't close the gap early in the third quarter, though their second unit mounted a 7-0 run when the Knicks rotated in their bench players. This narrowed the deficit to 74-82 entering the fourth quarter.
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"Up next is the final quarter! Fans in attendance today have certainly gotten their money's worth—what a block party this has been!" exclaimed Kenny Smith from the commentary booth.
Charles Barkley, sitting beside him, worried that Kenny might not make it out of Ball Arena alive after hyping the game so much. Barkley tried to bring some balance to the commentary:
"Absolutely, it's been a hard-fought game. Denver's players have shown consistent effort, and both rookies have put on great performances. Anthony has especially stood out, scoring—uh, 13 points so far."
Barkley's voice faltered as he glanced at the stat sheet: Anthony had gone 5-of-17 from the field. For a player heralded as a future star, this was disastrous. Barkley decided against drawing comparisons to Knicks rookie Wang Song, choosing instead to keep the spotlight off Anthony's tough night.
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During the break, Denver fans were buzzing with renewed hope. The late third-quarter run had restored their belief in victory, though Bzdelik felt nothing but a chilling sense of dread. His earlier strategy had backfired spectacularly, leaving Anthony out of rhythm and the team's momentum fractured.
Meanwhile, Knicks head coach Don Chaney radiated confidence. With the team comfortably leading, he focused on keeping his players rested and ready.
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The fourth quarter began with deafening chants of "Defense! Defense!" echoing through the arena. Denver fans knew that stopping the Knicks' offense was their team's only chance at a comeback.
But the Knicks were unrelenting. Using the same playbook, Kurt Thomas set a screen, Wang Song posted up in the corner, and a bounce pass got him the ball. Matching up against Marcus Camby, Wang drove into the paint and, after two power dribbles, scored with a soft finish.
Camby, visibly frustrated, struggled to contain Wang. On Denver's next possession, Camby attempted a pick-and-roll with Anthony, rolling to the basket for what seemed like an easy dunk. But Wang swooped in from the weak side, swatting the ball into the stands.
The block was Wang's seventh of the game, prompting Kenny Smith to leap out of his chair:
"Seven blocks! He's just made history!"
"He's now the first rookie in Knicks history to record seven blocks in a game," Kenny continued, "and with how this game is going, he might even finish in double digits!"
Barkley, standing beside him, shifted uncomfortably. For the Hall-of-Famer, who had never managed more than seven blocks in a game during his career, Wang's performance was a painful reminder of his own limitations as a rim protector.
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As the game wore on, the Nuggets became increasingly hesitant to attack the paint, especially Camby. By now, Denver's offensive flow had ground to a halt, while the Knicks maintained their lead with steady scoring.
With five minutes left, the Knicks had built a 20-point cushion. A visibly fatigued Wang Song was subbed out, despite assistant coach Herb Sendek advocating to keep him in:
"Coach Chaney, we could pad his stats! He's on the verge of double-digit blocks!"
Wang waved it off with a laugh:
"Coach, it's just a regular-season game. No need to burn myself out."
Sendek sighed in resignation, watching as Wang took a seat on the bench.
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When the final buzzer sounded, Ball Arena was filled with a mixture of boos and sighs from the home crowd. On the other side, the Knicks bench erupted in celebration, hoisting Wang into the air and tossing him skyward.
From the commentary booth, Kenny Smith wrapped things up:
"Congratulations to the Knicks and to Wang Song! They remain undefeated with a 3-0 record. Wang has been phenomenal tonight, setting a new franchise record with eight blocks and proving once again that he's an elite rim protector. The Knicks' paint is officially a no-fly zone!"
(End of Chapter)